(a) Reviewing documents for UCNI. Anyone who originates or possesses a document that he or she thinks may contain UCNI must send the document to a Reviewing Official for a determination before it is finalized, sent outside of his or her organization, or filed. If the originator or possessor must send the document outside of his or her organization for the review, he or she must mark the front of the document with “Protect as UCNI Pending Review” and must transmit the document in accordance with the requirements in § 1017.27. The Reviewing Official must first determine whether the document is widely disseminated in the public domain, which means that the document under review is publicly available from a Government technical information service or depository library, for example, or that it can be found in a public library or an open literature source, or it can be accessed on the Internet using readily available search methods.

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(1) If the document is determined to be widely disseminated in the public domain, it cannot be controlled as UCNI. The Reviewing Official returns the document to the person who sent it to the Reviewing Official and informs him or her why the document cannot be controlled as UCNI. This does not preclude control of the same information as UCNI if it is contained in another document that is not widely disseminated.

(2) If the document is not determined to be widely disseminated in the public domain, the Reviewing Official evaluates the information in the document using guidance to determine whether the document contains UCNI. If the Reviewing Official determines that the document does contain UCNI, the Reviewing Official marks or authorizes the marking of the document as specified in § 1017.16. If the Reviewing Official determines that the document does not contain UCNI, the Reviewing Official returns the document to the person who sent it and informs him or her that the document does not contain UCNI. For documentation purposes, the Reviewing Official may mark or authorize the marking of the document as specified in § 1017.17(b).

(3) If no applicable guidance exists, but the Reviewing Official thinks the information should be identified as UCNI, then the Reviewing Official must send the document to the appropriate official identified in applicable DOE directives issued by the Secretary or his or her designee. The Reviewing Official should also include a written recommendation as to why the information should be identified as UCNI.

(b) Review exemption for documents in files. Any document that was permanently filed prior to May 22, 1985, is not required to be reviewed for UCNI while in the files or when retrieved from the files for reference, inventory, or similar purposes as long as the document will be returned to the files and is not accessible by individuals who are not Authorized Individuals for the UCNI contained in the document. However, when a document that is likely to contain UCNI is removed from the files for dissemination within or outside of the immediate organization, it must be reviewed by a Reviewing Official with cognizance over the information.

(c) Reviewing material for UCNI. Anyone who produces or possesses material that he or she thinks may contain or reveal UCNI must consult with a Reviewing Official for a determination. If the Reviewing Official determines that the material does contain or reveal UCNI, the Reviewing Official marks or authorizes the marking of the material as specified in § 1017.16(b).