The Privacy Act governs federal agency systems of records and can flow into contractor operations when a contractor operates or supports a system of records for an agency.
In plain terms. The Privacy Act governs federal agency systems of records and can flow into contractor operations when a contractor operates or supports a system of records for an agency.
Who it applies to. It applies to federal agencies directly and contractors that operate, maintain, or support Privacy Act systems by contract.
What it requires. In practice, contractors should limit collection, use, disclosure, retention, and access to records about individuals; follow system-of-records notices and contract clauses; and protect personally identifiable information (PII).
Why it matters. For GovConCyber, the key is to translate the law into contract-performance terms without overstating the source. The page should tell readers whether the requirement affects eligibility, representations, contract performance, flowdowns, data handling, incident response, or enforcement exposure.
Citation. Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a.