Enterprise Scheduling System (ESS) and National Appointment and Scheduling Calendar (NASC)
Revision of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
07/22/2025
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
10/31/2025
10,420,161
3,150,000
14,083,467
312,500
0
0
The Enterprise Scheduling System (ESS) allows for both customer self-scheduling and technician assisted scheduling through an electronic scheduling tool, while the National Appointment and Scheduling Calendar (NASC) allows for technician-assisted scheduling through the ESS platform for initial claims appointment requests. ESS facilitates both customer self-scheduling and technician scheduling, along with NASC which facilitates technician scheduling, allowing SSA to collect essential information from customers, including their name, Social Security number, zip code, telephone number, and email address. Additionally, customers have the option to consent to electronic messaging or to opt out, as well as specify their preferred method of communication (email or text), language preference, preferred service office, and appointment day and time preferences. SSA uses this information to schedule in-office, phone, or video appointments for processing enumeration, PE actions, or initial claim appointments. Customers scheduling their PE or initial claim appointments through a technician have the option to create a one-time passcode, enabling them to securely update their appointment online. The technician documents this one-time passcode along with the customer's other appointment preferences. Customers begin the process by accessing SSA.gov and engaging an online questionnaire to determine the nature of their business. If applications are available for customers to self-serve, the system routes them to those applications to complete their business. If not, customers are given the option to self schedule an appointment through ESS. If the customer moves forward, the system directs them to create a credential using Login.gov or ID.me. Once they complete credentialing, customers access ESS to complete required screens and fields to select a date and time for an appointment with an SSA field office (FO) to provide the proofs necessary to obtain a replacement or original SSN card or complete a PE action. Upon completing the required screens and fields, the system presents customers with a screen to review and submit all of the data they input regarding the requested appointment. If customers encounter issues with ESS, or they need to request an appointment type which requires technician assistance (e.g., scheduling, rescheduling, or cancelling PE or initial claims appointments), they may contact SSA by phone to have an FO or Telephone Service Center (TSC) technician schedule their appointment. Technicians follow existing processes and policies to identify the caller as a legitimate customer, and converse with the customer to determine the nature of their business and if they require an appointment. If the technician determines the customer needs an appointment, the technician accesses ESS and completes the required screens and fields for the enumeration or PE appointment, or NASC for an initial claim appointment. Once the technician completes the ESS or NASC screens, the technician can review all of the information the customer provided with the customer. If the customer indicates it is correct the technician submits and schedules the appointment. We conduct this information collection each time a customer accesses the online tool or contacts SSA by phone to schedule an appointment. The respondents are individuals looking to schedule their SSA visit, either through self-scheduling or technician assisted modalities, using ESS and NASC.
When we last obtained OMB approval for this information collection, the burden was 312,500; however, we are currently reporting a burden of 1,469,194. This reflects the additional respondents requesting technician-assisted appointment scheduling for initial claims (see Addendum).
Note: The total burden reflected in ROCIS is 14,083,467, while the burden cited in #12 of the Supporting Statement is 1,469,194. This discrepancy is because the ROCIS burden reflects the following component: teleservice center waiting time. In contrast, the chart in #12 of the Supporting Statement reflects actual burden.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.