Records Request Policy
The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), C.R.S. §24-72-201-206, provides that all public records shall be open for inspection by any person at reasonable times, except as provided in part 2 or as otherwise specifically provided by law. It is the intention of the Denver Employees Retirement Plan (DERP) to apply this Act in a uniform and reliable manner to comply with its provisions.
Records requests or requestors that cite the federal Freedom of Information Act shall be treated as though they were made pursuant to the Colorado Open Records Act.
What is a public record?
Public records are those writings kept as required by law or administrative rule involving the receipt or expenditure of public funds. Refer to CRS 24-72-202 (6). We can only provide existing business documents.
How do I request a public record?
Formal open records requests must be in writing and include:
- Name of the person seeking the record(s)
- Phone number
- Email address
- Mailing address
- Information requested – be as specific as possible
You may submit your request via:
help@derp.org
Subject: CORA Request
CORA Request
DERP
777 Pearl St.
Denver, CO 80203
Requests for information must identify the records requested as specifically as possible and with record date ranges to allow DERP to respond to the request efficiently and in a timely manner.
When responding to a records request, DERP shall make every effort to respond within three working days as required by C.R.S. § 24-72-203(3)(b). DERP may add up to a seven-working-day extension if extenuating circumstances apply, as described in C.R.S. § 24-72-203(3)(b). The requestor and DERP may agree to a longer time period for response.
A request is received by DERP the day a letter or an email containing a request is opened. The three-working-day response time begins the first DERP working day following receipt of the request.
NOTE: A CORA request received after 3 p.m., or any day DERP is officially closed, will be considered received on the following working day.
How long will it take to process my public record request and is there a cost?
We will provide the requester with a time and cost estimate for a formal request, which may require a pre-payment before processing the request. If you pay for more time than is spent processing your request, you will receive a refund. The fees are outlined below.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Less than 25 pages | Free |
| 25 pages or more | $0.25 per page for all documents copied |
| Staff time greater than one hour | $33 per hour |
| Postage | Actual cost based on weight and size |
How is my public record request delivered to me?
The Colorado Open Records Act states that, “all public records shall be open for inspection by any person at reasonable times, except as provided in this part 2 or as otherwise specifically provided by law.” See C.R.S. § 24-72-201. The Colorado Open Records Act does not guarantee access to public records in a specific format and it does not require us to construct a document that does not exist. When the production or review of records in a specific format would interfere with the regular duties of DERP employees, see C.R.S. § 24-72-203(1)(a), or levy an undue burden upon DERP, we will determine the appropriate format for the records to be produced. We may require requestors only be allowed to review copies of documents when we determine allowing access to originals could interfere with the regular discharge of duties of DERP, its officers or its staff, or production of original records could jeopardize the condition of the records.