PART 24

PROTECTION OF PRIVACY AND
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

24.000 Scope of part.

This part prescribes policies and procedures that apply requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) (the Act) and OMB Circular No. A-130, December 12, 1985, to Government contracts and cites the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended).

SUBPART 24.1--PROTECTION OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY

24.101 Definitions.

"Agency," as used in this subpart, means any executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch of the Government (including the Executive Office of the President), or any independent regulatory agency.

"Individual," as used in this subpart, means a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.

"Maintain," as used in this subpart, means maintain, collect, use, or disseminate.

"Operation of a system of records," as used in this subpart, means performance of any of the activities associated with maintaining the system of records, including the collection, use, and dissemination of records.

"Record," as used in this subpart, means any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by an agency, including, but not limited to, education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history, and that contains the individual's name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a fingerprint or voiceprint or a photograph.

"System of records on individuals," as used in this subpart, means a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual.

24.102 General.

(a) The Act requires that when an agency contracts for the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals on behalf of the agency to accomplish an agency function the agency must apply the requirements of the Act to the contractor and its employees working on the contract.

(b) An agency officer or employee may be criminally liable for violations of the Act. When the contract provides for operation of a system of records on individuals, contractors and their employees are considered employees of the agency for purposes of the criminal penalties of the Act.

(c) If a contract specifically provides for the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals on behalf of an agency to accomplish an agency function, the agency must apply the requirements of the Act to the contractor and its employees working on the contract. The system of records operated under the contract is deemed to be maintained by the agency and is subject to the Act.

(d) Agencies, which within the limits of their authorities, fail to require that systems of records on individuals operated on their behalf under contracts be operated in conformance with the Act may be civilly liable to individuals injured as a consequence of any subsequent failure to maintain records in conformance with the Act.

24.103 Procedures.

(a) The contracting officer shall review requirements to determine whether the contract will involve the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function.

(b) If one or more of those tasks will be required, the contracting officer shall--

(1) Ensure that the contract work statement specifically identifies the system of records on individuals and the design, development, or operation work to be performed; and

(2) Make available, in accordance with agency procedures, agency rules and regulation implementing the Act.

24.104 Contract clauses.

When the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals is required to accomplish an agency function, the contracting officer shall insert the following clauses in solicitations and contracts:

(a) The clause at 52.224-1, Privacy Act Notification.

(b) The clause at 52.224-2, Privacy Act.

SUBPART 24.2--FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

24.201 Authority.

The Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended) provides that information is to be made available to the public either by (a) publication in the Federal Register; (b) providing an opportunity to read and copy records at convenient locations; or (c) upon request, providing a copy of a reasonably described record.

24.202 Policy.

(a) The Act specifies, among other things, how agencies shall make their records available upon public request, imposes strict time standards for agency responses, and exempts certain records from public disclosure. Each agency's implementation of these requirements is located in its respective title of the Code of Federal Regulations and ref-

erenced in Subpart 24.2 of its implementing acquisition regulations.

(b) Contracting officers may receive requests for records that may be exempted from mandatory public disclosure. The exemptions most often applicable are those relating to classified information, to trade secrets and confidential commercial or financial information, to interagency or intra-agency memoranda, or to personal and medical information pertaining to an individual. Since these requests often involve complex issues requiring an in-depth knowledge of a large and increasing body of court rulings and policy guidance, contracting officers are cautioned to comply with the implementing regulations of their agency and to obtain necessary guidance from the agency officials having Freedom of Information Act responsibility. If additional assistance is needed, authorized agency officials may contact the Department of Justice, Office of Information and Privacy.

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24.201 FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR)

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