[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