# 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 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: *[email protected].*
(SSA), Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance Director, 3100 West High Rise, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235, Fax: 410-966-2830, Email address: *[email protected].*
Or you may submit your comments online through *www.regulations.gov,* referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-2020-0008].
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 April 27, 2020. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection instruments by writing to the above email address.
*Requests for Self-Employment Information, Employee Information, and Employer Information—20 CFR 422.120—0960-0508.* When SSA cannot identify Form W-2 wage data for an individual, we place the data in an earnings suspense file and contact the individual (and in certain instances the employer) to obtain the correct information. If the respondent furnishes the name and Social Security Number (SSN) information that agrees with SSA's records, or provides information that resolves the discrepancy, SSA adds the reported earnings to the respondent's Social Security record. We use Forms SSA-L2765, SSA-L3365, and SSA-L4002 for this purpose. The respondents are self-employed individuals and employees whose name and SSN information do not agree with their employer's and SSA's records.
*Type of Request:* Revision of an OMB approved information collection.
| Modality of completion | Number of | Frequency of response | Average | Estimated total annual burden | Average | Total annual opportunity |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SSA-L2765 | 12,321 | 1 | 10 | 2,054 | * 22.50 | ** 46,215 |
| SSA-L3365 | 179,749 | 1 | 10 | 29,958 | 22.50 | ** 674,055 |
| SSA-L4002 | 121,679 | 1 | 10 | 20,280 | * 22.50 | ** 456,300 |
| Totals | 313,749 | | | 52,292 | | ** 1,176,570 |
II. SSA submitted the information collection below to OMB for clearance. Your comments regarding this information collection would be most useful if OMB and SSA receive them 30 days from the date of this publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must receive them no later than March 27, 2020. Individuals can obtain copies of the OMB clearance packages by writing to *[email protected].*
*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 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 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 gave 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.
SSA added a strong audit component to ensure the integrity of the CBSV process. At the discretion of the agency, we require audits (called “compliance reviews”) with the requesting party paying all audit costs. 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**
| Requirement | Number of respondents | Frequency of response | Number of responses | Average burden per response | Estimated | Average theoretical hourly cost amount | Total annual |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | | | | | |
| Registration process for new participating companies | *** 10 | 1 | 10 | 120 | 20 | * 36.98 | ** 740 |
| Creation of file with SSN holder identification data; maintaining required documentation/forms | 80 | **** 251 | 20,080 | 60 | 20,080 | * 36.98 | ** 742,558 |
| Using the system to upload request file, check status, and download results file | 80 | 251 | 20,080 | 5 | 1,673 | * 36.98 | ** 61,868 |
| Storing Consent Forms | 80 | 251 | 20,080 | 60 | 20,080 | * 36.98 | ** 742,558 |
| Activities related to compliance review | 80 | 251 | 20,080 | 60 | 20,080 | * 36.98 | ** 742,558 |
| Totals | 330 | | 80,330 | | 61,933 | | ** 2,290,282 |
| | | | | | | | |
| ETE Registration Process (includes reviewing and completing ETE User Agreement) | 30 | 1 | 1 | 180 | 90 | * 36.98 | ** 3,328 |
| Web Service Transactions | 30 | 50 | 1,500 | 1 | 25 | * 36.98 | ** 925 |
| Reporting Issues Encountered on Web service testing (
, reports on application's reliability) | 30 | 50 | 1,500 | 1 | 25 | * 36.98 | ** 925 |
| Reporting changes in users' status (e.g., termination or changes in users' employment status; changes in duties of authorized users) | 30 | 1 | 1 | 60 | 30 | * 36.98 | ** 1,109 |
| Cancellation of Agreement | 30 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 15 | * 36.98 | ** 555 |
| Dispute Resolution | 30 | 1 | 1 | 120 | 60 | * 36.98 | ** 2,219 |
| Totals | 180 | | 3,004 | | 245 | | ** 9,061 |
| | | | | | | | |
| Reading and signing authorization for SSA to release SSN verification (Form SSA-89) | 2,500,000 | 1 | 2,500,000 | 3 | 125,000 | * 10.22 | ** 1,277,500 |
| Responding to CPA re-contact | 4,000 | 1 | 4,000 | 5 | 333 | * 36.98 | ** 12,314 |
| Totals | 2,504,000 | | 2,504,000 | | 125,333 | | ** 1,289,814 |
There is one CPA respondent conducting compliance reviews and preparing written reports of findings. The average burden per the 80 responses is 4,800 minutes for a total burden of 6,400 hours annually.
**Cost Burden**
The public cost burden is dependent upon the number of companies and transactions per year. In FY 2019, 80 companies enrolled; 80 companies submitted an advance; and 70 actually performed verifications. The cost estimates below are based upon 80 participating companies in FY 2019 (includes an average of 10 new companies per year since 2016) submitting a total of 2,500,000 transactions.
*One-Time per Company Registration Fee* —$5,000.
*Estimated per SSN Transaction Fee* —$1.00.
*Estimated per Company Cost to Store Consent Forms* —$300.
Dated: February 21, 2020.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.