E-SMS Field App Privacy Policy and Private Act Statement


Federal Privacy Policy and Privacy Act Statement for E-SMS Field Application Department of the Army — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Last Updated: August 27, 2026 This document serves as both the official Privacy Policy and the Privacy Act Statement for the Enterprise SMS (E-SMS) Field Application ("the App"), managed and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

  1. Privacy Act Statement (5 U.S.C. § 552a)
    In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the following disclosures are made regarding the collection of information within the E-SMS Field Application:
    • Authority: 10 U.S.C. 7013, Secretary of the Army; Army Regulation 25-22 (The Army Privacy Program).
    • Principal Purpose: To facilitate field assessments, site data collection, and asset management via mobile devices by authorized Federal personnel and contractors.
    • Routine Uses: Information collected may be shared within the Department of War (DoW) and with authorized federal contractors for official operational, maintenance, and administrative purposes. It may also be disclosed under standard DoW Routine Uses, such as to law enforcement agencies for investigative purposes.
    • Disclosure: Voluntary. If you choose not to grant the requested mobile permissions (such as camera or location services), you may be unable to utilize specific features of the App, such as uploading assessment photos or plotting coordinates on a map.
  2. Information Collected and Data Minimization
    To align with federal data minimization principles (OMB Circular A-130), the App only requests access to resources strictly necessary for its authorized official functions.
    1. Account Registration
      • No Public Account Creation: The E-SMS Field App does not support or offer public user registration or account creation. Access is restricted to authorized government employees and contractors utilizing pre-established federal authentication mechanisms.
    2. Device Permissions (User-Controlled)
      To perform official field duties, the App utilizes the following hardware capabilities:
      • Camera and Photo Library: Allows field operators to document assessments, capture barcodes, and attach photographic evidence to official records.
      • Services (GPS): Associates precise geographic coordinates with field assessments, assets, and maps.
      Note: You can modify or revoke these permissions at any time via your device’s operating system settings.
    3. Automatically Collected Technical Information
      To ensure system security, stability, and federal cybersecurity compliance, the following diagnostic metadata is automatically logged when the App is active:
      • Internet Protocol (IP) address.
      • Operating system version and device model.
      • Application crash logs and performance metrics.
      • Unique device identifiers (e.g., IDFV) strictly for session management.
      This technical diagnostic data is never used to track your personal activities outside of the App, nor is it linked to commercial advertising systems.
  3. Data Retention and Federal Records Management
    Federal entities are required to follow additional record maintenance laws.
    • Records Act: All data collected, processed, or submitted via the E-SMS Field Application is managed under the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. Chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33).
    • NARA Retention Schedules: Technical log data, diagnostics, and field data are retained and disposed of strictly in accordance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) General Records Schedules (GRS) and specific Army/USACE records retention plans. No records are deleted arbitrarily.
  4. Third-Party Disclosures and Tracking
    • No Commercial Sharing: USACE does not sell, rent, trade, or otherwise disclose any information collected through this App to commercial third parties.
    • No Third-Party SDK Commercialization: No commercial third-party advertising, tracking, or marketing Software Development Kits (SDKs) are embedded within this App.
    • Authorized Contractors: Data is only shared with authorized federal IT contractors who are contractually bound by federal privacy clauses (including Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Privacy Act clauses) to provide the same level of legal protection as USACE.
  5. Security of Your Information
    The security of your data is a federal mandate.
    • Federal Standards: Information collected is stored on secure DoW or Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) authorized cloud servers.
    • Compliance: Security protocols conform to the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special
      • Publication 800-53, and DoW Cybersecurity directives.
    • Access Controls: Access to technical logs and operational database fields is restricted to authorized administrative personnel with a verified "need-to-know" who
      • have completed mandatory annual DoW Information Assurance (IA) training.
  6. Children's Privacy (COPPA & OMB Compliance)
    The E-SMS Field Application is a specialized tool designed solely for federal and professional field operations. In compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and OMB guidance, the App does not target, nor is it intended for, individuals under the age of 13. USACE does not knowingly collect any personal information from children.