Form SSA-9901 HOW TO REQUEST SSA PROGRAM DATA FOR RESEARCH

OMB Control No 0960-0754
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

HOW TO REQUEST SSA PROGRAM DATA FOR RESEARCH
To request SSA program data for research, you must complete and sign the application
below. We require that you provide us with both a printed version and an electronic
version of the completed application and other documentation to support your case for
approval.
1. Send the printed version of the completed application and support documentation to
the Associate Commissioner for Research, Evaluation, and Statistics (ORES) so that
we may evaluate our ability to authorize your use of the data for your research
project. Address the envelope to:
Office of Research, Evaluation,
and Statistics (ORES)
Office of Policy
Social Security Administration
Attn: Division of Earnings Statistics and Analysis
4-C-15 Operations/ c/o 4th Floor Meadows East Building
6401 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, Maryland 21235;
AND
2. Email the completed application and support documentation electronically to
Ores.research.requests@ssa.gov.
NOTE: Generally, we can provide only aggregations, tabulations and/or statistical
outputs of SSA program data to qualified researchers. In rare instances, we release micro
data, i.e. individual data records with or without identifiers, to state and federal agencies
or their contractors/grantees. Micro data records may also be released to non-government
entities provided they have signed SSA, Office of Privacy and Disclosure approved
consent forms.
These data records may be used for research and statistical purposes only. You may not
use the records for programmatic or enforcement purposes. Requestors of micro data
must complete questions 12 through 14.
If you wish administrative data for specific individuals, we will require you to submit an
input file of the subjects. This input file must include the following information for each
subject: Social security number (SSN), full name, date of birth, and sex. To insure that
we do not give out inaccurate information, we use the full name, date of birth, and sex

HOW TO REQUEST SSA PROGRAM DATA FOR RESEARCH - continued
information to validate each SSN. In turn, we provide information ONLY for those
records that pass validation. We do not provide information on non-validated SSNs, e.g.
a name that does not match the SSN or the SSN is alphanumeric.
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)
(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

Your name, agency/organization, address, and phone number and the name,
organization, address, and phone number of the organization that will be receiving
the data (if different);
A description of your project, its purpose, and the intended outcome (that is, a
dissertation, research for publication, fulfillment of a grant or contract and the
grant/contract sponsor, etc.). Please note that you may not use SSA micro data
files for non-research purposes;
A description of the way in which this project will further SSA’s mission to
promote the economic security of the nation’s people through its administration of
the Old Age and Survivors Insurance Program, the Disability Insurance Program,
and/or the Supplemental Security Income Program;
A description of the types of data needed (that is, indication of receipt of benefits,
age, gender, average earnings, etc.). If you are requesting certain variables, please
list these as well as the number of cases in your study;
Indicate the form of data needed to accomplish the purposes of your study.
Options include tabulations, statistical outputs, micro data from SSA’s program
records for individuals, and SSA data for individuals that have been linked to
other sources of data. (Reminder: We normally release information in the form of
aggregates or individual data that cannot be associated with an individual, and
only in rare instances do we release micro data);
If data are needed for a particular cohort of individuals, describe the information
you have on these individuals (for example, social security numbers, names, and
dates of birth);
An indication of the time frame within which you need the data;
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) of your organization or the institution
supporting the research, the Dun & Bradstreet Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) Number, and the specific person (and title) who will sign agreements to
reimburse SSA for expenses incurred in supplying the data. If you represent a
Federal Agency, the Agency Locator Code (ALC), the Treasury Accounting
Symbol (TAS), the Business Partner Network (BPN), and the Business Event
Type Code (BETC) are also required;
To protect data from theft or modification, SSA recommends that requestors
encrypt all input files submitted to SSA. Submitting unencrypted data to SSA is
not recommended and is done at the requestor’s own risk.
Are you a State or Federal Agency or Affiliate of a State or Federal Agency? If
yes, please explain relationship, e.g. University of XYZ owned by the State of
XXXXX. Proof of affiliation may be required.
Provide a list of all persons who will have access to the information provided by
SSA. In addition to the staff of the requesting organization, include any "other
party" receiving (or having contractual or other rights to) any information

SSA-9901

provided by SSA. "Other parties" would include consultants, collaborators,
contractors, subcontractors, and sponsoring or participating agencies or
organizations.
HOW TO REQUEST SSA PROGRAM DATA FOR RESEARCH - continued
Persons of the requesting organization must sign the enclosed “Confidentiality
Agreement.” “Other parties” must sign the enclosed “Conditions of Use
Agreement;”
For those requesting micro data:
(12)
(13)
(14)

(15)
(16)
(17)

A description of other sources of data to which you will be linking SSA data (if
applicable);
Plans to publish or release the research results including whether any supporting
documentation will be made available in identifiable form;
Your completed “SSA Data Protection Plan” (see enclosed “Guidance for
Preparing an SSA Data Protection Plan”) detailing the procedures and computer
configuration to ensure the confidentiality of the data supplied by SSA;
Length of time you need to retain the data in identifiable form and the location
where the data will be housed.
Planned final disposition of the SSA data to include the date when the data will be
destroyed.
SSA security policy requires that all data transmissions be completed using a
secure electronic file transfer protocol such as Secure File Transfer Protocol
(SFTPO or a secure Electronic Data Transmission (EDT) capability compliant
with SSA standards. Many State and Federal Agencies already have existing
electronic file transfer set-ups with SSA. Please describe in detail your current or
suggested electronic capability for two data transmissions.

________________________________________
Requestor’s Signature

___________________________________
Date

________________________________________
Print Requestor Name Clearly

____________________________________
Title/Affiliation

This information will be forwarded to the Data Request Review Panel. The Review
Panel will address issues such as SSA’s legal authorization to release the data to you, the
types and format of the data to be released, and reimbursement issues.
SSA-9901

SSA will insert the following revised PRA Statement into the form at its
next scheduled reprinting:
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement - This information collection meets the
requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507, as amended by section 2 of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995. You do not need to answer these questions unless we display a valid Office
of Management and Budget control number. We estimate that it will take about 4 hours to
read the instructions, gather the facts, and answer the questions. Send only comments
relating to our time estimate above to: SSA, 6401 Security Blvd, Baltimore, MD 212356401.

SSA-9901

SSA will insert the following revised Privacy Act Statement into the form at its
next scheduled reprinting:
Privacy Act Statement
Collection and Use of Personal Information

Section 205(a) of the Social Security Act, as amended, authorizes us to collect this information.
We will use the information to facilitate your request for research and statistical purposes.
Furnishing us the information is voluntary. However, failing to provide us with all or part of the
requested information may result in the delay or denial of your application.
We rarely use the information for any purpose other than the reasons explained above. However,
we may use it for the administration and integrity of our programs. We may also disclose the
information to another person or to another agency in accordance with approved routine uses,
including, but not limited to the following:
1.

To comply with Federal laws requiring the release of information from our
records (e.g., to the Government Accountability Office and Department of
Veterans Affairs); and

2.

To facilitate statistical research, audit, and investigatory activities necessary to
assure the integrity and improvement of our programs (e.g., to the Bureau of the
Census and to private entities under contract with us).

A complete list of routine uses of this information is available in our Privacy Act System of
Records Notice entitled, Disability Studies, Surveys, Records, and Extracts (Statistics), 60-0196.
This notice, additional information regarding our programs and systems are available on-line at
www.socialsecurity.gov or at your Social Security office.