About USGS

FOIA Exemption 5 (deliberative process privilege) applies to inter-agency or intra-agency records where, for instance, there is a work product that is in draft format or documents that contain deliberations between parties leading up to a decision (including what to publish or not to publish in one of our products). The purpose of the privilege is to: Encourage open, frank discussions on matters...

If you are a registered requester with the Department of the Interior’s FOIA Public Access Link (PAL), Sign In to view the status of your request(s), send a message to the FOIA Office, or download responsive records once they are delivered. If you are not a registered requester, you can still check the status of your request by clicking on Check Request Status in the PAL toolbar. Be prepared to...

The Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) offers mediation services to resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and agencies as an alternative to litigation. OGIS also reviews agency FOIA compliance, policies, and procedures and makes recommendations for improvement. The Office is a part of the National Archives and Records Administration, and was created by Congress as part of the OPEN...

In the course of processing FOIA requests, it is not uncommon to locate records that either originated with another agency or that contain information of interest to another agency. The practice in such situations is to either refer the requested record to the originating agency for it to process, or to consult with the other agency to get its views on the sensitivity of the document’s content...

Information/data that is NOT covered by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) includes: Non-agency records and personal records. Public requests for access to physical artifacts or scientific samples (e.g. core samples, sediment, rocks, fossils, specimen samples, blood samples). Access to some samples can be arranged through our laboratories. Files that are protected from disclosure by any of nine...

Since 1967, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has provided the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency. It is often described as the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government. Federal agencies are required to disclose any information requested under the FOIA unless it falls under one of nine exemptions that protect interests such as personal...

Unsolicited proposals for both research and research-related awards are a valuable means for the USGS to obtain innovative methods or approaches from outside the government to accomplish our mission. In order to be considered, proposals must: Be innovative and unique Be independently derived and developed (prepared without government supervision) Include enough detail to determine whether...

As an agency of the United States federal government, the USGS must follow Federal Acquisition Regulations when purchasing or leasing any type of equipment or contracting for services. We are required to use competitive sourcing. Please visit our Acquisitions and Grants website to learn about how to do business with the USGS.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is a bureau within the U.S. Department of the Interior. Per Department of the Interior policy , the USGS does not provide links to organizations outside the federal government unless they are official research partners of the USGS.

When conducting research on private property, United States Geological Survey (USGS) employees must comply with State and Tribal laws, including trespassing and privacy laws. USGS employees are required to obtain permission from the landowner when conducting new research and must make the data available at the landowner's request. Learn more: USGS Survey Manual: Obtaining Permission for Access to...

The USGS has offices in every state , but education is not part of our mission and we do not have employees who go into classrooms as part of their job. Some employees, however, are willing to do so on their own time. If there's a USGS office in your town, contact them directly to ask about a speaker or presenter. Alternatively, teachers can sign up for a Virtual Classroom Visit from a volunteer...

Yes. Educational institutions qualify for discounts on purchases made through the online USGS Store . To receive any discounts you must first be set up in their system. Please fax your request on school letterhead (or on a purchase order) to 303-202-4693 and include your Federal Tax ID number ( not to be confused with your Federal Tax Exempt Number). For questions, call 1-888-MAP-DEAL (1-888-627...