§ 3.24 - Coordinating administrative offset with other Federal agencies.

(a) A Government list or other notice, naming debtors and their creditor agencies, which is provided to USDA will constitute a request for administrative offset.

(b) Any agency which requests another agency to effect administrative offset must certify that the debtor owes the debt (including the amount and basis of the debt and the due date of the payment) and that all of the applicable requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3716 and 4 CFR part 102 have been met.

(c) An agency which is requested by another agency to effect administrative offset must not do so without obtaining a written certification that the debtor owes the creditor agency a debt (including the amount and basis of the debt and the due date of the payment) and that all of the applicable requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3716 and 4 CFR part 102 have been met. An offsetting USDA agency may rely on the information contained in a requesting creditor agency's certification.

(d) Only a creditor agency may agree to an installment repayment system or compromise, suspension or termination of the collection process.

(e) A USDA agency which is requested by another agency to effect administrative offset may decline for good cause. Good cause includes direct or indirect disruption of the offsetting agency's essential program operations that might result from the offset. The refusal and the reasons must be sent in writing to the creditor agency.