We will charge you our allowable direct costs, unless they are less than the cost of billing you. Direct costs means those expenditures that NCUA actually incurs in searching for, duplicating and reviewing documents to respond to a FOIA request. Search means all time spent looking for material that is responsive to a request, including page-by-page or line-by-line identification of material within documents. Searches may be done manually or by computer. Search does not include modification of an existing program or system that would significantly interfere with the operation of an automated information system. Review means examining documents to determine whether any portion should be withheld and preparing documents for disclosure. Fees are subject to change as costs increase. The current rate schedule is available on our web site at http://www.ncua.gov. We may contract with the private sector to locate, reproduce or disseminate records. NCUA will not contract out responsibilities that FOIA requires it to discharge, such as determining the applicability of an exemption, or determining whether to waive or reduce fees. The following labor and duplication rate calculations apply:

(a) NCUA will charge fees at the following rates for manual searches for and review of records:

(1) If search/review is done by clerical staff, the hourly rate for CU-5, plus 16% of that rate to cover benefits;

(2) If search/review is done by professional staff, the hourly rate for CU-13, plus 16% of that rate to cover benefits.

(b) NCUA will charge fees at the hourly rate for CU-13, plus 16% of that rate to cover benefits, plus the hourly cost of operating the computer for computer searches for records.

(c) NCUA will charge the following duplication fees:

(1) The per-page fee for paper copy reproduction of a document is $.10;

(2) The fee for documents generated by computer is the hourly fee for the computer operator, plus the cost of materials (computer paper, tapes, labels, etc.);

(3) If any other method of duplication is used, NCUA will charge the actual direct cost of duplication.

[63 FR 14338, Mar. 25, 1998, as amended at 73 FR 56938, Oct. 1, 2008]