Federal, State and local correctional and mental health institutions may report inmate information to the Social Security Administration (SSA) with or without a written agreement. However, if an institution wants to receive incentive payments for its inmate reports, the Social Security Act requires that the institution enter into a written agreement with SSA.

We offer two types of inmate reporting agreements into which institutions may enter depending on their needs and reporting abilities. The types of agreements are:

1. 1. 

   the informal reporting agreement (IRA); and

2. 2. 

   the Title II/Title XVI Incentive Payment Memorandum of Understanding (IPMOU).

In the past, we offered State and local institutions a Computer Matching and Privacy Act Agreement and a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). We now use the formal MOU as a reporting agreement only with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Contact your regional prisoner coordinator (RPC) if you have questions regarding reporting agreements, need a template for a reporting agreement, or need a copy of a specific agreement. For RPC contact information, see GN 02607.990. If the RPC cannot provide information about a specific reporting agreement, the RPC should contact the Office of Privacy and Disclosure in Central Office for assistance.

When entering a Title II/Title XVI IPMOU, the reporting institution agrees to:

• •

  submit the Social Security Number (SSN) and other definitive identifying information we need to verify each inmate’s identity;

• •

  submit an initial report containing total inmate population and subsequent annual inmate census reports if SSA requests them; and

• •

  submit monthly reports of inmate admissions, convictions, and releases; and

• •

  notify us of changes in its staff and reporting problems that may affect the institution's monthly inmate reporting cycle.

RPCs are responsible for overseeing the reporting agreement negotiation process. Depending upon regional practices, the RPC or the parallel field office (FO) manager negotiates reporting agreements with the appropriate representatives of correctional and mental health institutions.

SSA established the IRCS to maintain information on all correctional and mental health institutions that report inmate data to SSA. When an institution signs a reporting agreement, the RPC or parallel FO manager enters information about the agreement and the institution into IRCS. For instructions on adding information to IRCS, see GN 02607.420 and MSOM PRISON 002.001.