[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 56579]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15775]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Notice of a computer matching program--SBA and the Mississippi 
Development Authority (MDA).

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by the 
Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, and the Computer 
Matching Privacy Act Amendments of 1990, the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs and OMB 
Bulletin 89-22, ``Instructions on Reporting Computer Matching Programs 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Congress and the 
Public'', the Small Business Administration (SBA) is issuing a public 
notice of its intent to conduct a computer matching program with MDA 
which uses a computer information system of SBA. The purpose of the 
computer matching program is to ensure that there is no duplication of 
benefits (DOB), as prohibited by the Small Business Act, between SBA 
disaster loans made to homeowners in Mississippi affected by the 2005 
Gulf Coast hurricanes and MDA grants to the same homeowners.

DATES: This matching program is expected to begin October 27, 2006. Any 
public comment must be received before this expected start date.

ADDRESSES: Any interested party may submit written comments to Small 
Business Administration, Office of Disaster Assistance, 409 3rd Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20416.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: On the matching program: Becky 
Brantley, Disaster External Affairs Liaison, 202-205-6734; and on the 
Privacy Act: Lisa Babcock, Chief, Freedom of Information/Privacy Acts 
Office, 202-401-8203.

SUPPLEMETARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to subsection (o) of the Privacy Act 
of 1974, as amended (15 U.S.C. 552a), the SBA and MDA have concluded an 
agreement to conduct a computer matching program between the agencies. 
The purpose of the computer matching program is to exchange personal 
data to identify individuals who have been approved for an SBA home 
disaster loan as a result of the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes and who 
seek to obtain a grant from the MDA for the same loss. Only homeowners 
whose principal residences are in Harrison, Hancock, Jackson and Pearl 
River Counties, Mississippi will be eligible to receive MDA grants. 
Matching the information will prevent a DOB between an SBA disaster 
loan and an MDA grant to the same homeowner. Section 7(b)(1) of the 
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(1)) prohibits SBA, in making 
physical disaster loans, from duplicating the benefits that recipients 
of such loans may receive from other sources.
    The parties to the agreement have determined that a computer 
matching program is the most efficient, expeditious, and effective 
means of obtaining and processing the information needed to make a 
decision on whether there is a DOB. The principal alternative to using 
this matching program would be to manually match the loan applications 
processed by SBA with the grant applications submitted to the MDA. 
Manual matching would impose an administrative burden on the agencies 
and might result in delays in determining eligibility for MDA grants to 
affected victims of the hurricanes.
    A copy of the agreement between SBA and MDA is available on 
request. Requests should be submitted to the same address listed above 
for comments.

Reporting of Matching Program

    In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as 
amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 
(Pub. L. 100-503) and the Computer Matching Privacy Act Amendments of 
1990 (Pub. L. 101-56) (collectively, the Law), and OMB Bulletin 89-22, 
copies of this notice are being provided to the House Committee on 
Government Reform and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs, and to OMB.

Authority

    The matching program will be conducted pursuant to the Law.

Objectives To Be Met by the Matching Program

    The matching program will allow MDA and SBA to share data in order 
to prevent an applicant for an MDA grant from receiving a DOB with an 
SBA home disaster loan.

Records To Be Matched

    The SBA records involved in the match are home loan applications 
received by SBA from disaster victims in Harrison, Hancock, Jackson and 
Pearl River counties in Mississippi as a result of the 2005 Gulf Coast 
hurricanes. These home loan application records are contained in the 
SBA Privacy Act System of Records: Disaster Loan Case File--SBA 20, 
last published at 69 FR 58598.

Period of the Match

    The computer matching program will be conducted in accordance with 
the agreement between SBA and the MDA. The agreement will remain in 
effect until the last MDA grant award has been processed by MDA or 
December 31, 2006, whichever is earlier. The agreement may be extended 
by mutual agreement of the parties. Either SBA or MDA, upon thirty (30) 
days written notice, may request an extension or may terminate the 
agreement.

Charles McClam,
Acting Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E6-15775 Filed 9-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8025-01-P