The first step to deciding where to send your FOIA request is conducting preliminary research to identify which agencies or agency components are likely to have materials about your research topic. A number of different tools are available to learn about agency operations and help you find out which agencies may have been involved in the topic or issue you are researching. For example:
- Secondary sources like books and articles can provide useful information about agencies or even about documents relevant to your subject.
- Investigate the agency’s Web site, and look for mission statements, organizational charts, or other background material about the agency’s work.
- Call the agency FOIA office or public affairs office if you are still not sure whether you have selected the correct agency.
- The agency’s FOIA site or FOIA office may be able to help you determine whether you need to send your request to the headquarters or to a field office or component.
