[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 12, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47435-47436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-22553]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Financial Management Service


Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; New System of Records

AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of proposed system of records.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Service 
(FMS), proposes to add a new record system entitled ``Payment Records 
for Other than Regular Recurring Benefit Payments--Treasury/Financial 
Management Service--Treasury/FMS .016,'' to its inventory of systems of 
records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a).

DATES: Comments must be received no later than October 12, 1995. The 
proposed system of records will be effective October 23, 1995, unless 
FMS receives comments which would result in a contrary determination.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be submitted to Debt Management Services, 
Financial Management Service, 401 14th Street, SW, Room 151, 
Washington, DC 20227. Comments received will be available for 
inspection at the same address between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. 
Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerry Isenberg, Debt Management 
Services, (202) 874-6660.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this system is to facilitate 
the disbursement of Federal payments to individuals, corporations and 
other entities. Currently, FMS has a system of records entitled 
``Payment Issue Records for Regular Recurring Benefit Payments--
Treasury/FMS .002,'' however, this system of records covers only six 
types of Federal payments. The proposed system is intended to include 
all records for payments not included in Treasury/FMS .002 such as 
vendor payments, Federal salary payments, and Veterans' benefit 
payments.
    FMS is the central disbursing source for the Federal Government and 
currently receives recurring and non-recurring payment certification 
records from departments and agencies of the Government.
    Currently, information contained in the payment records of FMS (not 
included in Treasury/FMS .002) is not retrievable by personal 
identifier, and these records have not been considered a ``system of 
records'' under the Privacy Act of 1974.
    FMS has been designated by the Office of Management and Budget as 
the lead agency in credit management and debt collection for the 
Federal Government. FMS is establishing this system of records to more 
effectively apply certain debt collection tools established under 
Federal law such as tax refund offset under section 31 U.S.C. 3720A, 
administrative offset under 31 U.S.C. 3716, and Federal employee salary 
offset under 5 U.S.C. 5514. FMS also intends to use this system to 
report vendor payments to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in 
accordance with 26 U.S.C. 6041.
    In order to facilitate the collection of delinquent debts and the 
reporting of vendor payments to IRS, FMS intends to obtain personal 
identifier(s) as part of payment certifications received from 
departments and agencies. This action will not result in any additional 
data collection from the public since the departments and agencies 
already have this information. However, it will change the status of 
the non-recurring payment records maintained by FMS to a ``system of 
records'' as defined by the Privacy Act of 1974.
    Given the nature of the information that will be maintained and its 
proposed use, the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a, 
requires FMS to give general notice and seek public comments.
    The new system report, as required by the Privacy Act of 1974, was 
submitted to the Committee on Government Operations of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate, 
and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), pursuant to Appendix I 
to OMB Circular No. A-130, ``Federal Agency Responsibilities for 
Maintaining Records About Individuals,'' dated July 15, 1994 (59 FR 
37914, July 25, 1994).

    Dated: August 29, 1995.
 Alex Rodriguez,
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Administration).
Treasury/FMS .016
    Payment Records for Other Than Regular Recurring Benefit Payments-
Treasury/Financial Management Service.
    The Financial Management Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 
Washington, DC 20227. Records maintained at Financial Centers in six 
regions: Austin, TX; Birmingham, AL; Chicago, IL; Kansas City, MO; 
Philadelphia, PA; and San Francisco, CA.
    Persons who are the intended recipients or recipients of payments 
from the United States Government, and for whom vouchers have been 
certified for payment by departments or agencies and sent to FMS for 
disbursement.
    Payment records showing name, social security or employer 
identification number or other agency identification number, address, 
payment amount, date of issuance, check number and symbol or other 
payment identification number, routing number of the payee's financial 
institution and the payee's account number at the financial 
institution, vendor contract and/or purchase order, and the name and 
location number of the certifying department or agency.
    5 U.S.C. 301; Executive Order 6166, dated June 10, 1933.
    To facilitate disbursement of Federal monies to individuals by 
check or electronically, authorized under various programs of the 
Federal Government.
    These records and information in these records may be used to: (1) 
Disclose to the banking industry for payment verification; (2) disclose 
to Federal agencies, departments and agencies for whom payments are 
made, and payees; (3) disclose pertinent information to appropriate 
Federal, State, local or foreign agencies responsible for investigating 
or prosecuting violations of, or for enforcing or implementing, a 
statute, rule, regulation, order, or license, where the disclosing 
agency becomes aware of an indication of a violation or potential 
violation of civil or criminal law or regulation; (4) disclose 
information to a Federal, State, or local agency, maintaining civil, 
criminal or other relevant enforcement information or other pertinent 
information, which has requested information relevant to or necessary 
to the requesting agency's or 

[[Page 47436]]
the bureau's hiring or retention of an individual, or issuance of a 
security clearance, license, contract, grant, or other benefit; (5) 
disclose information to a court, magistrate, or administrative tribunal 
in the course of presenting evidence, including disclosures to opposing 
counsel or witnesses in the course of civil discovery, litigation, or 
settlement negotiations, in response to a subpoena, or in connection 
with criminal law proceedings; (6) disclose information to foreign 
governments in accordance with formal or informal international 
agreements; (7) provide information to a congressional office in 
response to an inquiry made at the request of the individual to whom 
the record pertains; (8) provide information to the news media in 
accordance with guidelines contained in 28 CFR 50.2 which relate to an 
agency's functions relating to civil and criminal proceedings; (9) 
provide information to unions recognized as exclusive bargaining 
representatives under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, 5 U.S.C. 
7111 and 7114; (10) provide information to third parties during the 
course of an investigation to the extent necessary to obtain 
information pertinent to the investigation; (11) disclose information 
concerning delinquent debtors to Federal creditor agencies, their 
employees, or their agents for the purpose of facilitating or 
conducting Federal administrative offset, Federal tax refund offset, 
Federal salary offset, or for any other authorized debt collection 
purpose; and (12) disclose to the Defense Manpower Data Center and the 
United States Postal Service and other Federal agencies through 
authorized computer matching programs for the purpose of identifying 
and locating individuals who are delinquent in their repayment of debts 
owed to the Department or other Federal agencies in order to collect 
those debts through salary offset and administrative offset, or by the 
use of other debt collection tools.
    Storage is on magnetic media and hard copy.
    Records are retrieved by name, employer identification number (EIN) 
and social security number.
    These records are available only to those persons whose official 
duties require such access. Records are kept in limited access areas 
during duty hours and in locked cabinets at all other times. Records 
are password protected and are maintained in a building subject to 24-
hour security.
    Records are retained for three years. Records are disposed of in 
accordance with Treasury Directive 25-02, Records Disposition 
Management Program.
    Chief Disbursing Officer, Financial Management Service, 401 14th 
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20227.
    Inquiries under the Privacy Act of 1974 shall be sent to the 
Disclosure Officer at 401 14th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20227. All 
individuals making inquiries should provide with their request as much 
descriptive matter as is possible to identify the particular record 
desired. The System Manager will advise as to whether the Service 
maintains the record requested by the individual.
    Individuals requesting information under the Privacy Act of 1974 
concerning procedures for gaining access or contesting records should 
write to the Disclosure Officer at the address shown above. All 
individuals are urged to examine the rules of the U.S. Department of 
the Treasury published in 31 CFR part 1, subpart C concerning 
requirements of this department with respect to the Privacy Act of 
1974.
    See Record Access Procedures above.
    Information is obtained from vouchers, payment tapes and electronic 
data transmissions via the Electronic Certification System by 
departments and agencies for whom payments are made.
    None.
[FR Doc. 95-22553 Filed 9-11-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-35-P