(1) Receipt of request. The department will respond to a request for public records within five business days of receipt, by either:

(a) Providing the record(s);

(b) Providing an internet address and website link to the record(s);

(c) Acknowledging receipt of the request and providing a reasonable estimate of when the record(s) or an installment of records will be available;

(d) Acknowledging that the department has received the request, asking for clarification to the extent the request is unclear, and providing a reasonable estimate of the time the department will require to respond to the request if not clarified; or

(e) Denying the public record request.

(2) Requests for clarification. When acknowledging receipt of a public record request that is unclear, the department may ask the requestor to clarify what records the requestor is seeking. If the requestor fails to clarify the request within 10 business days, the department need not respond and may close the request. The department will respond to any portions of a request that are sufficiently clear to enable the department to locate the requested record(s).

(3) Additional time. The public records officer or designee may revise the estimate of the time required to respond to a request. The need for additional time to fulfill the request may be based on the need to clarify the request, locate and assemble the requested records, notify third persons or agencies affected by the request, or determine whether any of the information in the records is exempt from disclosure and that a denial should be made as to all or part of the request.

(4) Installments. The department may provide records on an installment basis. The department need not locate and assemble records responsive to a subsequent installment until the requestor claims or inspects the previous installment. If the requestor does not claim or inspect an installment within 10 business days of the notice of availability, the department need not continue processing the request and may close the request.

(5) Electronic records. When electronic records are requested, the department will provide the nonexempt records or portions of such records that are reasonably locatable in an electronic format that is used by the agency and is generally commercially available, or, at the department's discretion, in a format that is reasonably translatable from the format in which the agency keeps the records. The department is under no obligation to convert electronic records to a specific format identified by the requestor. When metadata is requested, the department will provide the records in a native file format that preserves metadata where technically feasible.

(6) Completion of request. When the inspection or disclosure of the requested records is complete and all requested copies are provided to the requestor, the public records officer or designee will notify the requestor that the department has completed its search for the requested records and made any located nonexempt records available for inspection or disclosure.

(7) Protecting rights of others. If the requested records contain information that may affect the rights of others and may be exempt from disclosure, the public records officer or designee may, prior to providing the records, give notice to such others whose rights may be affected by the disclosure.

(8) Requests for lists of individuals. Under RCW 42.56.070(9), the department may not disclose lists of individuals requested for commercial purposes. However, lists of applicants for professional licenses and of professional licensees may be made available to professional associations or educational organizations approved by the applicable licensing board. Professional associations and educational organizations may apply for approval as provided on the department's website at doh.wa.gov.