Debt Management System

·          Name of Project

      Debt Management System

·         Unique project identifier.

      016-00-SSA/FAM-G-006

·         Privacy Impact Assessment Contact.

      Director
      Office of Payment and Recovery Policy
      Office of Financial Policy and Operations
      Social Security Administration
      6401 Security Boulevard
      Baltimore, MD 21235

·         Describe the information to be collected, why the information is being collected, the intended use of the information and with whom the information will be shared.

The Debt Management System (DMS) is a Social Security Administration (SSA) certified and accredited General Support System consisting of several sub-systems.   DMS functions as SSA’s financial management system to consolidate its program debt activities, including overpayments, underpayments and payments certified to the Department of the Treasury in excess of the amount due.  Generally, the DMS contains information on both Title II (Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance) and Title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) program debt; information about the individuals who are responsible for the debts (e.g., names, addresses and Social Security numbers); and actions against the debts, including the amounts collected and written-off, methods of collection and debtor requests for due process.

The purpose of DMS is to provide control, timely resolution and accounting of program debts owed and to provide management information that supports strategic use of SSA's resources to minimize overpayment occurrences.  DMS’ basic functions include data entry screens for actions taken on debts (such as waivers), billing and follow-up, remittance processing, external collection operations, and financial reporting.

We generally disclose this information only as necessary to process payments to individuals owed monies by SSA or collect payment from individuals who owe monies to SSA, or as authorized by Federal law.  DMS is not accessible to members of the public.

·         Describe the administrative and technological controls that are in place or that are planned to secure the information being collected.

DMS has undergone authentication and security risk analyses.  The latter includes an evaluation of security and audit controls proven to be effective in protecting the information collected, stored, processed, and transmitted by our information systems.  These include technical, management, and operational controls that permit access to those users who have an official “need to know.”  Audit mechanisms are in place to record sensitive transactions as an additional measure to protect information from unauthorized disclosure or modification.

We protect the information in DMS by requiring employees who are authorized to access the information system to use a unique Personal Identification Number.  In addition, we store the computerized records in secure areas that are accessible to those employees who require the information to perform their official duties.  Furthermore, all of our employees who have access to our information systems that maintain personal information must sign a sanction document annually that acknowledges penalties for unauthorized access to, or disclosure of, such information.

·         Describe the impact on individuals’ privacy rights.

Are individuals afforded an opportunity to decline to provide information? 

We collect information only where we have specific legal authority to do so in order to administer our responsibilities under the Social Security Act.  When we collect personal information from individuals, we advise them of our legal authority for requesting the information, the purposes for which we will use and disclose the information, and the consequences of their not providing any or all of the requested information.  The individuals can then make informed decisions as to whether or not they should provide the information.

Are individuals afforded an opportunity to consent to only particular uses of the information?

When we collect information from individuals, we advise them of the purposes for which we will use the information.  We further advise them that we will disclose this information without their prior written consent only when we have specific legal authority to do so

(e.g., the Privacy Act).   

·         Does the collection of this information require a new system of records under the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a) or an alteration to an existing system of records?

DMS does not require a new Privacy Act system of records or an alteration to an existing system of records.  The DMS uses information that is collected and maintained for purposes related to other business processes for which there are currently Privacy Act systems of records in existence.  For example, benefit payment data in DMS is covered by systems of records, such as the Master Beneficiary Record (60-0090); Supplemental Security Income Record and Special Veterans Benefits (60-0103); and Recovery of Overpayments, Accounting and Reporting (60-0094).

PIA CONDUCTED BY PRIVACY OFFICER, SSA:

______________________________                     September 25, 2007

SIGNATURE                                                          DATE

PIA REVIEWED BY SENIOR AGENCY PRIVACY OFFICIAL, SSA:

   /S/    Thomas W. Crawley________                       September 28, 2007

SIGNATURE                                                             DATE