[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 23 (Thursday, February 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5641-5642]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2580]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Defense Logistics Agency


Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Defense Manpower Data Center, Defense Logistics Agency, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of a computer matching program.

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SUMMARY: Subsection (e)(12) of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 
U.S.C. 552a), requires agencies to publish advanced notice of any 
proposed or revised computer matching program by the matching agency 
for public comment. The Department of Defense (DoD) as the matching 
agency under the Privacy Act, is hereby giving notice to the record 
subjects of a computer matching program between Social Security 
Administration (SSA) and the DoD that their records are being matched 
by computer.
    The Social Security Act requires SSA to verify, with independent or 
collateral sources, information provided to SSA by applicants for and 
recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. The SSI 
applicant or recipient provides information about eligibility factors 
and other relevant information. SSA obtains additional information as 
necessary before making

[[Page 5642]]

any determinations of eligibility or payment amounts or adjustments 
thereto. With respect to military retirement payments to SSI recipients 
who are retired members of the Uniformed Services or their survivors, 
SSA proposes to accomplish this task by computer matching with the DOD.
DATES: This proposed action will become effective March 8, 1999, and 
matching may commence unless changes to the matching program are 
required due to public comments or by Congressional or by Office of 
Management and Budget objections. Any public comment must be received 
before the effective date.
ADDRESSES: Any interested party may submit written comments to the 
Director, Defense Privacy Office, 1941 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 
920, Arlington, VA 22202-4502.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Vahan Moushegian, Jr. at (703) 
607-2943.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to subsection (o) of the Privacy 
Act of 1974, as amended, (5 U.S.C. 552a), the Defense Manpower Data 
Center (DMDC) and SSA have concluded an agreement to conduct a computer 
matching program. The parties to this agreement have determined that a 
computer matching program is the most efficient, expeditious, and 
effective means of obtaining and processing the information needed by 
the SSA.
    A copy of the computer matching agreement between SSA and DoD is 
available upon request. Requests should be submitted to the address 
caption above or to the Computer Matching Program and Policy Team, 
Office of Disclosure Policy, Office of Program Support, Office of 
Disability and Income Security Programs, Social Security 
Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235.
    Set forth below is the notice of the establishment of a computer 
matching program required by paragraph 6.c. of the Office of Management 
and Budget Guidelines on computer matching published on June 19, 1989, 
at 54 FR 25818.
    The matching agreement, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) of the 
Privacy Act, and an advance copy of this notice was submitted on 
January 21, 1999, to the House Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight, the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, and the 
Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget pursuant to paragraph 4d of Appendix I 
to OMB Circular No. A-130, `Federal Agency Responsibilities for 
Maintaining Records about Individuals,' dated February 8, 1996 
(February 20, 1996, 61 FR 6427).
    Dated: January 28, 1999.
L. M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

COMPUTER MATCHING PROGRAM BETWEEN THE SOCIAL SECURITY 
ADMINISTRATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR VERIFICATION OF 
ELIGIBILITY FOR SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAM

    A. Participating agencies: Participants in this computer matching 
program are the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Defense 
Manpower Data Center (DMDC) of the Department of Defense (DoD). The SSA 
is the source agency, i.e., the activity disclosing the records for the 
purpose of the match. The DMDC is the specific recipient activity or 
matching agency, i.e., the agency that actually performs the computer 
matching.
    B. Purpose of the match: The Social Security Act requires SSA to 
verify, with independent or collateral sources, information provided to 
SSA by applicants for and recipients of Supplemental Security Income 
(SSI) payments. The SSI applicant or recipient provides information 
about eligibility factors and other relevant information. SSA obtains 
additional information as necessary before making any determinations of 
eligibility or payment amounts or adjustments thereto. With respect to 
military retirement payments to SSI recipients who are retired members 
of the Uniformed Services or their survivors, SSA proposes to 
accomplish this task by computer matching with the DOD.
    C. Authority for conducting the match: The legal authority for the 
matching program is contained in sections 1631(e)(1)(B) and (f) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1383(e)(1)(B) and (f)).
    D. Records to be matched: The systems of records maintained by the 
respective agencies under the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, from 
which records will be disclosed for the purpose of this computer match 
are as follows:
    1. The SSA will use 09-60-0103, entitled `Supplemental Security 
Income Record, HHS/SSA/OSR,' last published on January 6, 1995, at 60 
FR 2150.
    2. The DMDC will use S322.10 DMDC, entitled 'Defense Manpower Data 
Center Data Base', last published on September 14, 1998 at 63 FR 49095.
    E. Description of computer matching program: SSA, as the source 
agency, will provide DMDC with an electronic query file which contains 
the name, SSN, and SSI person type. Upon receipt of the query file, 
DMDC, as the recipient agency, will perform a computer match using all 
nine digits of the SSN of the SSI file against a DMDC database. The 
DMDC database consists of extracts of personnel and pay records of 
retired members of the uniformed services or their survivors.
    DMDC will furnish the matched data (`hits') to SSA in an electronic 
reply file. SSA is responsible for verifying and determining that the 
data in the DMDC reply file are consistent with the data in the source 
SSA query file and resolving any discrepancies or inconsistencies on an 
individual basis. SSA also is responsible for making final 
determinations as to eligibility for or amount of payments, 
continuation or adjustments to payments, or any recovery of 
overpayments as a result of the match.
    The electronic SSA query file contains approximately 6.5 million 
records extracted from the Supplemental Security Income Record.
    The electronic DMDC database contains records on approximately 2.15 
million retired uniformed service members or their survivors. DMDC will 
match the SSN on the SSA file by computer matching against the DMDC 
database.
    F. Inclusive dates of the matching program: This computer matching 
program is subject to public comment and review by Congress and the 
Office of Management and Budget. If the mandatory 30 day period for 
comment has expired and no comments are received and if no objections 
are raised by either Congress or the Office of Management and Budget 
within 40 days of being notified of the proposed match, the computer 
matching program becomes effective and the respective agencies may 
begin the exchange at a mutually agreeable time on a annual basis. By 
agreement between SSA and DMDC, the matching program will be in effect 
for 18 months with an option to renew for 12 additional months unless 
one of the parties to the agreement advises the other by written 
request to terminate or modify the agreement.
    G. Address for receipt of public comments or inquiries: Director, 
Defense Privacy Office, 1941 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 920, 
Arlington, VA 22202-4502. Telephone (703) 607-2943.
[FR Doc. 99-2580 Filed 2-3-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-F