[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 165 (Thursday, August 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46751-46752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22207]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service


Privacy Act of 1974; Altered System of Records

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service, Treasury.

ACTION: Proposed alteration of a Privacy Act system of records.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 
1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Department of the Treasury gives 
notice of a major proposed alteration to the Customer Feedback System, 
(Treasury/lRS 00.003). This proposed alteration is part of the 
implementation of certain provisions of the Internal Revenue Service 
Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, (Pub. L. 105-206, July 22, 1998), 
in order to achieve the objective of improving IRS customer service.


[[Page 46752]]


EFFECTIVE DATES: The proposed alteration will be effective October 5, 
1999, unless the IRS receives comments that would result in a contrary 
determination.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the National Taxpayer Advocate's 
Office, (C:TA), 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Keller, National Taxpayer 
Advocate's Office, (202) 622-8808.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Customer Feedback System is maintained 
by the Internal Revenue Service to meet the reporting requirement of 
Sec. 1211 of Public Law 104-168, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2 (TBOR2), 
which provides that the Secretary of the Treasury shall submit an 
annual report to Congress on the misconduct of IRS employees. A 
database for the records includes allegations about IRS employee 
misconduct received from taxpayers and their representatives, as well 
as the disposition of such complaints by managers.
    The IRS will conduct a test to alter the Customer Feedback System. 
Significant modifications of the current system include: (1) The 
subject matter will be broadened to include taxpayer complaints, 
problems, compliments and suggestions about IRS systems, processes. and 
procedures; (2) Information will be collected by IRS employees through 
their personal contacts with taxpayers, as well as through direct 
taxpayer input using a survey form; and (3) The system will be used as 
a basis for controlling and monitoring the Internal Revenue Service's 
handling of taxpayer issues to ensure that timely and appropriate 
responses are provided. In accordance with the requirements of the IRS 
Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, the Internal Revenue Service will 
include in its Customer Feedback System records the identification of 
individual employees who are cited by taxpayers for inappropriate 
conduct when such allegations do not involve the mandatory discharge 
provisions of Sec. 1203 of the Act. Most of these changes will be 
implemented initially on a test basis in four IRS offices (Pittsburgh, 
Richmond, Fresno and Atlanta) and expanded subsequently to the 
remaining IRS offices. During this test period, the original records 
will continue to exist concurrently with the test records for most 
offices. In the test offices, the new records will be referred to as 
``Customer Service Records,'' while in the remaining offices, the 
original records will continue to be referred to as the ``Customer 
Feedback System records.'' For Privacy Act purposes, both kinds of 
records will continue to fall under the Customer Feedback System of 
records, IRS/Treasury 00.003.
    The IRS published a proposed rule on August 7, 1997, at 62 FR 42443 
to exempt the Customer Feedback System pursuant to section (k)(4) of 
the Act from certain provisions because the records were to be 
maintained and used solely for statistical purposes. We are withdrawing 
the proposed rule pursuant to Public Law 105-206, Internal Revenue 
Service Restructuring and Reform Act, as the records will no longer be 
used solely for statistical purposes. The document withdrawing the 
proposed rule is published separately in the Federal Register.
    The altered system of records report, as required by 5 U.S.C. 
552a(r) of the Privacy Act, has been submitted to the Committee on 
Government Reform of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Office of Management and 
Budget, pursuant to Appendix I to OMB Circular A-130, Federal Agency 
Responsibilities for Maintaining Records About Individuals, dated 
February 8, 1996. The proposed alterations to Treasury/lRS 00.003--
Customer Feedback System are set forth below.

    Dated: July 28, 1999.
Shelia Y. McCann,
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Administration).
Treasury/lRS 00.003

SYSTEM NAME:
    Customer Feedback System.
* * * * *

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    Description of Change: Add the following language at the end of the 
paragraph:
    * * * The system will also capture customer feedback about any 
aspect of IRS operations and the identification of IRS employees about 
whom allegations of misconduct are made when such allegations do not 
involve the mandatory discharge provisions of Sec. 1203 of the IRS 
Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105-206 (July 22, 1998).

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF SYSTEM:
    Description of Change: Add the following at the end of the 
paragraph:
    * * * Section 3701 of the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 
(Pub. L. 105-206, July 22, 1998).

PURPOSE:
    Description of change: Replace the current language with the 
following:
    The purpose of this system is to collect a broad range of 
information about individual taxpayer issues and how they are resolved 
by the Internal Revenue Service. The collected records will enable the 
Service to better respond to individual taxpayer issues and to analyze 
and improve its operations, products and services.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    Description of change: Insert the following language at the 
beginning of the paragraph:
    Disclosure of tax return and return information may only be made as 
provided by 26 U.S.C. 6103. * * *
* * * * *

RETRIEVABILITY:
    Description of change: Replace the current language with the 
following:
    Documents are stored and retrieved by control numbers; by taxpayer 
name, taxpayer identification number or person to contact; and by an 
employee identifier. The control number can be determined by reference 
to the entries for the taxpayer, taxpayer representative or the IRS 
employee to whom they relate.
* * * * *

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
    Description of change: Replace the current language with the 
following:
    Individuals wishing to be notified if they are named in this system 
of records, or gain access to the records maintained in this system, 
must submit a written request in accordance with instructions appearing 
at 31 CFR part 1, subpart C, appendix B. Inquiries should be addressed 
to the office in which the records originate, to the attention of the 
National Taxpayer Advocate. See Appendix A for addresses of IRS 
offices.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    Description of change: Replace the current language with the 
following:
    See ``Notification procedure'' above.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    Description of change: Replace the current language with the 
following:
    See ``Notification procedure'' above.

EXEMPTION CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    Description of change: Replace the current language with the 
following:
    None.

[FR Doc. 99-22207 Filed 8-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-P