[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45699-45700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22938]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Financial Management Service


Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Treasury.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Privacy Act of 1974, as 
amended, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines on 
the Conduct of Matching Programs, notice is hereby given of the conduct 
of Financial Management Service (FMS) matching activities which may be 
programs of computer matches.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 29, 1997.

ADDRESS: Comments or inquiries may be submitted to the Debt Management 
Services, Financial Management Service, 401 14th Street, SW, Room 151, 
Washington, DC 20227.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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. FMS has a ``system of records'' (as defined in the Privacy 
Act of 1974) for recurring payments entitled ``Payment Issue Records 
for Regular Recurring Benefit Payments,'' identified as Treasury/FMS 
.002. In addition, FMS has a ``system of records'' (as defined in the 
Privacy Act of 1974) for non-recurring payments entitled ``Payment 
Records for Other than Regular Recurring Benefit Payments,'' identified 
as Treasury/FMS .016.
     FMS also is the lead agency in the Federal Government for debt 
collection and collects delinquent non-tax debts owed to the Federal 
Government, delinquent debts owed to States, and past-due support being 
enforced by States. FMS has a ``system of records'' for debt collection 
entitled ``Debt Collection Operations System,'' identified as Treasury/
FMS .014.
     The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA) amended the 
administrative offset statute, 31 U.S.C. 3716, to statutorily provide 
for centralized administrative offset by disbursing officials of the 
United States. This statutory provision takes advantage of FMS' role as 
the primary disbursing agency for the Federal Government. These matches 
of records contained in the two payment systems of records identified 
above with records contained in the Debt Collection Operations System 
are intended to help implement centralized offset by disbursing 
officials within the Department of the Treasury.
    As matches of Treasury systems of records, the intended matches may 
be internal matches which are not subject to the requirements of the 
Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (see 5 U.S.C. 
552a(a)(8)(B)(v)(II)). The preparation of this Notice and any other 
documents which would be required for matching programs is intended to 
assure compliance with the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act 
of 1988, if judicial interpretation would deem either or both of these 
types of computerized comparisons a ``matching program.'' This notice 
should not be construed as a determination or admission by the agency 
that these matches are ``matching programs.''
    The DCIA provides authority for Treasury to waive subsections (o) 
and (p) of 5 U.S.C. 552a (relating to computer matching agreements and 
post-offset notification and verification) upon written certification 
by the head of a State or an executive, judicial, or legislative agency 
seeking to collect the claim that the requirements of subsection (a) of 
31 U.S.C. 3716 have been met. Such waiver(s) will be in effect prior to 
the commencement of the computer matching program(s). Interested 
parties may obtain documentation concerning the waiver from the contact 
listed above.
    FMS previously published two notices concerning these matching 
activities. The first notice, published in the Federal Register on 
February 23, 1996, Volume 61 at page 7041, covered the matching of 
records contained in FMS systems .014 and .002. That computer matching 
notice, which predated the passage of the DCIA, concerned collection of 
delinquent debts owed to the Federal Government by Federal civil 
service annuitants through administrative offset of Federal employee 
retirement payments.
    The second notice, published in the Federal Register on February 
20, 1997, Volume 62 at page 7825, covered the matching of records 
contained in FMS systems .014 and .016. The purpose of those computer 
matches is to collect, through offset, delinquent debt owed to the 
Federal Government.
    Computer matches performed pursuant to this notice may be broader 
than those described in the previous matching notices. Records 
concerning individuals who owe delinquent debts to States and/or past-
due support being enforced by States, as well as those who owe debts to 
the Federal Government, will be included in the matches. The matching 
of records contained in Treasury/FMS .002 will not be limited to 
records concerning civil service annuitants. The matching of records 
contained in Treasury/FMS .002 and Treasury/FMS .014 will be performed 
in accordance with the requirements of the Computer Matching and 
Privacy Protection Act of 1988, except for the requirements of 
subsections (o) and (p) of 552a which will have been waived.

 Name of Source Agency:
    Financial Management Service

Name of Recipient Agency:
     Financial Management Service

Beginning and Completion Dates:
     These programs of computer matches will commence not earlier than 
the thirtieth day after this notice appears in the Federal Register. 
The matching will continue indefinitely, or until the waiver from the 
requirements of 5 U.S.C. 552a(o) and (p) is revoked.

Purpose:
    The purpose of these programs of computer matches is to identify 
payments made to individuals who owe delinquent debts to the Federal 
Government or to State Governments, as well as individuals who owe 
past-due support which will be collected by offset pursuant to 31 
U.S.C. 3716, and to offset such payments where appropriate to satisfy 
those debts.

Authority:
    Authority for these programs of computer matches is granted under 
31 U.S.C. 3716.

Categories of Individuals Covered:
    Individuals receiving payments from the Federal Government which 
are disbursed by the Financial Management Service; and individuals who 
owe debts to the United States and/or a State Government, or who owe 
past-due support being enforced by a State Government, and whose debts 
may be collected by offset in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3716.

Categories of Records Covered:
    Included in these programs of computer matches is information 
concerning the debtor contained in the Debt Collection Operations 
System (Treasury/FMS .014) including name, taxpayer identification 
number, the amount of the indebtedness, the name and address of the 
State or Federal agency who is principally responsible for collecting 
the debt, and the name, phone number and address of a State or

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agency contact. Information contained in Payment Issue Records for 
Regular Recurring Benefit Payments (Treasury/FMS .002) and Payment 
Records for Other than Regular Recurring Benefit Payments (Treasury/FMS 
.016) which shall be included in these programs of computer matches 
shall include name, taxpayer identification number, mailing address, 
and the amount of payment.

    Dated: August 21, 1997.

Alex Rodriguez,
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Administration).

[FR Doc. 97-22938 Filed 8-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE: 4810-35-F