[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31547-31548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10826]


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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT


Privacy Act of 1994; Computer Matching Programs Office of 
Personnel Management/Social Security Administration

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

ACTION: Publication of notice of computer matching to comply with 
Public Law 100-503, the Computer Matching and Privacy Act of 1988.

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SUMMARY: OPM is publishing notice of its computer matching program with 
the Social Security Administration (SSA) to meet the reporting 
requirements of Pub. L. 100-503. The purpose of this match is to 
establish the conditions for disclosure of Social Security benefit 
information to OPM via direct computer link for the administration of 
programs by the Retirement Services Programs. OPM is legally required 
to offset specific benefits by a percentage of benefits payable under 
Title II of the Social Security Act. The matching will enable OPM to 
compute benefits at the correct rate and determine eligibility for 
benefits.

DATES: The matching program will begin 40 days after the Federal 
Register notice has been published and the letters to Congress and OMB 
have been issued. The matching program will continue for 18 months from 
the beginning date and may be extended an additional 12 months 
thereafter. The data exchange will begin at a date mutually agreed upon 
between OPM and SSA after April 2005, unless comments on the match are 
received that result in cancellation of the program. Subsequent matches 
will take place semi-annually on a recurring basis until one of the 
parties advises the other in writing of its intention to reevaluate, 
modify and/or terminate the agreement.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Marc Flaster, Chief, RIS Support Services 
Group, Office of Personnel Management, Room 4316, 1900 E Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20415.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Sparrow, (202) 606-1803.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OPM and SSA intend to conduct a computer 
matching program. The purpose of this agreement is to establish the 
conditions

[[Page 31548]]

under which SSA agrees to the disclosure of benefit information to OPM. 
The SSA records will be used in a matching program with OPM's records 
on surviving spouses who may be eligible to receive a Supplementary 
Annuity, disability retirees, and child survivor annuitants, under the 
Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). The benefits payable to 
these recipients are offset if paid while also in receipt of SSA 
benefits.
    The SSA components responsible for the disclosure are the Office of 
Income Security Programs. The responsible component for OPM is the 
Center for Retirement and Insurance Services. OPM, as the agency 
actually using the results of this matching activity in its programs, 
will publish the notice required by Title 5 United States Code (U.S.C.) 
552a(e)(12) in the Federal Register.

Office of Personnel Management.
Dan G. Blair,
Acting Director.

Report of Computer Matching Program Between the Office of Personnel 
Management and Social Security Administration

A. Participating Agencies

    OPM and SSA.

B. Purpose of the Matching Program

    This computer matching agreement sets forth the responsibilities of 
the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Office of Personnel 
Management (OPM) with respect to information disclosed pursuant to this 
agreement and is executed under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, 
as amended, and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder.

C. Description of the Match and Records

    SSA will disclose data from its MBR file (60-0090, Master 
Beneficiary Record, SSA/OEEAS) and MEF file (60-0059, Earning Recording 
and Self-Employment Income System, SSA/OEEAS), and manually extracted 
military wage information from SSA's ``1086'' microfilm file when 
required. OPM will provide SSA with a electronic finder file from the 
OPM System of Records published as OPM/Central-1 (Civil Service and 
Insurance Records), on October 8, 1999 (64 FR 54930), as amended on May 
3, 2000 (65 FR 2575). The systems of records involved have routine uses 
permitting the disclosures needed to conduct this match.

D. Privacy Safeguards and Security

    Both SSA and OPM will safeguard information provided by the 
reciprocal agency as follows: Access to the records matched and to any 
records created by the match will be restricted to only those 
authorized employees and officials who need the records to perform 
their official duties in connection with the uses of the information 
authorized in the agreement. SSA and OPM will protect Federal Tax 
information in the same manner which IRS systems of records are 
protected under the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, and in accordance 
with Internal Revenue Manual 1.16.8, Physical Security Standards 
Handbook. Either OPM or SSA may make onsite inspection or make other 
provisions to ensure that adequate safeguards are being maintained by 
the other agency.

E. Disposal of Records

    Records causing closeout or suspend actions would also be annotated 
and returned to OPM for recordkeeping purposes. All records returned to 
OPM are considered ``response'' records and any not used in the update 
process must be purged by SSA immediately after all processing is 
completed.

[FR Doc. 05-10826 Filed 5-31-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-38-P