Common use of Verification Procedure and Opportunity to Contest Clause in Contracts

Verification Procedure and Opportunity to Contest. A. In the event of a match under this program, SSA will follow the verification procedures described below (in accordance with SSA operating procedures): 1. SSA will generate a savings security alert for each individual for whom Fiscal Service reports a total redemption amount that equals or exceeds $1,000. 2. SSA will contact each individual for whom SSA generates an alert to confirm ownership. 3. If the individual confirms ownership, SSA will determine whether the individual remains eligible for SSI. 4. If the individual denies ownership, SSA will question the individual to determine whether the security was purchased as a gift using his or her (the applicant’s or recipient’s) SSN in the registration. 5. If all attempts to resolve the issue of ownership fail, SSA will obtain a signed authorization from the individual for release of Fiscal Service’s records and will contact Fiscal Service through the parallel SSA field office in Minneapolis, Minnesota. SSA will advise other field offices not to contact Fiscal Service directly nor refer individuals to Fiscal Service. Additionally, SSA will ensure that: a. The authorization form sent to Fiscal Service bears the individual’s signature. Fiscal Service will accept photocopies. b. Where a representative payee signs an authorization, SSA will review the records involved and annotate the authorization to indicate whether the signer is authorized to consent to the release of information on behalf of the individual. c. When the individual is deceased, SSA will review the records involved and annotate the authorization to indicate whether the individual is deceased and the signer is a qualified person legally entitled to the information requested. 6. If Fiscal Service’s records indicate that the individual’s name appears on the security, Fiscal Service will provide a copy of the record. SSA will attempt to verify the retroactive security values and will determine the individual’s retroactive and continued eligibility. 7. If the individual’s name is not on Fiscal Service’s records, Fiscal Service will indicate that it has no record for the individual. SSA will take no further action with respect to security ownership. 8. SSA will not release copies of the savings security alert to individuals unless Fiscal Service or the SSI recipient has verified ownership. B. Before taking any adverse action to deny, reduce, suspend, or terminate an individual’s SSI payment based on the information received from the match, SSA will provide all individuals for whom SSA decides such adverse action is necessary with a notice containing the following information: 1. SSA has received information pertaining to ownership of savings securities which indicates that the proposed adverse action is necessary; and 2. The individual has 10 calendar days after receiving the notice to contact SSA and contest the proposed adverse action. This notice will clearly state that, unless the individual notifies SSA otherwise within the time period specified, SSA will conclude that the data provided by Fiscal Service is correct and will make the necessary adjustment to the individual’s payment. Once the issue of ownership is resolved, SSA will post the search results to its records. Subsequent alerts will not require SSA to request a duplicate search from Fiscal Service unless the alert lists additional securities, and then only the new securities would require a search. C. If an individual contests the proposed action, the issues of entitlement to or amount of SSI will be resolved between SSA and the individual in accordance with section IX A.5-A.7 of this agreement and SSA’s established regulations and procedures.

Verification Procedure and Opportunity to Contest. A. In the event of a match under this program, SSA will follow the verification procedures described below (in accordance with SSA operating procedures): 1. SSA will generate a savings security alert for each individual for whom Fiscal Service reports a total redemption amount that equals or exceeds $1,000. 2. SSA will contact each individual for whom SSA generates an alert to confirm ownershipownership of saving securities or savings-type securities. 3. If the individual confirms ownership, SSA will determine whether the individual remains eligible for SSI. 4. If the individual denies ownership, SSA will question the individual to determine whether the security was purchased as a gift using his or her (the applicant’s or recipient’s) SSN in the registration. 5. If all attempts to resolve the issue of ownership fail, SSA will obtain a signed authorization from the individual for release of Fiscal Service’s records and will contact Fiscal Service through the parallel SSA field office in Minneapolis, Minnesota. SSA will advise other field offices not to contact Fiscal Service directly nor refer individuals to Fiscal Service. Additionally, SSA will ensure that: a. The authorization form sent to Fiscal Service bears the individual’s signature. Fiscal Service will accept photocopiesphotocopies of the authorization form. b. Where a representative payee signs an authorization, SSA will review the records involved and annotate the authorization to indicate whether the signer is authorized to consent to the release of information on behalf of the individual. c. When the individual is deceased, SSA will review the records involved and annotate the authorization to indicate whether the individual is deceased and if the signer is a qualified person legally entitled to the information requested. 6. If Fiscal Service’s records indicate that the individual’s name appears on the security, Fiscal Service will provide a copy of the record. SSA will attempt to verify the retroactive security values and will determine the individual’s retroactive and continued eligibility. 7. If the individual’s name is not on Fiscal Service’s records, Fiscal Service will indicate that it has no record for the individual. SSA will take no further action with respect to security ownership. 8. SSA will not release copies of the savings security alert to individuals unless Fiscal Service or the SSI recipient has verified ownership. B. Before taking any adverse action to deny, reduce, suspend, or terminate an individual’s SSI payment based on the information received from the match, SSA will provide all individuals for whom SSA decides such adverse action is necessary with a notice containing the following information: 1. SSA has received information pertaining to ownership of savings securities which indicates that the proposed adverse action is necessary; and 2. The individual has 10 calendar days after receiving the notice to contact SSA and contest the proposed adverse action. This notice will clearly state that, unless the individual notifies SSA otherwise within the time period specified, SSA will conclude that the data provided by Fiscal Service is correct and will make the necessary adjustment to the individual’s payment. Once the issue of ownership is resolved, SSA will post the search results to its records. Subsequent alerts will not require SSA to request a duplicate search from Fiscal Service unless the alert lists additional securities, and then only the new securities would require a search. C. If an individual contests the proposed action, the issues of entitlement to or amount of SSI will be resolved between SSA and the individual in accordance with section IX A.5-A.7 of this agreement and SSA’s established regulations and procedures.