[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 157 (Monday, August 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49622-49623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-20470]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    In compliance with Public Law 104-13, the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, SSA is providing notice of its information collections that 
require submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). SSA is 
soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden estimate; 
the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to enhance 
its quality, utility and clarity; and on ways to minimize burden on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    The information collections listed below have been submitted to OMB 
for clearance. Written comments and recommendations on the information 
collections would be most useful if received within 30 days from the 
date of this publication. Comments should be directed to the SSA 
Reports Clearance Officer and the OMB Desk Officer at the addresses 
listed at the end of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB 
clearance packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer on 
(410) 965-4145, or by writing to him.
    1. Integrated Registration for Employers and Submitters (IRES)-
0960-NEW. The IRES authentication system is a free service designed to 
allow employers to access SSA's electronic wage reporting services, and 
to replace the use of a handwritten signature with an electronic 
signature. Employer representatives will use an IRES generated PIN and 
password as their electronic signature. IRES was designed to be more 
efficient, reducing the costs to both employers and SSA, and will 
facilitate the filing of wage data electronically.
    SSA's paramount interest in the development of IRES was to ensure 
that the new electronic method of identifying wage report submitters 
provides the same security features as the current paper-based method. 
Security features will include message integrity, originator 
authentication, non-repudiation and confidentiality. The PIN and 
password will be issued to an individual designated by the employer 
after SSA authenticates the company and contact information provided by 
the individual.
    SSA plans to use the IRES in conjunction with SSA's wage reporting 
processes. It will be used as the gateway for electronic wage reporting 
and the Online Employee Verification Service. It will also be used when 
SSA implements additional electronic services such as electronic 
notices and error information. The PIN will also be used in the AWR 
diskette process to replace the signature on IRS paper form 6559. SSA 
has received approval from IRS to use an alternative signature.
    Respondents to IRES will be Employers and Submitters who utilize 
SSA's electronic wage reporting and Online Employee Verification 
Services.
    Number of respondents: 250,000.
    Number of Response: 1.
    Average burden per response: 2 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 8,333 hours.
    2. Psychiatric Review Technique-0960-0413. The information 
collected on Form SSA-2506 is needed by SSA to facilitate the 
adjudication of claims involving mental impairments. The information is 
used to identify the need for additional evidence in the determination 
of impairment severity; to consider aspects of mental impairment 
relevant to the individual's ability to work; and to organize and 
present the findings in a clear, concise manner. The respondents are 
State DDS's administering titles II and XVI disability programs.
    Number of Respondents: 1,005,804.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 251,451 hours.

(SSA Address)
Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: Frederick W. Brickenkamp, 
1-A-21 Operations Bldg., 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235
(OMB Address)

[[Page 49623]]

Office of Management and Budget, OIRA, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, New 
Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 725 17th St., NW, Washington, 
D.C. 20503

    Dated: August 8, 2000.
Frederick W. Brickenkamp,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-20470 Filed 8-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-U