(a) The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (Pub. L. 113-67), Section 203, provides for the establishment of a fee-based certification program for persons who seek access to the Death Master File (DMF), and prohibits disclosure of DMF information for an individual during the three-calendar-year period following the individual's death, unless the person requesting the information has been certified.

(b) This part is applicable to any Person seeking access to a Limited Access DMF, as defined in this part.

The following definitions are applicable to this part:

Act. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (Pub. L. 113-67).

Accredited Conformity Assessment Body. A third party conformity assessment body that is accredited by an accreditation body under nationally or internationally recognized criteria such as, but not limited to, International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 27006-2011, “Information technology—Security techniques—Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of information security management systems,” to attest that a Person or Certified Person has systems, facilities and procedures in place to safeguard Limited Access DMF.

Certified Person. A Person who has been certified under the certification program established under this part and is eligible to access the Limited Access DMF.

DMF. Death Master File.

Death Master File. Information on the name, social security account number, date of birth, and date of death of deceased individuals maintained by the Commissioner of Social Security, other than information that was provided to such Commissioner under section 205(r) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(r)).

Limited Access DMF. The DMF product made available by NTIS which includes DMF with respect to any deceased individual at any time during the three-calendar-year period beginning on the date of the individual's death. As used in this part, Limited Access DMF does not include an individual element of information (name, social security number, date of birth, or date of death) in the possession of a Person, whether or not certified, but obtained by such Person through a source independent of the Limited Access DMF. If a Person obtains, or a third party subsequently provides to such Person, death information (i.e., the name, social security account number, date of birth, or date of death) independently, such information in the possession of such Person is not part of the Limited Access DMF or subject to this part.

NTIS. The National Technical Information Service, United States Department of Commerce.

Open Access DMF. The DMF product made available by NTIS which does not include DMF with respect to any deceased individual at any time during the three-calendar-year period beginning on the date of the individual's death.

Person. Includes corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, joint stock companies, and other private organizations, and state and local government departments and agencies, as well as individuals.