102.4—Timing of responses to requests.
(a) In general.
Subject to paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, once the correct office receives your complete request, that office must respond within 20 working days unless that office notifies you in writing that the time is extended by an additional 10 working days for one or more of the following reasons:
(1)
The need to search for and collect the requested records from field facilities or other establishments separate from the office processing the request;
(2)
The need to search for, collect, and appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records which are demanded in a single request; or
(3)
The need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another agency having substantial interest in the determination of the request or among two or more components of the agency having substantial subject matter interest therein.
(b) Additional time.
Where an extension of more than ten working days will be necessary due to exceptional circumstances, the correct office will give the requester an opportunity to modify the request so it may be processed within the usual time limits in paragraph (a) of this section, or to arrange an alternative time period for processing the request or a modified request.
(c) Expedited processing.
(1)
SBA will give expedited processing to requests and appeals upon written request, if one of the following conditions is met:
(i)
You demonstrate someone's life or physical safety will be in imminent danger if SBA does not expedite its response to your request; or
(ii)
You are a news media representative (as defined in § 102.6(b)(8)) who demonstrates an urgent need to inform the public about an actual or alleged Federal government activity.
(2)
You must provide a written statement, certified to be true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief, explaining in detail one of these circumstances of “compelling need” and submit it to the correct office. Within 10 working days of its receipt of such a statement, or sooner, if SBA concludes that circumstances warrant, that office will notify you of its decision whether or not to grant expedited processing. If expedited processing is granted, the request shall be given priority and processed as soon as practicable. If an expedited processing request is denied, an appeal may be submitted which will be acted on expeditiously.
(d) Multiple requests.
Where an office believes that multiple requests submitted by a requester, or by a group of collaborating requesters, constitute a single request that would otherwise involve unusual circumstances, and the requests involve clearly related matters, they will be aggregated for processing.