(a) The records access officer of the Department of Civil Service is the public relations officer of the department unless otherwise designated by the president. The records access officer shall have the duty of coordinating the response of the department to public requests for access to records. Upon receipt of a request, the records access officer will forward copies of the request to the appropriate personnel within the department to search for the records requested, maintaining one copy of the request for his or her files. Thereafter, the records access officer shall:

1. (1) upon locating the records requested:

   1. (i) make such records promptly available for inspection; or
   2. (ii) deny access to the records in whole or in part and explain in writing the reasons for such denial;

2. (2) upon failure to locate the records requested, certify that:

   1. (i) the Department of Civil Service does not maintain such records; or
   2. (ii) the Department of Civil Service maintains such records, but after a diligent search, they cannot be found; or
   3. (iii) the information supplied by the applicant is not sufficiently detailed to enable the department to determine whether or not it maintains such records;
3. (3) upon request for copies of records: make a copy available upon payment of any fees established in accordance with section 80.7 of this Part or any other duly established fees. The department in its discretion may permit the requester to copy records where it would not administratively inconvenience the department or unduly restrict the use of such records;
4. (4) if the department does not provide or deny access to the record sought within five business days of receipt of a request, the records access officer shall within such five-day period, furnish a written acknowledgement of receipt of the request and a statement of the approximate date when the request will be granted or denied, which date shall be reasonable under the circumstances of the request. If the records access officer determines to grant a request in whole or in part, and if circumstances prevent disclosure to the person requesting the record or records within 20 business days from the date of the acknowledgement of the receipt of the request, the records access officer shall state, in writing, both the reason for the inability to grant the request within 20 business days and a date certain within a reasonable period, depending on the circumstances, when the request will be granted in whole or in part.