(e) Direct costs refers to those expenses that EEOC actually incurs in searching for and duplicating (and, in the case of commercial requesters, reviewing) records to respond to a request. Direct costs include, for example, the salary of the employee performing the work (the basic rate of pay for the employee plus 16 percent of that rate to cover benefits) and the cost of operating duplicating machinery. Not included in direct costs are overhead expenses such as costs of space and heating or lighting of the facility in which the records are stored.

(f) Search refers to the time spent looking for and retrieving material that is responsive to a request. It includes page-by-page or line-by-line identification of information within documents and also includes reasonable efforts to locate and retrieve information from records maintained in electronic formats. EEOC employees should ensure that searching for materials is done in the most efficient and least expensive manner reasonably possible. For example, employees shall not search line-by-line when merely duplicating a document would be quicker and less expensive.

(g) Duplication refers to the process of making a copy of a record or document necessary to respond to a FOIA request. Such copies can take the form of paper copy, microform, audio-visual materials, electronic formats (for example magnetic tape or disk), among others. Employees shall honor a requester's specified preference of format of disclosure if the record is readily reproducible with reasonable efforts in the requested format by the office responding to the request.

(h) Attestation refers to the authentication of copies of Commission documents by an affidavit or unsworn declaration from the records custodian without the Commission Seal.

(i) Certification refers to the authentication of copies of Commission documents by an affidavit or unsworn declaration from the records custodian under the Commission Seal.

(c) Except as otherwise provided, the following specific fees for direct costs shall be applicable with respect to services rendered to members of the public under this subpart:

(1) For manual search and review time:

(i) By clerical personnel—at the rate of $5.00 per quarter hour.

(ii) By paralegals—at the rate of $9.00 per quarter hour.

(iii) By professional personnel—at the rate of $10.00 per quarter hour.

(iv) By managers—at the rate of $17.50 per quarter hour.

(v) By SES employees—at the rate of $20.00 per quarter hour.

(2) For computer searches of records, requesters will be charged at the actual direct cost of providing the service. This includes the operator/programmer salary apportionable to the search based on the rates listed in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(3) For copies made by photocopy—$0.15 per page (maximum of 10 copies). For copies prepared by computer, such as tapes or printouts, EEOC will charge the direct cost incurred by the agency, including operator time. For other forms of duplication, EEOC will charge the actual costs of that duplication.

(4) For attestation of documents—$25.00 per authenticating affidavit or declaration. Additionally, there may be search and review charges assessed in accordance with the rates listed in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(5) For certification of document—$50.00 per authenticating affidavit or declaration. Additionally, there may be search and review charges assessed in accordance with the rates listed in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(6) For each signed statement of negative result of search for record—$10.00. Additionally, there may be search charges assessed in accordance with the rates listed in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(7) For retrieval of records from a Federal Records Center—the amount charged to EEOC for retrieval of such records.

(8) All other direct costs of search, review, duplication or delivery (other than normal mail), shall be charged to the requester as appropriate in the same amount as incurred by the agency.