OMB Guidelines for Matching Programs

Citation
Office of Management and Budget, OMB Guidelines for Matching Programs, Appendix E to Part 323, Code of Federal Regulations (Jan. 7, 2011) (full-text).

Overview
These Guidelines supplement and are used in conjunction with OMB Guidelines on the Administration of the Privacy Act of 1974, issued on July 1, 1975, and supplemented on November 21, 1975. They replace earlier guidance on conducting computerized matching programs issued on March 30, 1979. They are intended to help agencies relate the procedural requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974 to the operational requirements of computerized matching.

These Guidelines are designed to address the concern expressed by the Congress in the Privacy Act of 1974 that "the increasing use of computers and sophisticated information technology, while essential to the efficient operation of the Government, has greatly magnified the harm to individual privacy that can occur from any collection, maintenance, use, or dissemination of personal information."

These Guidelines do not authorize activities that are not permitted by law, nor do they prohibit activities expressly required to be performed by law. Complying with these guidelines, however, does not relieve a Federal agency of the obligation to comply with the provisions of the Privacy Act, including any provisions not cited in these guidelines.