FOIA Support

The Department of Energy (DOE) was struggling with a growing backlog of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests at its headquarters. The agency was managing a high volume of complex and sensitive cases, including requests involving proprietary business data, personally identifiable information (PII), and legally sensitive materials requiring coordination with the Office of the General Counsel and the Department of Justice.

Operating under a decentralized processing model spread across multiple program offices, DOE was falling behind on case closures and risked failing to meet statutory response timelines. The backlog had been building for years, and the growing complexity of cases was increasing the risk of litigation and compliance issues. The agency needed a partner who could not only process cases but also help transform how the FOIA program operated.

CRI achieved a 22% reduction in the FOIA backlog—more than twice the agency’s stated goal—while processing over 1,000 cases and supporting six additional agency organizations beyond the original scope. DOE logged its lowest backlog numbers in over 15 years.

CRI reduced contract costs by 15% compared to the previous contractor and earned Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) ratings of Exceptional in Schedule, Management, and Regulatory Compliance, and Very Good in Quality and Cost Control. The team was formally recognized by the DOE FOIA Office’s Department Director for meeting and exceeding case-closure goals following implementation of centralized processing and performance improvements.