Effective Dates: 03/08/2024 - Present Previous | Next

TN 7 (03-24)

DX 00101.010 Overview of the Data Exchange Program

A. Background of Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Office of Data Exchange (ODX)

Data exchange has been a vital part of SSA, starting in 1937 with our first exchange of information with the Railroad Retirement Board. In the late 1960s, SSA began sharing data electronically with the States to support public assistance programs. Over the years, various SSA components initiated and handled the data exchanges. There was no centralized or agency-wide office for SSA’s data exchange activities and no standardized data exchange policy. In 2013, SSA established the Office of Data Exchange and Policy Publications (ODEPP), which became the Office of Data Exchange, Policy Publications, and International Negotiations (ODEPPIN) in October of 2018. ODEPPIN’s Office of Data Exchange and International Agreements (ODXIA) serves as SSA's focal point for agency-wide data exchange activities and provides comprehensive guidance on data exchange processes. Also, ODXIA is the lead for standardized written policies and procedures on the agency’s data exchange activities.

B. What is data exchange?

1. Definition of data exchange

Data exchange is primarily the one or two-way electronic sharing of individual or aggregated personally identifiable information with a government or private entity.

NOTE: Not all information sharing falls under the definition of data exchange. Information sharing that is administrative instead of programmatic, or manually processed, does not meet the criteria of a data exchange under the purview of ODXIA. An example of administrative sharing that is not a data exchange is SSA sharing its payroll data with the Department of the Interior for payroll purposes.

2. Data exchange partners

Data exchange partners are those government agencies (federal, state, local, tribal, and foreign) or private entities with whom SSA exchanges data by outgoing or incoming data exchanges.

NOTE: Individuals or private entities seeking SSA data that do not fit the definition of data exchange partners must make their request according to the guidance in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Refer to the Office of Privacy and Disclosure’s (OPD) FOIA page for information on requesting data through the FOIA process.

3. Outgoing data exchanges

An outgoing data exchange is data flowing out of SSA to a data exchange partner; SSA is the source agency.

4. Incoming data exchanges

An incoming data exchange is data flowing into SSA from a data exchange partner; SSA is the recipient agency.

C. Why do we need data exchanges?

SSA exchanges data to achieve the following:

  • •

    Prevent improper payments.

  • •

    Prevent overpayments and underpayments.

  • •

    Reduce the need for the public to visit field offices.

  • •

    Reduce administrative cost and increase efficiency.

  • •

    Provide verifications and data to authorized entities.

  • •

    Support statistical and research activities.

  • •

    Assist external partners in administering state and Federal benefit programs.

Common reasons for initiating a data exchange are:

  • •

    Agency or executive directive to pursue a data exchange.

  • •

    General Accountability Office or Office of Inspector General audit recommendation.

  • •

    Supporting an agency’s or entity’s program or business process, when legally permissible.

  • •

    Supporting SSA’s programmatic needs and improving SSA’s services.

D. Legal authority for SSA to share and receive data

When SSA engages in a data exchange, we must have the legal authority to share and receive the data. SSA has legal authority to share and receive certain information through Federal statutes, such as the Social Security Act, the Privacy Act, and the Internal Revenue Code. For information on Basic Disclosure Policy, refer to GN 03301.005.

E. Data exchange agreements

It is the agency’s policy to ensure that our data exchange activities are supported by data exchange agreements. A data exchange agreement documents the terms and conditions under which the source and recipient agency or entity will exchange data and the provisions under which the exchange will occur. Our agreements are subject to the Privacy Act and other relevant statues, regulations, security requirements, and Office of Management and Budget guidelines.

The Office of the General Counsel, usually the Office of General Law, Office 1, Disclosure Law Branch, determines which type of data exchange agreement (i.e., Information Exchange Agreement, Computer Matching Agreement, or Memorandum of Understanding) is necessary to support a specific data exchange process.

F. Data exchange transmission methods

SSA exchanges data through the following methods:

  1. 1. 

    Batch exchange: sharing data as a group response through overnight processing rather than a single or real-time response. We use this method generally with large volumes of data.

  2. 2. 

    Real-time processing: immediate sharing of data in response to a system query received from a terminal or other online or web-based application to access SSA’s data. Data sharing occurs immediately at the time the user accesses the terminal, online, or web-based application.

G. Requesting a data exchange

1. When an agency or entity requests a data exchange with SSA (outgoing data exchange)

When an external agency or entity requests data from SSA, the requesting agency or entity must submit a completed Form SSA-157, Data Exchange Request Form (DXRF) to ODEPPIN for review. To request a new or expanded data exchange with SSA, refer to SSA’s Data Exchange website. This request must specify:

  • •

    the information being requested and why,

  • •

    the legal authority supporting the request,

  • •

    the anticipated volume and frequency of the request,

  • •

    the security measures available or in place to protect the data received from SSA, and

  • •

    the history of past data exchanges with SSA, i.e., an explanation of the requesting entity’s current and previous data exchange agreements with SSA, if any.

2. SSA evaluates data exchange requests using answers to the following standard questions (NOTE: We ask for additional information as needed to evaluate requests.):

  1. a. 

    Is the data exchange legal under current law?

  2. b. 

    Is the data available to support the data exchange request?

  3. c. 

    Are systems resources available to support the request?

  4. d. 

    Will the data exchange improve service delivery?

  5. e. 

    Is the data exchange secure?

  6. f. 

    Are there any program benefits to SSA or the requesting organization?

  7. g. 

    Will SSA be fully reimbursed?

  8. h. 

    Does the data exchange fall within ODXIA’s operational and guiding principle boundaries?

NOTE: If a current data exchange partner (with an active data exchange agreement with SSA) wishes to change their current data exchange activity, e.g., add data elements from their current exchange, the data exchange partner must document the request by submitting a new DXRF to ODEPPIN for review.

3. When SSA requests a data exchange with an external agency or entity (incoming data exchange)

When SSA requires data from an external agency or entity to administer our programs, ODXIA’s incoming data exchange liaison serves as the point of contact and works with our sponsoring component to request the data exchange.

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/2400101010
DX 00101.010 - Overview of the Data Exchange Program - 03/08/2024
Batch run: 03/08/2024
Rev:03/08/2024