Access to Public Records

Public Records Request: Access to Public Records Request Form [Fill out online & Print]

Policies and Procedures:

• This request to inspect or copy records is governed by the provisions of the Rhode Island General Laws Chapter §38-2-1 et seq. entitled "Access to Public Records" and applicable provisions of the Purchasing Act contained in the RIGL § 45-55 (Award of Municipal Contracts) et seq.

  These provisions include RIGL 37-1-18, which states in part that "Subsequent to the awarding of a bid, all documents pertaining to the awarding of the bid shall be made available and open to public inspection" prior to the awarding of a bid, such documents are not publicly available.

• The release of records is subject to the provision of RIGL §38-2, specifically RIGL §38-2-2 ('Definitions"), §38-2-3 ('Provisions"), §38-2-4 ("Cost") and §38-2-7 ('Denial of Access"). Chapter §38-2-2 is contained in Volume 6A of the RIGL and is available at Public Libraries or at http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE38/38-2/INDEX.HTM.

• Public records that are readily available for inspection at the Purchasing Office may be reviewed, upon completion of an access to public records request, between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM weekdays.

  In order to make an appointment to inspect these records, contact Purchasing at (401) 845-5414. For records that are not readily available, submitted request forms will be reviewed according to the provisions of Chapter RIGL §38-2.

  The requestor will be notified in writing as to what records are publicly available and the fees that must be paid before copies of these records will be released.

Statement of Fee for Retrieval and/or Copying:

• Pursuant to RIGL §38-2-4 the department may charge a fee of $.15 per page and an hourly rate of $15.00 per hour for time spent searching and copying. However, no fee will be charged the first hour of a search or retrieval.

  For copies on paper other than 8 ½" x 11" or 8 ½" x 14", or copies made available on media different than that on which the information is stored, the requestor will be charged at the actual production and/or reproduction cost.

• After Purchasing determines the fee for the requested records, the requestor will be proved with an estimate of the cost. Copies of records that may be properly released will be mailed (at the requestors expense) after payment has been received.

Note: It is the policy of the City of Newport to Deny Access to any Financial Materials, or other Bid's or RFP's that the City of Newport deems sensitive in nature.