MODULE 03 // FAQ
Questions we get at the desk
The same handful of questions come up before almost every engagement. They are answered here plainly; anything else, ask directly and you will get the same kind of answer.
Q01 What is a requirements map?
A single document that answers five things before a request is sent: what information exists, which custodian holds it, what the request must contain, how long the custodian has to respond, and what format the answer should arrive in. Every line points at a source you could check yourself.
Q02 Do you file the request for me?
Our core work is everything before the request is sent, and checking what comes back against the delivery specification. You, or your attorneys' support staff, send the request through the channel the map identifies. If you want help reviewing a fulfilment that already arrived, that is a normal engagement too.
Q03 Why did my last request come back incomplete?
Usually one of four things: it went to an office that does not hold the series, it described a document that does not exist in that form, it asked for a date range no index covers, or it lacked the identifiers the custodian needs to run a search. The map exists to close those four gaps before you spend another round trip.
Q04 Which records do you cover?
Agency record series, index coverage and date ranges, custodian and records officer details, statutory response times, fee schedules published by custodians, redaction categories, appeal routes and delivery formats — across Colorado state and local records and federal records, with other states on request.
Q05 What if the custodian goes quiet?
Every custodian works to a response time, and the map records which one applies, its source, and the escalation route available to you when the clock runs out. We describe those routes as they are published, in plain language. We are not a law firm and do not give legal advice; where a step needs a lawyer, the map says so.
Q06 Are you a law firm?
No. Information Requirements is a research firm. We publish information and produce research documents; nothing on this site or in a map is legal advice. For your legal position, talk to a licensed attorney.
Q07 How long does an engagement take?
It depends on the question: one custodian and one series is faster than a multi-agency inventory. Before any work starts we tell you what the research will involve and what it will produce, so you decide with the full picture. This site takes no payments; any engagement is agreed separately in writing.
Q08 Do you work outside Colorado?
Colorado and federal records are the standard coverage. Other states are taken on when the custodian publishes a usable index or a clear channel for written requests. When we cannot help, we say so at the first conversation.
Q09 How do I start?
Use the contact page, email [email protected], or call +1 (212) 555-0137 Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Mountain Time. Bring the question, the custodian you already tried, and what came back.
you@yourdesk:~$ man requirements-map
Still unresolved? Ask the desk directly.
If your question is not on this page, it probably deserves a conversation rather than a form letter.