[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 159 (Thursday, August 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43043-43046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20600]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974: System of Records

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

ACTION: Notice of establishment of a new system of records--Center for 
Acquisition and Materiel Management Education Online (CAMEO)--VA 
(111VA95E).

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SUMMARY: The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552(e)(4)) requires that all 
agencies publish in the Federal Register a notice of the existence and 
character of their systems of records. Notice is hereby given that the 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is establishing a new system of 
records entitled ``Center for Acquisition and Materiel Management 
Education Online (CAMEO)--VA'' (111VA95E).

DATES: Comments on this new system of records must be received no later 
than September 17, 2001. If no public comment is received, the new 
system will become effective September 17, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand-deliver written comments concerning the 
proposed new system of records to: Director, Office of Regulations 
Management (02D), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, 
NW, Washington, DC 20420; or fax comments to (202) 273-9289; or e-mail 
comments to [email protected]. Comments should indicate that 
they are submitted in response to ``111VA95E.'' All comments received 
will be available for public inspection in the Office of Regulations 
Management, Room 1158, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday (except holidays).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Sherman (95E), Office of 
Acquisition and Materiel Management, Department of Veterans Affairs, 
810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone (202) 273-6083.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The VA Office of Acquisition and Materiel 
Management (OA&MM) is responsible for overseeing the acquisition, 
storage, and distribution of supplies, services,

[[Page 43044]]

and equipment used by VA facilities. OA&MM is the primary source of 
acquisition and materiel management training to approximately 6,000 VA 
employees. VA's acquisition and materiel management employees are 
geographically dispersed throughout the United States, the Commonwealth 
of Puerto Rico, and the Republic of the Philippines.
    OA&MM's two training organizations, the Acquisition Training and 
Career Development Division (AT&CD) (95E) and the Materiel Policy, 
Training, and Operations Division (MPT&OD) (92), are responsible for 
management of the training and career development programs for VA's 
acquisition and materiel management work force. AT&CD and MPT&OD staff 
schedule courses, allocate funds and class slots for VA acquisition and 
materiel management staff, and maintain records of training. In 
addition, AT&CD staff will be responsible for maintaining the central, 
VA-wide acquisition work force training database required by Office of 
Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Policy Letter 97-01, ``Procurement 
System Education, Training and Experience Requirements for Acquisition 
Personnel.''
    VA's database will be titled ``Center for Acquisition and Materiel 
Management Education Online (CAMEO)--VA'' and is the subject of this 
notice. The purpose of CAMEO is to collect and maintain training and 
education data for VA's acquisition and materiel management work force. 
Once developed, the database will electronically interface with the 
Government-wide acquisition work force management information system, 
entitled ``Acquisition Career Management Information System (ACMIS).'' 
ACMIS is being developed by OFPP in response to a statutory mandate at 
41 U.S.C. 433(d)--``The Administrator shall ensure that the heads of 
executive agencies collect and maintain standardized information on the 
acquisition work force related to implementation of [Section 37 of the 
OFPP Act]. To the maximum extent practicable, such data requirements 
shall conform to standards established by the Office of Personnel 
Management for the Central Personnel Data File.'' The Privacy Act 
Notice of Establishment of a New System of Records for ACMIS, GSA/OAP-
2, was published by the General Services Administration in the Federal 
Register on November 6, 2000 (65 FR 66544).
    VA is proposing to establish the following routine use disclosures 
of the information that will be maintained in the system:
    1. Disclosure may be made to a Congressional office from the record 
of an individual in response to an inquiry from the Congressional 
office made at the request of that individual.
    Individuals sometimes request the help of a Member of Congress in 
resolving some issue relating to a matter before VA. The Member of 
Congress then writes VA, and VA must be able to give sufficient 
information to be responsive to the inquiry.
    2. Disclosure may be made to the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA) in records management inspections conducted under 
the authority of Title 44 U.S.C.
    NARA is responsible for archiving old records no longer actively 
used, but which may be appropriate for preservation; they are 
responsible in general for the physical maintenance of the Federal 
Government's records. VA must be able to turn records over to NARA in 
order to determine the proper disposition of such records.
    3. Records from this system of records may be disclosed to the 
Department of Justice (DOJ) or in a proceeding before a court, 
adjudicative body, or other administrative body before which the Agency 
is authorized to appear when: (1) The Agency, or any component thereof; 
(2) any employee of the Agency in his or her official capacity, where 
DOJ or the Agency has agreed to represent the employee; or (3) the 
United States, when the Agency determines that litigation is likely to 
affect the Agency or any of its components; is a party to litigation, 
and has an interest in such litigation, and the use of such records by 
DOJ or the Agency is deemed by the Agency to be relevant and necessary 
to the litigation, provided, however, that the disclosure is compatible 
with the purpose for which the records were collected.
    Whenever VA is involved in litigation, or occasionally when another 
party is involved in litigation and VA policies or operations could be 
affected by the outcome of the litigation, VA would be able to disclose 
information to the court or parties involved. A determination would be 
made in each instance that, under the circumstances involved, the 
purpose served by use of the information in the particular litigation 
is compatible with a purpose for which VA collects the information.
    4. Disclosure of relevant information may be made to individuals, 
organizations, private or public agencies, or other entities with whom 
VA has a contract or agreement or where there is a subcontract to 
perform such services as VA may deem practicable for the purposes of 
laws administered by VA, in order for the contractor or subcontractor 
to perform the services of the contract or agreement.
    VA must be able to provide information to contractors or 
subcontractors with whom VA has a contract or agreement in order to 
perform the services of the contract or agreement.
    5. VA may disclose on its own initiative any information in this 
system that is relevant to a suspected or reasonably imminent violation 
of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature and whether 
arising by general or program statute or by regulation, rule or order 
issued pursuant thereto, to a Federal, State, local, tribal, or foreign 
agency charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting 
such violation, or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, 
regulation, rule or order.
    VA must be able to comply with the requirements of agencies charged 
with enforcing the law and investigations of violations or possible 
violations of law. VA must also be able to provide information to 
Federal, State, local, tribal and foreign agencies charged with 
protecting the public health as set forth in law.
    6. Disclosure may be made to an appeal, grievance, hearing, or 
complaints examiner; an equal employment opportunity investigator, 
arbitrator, or mediator; and an exclusive representative or other 
person authorized to investigate or settle a grievance, complaint, or 
appeal filed by an individual who is the subject of the record.
    Whenever VA is involved in an appeal, grievance, or complaint, or 
occasionally when another party is involved and VA policies or 
operations could be affected by the outcome, VA would be able to 
disclose information to the examiner or other official or parties 
involved. A determination would be made in each instance that, under 
the circumstances involved, the purpose served by use of the 
information is compatible with a purpose for which VA collects the 
information. The information may be needed by the examiner or 
investigator in order to resolve a grievance. Inability to release the 
data may have a negative impact on the individual filing the grievance.
    7. Disclosure may be made to the Office of Personnel Management 
(OPM), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the General 
Accounting Office (GAO) in order for them to perform their 
responsibilities for evaluating Federal programs.
    VA must be able to provide information to these agencies in order

[[Page 43045]]

for them to carry out their responsibilities for evaluating Federal 
programs.
    8. Disclosure may be made to a requesting Federal agency for that 
agency's use in connection with the hiring, retaining or promotion of 
an employee where the information is relevant and necessary for the 
decision.
    VA must be able to provide information to Federal agencies in order 
to assist them in determining the qualifications of an individual 
seeking employment.
    9. Information may be disclosed to officials of labor organizations 
recognized under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 71, when relevant and necessary to 
their duties of exclusive representation concerning personnel policies, 
practices, and matters affecting working conditions.
    VA must be able to disclose information to officials of labor 
organizations to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities in 
representing employees.
    10. Information may be disclosed to officials of the Merit Systems 
Protection Board or the Office of the Special Counsel when requested in 
connection with appeals, special studies of the civil service and other 
merit systems, review of rules and regulations, investigation of 
alleged or possible prohibited personnel practices, and such other 
functions, promulgated in 5 U.S.C. 1205 and 1206, or as may be 
authorized by law.
    VA must be able to disclose information to these agencies to assist 
them in fulfilling their responsibilities.
    11. Information may be disclosed to the Equal Employment 
Opportunity Commission when requested in connection with investigations 
of alleged or possible discriminatory practices, examination of Federal 
affirmative employment programs, or for other functions of the 
Commission as authorized by law.
    VA must be able to disclose information to the Commission in order 
for it to fulfill its responsibilities to protect employee rights.
    12. Information may be disclosed to the Federal Labor Relations 
Authority (including its General Counsel) when appropriate jurisdiction 
has been established and the information has been requested in 
connection with the investigation and resolution of allegations of 
unfair labor practices or in connection with the resolution of 
exceptions to arbitration awards when a question of material fact is 
raised; and to the Federal Service Impasses Panel in matters they are 
considering.
    VA must be able to disclose information to these agencies in order 
for them to fulfill their responsibilities.
    The system of records will not contain information identifying 
individuals as veterans, and consequently, the limitations on 
disclosures of the names and home addresses of veterans and their 
dependents that are normally in Routine Use No. 5 in other VA systems 
of records are not necessary here and consequently have not been 
included in this Notice.
    The notice of intent to publish and an advance copy of the system 
notice have been sent to the appropriate Congressional committees and 
to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as 
required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) (Privacy Act) and guidelines issued by OMB 
on December 12, 2000 (65 FR 77677).

    Approved: August 2, 2001.
Anthony J. Principi,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
111VA95E

System Name:
    Center for Acquisition and Materiel Management Education Online 
(CAMEO)--VA.

System Location:
    The system is maintained for the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) under contract. Records are located at the contractor's facility, 
currently Meridian Knowledge Solutions, Inc., 4465 Brookfield Corporate 
Drive, Suite 201, Chantilly, VA 20151. In addition, information from 
these records or copies of the records may be maintained at the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Acquisition and Materiel 
Management, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420.

Categories of Individuals Covered by the System:
    The records include information concerning VA employees who work in 
acquisition, contracting, and materiel management positions, including 
personnel in the 1100 occupational series, contracting officers, 
contracting officers' technical representatives, and other employees 
performing acquisition, contracting, procurement, and materiel 
management functions.

Categories of Records in the System:
    The system will contain information needed for enhancing training 
opportunities of VA employees in the Federal acquisition and materiel 
management work force. Records include, but are not limited to: (1) 
Biographical data such as name, social security number, and educational 
level; (2) work-related data such as duty station, occupational series 
and grade, supervisor's name, and contracting officer warrant 
information; (3) educational qualifications such as degrees from 
accredited universities or colleges and business credits completed; and 
(4) training information such as completed acquisition core courses and 
total continuing education hours for the previous and current fiscal 
year.

Authority for Maintenance of the System:
    Title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.), section 501, and section 37 
of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 433).

Purpose(s):
    The records and information will be used to enhance training 
opportunities of VA employees in acquisition and materiel management 
occupations; to ensure that employees meet training requirements; and 
to document the training received. The system will provide management 
and employees up-to-date information on employee certification levels, 
qualification standards, academic degrees, mandatory and other 
pertinent training, and contracting officer warrant status.

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories 
of Users and the Purposes of Such Uses:
    1. Disclosure may be made to a Congressional office from the record 
of an individual in response to an inquiry from the Congressional 
office made at the request of that individual.
    2. Disclosure may be made to the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA) in records management inspections conducted under 
the authority of Title 44 U.S.C.
    3. Records from this system of records may be disclosed to the 
Department of Justice (DOJ) or in a proceeding before a court, 
adjudicative body, or other administrative body before which the Agency 
is authorized to appear when: (1) The Agency, or any component thereof; 
(2) any employee of the Agency in his or her official capacity, where 
DOJ or the Agency has agreed to represent the employee; or (3) the 
United States, when the Agency determines that litigation is likely to 
affect the Agency or any of its components; is a party to litigation, 
and has an interest in such litigation, and the use of such records by 
DOJ or the Agency is deemed by the Agency to be relevant and necessary 
to the litigation, provided, however, that the disclosure is compatible 
with the purpose for which the records were collected.

[[Page 43046]]

    4. Disclosure of relevant information may be made to individuals, 
organizations, private or public agencies, or other entities with whom 
VA has a contract or agreement or where there is a subcontract to 
perform such services as VA may deem practicable for the purposes of 
laws administered by VA, in order for the contractor or subcontractor 
to perform the services of the contract or agreement.
    5. VA may disclose on its own initiative any information in this 
system that is relevant to a suspected or reasonably imminent violation 
of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature and whether 
arising by general or program statute or by regulation, rule or order 
issued pursuant thereto, to a Federal, State, local, tribal, or foreign 
agency charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting 
such violation, or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, 
regulation, rule or order.
    6. Disclosure may be made to an appeal, grievance, hearing, or 
complaints examiner; an equal employment opportunity investigator, 
arbitrator, or mediator; and an exclusive representative or other 
person authorized to investigate or settle a grievance, complaint, or 
appeal filed by an individual who is the subject of the record.
    7. Disclosure may be made to the Office of Personnel Management 
(OPM), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the General 
Accounting Office (GAO) in order for them to perform their 
responsibilities for evaluating Federal programs.
    8. Disclosure may be made to a requesting Federal agency for that 
agency's use in connection with the hiring, retaining or promotion of 
an employee where the information is relevant and necessary for the 
decision.
    9. Information may be disclosed to officials of labor organizations 
recognized under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 71, when relevant and necessary to 
their duties of exclusive representation concerning personnel policies, 
practices, and matters affecting working conditions.
    10. Information may be disclosed to officials of the Merit Systems 
Protection Board or the Office of the Special Counsel when requested in 
connection with appeals, special studies of the civil service and other 
merit systems, review of rules and regulations, investigation of 
alleged or possible prohibited personnel practices, and such other 
functions, promulgated in 5 U.S.C. 1205 and 1206, or as may be 
authorized by law.
    11. Information may be disclosed to the Equal Employment 
Opportunity Commission when requested in connection with investigations 
of alleged or possible discriminatory practices, examination of Federal 
affirmative employment programs, or for other functions of the 
Commission as authorized by law.
    12. Information may be disclosed to the Federal Labor Relations 
Authority (including its General Counsel) when appropriate jurisdiction 
has been established and the information has been requested in 
connection with the investigation and resolution of allegations of 
unfair labor practices or in connection with the resolution of 
exceptions to arbitration awards when a question of material fact is 
raised; and to the Federal Service Impasses Panel in matters they are 
considering.

Policies and Practices for Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining, 
and Disposing of Records in the System
Storage:
    Records are maintained on paper and electronic storage media, 
including magnetic tape and magnetic disk media.

Retrievability:
    Records are retrieved by name, social security number or other 
assigned identifiers of the individuals on whom the records are 
maintained.

Safeguards:
    1. Access to VA working and storage areas is restricted to VA 
employees on a ``need-to-know'' basis. Strict control measures are 
enforced to ensure that disclosure to these individuals is also based 
on this same principle. Generally, VA file areas are locked after 
normal duty hours and the facilities are protected from outside access 
by the Federal Protective Service or other security personnel.
    2. Access to computer rooms at VA Central Office and health care 
facilities is generally limited by appropriate locking devices and 
restricted to authorized VA employees and vendor personnel. ADP 
peripheral devices are placed in secure areas (areas that are locked or 
have limited access) or are otherwise protected.
    3. Access to the contractor's computer rooms is restricted to 
authorized vendor employees through electronic locking devices. 
Information stored in the CAMEO system may be accessed by authorized VA 
employees at remote locations, including VA health care facilities and 
VA Central Office. Access is controlled by individually unique 
passwords/codes that must be changed periodically by the employee or 
the appropriate designated personnel. The database is maintained by the 
contractor behind a firewall that has been certified by the National 
Computer Security Association.

Retention and Disposal:
    Paper records and electronic storage media are maintained and 
disposed of in accordance with records disposition authority approved 
by the Archivist of the United States.

System Manager(S) and Address:
    Official responsible for policies and procedures: Chief, 
Acquisition Training and Career Development Division (95E), Office of 
Acquisition and Materiel Management (90), Department of Veterans 
Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420.

Notification Procedure:
    Individuals who wish to determine whether this system of records 
contains information about them should contact the System Manager at 
the above address. Inquiries should include the person's full name, 
social security number, dates of employment, date(s) of contact, and 
return address.

Record Access Procedure:
    Individuals seeking information regarding access to and/or 
contesting the records in this system may write, call or visit the VA 
facility location where they are or were employed.

Contesting Record Procedures:
    See Record Access Procedures above.

Record Source Categories:
    Information in this system of records is provided:
    1. By individuals on whom the record is maintained.
    2. By supervisors and managers.
    3. By other agency officials.
    4. By accredited colleges or universities.
    5. By related correspondence.
    6. By other agency records.

[FR Doc. 01-20600 Filed 8-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P