[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 134 (Thursday, July 13, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36144-36145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-17134]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION


Privacy Act of 1974: Computer Matching Agreement

AGENCY: General Services Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Notice of a computer matching program between GSA and the 
United States Postal Service (USPS).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Subsection (e)(12) of the Privacy Act, as amended by the 
Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-503) 
requires agencies to publish advance notice of computer matching 
programs as a means of informing benefit recipients and employees of 
plans to conduct computer matches. This publishes notice that the GSA 
proposes to conduct a computer matching 

[[Page 36145]]
program with the USPS. Under the program, the USPS will compare its 
payroll records with the GSA's debtor records to identify postal 
employees delinquent in paying their debts to the GSA. The GSA will 
contact the affected employees and take steps to collect the debts, 
using the salary offset provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982 
(Pub. L. 97-365) when the individuals do not pay their debts 
voluntarily.

DATES: The GSA must receive any comments no later than August 14, 1995. 
Unless GSA receives comments that result in a contrary decision, the 
matching program covered by this notice begins no sooner than 30 days 
after the published notice has been sent to the Congress and to the 
Office of Management and Budget, and a copy of the matching agreement 
has been sent to the Congress.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to the Records Officer, General 
Services Administration, 18th and F Streets, NW., Washington, DC 20405 
or delivered to room 7102 at the above address between 8 a.m. and 4:30 
p.m. on weekdays. Comments received may be examined in room 7102 during 
the above hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary L. Cunningham, Records Officer (202) 501-1659).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through the matching program, the GSA 
expects to obtain the home and work addresses of 3,077 delinquent 
debtors. Under this program and a similar one being conducted with the 
Defense Manpower Data Center, the Government should recover an 
estimated $225,000 per year.

Report of a Computer Matching Program--United States Postal Service and 
the General Services Administration (Comparing USPS Payroll and GSA 
Debtor Records)

    A. Participating agencies. The USPS is the recipient agency and 
will perform the computer match against debtor records provided by the 
GSA, the source agency in the matching program.
    B. Purpose of the program. The matching program will compare the 
USPS payroll and the GSA delinquent debtor files to identify postal 
employees who may owe delinquent debts to the Federal Government. The 
pay of an employee identified and verified as a delinquent debtor may 
be offset under the Debt Collection Act of 1982, when the employee does 
not pay the debt voluntarily.
    C. Legal authorities authorizing operation of the match. The 
matching program is operated under the authority of the Debt Collection 
Act of 1982, which authorizes Federal agencies to offset a Federal 
employee's salary as a means of satisfying delinquent debts owed to the 
United States.
    D. Categories of individuals matched and identification of records 
used. The systems of records maintained by the participating agencies 
under the Privacy Act of 1974, from which records are to be disclosed 
under the matching program are:
    1. The USPS will use records from its system ``Finance Records--
Payroll System, USPS 050.020,'' containing records of about 700,000 
employees. Routine use 24 of USPS 050.020, which appeared at 57 FR 
57515 on December 4, 1992, covers the disclosure.
    2. The GSA will use records from its system ``GSA/PPFM-7, Credit 
Data on Individual Debtors.'' It contains records of about 3,077 
debtors. Routine use ``i'' of that system, which was last published at 
58 FR 64588 on December 8, 1993, covers the disclosure.
    E. Description of the matching program. With the USPS acting as 
recipient, the GSA provides a data extract to the USPS, sorted by 
Social Security Number (SSN) that contains the name and SSN of each 
employee. The USPS compares the data extract against its data base of 
employee records, establishing ``hits'' (names common to both files) 
based on matching SSN's. For each matched employee, the USPS provides 
to the GSA the name, SSN, home address, and place of work. The GSA 
screens the initial data to verify that the matched individual is a 
delinquent debtor not in a repay status. The agency conducts 
independent inquiries as needed to clarify questionable identities and 
reviews records of the suspected debtor's account to confirm that the 
debt is still unpaid and unresolved.
    The Debt Collection Act requires the GSA to provide the suspected 
debtor advance notice and an opportunity to contest the alleged debt. 
The procedures include providing the debtor employee the following:
    1. A 30-day written notice of the GSA's determination of the debt 
and the employee's rights under the Debt Collection Act;
    2. An opportunity to examine and receive a copy of the GSA's 
documentation of the debt;
    3. An opportunity for the employee to enter into a written 
agreement to repay the GSA;
    4. An opportunity for the employee to have a hearing before someone 
who is not under the control of the GSA.
    After independently verifying the debt and providing notice under 
subsection (p) of the Privacy Act, the GSA makes the final decision on 
the amount of the debt owed and establishes procedures for applying the 
offset from the disposable pay of the USPS employees to recover debts 
owed the United States through the GSA. Before asking the USPS to 
offset the salary of a debtor employee, the GSA is to certify, over the 
signature of a authorized GSA official, that it has followed the due 
process procedures required by the Debt Collection Act.
    E. Beginning and ending dates of the matching program. The matching 
program is expected to begin no sooner than 30 days after the GSA sends 
this published notice to the Congress and to the Office of Management 
and Budget and sends a copy of the matching agreement to the Congress. 
The program is to continue in effect for 18 months. The agreement may 
be extended for 1 year beyond that period, if within 90 days before the 
matching agreement expires, the Data Integrity Boards of the USPS and 
the GSA find that the computer matching program will be conducted 
without change, and each party certifies that the matching program has 
been conducted within the terms of the matching agreement.

    Dated: July 6, 1995.
Kenneth S. Stacey,
Acting Director, Information Management Division.
[FR Doc. 95-17134 Filed 7-12-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-34-M