78 FR 145 pgs. 45513-45515 - Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program
Type: NOTICEVolume: 78Number: 145Pages: 45513 - 45515
Pages: 45513, 45514, 45515Docket number: [Docket ID: DoD-2013-OS-0168]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2013-18091 Filed 7-26-13; 8:45 am]
Agency: Defense Department
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Docket ID: DoD-2013-OS-0168]
Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program
AGENCY:
Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), DoD.
ACTION:
Notice of a Computer Matching Program.
SUMMARY:
Subsection (e)(12) of the Privacy Act of 1974, asamended (5 U.S.C. 552a), requires agencies to publish advanced notices of any proposed or revised computer matching program by the matching agency for public comment. The Department of Defense (DoD), as the matching agency under the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, is hereby giving notice to the record subjects of a computer matching program between the DoD and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) acting on behalf of the State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAA). The purpose of the computer matching program is to exchange personal data for purposes of identifying individuals who are receiving Federal compensation or pension payments and also are receiving payments pursuant to Federal benefit programs being administered by the States.
DATES:
This proposed action will become effectiveAugust 28, 2013 and matching may commence unless changes to the matching program are required due to public comments or by Congressional or by Office of Management and Budget objections. Any public comment must be received before the effective date.
Comments must be received before August 28, 2013.
ADDRESSES:
You may submit comments, identified by docket number and title, by any of the following methods:
* Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
* Mail: Federal Docket Management System Office, 4800 Mark Center Drive, East Tower, 2nd Floor, Suite 02G09, Alexandria, VA 22350-3100.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Samuel P. Jenkins at (703) 571-0070.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Pursuant to subsection (o) of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a), the HHS and DMDC have concluded an agreement to conduct a computer matching program between agencies. The purpose of the computer matching program is to exchange personal data for purposes of identifying individuals who are receiving Federal compensation or pension payments and also are receiving payments pursuant to Federal benefit programs being administered by the States.
The parties to this agreement have determined that a computer matching program is the most efficient, expeditious, and effective means of obtaining and processing the information needed by the SPAAs to identify individuals who may be ineligible for public assistance benefits. The principal alternative to using a computer matching program for identifying such individuals would be to conduct a manual comparison of all Federal personnel records with SPAA records of those individuals currently receiving public assistance under a Federal benefit program being administered by the State. Conducting a manual match, however, would clearly impose a considerable administrative burden, constitute a greater intrusion of the individual's privacy, and would result in additional delay in determining eligibility and, if applicable, the eventual recovery of any outstanding debts.
[top] A copy of the computer matching agreement between HHS and DoD is available upon request. Requests should be submitted to the address captioned above or to the Director, Office of Financial Services Office of Administration, 370 L'Enfant Prmenade
Set forth is the notice of the establishment of a computer matching program required by paragraph 6.c. of the Office of Management and Budget Guidelines on computer matching published on June 19, 1989, at 54 FR 25818.
The matching agreement, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) of the Privacy Act of 1974, and an advance copy of this notice was submitted on July 16, 2013, to the House Committee on Government Reform, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget pursuant to paragraph 4d of Appendix I to OMB Circular No. A-130, "Federal Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining Records about Individuals", dated February 8, 1996 (February 20, 1996, 61 FR 6427).
Dated: July 24, 2013.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
NOTICE OF A COMPUTER MATCHING PROGRAM AMONG THE DEFENSE MANPOWER DATA CENTER, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE; THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; AND STATE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AGENCIES FOR VERIFICATION OF CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
A. PARTICIPATING AGENCIES:
Participants in this computer matching program are State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Defense (DoD). The SPAA is the source agency, the agency disclosing the records for purpose of the match; HHS is the facilitating agency, the agency acting on behalf of the SPAAs, and DoD is the matching agency, the agency that actually performs the match.
B. PURPOSE OF THE MATCH:
This agreement establishes an arrangement for a periodic computer matching program between DoD as the matching agency, ACF as the facilitating agency, and the SPAAs as the source agencies who will use the data in their public assistance programs. The purpose of this matching program is to provide the SPAAs with data from DoD military and civilian pay files, the military retired pay files, survivor pay files and the OPM civilian retired and survivor pay files to determine eligibility and to ensure fair and equitable treatment in the delivery of benefits attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government. The SPAAs will use the matched data to verify the continued eligibility of individuals to receive public assistance benefits and, if ineligible, to take such action as may be authorized by law and regulation.
ACF, in its role as match facilitator, will support each SPAA's efforts to ensure appropriate delivery of benefits by assisting with drafting the necessary agreements, helping arrange signatures to the agreements and acting as a central shipping point as necessary.
This agreement sets forth the responsibility of the SPAAs with respect to information obtained pursuant to this agreement. Each SPAA match is expected to comply with pertinent requirements of the Privacy Act, including its implementing regulations and guidance.
C. AUTHORITY FOR CONDUCTING THE MATCH:
The legal authority for conducting the matching program is contained in sections 402 and 1137 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 602 and 1320b-7).
D. RECORDS TO BE MATCHED:
The systems of records maintained by the respective agencies under the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a, from which records will be disclosed for the purpose of this computer match are as follows:
1. Federal, but not State, agencies must publish system notices for "systems of records" pursuant to subsection (e)(4) of the Privacy Act and must identify "routine uses" pursuant to subsection (b)(3) of the Privacy Act for those systems of records from which they intend to disclose this information. The DoD system of records described in this notice contains an appropriate routine use proviso, which permits disclosure of information by DMDC to ACF and the SPAAs.
2. DoD will use personal data from the record system identified as DMDC 01, entitled "Defense Manpower Data Center Data Base", November 23, 2011, 76 FR 72391.
3. HHS will be disclosing, as applicable, to DMDC personal data it has collected from the SPAAs. No information will be disclosed from systems of records that ACF operates and maintains. HHS will be disclosing, as applicable, to the SPAAs personal data it has received from DMDC. The DMDC supplied matched data will be disclosed by ACF pursuant to the DoD routine use.
E. DESCRIPTION OF COMPUTER MATCHING PROGRAM:
Each participating SPAA will send ACF an electronic file of eligible public assistance client information. These files are non-Federal computer records maintained by the States. ACF will then send this information on to DMDC. In the alternative, participating SPAAs can submit files to DMDC via the Social Security Administration's (SSA) "Connect Direct" portal. After DMDC receives the SPAA files, it will match the SPAA files against the DMDC database. The DMDC database consists of pay of DoD personnel and retirement records of non-postal Federal civilian employees and military members, both active and retired and survivor annuitants. The matching activity will take place at DMDC and will use all nine digits of the SSN. Resulting "hits" or matches will be disclosed to the relevant SPAAs.
1. The electronic files provided by each participating SPAA will contain data elements of the client's name, SSN, date of birth, address, sex, marital status, number of dependents, information regarding the specific public assistance benefit being received, and such other data as considered necessary on no more than 10,000,000 public assistance beneficiaries.
2. The DMDC computer database file contains approximately 4.85 million records of active duty and retired military members, including the Reserve and Guard, and approximately 3.68 million records of active and retired non-postal Federal civilian employees. Employee or retiree records may include information on benefits payable to employee or retiree dependents and/or survivors.
3. DMDC will match the SSN on the SPAA file by computer against the DMDC database. Matching records, "hits" based on SSNs, will produce data elements of the individual's name; SSN; active or retired; if active, military service or employing agency, and current work or home address, and such other data as considered necessary.
F. INCLUSIVE DATES OF THE MATCHING PROGRAM:
[top] The effective date of the matching agreement and date when matching may actually begin shall be at the expiration of the 40-day review period for OMB and Congress, or 30 days after publication of the matching notice in the Federal Register , whichever date is later. The parties to this agreement may assume OMB and Congressional concurrence if no comments are received within 40 days of the date of the transmittal letter. The 40-day OMB and Congressional review period and
G. ADDRESS FOR RECEIPT OF PUBLIC COMMENTS OR INQUIRIES:
Defense Privacy and Civil Liberties Office, Director for Privacy, 241 18th Street South, Suite 101, Arlington, VA 22202. Telephone (703) 571-0070.
[FR Doc. 2013-18091 Filed 7-26-13; 8:45 am]
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