[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 66823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27186]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Freedom of Information Act Request for Papers Submitted to DARPA 
for the 2011 100 Year Starship Symposium

AGENCY: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Authors who submitted full papers based on selected abstracts 
submitted as proposed talks for panels at the 2011 100 Year Starship 
Symposium must provide DARPA a written response explaining how 
disclosure of his or her paper, either in its entirety or portions 
thereof, would likely cause substantial competitive harm to their 
competitive position and/or impair the Government's ability to obtain 
similar information in the future if the submitter of the information 
believes that some or all of the paper submitted to DARPA should be 
withheld in response to a request received by DARPA under the Freedom 
of Information Act.

DATES: All written correspondence must be received by DARPA by close of 
business December 7, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments concerning this Freedom of Information 
Act request by email to [email protected] or by mail at the DARPA FOIA 
Office, 675 North Randolph Street, Arlington VA 22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: DARPA FOIA Office at 571-218-4297 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Defense Advanced Research Projects 
Agency (DARPA) has received a request under the Federal Freedom of 
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) (FOIA) for copies of final paper 
submissions that were based on selected abstracts submitted as proposed 
talks for discussion panels at the 2011 100 Year Starship Symposium. 
DARPA requested sample abstracts from the public for topics of 
discussion for the 2011 100 Year Starship Symposium and, from those 
submissions, certain abstracts were selected, and the symposium 
organizers requested the authors submit final papers on their topic(s).
    Under the FOIA, the Government is required to release to a 
requester copies of documents it maintains that are not otherwise 
protected by an exemption to the FOIA. One particular exemption, 
exemption (b)(4), protects from disclosure any records, or portions 
thereof, that contain ``trade secrets and commercial or financial 
information obtained from a person that is privileged or 
confidential.'' 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4).
    If you submitted a final paper in response to a selected abstract 
for the 2011 100 Year Starship Symposium, and if you believe some or 
all of the final paper should be withheld, you must notify DARPA in 
writing within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this 
Federal Register notice. Your written response must specifically 
identify which paper you submitted to DARPA for which you are asserting 
privilege under exemption (b)(4). You should include a copy of your 
paper with your written response. Your written response must indicate 
the following: (1) That you are responding to this notice in the 
Federal Register, and (2) why the information contained in the paper is 
commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential. 
Indicate with brackets (``[ ]'') information that should be withheld.
    In order to protect information under exemption (b)(4) of the FOIA, 
your written response must explain, in detail, how disclosure of your 
paper would likely cause substantial harm to your competitive position 
and/or how disclosure of your paper will impair the Government's 
ability to obtain similar information in the future. A concluding 
statement, to the effect of ``the information is confidential because 
releasing it could cause substantial competitive harm,'' will not 
suffice. Your written response must include your full name and complete 
address. Also include your direct telephone number and/or email address 
if available.
    You may notify the DARPA FOIA Office of your position by sending 
your written response by email to the DARPA FOIA at [email protected] 
or by mailing the DARPA FOIA Office at 675 North Randolph Street, 
Arlington, VA 22203. If the DARPA FOIA Office does not receive a 
response from you within thirty (30) days from the date of publication 
of this Federal Register notice, your paper will be publically 
released.

    Dated: November 2, 2012.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2012-27186 Filed 11-6-12; 8:45 am]
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