1.17—Failure to meet administrative deadlines.
In the event an agency fails to meet the administrative deadlines set forth in § 1.7 or § 1.14, plus any extension authorized by § 1.16, it shall notify the requester, state the reasons for the delay, and the date by which it expects to dispatch a determination. Although the requester may be deemed to have exhausted his or her administrative remedies under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(C), the agency shall continue processing the request as expeditiously as possible and dispatch the determination when it is reached in the same manner and form as if it had been reached within the applicable deadline.