View Information Collection Request (ICR) Package

OMB Control No: 0960-0699	ICR Reference No: 202005-0960-008
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201701-0960-015
Agency/Subagency: SSA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Social Security Administration Eligible Non-Attorney Representative
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 04/29/2024
	Date Received in OIRA: 08/26/2020
Terms of Clearance: The agency made clarifying revisions to the supporting statement and burden estimates. The agency also made minor modifications to the form to reduce burden, including allowing for electronic signatures consistent with the agency's commitments under Sec. 4 (k)(iii) and (iv) of E.O. 14058.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	04/30/2027	36 Months From Approved	04/30/2024
Responses	2,046	0	2,065
Time Burden (Hours)	629	0	976
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	200,000

Abstract: Section 3 of the Social Security Disability Applicants Access to Professional Representation Act (PRA) of 2010, Public Law (Pub.L.) 111-142, enacted on February 27, 2010 permanently extends the direct payment provision of Section 303 of the Social Security Protection Act (SSPA) of 2004, Pub.L. 108-203. The PRA permits the Social Security Administration (SSA) to extend direct payment of approved fees from claimants' past-due benefits to certain non-attorney representatives. The PRA, as did the SSPA, requires us to collect the information needed to determine if applicants have satisfied the prerequisites. Under the SSPA, we used the Social Security Administration Non-Attorney Representative Demonstration Project Application to collect applicants' prerequisite information. We are revising the application to comply with the PRA and the Revisions to Direct Fee Payment Rules (RIN 0960-AH21). To help us determine whether an applicant has fulfilled the statutory prerequisites and regulatory requirements of the PRA, we collect the following items from applicants: 1) A signed criminal background form, from all applicants, that allows us to conduct criminal background checks; 2) the examination document and score for applicants who take the examination, 3) professional or business liability insurance policies from applicants who pass the examination; 4) official college transcripts from applicants who pass the examination and possess a bachelor's degree or higher (high school transcripts, diplomas, or GED certificates and proof (e.g., Internal Revenue Service Form W-2(s) and wage and tax statement(s)) of relevant professional experience from applicants who pass the examination, but do not possess a bachelor's degree or higher) 5) email messages, from eligible non-attorneys, that certify the completion of a required continuing education course. We require applicants to submit their application forms directly to a contractor we hired to assist with the management of the prerequisites for direct payment. Every year, the contractor evaluates the applications, conducts verification investigations, and issues recommendations to us regarding applicants' eligibility to sit for the examination and eligibility to receive direct payment. The respondents are non-attorneys who want to receive direct payment of their fees for representational services before SSA.

Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 111 - 142 3 Name of Law: Social Security Disability Applicants Access to Professional Representation Act of 2010
PL: Pub.L. 108 - 203 205 and 303 Name of Law: Social Security Protection Act of 2004

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 34703	06/05/2020
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 51536	08/20/2020
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate
Annual Number of Responses	2,046	2,065	-1,057	1,038
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	629	976	-596	249
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	200,000	-200,000	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: When we last cleared this IC in 2017, the burden was 2,065 hours. However, we are currently reporting a burden of 4,179 hours. This change stems an increase in the number of responses from 976 to 2,091. There is no change to the burden time per response. Although the number of responses changed, SSA did not take any actions to cause this change. These figures represent current Management Information data.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $107,142

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Faye Lipsky 410 965-8783 faye.lipsky@ssa.gov

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