(a) Coverage. FOIA applies to all Commission records and provides the public with access to government records.

(b) Requesting records subject to the Privacy Act. A request by an individual for the individual's own records contained in a system of records is governed by the Privacy Act. Release will first be considered under the Privacy Act pursuant to part 3005 of this chapter. However, if there is any record that the Commission need not release under the Privacy Act, the Commission will also consider the request under FOIA, and will release the record if FOIA requires it.

(c) Requesting another individual's record. Request for records of individuals which may not be granted under the Privacy Act shall be considered under FOIA.

(1) If the Commission makes a disclosure in response to a request and the disclosure is permitted by the Privacy Act's disclosure provision, 5 U.S.C. 552a(b), the Commission will rely on the Privacy Act to govern the disclosure.

(2) In some circumstances, the Privacy Act may prohibit the Commission's ability to release records which may be released under FOIA.

(d) Requesting a Postal Service record. The Commission maintains custody of records that are both Commission and Postal Service records. Except when the Postal Service submits materials to the Commission in connection with activities under 39 U.S.C. 407(b)(2)(A), in all other instances that the Postal Service submits materials to the Commission that the Postal Service reasonably believes to be exempt from public disclosure, the Postal Service shall follow the procedures described in part 3011, subpart B of this chapter.

(1) A request made pursuant to FOIA for Postal Service records shall be referred to the Postal Service; and

(2) A request made pursuant to part 3011 of this chapter for records designated as non-public by the Postal Service shall be considered under the applicable standards set forth in that part.

(e) Requesting a record submitted by a person other than the Postal Service. The Commission maintains records of a confidential nature submitted by persons other than the Postal Service as non-public materials.

(1) A request made pursuant to FOIA for records submitted by a person other than the Postal Service shall adhere to the applicable procedures of § 3006.205. If such a FOIA request is not referred to a different Federal agency pursuant to § 3006.205(b), the Commission shall consider it in light of all applicable exemptions and in accordance with the following procedures:

(i) If such materials are designated as non-public, the Commission shall follow the procedures appearing in § 3006.206(b) through (d) in determining the FOIA request; or

(ii) In all other instances, the Commission shall determine the FOIA request after notifying the person of the FOIA request and providing the person with an opportunity to respond within 7 days of the date of the notice under the following circumstances:

(A) The records sought contain confidential commercial information that may be protected from disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4); and

(B) The Commission determines that it may be required to disclose the records, provided that at least one of the following applies:

(1) The requested information has been designated in good faith by the submitter as information considered protected from disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4); or

(2) The Commission has a reason to believe that the requested information may be protected from disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4), but has not yet determined whether the information is protected from disclosure.

(2) A request made pursuant to part 3011 of this chapter for records designated as non-public by a person other than the Postal Service shall be considered under the applicable standards set forth in that part.