[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 194 (Friday, October 4, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52069-52071]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25082]


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POSTAL SERVICE


Privacy Act of 1974, System of Records

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Notice of revisions and addition of new routine uses applicable 
to two existing systems of records and deletion of one system of 
records by incorporation into them.

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SUMMARY: This document publishes notice of modifications to three 
Postal Service systems of records. The systems are similar in character 
in that they contain records relating to indemnity claims filed and 
inquiries made by customers using certain domestic and international 
postal services such as insured, collect on delivery (COD), registered, 
Express Mail, and ordinary mail. The modifications: (1) Delete one 
system of records by including those records in two other systems 
covering records kept for the same purpose; (2) add routine uses to the 
remaining two systems of records; (3) amend one of those systems to 
reflect the maintenance of COD claim and inquiry records; and (4) make 
clarifying editorial changes, such as organization name changes. The 
routine uses allow the Postal Service to discuss, as necessary, a claim 
with the sender or addressee of a mailpiece, with an expert consultant, 
and, in the case of an international claim, with an authority from a 
foreign postal administration. This notice complies with subsection 
(e)(11) of the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a), which require agencies to 
publish advance notice of any new use of information in a system of 
records.

DATES: This proposal will become effective without further notice on 
November 13, 1996 unless comments received on or before that date 
result in a contrary determination.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on this proposal should be mailed or 
delivered to Payroll Accounting/Records, United States Postal Service, 
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 8650, Washington, DC 20260-5243. Copies of 
all written comments will be available at the above address for public 
inspection and photocopying between 8 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., Monday 
through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dolores M. Gentry, (202) 268-3212.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Privacy Act system of records USPS 160.030, 
Special Mail Services-Express Mail Service Insurance Claims for Loss, 
Delay and Damage, was established for the primary purpose of serving as 
a source of information for the adjudication of Express Mail insurance 
claims whenever such claims are filed by customers. Records contained 
within this system are similar in nature and kept for the same purpose 
as those contained in Privacy Act systems of records USPS 160.010, 
Special Mail Services-Insured and Registered Domestic Mail Inquiry and 
Application for Indemnity Records, and in USPS 160.020, Special Mail 
Services-Insured and Registered Ordinary international Mail Inquiry and 
Application for Indemnity Records. This notice proposes elimination of 
system of records USPS 160.030 by incorporating the domestic Express 
Mail and international Express Mail insurance claims and inquiry 
records into USPS 160.010 and USPS 160.020, respectively.
    Privacy Act system of records USPS 160.010 is being modified to 
reflect the maintenance of COD claims and inquiry records. COD is a 
service used by mailers to mail an article for which they have not 
paid, and have the price of the article and the cost of the postage 
collected by the Postal Service from the recipient. In addition, two 
new routine uses are proposed for both USPS 160.010 and USPS 160.020. 
Routine use

[[Page 52070]]

No. 1 allows the Postal Service to disclose information to the sender 
or addressee of the mailpiece for which a claim has been filed in 
connection with resolution of a claim. Routine use No. 2 allows the 
Postal Service to disclose information to an expert consultant for the 
purpose of determining the value of lost or damaged items or to 
otherwise determine the validity of a claim. Both of these disclosures 
may be necessary to process a claim or respond to an inquiry.
    Other modifications to USPS 160.010 and USPS 160.020 do not alter 
the character or use of information contained in the systems, but 
rather improve the system descriptions to reflect the types of special 
mail services offered, correct a typographical error that appeared in 
an earlier system publication, and update the system manager's title as 
a result of an agency restructuring. With these modifications, the 
system description of each system of records will better inform the 
public of the circumstances under which the Postal Service may be 
maintaining information about them. In view of these factors, the 
Postal Service has determined that these changes reflect matters of 
internal practice and procedure that will not substantially affect the 
rights or obligations of private parties.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(11), interested persons are invited to 
submit written data, views, or arguments on this proposal. A report of 
the proposed revisions to the systems has been sent to Congress and to 
the Office of Management and Budget for their evaluation.
    USPS Privacy Act systems 160.010 and 160.020 were last published in 
their entirety in the Federal Register on October 26, 1989 (54 FR 43705 
and 43706). The Postal Service proposes amending these systems as shown 
below.
USPS  160.010
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Special Mail Services-Domestic Insured, 
Registered, Collect on Delivery (COD), and Express Mail Claim and 
Inquiry Records.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Consumer Advocate, Headquarters; Accounting 
Service Center (ASC), St. Louis, MO; and post offices.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Domestic insured, registered, COD, and Express 
Mail claimants/requesters, including mail senders and addressees.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Names and addresses of mail sender and 
addressee, declaration of claimant/requester, and claim/inquiry status 
information.''
    39 U.S.C. 401, 404.
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``To adjudicate claims related to domestic 
insured, registered, COD, and Express Mail, and to respond to inquiries 
concerning those claims.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``General routine use statements a, b, c, d, e, f, 
g, h, j, and m listed in the prefatory statement at the beginning of 
the Postal Service's published system notices apply to this system. 
Other routine uses are as follows:
    1. Information from this system may be disclosed to the sender or 
addressee of the mailpiece for which a claim has been filed in 
connection with resolution of the claim.
    2. Information from this system may be disclosed to an expert 
consultant for the purpose of determining the value of lost or damaged 
items or to determine otherwise the validity of a claim.''
    Handwritten and typed forms and computer-readable media and 
printouts.
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Mailer's name; date of mailing; and insured, 
registered, COD, or Express Mail article number; or claim number.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Handwritten and typed forms are stored in steel 
file cabinets, with access limited to authorized personnel. Computer-
readable media are stored in protected areas, with access limited to 
authorized personnel.''
    [CHANGE TO READ]
    ``a. Automated claims and inquiry system records. Delete from 
system after 2 years.
    b. Insured, registered, COD, and Express Mail claim and inquiry 
records (post office). Destroy 2 years from date of cutoff.
    c. Insured, registered, COD, and Express Mail claim and inquiry 
records (ASC). Destroy 4 years from date of cutoff.''
    [CHANGE TO READ]
    ``VICE PRESIDENT AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE, UNITED STATES POSTAL 
SERVICE, 475 L'ENFANT PLZ SW, WASHINGTON DC 20260-2200''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Individuals wishing to know whether information 
about them is maintained in this system of records should address 
inquiries to the head of the facility where the domestic insured, 
registered, COD, or Express Mail claim was filed. If a claim has been 
filed, the inquiry should include claim number; date of claim; insured, 
registered, COD, or Express Mail number of article mailed; and date of 
mailing.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Requests for access must be made in accordance 
with the Notification Procedure above and the Postal Service Privacy 
Act regulations regarding access to records and verification of 
identity under 39 CFR 266.6.''
    See Notification and Record Access Procedures above.
    Information from the individual completing the claim/inquiry form.
USPS  160.020
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Special Mail Services-International Ordinary, 
Insured, Registered, and Express Mail Inquiry and Application for 
Indemnity Records, 160.020.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Consumer Advocate, Headquarters; Accounting 
Service Center (ASC), St. Louis, MO; and international claims and 
inquiries offices in New York, New Orleans, and San Francisco.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``International insured, registered, and Express 
Mail claimants/requesters, including mail senders and addresses, and 
ordinary mail inquirers.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Names and addresses of mail sender and 
addressee,

[[Page 52071]]

declaration of claimant/requester, and claim/inquiry status 
information.''
    39 U.S.C. 401, 404.
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``To adjudicate claims related to international 
insured mail, registered mail, Express Mail, and ordinary mail, and to 
respond to inquiries concerning those claims.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``General routine use statements a, b, c, d, e, f, 
g, h, j, and m listed in the prefatory statement at the beginning of 
the Postal Service's published system notices apply to this system. 
Other routine uses are as follows:
    1. Information from this system may be disclosed to the sender or 
addressee of the mailpiece for which a claim has been filed when 
required for resolution of the claim.
    2. Information from this system may be disclosed to an expert 
consultant for the purpose of determining the value of lost or damaged 
items or to determine otherwise the validity of a claim.''
    3. Information from this system may be disclosed to an authority of 
a foreign postal administration when required for resolution of an 
international mail inquiry.
    Handwritten and typed forms and computer-readable media and 
printouts.
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Claimant's/requester's name; case number; 
registered; insured, or Express Mail article number; date of mailing; 
and country of destination.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Handwritten and typed forms are stored in steel 
file cabinets, with access limited to authorized personnel. Computer-
readable media are stored in protected areas, and access to the media 
is limited to authorized personnel.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Destroy 3 years from date of cutoff.''
    [CHANGE TO READ]
    ``VICE PRESIDENT AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE, UNITED STATES POSTAL 
SERVICE, 475 L'ENFANT PLZ SW, WASHINGTON, DC 20260-2200''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Individuals wishing to know whether information 
about them is maintained in this system of records should address 
inquiries to the head of the facility where the international insured, 
registered, or Express Mail claim was filed or the ordinary mail 
inquiry was made. If a claim has been filed, the inquiry should include 
claim number; date of claim; insured, registered, or Express Mail 
number of article mailed; date of mailing; and destination country.''
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Requests for access must be made in accordance 
with the Notification Procedure above and the Postal Service Privacy 
Act regulations regarding access to records and verification of 
identity under 39 CFR 266.6.''
    See Notification and Record Access Procedures above.
    [CHANGE TO READ] ``Information from the individual completing the 
claim/inquiry form.''
USPS 160.030
    Special Mail Services--Express Mail Service Insurance Claims for 
Loss, Delay and Damage, 160.030.
    Because records maintained under USPS 160.030 are similar in nature 
to those maintained under USPS 160.010 and 160.020, they are being 
incorporated into these two systems. Therefore, this system of records 
is being eliminated.
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 96-25082 Filed 10-3-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-M