[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 213 (Thursday, November 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60178-60180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28675]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice to alter a system of records.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of the Army is altering a system of records 
notice in its existing inventory of record systems subject to the 
Privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended.
    The routine use being added to AAFES 0702.34, entitled Accounts 
Receivable Files, allows disclosure of information to employers for the 
purpose of collecting debts owed to the United States. The routine use 
reads as follows: `To any employer (person or entity) that employs the 
services of others and that pays their wages or salaries, where the 
employee owes a delinquent nontax debt to the United States. The term 
employer includes, but is not limited to, State and local governments, 
but does not include any agency of the Federal Government.

DATES: This proposed action will be effective without further notice on 
December 6, 1999, unless comments are received which result in a 
contrary determination.

ADDRESSES: Privacy Act Officer, Records Management Program Division, 
U.S. Total Army Personnel Command, ATTN: TAPC-PDR-P, Stop C55, Ft. 
Belvoir, VA 22060-5576.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Janice Thornton at (703) 806-4390 
or DSN 656-4390.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of the Army systems of 
records notices subject to the privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a) as 
amended, have been published in the Federal Register and are available 
from the address above.
    The proposed system report, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) of the 
Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, was submitted on October 19, 1999, to 
the House Committee on Government Reform, the Senate Committee on 
Governmental Affairs, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
pursuant to paragraph 4c 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: October 27, 1999.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
AAFES 0702.34

SYSTEM NAME:
    Accounts Receivable Files (August 20, 1997, 62 FR 44263).

CHANGES:
* * * * *

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    Delete entry and replace with `10 U.S.C. 3013, Secretary of the 
Army and 10 U.S.C. 8013, Secretary of the Air Force; Federal Claims 
Collection Act of 1966 (Pub. L. 89-508, as amended); Debt Collection 
Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-365), as amended by the Debt Collection 
Improvement Act of 1996 Pub. L. 104-134, section 31001); AR 60-20/AFR 
147-14, Army and Air Force Exchange Service Operating Policies; and 
E.O. 9397 (SSN); 31 CFR 285.11, Administrative Wage Garnishment; DoD 
7000.14-4, DoD Financial Management Regulation.
* * * * *

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES;
    Add a new paragraph `To any employer (person or entity) that 
employs the services of others and that

[[Page 60179]]

pays their wages or salaries, where the employee owes a delinquent 
nontax debt to the United States. The term employer includes, but is 
not limited to, State and local governments, but does not include any 
agency of the Federal Government'.
* * * * *
AAFES 0702.34

SYSTEM NAME:
    Accounts Receivable Files.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    Headquarters, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, 3911 S. Walton 
Walker Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75236-1598;
    Army and Air Force Exchange Service-Europe, Europe Accounting 
Support Office, CMR 429, APO AE 09054;
    Army and Air Force Exchange Service-Pacific Rim, Accounting Support 
Center, Unit 35163, APO AP 96378-5163; and
    Post and base exchanges within the Army and Air Force Exchange 
Service (AAFES) system. Official mailing addresses are published as an 
appendix to the Army's compilation of systems of records notices.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    Army and Air Force Exchange Service customers (military, retirees, 
civilian, and civilian dependents).

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    Case files relating to debts owed by individuals, including 
dishonored checks, deferred payment plans, home layaway, salary/travel 
advances, pecuniary liability claims and credit cards. These files 
include all correspondence to the debtor/his or her commander, notices 
from banks concerning indebtedness, originals or copies of returned 
checks, envelopes showing attempts to contact the debtor, payment 
documentation, pay adjustment authorizations, deferred payment plan 
applications, charges and statements or accounts, and home layaway 
cards.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    10 U.S.C. 3013, Secretary of the Army and 10 U.S.C. 8013, Secretary 
of the Air Force; Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966 (Pub. L. 89-
508, as amended); Debt Collection Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-365), as 
amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-
134, section 31001); AR 60-20/AFR 147-14, Army and Air Force Exchange 
Service Operating Policies; and E.O. 9397 (SSN); 31 CFR 285.11, 
Administrative Wage Garnishment; DoD 700.14-R, DoD Financial Management 
Regulation.

PURPOSES(S):
    To process, monitor, and post audit accounts receivable, to 
administer the Federal Claims Collection Act, and to answer inquiries 
pertaining thereto.
    To collect indebtedness.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, these records or information contained 
therein may specifically be disclosed outside the DoD as a routine use 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
    To the U.S. Department of Justice/U.S. Attorneys for legal action 
and/or final disposition of the debt claim.
    To the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to obtain locator status for 
delinquent accounts receivables (controls exist to preclude 
redisclosure of solicited IRS address data; and/or to report write-off 
amounts as taxable income as pertains to amounts compromised and 
accounts barred from litigation due to age).
    To private collection agencies for collection action when the 
internal collection efforts have been exhausted.
    To the Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Service, 
for the purpose of collecting delinquent debts owed to the U.S. 
Government via administrative offset.
    To any employer (person or entity) that employs the services of 
others and that pays their wages or salaries, where the employee owes a 
delinquent nontax debt to the United States. The term employer 
includes, but is not limited to, State and local governments, but does 
not include any agency of the Federal Government.
    The `Blanket Routine Uses' that appear at the beginning of the 
Army's compilation of systems of records notices apply to this system.

DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES:
    Disclosures pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(12) may be made from this 
system to `consumer reporting agencies' as defined in the Fair Credit 
Reporting Act (14 U.S.C. 1681a(f)) or the Federal Claims Collection Act 
of 1966 (31 U.S.C. 3701(a)(3)). The purpose of this disclosure is to 
aid in the collection of outstanding debts owed to the Federal 
government; typically to provide an incentive for debtors to repay 
delinquent Federal government debts by making these debts part of their 
credit records.
    The disclosure is limited to information necessary to establish the 
identity of the individual, including name, address, and taxpayer 
identification number (Social Security Number); the amount, status, and 
history of the claim; and the agency or program under which the claim 
arose for the sole purpose of allowing the consumer reporting agency to 
prepare a commercial credit report.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, 
AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
    Paper and automated records.

RETRIEVABILITY:
    Retrieved by customer's surname or Social Security Number.

SAFEGUARDS:
    Records are maintained in areas accessible only by authorized 
personnel within AAFES-FA-O/R.

RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
    Records are retained in current files until close of fiscal year in 
which receivable is cleared. At year end, files are stored for 10 years 
and subsequently destroyed by shredding.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
    Commander, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, 3911 S. Walton 
Walker Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75236-1598.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
    Individuals seeking to determine whether this system of records 
contains information about themselves should address written inquiries 
to the Commander, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, ATTN: Chief, 
Accounts Receivable Division, Comptroller Division, 3911 S. Walton 
Walker Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75236-1598.
    Individuals should provide full name, Social Security Number, or 
other acceptable identifying information that will facilitate locating 
the records.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    Individuals seeking access to information about themselves 
contained in this system of records should address written inquiries to 
the Commander, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, ATTN: Chief, 
Accounts Receivable Division, Comptroller Division, 3911 S. Walton 
Walker Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75236-1598.
    Individuals should provide full name, Social Security Number, or 
other acceptable identifying information that will facilitate locating 
the records.

[[Page 60180]]

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    The Army's rules for accessing records and for contesting contents 
and appealing initial agency determinations are published in Army 
Regulation 340-21; 32 CFR part 505; or may be obtained from the system 
manager.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    From the customer and from correspondence between AAFES and 
Vendors.

EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    None.

[FR Doc. 99-28675 Filed 11-3-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-10-M