Sec. 0.467  Search and review fees.

    (a)(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, an hourly fee 
shall be charged for recovery of the full, allowable direct costs of 
searching for and reviewing records requested under Sec. 0.460(e) or 
Sec. 0.461, unless such fees are precluded or waived pursuant to 
Sec. 0.470. The fee is based on the grade level of the employee(s) who 
conducts the search, as specified in the following schedule:

                                                                        
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                                                                 Hourly 
                             Grade                                 fee  
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GS-1..........................................................      8.84
GS-2..........................................................      9.62
GS-3..........................................................     10.85
GS-4..........................................................     12.18
GS-5..........................................................     13.62
GS-6..........................................................     15.09
GS-7..........................................................     16.87
GS-8..........................................................     18.70
GS-9..........................................................     20.64
GS-10.........................................................     22.74
GS-11.........................................................     24.98
GS-12.........................................................     29.94
GS-13.........................................................     35.60
GS-14.........................................................     42.07
GS-15.........................................................     49.49
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Note: These fees will be modified periodically to correspond with       
  modifications in the rate of pay approved by Congress.                

    (2) The fees in paragraph (a)(1) of this section were computed at 
step 5 of each grade level based on the General Schedule effective 
January 1997 and include 20 percent for personnel benefits.
    (b) Search fees may be assessed for time spent searching, even if 
the Commission fails to locate the records or if the records are 
determined to be exempt from disclosure.
    (c) The Commission shall charge only for the initial review, i.e., 
the review undertaken initially when the Commission analyzes the 
applicability of a specific exemption to a particular record. The 
Commission shall not charge for review at the appeal level of an 
exemption already applied. However, records or portions of records 
withheld in full under an exemption that is subsequently determined not 
to apply may be reviewed again to determine the applicability of other 
exemptions not previously considered. The costs of such a subsequent 
review, under these circumstances, are properly assessable.
    (d) The fee charged will not exceed an amount based on the time 
typically required to locate records of the kind requested.
    (e) If the Commission estimates that search charges are likely to 
exceed $25 or the amount which the requester indicated he/she is 
prepared to pay, then it shall notify the requester of the estimated 
amount of fees. Such a notice shall offer the requester the opportunity 
to confer with Commission personnel with the object of revising or 
clarifying the request.
    (f) When the search has been completed, the custodian of the records 
will give notice of the charges incurred to the person who made the 
request.
    (g) The fee shall be paid to the Financial Management Division, 
Office of Managing Director, or as otherwise directed by the Commission.
    (h) Records shall be inspected within 7 days after notice is given 
that they have been located and are available for inspection. After that 
period, they will be returned to storage, and additional charges may be 
imposed for again producing them.

(Secs. 4, 303, 307, 48 Stat., as amended, 1066, 1082, 1083; 47 U.S.C. 
154, 303, 397; 47 CFR 0.231(d))
[40 1997 FR 7316 , Feb. 19, 1975, as amended at  45 FR 85028 , Dec. 24, 1980;  49 FR 13368 , Apr. 4, 1984. Redesignated and amended at  53 FR 39093 , Oct. 5, 
1988;  59 FR 21946 , Apr. 27, 1994;  60 FR 30002 , June 7, 1995;  61 FR 14500 , Apr. 2, 1996;  62 FR 42929 , Aug. 11, 1997]