SPARK Institute Launches API Guidelines for Recordkeepers, TPAs

The SPARK Institute today announced the release of its API Integration Guidelines for Recordkeepers and TPAs, a set of voluntary best practices designed to modernize, secure, and streamline data exchange in the retirement plan industry.

Developed by SPARK’s Third-Party Administrator (TPA) Committee in collaboration with industry stakeholders, the guidelines offer a foundational framework for firms seeking to build or enhance API connectivity across platforms.

“This is about creating a common language,” said Tim Rouse, executive director of the SPARK Institute. “These guidelines represent a practical first step toward improving interoperability between recordkeepers and TPAs, while respecting the unique architecture and business needs of each firm.”

The new guidelines outline key use cases—such as census data exchange, deferral elections, loan updates, trust statements, and contribution confirmations—and recommend baseline data fields, suggested API workflows, and security best practices. While not a formal technical specification, the document is designed to help firms align on core processes and reduce friction in data integration.

“We know how much time and effort is lost to inconsistent data formats, manual reconciliation, and outdated connectivity,” said Joe Burt, president of Pension Plan Specialists P.C. and chair of SPARK’s TPA Committee. “Our goal was to build a shared starting point that all TPAs and recordkeepers can work from. This isn’t about mandates—it’s about momentum. These guidelines can help our industry move forward, together.”

While the current guidelines are focused on TPA and recordkeeper integration, SPARK emphasized that future efforts will also involve other critical players in the retirement ecosystem, including payroll providers, software compliance firms, and middleware technology partners. The goal is to foster a more seamless, efficient, and secure flow of data across the full value chain of plan administration.SPARK also announced that upcoming API guideline projects will focus on:

• Participant Balances API – Enabling secure, real-time access to participant account data
• Participant Distributions API – Supporting efficient processing and confirmation of withdrawals and rollovers