Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records, 24925-24929 [2012-10015]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 81 (Thursday, April 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24925-24929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-10015]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 81 / Thursday, April 26, 2012 / 
Notices

[[Page 24925]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. 2011-0001]


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Revision of Privacy Act Systems of Records.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is revising two Privacy Act (PA) systems of records 
and deleting two PA systems of records maintained by the National 
Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), formerly the Cooperative 
State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES).

DATES: Submit comments on or before May 29, 2012. These systems will be 
effective May 29, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. 2011-0001 
by one of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. 
Email: stasia.hutchison@ars.usda.gov. Include the text ``NIFA Privacy 
Act System of Records'' in the subject line of the message. Fax: (202) 
504-1647. Mail: Stasia Hutchison, Freedom of Information Act and 
Privacy Act Officer, Information Staff, Agricultural Research Service, 
Research, Education, and Economics, Department of Agriculture, Mail 
Stop 5128, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705-5128. Hand 
Delivery/Courier: Stasia Hutchison, Freedom of Information Act and 
Privacy Act Officer, Information Staff, Agricultural Research Service, 
Research, Education, and Economics, Department of Agriculture, George 
Washington Carver Center, Building 1, Room 2248, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, 
Beltsville, MD 20705-5128. Instructions: All submissions received must 
include the agency name and docket number for this rulemaking. All 
comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. 
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stasia Hutchison, Freedom of 
Information Act and Privacy Act Officer, Information Staff, 
Agricultural Research Service, Research, Education, and Economics, 
Department of Agriculture, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, STOP 5128, 
Beltsville, MD 20705-5128; Telephone (301) 504-1655; Facsimile (301) 
504-1647; Email: stasia.hutchison@ars.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    1. Two systems of records are being revised.
    A. State Cooperative Extension Service Employees, USDA/NIFA-1. The 
State Cooperative Extension Service Employees System is utilized to 
prepare the annual salary analysis report that is used as a management 
tool for salary analysis purposes as well as historical purposes. 
Cooperative Extension Service (CES) employee records are permanently 
maintained in the CES Personnel Information System database of NIFA. 
This database is updated annually from data provided by 1862 and 1890 
land-grant universities. This database is maintained by the 
Agricultural Research Service, Human Resources Division.
    The purpose of this revision to the system of records is to change 
the system designation from USDA/CSREES-3 to USDA/NIFA-2; change 
references to the agency name to NIFA to acknowledge the 
reorganization; identify changes in the way records are retrieved and 
safeguarded; update the retention and disposal section to include 
Records Management Policies and Procedures; update the notification 
procedures, records access procedures, and contesting records 
procedures to direct individuals to the Freedom of Information Act 
Officer; modify the routine uses by adding four relating to security 
breaches, records management inspections, oversight operations, and 
access by contractors/grantees/experts/consultants/and others 
performing work or working on behalf of the Department; and add the 
following sections: Security classification, purpose, and disclosure to 
consumer reporting agencies.
    Use of this system, as established, should not result in undue 
infringement of any individual's right to privacy.
    The revised system of records will not be exempt from any 
provisions of the Privacy Act.
    Proper safeguards are taken to prevent unauthorized access to the 
records. Authorization must be obtained from the Director, NIFA, or the 
Chief, MSB-HRD, ARS, before information is released. All records are 
accessed by unique passwords and logon procedures. Only those employees 
with a need-to-know in order to perform their duties are able to access 
the information.
    Consistent with USDA's information-sharing mission, information 
stored in the State Cooperative Extension Service Employees system of 
records may be shared with other USDA components, as well as 
appropriate Federal, State, local, Tribal, foreign, or international 
government agencies. This sharing will take place only after USDA 
determines that the receiving component or agency has a need to know 
the information to carry out national security, law enforcement, 
immigration, intelligence, or other functions consistent with the 
routine uses set forth in this system of records notice.
    B. National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grants Systems, USDA/
NIFA-3. NIFA receives research, education, and extension grant 
applications each year, of which approximately a quarter are awarded. 
The majority of these applications are subjected to a rigorous peer-
review involving technical experts (scientists, educators, farmers, 
engineers, and extension specialists) located worldwide. Given the 
highly technical nature of many of these applications, the quality of 
the peer-review greatly depends on the appropriate matching of the 
subject matter of the application with the technical expertise of the 
potential reviewer. NIFA maintains a database of potential reviewers. 
Information in the database is used to match applications with the most 
appropriate (potential) reviewers.

[[Page 24926]]

Therefore, the accuracy of the database content is integral to the 
success of the NIFA peer review process. In addition to the reviewer 
information, applicant information is maintained for the proper 
oversight of the Federal funds and is also used to respond to inquiries 
from Congress, other governmental agencies, and the grantee community. 
The authorities for maintaining this system of records are National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 
(NARETPA), 7 U.S.C. 3318.
    The purpose of this revision to the system of records is to change 
the system designation from USDA/CSREES-4 to USDA/NIFA-3; change the 
agency name to NIFA to acknowledge the reorganization; update the 
safeguards to include agency rules and policies; update the retention 
and disposal section to include Records Management Policies and 
Procedures; update the notification procedures, records access 
procedures, and contesting records procedures to direct individuals to 
the Freedom of Information Act Officer; modify the routine uses by 
adding four relating to security breaches, records management 
inspections, oversight operations, and the Federal Funding 
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 reflecting loans, grants, 
or other payments to members of the public; and add the following 
sections: Security classification, purpose, and disclosure to consumer 
reporting agencies.
    Use of this system, as established, should not result in undue 
infringement of any individual's right to privacy.
    The revised system of records will not be exempt from any 
provisions of the Privacy Act.
    Proper safeguards are taken to prevent unauthorized access to the 
records. All records containing personal information are maintained in 
secured file cabinets or are accessed by unique passwords and logon 
procedures. Only those employees with a need-to-know in order to 
perform their duties will be able to access the information.
    Consistent with USDA's information sharing mission, information 
stored in the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grants Systems 
system of records may be shared with other USDA components, as well as 
appropriate Federal, State, local, Tribal, foreign, or international 
government agencies. This sharing will take place only after USDA 
determines that the receiving component or agency has a need to know 
the information to carry out national security, law enforcement, 
immigration, intelligence, or other functions consistent with the 
routine uses set forth in this system of records notice.
    2. Two systems are being deleted as follows:
    A. Current Research Information System, USDA/CSREES-1, is being 
deleted as the records no longer meet the requirements for a Privacy 
Act system of records.
    B. International Programs Recruitment Roster, USDA/CSREES-2 is 
being deleted as the records are no longer relevant and necessary to 
accomplish a purpose of the Agency. The records no longer exist.
    Notice is hereby given that USDA is revising two PA systems of 
records and deleting two PA systems of records maintained by NIFA, 
formerly CSREES.

II. Privacy Act

    The Privacy Act embodies fair information principles in a statutory 
framework governing the means by which the United States Government 
collects, maintains, uses, and disseminates 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 for 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.
    The Privacy Act requires each agency to publish in the Federal 
Register a description denoting the type and character of each system 
of records that the agency maintains, and the routine uses that are 
contained in each system in order to make agency recordkeeping 
practices transparent, to notify individuals regarding the uses to 
which their records are put, and to assist individuals to more easily 
find such files within the agency.
    Below are descriptions of the State Cooperative Extension Service 
Employees, USDA/NIFA-2, and the National Institute of Food and 
Agriculture Grant Systems, USDA/NIFA-3.
    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(r), USDA has provided a report of 
this system of records to the Administrator, Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget; Chairman, 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States 
Senate; and Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
U.S. House of Representatives.

    Dated: April 2, 2012.
Thomas J. Vilsack,
Secretary.


System of Records Notice
USDA/NIFA-2
System name:
    State Cooperative Extension Service Employees, USDA/NIFA-2.

Security classification:
    None.

System location:
    Records are maintained at the Department of Agriculture (USDA), 
Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Human Resources Division (HRD), 
Metropolitan Services Branch (MSB), Portals Building, 1280 Maryland 
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20024.

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
    Categories of individuals covered by this system include: All 
professional employees of the State Cooperative Extension Service from 
1968 to present.

Categories of records in the system:
    Categories of records in this system include: Personnel and payroll 
information on professional State Cooperative Extension Service 
employees.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
    7 U.S.C. 341, et seq.

Purpose(s):
    The purpose of this system is to prepare the annual salary analysis 
report that is used as a management tool for salary analysis purposes 
as well as historical purposes.

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 USDA as a 
routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
    A. To the Department of Justice (DOJ), including United States 
Attorney Offices, or other Federal agency conducting litigation or in 
proceedings before any court, adjudicative or administrative body, when 
it is necessary to the litigation and one of the following is a party 
to the litigation or has an interest in such litigation:
    1. USDA or any component thereof;
    2. Any employee of USDA in his/her official capacity;

[[Page 24927]]

    3. Any employee of USDA in his/her individual capacity where DOJ or 
USDA has agreed to represent the employee; or
    4. The United States or any agency thereof, is a party to the 
litigation or has an interest in such litigation, and USDA determines 
that the records are both relevant and necessary to the litigation and 
the use of such records is compatible with the purpose for which USDA 
collected the records.
    B. To a congressional office from the record of an individual in 
response to an inquiry from that congressional office made at the 
written request of the individual to whom the record pertains.
    C. To the National Archives and Records Administration or other 
Federal government agencies pursuant to records management inspections 
being conducted under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
    D. To an agency, organization, or individual 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:
    1. NIFA suspects or has confirmed that the security or 
confidentiality of information in the system of records has been 
compromised;
    2. USDA has determined that as a result of the suspected or 
confirmed compromise there is a risk of harm to economic or property 
interests, identity theft or fraud, or harm to the security or 
integrity of this system or other systems or programs (whether 
maintained by USDA or another agency or entity) or harm to the 
individuals who rely upon the compromised information; and
    3. The disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and persons is 
reasonably necessary to assist in connection with USDA'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 USDA, 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 USDA 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, where 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, whether arising by general statute or 
particular program statute, or by regulation, rule, or order issued 
pursuant thereto if the information disclosed is relevant to any 
enforcement, regulatory, investigative, or prosecutive responsibility 
of the receiving entity.

Disclosure to consumer reporting agencies:
    None.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, 
and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
    Records in this system are maintained in an electronic database in 
a secured facility.

Retrievability:
    Records may be retrieved by a unique State identifying number or 
last name of the individual.

Safeguards:
    Records in this system are safeguarded in accordance with 
applicable rules and policies, including all applicable USDA automated 
systems security and access policies. Strict controls have been imposed 
to minimize the risk of compromising the information that is being 
stored. Access to the computer system containing the records in this 
system is limited 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. Authorization must be obtained 
from the Director, NIFA, or the Chief, MSB-HRD, ARS, before information 
is released. All records are accessed by unique passwords and logon 
procedures.

Retention and disposal:
    Records are retained under the authority of the REE Policies and 
Procedures contained in REE Manual 251.8 ``Records Management'' and 
251.8M ``Records Management (Manual)'', which establishes REE policies 
and procedures for the creation, maintenance, and disposition of 
records, and in accordance with the General Records Schedules issued by 
the National Archives and Records Administration. Records are retained 
indefinitely.

System manager(s) and address(es):
    Personnel and Data Information Specialist, MSB, HRD, ARS, USDA, 
Portals Building, 1280 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20024.

Notification procedure:
    Individuals seeking notification of and access to any record 
contained in this system of records, 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 https://www.dm.usda.gov/foia_agency_pocs.htm under 
``contacts.'' 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 FOIA Officer, Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250.
    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 FOIA 
Officer, Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250. In addition you should provide the following:
     An explanation of why you believe the Department would 
have information on you;
     Identify the component(s) of the Department you believe 
may have the information about you;
     Specify when you believe the records would have been 
created;
     Any additional information that will help the FOIA staff 
determine which USDA 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 this bulleted 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.

[[Page 24928]]

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

Record source categories:
    Information in this system comes primarily from the State 
Cooperative Extension Service employees with additional data provided 
by the employees' personnel office.

Exemptions claimed for the system:
    None.


System of Records Notice
USDA/NIFA-3
System name:
    National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grants Systems, USDA/
NIFA-3.

Security classification:
    None.

System location:
    Records are maintained in Program, Grants, and Funds Management 
offices and in a computerized system at the National Institute of Food 
and Agriculture (NIFA), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Waterfront 
Centre, 800 9th Street SW., Washington, DC 20024.

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
    Categories of individuals covered by this system include: 
Individuals that have submitted proposals to NIFA, either individually 
or through an academic or other institution, and peer reviewers that 
evaluate NIFA applicants and their proposals.

Categories of records in the system:
    Categories of records in this system include: Records of the 
project director, the authorized organizational representative, 
potential proposal reviewers, the proposal and its identifying number, 
supporting data from the academic institution or other applicant, 
proposal evaluations from peer reviewers, a review record, financial 
data, and other related material such as, committee or panel discussion 
summaries and other agency records containing or reflecting comments on 
the proposal or the applicants from peer reviewers.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
    National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act 
of 1977 (NARETPA), 7 U.S.C. 3318.

Purpose(s):
    NIFA receives research, education, and extension grant applications 
each year, of which approximately a quarter are awarded. The majority 
of these applications are subjected to a rigorous peer-review involving 
technical experts (scientists, educators, farmers, engineers, extension 
specialists) located world-wide. Given the highly technical nature of 
many of these applications, the quality of the peer-review greatly 
depends on the appropriate matching of the subject matter of the 
application with the technical expertise of the potential reviewer. 
NIFA maintains a database of potential reviewers. Information in the 
database is used to match applications with the most appropriate 
(potential) reviewers. Therefore, the accuracy of the database content 
is integral to the success of the NIFA peer review process. In addition 
to the reviewer information, applicant information is maintained for 
the proper oversight of the Federal funds and is also used to respond 
to inquiries from Congress, other governmental agencies, and the 
grantee community.

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 USDA as a 
routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
    A. To the Department of Justice (DOJ), including United States 
Attorney Offices, or other Federal agency conducting litigation or in 
proceedings before any court, adjudicative or administrative body, when 
it is necessary to the litigation and one of the following is a party 
to the litigation or has an interest in such litigation:
    1. USDA or any component thereof;
    2. Any employee of USDA in his/her official capacity;
    3. Any employee of USDA in his/her individual capacity where DOJ or 
USDA has agreed to represent the employee; or
    4. The United States or any agency thereof, is a party to the 
litigation or has an interest in such litigation, and USDA determines 
that the records are both relevant and necessary to the litigation and 
the use of such records is compatible with the purpose for which USDA 
collected the records.
    B. To a congressional office from the record of an individual in 
response to an inquiry from that congressional office made at the 
written request of the individual to whom the record pertains.
    C. To the National Archives and Records Administration or other 
Federal government agencies pursuant to records management inspections 
being conducted under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
    D. To an agency, organization, or individual 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:
    1. NIFA suspects or has confirmed that the security or 
confidentiality of information in the system of records has been 
compromised;
    2. USDA has determined that as a result of the suspected or 
confirmed compromise there is a risk of harm to economic or property 
interests, identity theft or fraud, or harm to the security or 
integrity of this system or other systems or programs (whether 
maintained by USDA or another agency or entity) or harm to the 
individual that rely upon the compromised information; and
    3. The disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and persons is 
reasonably necessary to assist in connection with USDA'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 USDA, 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 USDA 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, where 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, whether arising by general statute or 
particular program statute, or by regulation, rule or order issued 
pursuant thereto if the information disclosed is relevant to any 
enforcement, regulatory, investigative, or prosecutive responsibility 
of the receiving entity.
    H. USDA will disclose information about individuals from this 
system of records in accordance with the Federal Funding Accountability 
and Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub. L. No. 109-282; codified at 31 
U.S.C. 6101, et

[[Page 24929]]

seq.); section 204 of the E-Government Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-347; 44 
U.S.C. 3501 note), and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 
U.S.C. 403 et seq.), or similar statutes requiring agencies to make 
available publicly information concerning Federal financial assistance, 
including grants, subgrants, loan awards, cooperative agreements and 
other financial assistance; and contracts, subcontracts, purchase 
orders, task orders, and delivery orders.
    I. To other Federal agencies needing names of potential reviewers 
or specialists in particular fields.
    J. To other Federal agencies as part of the Presidential Management 
Initiative, E-Grants.

Disclosure to consumer reporting agencies:
    None.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, 
and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
    Records are maintained on system file servers and paper files in 
the program offices at NIFA, USDA, Waterfront Centre, 800 9th Street 
SW., Washington, DC 20024.

Retrievability:
    Records can be retrieved by name, project leader, co-investigator, 
and any other data field such as institution or title.

Safeguards:
    Records in this system are safeguarded in accordance with 
applicable rules and policies, including all applicable USDA automated 
systems security and access policies. Strict controls have been imposed 
to minimize the risk of compromising the information that is being 
stored. Access to the computer system containing the records in this 
system is limited 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. All records containing personal 
information are maintained in secured file cabinets or are accessed by 
unique passwords and logon procedures. Only those employees with a 
need-to-know in order to perform their duties will be able to access 
the information.

Retention and disposal:
    Records are retained under the authority of the REE Policies and 
Procedures contained in REE Manual 251.8 ``Records Management'' and 
251.8M ``Records Management (Manual)'', which establishes REE policies 
and procedures for the creation, maintenance, and disposition of 
records, and in accordance with the General Records Schedules issued by 
the National Archives and Records Administration. The Data File is 
cumulative and is maintained indefinitely, and documents are disposed 
according to agency file plan and disposition schedule. Non-funded 
proposals are maintained onsite for 1 year and then disposed after 3 
years. Funded proposals are maintained onsite for 1 year after 
completion of the award, and then transferred to the National Archive 
and Records Administration.

System manager(s) and address(es):
    Deputy Administrator, Office of Information Technology (OIT), NIFA, 
USDA, Stop 2216, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-
2216. The address for express mail or overnight courier service is: 
Deputy Administrator, OIT, NIFA, USDA, Waterfront Centre, 800 9th 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20024.

Notification procedure:
    Individuals seeking notification of and access to any record 
contained in this system of records, 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 https://www.dm.usda.gov/foia_agency_pocs.htm under 
``contacts.'' 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 FOIA Officer, Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250.
    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 FOIA 
Officer, Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250. In addition you should provide the following:
     An explanation of why you believe the Department would 
have information on you;
     Identify the component(s) of the Department you believe 
may have the information about you;
     Specify when you believe the records would have been 
created;
     Any additional information that will help the FOIA staff 
determine which USDA 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 this bulleted 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 in this system is obtained from the individuals 
submitting the proposals and from peer reviewers.

Exemptions claimed for the system:
    None.
[FR Doc. 2012-10015 Filed 4-25-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P