112 STAT. 1734 PUBLIC LAW 105-244 —OCT. 7, 1998 Deadline. is subsequently submitted by the applicant. The Secretary shall prescribe such version not later than 120 days sifter the date of enactment of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998. "(B) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the use of the form developed by the Secretary pursuant to subparagraph (A) by an eligible institution, eligible lender, guaranty agency. State grant agency, private computer software providers, a consortium thereof, or such other entities as the Secretary may designate. "(C) No fee shall be charged to students in connection with the use of the electronic version of the form, or of any other electronic forms used in conjunction with such form in applying for Federal or State student financial assistance. Privacy. "(D) The Secretary shall ensure that data collection complies with section 552a of title 5, United States Code, and that any entity using the electronic version of the form developed by the Secretary pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall maintain reasonable and appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the information, and to protect against security threats, or unauthorized uses or disclosures of the information provided on the electronic version of the form. Data collected by such version of the form shall be used only for the application, award, and administration of aid awarded under this title. State aid, or aid awarded by eligible institutions or such entities as the Secretary may designate. No data collected by such version of the form shall be used for making final aid awards under this title until such data have been processed by the Secretary or a contractor or designee of the Secretary. " (6) THIRD PARTY SERVICERS AND PRIVATE SOFTWARE PROVIDERS.— To the extent practicable and in a timely manner, the Secretary shall provide, to private organizations and consortia that develop software used by eligible institutions for the administration of funds under this title, all the necessary specifications that the organizations and consortia must meet for the software the organizations and consortia develop, produce, and distribute (including any diskette, modem, or network communications) which are so used. The specifications shall contain record layouts for required data. The Secretary shall develop in advance of each processing cycle an annual schedule for providing such specifications. The Secretary, to the extent practicable, shall use means of providing such specifications, including conferences and other meetings, outreach, and technical support mechanisms (such as treiining and printed ref- erence materials). The Secretary shall, from time to time, solicit from such organizations and consortia means of improving the support provided by the Secretary. " (7) PARENT'S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND BIRTH DATE.— The Secretary is authorized to include on the form developed under this subsection space for the social security number and birth date of parents of dependent students seeking financial assistance under this title.". (b) STREAMLINED REAPPLICATION PROCESS. —Section 483(b)(l) 20 USC 1090. is amended by striking ", within 240 days" and all that follows through "of 1992,". (c) INFORMATION TO COMMITTEES.— Section 483(c) is amended by striking "and Labor" and inserting "and the Workforce".
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