(a) Any person wishing to inspect and/or obtain a copy of any record should state the request in writing to the records access officer, provided that the records access officer may accept an oral request if in his judgment there is no need for the request to be in writing.

(b) A request shall reasonably describe the record or records in question in order to enable the records access officer to locate the records requested. Whenever possible, a person requesting records shall supply information regarding dates, file designations or other information that may help to describe the records sought.

(c) The records access officer shall, within five business days of receipt of a request, provide or deny access to records or furnish a written acknowledgment of receipt of the request and a statement of the approximate date when the request shall be granted or denied. This statement shall include, where appropriate, a statement that access shall be determined in accordance with section 89(5) of the Public Officers Law. If access to a record is neither granted nor denied within 10 business days after the date of acknowledgment of receipt of a request, such action may be construed as a denial of access that may be appealed by writing to the deputy commissioner and counsel of the department as set forth in section 1.9 of this Part.