System Name:

Extramural Research Administrative File, SSA/ORES.

Security classification:

None.

System location:

Associate Commissioner, Office of Research and Statistics, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235

Categories of individuals covered by the system:

Personnel described in research project proposals submitted for grant or contract consideration.

Categories of records in the system:

Professional qualifications and other relevant information about project personnel. Direct and indirect information on individual salaries may be included.

Authority for maintenance of the system:

Section 702 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 902); section 1110 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1310).

Purpose(s):

With respect to administrative and personnel information kept on extramural research contracts and grants, the purpose is to ascertain the credentials of individuals and organizations proposing to do research for SSA, and to establish and maintain surveillance over the research projects being performed for SSA. This information is available to other components of SSA and HHS for administrative analysis, with appropriate safeguards.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:

Disclosure may be made for routine uses as indicated below:

1. To a congressional office in response to an inquiry from that office made at the request of the subject of a record.

2. To a court or to a party in connection with any civil or criminal action to which the Secretary is a party or otherwise involving a program administered by SSA.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining and disposing of records in the system:

Storage:

Data may be stored in paper form (e.g., punchcards and printouts) and in magnetic media (e.g., magnetic tapes and discs).

Retrievability:

Files are indexed by an HHS-assigned number.

Safeguards:

Safeguards are established in accordance with the Systems Security Handbook. Employees having access to records have been notified of criminal sanctions for unauthorized disclosure of information about individuals. Magnetic tapes or other files with personal identifiers, are retained in secured storage areas accessible only to authorized personnel. (See Appendix G to this publication for additional information relating to safeguards SSA employs to protect personal information.)

Retention and disposal:

Records with identifiers will be held in secure storage areas and will be disposed of as soon as they are determined to be no longer needed for analysis. Means of disposal will be appropriate to the record storage medium; e.g., erasure of tapes, shredding of printouts, etc.

As long as identifiable records exist, a periodic review will be made at least every 2 years to determine the need for their retention.

System manager(s) and address:

Associate Commissioner, Office of Research and Statistics, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235

Notification procedure:

If an individual wishes notification of or access to information that may be contained in this system, he/she should write to the system manager (at the address above) and provide the name of the system, his/her name, SSN and a description of the information being sought. (Furnishing the SSN is voluntary, but it will make searching for an individual's record easier and avoid delay.)

An individual requesting notification of records in person need not furnish any special documents of identity. Documents he/she would normally carry on his/her person would be sufficient (e.g., credit cards, driver's license, or voter registration card). An individual requesting notification via mail or telephone must furnish a minimum of his/her name, date of birth, and address in order to establish identity, plus any additional information specified in this section. These procedures are in accordance with HHS Regulations 45 CFR Part 5b.

Record access procedures:

Same as notification procedures. Requesters should also reasonably specify the record contents being sought. These procedures are in accordance with HHS Regulations 45 CFR Part 5b.

Contesting record procedures:

Same as notification procedures. Requesters should also reasonably identify the record, specify the information they are contesting and state the corrective action sought and the reasons for the correction with supporting justification showing how the record is incomplete, untimely, inaccurate or irrelevant. These procedures are in accordance with HHS Regulations 45 CFR Part 5b.

Record source categories:

Project proposals submitted for grant or contract consideration.

Systems exempted from certain provisions of the Privacy Act:

None.