[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 147 (Monday, August 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45902-45904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19406]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages requiring clearance by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law 104-13, the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. This notice 
includes revisions and an extension of OMB-approved information 
collections, and one request for a new information collection.
    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 ways to minimize burden 
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Mail, email, or fax your 
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the 
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following 
addresses or fax numbers.

(OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, 
Fax: 202-395-6974, E-mail address: [email protected].
(SSA) Social Security Administration, DCBFM, Attn: Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1333 Annex Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, 
Fax: 410-965-6400, E-mail address: [email protected].

    I. The information collection below is pending at SSA. SSA will 
submit it to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. To be 
sure we consider your comments, we must receive them no later than 
September 30, 2011. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instrument by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-8783 
or by writing to the above email address.
    Report on Individual with Mental Impairment--20 CFR 404.1513 & 
416.913--0960-0058. SSA uses Form SSA-824 to obtain medical evidence 
from medical sources who have treated a Social Security disability 
claimant for

[[Page 45903]]

a mental impairment. SSA uses the information from this form to 
establish whether a claimant filing for disability benefits has a 
mental impairment that meets the statutory definition of disability in 
accordance with the Social Security Act. The respondents are mental 
impairment treatment providers.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     Total annual
               Type of respondents                  respondents      response        response     burden (hours)
                                                                                     (minutes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................................          25,000               1              36          15,000
State Disability Determination Services (State/           25,000               1              36          15,000
 Local Government)..............................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................          50,000  ..............  ..............          30,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    II. SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding the information collections would be 
most useful if OMB and SSA receive them within 30 days from the date of 
this publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must receive 
them no later than August 31, 2011. Individuals can obtain copies of 
the OMB clearance packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer 
at 410-965-8783 or by writing to the above email address.
    1. Social Security's Public Credentialing and Authentication 
Process--20 CFR 401.45--0960-NEW. Social Security is introducing a 
stronger citizen authentication process that will enable a new user to 
experience and access more electronic services.

Background

    Authentication is the foundation for secure, online transactions. 
Identity authentication is the process of determining with confidence 
that people are who they claim to be during a remote, automated 
session. It comprises three distinct factors: something you know, 
something you have, and something you are. Single-factor authentication 
uses one of these factors, and multi-factor authentication uses two or 
more of these factors.

SSA's New Authentication Process

    Social Security's new process features credential issuance, account 
management, and single- and multi-factor authentication. With this 
process, we are working toward offering consistent authentication 
across Social Security's secured online services, and eventually to 
Social Security's automated telephone services. We will allow our users 
to maintain one User ID, consisting of a self-selected Username and 
Password, to access multiple Social Security electronic services. This 
new process: (1) Enables the authentication of users of Social 
Security's sensitive electronic services; and (2) streamlines access to 
those services.
    Social Security is developing a new authentication strategy that 
will:
     Issue a single User Identification (ID) for personal, 
business, and governmental transactions;
     Offer a variety of authentication options to meet the 
changing needs of the public;
     Partner with an external data provider to help us verify 
the identity of our online customers;
     Comply with relevant standards;
     Offer access to some of Social Security's more sensitive 
workloads online, while providing a high level of confidence in the 
identity of the person requesting access to these services;
     Offer an in-person process for those who are uncomfortable 
with or unable to use the Internet registration process; and
     Balance security with ease of use.

New Authentication Process Features

    SSA's new process will include the following key components: (1) 
Registration and identity verification; (2) enhancement of the User ID; 
and (3) authentication. The registration process is a one-time activity 
for the respondents. The respondent provides some personal information, 
and we use this to verify respondent identity. Respondents then select 
their User ID (Username & Password). Respondents will log in with this 
User ID each time they access SSA's online services. SSA will also 
allow respondents to increase the security of their credential by 
adding a second authentication factor.

Information SSA Will Request As Part of the Process

    SSA will ask for respondents' personal information, which may 
include:

 Name
 Social Security number (SSN)
 Date of Birth
 Address--mailing and residential
 Telephone number
 Email address
 Financial information
 Cell phone number
 Responses to an identity quiz (multiple choice format 
questions keyed to specific data identity thieves will not be able to 
answer)
 Password reset questions

    This collection of information, or a subset of it, is required for 
respondents who want to conduct business with Social Security via the 
Internet or our automated 800 number. We will collect this information 
via the Internet on SSA's public-facing website. We also offer an in-
person identification verification process for individuals who cannot 
or are not willing to register online. We do not ask for financial 
information with the in-person process. In addition, if individuals opt 
for the enhanced or upgraded account, they will also receive a text 
message on their cell phones (this serves as the second factor for 
authentication) each time they log into SSA's online services.

Advantages of the New Authentication Strategy

    This new authentication strategy will provide a user-friendly way 
for the public to conduct extended business with Social Security online 
instead of visiting the local servicing office or requesting 
information over the phone. Individuals will have real-time access to 
their sensitive Social Security information in a safe and secured web 
environment.

Burden Information

    The respondents for this information collection request are 
individuals who choose to use the Internet or Automated Telephone 
Response System to conduct business with SSA.
    Type of Request: Request for a new information collection.

[[Page 45904]]



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     Total annual
             Modality of completion                 respondents      response        response      burden hours
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internet Requestors.............................      17,900,000               1               8       2,386,667
In-Person (Intranet) Requestors.................       5,800,000               1               8         773,333
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................      23,700,000  ..............  ..............       3,160,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Marriage Certification--20 CFR 404.725--0960-0009. SSA uses Form 
SSA-3 to determine if a spouse claimant has the necessary relationship 
to the SSN holder (i.e., the worker) to qualify for the worker's Title 
II benefits. The respondents are applicants for spouse's benefits. This 
is a correction notice. SSA published this information collection as an 
extension on May 26, 2011 at 76 FR 30749. Since we are revising the 
Privacy Act Statement, this is now a revision of an OMB-approved 
information collection.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 180,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 15,000 hours.
    3. Statement Regarding Date of Birth and Citizenship--20CFR 
404.716--0960-0016. When individuals apply for Social Security benefits 
and cannot provide preferred methods of proving age or citizenship, SSA 
uses Form SSA-702 to establish these facts. Specifically, SSA uses the 
SSA-702 to establish age as a factor of entitlement to Social Security 
benefits, or U.S. citizenship as a payment factor. Respondents are 
individuals with knowledge about the date of birth or citizenship of 
applicants filing for one or more Social Security benefits who need to 
establish age or citizenship.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 1,200.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 200.

    Dated: July 27, 2011.
Faye Lipsky,
Reports Clearance Officer, Center for Reports Clearance, Social 
Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-19406 Filed 7-29-11; 8:45 am]
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