[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 97 (Friday, May 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27738-27743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12608]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Statement of Organization, Functions of Delegations of Authority

    This statement amends Part S of the Statement of the Organization, 
Functions and Delegations of Authority which covers the Social Security 
Administration (SSA). Chapter S4 covers the Deputy Commissioner for 
Systems. Notice is given that Subchapter S4H, the Office of Systems 
Requirements (OSR), is being deleted. Notice is further given that a 
new Subchapter S4P, the Office of Systems Analysis (OSA), is being 
established. The new material and changes are as follows:

Section S4.10  The Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Systems--
(Organization)

Delete

    F. The Office of Systems Requirements (S4H).

Establish

    F. The Office of Systems Analysis (S4P).

Section S4.20  The Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Systems--
(Functions)

Delete In Its Entirety

    F. The Office of Systems Requirements (OSR) (S4H).

Establish

    F. The Office of Systems Analysis (OSA) (S4P) directs, develops and 
coordinates information technology requirements for new systems and 
modifications to existing systems in direct support of SSA programs. It 
is responsible for long-range planning and analyses to define new and 
improved systems processes in support of agency requirements and 
maintains a comprehensive, updated and integrated set of system 
requirement specifications. The office directs validation of computer 
programs against user-defined requirements and performance criteria, 
and approves the resulting system for operational acceptance. It 
directs the development of procedures and instructions to support user 
needs in effective implementation of all systems. It determines 
automation solutions for user needs, develops software systems 
specifications, analyzes existing computer applications, prepares 
recommendations including costs and benefits of alternatives, tests and 
validates systems, documenting systems, accepting systems on behalf of 
SSA's user community and conducting post-installation evaluation. The 
office develops security standards and ensures implementation of the 
standards within OSA. It provides system support of the Agency's 
programmatic systems

[[Page 27739]]

interactive validation environment, project management and control, 
resource management, ITS Budget/Five-Year Plan coordination, Agency 
Strategic Plan and workload scheduling.

Delete

    Subchapter S4H, The Office of Systems Requirements in its entirety.

Establish

Subchapter S4P--Office of Systems Analysis
S4P.00  Mission
S4P.10  Organization
S4P.20  Functions
Section S4P.00  The Office of Systems Analysis--(Mission)
    The Office of Systems Analysis (OSA) directs, develops and 
coordinates information technology requirements for new systems and 
modifications to existing systems in direct support of SSA programs. It 
is responsible for long-range planning and analyses to define new and 
improved systems processes in support of agency requirements and 
maintains a comprehensive, updated and integrated set of system 
requirement specifications. OSA directs validation of computer 
programs, which are part of SSA's large, integrated, programmatic 
systems against user-defined requirements and performance criteria, and 
approves the resulting system for operational acceptance. It directs 
the development of procedures and instructions to support user needs in 
effective implementation of all systems. OSA is responsible for several 
phases in the systems development life cycle. The responsibilities 
include determining automation solutions for user needs, developing 
software systems specifications, analyzing existing computer 
applications, preparing recommendations including costs and benefits of 
alternatives, testing and validating systems, documenting systems, 
accepting systems on behalf of SSA's user community and conducting 
post-installation evaluation. It develops security standards and 
ensures implementation of the standards within OSA. It directs the 
evaluation of the effect of proposed legislation, policies or 
regulations to determine the impact on SSA systems and develops 
information requirements and procedures as they relate to such 
legislation, regulations and SSA policy directives. It directs the 
coordination of user requirements with SSA central and regional 
operations to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of program 
information needs and overall systems support. Based on input from 
users, OSA translates organizational information requirements and 
priorities into plans and, in coordination with other Office of Systems 
organizational components, develops SSA's annual automated data 
processing plans (and directs development and maintenance of the 
plans). OSA serves as primary contact and advocate for the SSA user 
community on issues concerning the development of systems requirements, 
functional specifications and supporting operational procedures and 
instructions. OSA provides system support for the Agency's programmatic 
systems interactive validation environment, project management and 
control, resource management, ITS Budget/Five-Year Plan coordination, 
Agency Strategic Plan and workload scheduling.
Section S4P.10 The Office of Systems Analysis--(Organization)
    The Office of Systems Analysis (S4P), under the leadership of the 
Associate Commissioner for Systems Analysis, includes:
    A. The Associate Commissioner for Systems Analysis (S4P).
    B. The Deputy Associate Commissioner for Systems Analysis (S4P).
    C. The Immediate Office of the Associate Commissioner for Systems 
Analysis (S4P).
    D. The Division of Client, Enumeration and Exchanges (S4PA).
    E. The Division of Disability (S4PB).
    F. The Division of Earnings (S4PC).
    G. The Division of Notices (S4PE).
    H. The Division of Payments (S4PG).
    I. The Division of Planning and Configuration Management (S4PH).
    J. The Division of Retirement and Survivors Insurance (RSI) (S4PJ).
    K. The Division of Security and Requirements Automation (S4PK).
    L. The Division of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (S4PL).
    M. The Division of Validation Technology (S4PM).
Section S4P.20 The Office of Systems Analysis--(Functions)
    A. The Associate Commissioner for Systems Analysis (S4P) is 
directly responsible to the Deputy Commissioner, Systems, for carrying 
out the OSA mission and providing general supervision to the major 
components of OSA.
    B. The Deputy Associate Commissioner for Systems Analysis (S4P) 
assists the Associate Commissioner in carrying out his/her 
responsibilities and performs other duties as the Associated 
Commissioner my prescribe.
    C. The Immediate Office of the Associate Commissioner for Systems 
Analysis (S4P) provides the Associate Commissioner and Deputy Associate 
Commissioner with staff assistance on the full range of their 
responsibilities.
    D. Division of Client, Enumeration and Exchanges (S4PA).
    1. Plans, analyzes, develops, tests, validates, implements and 
evaluates program data requirements, functional specifications, 
procedures, instructions and standards (including security and fraud 
detection) for data exchanges, enumeration and client records.
    2. With the technical assistance of DVT, plans and conducts unit 
and system-wide functional validation tests of newly-developed systems 
and modifications of existing systems against user-defined requirements 
and performance criteria. Certifies that the changes are in conformance 
with functional specifications and with Agency regulations, policies, 
and procedures.
    3. Participates in the development, maintenance and co-ordination 
of the overall approved SSA plans for fulfilling short-term and long-
range programmatic system development (the Five-Year Plans) as they 
relate to Client, Enumeration and Data Exchanges. This includes 
determining, classifying and ranking systems needs of all SSA 
components, and recommending final priorities for approval.
    4. Develops and maintains a comprehensive, updated and integrated 
set of system documentation and requirements specifications and 
validation tests of systems changes against user requirements and 
performance criteria and certifies that changes are in conformance with 
specifications for assigned areas of responsibility.
    5. Performs requirement analyses, defining SSA-approved user needs 
and requirements for automated data processing services for Client, 
Enumeration and Data Exchanges.
    6. Evaluates legislative proposals, regulations and policy changes 
affecting Client, Enumeration and Data Exchanges. Reports on the impact 
to those processes as well as on the short-and long-range plans.
    7. Intercedes on behalf of users in resolving system discrepancies 
and errors relating to the existing Client, Enumeration and Data 
Exchange process with other Office of Systems components. Establishes, 
corrects, maintains and verifies Social Security numbers and issues new 
or replacement cards.
    8. Process death, prisoner and fugitive felon data, the Death 
Master File; the Integrated Client Database system; and programmatic 
queries and other

[[Page 27740]]

software that access and display data from the SSA master files.
    9. Provides database access to programmatic information, access to 
SSA main and sub menus, and telecommunications support.
    E. Division of Disability (S4PB).
    1. Plans, analyzes, develops, tests, validates, implements and 
evaluates programmatic information and data requirements, functional 
specifications, procedures, instructions and standards (including 
security and fraud detection) for the Disability program, including 
service to the State Disability Determination Service (DDS) offices.
    2. With the technical assistance of DVT, plans and conducts unit 
and system-wide functional validation tests of newly-developed systems 
and modifications to existing systems against user-defined requirements 
and performance criteria. Certifies that the changes are in conformance 
with functional specifications and with Agency regulations, policies, 
and procedures.
    3. Participates in the development, maintenance and co-ordination 
of the overall approved SSA plans for fulfilling short-term and long-
range programmatic system development (the Five-year Plans) as they 
relate to Disability. This includes determining, classifying and 
ranking systems needs of all SSA components, and recommending final 
priorities for approval.
    4. Develops and maintains a comprehensive, updated and integrated 
set of system documentation and requirements specifications and 
validation tests of systems changes against user requirements and 
performance criteria and certifies that changes are in conformance with 
specifications for assigned areas of responsibility.
    5. Performs requirement analyses, defining SSA-approved user needs 
and requirements for automated data processing services for Disability.
    6. Evaluates legislative proposals, regulations and policy changes 
affecting Disability. Reports on the impact to those processes as well 
as on the short-and long-range plans.
    7. Intercedes on behalf of users in resolving system discrepancies 
and errors relating to the existing Disability process with 
representatives of other Office of Systems components.
    8. Coordinates user requirements with SSA central and field offices 
and Federal and State agencies to ensure the efficiency and 
effectiveness of program information needs and overall systems support.
    9. Supports Individual State Disability Determination Service 
offices automated systems development by establishing national 
practices and contracts and optional local area software. The Division 
evaluates State Disability Determination Systems developing requests 
with the objective of integrating State efforts into overall SSA 
automation plans.
    10. Resolves systems discrepancies and performance issues for all 
DDS offices, Federal and State. The State DDS systems interface with 
SSA central systems. The division is responsible for testing 
applications software that exchanges the required disability data 
between the offices involved.
    F. Division of Earnings (S4PC).
    1. Plans, analyzes, develops, tests, validates, implements and 
evaluates programmatic data requirements, functional specifications, 
procedures instructions and standards (including security and fraud 
detection) for reporting earnings data and for establishment, 
correction, maintenance and use of earnings and employer data. These 
functions include trust fund accounting information provided to the 
Department of the Treasury; reconciling disagreements and discrepancies 
related to earnings data; the establishment and maintenance of employer 
identification, classification and control information and the SSA/IRS 
reconciliation process. Functions also include providing certified 
earnings data to support other agency processes and reinstating 
earnings data from suspense.
    2. With the technical assistance of DVT, plans and conducts unit 
and system-wide functional validation tests of newly-developed systems 
and modifications to existing systems against user-defined requirements 
and performance criteria. Certifies that the changes are in conformance 
with functional specifications and with Agency regulations, policies, 
and procedures.
    3. Participates in the development, maintenance and co-ordination 
of the overall approved SSA plans for fulfilling short-term and long-
range programmatic system development (the Five-year Plans) as they 
relate to Earnings. This includes determining, classifying and ranking 
systems needs of all SSA components, and recommending final priorities 
for approval.
    4. Develops and maintains a comprehensive, updated and integrated 
set of system documentation and requirements specifications and 
validation tests of systems changes against user requirements and 
performance criteria and certifies that changes are in conformance with 
specifications for assigned areas of responsibility.
    5. Performs requirement analyses, defining SSA-approved user needs 
and requirements for systems' services for Earnings.
    6. Evaluates legislative proposals, regulations and policy changes 
affecting Earnings. Reports on the impact to those processes as well as 
on the short- and long-range plans.
    7. Intercedes on behalf of users in resolving system discrepancies 
and errors relating to the existing Earnings process with 
representatives of other Office of Systems components.
    8. Coordinates user requirements with SSA central and field offices 
and Federal and State agencies to ensure the efficiency and 
effectiveness of program information needs and overall systems support.
    G. Division of Notices (S4PE).
    1. Plans, analyzes, develops, tests, validates, implements and 
evaluates programmatic data requirements, functional specifications, 
procedures, instructions and standards (including security and fraud 
detection) in conformance with SSA's software engineering environment, 
for title II (RSDI), XVI (SSI), and VIII Notices.
    2. With the technical assistance of DVT, plans and conducts unit 
and system-wide functional validation tests of newly-developed systems 
and modifications to existing systems against user-defined requirements 
and performance criteria. Certifies that the changes are in conformance 
with functional specifications and with Agency regulations, policies, 
and procedures.
    3. Participate in the development, maintenance and co-ordination of 
the overall approved SSA plans for fulfilling short-term and long-range 
programmatic system development (the Five-year Plans) as they relate to 
Notices. This includes determining, classifying and ranking systems 
needs of all SSA components, and recommending final priorities for 
approval.
    4. Develops and maintains a comprehensive, updated and integrated 
set of system documentation and requirements specifications and 
validation tests of systems changes against user requirements and 
performance criteria and certifies that changes are in conformance with 
specifications for assigned areas of responsibility.
    5. Performs requirement analyses, defining SSA-approved user needs 
and requirements for automated data processing services for Notices.

[[Page 27741]]

    6. Evaluates legislative proposals, regulations and policy changes 
affecting Notices. Reports on the impact to those processes as well as 
on the short- and long-range plans.
    7. Intercedes on behalf of users in resolving system discrepancies 
and errors relating to the existing Notice process with representatives 
of other Office of Systems components.
    8. Coordinates user requirements with SSA central and field offices 
and Federal and State agencies to ensure the efficiency and 
effectiveness of program information needs and overall systems support.
    9. Provides systems expertise and leadership in agency initiatives 
related to Plain Language, Non-English Speaking notices and Target 
Notice Architecture.
    H. Division of Payments (S4PG).
    1. Plans, analyzes, develops, tests, validates, implements and 
evaluates programmatic data requirements, functional specifications, 
procedures, instructions and standards (including security and fraud 
detection) for titles II, VIII and XVI Payments. This includes both 
direct deposits and checks; Debt Management (including overpayment, 
underpayment, misuse, fraud and civil suit actions); Representative 
Payee Processing and Accounting; Workload Controls (including the 
paperless process, claims, folders, and transactions); and benefit-
related accounting operations.
    2. With the technical assistance of DVT, plans and conducts unit 
and system-wide functional validation tests of newly-developed systems 
and modifications to existing systems against user-defined requirements 
and performance criteria. Certifies that the changes are in conformance 
with functional specifications and with Agency regulations, policies, 
and procedures.
    3. Participates in the development, maintenance and coordination of 
the overall approved SSA plans for fulfilling short-term and long-range 
programmatic system development (the Five-year Plans) as they relate to 
payments. This includes determining, classifying and ranking systems 
needs of all SSA components, and recommending final priorities for 
approval.
    4. Develops and maintains a comprehensive, updated and integrated 
set of system documentation and requirements specifications and 
validation tests of systems changes against user requirements and 
performance criteria and certifies that changes are in conformance with 
specifications for assigned areas of responsibility.
    5. Performs requirement analyses, defining SSA-approved user needs 
and requirements for automated data processing services for payments.
    6. Evaluates legislative proposals, regulations and policy changes 
affecting payments. Reports on the impact to those processes as well as 
on the short- and long-range plans.
    7. Intercedes on behalf of users in resolving system discrepancies 
and errors relating to the existing Payment, Debt Management, 
Representative Payee and Workload Control processes with 
representatives of other Office of Systems components.
    8. Coordinates user requirements with SSA central and field offices 
and Federal and State agencies to ensure the efficiency and 
effectiveness of program information needs and overall systems support.
    I. Division of Planning and Configuration Management (S4PH).
    1. Coordinates on Software Process Improvement (SPI) and metrics 
activities. Participates in developing DCS policy, procedures and 
training for SPI and metrics. Provides training and guidance to project 
managers to implement process improvement practices.
    2. Works with the customer community and Systems components to 
produce the 5-Year Plan that prioritizes workloads and developmental 
efforts that the Systems component works on. This division is 
responsible for coordinating this activity for SSA, including the 
support activity for the Customer Targeted Workload. In addition, this 
Division is responsible for coordinating the development of 
requirements, validation and data storage for the DCS 5-Year data in 
the 5-Year System.
    3. Provides standards, procedures, systems support and technical 
assistance to OSA project managers to facilitate preparation of work 
plans. Directs review of project work plans to ensure completeness, 
compatibility with standards and managerial directives, and 
requirements and conformity to the 5-Year Plan, Configuration Control 
Board (CCB) recommendations and other management decisions. Coordinates 
systems-wide approval of new and modified plans, and ensures that the 
differences and conflicts among components are resolved. Provides for 
monitoring progress of work projects against work plans and reporting 
status to systems management.
    4. With approval of systems management, sets standards for 
developing, maintaining and implementing configuration control and 
systems change control processes. Directs review and control of 
requests for modification of SSA systems and functional requirements. 
Ensures that all systems change requests are in accordance with the 5-
Year Plan process, conform to CCB decisions and correspond with the 
approved project work plans. For each change, ensures that all 
necessary concurrence and approvals are obtained through the Systems 
Life Cycle.
    5. Develops, analyzes, operates, validates and maintains the 
Management Support System (MSS). The MSS provides automated support to 
OSA and DCS planning, monitoring, project and resource management 
functions. Analyzes management requirements and needs of other OSA 
components, and develops appropriate systems support capability. Works 
with OSPI, OIM and contractors (as well as other involved components) 
to develop, maintain and implement systems' management support and 
control processes. Ensures that the OSA management support systems and 
processes are integrated systems-wide. Participates in the development, 
design and validation effort of the Systems Release Certification 
online System (SRCOL) on the Intranet WEB. This division ensures that 
all required Systems lifecycle documentation (from requirements through 
systems certification) is maintained and available.
    6. Monitors DCS workloads, resource estimates and resource usage 
and provides comprehensive resource information to DCS management to 
support workload priority decisions. Directs resource estimation and 
reporting processes for OSA.
    7. Coordinates Modernized Systems Operations Manual (MSOM) 
activities including Version Directory Management, Indexing, Scheduling 
and Transmittal release and the preparation of MSOM on CD-ROM. Also, 
analyzes, develops requirements and validates software changes for the 
MSOM ORACLE-based authoring system.
    8. This division is responsible for coordinating the evaluation of 
legislative proposals affecting SSA programs for their impact on SSA's 
programmatic and administrative systems. Monitors systems changes 
required to implement legislation. Acts as the DCS liaison with other 
SSA components on legislation. Coordinates the evaluation of 
legislative proposals to assess impact on DCS resources and scheduled 
activities. Establishes project management activities for enacted 
legislation, and monitors the

[[Page 27742]]

developmental activity through implementation.
    9. Responsible for the development of policies, procedures and 
standards for specific OSA phases of the life cycle development process 
and development of methods to assure the quality of these products.
    10. Serves as the focal point for coordinating the development of 
all OSA standards and procedures.
    11. Responsible for providing program expertise and process 
management direction and oversight for cross-cutting segments for all 
OSA systems initiatives, legislative initiatives or projects involving 
the initiation, interpretation and/or the implementation of 
programmatic systems.
    J. Division of Retirement and Survivors Insurance (RSI) (S4PJ).
    1. Plans, analyzes, develops, tests, validates, implements and 
evaluates programmatic data requirements, functional specifications, 
procedures, instructions and standards (including security and fraud 
detection), for title II (RSDI) Initial Claims and Post-entitlement 
systems processing and for title XVIII, Medicare enrollment, withdrawal 
and termination actions. Coordinates such processes with the Health 
Care Financing Administration. This includes work on the Master 
Beneficiary Record (MBR) update operations, including the annual cost-
of-living adjustment (BRI), and benefit taxation records.
    2. With the technical assistance of DVT, plans and conducts unit 
and system-wide functional validation tests of newly-developed systems 
and modifications to existing systems against user-defined requirements 
and performance criteria. Certifies that the changes are in conformance 
with functional specifications and with Agency regulations, policies, 
and procedures.
    3. Participates in the development, maintenance and co-ordination 
of the overall approved SSA plans for fulfilling short-term and long-
range programmatic system development (the Five-year Plans) as they 
relate to title II Initial Claims and Post-entitlement/Medicare 
systems. This includes determining, classifying and ranking systems 
needs of all SSA components, and recommending final priorities for 
approval.
    4. Develops and maintains a comprehensive, updated and integrated 
set of system documentation and requirements specifications and 
validation tests of systems changes against user requirements and 
performance criteria and certifies that changes are in conformance with 
specifications for assigned areas of responsibility.
    5. Performs requirement analyses, defining SSA-approved user needs 
and requirements for automated data processing services for title II 
Initial Claims and Post-entitlement systems and Medicare systems.
    6. Evaluates legislative proposals, regulations, and policy changes 
affecting the title II Initial Claims and Post-entitlement systems 
processes, and title XVIII Medicare systems processes. Reports on the 
impact to those processes as well as on short-term and long-range 
plans.
    7. Intercedes on behalf of users in resolving system discrepancies 
and errors relating to the existing title II Initial Claims and Post-
entitlement process, or Medicare systems processes, with 
representatives of other Office of Systems components.
    8. Coordinates user requirements with SSA central and field offices 
and Federal and State agencies to ensure the efficiency and 
effectiveness of program information needs and overall systems support.
    K. Division of Security and Requirements Automation (S4PK).
    1. Provides consultations and makes recommendations on security, 
audit, internal control and integrity review issues for all SSA 
programmatic systems, and ensures the implementation of security 
standards within all areas of OSA's functional responsibilities. Also, 
develops methods to improve control and security features based on 
established standards and cost/benefit considerations.
    2. Leads and/or coordinates reviews of programmatic processes and 
systems to identify weaknesses in control, auditability and security 
features, makes recommendations for improvement, and coordinates 
activities with other SSA components to ensure that approved 
recommendations are implemented.
    3. Provides the capability for and performs static testing of all 
programmatic systems in support of SSA and oversight Agency 
requirements, as well as in support of OSA control and audit process 
reviews.
    4. Develops, executes and validates software to provide information 
to security officers and investigators throughout the Agency in support 
of investigations of fraud, waste and abuse.
    5. Manages the security access control process to access and 
interface with SSA's programmatic systems.
    6. Performs requirements analyses and definition, conveys SSA 
approved user needs in the form of specifications in the area of 
integrity review and audit data collection, conversion and reporting to 
OSDD for the development of systems designs for integration of SSA 
programmatic systems.
    7. Performs requirement analyses and definition of SSA approved 
security access control requirements and conveys the specifications to 
the appropriate component for an update of the access control 
apparatus.
    8. Performs security, functional security, access control, 
Individuals of Extraordinary National Prominence and Social Security 
Number Block validations, and integrity review and audit trail data 
collection, conversion and reporting validations to ensure that the 
requirements have been properly integrated within SSA's programmatic 
systems.
    9. Develops requirements for and validates software changes to the 
TOP-SECRET Administration process.
    10. Manages the Security 5-Year Plan.
    11. Implements and supports the appropriate standards and 
procedures for functional requirements definition and analysis stages 
through the use of Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools.
    12. Supports the procurement, training, use and integration of 
automated tools and equipment in support of OSA's development and 
maintenance of FRs, documents and data models for SSA's programmatic 
systems.
    13. Defines, designs, develops, validates and implements computer, 
programs and automated processes which support the development and 
maintenance of integrated programmatic data processing systems.
    14. Develops, maintains, and provides technical support of 
hardware, software and all networking functions within OSA and provides 
technical assistance to other components within DCS that interface with 
OSA.
    15. Supports various platforms OSA uses in the development and 
validation of software that run on SSA's Intelligent Work Station/Local 
Area Network (IWS/LAN) to support its field offices nationwide.
    16. Develops strategies and guidelines for base lining automated 
functional requirement databases.
    17. Responsible for the development of proposals and 
recommendations for new software engineering methods for use at OSA, 
based on extensive research into various methodologies utilized by 
other data processing installations.
    L. Division of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (S4PL).
    1. Plans, analyzes, develops, tests, validates, implements and 
evaluates programmatic data requirements,

[[Page 27743]]

functional specifications, procedures, instructions and standards 
(including security and fraud detection) for title XVI (SSI) processes, 
title VIII and redetermination operations. This includes updates to the 
Supplemental Security Income Record (SSR) and the annual cost-of-living 
adjustment (COLA).
    2. With the technical assistance of DVT, plans and conducts unit 
and system-wide functional validation tests of newly-developed systems 
and modifications to existing systems against user-defined requirements 
and performance criteria. Certifies that the changes are in conformance 
with functional specifications and with Agency regulations, policies, 
and procedures.
    3. Participates in the development, maintenance and coordination of 
the overall approved SSA plans for fulfilling short-term and long-range 
programmatic systems documentation and requirement specifications and 
validation tests of systems changes against user requirements and 
performance criteria and certifies that changes are in conformance with 
specifications for assigned areas of responsibility.
    4. Develops and maintains a comprehensive, updated and integrated 
set of system documentation and requirements specifications and 
validation tests of systems changes against user requirements and 
performance criteria and certifies that changes are in conformance with 
specifications for assigned areas of responsibility.
    5. Performs requirement analyses, defining SSA-approved user needs 
and requirements for automated data processing services for SSI initial 
claims and post-eligibility operations, computation and record 
balancing operations, and redeterminations.
    6. Evaluates legislative proposals, regulations and policy changes 
affecting SSI processes. Reports on the impact to those processes as 
well as on the short- and long-range plans.
    7. Intercedes on behalf of users in resolving system discrepancies 
and errors relating to the existing SSI process with representatives of 
other Office of Systems components.
    8. Coordinates user requirements with SSA central and field offices 
and Federal and State agencies to ensure the efficiency and 
effectiveness of program information needs and overall systems support.
    M. Division of Validation Technology (S4PM).
    1. Provides test-engineering services for systems-level functional 
testing in the Office of Systems. The Division:
    2. Designs, develops, implements, and maintains test automation 
software, automated test methods and techniques, and procedures, test 
files, test databases, and tester productivity tools used in the 
systems-level functional, integration, acceptance and usability testing 
of SSA's programmatic, administrative, and management information 
systems.
    3. Builds test systems that simulate the target production system 
within the parameters of SSA's Software Engineering Facility using in-
house and commercially available software development tools and 
products.
    4. Controls and executes systems-level functional tests of 
programmatic, administrative, and management information systems; 
ensures that the correct software versions are under test and provides 
appropriate test output for evaluation and systems acceptance and 
certification.
    5. Develops test procedure specifications and test design 
specifications for use in systems-level functional testing.
    6. Performs test case design for regression testing of programmatic 
systems.
    7. Performs software quality assurance and quality control 
regarding test coverage and test risk analysis as they relate to 
management decisions to release new or modified software to the 
production environment.
    8. Develops standards of functional testing and software validation 
for the Office of Systems.
    9. Develops and manages the environment in which functional testing 
occurs.
    10. Defines standards for test planning and participates, along 
with other Office of Systems components, in the development of test 
plans for systems-level functional testing.
    11. Serves as the Stage Manager for the Software Evaluation Stage 
of SSA's Software Engineering Environment and Systems Development Life 
Cycle.

    Dated: May 7, 2001.
Larry G. Massanari,
Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
[FR Doc. 01-12608 Filed 5-17-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-M