§ 10400.21 How do I make a Privacy Act request?

(a) In general. You can make a Privacy Act request for records about yourself. You also can make a request on behalf of another individual as the parent or legal guardian of a minor, or as the legal guardian of someone determined by a court to be incompetent. (b) How do I make a request?—(1) Where do I send my written request? To make a request for access to a record, you should write directly to our FOIA Officer. Heightened security delays mail delivery. To avoid mail delivery delays, we strongly suggest that you email your request to ipecfoia@ipec.eop.gov. Our mailing address is: Office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, Executive Office of the President, Washington, DC 20503, Attn: FOIA Officer. To make sure that the FOIA Officer receives your request without delay, you should include the notation “Privacy Act Request” in the subject line of your email or on the front of your envelope and also at the beginning of your request. (2) Security concerns. To protect our computer systems, we reserve the right not to open attachments to emailed requests. We request that you include your request within the body of the email. (c) What should my request include? You must describe the record that you seek in enough detail to enable IPEC to locate the system of records containing the record with a reasonable amount of effort. Include specific information about each record sought, such as the time period in which you believe it was compiled, the name or identifying number of each system of records in which you believe it is kept, and the date, title or name, author, recipient, or subject matter of the record. As a general rule, the more specific you are about the record that you seek, the more likely we will be able to locate it in response to your request. (d) How do I request amendment of a record? If you are requesting an amendment of an IPEC record, you must identify each particular record in question and the system of records in which the record is located, describe the amendment that you seek, and state why you believe that the record is not accurate, relevant, timely or complete. You may submit any documentation that you think would be helpful, including an annotated copy of the record. (e) How do I request an accounting of record disclosures? If you are requesting an accounting of disclosures made by IPEC to another person, organization or Federal agency, you must identify each system of records in question. An accounting generally includes the date, nature and purpose of each disclosure, as well as the name and address of the person, organization, or Federal agency to which the disclosure was made. (f) Verification of identity. When making a Privacy Act request, you must verify your identity in accordance with these procedures to protect your privacy or the privacy of the individual on whose behalf you are acting. If you make a Privacy Act request and you do not follow these identity verification procedures, IPEC cannot process your request. (1) How do I verify my own identity? You must include in your request your full name, current address, and date and place of birth. We may request additional information to verify your identity. To verify your own identity, you must provide an unsworn declaration under 28 U.S.C. 1746, a law that permits statements to be made under penalty of perjury. To fulfill this requirement, you must include the following statement just before the signature on your request: (2) How do I verify parentage or guardianship? If you make a request as the parent or legal guardian of a minor, or as the legal guardian of someone determined by a court to be incompetent, for access to records or information about that individual, you must establish: (i) The identity of the individual who is the subject of the record, by stating the individual's name, current address, and date and place of birth; (ii) Your own identity, as required in paragraph (f)(1) of this section; (iii) That you are the parent or legal guardian of the individual, which you may prove by providing a copy of the individual's birth certificate showing your parentage or a court order establishing your guardianship; and (iv) That you are acting on behalf of the individual in making the request.