Non-Subtantive IT Modification Change Request for 0960-0789

Justification for the Non-Substantive Changes for

Social Security Administration’s Public Credentialing and Authentication Process

20 CFR 401.45 & 20 CFR 402

OMB No. 0960-0789

Background

Since its establishment in May of 2012, SSA uses the Social Security Administration’s Public Credentialing and Authentication Process (hereafter-called “eAccess”) to provide a secure, centralized gateway to Social Security’s public-facing electronic services. We currently allow users to register both through our eAccess Internet process, and through a personal interview process using the Registration and Customer Support (RCS) screens for in-person or telephone interviews.

Starting May 2022, we are making additional IT Modification changes to enhance our system and ensure continued security for our customers. These enhancements include minor language changes and changes to the layout of the screens to enable easier navigation through the sign in and registration processes for the customers. We are also making additional changes to continuously provide our customers with more options to handle business and personal affairs online. Finally, our Office of General Counsel (OGC) also reviewed, revised, and approved updated Terms of Service language for eAccess.

As always, we continue to update authentication requirements for my Social Security customers to ensure continued security and to enhance the system.

We will implement these new, IT Modification, non-substantive revisions in May 2022. Therefore, we are asking for OMB’s approval of these revisions as soon as possible, to ensure we can implement on time.

Revisions to the Collection Instrument

• Change #1: We are making minor language changes as well as other changes to the layout of the screens.

Justification #1: These changes will provide easier navigation through the screens for the sign in and registration processes, as well as better usability for our customers.

• Change #2: We have included new error messages and screens for the SSA technicians.

Justification #2: This change will make the account creation process clearer for SSA technicians – for customers that have accounts with SSA and an external partner.

• Change #3: We have updated and revised the Terms of Service language.

Justification #3: This change to the Terms of Service language reflects revisions from our OGC to enhance the legal language for the security of the users.

Estimates of Public Reporting Burden

These revisions will not change the reporting burden on the public for this information collection. OMB approved the current burden estimate on 09/28/2021, and we are not revising it for these IT Modernization changes.

Future Plans

Due to the agile nature of our projects, we expect to move more applications to our my Social Security landing page, which users access through the electronic access authentication. At this time, we are still finalizing our IT modernization plans for these changes. We expect to submit another change request within six to nine months to request approval for additional updates to the system, and potentially, update the burden again to include more users if we are able to move more applications to our my Social Security landing page.