Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed 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 of OMB-approved information collections.

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, Email address:

OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov.

(SSA), Social Security Administration, DCRDP, Attn: Reports Clearance Director, 107 Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax: 410-966-2830, Email address:

OR.Reports.Clearance@ssa.gov.

The information collections below are pending at SSA. SSA will submit them 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 November 25, 2013. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection instruments by writing to the above email address.

1. Development for Participation in a Vocational Rehabilitation or Similar Program—20 CFR 404.316(c), 404.337(c), 404.352(d), 404.1586(g), 404.1596, 404.1597(a), 404.327, 404.328, 416.1338(c)(d), 416.1320(d), 416.1331(a)-(b), and 416.1338—0960-0282. State Disability Determination Services (DDS) must determine if Social Security disability payment recipients whose disability ceased and who participate in vocational rehabilitation programs may continue to receive disability payments. To do this, DDSs need information about the recipients, the types of program participation, and the services they receive under the rehabilitation program. SSA uses Form SSA-4290 to collect this information. The respondents are State employment networks, vocational rehabilitation agencies, or other providers of educational or job training services.

Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information collection.

Modality of completion

Number of

respondents

Frequency

of response

Average

burden per

response

(minutes)

Estimated total annual burden

(hours)

SSA-4290

3,000

1

15

750

2. Consent Based Social Security Number Verification Process—20 CFR 400.100—0960-0760. The Consent Based Social Security Number Verification (CBSV) process is a fee-based automated Social Security number (SSN) verification service available to private businesses and other requesting parties. To use the system, private businesses and requesting parties must register with SSA and obtain valid consent from SSN number holders prior to verification. We collect the information to verify if the submitted name and SSN match the information in SSA records. After completing a registration process and paying the fee, the requesting party can use the CBSV process to submit a file containing the names of number holders who have given valid consent, along with each number holder's accompanying SSN and date of birth (if available) to obtain real-time results using a web service application or SSA's Business Services Online (BSO) application.

SSA matches the information against the SSA master file of SSNs, using SSN, name, date of birth, and gender code (if available). The requesting party retrieves the results file from SSA, which indicates only a match or no match for each SSN submitted.

Under the CBSV process, the requesting party does not submit the consent forms of the number holders to SSA. SSA requires each requesting party to retain a valid consent form for each SSN verification request. The requesting party retains the consent forms in either electronic or paper format.

To ensure the integrity of the CBSV process, SSA has added a strong audit component that requires audits (called “compliance reviews”) at the discretion of the agency with all audit costs paid by the requesting party. Independent certified public accounts (CPAs) conduct these reviews to ensure compliance with all the terms and conditions of the party's agreement with SSA, including a review of the consent forms. CPAs conduct the reviews at the requesting party's place of business to ensure the integrity of the process. In addition, SSA reserves the right to perform unannounced onsite inspections of the entire process, including review of the technical systems that maintain the data and transaction records. The respondents to the CBSV collection are the participating companies, members of the public who consent to the SSN verification, and CPAs who provide compliance review services.

Type of Request:

Revision of an OMB-approved information collection.

Time Burden

Participating Companies:

Modality of completion

Number of

respondents

Frequency of response

Number of

responses

Average

burden per

response

(minutes)

Estimated total annual burden

(hours)

Registration process for new participating companies

* 14

1

14

120

28

Creation of file with SSN holder identification data; maintaining required documentation/forms

90

** 251

22,590

60

22,590

Using the system to upload request file, check status, and download results file

90

251

22,590

5

1,883

Storing Consent Forms

90

251

22,590

60

22,590

Activities related to compliance review

90

251

22,590

60

22,590

Totals

90,374

69,681

* One-time registration process/approximately 14 new participating companies per year.

** Please note there are 251 Federal business days per year on which a requesting party could submit a file.

People whose SSNs SSA Will Verify:

Modality of completion

Number of

respondents

Frequency of response

Number of

responses

Average

burden per

response

(minutes)

Estimated total annual burden

(hours)

Reading and signing authorization for SSA to release SSN verification

2,500,000

1

2,500,000

3

125,000

Responding to CPA re-contact

5,750

1

5,750

5

479

Totals

2,505,750

2,165,872

125,479

There is one CPA respondent conducting compliance reviews and preparing written reports of findings. The average burden per response is 4,800 minutes for a total burden of 7,200 hours annually.

Cost Burden

The public burden cost is dependent upon the number of companies and transactions. SSA based the cost estimates below upon 90 participating companies submitting a total 2.5 million transactions per year.

One-Time per Company Registration Fee—$5,000.

Estimated per SSN Transaction Fee—$1.10.

i

i

The annual costs associated with the transaction to each company are dependent upon the number of SSN transactions submitted to SSA by the company on a yearly basis. For example, if a company anticipates submitting 1 million requests to SSA for the year, its total transaction cost for the year would be $1.10 × 1,000,000, or $1,100,000. Periodically, SSA will calculate our costs to provide CBSV services and adjust the fee charged as needed. SSA notifies companies in writing and via

Federal Register

Notice of any changes and companies have the opportunity to cancel the agreement or continue service using the new transaction fee.

Estimated per Company Cost to Store Consent Forms—$300.

Dated: September 23, 2013.

Faye Lipsky,

Reports Clearance Director, Social Security Administration.

[FR Doc. 2013-23429 Filed 9-25-13; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4191-02-P