Addendum to the Supporting Statement for 0960-0789

Addendum to the Supporting Statement for

Social Security Administration’s Public Credentialing and

Authentication Process

20 CFR 401.45, 20 CFR 402

OMB No. 0960-0789

Background

The Social Security Administration’s Public Credentialing and Authentication Process (hereafter called “electronic access”) went live to the public in May 2012. In the Information Collection Request OMB approved on 9/30/11 for release one (R1) of electronic access, the Social Security Administration (SSA) discussed the phased rollout plan for our new online electronic access authentication process. R1 of electronic access established a mechanism for customers to create an account, obtain a credential, and access our online services through a new Internet portal, the my Social Security website. In addition, we introduced the registration and customer support (RCS) Intranet application, which provides an interface for authorized SSA personnel to respond to customers’ requests for assistance with electronic access. On January 5, 2013, we deployed release two (R2), which OMB approved on 11/11/12. We also included some R2 changes within two subsequent Change Requests approved on 3/19/13 and 8/28/13 respectively. With R2, we enhanced the usability and functionality of the Internet and Intranet electronic access applications and expanded the services available with an online account.

At this time, we are making more revisions to R2, which will expand our available services even more.

New Use of SSA’s Public Credentialing and Authentication Process

Description: SSA’s Internet Ticket Operations and Provider Support System (iTOPSS) application’s Employment Network Portal (EN Portal) (cross-reference to OMB# 0960-0644 for a complete description of this business service) will begin using our public credentialing and authentication (electronic access) process. iTOPSS will replace the multiple systems currently required to support the business processes performed in the administration of the Ticket to Work (TTW) and Vocational Reimbursement (VR) programs. The EN Portal will replace a service to ENs and VRs, currently available through a web-accessible portal housed on a contractor’s website, with one available through SSA’s website. iTOPSS, including the EN Portal, will streamline the Ticket to Work business process, eliminate an annual systems-related contract, and save costs in an additional contract. The new EN Portal will link to iTOPSS making transactions, such as Ticket assignments and report generations, occur in real time.

The EN Portal users will access the credentialing and authentication process to register for a username and password. The EN users will request extra security which activates the text message to cell phone two-factor authentication (we included the increased access to the extra security feature in our cost estimate for the public in #13 of the Supporting Statement). After the EN users have successfully registered for an extra security credential and are authorized for access to iTOPSS, they will use the credential to authenticate to gain access to iTOPSS via the EN Portal.

Implementation Date: iTOPSS EN users will begin using our electronic access process at the end of September 2014, following a pilot scheduled to begin in July.

Number of Respondents: We expect 2,000 users to go online and register for the EN portal within the first year. We included these new users in our estimates shown in #12 of the Supporting Statement.

Screen Changes: To prepare for this new use of our registration and authentication process, we are making some minor language changes to the registration and authentication screens. We are making these changes so the terms of service and attestation language better align with the customers’ potential use of their credential to access the iTOPSS application and similar future online and automated services. (See the screen revisions attached to the Internet information collection section).

New Service Behind my Social Security

Description: The SSA Message Center initiative will provide a mechanism through which the public and agency employees can exchange information via the my Social Security portal. It will serve as a communication hub, and will provide an avenue to exchange secure messages, alerts, announcements, and additional information electronically with members of the public. 

For the first release, we only plan to post generic messages and announcements for the public. Based on the scope of the first release, we do not expect a marked increase in the number of registrations due to the new features provided by the Message Center hub.  Our target audience is the 11 million current registrants of my Social Security and any increase in that registration population would be within the margin of error for my Social Security registrations.  It is important to note the agency currently supports a similar, non-authenticated, alert system functionality on our website. This release would provide more customization based on geographic and demographics of the current my Social Security population. We plan to introduce more individualized functionality in later releases.

Implementation Date: We plan to implement Release 1 for the new Message Center in late 2014 or early 2015

Number of Respondents: 0 (no increase expected with the first release)

Screen Changes: None for this information collection

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