SEC 31 System of Records Notice

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
SEC-31: Correspondence Response Systems
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
Unclassified.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. Also,
records covered by Subsystem A are received by and maintained in the Commission’s
Regional Offices, whose addresses are listed below under System Manager(s) and Address.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
Subsystem A: Chief Counsel, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Securities and
Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549; New York Regional
Office, Regional Director, 3 World Financial Center, Suite 400, New York, NY 10281-1022;
Boston Regional Office, Regional Director, 33 Arch Street, 23rd Floor, Boston, MA 021101424; Philadelphia Regional Office, Regional Director, The Mellon Independence Center,
701 Market Street, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, PA 19106-1532; Miami Regional Office,
Regional Director, 801 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1800, Miami, FL 33131-4901, Atlanta
Regional Office, Regional Director, 3475 Lenox Road, NE, Suite 1000, Atlanta, GA 303261232; Chicago Regional Office, Regional Director, 175 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 900,
Chicago, IL 60604-2908; Denver Regional Office, Regional Director, 1801 California Street,
Suite 1500, Denver, CO 80202-2656; Fort Worth Regional Office, Regional Director,
Burnett Plaza, Suite 1900, 801 Cherry Street, Unit #18, Fort Worth, TX 76102-6882; Salt
Lake Regional Office, Regional Director, 15 West South Temple Street, Suite 1800, Salt
Lake City, UT 84101-1573; Los Angeles Regional Office, Regional Director, 5670 Wilshire
Boulevard, 11th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90036-3648; San Francisco Regional Office,
Regional Director, 44 Montgomery Street, Suite 2600, San Francisco, CA 94104-4716.

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Subsystem B: Office of the Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street,
NE, Washington, DC 20549.
AUTHORI TY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
15 U.S.C. 77s, 77sss, 78d, 78d-1, 78d-2, 78w, 78ll(d), 79t, 80a-37, and 80b-11.
PURPOSE OF THE SYSTEM:
The records will be used by the staff to track and process complaints/inquiries/requests from
members of the public and others.
CATEGORI ES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
Subsystem A:
Records are maintained in the Investor Response Information System (IRIS) on members of
the public and others who submit questions or complaints to the Commission generally, or to
Divisions and Offices of the Commission, or who contact the Office of Investor Education
and Advocacy or the Commission’s Regional Offices.
Subsystem B:
Records are maintained in the Chairman’s Correspondence System (CCS) on members of the
public, members of Congress or their staff, and others who address their inquiries or
complaints to the Commission’s Chairman’s Office or to the Office of Legislative and
Intergovernmental Affairs.
CATEGORI ES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
Both electronic and paper records in this system/subsystems may contain the name of the
complainant/inquirer/requester or their representative, the name of the entity and/or subject of
the complaint/inquiry/request, the date relating to the receipt and disposition of the
complaint/inquiry/request, Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and other sensitive
information such as investment account information, and, where applicable, the type of
complaint/inquiry/request and other information derived from or relating to the

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complaint/inquiry/request. Paper records may include, but are not limited to, letters of
complaint/inquiry/request, responses, and related documentation.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORI ES:
Information collected in all subsystems is received from individuals primarily through web
forms, email, letters, telephone calls, or personal visits to the Commission's offices.

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ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAI NED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING
CATEGORI ES OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 552a(b) of the Privacy
Act, these records or information contained therein may specifically be disclosed outside the
Commission as a routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552 a(b)(3) as follows:
1. To appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when (a) it is suspected or confirmed that the
security or confidentiality of information in the system of records has been compromised; (b)
the SEC has determined that, as a result of the suspected or confirmed compromise, there is a
risk of harm to economic or property interests, identity theft or fraud, or harm to the security
or integrity of this system or other systems or programs (whether maintained by the SEC or
another agency or entity) that rely upon the compromised information; and (c) the disclosure
made to such agencies, entities, and persons is reasonably necessary to assist in connection
with the SEC’s efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed compromise and prevent,
minimize, or remedy such harm.
2. To other federal, state, local, or foreign law enforcement agencies; securities selfregulatory organizations; and foreign financial regulatory authorities to assist in or coordinate
regulatory or law enforcement activities with the SEC.
3. To national securities exchanges and national securities associations that are registered
with the SEC, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board; the Securities Investor Protection
Corporation; the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board; the federal banking
authorities, including, but not limited to, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;
state securities regulatory agencies or organizations; or regulatory authorities of a foreign
government in connection with their regulatory or enforcement responsibilities.

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4. By SEC personnel for purposes of investigating possible violations of, or to conduct
investigations authorized by, the federal securities laws.
5. In any proceeding where the federal securities laws are in issue or in which the
Commission, or past or present members of its staff, is a party or otherwise involved in an
official capacity.
6. In connection with proceedings by the Commission pursuant to Rule 102(e) of its Rules of
Practice, 17 CFR 201.102(e).
7. To a bar association, state accountancy board, or other federal, state, local, or foreign
licensing or oversight authority; or professional association or self-regulatory authority to the
extent that it performs similar functions (including the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board) for investigations or possible disciplinary action.
8. To a federal, state, local, tribal, foreign, or international agency, if necessary to obtain
information relevant to the SEC’s decision concerning the hiring or retention of an employee;
the issuance of a security clearance; the letting of a contract; or the issuance of a license,
grant, or other benefit.
9. To a federal, state, local, tribal, foreign, or international agency in response to its request
for information concerning the hiring or retention of an employee; the issuance of a security
clearance; the reporting of an investigation of an employee; the letting of a contract; or the
issuance of a license, grant, or other benefit by the requesting agency, to the extent that the
information is relevant and necessary to the requesting agency's decision on the matter.
10. To produce summary descriptive statistics and analytical studies, as a data source for
management information, in support of the function for which the records are collected and
maintained or for related personnel management functions or manpower studies; may also be
used to respond to general requests for statistical information (without personal identification
of individuals) under the Freedom of Information Act.

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11. To any trustee, receiver, master, special counsel, or other individual or entity that is
appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction, or as a result of an agreement between the
parties in connection with litigation or administrative proceedings involving allegations of
violations of the federal securities laws (as defined in section 3(a)(47) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(47)) or pursuant to the Commission’s Rules of
Practice, 17 CFR 201.100 – 900 or the Commission’s Rules of Fair Fund and Disgorgement
Plans, 17 CFR 201.1100-1106, or otherwise, where such trustee, receiver, master, special
counsel, or other individual or entity is specifically designated to perform particular functions
with respect to, or as a result of, the pending action or proceeding or in connection with the
administration and enforcement by the Commission of the federal securities laws or the
Commission’s Rules of Practice or the Rules of Fair Fund and Disgorgement Plans.
12. To any persons during the course of any inquiry, examination, or investigation conducted
by the SEC’s staff, or in connection with civil litigation, if the staff has reason to believe that
the person to whom the record is disclosed may have further information about the matters
related therein, and those matters appeared to be relevant at the time to the subject matter of
the inquiry.
13. To interns, grantees, experts, contractors, and others who have been engaged by the
Commission to assist in the performance of a service related to this system of records and
who need access to the records for the purpose of assisting the Commission in the efficient
administration of its programs, including by performing clerical, stenographic, or data
analysis functions, or by reproduction of records by electronic or other means. Recipients of
these records shall be required to comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974,
as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a.
14. In reports published by the Commission pursuant to authority granted in the federal
securities laws (as such term is defined in section 3(a)(47) of the Securities Exchange Act of

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1934, 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(47)), which authority shall include, but not be limited to, section
21(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78u(a)).
15. To members of advisory committees that are created by the Commission or by Congress
to render advice and recommendations to the Commission or to Congress, to be used solely
in connection with their official designated functions.
16. To any person who is or has agreed to be subject to the Commission’s Rules of Conduct,
17 CFR 200.735-1 to 200.735-18, and who assists in the investigation by the Commission of
possible violations of the federal securities laws (as such term is defined in section 3(a)(47)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(47)), in the preparation or conduct
of enforcement actions brought by the Commission for such violations, or otherwise in
connection with the Commission’s enforcement or regulatory functions under the federal
securities laws.
17. To a Congressional office from the record of an individual in response to an inquiry from
the Congressional office made at the request of that individual.
18. To members of Congress, the press, and the public in response to inquiries relating to
particular Registrants and their activities, and other matters under the Commission’s
jurisdiction.
19. To prepare and publish information relating to violations of the federal securities laws as
provided in 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(47)), as amended.
20. To respond to subpoenas in any litigation or other proceeding.
21. To a trustee in bankruptcy.
22. To members of Congress, the General Accountability Office, or others charged with
monitoring the work of the Commission or conducting records management inspections.
23. To respond to inquiries from individuals who have submitted
complaints/inquiries/request, or from their representatives.

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24. To entities against which complaints/inquiries/requests are directed when Commission
staff requests them to research the issues raised and report back to the staff.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES STORAGE OF RECORDS:
Records are maintained in electronic and paper format. Electronic records are stored in
computerized databases and/or on computer disc. Paper records and records on computer disc
are stored in file rooms and/or file cabinets, as well as off-site locations including the Federal
Records Center, pursuant to applicable record retention guidelines.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
The files (both paper and electronic) in Subsystems A and B are retrievable by the name,
receipt date, name of the registered representative or associated person named in the
complaint/inquiry/request, or the name of the entity/issuer that is the subject of the
complaint/inquiry/request.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
These records will be maintained until they become inactive, at which time they will be
retired or destroyed in accordance with records schedules of the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and as approved by the National Archives and Records
Administration.
ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
Records are safeguarded in a secured environment. Buildings where records are stored have
security cameras and 24 hour security guard service. The records are kept in limited access
areas during duty hours and in file cabinets and/or offices or file rooms at all other times.
Computerized records are safeguarded through use of access codes and information
technology security. Contractors and other recipients providing services to the Commission
are contractually obligated to maintain equivalent safeguards.

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RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
Persons wishing to obtain information on the procedures for gaining access to or contesting
the contents of these records may contact the FOIA/PA Officer, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549-5100.
CONTESTI NG RECORD PROCEDURES:
See Record Access Procedures above.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
All requests to determine whether this system of records contains a record pertaining to the
requesting individual may be directed to the FOIA/PA Officer, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549-5100.
EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
Under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), this system of records is exempted from the following provisions
of the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), (H), and (I), and (f) and 17
CFR 200.303, 200.304, and 200.306, insofar as it contains investigatory materials compiled
for law enforcement purposes. This exemption is contained in 17 CFR 200.312(a)(1).
HISTORY:

This SORN was last published in full in the Federal Register at 76 FR 30213 (May
24, 2011). Subsequent notices of revision can be found at the following citations:
− 76 FR 57636 (September 18, 2011)

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