[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 187 (Monday, September 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58289-58292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24588]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. DHS-2015-0062]


Privacy Act of 1974; Department of Homeland Security/ALL-008 
Accounts Receivable System of Records

AGENCY: Department of Homeland Security, Privacy Office.

ACTION: Notice of Privacy Act system of records.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of 
Homeland Security proposes to update and reissue a current Department 
of Homeland Security system of records titled ``Department of Homeland 
Security/ALL-008 Accounts Receivable System of Records.'' This system 
allows the Department of Homeland Security to collect and maintain 
payment records. As a result of a biennial review of this system, the 
Department of Homeland Security is updating this system of records 
notice to reflect an updated category of records, an additional system 
location, an updated routine use, and an updated retention schedule. 
Additionally, this notice includes non-substantive changes to simplify 
the formatting and text of the previously published notice.

DATES: Submit comments on or before October 28, 2015. This updated 
system will be effective October 28, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number DHS-
2015-0062 by one of the following methods:
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-343-4010.
     Mail: Karen L. Neuman, Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy 
Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528-0655.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number for this rulemaking. All comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, please visit http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general and privacy questions 
please contact: Karen L. Neuman, (202) 343-1717, Chief Privacy Officer, 
Privacy Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528-
0655.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to update and reissue a 
current DHS system of records titled, ``DHS/ALL-008 Accounts Receivable 
System of Records.'' This system consists of both electronic and paper 
records that are used by DHS and its Components and offices to collect 
and maintain accounts receivable records. The collection and 
maintenance of accounts receivable information assists DHS in meeting 
its obligation to manage Departmental funds and ensures that the 
Department has an accurate accounting of all the money that it is owed. 
DHS is updating this SORN to provide notice that financial management 
activities for three DHS Components: Domestic and Nuclear Detection 
Office (DNDO), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the 
United States Coast Guard (USCG), are transferring their financial 
management services to the Department of Interior's (DOI) Oracle 
Federal Financials (OFF) Virtual Environment. OFF is an application 
owned by DOI that provides federal agencies with a web-based 
application that contains customizable financial management modules. 
When combined, the modules provide a comprehensive financial software 
package that supports budgeting, purchasing, federal procurement, 
accounts payable, fixed assets, general ledger, inventory, accounts 
receivable, reimbursement, reporting, and collection functions. 
Although DOI will host DHS information, DHS will retain control over 
its data. Individuals should request DHS records resident on the DOI 
system through DHS and DHS will review and if approve (as appropriate) 
all requests.
    DHS is updating the category of records to include general contact 
information, such as phone numbers, FAX numbers, and email addresses in 
recognition that DHS may contact vendors or employees via other methods 
than standard mail. DHS is updating the system location to provide 
notice that DHS information will be maintained at DOI. DHS is updating 
routine use L by dividing the previous routine use into two, with 
routine use L to provide information to unions recognized as exclusive 
bargaining representatives and new routine use M which permits sharing 
with the Merit Systems Protection Board, arbitrators, the Federal 
Labors Relations Authority, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 
(EEOC). DHS is adding the EEOC to the previously issued routine

[[Page 58290]]

use for the purpose of processing any corrective actions, or 
grievances, or conducting administrative hearings or appeals, or if 
needed in the performance of other authorized duties. DHS is also 
updating routine use N (previously routine use M), which will allow DHS 
to share information with federal agencies that host shared financial 
services, such as DOI's web-based financial management application. DHS 
is updating the retention period to reflect the new General Records 
Schedule 1.1, which modified the retention period for financial 
transaction records from six years and three months to exactly six 
years. Additionally, this notice includes non-substantive changes to 
simplify the formatting and text of the previously published notice.
    Consistent with DHS's information sharing mission, information 
stored in the DHS/ALL-008 Accounts Receivable may be shared with other 
DHS Components that have a need to know the information to carry out 
their national security, law enforcement, immigration, intelligence, or 
other homeland security functions. In addition, DHS may share 
information with appropriate federal, state, local, tribal, 
territorial, foreign, and international government agencies, members of 
the public, and other entities consistent with the routine uses set 
forth in this system of records notice.
    This updated system will be included in DHS's inventory of record 
systems.

II. Privacy Act

    The Privacy Act embodies fair information principles in a statutory 
framework governing the means by which Federal Government agencies 
collect, maintain, use, and disseminate individuals' records. The 
Privacy Act applies to information that is maintained in a ``system of 
records.'' A ``system of records'' is a group of any records under the 
control of an agency from which information is retrieved by the name of 
an individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other 
identifying particular assigned to the individual. In the Privacy Act, 
an individual is defined to encompass United States citizens and lawful 
permanent residents. As a matter of policy, DHS extends administrative 
Privacy Act protections to all individuals when systems of records 
maintain information on U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and 
visitors. Individuals may request access to their own records that are 
maintained in a system of records in the possession or under the 
control of DHS by complying with DHS Privacy Act regulations, 6 CFR 
part 5.
    The Privacy Act requires that each agency publish in the Federal 
Register a description denoting the type and character of each system 
of records in order to make agency recordkeeping practices transparent, 
to notify individuals about the use of their records, and to assist the 
individual to more easily find files within the agency. Below is a 
description of the DHS/ALL-008 Accounts Receivable System of Records.
    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(r), DHS has provided a report of 
this revised system of records to the Office of Management and Budget 
and to Congress.
System of Records:
    Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/ALL-008.

System name:
    DHS/ALL-008 Accounts Receivable Records.

Security classification:
    Unclassified.

System location:
    DHS maintains records at several Headquarters locations and in 
Component offices of DHS, in both Washington, DC and field locations. 
DHS also maintains records in the Department of Interior's (DOI) Oracle 
Federal Financials (OFF) Virtual Environment in Reston, VA and Denver, 
CO.

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
    Any individual or organization that is indebted to DHS.

Categories of records in the system:
    Categories of records in this system include:
     Individual's name;
     Tax identification number, which may be a Social Security 
number in certain instances;
     Addresses and other general contact information, such as 
phone numbers, FAX numbers, or email addresses;
     Waiver of Debt Letter of Appeal;
     Receipts;
     Notices of debts;
     Invoices;
     Record of payments, including refunds and overpayments;
     Number and amount of unpaid or overdue bills;
     Record of satisfaction of debt or referral for further 
action;
     Correspondence and documentation with debtors and 
creditors; and
     Electronic financial institution data.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
    5 U.S.C. 301; 5 U.S.C. 5701 et seq., Travel, Transportation, and 
Subsistence; the Federal Records Act, 44 U.S.C. 3101; the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107-296, 6 U.S.C. 121; 19 U.S.C. 1451; 
31 U.S.C. 7701(c); the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, Pub. L. 
101-576; 19 CFR 24.16 and 24.17; Executive Order 11348, as amended by 
Executive Order 12107; and Executive Order 9397, as amended by 
Executive Order 13478.

Purpose(s):
    The purpose of this system is to collect and maintain records of 
debts owed to DHS.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories 
of users and the purposes of such uses:
    In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, all or a portion of the records or 
information contained in this system may be disclosed outside DHS as a 
routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
    A. To the Department of Justice (DOJ), including Offices of the 
United States Attorneys, or other federal agency conducting litigation 
or in proceedings before any court, adjudicative, or administrative 
body when it is relevant or necessary to the litigation and one of the 
following is a party to the litigation or has an interest in such 
litigation:
    1. DHS or any Component thereof;
    2. Any employee or former employee of DHS in his/her official 
capacity;
    3. Any employee or former employee of DHS in his/her individual 
capacity when DOJ or DHS has agreed to represent the employee; or
    4. The United States or any agency thereof.
    B. To a congressional office from the record of an individual in 
response to an inquiry from that congressional office made at the 
request of the individual to whom the record pertains.
    C. To the National Archives and Records Administration or General 
Services Administration pursuant to records management inspections 
being conducted under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
    D. To an agency or organization for the purpose of performing audit 
or oversight operations as authorized by law, but only such information 
as is necessary and relevant to such audit or oversight function.
    E. To appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when:

[[Page 58291]]

    1. DHS suspects or has confirmed that the security or 
confidentiality of information in the system of records has been 
compromised;
    2. DHS has determined that as a result of the suspected or 
confirmed compromise, there is a risk of identity theft or fraud, harm 
to economic or property interests, harm to an individual, or harm to 
the security or integrity of this system or other systems or programs 
(whether maintained by DHS or another agency or entity) or harm to the 
individual who relies upon the compromised information; and
    3. The disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and persons is 
reasonably necessary to assist in connection with DHS's efforts to 
respond to the suspected or confirmed compromise and prevent, minimize, 
or remedy such harm.
    F. To contractors and their agents, grantees, experts, consultants, 
and others performing or working on a contract, service, grant, 
cooperative agreement, or other assignment for DHS, when necessary to 
accomplish an agency function related to this system of records. 
Individuals provided information under this routine use are subject to 
the same Privacy Act requirements and limitations on disclosure as are 
applicable to DHS officers and employees.
    G. To an appropriate federal, state, tribal, local, international, 
or foreign law enforcement agency or other appropriate authority 
charged with investigating or prosecuting a violation or enforcing or 
implementing a law, rule, regulation, or order, when a record, either 
on its face or in conjunction with other information, indicates a 
violation or potential violation of law, which includes criminal, 
civil, or regulatory violations and such disclosure is proper and 
consistent with the official duties of the person making the 
disclosure.
    H. To a federal, state, or local agency so that the agency may 
adjudicate an individual's eligibility for a benefit.
    I. To the Department of Justice or other federal agency for further 
collection action on any delinquent debt when circumstances warrant.
    J. To a debt collection agency for the purposes of debt collection.
    K. To approved federal, state, and local government agencies for 
any legally mandated purpose in accordance with their authorizing 
statute or law and where an approved Memorandum of Agreement or 
Computer Matching Agreement (CMA) is in place between DHS and the 
entity.
    L. To provide information to unions recognized as exclusive 
bargaining representatives under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, 
5 U.S.C. 7111 and 7114.
    M. To the Merit Systems Protection Board, arbitrators, the Federal 
Labors Relations Authority, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and 
other parties responsible for the administration of the Federal Labor-
Management Program for the purpose of processing any corrective 
actions, or grievances, or conducting administrative hearings or 
appeals, or if needed in the performance of other authorized duties.
    N. To federal agencies who provide financial management services 
for DHS Components under a cross-servicing agreement for purposes such 
as budgeting, purchasing, procurement, reimbursement, reporting, and 
collection functions.
    O. To the Government Accountability Accounting Office, Department 
of Justice, or a United States Attorney, copies of the Debt Collection 
Officer's file regarding the debt and actions taken to attempt to 
collect monies owed.
    P. To the news media and the public, with the approval of the Chief 
Privacy Officer in consultation with counsel, when there exists a 
legitimate public interest in the disclosure of the information, when 
disclosure is necessary to preserve confidence in the integrity of DHS, 
when disclosure is necessary to demonstrate the accountability of DHS's 
officers, employees, or individuals covered by the system, except to 
the extent the Chief Privacy Officer determines that release of the 
specific information in the context of a particular case would 
constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

Disclosure to consumer reporting agencies:
    Yes, DHS may disclose, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(12), to 
consumer reporting agencies in accordance with the provision of 15 
U.S.C. 1681, et seq. or the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966 as 
amended (31 U.S.C. 3701, et seq.). The purpose of this disclosure is to 
aid in the collection of outstanding debts owed to the Federal 
Government, typically, to provide an incentive for debtors to repay 
delinquent Federal Government debts by making these part of their 
credit records.
    Disclosure of records is limited to the individual's name, address, 
TIN/SSN, and other information necessary to establish the individual's 
identity; the amount, status, and history of the claim; and the agency 
or program under which the claim arose. The disclosure will be made 
only after the procedural requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3711(e) have been 
followed.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, 
and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
    DHS stores records in this system electronically in multiple 
databases or on paper in secure facilities in a locked drawer behind a 
locked door. The records are stored on magnetic disc, tape, digital 
media, and CD-ROM.

Retrievability:
    DHS retrieves data by an individual's name, tax identification 
number/Social Security number, employee identification number, or other 
personal identifier.

Safeguards:
    DHS safeguards records in this system in accordance with applicable 
rules and policies, including all applicable DHS automated systems 
security and access policies. DHS has imposed strict controls to 
minimize the risk of compromising the information that is being stored. 
DHS limits access to the computer system containing the records to 
those individuals who have a need to know the information for the 
performance of their official duties and who have appropriate 
clearances or permissions.

Retention and disposal:
    DHS destroys records six years after final payment or cancellation, 
in accordance with National Archives and Records Administration General 
Records Schedule 1.1, item 010.

System Manager and address:
    The Chief Financial Officer, Department of Homeland Security, 
Washington, DC 20528.

Notification procedure:
    Individuals seeking notification of and access to any record 
contained in this system of records, including DHS records hosted by 
another federal agency under a cross-servicing agreement for financial 
management services, or seeking to contest its content, may submit a 
request in writing to the Headquarters or Component's Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) Officer, whose contact information can be found 
at http://www.dhs.gov/foia-contact-information. If an individual 
believes more than one Component maintains Privacy Act records 
concerning him or her the individual may submit the request to the 
Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security, 245 Murray 
Drive

[[Page 58292]]

SW., Building 410, STOP-0655, Washington, DC 20528-0655.
    When seeking records about yourself from this system of records or 
any other Departmental system of records, your request must conform 
with the Privacy Act regulations set forth in 6 CFR part 5. You must 
first verify your identity, meaning that you must provide your full 
name, current address, and date and place of birth. You must sign your 
request, and your signature must either be notarized or submitted under 
28 U.S.C. 1746, a law that permits statements to be made under penalty 
of perjury as a substitute for notarization. While no specific form is 
required, you may obtain forms for this purpose from the Chief Privacy 
and FOIA Officer, http://www.dhs.gov/foia or 1-866-431-0486. In 
addition, you should:
     Explain why you believe the Department would have 
information on you;
     Identify which Component(s) of the Department you believe 
may have the information about you;
     Specify when you believe the records would have been 
created; and
     Provide any other information that will help the FOIA 
staff determine which DHS Component agency may have responsive records;
    If your request is seeking records pertaining to another living 
individual, you must include a statement from that individual 
certifying his/her agreement for you to access his/her records.
    Without the above information, the Component(s) may not be able to 
conduct an effective search, and your request may be denied due to lack 
of specificity or lack of compliance with applicable regulations.

Record access procedures:
    See ``Notification procedure'' above.

Contesting record procedures:
    See ``Notification procedure'' above.

Record Source Categories:
    Information originates with DHS, its Components and offices, and 
individuals submitting supporting documentation for reimbursement.

Exemptions claimed for the system:
    None.

    Dated: September 18, 2015.
Karen L. Neuman,
Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2015-24588 Filed 9-25-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-9B-P