Public Records Request

The California Public Records Act (PRA) allows all members of the public to inspect or receive copies of a public agency’s records. The federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) does not apply to local agencies such as the Port, but the Port will consider FOIA requests as if they were made under the PRA.

Most of the Port’s records are public unless an exemption applies. Common exemptions include records containing attorney-client privileged communications, trade secrets or other proprietary information, information relating to pending RFPs/RFQs, or sensitive security information. Exemptions are determined on a case-by-case basis to comply with specific legal obligations. Whether a record is exempt does not depend on who is making the request or on the reasons for the request.

The PRA only governs the release of documents and does not require the Port to answer questions, create new documents, or search for information. If you have questions or wish to request general information not already available on the Port’s website, please use our contact form.

The PRA requires an initial response within 10 calendar days, which may be extended an additional 14 calendar days in certain circumstances. This initial response may or may not include the requested documents, which must be provided as soon as they are available.

The Port will provide an initial response within 10 calendar days of receipt of the request during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) The Port will endeavor to provide the requested documents within these 10 days. If the Port cannot, however, the Port will respond with a request for clarification of the request and/or with a time estimate of when the requested records can be provided or can be made available for on-site inspection.

If possible, the Port may attempt to communicate with the requester by phone or email to help clarify the request and ensure that the Port responds as soon as possible.

The Port charges a fee only for the direct cost of duplicating records. This often applies when a record that is only retained in hard copy needs to be copied or scanned. In such cases, the Port may charge its authorized rate of $0.19 per regular-sized page, along with any costs for mailing or otherwise producing the records. The PRA does not exempt duplication costs for different classes of requesters (such as news organizations or non-profit organizations), although the Port may make exceptions in certain circumstances.

There is no charge for electronically providing records that are already retained in electronic format. There is also no charge for inspecting the records on-site at a mutually agreed upon time during regular business hours.

Please first attempt to message the responder through the NextRequest website, email/call the responder if you have that contact information, to make sure that the Port accurately understood your request and did not make any inadvertent mistakes in its response.

If you believe the Port has failed to comply with the PRA, you may submit a written Request for Cure and Correction to the Secretary of the Board (Daria Edgerly, Click here to contact Daria Edgerly, 530 Water Street, Oakland, CA 94607). This Request must be filed within 90 days of the alleged noncompliance. The Office of the Port Attorney will investigate all Requests and respond within 30 days.

For further information about Requests for Cure and Correction, please refer to Sections 2.05.080 and 2.06.060 of the Port of Oakland Administrative Code (POAC).

For all other Port Contact Options please complete our Contact Us Form.