#foia software solution

[thelegalcasemanagement-blog]

FOIA SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS – AUTOMATE YOUR FOIA REQUESTS WITH ARMEDIA’S FOIA AUTOMATION MODULE

This is an excerpt from Armedia.com

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) which supports release of information (ROI) gives citizens the right to request access to undisclosed information, managed by the government. Citizens are becoming more aware of their rights and are increasingly using FOIA to get more information about government actions that affect them. On the other hand, the government can’t keep pace with the flood of FOIA requests.

FOIA organizations are lagging behind a constantly growing and challenging workload. While almost every part of government has implemented some workflow automation, the changing demands and increasing complexity of the FOIA have led to lapses in effectively processing requests.

Every agency that handles FOIA requests wants to build a system that will support its primary tasks and improve the entire organization’s performance. Every year the number of FOIA requests increases together with the FOIA backlog. An effective solution for organizations to handle this backlog is automation of FOIA requests.

HOW WILL FOIA REQUEST MANAGEMENT SOLUTION HELP ORGANIZATIONS?

FOIA is all about taking information and making it available to citizens, ensuring that the information is safe for publishing, and then granting access to those who requested this information. A software solution to handle all these tasks should promote efficiency and collaboration within the organization. Here’s a short list:

·         Automating FOIA requests will help organizations throw away the black marker and white tape, and respond to requests more efficiently and quickly.

·         Organizations will have a more systematic way of organizing information and can minimize challenges while searching and accessing large volumes of records in different systems.

·         Organizations will be able to meet legislated deadlines and improve their accuracy and timely reporting.

·         Employees will be able to do much more with the same resources, reduce the backlog and provide better service to the citizens.

Having an automated solution for managing FOIA requests will help your organization minimize manual redaction, speed up requests handling, collaborate in more effective ways and facilitate citizen self-service.

[thelegalcasemanagement-blog]

HOW ARMEDIA FOIA SOFTWARE SOLUTION HELPS PROBLEMS ADDRESSED IN OGIS & CRO SURVEY

This is an excerpt taken from Armedia.com

USER-FRIENDLY INTERFACE THAT ENCOURAGES COMMUNICATION

Armedia FOIA Software Solution integrates one easy-to-use interface for communication for both departments/agencies/colleagues and requesters.

Even more, Armedia FOIA Software Solution provides a multi-track system and automatic status update feature, both of which allow the employees to follow each step of the process and always know their place and task without wondering around.

This feature also allows the requesters to keep up with the progress of their FOIA request and always be informed about the stage their requests are in.

No more forgotten emails, or emails lost in the Spam folder.

AWS-POWERED DATA STORAGE

Armedia FOIA Software Solution relies on the AWS cloud-based storage for all cases and forms. It stores and keeps all request-related records and correspondences according to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements.

Because the records details are stored on the Cloud, we enable FOIA Staff and Records Management Staff to be able to access any bit of information, at any time, from any place, from any internet-ready device.

This way, your agency will be able to work from anywhere, save time, increase productivity and effectiveness, while at the same time, being sure of the safety of records.

EASY SEARCH

The centralized database we just talked about and the Cloud storage, allow for all request-related records to be safely stored in one single place. This feature of Armedia FOIA Software Solution does not only contribute to easier access to records, but it also improves search practices.

Having all records stored in one single place, well organized and structured, allows for FOIA agencies to have an excellent search practice.

Namely, with Armedia FOIA Software Solution you could search through records with one single click. You can easily search through Records, Notes, Documents. You can even search through audio and video recordings and find exactly where on that video there is a mention of your search phrase.

[thelegalcasemanagement-blog]

A Comparisson Between Armedia FOIA Software Solution & AINS-Salesforce FOIAExpress

Both FOIA Software Solutions in question are developed by established vendors in the industry. Their long experience in the field has proven that all those years are not for nothing after all.

Both vendors have developed FOIA Software Solutions that function as a single platform that offers management of the entire process, from submission to delivery.

They both focus on:

·        Document review and redaction,

·        Correspondence management,

·        Payment management,

·        Request management,

·        Data management.

However, unlike AINS-Salesforce FOIAExpress, Armedia FOIA Software Solution has proven to be developed in a more sophisticated platform, rich with many features and characteristics. Some of the most impressive being: revolutionary, secure, flexible, scalable, fast & cost-effective FOIA Software Solution capable of:

·        Centralized processing from various request channels: fax, web, paper.

·        Simplified uploads of documents, photos, and videos.

·        Compliance with security and records retention.

·        Mobile friendly and cloud-ready module.

·        Automated Business Intelligence.

·        Reduced risk of information lost.

·        Faster information assembling.

·        Automatic records declaration.

·        Improved workflow capacity.

·        Faster access to information.

·        Higher user productivity.

·        Faster response rate.

[thelegalcasemanagement-blog]

CYBER SECURITY & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES: FEDRAMP COMPLIANT FOIA SOFTWARE ADVICE

This is an excerpt from Armedia.com

It’s no secret that cyber security threats loom over federal agencies. According to the report the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued 2 months ago, three out of four federal agencies are at risk from cyber attacks.

From 96 federal agencies that participated in the assessment, only 25 agencies were reported of managing risk by using recommended tools and policies.

This means that the rest of 71 federal agencies were reported to have cyber security programs that were either ‘At Risk’ or at ‘High Risk.’

Turn these numbers into percents, and what you’ll get is that over 70% of federal agencies are at risk of cyber attacks.

We are talking about the security of content held by federal agencies. Content, that concerns and belongs to all of us.

But that’s not even the worst part. According to the OMB report, only 40% of the assessed agencies reported the ability to detect and investigate signs of a data breach. Only 25% of the agencies can detect attempts to access large volumes of data in their systems. And fewer are still actually bothering to test these data breach detection capabilities on an annual basis.

But, what’s the reason behind these numbers? Why do federal agencies fail so short when it comes to cyber security?

Let’s take FOIA Agencies as an example.

WHAT IS FEDRAMP AND WHY DO FOIA AGENCIES NEED IT?

Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a Government-wide information security program.

FedRAMP was developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the General Services Administration (GSA), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

It was reviewed and affirmed by many FOIA Agencies.

FedRAMP provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring of cloud computing products and services. Basically, it is more of an assessment and authorization process that cloud computing services must use to ensure cyber security of their cloud-based information systems.

As directed by OMB, FOIA agencies must use FedRAMP when choosing cloud computing products and services. Choosing a FedRAMP Compliant FOIA Software solution does not only guarantee security and protection of Governmental data. It also saves time, money, and effort required for these security assessments.

As such, FedRAMP exists as a guarantee that no FOIA related record will ever be unprotected. The existence of such a program significantly reduces the burden FOIA Agencies carry every day.

Now, let’s see how FedRAMP Compliant FOIA Software Solution ensures data security in FOIA agencies...