Scope and purpose.

(a) This part sets forth the rules of the Department of Commerce whereby the Department and its organizational units are to make publicly available the materials and indexes specified in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2) and the records requested under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3). (b) These rules conform to requirements of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552; as amended, and supplement Department Administrative Order 205-12, which contains policies, delegations of authority, and other criteria implementing 5 U.S.C. 552. DAO 205-12 is attached as Appendix A to this part. (c) Certain units of the Department other than those identified in § 4.4(d) have, pursuant to delegated authority and for appropriate reasons, established their own facilities for the public inspection and copying of records. The units have provided for separate locations to which requests for records are to be made. These facilities and locations are identified in Appendix B to this part. The units may publish in the Federal Register supplementary rules in addition to but not inconsistent with this part, DAO 205-12, and the rules and regulations contained in their respective chapters of the Code of Federal Regulations or otherwise in the Federal Register. These supplementary rules shall be maintained in the central public reference facility identified in § 4.4(c), where information about them may be obtained.