§ 1150.5 - What notice will I be provided if I owe a debt to the Endowment?

§ 1150.5 What notice will I be provided if I owe a debt to the Endowment?

(a) When the Chairperson determines that you owe a debt to the Endowment, he or she will send you a written notice (Notice). The Notice will be hand-delivered or sent to you by certified mail, return receipt requested at the most current address known to the Endowment. The Notice will inform you of the following:

(1) The amount, nature, and basis of the debt;

(2) That a designated Endowment official has reviewed the claim and determined that it is valid;

(3) That payment of the debt is due as of the date of the Notice, and that the debt will be considered delinquent if you do not pay it within 30 days of the date of the Notice;

(4) The Endowment's policy concerning interest, penalty charges, and administrative costs (see § 1150.7), including a statement that such assessments must be made against you unless excused in accordance with the Federal Claims Collection Standards and this part;

(5) That you have the right to inspect and copy Endowment records pertaining to your debt, or to receive copies of those records if personal inspection is impractical;

(6) That you have the opportunity to enter into an agreement, in writing and signed by both you and the Chairperson, for voluntary repayment of the debt (see § 1150.9); and

(7) The address, telephone number, and name of the Endowment official available to discuss the debt.

(b) Notice of possible collection actions. The Notice provided by the Chairperson under paragraph (a) of this section will also advise you that, if your debt (including any interest, penalty charges, and administrative costs) is not paid within 60 days of the date of the Notice, or you do not enter into a voluntary repayment agreement within 60 days of the date of the Notice, then the Endowment may enforce collection of the debt by any or all of the following methods:

(1) By referral to a credit reporting agency (see § 1150.12), a collection agency (see § 1150.13), or the DOJ (see § 1150.14);

(2) By transferring any debt delinquent for more than 180 days to the Treasury for collection under a cross-servicing agreement with the Treasury (see § 1150.15);

(3) If you are an Endowment employee, by deducting money from your disposable pay account (in the amount and with the frequency, approximate beginning date, and duration specified by the Endowment) until the debt (and all accumulated interest, penalty charges, and administrative costs) is paid in full (see subpart B). Such proceedings are governed by 5 U.S.C. 5514;

(4) If you are an employee of a Federal agency other than the Endowment, by initiating certification procedures to implement a salary offset by that Federal agency (see subpart B). Such proceedings are governed by 5 U.S.C. 5514;

(5) By referring the debt to the Treasury for offset against any refund of overpayment of tax (see subpart C);

(6) By administrative offset (see subpart D); or

(7) By liquidation of security or collateral. When the Endowment holds security or collateral that may be liquidated and the proceeds applied to your debt through the exercise of a power of sale in the security instrument or a nonjudicial foreclosure, such procedures may be followed unless the cost of disposing of the collateral will be disproportionate to its value or special circumstances require judicial foreclosure.

(c) Notice of opportunity for review. The Notice provided by the Chairperson under paragraph (a) of this section will also advise you of the opportunity to obtain a review within the Endowment concerning the existence or amount of the debt, the proposed schedule for offset of Federal employee salary payments, or whether the debt is past due or legally enforceable. The Notice shall also advise you of the following:

(1) The name, address, and telephone number of an officer or employee of the Endowment whom you may contact concerning procedures for requesting a review;

(2) The method and time period for requesting a review;

(3) That the filing of a request for a review on or before the 60th day following the date of the Notice will stay the commencement of collection proceedings;

(4) The name and address of the officer or employee of the Endowment to whom you should send the request for a review;

(5) That a final decision on the review (if one is requested) will be issued at the earliest practical date, but not later than 60 days after the receipt of the request for a review, unless you request, and the review official grants, a delay in the proceedings;

(6) That any knowingly false or frivolous statements, representations, or evidence may subject you to:

(i) Disciplinary procedures appropriate under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 75, 5 CFR part 752, or any other applicable statute or regulations;

(ii) Penalties under the False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. 3729-3733) or any other applicable statutory authority; and

(iii) Criminal penalties under 18 U.S.C. 286, 287, 1001, and 1002, or any other applicable statutory authority;

(7) Any other rights available to you to dispute the validity of the debt or to have recovery of the debt waived, or remedies available to you under statutes or regulations governing the program for which the collection is being made; and

(8) That unless there are applicable contractual or statutory provisions to the contrary, amounts paid on or deducted for the debt that are later waived or found not owed will be promptly refunded to you.

(d) The Endowment will respond promptly to communications from you.