Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records, 71679-71680 [2021-27303]

Agencies

• Postal Service

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 240 (Friday, December 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71679-71680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27303]


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POSTAL SERVICE


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Postal Service\TM\.

ACTION: Notice of a revised system of records.

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SUMMARY: The United States Postal Service (USPS\TM\) is proposing to 
revise a General Privacy Act System of Records to support an initiative 
sponsored by the United States Postal Inspection Service to conduct 
link analysis for investigative purposes.

DATES: These revisions will become effective without further notice on 
January 18, 2022, unless comments received on or before that date 
result in a contrary determination.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted via email to the Privacy and 
Records Management Office, United States Postal Service Headquarters 
([email protected]). Arrangements to view copies of any written comments 
received, to facilitate public inspection, will be made upon request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janine Castorina, Chief Privacy and 
Records Management Officer, Privacy and Records Management Office, 202-
268-3069 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is in accordance with the 
Privacy Act requirement that agencies publish their systems of records 
in the Federal Register when there is a revision, change, or addition, 
or when the agency establishes a new system of records. The Postal 
Service is proposing revisions to an existing system of records (SOR) 
to support the implementation of a link analysis to be conducted by the 
United States Postal Inspection Service through the introduction of new 
investigative software.

I. Background

    The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is focused on 
continuous improvement in the effort to stay one-step ahead of bad 
actors and to preserve the sanctity of the mail. To further this 
objective, USPIS is implementing a process to conduct a link analysis 
across multiple disparate Postal systems to aggregate data and increase 
efficiency. This process will automate the analysis process in part, 
reducing manual effort by Postal Inspectors and Inspection Service 
analysts.
    Disclosure of relevant information or records derived from general 
and customer systems is authorized by the Privacy Act under USPS 
Routine Use number two, Disclosure for Law Enforcement Purposes.

II. Rationale for Changes to USPS Privacy Act Systems of Records

    The Postal Service is proposing to modify USPS SOR 700.000, 
Inspection Service Investigative File System, to accommodate the 
process proposed by USPIS. USPIS will collect and aggregate eight data 
elements--Name, Address, 11-Digit Delivery Point ZIP Code (ZIP 11), 
Phone Number, Email Address, Tracking Number, IP Address, and Moniker--
from the following four data sources: Customer Registration, Inspection 
Service Investigative File System, Click-n-Ship, and National Meter 
Accounting and Tracking System (NMATS).
    To effect this change, one new purpose has been added to the 
existing SOR to reflect the usage of these data elements to conduct the 
link analysis. Further, the eight enumerated data elements have been 
added as a new Category of Records.

III. Description of the Modified System of Records

    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(11), interested persons are invited to 
submit written data, views, or arguments on this proposal. A report of 
the proposed revisions has been sent to Congress and to the Office of 
Management and Budget for their evaluations. The Postal Service does 
not expect this amended system of records to have any adverse effect on 
individual privacy rights. The notice for USPS 700.000, Inspection 
Service Investigative File System, provided below in its entirety, is 
as follows:

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
    USPS 700.000, Inspection Service Investigative File System.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
    None.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    Office of the Chief Postal Inspector, USPS Headquarters; Inspection 
Service Human Resources Service Center, Security Investigation Service 
Center, and Criminal Investigation Service Center; Inspectors-in-
Charge.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
    Chief Postal Inspector, Inspection Service, United States Postal 
Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20260.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    39 U.S.C. 401 and 404; and 18 U.S.C. 3061.

PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
    1. To support investigations of criminal, civil, or administrative 
matters, including applicant, employee, and contractor background 
investigations.
    2. To conduct link analysis from disparate data sources in support 
of criminal investigations.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    1. Subjects of investigations; complainants, informants, witnesses, 
and other individuals in investigations.
    2. Applicants, current and former USPS employees, contractors, and 
other individuals providing information related to employment 
suitability checks.
    3. Applicants for and appointees to sensitive positions in USPS, 
and individuals providing information related to security clearance 
checks on those individuals.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    1. Records related to investigations, including person name(s), 
Social Security Number(s), case number, addresses, reports of postal 
inspectors and third parties; physical identifying characteristics 
(including fingerprints, voiceprints, handwriting samples, polygraph 
tests, photographs, or other biometrics); and employment and payroll 
information maintained by USPS.
    2. Records related to investigative data source link analysis, 
including Name, Address, 11-Digit Delivery Point ZIP Code (ZIP 11), 
Phone Number, Email Address, Tracking Number, IP Address, and Moniker.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    Subjects, applicants, applicant references, employees, 
complainants, witnesses, other systems of records, other government 
agencies, and external public or private sources.

[[Page 71680]]

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    Standard routine uses 1. through 9. apply. In addition:
    a. A record from this system may be disclosed to the public, news 
media, trade associations, or organized groups to provide information 
of interest to the public about the activities and the accomplishments 
of USPS or its employees.
    b. A record relating to a person held in custody pending or during 
arraignment, trial, sentence, or extradition proceedings or after 
conviction may be disseminated to a federal, state, local, or foreign 
prison, probation, parole, or pardon authority or to any other agency 
or individual involved with the maintenance, transportation, or release 
of such a person.
    c. A record relating to a case or matter may be disseminated to a 
foreign country, through the United States Department of State or 
directly to the representative of such country, under an international 
treaty, convention, or executive agreement; or to the extent necessary 
to assist such country in apprehending or returning a fugitive to a 
jurisdiction that seeks that individual's return.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
    Automated database, computer storage media, and paper.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
    By name or other personal identifier, subject category, or assigned 
case number.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
    Records are retained up to 15 years. Exceptions may be granted for 
longer retention in specific instances. Records existing on paper are 
destroyed by burning, pulping, or shredding. Records existing on 
computer storage media are destroyed according to the applicable USPS 
media sanitization practice.

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
    Paper records, computers, and computer storage media are located in 
controlled-access areas under supervision of program personnel. Access 
to these areas is limited to authorized personnel, who must be 
identified with a badge. Access to records is limited to individuals 
whose official duties require such access. Contractors and licensees 
are subject to contract controls and unannounced on-site audits and 
inspections.
    Computers are protected by mechanical locks, card key systems, or 
other physical access control methods. The use of computer systems is 
regulated with installed security software, computer logon 
identifications, and operating system controls including access 
controls, terminal and transaction logging, and file management 
software.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    Requests for access must be made in accordance with the 
Notification Procedure above and USPS Privacy Act regulations regarding 
access to records and verification of identity under 39 CFR 266.5.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    See Notification Procedure and Record Access Procedures above.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
    Individuals wanting to know if information about them is maintained 
in this system of records must address inquiries to the system manager 
and include full name, address, and information sufficient to ascertain 
the investigation and the individual's involvement.

EXEMPTION(S) PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(j) and (k), USPS has established 
regulations at 39 CFR 266.9 that exempt records in this system 
depending on their purpose.

HISTORY:
    April 29, 2005, 70 FR 22516.
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Ruth Stevenson,
Chief Counsel, Ethics & Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2021-27303 Filed 12-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P