(a) All requests to inspect or copy records shall be made in writing and directed to the records access officer at the Office of Homeland Security; no oral requests to the records access officer to inspect or copy a record shall be permitted. All requests to inspect or copy records, or to have copies made of records, shall adequately describe the record sought, and whenever possible, the requesting party shall supply information as to dates, file designations, and other information that may help to identify the record sought. In the event the request does not adequately describe the record sought the party will be so notified.

(b) Upon receipt of a proper written request to search for records, the records access officer or a duly authorized party shall make a search for the requested record.

(c) All written requests to inspect, copy, or to have copies made of a record shall be responded to within five business days from the receipt of a written request for a record reasonably described. Such response shall be made in writing by the records access officer and shall make said record available to the person requesting it, deny such request or provide an acknowledgment of the request and provide a statement of the approximate date, which shall be reasonable under the circumstances, when such request shall be granted or denied.

(d) When the records access officer determines within 20 business days that a request is to be granted in whole or in part but the documents cannot be provided within those 20 days, a written statement shall be issued by the records access officer stating the reasons for the inability to grant the request within 20 business days and shall contain a date certain, within a reasonable period, when the request will be granted in whole or in part. If a request to inspect or copy a record is denied by the records access officer, the records access officer shall so notify the requesting party of the reasons for the denial and the right to appeal such denial within 30 days.