[Title 45 CFR ]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - October 1, 2023 Edition]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page i]]

          


          Title 45

Public Welfare


________________________

Parts 500 to 1199

                         Revised as of October 1, 2023

          Containing a codification of documents of general 
          applicability and future effect

          As of October 1, 2023
                    Published by the Office of the Federal Register 
                    National Archives and Records Administration as a 
                    Special Edition of the Federal Register

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                            Table of Contents



                                                                    Page
  Explanation.................................................       v

  Title 45:
    SUBTITLE B--Regulations Relating to Public Welfare 
      (Continued) 
          Chapter V--Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of 
          the United States, Department of Justice                   5
          Chapter VI--National Science Foundation                   39
          Chapter VII--Commission on Civil Rights                  247
          Chapter VIII--Office of Personnel Management             289
          Chapter IX--Denali Commission                            309
          Chapter X--Office of Community Services, 
          Administration for Children and Families, Department 
          of Health and Human Services                             321
          Chapter XI--National Foundation on the Arts and the 
          Humanities                                               329
  Finding Aids:
      Table of CFR Titles and Chapters........................     551
      Alphabetical List of Agencies Appearing in the CFR......     571
      List of CFR Sections Affected...........................     581

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                     ----------------------------

                     Cite this Code: CFR
                     To cite the regulations in 
                       this volume use title, 
                       part and section number. 
                       Thus, 45 CFR 500.1 refers 
                       to title 45, part 500, 
                       section 1.

                     ----------------------------

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                               EXPLANATION

    The Code of Federal Regulations is a codification of the general and 
permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the Executive 
departments and agencies of the Federal Government. The Code is divided 
into 50 titles which represent broad areas subject to Federal 
regulation. Each title is divided into chapters which usually bear the 
name of the issuing agency. Each chapter is further subdivided into 
parts covering specific regulatory areas.
    Each volume of the Code is revised at least once each calendar year 
and issued on a quarterly basis approximately as follows:

Title 1 through Title 16.................................as of January 1
Title 17 through Title 27..................................as of April 1
Title 28 through Title 41...................................as of July 1
Title 42 through Title 50................................as of October 1

    The appropriate revision date is printed on the cover of each 
volume.

LEGAL STATUS

    The contents of the Federal Register are required to be judicially 
noticed (44 U.S.C. 1507). The Code of Federal Regulations is prima facie 
evidence of the text of the original documents (44 U.S.C. 1510).

HOW TO USE THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS

    The Code of Federal Regulations is kept up to date by the individual 
issues of the Federal Register. These two publications must be used 
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    To determine whether a Code volume has been amended since its 
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Sections Affected (LSA),'' which is issued monthly, and the ``Cumulative 
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EFFECTIVE AND EXPIRATION DATES

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OMB CONTROL NUMBERS

    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-511) requires 
Federal agencies to display an OMB control number with their information 
collection request.

[[Page vi]]

Many agencies have begun publishing numerous OMB control numbers as 
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PAST PROVISIONS OF THE CODE

    Provisions of the Code that are no longer in force and effect as of 
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for 1949-1963, 1964-1972, 1973-1985, and 1986-2000.

``[RESERVED]'' TERMINOLOGY

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not dropped in error.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

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established by statute and allows Federal agencies to meet the 
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This material, like any other properly issued regulation, has the force 
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    An index to the text of ``Title 3--The President'' is carried within 
that volume.

[[Page vii]]

    The Federal Register Index is issued monthly in cumulative form. 
This index is based on a consolidation of the ``Contents'' entries in 
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the revision dates of the 50 CFR titles.

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INQUIRIES

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    Oliver A. Potts,
    Director,
    Office of the Federal Register
    October 1, 2023







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                               THIS TITLE

    Title 45--Public Welfare is composed of five volumes. The parts in 
these volumes are arranged in the following order: Parts 1-139, 140-199, 
200-499, 500-1199, and 1200 to end. Volumes one and two (parts 1-139 and 
parts 140-199) contain all current regulations issued under Subtitle A--
Department of Health and Human Services. Volumes three through five 
contain all current regulations issued under Subtitle B--Regulations 
Relating to Public Welfare. Volume three (parts 200-499) contains all 
current regulations issued under Chapter II--Office of Family Assistance 
(Assistance Programs), Administration for Children and Families, 
Department of Health and Human Services, Chapter III--Office of Child 
Support Enforcement (Child Support Enforcement Program), Administration 
for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, and 
Chapter IV--Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children 
and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. Volume four 
(parts 500-1199) contains all current regulations issued under Chapter 
V--Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States, Department 
of Justice, Chapter VI--National Science Foundation, Chapter VII--
Commission on Civil Rights, Chapter VIII--Office of Personnel 
Management, Chapter IX--Denali Commission, Chapter X--Office of 
Community Services, Administration for Children and Families, Department 
of Health and Human Services, and Chapter XI--National Foundation on the 
Arts and the Humanities. Volume five (part 1200 to end) contains all 
current regulations issued under Chapter XII--Corporation for National 
and Community Service, Chapter XIII--Administration for Children and 
Families, Department of Health and Human Services, Chapter XVI--Legal 
Services Corporation, Chapter XVII--National Commission on Libraries and 
Information Science, Chapter XVIII--Harry S. Truman Scholarship 
Foundation, Chapter XXI--Commission of Fine Arts, Chapter XXIII--Arctic 
Research Commission, Chapter XXIV--James Madison Memorial Fellowship 
Foundation, and Chapter XXV--Corporation for National and Community 
Service. The contents of these volumes represent all of the current 
regulations codified under this title of the CFR as of October 1, 2023.

    For this volume, Ann Worley was Chief Editor. The Code of Federal 
Regulations publication program is under the direction of John Hyrum 
Martinez, assisted by Stephen J. Frattini.

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                        TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE




                 (This book contains parts 500 to 1199)

  --------------------------------------------------------------------

     SUBTITLE B--Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued)

                                                                    Part

chapter v--Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the 
  United States, Department of Justice......................         500

chapter vi--National Science Foundation.....................         601

chapter vii--Commission on Civil Rights.....................         701

chapter viii--Office of Personnel Management................         800

chapter ix--Denali Commission...............................         900

chapter x--Office of Community Services, Administration for 
  Children and Families, Department of Health and Human 
  Services..................................................        1080

chapter xi--National Foundation on the Arts and the 
  Humanities................................................        1100

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     Subtitle B--Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued)

[[Page 5]]



 CHAPTER V--FOREIGN CLAIMS SETTLEMENT COMMISSION OF THE UNITED STATES, 
                          DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE




  --------------------------------------------------------------------

                     SUBCHAPTER A--RULES OF PRACTICE
Part                                                                Page
500             Appearance and practice.....................           7
501             Subpoenas, depositions, and oaths...........           8
502             Public information-Freedom of Information 
                    Act.....................................          11
503             Privacy Act and Government in the Sunshine 
                    Regulations.............................          17
SUBCHAPTER B--RECEIPT, ADMINISTRATION, AND PAYMENT OF CLAIMS UNDER TITLE 
               I OF THE WAR CLAIMS ACT OF 1948, AS AMENDED
504             Filing of claims and procedures therefor....          25
505             Provisions of general application...........          26
506             Eligibility requirements for compensation...          27
507             Payment.....................................          30
508             Hearings....................................          30
 SUBCHAPTER C--RECEIPT, ADMINISTRATION, AND PAYMENT OF CLAIMS UNDER THE 
  INTERNATIONAL CLAIMS SETTLEMENT ACT OF 1949, AS AMENDED, AND RELATED 
                                  ACTS
509             Filing of claims and procedures therefor....          33
 SUBCHAPTER D--RECEIPT, ADMINISTRATION, AND PAYMENT OF CLAIMS UNDER THE 
                GUAM WORLD WAR II LOYALTY RECOGNITION ACT
510             Filing of claims and procedures therefor....          37
511-599

[Reserved]

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                     SUBCHAPTER A_RULES OF PRACTICE





PART 500_APPEARANCE AND PRACTICE--Table of Contents



Sec.
500.1 Appearance and representation.
500.2 Notice of entry or withdrawal of counsel in claims.
500.3 Fees.
500.4 Suspension of attorneys.
500.5 Standards of Conduct.
500.6 Disqualification of former employees.

    Authority: Sec. 2, Pub. L. 896, 80th Cong., 62 Stat. 1240, as 
amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2001); sec. 3, Pub. L. 455, 81st Cong., 64 Stat. 
12, as amended (22 U.S.C. 1622); 18 U.S.C. 207; Sec.1705(a)(2), Pub. L. 
114-328, 114th Cong., 130 Stat. 2644.

    Source: 66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  500.1  Appearance and representation.

    (a) An individual may appear in his or her own behalf, or may be 
represented by an attorney at law admitted to practice in any State or 
Territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
    (b) A member of a partnership may represent the partnership.
    (c) A bona fide officer of a corporation, trust or association may 
represent the corporation, trust or association.
    (d) An officer or employee of the United States Department of 
Justice, when designated by the Attorney General of the United States, 
may represent the United States in a claim proceeding.
    (e) In cases falling within the purview of subchapter B of this 
chapter, persons designated by veterans', service, and other 
organizations to appear before the Commission in a representative 
capacity on behalf of claimants will be deemed duly authorized to 
practice before the Commission if the designating organization has 
received a letter of accreditation from the Commission. Petitions for 
accreditation must be in writing, executed by duly authorized officer or 
officers, and addressed to the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of 
the United States, Washington, DC 20579. Upon receipt of a petition 
setting forth pertinent facts as to the organization's history, purpose, 
number of posts or chapters and their locations, approximate number of 
paid-up memberships, statements that the organization will not charge 
any fee for services rendered by its designees in behalf of claimants 
and that it will not refuse on the grounds of non-membership to 
represent any claimant who applies for representation if the claimant 
has an apparently valid claim, accompanied by a copy of the 
organization's constitution, or charter, by-laws, and its latest 
financial statement, the Commission in its discretion will consider and 
in appropriate cases issue or deny letters of accreditation.
    (f) A claimant may not be represented before the Commission except 
as authorized in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section.



Sec.  500.2  Notice of entry or withdrawal of counsel in claims.

    (a) Counsel entering an appearance in a claim originally filed by a 
claimant in the claimant's own behalf, or upon request for a 
substitution of attorneys, will be required to file an authorization 
signed by the claimant.
    (b) When counsel seeks to withdraw from the prosecution of a claim, 
he or she will be required to demonstrate that the client (claimant) has 
been duly notified.
    (c) When a claimant advises the Commission that counsel no longer 
represents that claimant, a copy of the Commission's acknowledgment will 
be forwarded to that counsel.



Sec.  500.3  Fees.

    (a) The amount of attorney's fees that may be charged in connection 
with claims falling within the purview of title I of the International 
Claims Settlement Act of 1949, as amended (22 U.S.C. Sec.  1621-1627), 
is governed by the provisions of 22 U.S.C.1623(f).
    (b) The amount of attorney's fees that may be charged in connection 
with claims falling within the purview of subchapter B of this chapter 
is governed by the provisions of section 10 of

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the War Claims Act of 1948, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2009).
    (c) The amount of attorney's fees that may be charged in connection 
with claims falling within the purview of subchapter D of this chapter 
is governed by the provisions of section 1705(b)(6) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, Title XVII, Guam World 
War II Loyalty Recognition Act, Public Law 114-328.

[66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, as amended at 82 FR 16126, Apr. 3, 2017]



Sec.  500.4  Suspension of attorneys.

    (a) The Commission may disqualify, or deny, temporarily or 
permanently, the privilege of appearing or practicing before it in any 
way to any person who is found after a hearing in the matter--
    (1) Not to possess the requisite qualifications to represent others 
before the Commission; or
    (2) To be lacking in character or integrity or to have engaged in 
unethical or improper professional conduct; or
    (3) To have violated sections 10 and 214 of the War Claims Act of 
1948, as amended, section 4(f) of the International Claims Settlement 
Act of 1949, as amended, or section 1705(b)(6) of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, Title XVII, Guam World War II 
Loyalty Recognition Act.
    (b) Contemptuous or contumacious conduct at any hearing will be 
ground for exclusion from that hearing and for summary suspension 
without a hearing for the duration of the hearing.

[66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, as amended at 82 FR 16126, Apr. 3, 2017]



Sec.  500.5  Standards of Conduct.

    The conduct of the members, officers and employees of the 
Commission, including its special Government employees, is governed by 
the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch 
set forth in 5 CFR part 2635 and the Supplemental Standards of Conduct 
for Employees of the Department of Justice set forth in 5 CFR part 3801.



Sec.  500.6  Disqualification of former employees.

    The provisions of 18 U.S.C. 207 shall govern the post-employment 
appearance of former Commission members, officers, and employees, 
including special Government employees, in the capacity of agent, 
attorney or representative on behalf of claimants before the Commission.



PART 501_SUBPOENAS, DEPOSITIONS, AND OATHS--Table of Contents



Sec.
501.1 Extent of authority.
501.2 Subpoenas.
501.3 Service of process.
501.4 Witnesses.
501.5 Depositions.
501.6 Documentary evidence.
501.7 Time.

    Authority: Sec. 2, Pub. L. 896, 80th Cong., 62 Stat. 1240, as 
amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2001); sec. 3, Pub. L. 455, 81st Cong., 64 Stat. 
12, as amended (22 U.S.C. 1622).

    Source: 66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  501.1  Extent of authority.

    (a) Subpoenas, oaths and affirmations. The issuance of subpoenas, 
the administration of oaths and affirmations, the taking of affidavits, 
the conduct of investigations, and the examination of witnesses by the 
Commission and its members, officers and employees is governed by the 
provisions of 22 U.S.C. 1623(c) and 50 U.S.C. App. 2001(c).
    (b) Certification. The Commission or any member thereof may, for the 
purpose of a hearing, examination, or investigation, certify the 
correctness of any papers, documents, and other matters pertaining to 
the administration of any laws relating to the functions of the 
Commission.



Sec.  501.2  Subpoenas.

    (a) Issuance. A member of the Commission or a designated employee 
may, on the member or employee's own volition or upon written 
application by any party and upon a showing of general relevance and 
reasonable scope of the evidence sought, issue subpoenas requiring 
persons to appear and testify or to appear and produce documents. 
Applications for issuance of subpoenas for production of documents shall 
specify the books, records, correspondence, or other documents sought. 
The subpoena will show on its face the

[[Page 9]]

name and address of the party at whose request the subpoena was issued.
    (b) Deposit for costs. The Commission or designated employee, before 
issuing any subpoena in response to any application by an interested 
party, may require a deposit in an amount adequate to cover fees and 
mileage involved.
    (c) Motion to quash. If any person subpoenaed does not intend to 
comply with the subpoena, that person must, within 15 days after the 
date of service of the subpoena, petition in writing to quash the 
subpoena. The basis for the motion must be stated in detail. Any party 
desiring to file an answer to a motion to quash must file the answer not 
later than 15 days after the filing of the motion. The Commission will 
rule on the motion to quash, duly recognizing any answer thereto filed. 
The motion, answer, and any ruling thereon will become part of the 
official record.
    (d) Appeal from interlocutory order. An appeal may be taken to the 
Commission by the interested parties from the denial of a motion to 
quash or from the refusal to issue a subpoena for the production of 
documentary evidence.
    (e) Order of court upon failure to comply. Upon the failure or 
refusal of any person to comply with a subpoena, the Commission may 
invoke the aid of the United States District Court within the 
jurisdiction of which the hearing, examination or investigation is being 
conducted, or wherein that person resides or transacts business, as 
provided in 22 U.S.C. 1623(c).



Sec.  501.3  Service of process.

    (a) By whom served. The Commission will serve all orders, notices 
and other papers issued by it, together with any other papers which it 
is required by law to serve.
    (b) Kinds of service. Subpoenas, orders, rulings, and other 
processes of the Commission may be served by delivering in person, by 
registered or certified mail, by overnight express delivery service, by 
first class mail, by telegraph, or by publication.
    (c) Personal service. Service by delivering in person may be 
accomplished by:
    (1) Delivering a copy of the document to the person to be served, to 
a member of the partnership to be served, to an executive officer or a 
director of the corporation to be served, or to a person competent to 
accept service; or
    (2) By leaving a copy thereof at the residence, principal office or 
place of business of the person, partnership, or corporation.
    (3) Proof of service. The return receipt for the order, other 
process or supporting papers, or the verification by the person serving, 
setting forth the manner of service, will be proof of the service of the 
document.
    (4) Service upon attorney or agent. When any party has appeared by 
an authorized attorney or agent, service upon the party's attorney or 
agent will be deemed service upon the party.
    (d) Service by registered mail or certified mail. Service by 
registered mail or certified mail will be regarded as complete on the 
date the return post office receipt for the orders, notices and other 
papers is received by the Commission.
    (e) Service by overnight express delivery service or by first class 
mail. Service by overnight express delivery service or first class mail 
will be regarded as complete upon deposit, respectively, in the delivery 
service's package receptacle or in the United States mail properly 
stamped and addressed.
    (f) Service by telegraph. Service by telegraph will be regarded as 
complete when deposited with a telegraph company properly addressed and 
with charges prepaid.
    (g) Service by publication. Service by publication is completed when 
due notice has been given in the publication for the time and in the 
manner provided by law or rule.
    (h) Date of service. The date of service is the day upon which the 
document is deposited in the United States mail or delivered in person, 
as the case may be.
    (i) Filing with Commission. Papers required to be filed with the 
Commission will be deemed filed upon actual receipt by the Commission 
accompanied by proof of service upon parties required to be served. Upon 
the actual receipt, the filing will be deemed complete as of the date of 
deposit in the mail or with the telegraph company as provided in 
paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section.

[[Page 10]]



Sec.  501.4  Witnesses.

    (a) Examination of witnesses. Witnesses must appear in person and be 
examined orally under oath, except that for good cause shown, testimony 
may be taken by deposition.
    (b) Witness fees and mileage. Witnesses summoned by the Commission 
on its own behalf or on behalf of a claimant or interested party will be 
paid the same fees and mileage that are allowed and paid witnesses in 
the District Courts of the United States. Witness fees and mileage will 
be paid by the Commission or by the party at whose request the witness 
appears.
    (c) Transcript of testimony. Every person required to attend and 
testify will be entitled, upon payment of prescribed costs, to receive a 
copy of the recording of the testimony or a transcript of the recording. 
Every person required to submit documents or other evidence will be 
entitled to retain a copy thereof.



Sec.  501.5  Depositions.

    (a) Application to take. (1) An application to take a deposition 
must be in writing setting forth the reason why the deposition should be 
taken, the name and address of the witness, the matters concerning which 
it is expected the witness will testify, and the time and place proposed 
for the taking of the deposition, together with the name and address of 
the person before whom it is desired that the deposition be taken. If 
the deposition is being offered in connection with a hearing or 
examination, the application for deposition must be made to the 
Commission at least 15 days prior to the proposed date of such hearing 
or examination.
    (2) Application to take a deposition may be made during a hearing or 
examination, or subsequent to a hearing or examination, only where it is 
shown for good cause that the facts as set forth in the application to 
take the deposition were not within the knowledge of the person signing 
the application prior to the time of the hearing or examination.
    (3) The Commission or its representative will, upon receipt of the 
application and a showing of good cause, make and cause to be served 
upon the parties an order which will specify the name of the witness 
whose deposition is to be taken, the time, the place, and where 
practicable the designation of the officer before whom the witness is to 
testify. The officer may or may not be the one specified in the 
application. The order will be served upon all parties at least 10 days 
prior to the date of the taking of the deposition.
    (b) Who may take. The deposition may be taken before the designated 
officer or, if none is designated, before any officer authorized to 
administer oaths by the laws of the United States. If the examination is 
held in a foreign country, it may be taken before a secretary of an 
embassy or legation, consul-general, consul, vice consul, or consular 
agent of the United States.
    (c) Examination and certification of testimony. At the time and 
place specified in the Commission's order, the officer taking the 
deposition will permit the witness to be examined and cross-examined 
under oath by all parties appearing, and the testimony will be reduced 
to writing by, or under the direction of, the presiding officer. All 
objections to questions or evidence will be deemed waived unless made in 
accordance with paragraph (d) of this section. The officer will not have 
power to rule upon any objections but will note them upon the 
deposition. The testimony must be subscribed by the witness in the 
presence of the officer who will attach a certificate stating that the 
witness was duly sworn, that the deposition is a true record of the 
testimony and exhibits given by the witness and that the officer is not 
counsel or attorney to any of the interested parties. The officer will 
immediately seal and deliver an original and two copies of the 
transcript, together with the officer's certificate, by registered mail 
to the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, Washington, DC 20579 or, if 
applicable, to the designated Commission field office.
    (d) Admissibility in evidence. The deposition will be admissible in 
evidence, subject to such objections to the questions and answers as 
were noted at the time of taking the deposition, or within ten (10) days 
after the return thereof, and would be valid were the witness personally 
present at the hearing.

[[Page 11]]

    (e) Errors and irregularities. All errors or irregularities 
occurring will be deemed waived unless a motion to suppress the 
deposition or some part thereof is made with reasonable promptness after 
the defect is, or with due diligence might have been, ascertained.
    (f) Scope of use. The deposition of a witness, if relevant, may be 
used if the Commission finds:
    (1) That the witness has died since the deposition was taken; or
    (2) That the witness is at a distance greater than 100 miles radius 
of Washington, DC, the designated field office or the designated place 
of the hearing; or
    (3) That the witness is unable to attend because of other good cause 
shown.
    (g) Interrogatories and cross-interrogatories. Depositions may also 
be taken and submitted on written interrogatories in substantially the 
same manner as depositions taken by oral examination. When a deposition 
is taken upon interrogatories and cross-interrogatories, none of the 
parties may be present or represented, and no person, other than the 
witness, the person's representative or attorney, a stenographic 
reporter and the presiding officer, may be present at the examination of 
the witness, which fact will be certified by the officer, who will read 
the interrogatories and cross-interrogatories to the witness in their 
order and reduce the testimony to writing in the witness's own words.
    (h) Fees. A witness whose deposition is taken pursuant to the 
regulations in this part, and the officer taking the deposition, will be 
entitled to the same fees and mileage allowed and paid for like service 
in the United States District Court for the district in which the 
deposition is taken. Such fees will be paid by the Commission or by the 
party at whose request the deposition is being taken.



Sec.  501.6  Documentary evidence.

    Documentary evidence may consist of books, records, correspondence 
or other documents pertinent to any hearing, examination, or 
investigation within the jurisdiction of the Commission. The application 
for the issuance of subpoenas for production of documents must specify 
the books, records, correspondence or other documents sought. The 
production of documentary evidence will not be required at any place 
other than the witness's place of business. The production of such 
documents will not be required at any place if, prior to the return date 
specified in the subpoena, the person either has furnished the issuer of 
the subpoena with a properly certified copy of the documents or has 
entered into a stipulation as to the information contained in the 
documents.



Sec.  501.7  Time.

    (a) Computation. In computing any period of time prescribed or 
allowed by the regulations, by order of the Commission, or by any 
applicable statute, the day of the act, event, or default after which 
the designated period of time begins to run is not to be included. The 
last day of the period so computed is to be included, unless it is a 
Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, in which event the period runs until 
the end of the next day that is neither a Saturday, Sunday nor a 
holiday. When the period of time prescribed or allowed is less than 7 
days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays and holidays will be excluded in 
the computation.
    (b) Enlargement. When by the regulations in this chapter, or by a 
notice given thereunder or by order of the Commission, an act is 
required or allowed to be done at or within a specific time, the 
Commission for good cause shown may, at any time in its discretion:
    (1) With or without motion, notice, or previous order or
    (2) Upon motion, permit the act to be done after the expiration of 
the specified period.



PART 502_PUBLIC INFORMATION-FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT--Table of Contents



Sec.
502.1 Organization and authority--Foreign Claims Settlement Commission.
502.2 Material to be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the 
          Freedom of Information Act.
502.3 Effect of nonpublication.
502.4 Incorporation by reference.
502.5 Records generally available.

[[Page 12]]

502.6 Current index.
502.7 Additional documents and records generally available for 
          inspection and copying.
502.8 Documents on-line.
502.9 Effect of noncompliance.
502.10 Availability of records.
502.11 Actions on requests.
502.12 Appeals.
502.13 Exemptions.
502.14 Fees for services.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552.

    Source: 66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  502.1  Organization and authority--Foreign Claims Settlement 
Commission.

    (a) The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States 
(``the Commission'') is an independent agency of the Federal Government 
created by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1954 (68 Stat. 1279) effective 
July 1, 1954. The Commission was transferred to the Department of 
Justice as an independent agency within that department as of October 1, 
1980, under the terms of Public Law 96-209, approved March 14, 1980 (94 
Stat. 96, 22 U.S.C. 1622a). Its duties and authority are defined in the 
International Claims Settlement Act of 1949, as amended (64 Stat. 12, 22 
U.S.C. 1621-1645o) and the War Claims Act of 1948 (62 Stat. 1240, 50 
U.S.C. App. 2001-2017p).
    (b) The Commission has jurisdiction to determine the validity and 
amount of claims of United States nationals against foreign governments 
for compensation for losses and injuries sustained by those nationals, 
pursuant to programs authorized under either of the cited Acts. Funds 
for payment of claims are derived from international settlement 
agreements or through liquidation of foreign assets in the United States 
by the Department of Justice or Treasury, or from public funds when 
provided by the Congress.
    (c) The Chair and the two part-time members of the Commission are 
appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate to 
serve for 3-year terms of office as provided in 22 U.S.C. 1622c(c).
    (d) All functions of the Commission are vested in the Chair with 
respect to the internal management of the affairs of the Commission, 
including but not limited to:
    (1) The appointment of Commission employees;
    (2) The direction of Commission employees and the supervision of 
their official duties;
    (3) The distribution of business among employees and organizational 
units within the Commission;
    (4) The preparation of budget estimates; and
    (5) The use and expenditures of Commission funds appropriated for 
expenses of administration.
    (e) Requests for records must be made in writing by mail or 
presented in person to the Administrative Officer, Foreign Claims 
Settlement Commission, Washington, DC 20579.
    (f) The offices of the Commission are located at 600 E Street NW 
(Bicentennial Building), Room 6002, Washington, DC.



Sec.  502.2  Material to be published in the Federal Register pursuant to 
the Freedom of Information Act.

    The Commission will separately state and concurrently publish the 
following materials in the Federal Register for the guidance of the 
public:
    (a) Descriptions of its central and field organization and the 
established places at which, the officers from whom, and the methods 
whereby, the public may secure information, make submittals or requests, 
or obtain decisions.
    (b) Statements of the general course and method by which its 
functions are channeled and determined, including the nature and 
requirements of all formal and informal procedures available.
    (c) Rules of procedure, descriptions of forms available or the 
places at which forms may be obtained, and instructions as to the scope 
and contents of all papers, reports, or examinations.
    (d) Substantive rules of general applicability adopted as authorized 
by law, and statements of general policy or interpretations of general 
applicability formulated and adopted by the agency.
    (e) Every amendment, revision, or repeal of the foregoing.



Sec.  502.3  Effect of nonpublication.

    Except to the extent that a person has actual and timely notice of 
the

[[Page 13]]

terms thereof, no person will in any manner be required to resort to, or 
be adversely affected by, any matter required to be published in the 
Federal Register and not so published.



Sec.  502.4  Incorporation by reference.

    For purposes of this part, matter which is reasonably available to 
the class of persons affected thereby will be deemed published in the 
Federal Register when incorporated by reference therein with the 
approval of the Director of the Federal Register.



Sec.  502.5  Records generally available.

    The Commission will make promptly available to any member of the 
public the following documents:
    (a) Proposed and Final Decisions (including dissenting opinions) and 
all orders made with respect thereto, except when exempted from public 
disclosure by statute;
    (b) Statements of policy and interpretations which have been adopted 
by the Commission which have not been published in the Federal Register; 
and
    (c) A current index, which will be updated at least quarterly, 
covering the foregoing material adopted, issued or promulgated after 
July 4, 1967. Publication of an index is deemed both unnecessary and 
impractical. However, copies of the index are available upon request for 
a fee of the direct cost of duplication.



Sec.  502.6  Current index.

    The Commission will maintain and make available for public 
inspection and copying, current indexes providing identifying 
information for the public as to any matter issued, adopted, or 
promulgated after July 4, 1967, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2).



Sec.  502.7  Additional documents and records generally available for
inspection and copying.

    The following types of documents are also available for inspection 
and copying in the offices of the Commission:
    (a) Rules of practice and procedure.
    (b) Annual report of the Commission to the Congress of the United 
States.
    (c) Bound volumes of Commission decisions.
    (d) International Claims Settlement Act of 1949, with amendments; 
the War Claims Act of 1948, with amendments; and related Acts.
    (e) Claims agreements with foreign governments effecting the 
settlement of claims under the jurisdiction of the Commission.
    (f) Press releases and other miscellaneous material concerning 
Commission operations.
    (g) Indexes of claims filed in the various claims programs 
administered by the Commission.



Sec.  502.8  Documents on-line.

    Commission documents available in electronic format may be accessed 
via the Commission's World Wide Web site, the address of which is http:/
/www.usdoj.gov/fcsc.



Sec.  502.9  Effect of non-compliance.

    No decision, statement of policy, interpretation, or staff manual or 
instruction that affects any member of the public will be relied upon, 
used, or cited as precedent by the Commission against any private party 
unless it has been indexed and either made available or published as 
provided by this part, or unless that private party has actual and 
timely notice of the terms thereof.



Sec.  502.10  Availability of records.

    (a) Each person desiring access to a record covered by this part 
must comply with the following provisions:
    (1) A written request must be made for the record.
    (2) Such request must indicate that it is being made under the 
Freedom of Information Act.
    (3) The envelope in which the request is sent must be prominently 
marked with the letters ``FOIA.''
    (4) The request must be addressed to the appropriate official or 
employee of the Commission as set forth in paragraph (c) of this 
section.
    (5) The foregoing requirements must be complied with whether the 
request is mailed or hand-delivered to the Commission.
    (b) If the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section are not 
met, the twenty-day time limit described in Sec.  502.10(a) will not 
begin to run until the request has been identified by an

[[Page 14]]

official or employee of the Commission as a request under the Freedom of 
Information Act and has been received by the appropriate official or 
employee of the Commission.
    (c) Each person desiring access to a record covered in this part 
that is located in the Commission, or to obtain a copy of such a record, 
must make a written request to the Administrative Officer, Foreign 
Claims Settlement Commission, 600 E Street NW, Room 6002, Washington, DC 
20579.
    (d) Each request should reasonably describe the particular record 
requested. The request should specify the subject matter, the date when 
it was made and the person or office that made it. If the description is 
insufficient, the official or employee handling the request may notify 
the person making the request and, to the extent possible, indicate the 
additional data required.
    (e) Each record made available under this section is available for 
inspection and copying during regular working hours. Original documents 
may be copied but may not be released from custody.
    (f) Authority to administer this part in connection with Commission 
records is delegated to the Administrative Officer or the Commission 
employee acting in that official's capacity.



Sec.  502.11  Actions on requests.

    (a) The Administrative Officer or any employee acting in that 
official's capacity will determine within twenty days (excepting 
Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) after the receipt of any 
a request whether to comply with the request. Upon receipt of a request 
for a Commission record which is available, the Administrative Officer 
or other employee will notify the requester as to the time the record is 
available, and will promptly make the record available after advising 
the requester of the applicable fees under Sec.  502.13. The person 
making the request will be notified immediately after any adverse 
determination, the reasons for making the adverse determination and the 
right of the person to appeal.
    (b) Any denial of a request for a record will be written and signed 
by the Administrative Officer or other employee, including a statement 
of the reason for denial. That statement will contain, as applicable:
    (1) A reference to the specific exemption under the Freedom of 
Information Act authorizing the withholding of a record, and to the 
extent consistent with the purpose of the exemption, an explanation of 
how the exemption applies to the record withheld.
    (2) If a record requested does not exist, or has been legally 
disposed of, the requester will be so notified.
    (c) In unusual circumstances, the time limit prescribed in paragraph 
(a) of this section may be extended by written notice to the person 
making the request setting forth the reasons for the extension and the 
date on which a determination is expected to be dispatched. No extension 
notice will specify a date that would result in an extension for more 
than twenty working days. As used in this paragraph, ``unusual 
circumstances'' means, but only to the extent reasonably necessary to 
the proper processing of the particular request--
    (1) The need to search for and collect the requested records from 
other establishments that are separate from the office processing the 
request;
    (2) The need to search for, collect, and appropriately examine a 
voluminous amount of separate and distinct records which are demanded in 
a single request; or
    (3) The need for consultation, which will be conducted with all 
practicable speed, with another agency having a substantial interest in 
the determination of the request or among two or more components of the 
agency having substantial subject-matter interest therein.



Sec.  502.12  Appeals.

    (a) Any person to whom a record has not been made available within 
the time limits established by paragraph (b) of Sec.  502.11, and any 
person who has been given an adverse determination pursuant to paragraph 
(b) of Sec.  503.10 of this chapter, that a requested record will not be 
disclosed, may apply to the Office of Information and Privacy, U.S. 
Department of Justice, Washington,

[[Page 15]]

DC 20530, for reconsideration of the request. The person making such a 
request will also be notified of the provisions for judicial review 
provided in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4).
    (b) Each application for reconsideration must be made in writing 
within sixty days from the date of receipt of the original denial and 
must include all information and arguments relied upon by the person 
making the request. The application must indicate that it is an appeal 
from a denial of a request made under the Freedom of Information Act. 
The envelope in which the application is sent must be prominently marked 
with the letters ``FOIA.'' If these requirements are not met, the twenty 
day limit described in Sec.  502.10 will not begin to run until the 
application has been identified as an application under the Freedom of 
Information Act and has been received by the Office of Information and 
Privacy of the Department of Justice.
    (c) Whenever it is to be determined necessary, the person making the 
request may be required to furnish additional information, or proof of 
factual allegations and other proceedings appropriate in the 
circumstances may be ordered.
    (d) The decision not to disclose a record under this part is 
considered to be a withholding for the purposes of 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3).



Sec.  502.13  Exemptions.

    In the event any document or record requested hereunder should 
contain material which is exempt from disclosure under this section, any 
reasonably segregable portion of the record will, notwithstanding that 
fact, and to the extent feasible, be provided to any person requesting 
it, after deletion of the portions which are exempt under this section. 
Documents or records determined to be exempt from disclosure hereunder 
may nonetheless be provided upon request in the event it is determined 
that the provision of the document would not violate the public interest 
or the right of any person to whom the information may pertain, and the 
disclosure is not prohibited by law or Executive Order. The following 
categories of records are exempt from disclosure under the provisions of 
5 U.S.C. 552(b):
    (a) Records which are specifically required by Executive Order to be 
kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and 
are in fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive Order. This 
exception may apply to records in the custody of the Commission which 
have been transmitted to the Commission by another agency which has 
designated the record as nonpublic under Executive Order.
    (b) Records related solely to the internal personnel rules and 
practices of the Commission.
    (c) Records specifically exempted from disclosure by statute.
    (d) Information given in confidence. This includes information 
obtained by or given to the Commission which constitutes confidential 
commercial or financial information, privileged information, or other 
information which was given to the Commission in confidence or would not 
customarily be released by the person from whom it was obtained.
    (e) Inter-agency or intra-agency memoranda or letters which would 
not be available by law to a private party in litigation with the 
Commission. Such communications include inter-agency memoranda, drafts, 
staff memoranda transmitted to the Commission, written communications 
between the Commission and its staff regarding the preparation of 
Commission decisions, other documents received or generated in the 
process of issuing a decision or regulation, and reports and other work 
papers of staff attorneys, accountants, and investigators.
    (f) Personnel and medical files and similar files, the disclosure of 
which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal 
privacy.
    (g) Records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, 
but only to the extent that the production of such law enforcement 
records or information:
    (1) Could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement 
proceedings;
    (2) Would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an 
impartial adjudication;

[[Page 16]]

    (3) Could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted 
invasion of personal privacy;
    (4) Could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a 
confidential source, including a state, local or foreign agency or 
authority or any private institution which furnished information on a 
confidential basis and, in the case of a record or information compiled 
by a criminal law enforcement authority in the course of a criminal 
investigation, or by an agency conducting a lawful security intelligence 
investigation, information furnished by a confidential source;
    (5) Would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement 
investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be 
expected to risk circumvention of the law; or
    (6) Could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical 
safety of any individual.



Sec.  502.14  Fees for services.

    The following provisions shall apply in the assessment and 
collection of fees for services rendered in processing requests for 
disclosure of Commission records under this part.
    (a) Fee for duplication of records: $0.15 per page.
    (b) Search and review fees:
    (1) Searches for records by clerical personnel--$3.00 per quarter 
hour, including time spent searching for and copying any record.
    (2) Search for and review of records by professional and supervisory 
personnel--$6.00 per quarter hour spent searching for any record or 
reviewing a record to determine whether it may be disclosed, including 
time spent in copying any record.
    (c) Certification and validation fee: $1.00 for each certification, 
validation or authentication of a copy of any record.
    (d) Imposition of fees:
    (1) Commercial use requests--Where a request appears to seek 
disclosure of records for a commercial use, the requester shall be 
charged for the time spent by Commission personnel in searching for the 
requested record and in reviewing the record to determine whether it 
should be disclosed, and for the cost of each page of duplication. 
Commercial use is defined as a use or purpose that furthers the 
commercial, trade or profit interests of the requester or the person on 
whose behalf the request is made. The request also must reasonably 
identify the records sought.
    (2) Requests from representatives of news media--Where a request 
seeks disclosure of records to a representative of the news media, the 
requester shall be charged only for the actual duplication cost of the 
records and only to the extent that the number of duplications exceeds 
100 pages; provided, however, that the request must reasonably describe 
the records sought, and it must appear that the records are for use by 
the requester in such person's capacity as a news media representative. 
``Representative of the news media'' refers to any person actively 
gathering news for an entity that is organized and operated to publish 
or broadcast news to the public. The term news means information that is 
about current events or that would be of current interest to the public. 
A ``freelance'' journalist not actually employed by a news organization 
shall be eligible for inclusion under this category if the person can 
demonstrate a solid basis for expecting publication by a news 
organization.
    (3) Requests from educational and non-commercial scientific 
institutions--Where a request seeks disclosure of records to an 
educational or non-commercial scientific institution, the requester 
shall be charged only for the actual duplication cost of the records and 
only to the extent that the number of duplications exceeds 100 pages; 
provided, however, that the request must reasonably describe the records 
sought and it must appear that the records are to be used by the 
requester in furtherance of its educational or non-commercial scientific 
research programs. ``Educational institution'' refers to a preschool, a 
public or private elementary or secondary school, or an institution of 
undergraduate, graduate, professional or vocational education, which 
operates a program or programs of scholarly research. ``Non-commercial 
scientific institution'' refers to an institution that is not operated 
on a ``commercial'' basis, within the meaning of paragraph (d)(1) of 
this section

[[Page 17]]

and which is operated solely for the purpose of conducting scientific 
research, the results of which are not intended to promote any 
particular product or industry.
    (4) All other requests--Where a request seeks disclosure of records 
to a person or entity other than one coming within paragraphs (d) (1), 
(2) and (3) of this section, the requester shall be charged the full 
cost of search and duplication. However, the first two hours of search 
time and the first 100 pages of duplication shall be furnished without 
charge.
    (e) Aggregating of requests. If there exists a solid basis for 
concluding that a requester or group of requesters has submitted a 
series of partial requests for disclosure of records in an attempt to 
evade assessment of fees, the requests may be aggregated so as to 
constitute a single request, with fees charged accordingly.
    (f) Unsuccessful searches. Except as provided in paragraph (d) of 
this section, the cost of searching for a requested record shall be 
charged even if the search fails to locate the record or it is 
determined that the record is exempt from disclosure.
    (g) Interest. In the event a requester fails to remit payment of 
fees charged for processing a request under this part within 30 days 
from the date those fees were billed, interest on the fees may be 
assessed beginning on the 31st day after the billing date, to be 
calculated at the rate prescribed in 31 U.S.C. 3717.
    (h) Advance payments. (1) If, but only if, it is estimated or 
determined that processing of a request for disclosure of records will 
result in a charge of fees of more than $250.00, the requester may be 
required to pay the fees in advance in order to obtain completion of the 
processing.
    (2) If a requester has previously failed to make timely payment 
(i.e., within 30 days of billing date) of fees charged under this part, 
the requester may be required to pay those fees and interest accrued 
thereon, and to make an advance payment of the full amount of estimated 
fees chargeable in connection with any pending or new request, in order 
to obtain processing of the pending or new request.
    (3) With regard to any request coming within paragraphs (h) (1) and 
(2) of this section, the administrative time limits set forth in 
Sec. Sec.  502.11 and 502.12 of this part will begin to run only after 
the requisite fee payments have been received.
    (i) Non-payment. In the event of non-payment of billed charges for 
disclosure of records, the provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982 
(Pub. L. 97-365), including disclosure to consumer credit reporting 
agencies and referral to collection agencies, may be utilized to obtain 
payment.
    (j) Waiver or reduction of charges. Fees otherwise chargeable in 
connection with a request for disclosure of a record shall be waived or 
reduced where--
    (1) It is determined that disclosure is in the public interest 
because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding 
of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily 
in the commercial interest of the requester; or
    (2) It is determined that the cost of collection would be equal to 
or exceed the amount of those fees. No charges shall be assessed if the 
fees amount to $8.00 or less.



PART 503_PRIVACY ACT AND GOVERNMENT IN THE SUNSHINE REGULATIONS-
-Table of Contents



                    Subpart A_Privacy Act Regulations

Sec.
503.1 Definitions--Privacy Act.
503.2 General policies--Privacy Act.
503.3 Conditions of disclosure.
503.4 Accounting of certain disclosures.
503.5 Access to records or information.
503.6 Determination of requests for access to records.
503.7 Amendment of a record.
503.8 Appeals from denial of requests for amendment to records.
503.9 Fees.
503.10 Exemptions.
503.11 Reports.
503.12 Notices.

            Subpart B_Government in the Sunshine Regulations

503.20 Definitions.
503.21 Notice of public observation.
503.22 Scope of application.
503.23 Open meetings.

[[Page 18]]

503.24 Grounds for closing a meeting.
503.25 Announcement of meetings.
503.26 Procedures for closing of meetings.
503.27 Reconsideration of opening or closing, or rescheduling a meeting.
503.28 Record of closed meetings, or closed portion of a meeting.
503.29 Requests for information.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a(f).

    Source: 66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



                    Subpart A_Privacy Act Regulations



Sec.  503.1  Definitions--Privacy Act.

    For the purpose of this part:
    Agency includes any executive department, military department, 
government corporation, government controlled corporation, or other 
establishment in the executive branch of the government (including the 
Executive Office of the President) or any independent regulatory agency. 
The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission (``Commission'') is an agency 
within the meaning of the term.
    Individual means a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully 
admitted for permanent residence.
    Maintain includes maintain, collect, use or disseminate.
    Record means any item, collection, or grouping of information about 
an individual that is maintained by an agency, including, but not 
limited to, an individual's education, financial transactions, medical 
history, and criminal or employment history, and that contains an 
individual's name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other 
identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a finger or 
voice print or a photograph.
    Routine use means, with respect to the disclosure of a record, the 
use of that record for a purpose which is compatible with the purpose 
for which it was collected.
    Statistical record means a record in a system of records maintained 
for statistical research or reporting purposes only and not used in 
whole or in part in making any determination about an identifiable 
individual except as provided by section 13 U.S.C. 8.
    System of records means a group of any records under the control of 
any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the 
individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying 
particular assigned to the individual.



Sec.  503.2  General policies--Privacy Act.

    The Commission will protect the privacy of an individual identified 
in any information or record systems which it maintains. Accordingly, 
its officials and employees, except as otherwise provided by law or 
regulation, will:
    (a) Permit an individual to determine what records pertaining to 
that individual are collected, maintained, used or disseminated by the 
Commission.
    (b) Permit an individual to prevent a record pertaining to that 
individual obtained by the Commission for a particular purpose from 
being used or made available for another purpose without the 
individual's consent.
    (c) Permit an individual to gain access to information pertaining to 
that individual in Commission records, to have a copy made of all or any 
portion thereof, and to correct or amend those records.
    (d) Collect, maintain, use, or disseminate any record of 
identifiable personal information in a manner that assures that the 
Commission's action is for a necessary and lawful purpose, that the 
information is current and accurate for its intended use, and that 
adequate safeguards are provided to prevent misuse of the information.
    (e) Permit exemptions from record requirements provided under the 
Privacy Act only where an important public policy use for the exemption 
has been determined in accordance with specific statutory authority.



Sec.  503.3  Conditions of disclosure.

    The Commission will not disclose any record contained in a system of 
records by any means of communication to any person or any other agency 
except by written request of or prior written consent of the individual 
to whom the record pertains unless the disclosure is:
    (a) To those officers and employees of the Commission who have a 
need for the record in the performance of their duties;
    (b) Required under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552;

[[Page 19]]

    (c) For a routine use;
    (d) To the Bureau of Census for purposes of planning or carrying out 
a census or survey or related activity under the provisions of Title 13, 
United States Code;
    (e) To a recipient who has provided the Commission with adequate 
advance assurance that the record will be used solely as a statistical 
research or reporting record, and the record is to be transferred in a 
form that is not individually identifiable;
    (f) To the National Archives of the United States as a record which 
has sufficient historical or other value to warrant its continued 
preservation by the United States Government or for evaluation to 
determine whether the record has that value;
    (g) To another agency or to an instrumentality of any government 
jurisdiction within or under control of the United States for a civil or 
criminal law enforcement activity authorized by law, provided the head 
of the agency or instrumentality has made a prior written request to the 
Commission, specifying the particular record and the law enforcement 
activity for which it is sought;
    (h) To a person pursuant to a showing of compelling circumstances 
affecting the health or safety of an individual if, upon disclosure, 
notification is transmitted to the last known address of the individual;
    (i) To either House of Congress, or, to the extent of matter within 
its jurisdiction, any committee or subcommittee thereof, any joint 
committee of Congress or subcommittee of the joint committee;
    (j) To the Comptroller General, or any of that official's authorized 
representatives, in the course of the performance of the duties of the 
General Accounting Office; or
    (k) Pursuant to the order of a court of competent jurisdiction.



Sec.  503.4  Accounting of certain disclosures.

    (a) Except for disclosures under Sec.  503.3(a) and (b) of this 
part, the Administrative Officer will keep an accurate accounting of 
each disclosure of a record to any person or to another agency made 
under Sec.  503.3(c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), and (k) of this 
part.
    (b) Except for a disclosure made to another agency or to an 
instrumentality of any governmental jurisdiction under Sec.  503.3(g) of 
this part, the Administrative Officer will make the accounting as 
required under paragraph (a) of this section available to any individual 
upon written request made in accordance with Sec.  503.5.
    (c) The Administrative Officer will inform any person or other 
agency about any correction or notation of dispute made in accordance 
with Sec.  503.7 of this part of any record that has been disclosed to 
the person or agency if an accounting of the disclosure was made.
    (d) An accounting of disclosures of records within this section will 
consist of the date, nature, the purpose of each disclosure of a record 
to any person or to another agency, and the name and address of the 
person or agency to whom the disclosure is made.
    (e) This accounting shall be retained for 5 years or the life of the 
record, whichever is longer, after the disclosure for which the 
accounting is made.



Sec.  503.5  Access to records or information.

    (a) Upon request in person or by mail, any individual will be 
informed whether or not a system of records maintained by the Commission 
contains a record or information pertaining to that individual.
    (b) Any individual requesting access to a record or information in 
person must appear in person at the offices of the Foreign Claims 
Settlement Commission, 600 E Street, NW., Room 6002, Washington, DC, 
between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and
    (1) Provide information sufficient to identify the record, e.g., the 
individual's own name, claim and decision number, date and place of 
birth, etc.;
    (2) Provide identification sufficient to verify the individual's 
identity, e.g., driver's license, identification or Medicare card; and
    (3) Any individual requesting access to records or information 
pertaining to himself or herself may be accompanied by a person of the 
individual's own choosing while reviewing the records or

[[Page 20]]

information. If an individual elects to be so accompanied, advance 
notification of the election will be required along with a written 
statement authorizing disclosure and discussion of the record in the 
presence of the accompanying person at any time, including the time 
access is granted.
    (c) Any individual making a request for access to records or 
information pertaining to himself or herself by mail must address the 
request to the Administrative Officer (Privacy Officer), Foreign Claims 
Settlement Commission, 600 E Street, NW., Room 6002, Washington, DC 
20579, and must provide information acceptable to the Administrative 
Officer to verify the individual's identity.
    (d) Responses to requests under this section normally will be made 
within ten (10) days of receipt (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal 
holidays). If it is not possible to respond to requests within that 
period, an acknowledgment will be sent to the individual within ten (10) 
days of receipt of the request (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal 
holidays).



Sec.  503.6  Determination of requests for access to records.

    (a) Upon request made in accordance with Sec.  503.5, the 
Administrative Officer will:
    (1) Determine whether or not the request will be granted;
    (2) Make that determination and provide notification within a 
reasonable period of time after receipt of the request.
    (b) If access to a record is denied because information has been 
compiled by the Commission in reasonable anticipation of a civil or 
criminal action or proceeding, the Administrative Officer will notify 
the individual of that determination and the reason therefor.
    (c) If access to the record is granted, the individual making the 
request must notify the Administrative Officer whether the record 
requested is to be copied and mailed to the individual.
    (d) If a record is to be made available for personal inspection, the 
individual must arrange with the Administrative Officer a mutually 
agreeable time and place for inspection of the record.



Sec.  503.7  Amendment of a record.

    (a) Any individual may request amendment of a record pertaining to 
himself or herself according to the procedure in paragraph (b) of this 
section, except in the case of records described under paragraph (d) of 
this section.
    (b) After inspection by an individual of a record pertaining to 
himself or herself, the individual may file a written request, presented 
in person or by mail, with the Administrative Officer, for an amendment 
to a record. The request must specify the particular portions of the 
record to be amended, the desired amendments and the reasons therefor.
    (c) Not later than ten (10) days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and 
legal holidays) after the receipt of a request made in accordance with 
this section to amend a record in whole or in part, the Administrative 
Officer will:
    (1) Make any correction of any portion of the record which the 
individual believes is not accurate, relevant, timely or complete and 
thereafter inform the individual of such correction; or
    (2) Inform the individual, by certified mail return receipt 
requested, of the refusal to amend the record, setting forth the reasons 
therefor, and notify the individual of the right to appeal that 
determination as provided under Sec. 503.8 of this part.
    (d) The provisions for amending records do not apply to evidence 
presented in the course of Commission proceedings in the adjudication of 
claims, nor do they permit collateral attack upon what has already been 
subject to final agency action in the adjudication of claims in programs 
previously completed by the Commission pursuant to statutory time 
limitations.



Sec.  503.8  Appeals from denial of requests for amendment to records.

    (a) An individual whose request for amendment of a record pertaining 
to the individual is denied may request a review of that determination. 
The request must be addressed to the Chair of the Commission, and must 
specify the reasons for which the refusal to amend is challenged.

[[Page 21]]

    (b) If on appeal the refusal to amend the record is upheld, the 
Commission will permit the individual to file a statement setting forth 
the reasons for disagreement with the determination. The statement must 
also be submitted within 30 days of receipt of the denial. The statement 
will be included in the system of records in which the disputed record 
is maintained and will be marked so as to indicate:
    (1) That a statement of disagreement has been filed, and
    (2) Where in the system of records the statement may be found.



Sec.  503.9  Fees.

    Fees to be charged, if any, to any individual for making copies of 
that individual's record excluding the cost of any search for and review 
of the record will be as follows:
    (a) Photocopy reproductions: each copy $0.15.
    (b) Where the Commission undertakes to perform for a requester, or 
any other person, services which are clearly not required to be 
performed under the Privacy Act, either voluntarily or because those 
services are required by some other law, the question of charging fees 
for those services will be determined by the official or designee 
authorized to release the information, under the Federal user charge 
statute, 31 U.S.C. 583a, any other applicable law, and the provisions of 
Sec.  502.13 of part 502 of this chapter.



Sec.  503.10  Exemptions.

    No system of records maintained by the Foreign Claims Settlement 
Commission is exempt from the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a as permitted 
under certain conditions by 5 U.S.C. 552a(j) and (k). However, the Chair 
of the Commission reserves the right to promulgate rules in accordance 
with the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(1), (2) and (3), and 5 U.S.C. 
553(c) and (e) to exempt any system of records maintained by the 
Commission in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a(k).



Sec.  503.11  Reports.

    (a) The Administrative Officer or designee will provide adequate 
advance notice to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget of 
any proposal to establish or alter any Commission system of records, as 
required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(o).
    (b) If at any time a system of records maintained by the Commission 
is determined to be exempt from the application of 5 U.S.C. 552a in 
accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a(j) and (k), the number 
of records contained in such system will be separately listed and 
reported to the Office of Management and Budget.



Sec.  503.12  Notices.

    The Commission will publish in the Federal Register at least 
annually a notice of the existence and character of the systems of 
records which it maintains. Such notice will include:
    (a) The name and location of each system;
    (b) The categories of individuals on whom the records are maintained 
in each system;
    (c) The categories of records maintained in each system;
    (d) Each routine use of the records contained in each system 
including the categories of users and the purpose of each use;
    (e) The policies and practices of the Commission regarding storage, 
retrievability, access controls, retention, and disposal of the records;
    (f) The title and business address of the agency official who is 
responsible for each system of records;
    (g) Commission procedures whereby an individual can be notified if a 
system of records contains a record pertaining to that individual;
    (h) Commission procedures whereby an individual can be notified how 
to gain access to any record pertaining to that individual contained in 
a system of records, and how to contest its content, and
    (i) The categories of sources of records in each system.



            Subpart B_Government in the Sunshine Regulations

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552b.



Sec.  503.20  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part: Closed meeting and closed portion of a 
meeting mean, respectively, a meeting or that part of

[[Page 22]]

a meeting designated as provided in Sec.  503.27 as closed to the public 
by reason of one or more of the closure provisions listed in Sec.  
503.24.
    Commission means the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, which is 
a collegial body that functions as a unit composed of three individual 
members, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the 
Senate.
    Meeting means the deliberations of at least two (quorum) members of 
the Commission where such deliberations determine or result in joint 
conduct or disposition of official Commission business.
    Member means any one of the three members of the Commission.
    Open meeting means a meeting or portion of a meeting which is not a 
closed meeting or a closed portion of a meeting.
    Public observation means the right of any member of the public to 
attend and observe, but not participate or interfere in any way, in an 
open meeting of the Commission within the limits of reasonable and 
comfortable accommodations made available for such purpose by the 
Commission.



Sec.  503.21  Notice of public observation.

    (a) A member of the public is not required to give advance notice of 
an intention to exercise the right of public observation of an open 
meeting of the Commission. However, in order to permit the Commission to 
determine the amount of space and number of seats which must be made 
available to accommodate individuals who desire to exercise the right of 
public observation, those individuals are requested to give notice to 
the Commission at least two business days before the start of the open 
meeting of the intention to exercise that right.
    (b) Notice of intention to exercise the right of public observation 
may be given in writing, in person, or by telephone to the official 
designated in Sec.  503.29.
    (c) Individuals who have not given advance notice of intention to 
exercise the right of public observation will not be permitted to attend 
and observe the open meeting of the Commission if the available space 
and seating are necessary to accommodate individuals who gave advance 
notice of such intention.



Sec.  503.22  Scope of application.

    The provisions of this part 503, Sec. Sec.  503.20 through 503.29, 
apply to meetings of the Commission, and do not apply to conferences or 
other gatherings of employees of the Commission who meet or join with 
others, except at meetings of the Commission to deliberate on or conduct 
official agency business.



Sec.  503.23  Open meetings.

    Every meeting of the Commission will be open to public observation 
except as provided in Sec.  503.24.



Sec.  503.24  Grounds for closing a meeting.

    (a) Except in a case where the Commission determines otherwise, a 
meeting or portion of a meeting may be closed to public observation 
where the Commission determines that the meeting or portion of the 
meeting is likely to:
    (1) Disclose matters that are:
    (i) Specifically authorized under criteria established by an 
Executive Order to be kept secret in the interests of national defense 
or foreign policy and
    (ii) In fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive order;
    (2) Relate solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of 
the Commission;
    (3) Disclose matters specifically exempted from disclosure by 
statute (other than 5 U.S.C. 552) provided that such statute:
    (i) Requires that the matters be withheld from the public in such a 
manner as to leave no discretion on the issue, or
    (ii) Establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to 
particular types of matters to be withheld;
    (4) Disclose trade secrets and commercial or financial information 
obtained from a person and privileged or confidential;
    (5) Involve accusing any person of a crime, or formally censuring 
any person;
    (6) Disclose information of a personal nature where disclosure would 
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;

[[Page 23]]

    (7) Disclose investigatory records compiled for law enforcement 
purposes, or information which if written would be contained in such 
records, but only to the extent that the production of the records or 
information would:
    (i) Interfere with enforcement proceedings,
    (ii) Deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial 
adjudication,
    (iii) Constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,
    (iv) Disclose the identity of a confidential source and, in the case 
of a record compiled by a criminal law enforcement authority in the 
course of a criminal investigation, or by an agency conducting a lawful 
national security intelligence investigation, confidential information 
furnished only by the confidential source,
    (v) Disclose investigative techniques and procedures, or
    (vi) Endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement 
personnel;
    (8) Disclose information contained in or related to examination, 
operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the 
use of the Commission;
    (9) Disclose information the premature disclosure of which would be 
likely to significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed action of 
the Commission, provided the Commission has not already disclosed to the 
public the content or nature of its proposed action, or is not required 
by law to make the disclosure on its own initiative prior to taking 
final action on the proposal; or
    (10) Specifically concern the Commission's issuance of a subpoena or 
the Commission's participation in a civil action or proceeding, an 
action in a foreign court or international tribunal, or an arbitration, 
or the initiation, conduct, or disposition by the Commission of a 
particular case of formal agency adjudication pursuant to the procedures 
in 5 U.S.C. 554, or otherwise involve a determination on the record 
after opportunity for a hearing.
    (b) If the Commission determines that the public interest would 
require that a meeting to be open, it may nevertheless so hold.



Sec.  503.25  Announcement of meetings.

    (a) The Commission meets in its offices at 600 E Street, NW, 
Washington, DC, from time to time as announced by timely notice 
published in the Federal Register.
    (b) At the earliest practicable time, which is estimated to be not 
later than eight days before the beginning of a meeting of the 
Commission, the Commission will make available for public inspection in 
its offices, and, if requested, will furnish by telephone or in writing, 
a notice of the subject matter of the meeting, except to the extent that 
the information is exempt from disclosure under the provisions of Sec.  
503.24.



Sec.  503.26  Procedures for closing of meetings.

    (a) The closing of a meeting will occur when:
    (1) A majority of the membership of the Commission votes to take 
that action. A separate vote of the Commission members will be taken 
with respect to each Commission meeting, a portion or portions of which 
are proposed to be closed to the public pursuant to Sec.  503.24, or 
with respect to any information which is proposed withheld under Sec.  
503.24. A single vote may be taken with respect to a series of meetings, 
a portion or portions of which are proposed to be closed to the public, 
or with respect to any information concerning that series of meetings, 
so long as each meeting in the series involves the same particular 
matters and is scheduled to be held no more than thirty days after the 
initial meeting in the series. The vote of each Commission member 
participating in the voting will be recorded and no proxies will be 
allowed.
    (2) Whenever any person whose interests may be directly affected by 
a portion of a meeting requests that the Commission close that portion 
to the public for any of the reasons referred to in Sec.  503.24(e), 
(f), or (g), the Commission, upon request of any one of its Commission 
members, will take a recorded vote, whether to close that portion of the 
meeting.
    (b) Within one day of any vote taken, the Commission will make 
publicly available a written copy of the voting

[[Page 24]]

reflecting the vote of each member on the question and a full written 
explanation of its action closing the entire or portion of the meeting 
together with a list of all persons expected to attend the meeting and 
their affiliation.
    (c) The Commission will announce the time, place and subject matter 
of the meeting at least eight days before the meeting.
    (d) For every closed meeting, before the meeting is closed, the 
Commission's Chair will publicly certify that the meeting may be closed 
to the public, and will state each relevant closure provision. A copy of 
the certification, together with a statement setting forth the time and 
place of the meeting, and the persons present, will be retained by the 
Commission.



Sec.  503.27  Reconsideration of opening or closing, or rescheduling
a meeting.

    The time or place of a Commission meeting may be changed following 
the public announcement only if the Commission publicly announces such 
changes at the earliest practicable time. The subject matter of a 
meeting, or the determination of the Commission to open or close a 
meeting, or portion of a meeting, to the public, may be changed 
following the public announcement only if a majority of the Commission 
members determines by a recorded vote that Commission business so 
requires and that no earlier announcement of the changes was possible, 
and the Commission publicly announces the changes and the vote of each 
member upon the changes at the earliest practicable time.



Sec.  503.28  Record of closed meetings, or closed portion of a meeting.

    (a) The Commission will maintain a complete transcript or electronic 
recording adequate to record fully the proceedings of each closed 
meeting or closed portion of a meeting, except that in the case of a 
meeting or portion of a meeting closed to the public pursuant to Sec.  
503.24(d), (h), or (j), the Commission will maintain either a transcript 
or recording, or a detailed set of minutes.
    (b) Any minutes so maintained will fully and clearly describe all 
matters discussed and shall provide a full and accurate summary of any 
actions taken, and the reasons therefor, including a description of each 
of the views expressed on any item and the record of any rollcall vote. 
All documents considered in connection with any action will be 
identified in the minutes.
    (c) The Commission will promptly make available to the public, in 
its offices, the transcript, electronic recording, or minutes, of the 
discussion of any item on the agenda of a closed meeting, or closed 
portion of a meeting, except for the item or items of discussion which 
the Commission determines to contain information which may be withheld 
under Sec.  503.24. Copies of the transcript or minutes, or a 
transcription of the recording, disclosing the identity of each speaker, 
will be furnished to any person at the actual cost of duplication or 
transcription.
    (d) The Commission will maintain a complete verbatim copy of the 
transcript, a complete copy of the minutes, or a complete electronic 
recording of each closed meeting or closed portion of a meeting for a 
period of two years after the date of the closed meeting or closed 
portion of a meeting.
    (e) All actions required or permitted by this section to be 
undertaken by the Commission will be by or under the authority of the 
Chair of the Commission.



Sec.  503.29  Requests for information.

    Requests to the Commission for information about the time, place, 
and subject matter of a meeting, whether it or any portions thereof are 
closed to the public, and any requests for copies of the transcript or 
minutes or of a transcript of an electronic recording of a closed 
meeting, or closed portion of a meeting, to the extent not exempt from 
disclosure by the provisions of Sec.  503.24, must be addressed to the 
Administrative Officer, Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, 600 E 
Street, NW, Room 6002, Washington, DC 20579, telephone (202) 616-6975.

[[Page 25]]



SUBCHAPTER B_RECEIPT, ADMINISTRATION, AND PAYMENT OF CLAIMS UNDER TITLE 
               I OF THE WAR CLAIMS ACT OF 1948, AS AMENDED





PART 504_FILING OF CLAIMS AND PROCEDURES THEREFOR--Table of Contents



Sec.
504.1 Claim defined.
504.2 Time within which claims may be filed.
504.3 Official claim forms.
504.4 Place of filing claims.
504.5 Documents to accompany forms.
504.6 Receipt of claims.

    Authority: Sec. 2, Pub. L. 896, 80th Cong., as amended (50 U.S.C. 
App. 2001).

    Source: 66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  504.1  Claim defined.

    (a) This subchapter is included solely in order to provide for the 
adjudication of any additional claims that may arise on behalf of 
survivors of deceased civilians and military veterans who had been 
listed as missing during the Vietnam conflict but were subsequently 
determined to have been interned, in hiding, or captured by a hostile 
force in Southeast Asia (see Sec.  504.2(a)(3) and (b)(3)). The 
Commission no longer has authority to receive or consider any other 
types of claims based on the internment of civilians or the maltreatment 
of military servicemen held as prisoners of war by forces hostile to the 
United States.
    (b) A properly completed and executed application made on an 
official form provided by the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission for 
such purpose constitutes a claim and will be processed under the laws 
administered by the Commission.
    (c) Any communication, letter, note, or memorandum from a claimant, 
or the claimant's duly authorized representative, or a person acting as 
next friend of a claimant who is not legally competent, setting forth 
sufficient facts to apprise the Commission of an interest to apply under 
the provisions of sections 5(i) and 6(f) of the Act, will be deemed to 
be an informal claim. Where an informal claim is received and an 
official form is forwarded for completion and execution by the 
applicant, that official form will be considered as evidence necessary 
to complete the initial claim, and unless that official form is received 
within thirty (30) days from the date it was transmitted for execution, 
if the claimant resides in the continental United States, or forty-five 
(45) days if outside the continental United States, the claim may be 
disallowed.



Sec.  504.2  Time within which claims may be filed.

    (a) Claims of individuals entitled to benefits under section 5(i) of 
the War Claims Act of 1948, as added by Public Law 91-289, will be 
accepted by the Commission during the period beginning June 24, 1970, 
and ending:
    (1) June 24, 1973, inclusive;
    (2) 3 years from the date the civilian American citizen by whom the 
claim is filed returned to the jurisdiction of the United States; or
    (3) 3 years from the date upon which the Commission, at the request 
of a potentially eligible survivor, makes a determination that the 
civilian American citizen has actually died or may be presumed to be 
dead, in the case of any civilian American citizen who has not returned 
to the jurisdiction of the United States, whichever of the preceding 
dates last occurs.
    (b) Claims of individuals entitled to benefits under section 6(f) of 
the War Claims Act of 1948, as added by Public Law 91-289, will be 
accepted by the Commission during the period beginning June 24, 1970, 
and ending:
    (1) June 24, 1973, inclusive;
    (2) 3 years from the date the prisoner of war by whom the claim is 
filed returned to the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of the United 
States; or
    (3) 3 years from the date the Department of Defense makes a 
determination that the prisoner of war has actually died or is presumed 
to be dead, in the case of any prisoner of war who has not returned to 
the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of the United States,

[[Page 26]]

whichever of the preceding dates last occurs.



Sec.  504.3  Official claim forms.

    Official forms are provided for use in the preparation of claims for 
submission to the Commission for processing. Claim forms are available 
at the Washington offices of the Commission and through other offices as 
the Commission may designate. The official claim form for all claims 
under section 5(i) and 6(f) has been designated FCSC Form 289, 
``Application for Compensation for Members of the Armed Forces of the 
United States Held as Prisoner of War in Vietnam; for Persons Assigned 
to Duty on board the `U.S.S. Pueblo' Captured by Military Forces of 
North Korea; for Civilian American Citizens Captured or Who Went into 
Hiding to Avoid Capture or Internment in Southeast Asia During the 
Vietnam Conflict and, in Case of Death of any Such Person, for Their 
Survivors.''



Sec.  504.4  Place of filing claims.

    Claims must be mailed or delivered in person to the Foreign Claims 
Settlement Commission, 600 E Street, NW, Room 6002, Washington, DC 
20579.



Sec.  504.5  Documents to accompany forms.

    All claims filed pursuant to sections 5(a) and 6(f) of the Act must 
be accompanied by evidentiary documents, instruments, and records as 
outlined in the instruction sheet attached to the claim form.



Sec.  504.6  Receipt of claims.

    (a) Claims deemed received. A claim will be deemed to have been 
received by the Commission on the date postmarked, if mailed, or if 
delivery is made in person, on the date of delivery at the offices of 
the Commission in Washington, DC.
    (b) Claims developed. In the event that a claim has been 
insufficiently prepared so as to preclude processing thereof, the 
Commission may request the claimant to furnish whatever supplemental 
evidence, including the completion and execution of an official claim 
form, as may be essential to the processing of the claim. In case the 
evidence or official claim form requested is not returned within the 
time which may be designated by the Commission, the claim may be deemed 
to have been abandoned and may be disallowed.



PART 505_PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION--Table of Contents



Sec.
505.1 Persons eligible to file claims.
505.2 Persons under legal disability.
505.3 Definitions applicable under the Act.

    Authority: Sec. 2, Pub. L. 896, 80th Cong., as amended (50 U.S.C. 
App. 2001).

    Source: 66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  505.1  Persons eligible to file claims.

    Persons eligible to file claims with the Commission under the 
provisions of sections 5(i) and 6(f) of the War Claims Act of 1948, as 
amended, are:
    (a) Civilian American citizens captured and held in Southeast Asia 
or their eligible survivors, under the provisions of section 5(i) of the 
Act; and
    (b) Members of the Armed Forces of the United States held as 
prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict or their eligible 
survivors, under section 6(f) of the Act.



Sec.  505.2  Persons under legal disability.

    (a) Claims may be submitted on behalf of persons who, being 
otherwise eligible to make claims under the provisions of sections 5(i) 
and 6(f), are incompetent or otherwise under any legal disability, by 
the natural or legal guardian, committee, conservator, curator, or any 
other person, including the spouse of the claimant, whom the Commission 
determines is charged with the care of the claimant.
    (b) Upon the death of any individual for whom an award has been 
made, the Commission may consider the initial application filed by or in 
behalf of the decedent as a formal claim for the purpose of reissuing 
the award to the next eligible survivor in the order of preference as 
set forth under sections 5(i) and 6(d)(4) of the Act.



Sec.  505.3  Definitions applicable under the Act.

    Child means:
    (1) A natural or adopted son or daughter of a deceased prisoner of 
war

[[Page 27]]

or a deceased civilian prisoner of war or a deceased American citizen 
including any posthumous son or daughter of such deceased person.
    (2) Any son or daughter of a deceased person born out of wedlock 
will be deemed to be a child of the deceased for the purpose of this 
Act, if:
    (i) Legitimated by a subsequent marriage of the parents,
    (ii) Recognized as a child of the deceased by his or her admission, 
or
    (iii) So declared by an order or decree of any court of competent 
jurisdiction.
    Husband means the surviving male spouse of a deceased prisoner of 
war or of a deceased civilian American citizen who was married to the 
deceased at the time of her death by a marriage valid under the 
applicable law of the place entered into.
    Natural guardian means father and mother who shall be deemed to be 
the natural guardians of the person of their minor children. If either 
dies or is incapable of action, the natural guardianship of the person 
shall devolve upon the other. In the event of death or incapacity of 
both parents, then the blood relative, paternal or maternal, standing in 
loco parentis to the minor shall be deemed the natural guardian.
    Parent means:
    (1)(i) The natural or adoptive father or mother of a deceased 
prisoner of war, or any other individual standing in loco parentis to 
the deceased person for a period of not less than 1 year immediately 
preceding the date of that person's entry into active service and during 
at least 1 year of the person's minority. Not more than one mother or 
one father as defined shall be recognized in any case. An individual 
will not be recognized as standing in loco parentis if the natural 
parents or adoptive parents are living, unless there is affirmative 
evidence of abandonment and renunciation of parental duties and 
obligations by the natural or adoptive parent or parents prior to entry 
into active service by the deceased prisoner or war;
    (ii) An award in the full amount allowable had the deceased prisoner 
of war survived may be made to only one parent when it is shown that the 
other parent has died or if there is affirmative evidence of abandonment 
and renunciation of parental duties and obligations by the other parent.
    (2) The father of an illegitimate child will not be recognized as 
such for purposes of the Act unless evidence establishes that:
    (i) He has legitimated the child by subsequent marriage with the 
mother;
    (ii) Recognized the child as his by written admission prior to 
enlistment of the deceased in the armed forces or entry into an overseas 
duty status; or
    (iii) Prior to death of the child he has been declared by decree of 
a court of competent jurisdiction to be the father.
    Widow means the surviving female spouse of a deceased prisoner of 
war or a deceased civilian American citizen who was married to the 
deceased at the time of his death by marriage valid under the applicable 
law of the place where entered into.



PART 506_ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPENSATION--Table of Contents



                  Subpart A_Civilian American Citizens

Sec.
506.1 ``Civilian American citizen'' defined.
506.2 Other definitions.
506.3 Rate of benefits payable.
506.4 Survivors entitled to award of detention benefits.
506.5 Persons not eligible to award of civilian detention benefits.

                       Subpart B_Prisoners of War

506.10 ``Vietnam conflict'' defined.
506.11 ``Prisoner of war'' defined.
506.12 Membership in the Armed Forces of the United States; 
          establishment of.
506.13 ``Armed Forces of the United States'' defined.
506.14 ``Force hostile to the United States'' defined.
506.15 Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949.
506.16 Failure to meet the conditions and requirements prescribed under 
          the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949.
506.17 Rate of and basis for award of compensation.
506.18 Entitlement of survivors to award in case of death of prisoner of 
          war.
506.19 Members of the Armed Forces of the United States precluded from 
          receiving award of compensation.

    Authority: Sec. 2, Pub. L. 896, 80th Cong., as amended (50 U.S.C. 
App. 2001).

    Source: 66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted.

[[Page 28]]



                  Subpart A_Civilian American Citizens



Sec.  506.1  ``Civilian American citizen'' defined.

    Civilian American citizen means any person who, being then a citizen 
of the United States, was captured in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam 
conflict by any force hostile to the United States, or who went into 
hiding in Southeast Asia in order to avoid capture or internment by any 
such hostile force.



Sec.  506.2  Other definitions.

    Calendar month means the period of time between a designated day of 
any given month and the date preceding a similarly designated day of the 
following month.
    Citizen of the United States means a person who under applicable law 
acquired citizenship of the United States by birth, by naturalization, 
or by derivation.
    Dependent husband means the surviving male spouse of a deceased 
civilian American citizen who was married to the deceased at the time of 
her death by a marriage valid under the applicable law of the place 
where entered into.
    Force hostile to the United States means any organization or force 
in Southeast Asia, or any agent or employee thereof, engaged in any 
military or civil activities designed to further the prosecution of its 
armed conflict against the Armed Forces of the United States during the 
Vietnam conflict.
    Southeast Asia means, but is not necessarily restricted to, the 
areas of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
    Went into hiding means the action taken by a civilian American 
citizen when that person initiated a course of conduct consistent with 
an intention to evade capture or detention by a hostile force in 
Southeast Asia.



Sec.  506.3  Rate of benefits payable.

    Detention benefits awarded to a civilian American citizen will be 
paid at the rate of $150 for each calendar month of internment or during 
the period in which that civilian American citizen went into hiding to 
avoid capture and internment by a hostile force. Awards shall take 
account of fractional parts of a calendar month.



Sec.  506.4  Survivors entitled to award of detention benefits.

    In case of death of a civilian American citizen who would have been 
entitled to detention benefits under the War Claims Act of 1948, as 
amended, benefits will be awarded, if claim is made, only to the 
following persons:
    (a) Widow or husband if there is no child or children of the 
deceased;
    (b) Widow or dependent husband and child or children of the 
deceased, one-half to the widow or dependent husband and the other half 
to the child or children in equal shares;
    (c) The child or children of the deceased in equal shares if there 
is no widow or dependent husband, if otherwise qualified.



Sec.  506.5  Persons not eligible to award of civilian detention benefits.

    An individual is disqualified as a ``civilian American citizen'' 
under the Act, and thus is precluded from receiving an award of 
detention benefits, if that person:
    (a) Voluntarily, knowingly, and without duress, gave aid to or 
collaborated with or in any manner served the detaining hostile force; 
or
    (b) While detained, was a regularly appointed, enrolled, enlisted, 
or inducted member of the Armed Forces of the United States.



                       Subpart B_Prisoners of War



Sec.  506.10  ``Vietnam conflict'' defined.

    Vietnam conflict refers to the period beginning February 28, 1961, 
and ending on a date to be determined by Presidential proclamation or 
concurrent resolution of the Congress. (For purposes of determining 
eligibility for certain veterans' benefits, the President has proclaimed 
the date of May 7, 1975, to be the ending date of the ``Vietnam era'' 
(Presidential Proclamation No. 4373, 38 U.S.C. 101 note). In addition, 
Congress has set May 7, 1975, as the ending date of the ``Vietnam 
conflict'' for purposes of payment of interest on missing military 
service members' deposits in the United States Treasury under 10 U.S.C. 
1035. However, neither

[[Page 29]]

the President nor the Congress has set an ending date for the Vietnam 
conflict for purposes of determining eligibility for compensation under 
50 U.S.C. App. 2004 and 2005.)



Sec.  506.11  ``Prisoner of war'' defined.

    Prisoner of war means any regularly appointed, enrolled, enlisted or 
inducted member of the Armed Forces of the United States who was held by 
any force hostile to the United States for any period of time during the 
Vietnam conflict.



Sec.  506.12  Membership in the Armed Forces of the United States;
establishment of.

    Regular appointment, enrollment, enlistment or induction in the 
Armed Forces of the United States must be established by certification 
obtained from the Department of Defense.



Sec.  506.13  ``Armed Forces of the United States'' defined.

    Armed Forces of the United States means the United States Air Force, 
Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and commissioned officers of 
the U.S. Public Health Service who were detailed for active duty with 
the Armed Forces of the United States.



Sec.  506.14  ``Force hostile to the United States'' defined.

    Force hostile to the United States means any organization or force 
in Southeast Asia, or any agent or employee thereof, engaged in any 
military or civil activities designed to further the prosecution of its 
armed conflict against the Armed Forces of the United States during the 
Vietnam conflict.



Sec.  506.15  Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949.

    The Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949, as identified in section 
6(f) of the War Claims Act of 1948, as amended, is the ``Geneva 
Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of August 12, 
1949'' which is included under the ``Geneva Convention of August 12, 
1949, for the Protection of War Victims,'' entered into by the United 
States and other governments, including the former government in North 
Vietnam which acceded to it on June 28, 1957.



Sec.  506.16  Failure to meet the conditions and requirements prescribed
under the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949.

    For the purpose of this part, obligations under the Geneva 
Convention of August 12, 1949, consist of the responsibility assumed by 
the contracting parties thereto with respect to prisoners of war within 
the meaning of the Convention, to comply with and to fully observe the 
provisions of the Convention, and particularly those articles relating 
to food rations of prisoners of war, humane treatment, protection, and 
labor of prisoners of war, and the failure to abide by the conditions 
and requirements established in such Convention by any hostile force 
with which the Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in armed 
conflict.



Sec.  506.17  Rate of and basis for award of compensation.

    (a) Compensation allowed a prisoner of war during the Vietnam 
conflict under section 6(f)(2) of the War Claims Act of 1948, as 
amended, will be paid at the rate of $2 per day for each day on which 
that person was held as prisoner of war and on which the hostile force, 
or its agents, failed to furnish the quantity and quality of food 
prescribed for prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention of August 
12, 1949.
    (b) Compensation allowed a prisoner of war during the Vietnam 
conflict under section 6(f)(3) of the Act, will be paid at the rate of 
$3 per day for each day on which that person was held as a prisoner of 
war and on which the hostile force failed to meet the conditions and 
requirements under the provisions of the Geneva Convention of August 12, 
1949 relating to labor of prisoners of war or for inhumane treatment by 
the hostile force by which such person was held.
    (c) Compensation under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section will 
be paid to the prisoner of war or qualified applicant on a lump-sum 
basis at a total rate of $5 per day for each day the prisoner of war was 
entitled to compensation.

[[Page 30]]



Sec.  506.18  Entitlement of survivors to award in case of death of 
prisoner of war.

    In case of death of a prisoner of war who would have been entitled 
to an award of compensation under section 6(f) (2) and (3) of the War 
Claims Act of 1948, as amended, the compensation will be awarded, if 
claim is made, only to the following persons:
    (a) Widow or husband if there is no child or children of the 
deceased;
    (b) Widow or husband and child or children of the deceased, one-half 
to the widow or husband and the other half to the child or children of 
the deceased in equal shares;
    (c) Child or children of the deceased (in equal shares) if there is 
no widow or husband; and
    (d) Parents (in equal shares) if there is no widow, husband or 
child.



Sec.  506.19  Members of the Armed Forces of the United States precluded
from receiving award of compensation.

    Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States, who at any 
time, voluntarily, knowingly, and without duress gave aid to or 
collaborated with, or in any manner served any force hostile to the 
United States, is precluded from receiving an award of compensation 
based on that member's capture and internment.



PART 507_PAYMENT--Table of Contents



Sec.
507.1 Payments under the War Claims Act of 1948, as amended by Pub. L. 
          91-289.
507.2 Payments to persons under legal disability.
507.3 Reissuance of awards.

    Authority: Sec. 2, Pub. L. 80-896, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2001).

    Source: 66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  507.1  Payments under the War Claims Act of 1948, as amended by
Public Law 91-289.

    (a) Upon a determination by the Commission as to the amount and 
validity of each claim filed pursuant to section 5(i) and 6(f) of the 
War Claims Act of 1948, as amended, any award made thereunder will be 
certified by the Commission to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment 
out of funds appropriated for this purpose, in favor of the civilian 
internee or prisoner of war found entitled thereto.
    (b) Awards made to survivors of deceased civilian internees or 
prisoners of war will be certified to the Secretary of the Treasury for 
payment to the individual member or members of the class or classes of 
survivors entitled to receive compensation in the full amount of the 
share to which each survivor is entitled, and if applicable, under the 
procedure set forth in Sec.  507.3, except that as to persons under 
legal disability, payment will be made as specified in Sec.  507.2.



Sec.  507.2  Payments to persons under legal disability.

    Any awards or any part of an award payable under sections 5(i) and 
6(f) of the Act to any person under legal disability may, in the 
discretion of the Commission, be certified for payment for the use of 
the claimant, to the natural or legal guardian, committee, conservator 
or curator, or if there is no natural or legal guardian, committee, 
conservator or curator, then, in the discretion of the Commission, to 
any person, including the spouse of such person, or the Chief Officer of 
the hospital in which the claimant may be a patient, whom the Commission 
may determine is charged with the care of the claimant. In the case of a 
minor, any part of the amount payable may, in the discretion of the 
Commission, be certified for payment to that minor.



Sec.  507.3  Reissuance of awards.

    Upon the death of any claimant entitled to payment of an award, the 
Commission will cause the award to be canceled and the amount of the 
award will be redistributed to the survivors of the same class or to 
members of the next class of eligible survivors, if appropriate, in the 
order of preference as set forth under the Act.



PART 508_HEARINGS--Table of Contents



Sec.
508.1 Basis for hearing.
508.2 Request for hearing.
508.3 Notification to claimant.
508.4 Failure to file request for hearing.

[[Page 31]]

508.5 Purpose of hearing.
508.6 Resume of hearing, preparation of.
508.7 Action by the Commission.
508.8 Application of other regulations.

    Authority: Sec. 2, Pub. L. 896, 80th Cong., as amended (50 U.S.C. 
App. 2001).

    Source: 66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  508.1  Basis for hearing.

    Any claimant whose application is denied or is approved for less 
than the full allowable amount of his or her claim will be entitled to a 
hearing before the Commission or its representative with respect to that 
claim. Hearings may also be held on the Commission's own motion.



Sec.  508.2  Request for hearing.

    Within 30 days after the Commission's notice of denial of a claim, 
or approval for a lesser amount than claimed, has been posted by the 
Commission, the claimant, if a hearing is desired, must notify the 
Commission in writing, and must set forth in full the reasons for 
requesting the hearing, including any statement of law or facts upon 
which the claimant relies.



Sec.  508.3  Notification to claimant.

    Upon receipt of such a request, the Commission will schedule a 
hearing and notify the claimant as to the date and place the hearing is 
to be held. No later than 10 days prior to the scheduled hearing date, 
the claimant must submit all documents, briefs, or other additional 
evidence relevant to his or her appeal.



Sec.  508.4  Failure to file request for hearing.

    The failure to file a request for a hearing within the period 
specified in Sec.  509.2 of this chapter will be deemed to constitute a 
waiver of right to a hearing and the decision of the Commission will 
constitute a full and final disposition of the case.



Sec.  508.5  Purpose of hearing.

    (a) Hearings will be conducted by the Commission, its designee or 
designees. Oral testimony and documentary evidence, including 
depositions that may have been taken as provided by statute and the 
rules of practice, may be offered in evidence on claimant's behalf or by 
counsel for the Commission designated by it to represent the public 
interest opposed to the allowance of an unjust or unfounded claim or 
portion thereof, and either may cross-examine as to evidence offered 
through witnesses on behalf of the other. Objections to the admission of 
any such evidence will be ruled upon by the presiding officer.
    (b) Hearings may be stenographically recorded either at the request 
of the claimant or at the discretion of the Commission. A claimant 
making such a request must notify the Commission at least 10 days prior 
to the hearing date. When a stenographic record of a hearing is ordered 
at the claimant's request, the cost of such reporting and transcription 
may be charged to the claimant.
    (c) Such hearings will be open to the public.



Sec.  508.6  R[eacute]sum[eacute] of hearing, preparation of.

    Following each hearing, the hearing officer will prepare a 
r[eacute]sum[eacute] of the hearing, specifying the issues on which the 
hearing was based, and including a list of documents and contents and 
other items relative to the issues that were introduced as evidence. A 
brief analysis of oral testimony will also be prepared and included in 
the r[eacute]sum[eacute] of each hearing not stenographically reported.



Sec.  508.7  Action by the Commission.

    After the conclusion of the hearing and a review of the 
r[eacute]sum[eacute], the Commission may affirm, modify, or reverse its 
former action with respect to the claim, including a denial or reduction 
in the amount of the award theretofore approved. All findings of the 
Commission concerning the persons to whom compensation is payable, and 
the amounts thereof, are conclusive and not reviewable by any court.



Sec.  508.8  Application of other regulations.

    To the extent they are not inconsistent with the regulations set 
forth under provisions of this subchapter,

[[Page 32]]

the other regulations of the Commission will also be applicable to the 
claims filed hereunder.

[[Page 33]]



 SUBCHAPTER C_RECEIPT, ADMINISTRATION, AND PAYMENT OF CLAIMS UNDER THE 
  INTERNATIONAL CLAIMS SETTLEMENT ACT OF 1949, AS AMENDED, AND RELATED 
                                  ACTS





PART 509_FILING OF CLAIMS AND PROCEDURES THEREFOR--Table of Contents



Sec.
509.1 Time for filing.
509.2 Form, content and filing of claims.
509.3 Exhibits and documents in support of claim.
509.4 Acknowledgment and numbering.
509.5 Procedure for determination of claims.
509.6 Hearings.
509.7 Presettlement conference.

    Authority: Sec. 3, Pub. L. 455, 81st Cong., as amended (22 U.S.C. 
1622).

    Source: 66 FR 49844, Oct. 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  509.1  Time for filing.

    Claims must be filed as specified by the Commission by duly 
promulgated notice published in the Federal Register, or as specified in 
legislation passed by Congress, as applicable.



Sec.  509.2  Form, content and filing of claims.

    (a) Unless otherwise specified by law, or by regulations published 
in the Federal Register, claims must be filed on official forms, which 
will be provided by the Commission upon request in writing addressed to 
the Commission at its office at 600 E Street, NW, Suite 6002, 
Washington, DC 20579. Each form must include all of the information 
called for in it and must be completed and signed in accordance with the 
instructions accompanying the form.
    (b) Notice to the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, the 
Department of State, or any other governmental office or agency of an 
intention to file a claim against a foreign government, prior to the 
enactment of the statute authorizing a claims program, prior to a 
referral of claims to the Commission by the Secretary for pre-
adjudication, or prior to the effective date of a lump-sum claims 
settlement agreement, will not be considered as a timely filing of a 
claim under the statute, referral, or agreement.
    (c) Any initial written indication of an intention to file a claim 
received within 30 days prior to the expiration of the filing period 
thereof will be considered as a timely filing of a claim if formalized 
within 30 days after the expiration of the filing period.



Sec.  509.3  Exhibits and documents in support of claim.

    (a) Original documents. If available, all exhibits and documents 
must be filed with and at the same time as the claim, and must, wherever 
possible, be in the form of original documents, or copies or originals 
certified as such by their public or other official custodian.
    (b) Documents in a foreign language. Each copy of a document, 
exhibit or paper filed, which is written or printed in a language other 
than English, must be accompanied by an English translation thereof duly 
verified under oath by its translator to be a true and accurate 
translation thereof, together with the name and address of the 
translator.
    (c) Preparation of papers. All claims, briefs, and memoranda filed 
shall be typewritten or printed and, if typewritten, must be on business 
letter (8\1/2\ x 11) size paper.



Sec.  509.4  Acknowledgment and numbering.

    The Commission will acknowledge the receipt of a claim in writing 
and will notify the claimant of the claim number assigned to it, which 
number must be used on all further correspondence and papers filed with 
regard to the claim.



Sec.  509.5  Procedure for determination of claims.

    (a) The Commission may on its own motion order a hearing upon any 
claim, specifying the questions to which the hearing shall be limited.
    (b) Without previous hearing, the Commission or a designated member 
of the staff may issue a Proposed Decision in determination of a claim. 
This Proposed Decision will set forth findings of

[[Page 34]]

fact and conclusions of law on the relevant elements of the claim, to 
the extent that evidence and information relevant to such elements is 
before the Commission. The claimant will have the burden of proof in 
submitting evidence and information sufficient to establish the elements 
necessary for a determination of the validity and amount of his or her 
claim.
    (c) The Proposed Decision will be delivered to the claimant or the 
claimant's attorney of record in person or by mail. Delivery by mail 
will be deemed completed 5 days after the mailing of the Proposed 
Decision addressed to the last known address of the claimant or the 
claimant's attorney of record. A copy of the Proposed Decision will be 
available for public inspection at the offices of the Commission, except 
in cases where public disclosure of the names of claimants is barred by 
statute.
    (d) It will be the policy of the Commission to post on a bulletin 
board and on its World Wide Web site (http://www.usdoj.gov/fcsc), any 
information of general interest to claimants before the Commission.
    (e) When the Proposed Decision denies a claim in whole or in part, 
the claimant may file notice of objection to the denial within 15 days 
of delivery of the decision. If the claimant wishes to appear at an oral 
hearing before the Commission to present his or her objection, the 
claimant must request the oral hearing at the time of submission of his 
or her objection, stating the reasons for objection, and may request a 
hearing on the claim, specifying whether for the taking of evidence or 
for oral argument on the legal issues which are the subject of the 
objection.
    (f) Copies of objections to or requests for hearings on Proposed 
Decisions will be available for public inspection at the Commission's 
offices.
    (g) Upon the expiration of 30 days after delivery to the claimant or 
claimant's attorney, if no objection under this section has in the 
meantime been filed, a staff Proposed Decision, upon approval by the 
Commission, will become the Commission's final determination and 
decision on the claim. A Proposed Decision issued by the Commission will 
become final 30 days after delivery to the claimant or the claimant's 
attorney without further order or decision by the Commission.
    (h) If an objection has in the meantime been filed, but no hearing 
requested, the Commission may, after due consideration thereof:
    (1) Issue a Final Decision affirming or modifying its Proposed 
Decision,
    (2) Issue an Amended Proposed Decision, or
    (3) On its own motion order hearing thereon, indicating whether for 
the taking of evidence on specified questions or for the hearing of oral 
arguments.
    (i) After the conclusion of a hearing, upon the expiration of any 
time allowed by the Commission for further submissions, the Commission 
may proceed to issue a Final Decision in determination of the claim.
    (j)(1) In case an individual claimant dies prior to the issuance of 
the Final Decision, that person's legal representative will be 
substituted as party claimant. However, upon failure of a representative 
to qualify for substitution, the Commission may issue its decision in 
the name of the estate of the deceased and, in case of an award, certify 
the award in the same manner to the Secretary of the Treasury for 
payment, if the payment of the award is provided for by statute.
    (2) Notice of the Commission's action under this paragraph will be 
forwarded to the claimant's attorney of record, or if the claimant is 
not represented by an attorney, the notice will be addressed to the 
estate of the claimant at the last known place of residence.
    (3) The term legal representative as applied in this paragraph 
means, in general, the administrator or executor, heir(s), next of kin, 
or descendant(s).
    (k) After the date of filing with the Commission no claim may be 
amended to reflect the assignment thereof by the claimant to any other 
person or entity except as otherwise provided by statute.
    (l) At any time after a final Decision has been issued on a claim, 
or a Proposed Decision has been entered as the Final Decision on a 
claim, but not later than 60 days before the completion date of the 
Commission's affairs in connection with the program under

[[Page 35]]

which such claim is filed, a petition to reopen on the ground of newly 
discovered evidence may be filed. No such petition will be entertained 
unless it appears therein that the newly discovered evidence came to the 
knowledge of the party filing the petition subsequent to the date of 
issuance of the Final Decision or the date on which the Proposed 
Decision was entered as the Final Decision; that it was not for want of 
due diligence that the evidence did not come sooner to the claimant's 
knowledge; and that the evidence is material, and not merely cumulative, 
and that reconsideration of the matter on the basis of that evidence 
would produce a different decision. The petition must include a 
statement of the facts which the petitioner expects to prove, the name 
and address of each witness, the identity of documents, and the reasons 
for failure to make earlier submission of the evidence.



Sec.  509.6  Hearings.

    (a) Hearings, whether upon the Commission's own motion or upon 
request of claimant, will be held upon not less than fifteen days' 
notice of the time and place thereof.
    (b) The hearings will be open to the public unless otherwise 
requested by claimant and ordered by the Commission, or when required by 
law.
    (c) The hearings will be conducted by the Commission, its designee 
or designees. Oral testimony and documentary evidence, including 
depositions that may have been taken as provided by statute and the 
rules of practices, may be offered in evidence on the claimant's behalf 
or by counsel for the Commission designated by it to represent the 
public interest opposed to the allowance of any unjust or unfounded 
claim or portion thereof; and either may cross-examine as to evidence 
offered through witnesses on behalf of the other. Objections to the 
admission of any such evidence will be ruled upon by the presiding 
officer.
    (d) The hearings will be conducted as non-adversarial proceedings. 
However, the claimant will be the moving party, and will have the burden 
of proof on all issues involved in the determination of his or her 
claim.
    (e) Hearings may be stenographically reported or electronically 
recorded, either at the request of the claimant or upon the discretion 
of the Commission. A claimant making such a request must notify the 
Commission at least ten (10) days prior to the hearing date. When a 
stenographic record or transcript of a hearing is ordered at the 
claimant's request, the cost of the reporting and transcription will be 
charged to the claimant.
    (f) The following rules of procedure will apply in the conduct of 
hearings held by the Commission for presentation of objections to 
Proposed Decisions:
    (1) Presentation of objections to Proposed Decisions. (i) Objections 
should focus either on the presentation of new evidence, or on the 
presentation of arguments demonstrating that, in the claimant's view, 
the Commission erred in considering the evidence previously submitted. 
Restatements of facts, evidence or materials already established in the 
record should be avoided.
    (ii) The Chief Counsel of the Commission or designated staff 
attorney will first introduce the objecting claimant and any witnesses 
to the Commission, and will then present a brief summary of the case, 
together with reasons supporting the decision as issued.
    (iii) The objecting claimant and all witnesses will be sworn.
    (iv) The objecting claimant, or the claimant's attorney, will then 
present the claimant's objections to the Commission, specifically 
setting forth the basis for the claimant's disagreement with the 
Proposed Decision, and the reasons supporting the claimant's contention 
that a more favorable decision should be rendered. Claimants will 
normally be limited to fifteen (15) minutes for their presentation of 
objections, but may request additional time if needed.
    (v) Following presentation of the claimant's objection, the Chief 
Counsel or designated staff attorney will be allotted an equivalent 
amount of time to question the claimant and the claimant's witnesses 
with respect to the testimony and other evidence presented in support of 
the objection.
    (vi) The objecting claimant or the claimant's attorney, and the 
Chief

[[Page 36]]

Counsel or designated staff attorney, will then be allotted up to five 
(5) minutes each for follow-up or rebuttal.
    (vii) The Chair and Commissioners may direct questions to the 
objecting claimant and the claimant's attorney, and to the Chief Counsel 
or designated staff attorney, at any time during the proceedings 
described in the foregoing.
    (viii) The foregoing provisions may be modified at the discretion of 
the Chair as circumstances may require.
    (ix) At the conclusion, the Chair will inform the participants that 
the Commission will take the matter under advisement, and that a written 
Final Decision disposing of the objection will issue in due course.
    (2) Submission to Questioning/Conduct of Proceedings (i) 
Presentation of the claimant's objection by the objecting claimant or 
the claimant's attorney, and of follow-up and rebuttal by the claimant 
or the claimant's attorney and by the Chief Counsel or designated staff 
attorney, must be directed to the Commission. Verbal exchanges between 
the objecting claimant or the claimant's attorney, and the Chief Counsel 
or designated staff attorney, will be limited to questions and answers 
during the questioning phase of the proceeding described in paragraph 
(f)(1)(v) of this section, unless otherwise necessary for clarification 
or exchange of documents.
    (ii) Professional conduct and courtesies of the kind normally 
accorded in appellate judicial proceedings must be observed in all 
appearances and proceedings before the Commission.



Sec.  509.7  Presettlement conference.

    The Commission on its own motion or initiative, or upon the 
application of a claimant for good cause shown, may direct that a 
presettlement conference be held with respect to any issue involved in a 
claim.

[[Page 37]]



 SUBCHAPTER D_RECEIPT, ADMINISTRATION, AND PAYMENT OF CLAIMS UNDER THE 
                GUAM WORLD WAR II LOYALTY RECOGNITION ACT





PART 510_FILING OF CLAIMS AND PROCEDURES THEREFOR--Table of Contents



Sec.
510.1 Definitions.
510.2 Time for filing.
510.3 Applicability of administrative provisions concerning claims under 
          the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949.

    Authority: Sec.1705(a)(2), Pub. L. 114-328, 114th Cong., 130 Stat. 
2644.

    Source: 82 FR 16126, Apr. 3, 2017, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  510.1  Definitions.

    For purposes of this subchapter:
    Personal injury means a discernible injury (such as disfigurement, 
scarring, or burns) that is more serious than a superficial injury.
    Severe personal injury means loss of a limb, dismemberment, 
paralysis, or any injury of a similar type or that is comparable in 
severity.



Sec.  510.2  Time for filing.

    Claims for payments under the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition 
Act, Title XVII, Public Law 114-328 (the ``Act''), must be filed not 
later than one year after the date on which the Commission publishes the 
notice described in section 1705(b)(2)(B) of the Act.



Sec.  510.3  Applicability of administrative provisions concerning claims
under the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949.

    To the extent they are not inconsistent with the provisions of the 
Act, the following provisions of subchapter C of this chapter shall be 
applicable to claims under this subchapter: Sec. Sec.  509.2, 509.3, 
509.4, 509.5, and 509.6.

                        PARTS 511	599 [RESERVED]

[[Page 39]]



                 CHAPTER VI--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION




  --------------------------------------------------------------------
Part                                                                Page
600

[Reserved]

601             Classification and declassification of 
                    national security information...........          41
604             New restrictions on lobbying................          43
605             Nondiscrimination on the basis of handicap 
                    in programs or activities receiving 
                    Federal financial assistance............          55
606             Enforcement of nondiscrimination on the 
                    basis of handicap in programs or 
                    activities conducted by the National 
                    Science Foundation......................          71
607             Salary offset...............................          77
608             Claims collection and administrative offset.          81
611             Nondiscrimination in federally-assisted 
                    programs of the National Science 
                    Foundation--effectuation of title VI of 
                    the Civil Rights Act of 1964............          85
612             Availability of records and information.....          95
613             Privacy Act regulations.....................         108
614             Government in the Sunshine Act regulations 
                    of the National Science Board...........         113
615             Testimony and production of records.........         115
617             Nondiscrimination on the basis of age in 
                    programs or activities receiving Federal 
                    financial assistance from NSF...........         117
618             Nondiscrimination on the basis of sex in 
                    education programs or activities 
                    receiving Federal financial assistance..         122
620             CyberCorps[supreg] Scholarship for Service 
                    (SFS) program...........................         138
630             Governmentwide requirements for drug-free 
                    workplace (financial assistance)........         142
640             Compliance with the National Environmental 
                    Policy Act..............................         147
641             Environmental assessment procedures for 
                    proposed National Science Foundation 
                    actions in Antarctica...................         151

[[Page 40]]

650             Patents.....................................         156
660             Intergovernmental review of the National 
                    Science Foundation programs and 
                    activities..............................         165
670             Conservation of Antarctic animals and plants         168
671             Waste regulation............................         182
672             Enforcement and hearing procedures..........         189
673             Antarctic non-governmental expeditions......         202
674             Antarctic meteorites........................         203
675             Medical clearance process for deployment to 
                    Antarctica..............................         205
680             National Science Foundation Rules of 
                    Practice................................         206
681             Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act regulations         209
689             Research misconduct.........................         222
690             Protection of human subjects................         227
691-699

[Reserved]

[[Page 41]]

                           PART 600 [RESERVED]



PART 601_CLASSIFICATION AND DECLASSIFICATION OF NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
601.1 Purpose.
601.2 Classification authority.
601.3 Security program.
601.4 Classification Review Committee.
601.5 Derivative classification.
601.6 Downgrading and declassification.
601.7 Mandatory declassification review.
601.8 Access to classified materials.
601.9 Access by historical researchers and former Presidential 
          appointees.

    Authority: E.O. 12958, 3 CFR, 1995 Comp. p. 333.

    Source: 47 FR 57284, Dec. 23, 1983, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  601.1  Purpose.

    Pursuant to Executive Order 12958 and Information Security Oversight 
Office Directive No. 1, the National Science Foundation [Foundation] 
issues the following regulations. The regulations identify the 
information to be protected, prescribe classification, declassification, 
downgrading, and safeguarding procedures to be followed, and establish a 
monitoring system to ensure the regulations' effectiveness.

[47 FR 57284, Dec. 23, 1983, as amended at 61 FR 51021, Sept. 30, 1996]



Sec.  601.2  Classification authority.

    The Foundation does not have original classification authority under 
Executive Order 12958. In any instance where a Foundation employee 
develops information that appears to warrant classification because of 
its national security character, the material will be afforded 
protection and sent to the Division of Administrative Services (DAS). 
Upon determination that classification is warranted, DAS will submit 
such material to the agency that has appropriate subject matter interest 
and classification authority.

[47 FR 57284, Dec. 23, 1983, as amended at 61 FR 51021, Sept. 30, 1996]



Sec.  601.3  Security program.

    The Director, Division of Administrative Services, is responsible 
for conducting a security program that ensures effective implementation 
of Executive Order 12958, to include:
    (a) Maintaining active training and orientation programs for 
employees concerned with classified information or material.
    (b) Encouraging Foundation personnel to challenge those 
classification decisions they believe to be improper.
    (c) Issuing directives that ensure classified information is used, 
processed, stored, reproduced and transmitted only under conditions that 
will provide adequate protection and prevent access by unauthorized 
persons.
    (d) Recommending to the Director appropriate administrative action 
to correct abuse or violation of any provision of these regulations, 
including notification by warning letters, formal reprimand, and to the 
extent permitted by law, suspension without pay and removal.

[47 FR 57284, Dec. 23, 1983, as amended at 61 FR 51021, Sept. 30, 1996]



Sec.  601.4  Classification Review Committee.

    The Security Officer (Information) chairs the Foundation's 
Classification Review Committee which has authority to act on all 
suggestions and complaints with respect to the Foundation's 
administration of the regulations. The Assistant Directors and the Heads 
of other offices reporting to the Director serve as members of the 
Committee. All suggestions and complaints including those regarding 
overclassification, failure to classify, or delay in declassifying not 
otherwise resolved, shall be referred to the Committee for resolution. 
The Committee shall establish procedures to review and act within 30 
days upon all appeals regarding requests for declassification. The 
Committee is authorized to overrule previous determinations in whole or 
in part when in its judgment, continued protection is no longer 
required. If the Committee determines that continued classification is 
required under the criteria of the Executive Order, it shall promptly so 
notify the requester and advise him that he may file an application for 
review with the Foundation. In addition, the Committee shall review all 
appeals of requests for records

[[Page 42]]

under section 552 of title 5 U.S.C. (Freedom of Information Act) when 
the proposed denial is based on their continued classification under 
Executive Order 12958.

[47 FR 57284, Dec. 23, 1983, as amended at 61 FR 51021, Sept. 30, 1996]



Sec.  601.5  Derivative classification.

    Distinct from ``original'' classification is the determination that 
information is in substance the same as information currently 
classified, because of incorporating, paraphrasing, restating or 
generating in new form information that is already classified, and 
marking the newly developed material consistent with the marking of the 
source information. Persons who only reproduce, extract, or summarize 
classified information, or who only apply classification markings 
derived from source material or as directed by a classification guide, 
need not possess original classification authority.
    (a) If a person who applies derivative classification markings 
believes that the paraphrasing, restating, or summarizing of classified 
information has changed the level of or removed the basis for 
classification, that person must consult for a determination an 
appropriate official of the originating agency or office of origin who 
has the authority to upgrade, downgrade, or declassify the information.
    (b) The person who applies derivative classification markings shall 
observe and respect original classification decisions; and carry forward 
to any newly created documents any assigned authorized markings. The 
declassification date or event that provides the longest period of 
classification shall be used for documents classified on the basis of 
multiple sources.



Sec.  601.6  Downgrading and declassification.

    Executive Order 12958 prescribes a uniform system for classifying, 
declassifying, and safeguarding national security information.
    (a) Information shall be declassified or downgraded as soon as 
national security considerations permit. The National Science Foundation 
shall coordinate their review of classified information with other 
agencies that have a direct interests in the subject matter. Information 
that continues to meet the classification requirements prescribed by 
Section 1.3 despite the passage of time will continue to be protected in 
accordance with Executive Order 12958.
    (b) Foundation documents may be declassified or downgraded by the 
official who authorized the original classification, if that official is 
still serving in the same position; the originator's successor; a 
supervisory official of either; or officials delegated such authority in 
writing by the Director.
    (c) The Director shall conduct internal systematic review programs 
for classified information originated by the Foundation contained in 
records determined by the Archivist to be permanently valuable but that 
have not been accessioned into the National Archives of the United 
States.
    (d) The Archivist of the United States shall, in accordance with 
procedures and timeframes prescribed in the Information Security 
Oversight Office's directives implementing Executive Order 12958, 
systematically review for declassification or downgrading, classified 
records accessioned into the National Archives of the United States. 
Such information shall be reviewed by the Archivist for declassification 
or downgrading in accordance with systematic review guidelines that 
shall be provided by the head of the agency that originated the 
information, or in the case of foreign government information, by the 
Director of Information Security Oversight Office in consultation with 
interested agency heads.

[47 FR 57284, Dec. 23, 1983, as amended at 61 FR 51021, Sept. 30, 1996]



Sec.  601.7  Mandatory declassification review.

    (a) The Division of Administrative Services is hereby designated as 
the office to which members of the public or Departments may direct 
requests for mandatory review for declassification under this provision. 
In the case of documents originally classified by the Foundation, this 
office shall, in turn, assign the request to the appropriate office for 
action within 60 days. In each instance, receipt of the request will be 
acknowledged in writing immediately

[[Page 43]]

by the office that has been assigned action. A request for 
classification review must reasonably describe the document.
    (b) Whenever a request is deficient in its description of the record 
sought, the requester should be asked to provide additional identifying 
information to the extent possible. Whenever a request does not 
reasonably describe the information sought, the requester shall be 
notified that unless additional information is provided or the scope of 
the request is narrowed, no further action will be undertaken. Upon a 
determination that the requested material no longer warrants 
classification, it shall be declassified and made promptly available to 
the requester, if not otherwise exempt from disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 
552(b) (Freedom of Information Act) or other provision of law. If the 
information may not be released in whole or in part the requester shall 
be given a brief statement as to the reasons for denial, a notice of the 
right to appeal the determination of the Classification Review 
Committee, and a notice that such an appeal must be filed with the 
Foundation within 60 days in order to be considered.
    (c) When the request relates to a document given derivative 
classification by the Foundation or originated by another agency, the 
request and the document will be forwarded to the originator of the 
source document, and the requestor notified of such referral.
    (d) Employees presently cleared for access to classified information 
are encouraged to challenge classification in cases where there is 
reasonable cause to believe that information is classified 
unnecessarily, improperly, or for an inappropriate period of time. Such 
challenges should be brought to the attention of the Security Officer 
(Information) who will act thereon within 30 days, informing the 
challenger of actions taken. Requests for confidentiality will be 
honored.



Sec.  601.8  Access to classified materials.

    No person may be given access to classified information unless that 
person has been determined to be trustworthy and unless access is 
essential to the accomplishment of lawful and authorized Government 
purposes.



Sec.  601.9  Access by historical researchers and former Presidential
appointees.

    The requirement in Sec.  601.8 that access to classified information 
may be granted only as is essential to the accomplishment of lawful and 
authorized Government purposes may be waived for persons who are engaged 
in historical research projects, or previously have occupied 
policymaking positions to which they were appointed by the President, 
provided they execute written agreements to safeguard the information 
and written consent to the Foundation's review of their notes and 
manuscripts solely for the purpose of determining that no classified 
information is disclosed. A precondition to any such access is the 
favorable completion of an appropriate investigative inquiry.



PART 604_NEW RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING--Table of Contents



                            Subpart A_General

Sec.
604.100 Conditions on use of funds.
604.105 Definitions.
604.110 Certification and disclosure.

                  Subpart B_Activities by Own Employees

604.200 Agency and legislative liaison.
604.205 Professional and technical services.
604.210 Reporting.

            Subpart C_Activities by Other Than Own Employees

604.300 Professional and technical services.

                   Subpart D_Penalties and Enforcement

604.400 Penalties.
604.405 Penalty procedures.
604.410 Enforcement.

                          Subpart E_Exemptions

604.500 Secretary of Defense.

                        Subpart F_Agency Reports

604.600 Semi-annual compilation.
604.605 Inspector General report.

Appendix A to Part 604--Certification Regarding Lobbying
Appendix B to Part 604--Disclosure Form To Report Lobbying

    Authority: Sec. 319, Pub. L. 101-121 (31 U.S.C. 1352); 42 U.S.C. 
1870.

[[Page 44]]


    Source: 55 FR 6737, 6754, Feb. 26, 1990, unless otherwise noted.

    Cross Reference: See also Office of Management and Budget notice 
published at 54 FR 52306, December 20, 1989.



                            Subpart A_General



Sec.  604.100  Conditions on use of funds.

    (a) No appropriated funds may be expended by the recipient of a 
Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative ageement to pay any person 
for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any 
agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an 
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with any of the following 
covered Federal actions: the awarding of any Federal contract, the 
making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the 
entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, 
continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
    (b) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement shall file with that 
agency a certification, set forth in appendix A, that the person has not 
made, and will not make, any payment prohibited by paragraph (a) of this 
section.
    (c) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or a cooperative agreement shall file with that 
agency a disclosure form, set forth in appendix B, if such person has 
made or has agreed to make any payment using nonappropriated funds (to 
include profits from any covered Federal action), which would be 
prohibited under paragraph (a) of this section if paid for with 
appropriated funds.
    (d) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a commitment 
providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan shall file 
with that agency a statement, set forth in appendix A, whether that 
person has made or has agreed to make any payment to influence or 
attempt to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member 
of Congress in connection with that loan insurance or guarantee.
    (e) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a commitment 
providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan shall file 
with that agency a disclosure form, set forth in appendix B, if that 
person has made or has agreed to make any payment to influence or 
attempt to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member 
of Congress in connection with that loan insurance or guarantee.



Sec.  604.105  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part:
    (a) Agency, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 552(f), includes Federal 
executive departments and agencies as well as independent regulatory 
commissions and Government corporations, as defined in 31 U.S.C. 
9101(1).
    (b) Covered Federal action means any of the following Federal 
actions:
    (1) The awarding of any Federal contract;
    (2) The making of any Federal grant;
    (3) The making of any Federal loan;
    (4) The entering into of any cooperative agreement; and,
    (5) The extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification 
of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.

Covered Federal action does not include receiving from an agency a 
commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a 
loan. Loan guarantees and loan insurance are addressed independently 
within this part.
    (c) Federal contract means an acquisition contract awarded by an 
agency, including those subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation 
(FAR), and any other acquisition contract for real or personal property 
or services not subject to the FAR.
    (d) Federal cooperative agreement means a cooperative agreement 
entered into by an agency.
    (e) Federal grant means an award of financial assistance in the form 
of money, or property in lieu of money, by the Federal Government or a 
direct

[[Page 45]]

appropriation made by law to any person. The term does not include 
technical assistance which provides services instead of money, or other 
assistance in the form of revenue sharing, loans, loan guarantees, loan 
insurance, interest subsidies, insurance, or direct United States cash 
assistance to an individual.
    (f) Federal loan means a loan made by an agency. The term does not 
include loan guarantee or loan insurance.
    (g) Indian tribe and tribal organization have the meaning provided 
in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 450B). Alaskan Natives are included under the definitions 
of Indian tribes in that Act.
    (h) Influencing or attempting to influence means making, with the 
intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before an 
officer or employee or any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or 
employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in 
connection with any covered Federal action.
    (i) Loan guarantee and loan insurance means an agency's guarantee or 
insurance of a loan made by a person.
    (j) Local government means a unit of government in a State and, if 
chartered, established, or otherwise recognized by a State for the 
performance of a governmental duty, including a local public authority, 
a special district, an intrastate district, a council of governments, a 
sponsor group representative organization, and any other instrumentality 
of a local government.
    (k) Officer or employee of an agency includes the following 
individuals who are employed by an agency:
    (1) An individual who is appointed to a position in the Government 
under title 5, U.S. Code, including a position under a temporary 
appointment;
    (2) A member of the uniformed services as defined in section 101(3), 
title 37, U.S. Code;
    (3) A special Government employee as defined in section 202, title 
18, U.S. Code; and,
    (4) An individual who is a member of a Federal advisory committee, 
as defined by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, title 5, U.S. Code 
appendix 2.
    (l) Person means an individual, corporation, company, association, 
authority, firm, partnership, society, State, and local government, 
regardless of whether such entity is operated for profit or not for 
profit. This term excludes an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or any 
other Indian organization with respect to expenditures specifically 
permitted by other Federal law.
    (m) Reasonable compensation means, with respect to a regularly 
employed officer or employee of any person, compensation that is 
consistent with the normal compensation for such officer or employee for 
work that is not furnished to, not funded by, or not furnished in 
cooperation with the Federal Government.
    (n) Reasonable payment means, with respect to perfessional and other 
technical services, a payment in an amount that is consistent with the 
amount normally paid for such services in the private sector.
    (o) Recipient includes all contractors, subcontractors at any tier, 
and subgrantees at any tier of the recipient of funds received in 
connection with a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative 
agreement. The term excludes an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or 
any other Indian organization with respect to expenditures specifically 
permitted by other Federal law.
    (p) Regularly employed means, with respect to an officer or employee 
of a person requesting or receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or 
cooperative agreement or a commitment providing for the United States to 
insure or guarantee a loan, an officer or employee who is employed by 
such person for at least 130 working days within one year immediately 
preceding the date of the submission that initiates agency consideration 
of such person for receipt of such contract, grant, loan, cooperative 
agreement, loan insurance commitment, or loan guarantee commitment. An 
officer or employee who is employed by such person for less than 130 
working days within one year immediately preceding the date of the 
submission that initiates agency consideration of such person shall be 
considered to be regularly employed as

[[Page 46]]

soon as he or she is employed by such person for 130 working days.
    (q) State means a State of the United States, the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory or possession of 
the United States, an agency or instrumentality of a State, and a multi-
State, regional, or interstate entity having governmental duties and 
powers.



Sec.  604.110  Certification and disclosure.

    (a) Each person shall file a certification, and a disclosure form, 
if required, with each submission that initiates agency consideration of 
such person for:
    (1) Award of a Federal contract, grant, or cooperative agreement 
exceeding $100,000; or
    (2) An award of a Federal loan or a commitment providing for the 
United States to insure or guarantee a loan exceeding $150,000.
    (b) Each person shall file a certification, and a disclosure form, 
if required, upon receipt by such person of:
    (1) A Federal contract, grant, or cooperative agreement exceeding 
$100,000; or
    (2) A Federal loan or a commitment providing for the United States 
to insure or guarantee a loan exceeding $150,000,

unless such person previously filed a certification, and a disclosure 
form, if required, under paragraph (a) of this section.
    (c) Each person shall file a disclosure form at the end of each 
calendar quarter in which there occurs any event that requires 
disclosure or that materially affects the accuracy of the information 
contained in any disclosure form previously filed by such person under 
paragraph (a) or (b) of this section. An event that materially affects 
the accuracy of the information reported includes:
    (1) A cumulative increase of $25,000 or more in the amount paid or 
expected to be paid for influencing or attempting to influence a covered 
Federal action; or
    (2) A change in the person(s) or individual(s) influencing or 
attempting to influence a covered Federal action; or,
    (3) A change in the officer(s), employee(s), or Member(s) contacted 
to influence or attempt to influence a covered Federal action.
    (d) Any person who requests or receives from a person referred to in 
paragraph (a) or (b) of this section:
    (1) A subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any tier under a Federal 
contract;
    (2) A subgrant, contract, or subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any 
tier under a Federal grant;
    (3) A contract or subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any tier under a 
Federal loan exceeding $150,000; or,
    (4) A contract or subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any tier under a 
Federal cooperative agreement,

shall file a certification, and a disclosure form, if required, to the 
next tier above.
    (e) All disclosure forms, but not certifications, shall be forwarded 
from tier to tier until received by the person referred to in paragraph 
(a) or (b) of this section. That person shall forward all disclosure 
forms to the agency.
    (f) Any certification or disclosure form filed under paragraph (e) 
of this section shall be treated as a material representation of fact 
upon which all receiving tiers shall rely. All liability arising from an 
erroneous representation shall be borne solely by the tier filing that 
representation and shall not be shared by any tier to which the 
erroneous representation is forwarded. Submitting an erroneous 
certification or disclosure constitutes a failure to file the required 
certification or disclosure, respectively. If a person fails to file a 
required certification or disclosure, the United States may pursue all 
available remedies, including those authorized by section 1352, title 
31, U.S. Code.
    (g) For awards and commitments in process prior to December 23, 
1989, but not made before that date, certifications shall be required at 
award or commitment, covering activities occurring between December 23, 
1989, and the date of award or commitment. However, for awards and 
commitments in process prior to the December 23, 1989 effective date of 
these provisions, but not made before December 23, 1989, disclosure 
forms shall not be required at time of award or commitment but shall be 
filed within 30 days.

[[Page 47]]

    (h) No reporting is required for an activity paid for with 
appropriated funds if that activity is allowable under either subpart B 
or C.



                  Subpart B_Activities by Own Employees



Sec.  604.200  Agency and legislative liaison.

    (a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in Sec.  
604.100 (a), does not apply in the case of a payment of reasonable 
compensation made to an officer or employee of a person requesting or 
receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement if 
the payment is for agency and legislative liaison activities not 
directly related to a covered Federal action.
    (b) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, providing any 
information specifically requested by an agency or Congress is allowable 
at any time.
    (c) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the following 
agency and legislative liaison activities are allowable at any time only 
where they are not related to a specific solicitation for any covered 
Federal action:
    (1) Discussing with an agency (including individual demonstrations) 
the qualities and characteristics of the person's products or services, 
conditions or terms of sale, and service capabilities; and,
    (2) Technical discussions and other activities regarding the 
application or adaptation of the person's products or services for an 
agency's use.
    (d) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the following 
agencies and legislative liaison activities are allowable only where 
they are prior to formal solicitation of any covered Federal action:
    (1) Providing any information not specifically requested but 
necessary for an agency to make an informed decision about initiation of 
a covered Federal action;
    (2) Technical discussions regarding the preparation of an 
unsolicited proposal prior to its official submission; and,
    (3) Capability presentations by persons seeking awards from an 
agency pursuant to the provisions of the Small Business Act, as amended 
by Public Law 95-507 and other subsequent amendments.
    (e) Only those activities expressly authorized by this section are 
allowable under this section.



Sec.  604.205  Professional and technical services.

    (a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in Sec.  
604.100 (a), does not apply in the case of a payment of reasonable 
compensation made to an officer or employee of a person requesting or 
receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement or 
an extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of a 
Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement if payment is 
for professional or technical services rendered directly in the 
preparation, submission, or negotiation of any bid, proposal, or 
application for that Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative 
agreement or for meeting requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a 
condition for receiving that Federal contract, grant, loan, or 
cooperative agreement.
    (b) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, ``professional 
and technical services'' shall be limited to advice and analysis 
directly applying any professional or technical discipline. For example, 
drafting of a legal document accompanying a bid or proposal by a lawyer 
is allowable. Similarly, technical advice provided by an engineer on the 
performance or operational capability of a piece of equipment rendered 
directly in the negotiation of a contract is allowable. However, 
communications with the intent to influence made by a professional (such 
as a licensed lawyer) or a technical person (such as a licensed 
accountant) are not allowable under this section unless they provide 
advice and analysis directly applying their professional or technical 
expertise and unless the advice or analysis is rendered directly and 
solely in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a covered 
Federal action. Thus, for example, communications with the intent to 
influence made by a lawyer that do not provide legal advice or analysis 
directly and solely related to the legal aspects of

[[Page 48]]

his or her client's proposal, but generally advocate one proposal over 
another are not allowable under this section because the lawyer is not 
providing professional legal services. Similarly, communications with 
the intent to influence made by an engineer providing an engineering 
analysis prior to the preparation or submission of a bid or proposal are 
not allowable under this section since the engineer is providing 
technical services but not directly in the preparation, submission or 
negotiation of a covered Federal action.
    (c) Requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for 
receiving a covered Federal award include those required by law or 
regulation, or reasonably expected to be required by law or regulation, 
and any other requirements in the actual award documents.
    (d) Only those services expressly authorized by this section are 
allowable under this section.



Sec.  604.210  Reporting.

    No reporting is required with respect to payments of reasonable 
compensation made to regularly employed officers or employees of a 
person.



            Subpart C_Activities by Other Than Own Employees



Sec.  604.300  Professional and technical services.

    (a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in Sec.  
604.100 (a), does not apply in the case of any reasonable payment to a 
person, other than an officer or employee of a person requesting or 
receiving a covered Federal action, if the payment is for professional 
or technical services rendered directly in the preparation, submission, 
or negotiation of any bid, proposal, or application for that Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement or for meeting 
requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for receiving 
that Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
    (b) The reporting requirements in Sec.  604.110 (a) and (b) 
regarding filing a disclosure form by each person, if required, shall 
not apply with respect to professional or technical services rendered 
directly in the preparation, submission, or negotiation of any 
commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a 
loan.
    (c) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, ``professional 
and technical services'' shall be limited to advice and analysis 
directly applying any professional or technical discipline. For example, 
drafting or a legal document accompanying a bid or proposal by a lawyer 
is allowable. Similarly, technical advice provided by an engineer on the 
performance or operational capability of a piece of equipment rendered 
directly in the negotiation of a contract is allowable. However, 
communications with the intent to influence made by a professional (such 
as a licensed lawyer) or a technical person (such as a licensed 
accountant) are not allowable under this section unless they provide 
advice and analysis directly applying their professional or technical 
expertise and unless the advice or analysis is rendered directly and 
solely in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a covered 
Federal action. Thus, for example, communications with the intent to 
influence made by a lawyer that do not provide legal advice or analysis 
directly and solely related to the legal aspects of his or her client's 
proposal, but generally advocate one proposal over another are not 
allowable under this section because the lawyer is not providing 
professional legal services. Similarly, communications with the intent 
to influence made by an engineer providing an engineering analysis prior 
to the preparation or submission of a bid or proposal are not allowable 
under this section since the engineer is providing technical services 
but not directly in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a 
covered Federal action.
    (d) Requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for 
receiving a covered Federal award include those required by law or 
regulation, or reasonably expected to be required by law or regulation, 
and any other requirements in the actual award documents.

[[Page 49]]

    (e) Persons other than officers or employees of a person requesting 
or receiving a covered Federal action include consultants and trade 
associations.
    (f) Only those services expressly authorized by this section are 
allowable under this section.



                   Subpart D_Penalties and Enforcement



Sec.  604.400  Penalties.

    (a) Any person who makes an expenditure prohibited herein shall be 
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than 
$100,000 for each such expenditure.
    (b) Any person who fails to file or amend the disclosure form (see 
appendix B) to be filed or amended if required herein, shall be subject 
to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 
for each such failure.
    (c) A filing or amended filing on or after the date on which an 
administrative action for the imposition of a civil penalty is commenced 
does not prevent the imposition of such civil penalty for a failure 
occurring before that date. An administrative action is commenced with 
respect to a failure when an investigating official determines in 
writing to commence an investigation of an allegation of such failure.
    (d) In determining whether to impose a civil penalty, and the amount 
of any such penalty, by reason of a violation by any person, the agency 
shall consider the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the 
violation, the effect on the ability of such person to continue in 
business, any prior violations by such person, the degree of culpability 
of such person, the ability of the person to pay the penalty, and such 
other matters as may be appropriate.
    (e) First offenders under paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section 
shall be subject to a civil penalty of $10,000, absent aggravating 
circumstances. Second and subsequent offenses by persons shall be 
subject to an appropriate civil penalty between $10,000 and $100,000, as 
determined by the agency head or his or her designee.
    (f) An imposition of a civil penalty under this section does not 
prevent the United States from seeking any other remedy that may apply 
to the same conduct that is the basis for the imposition of such civil 
penalty.



Sec.  604.405  Penalty procedures.

    Agencies shall impose and collect civil penalties pursuant to the 
provisions of the Program Fraud and Civil Remedies Act, 31 U.S.C. 
sections 3803 (except subsection (c)), 3804, 3805, 3806, 3807, 3808, and 
3812, insofar as these provisions are not inconsistent with the 
requirements herein.



Sec.  604.410  Enforcement.

    The head of each agency shall take such actions as are necessary to 
ensure that the provisions herein are vigorously implemented and 
enforced in that agency.



                          Subpart E_Exemptions



Sec.  604.500  Secretary of Defense.

    (a) The Secretary of Defense may exempt, on a case-by-case basis, a 
covered Federal action from the prohibition whenever the Secretary 
determines, in writing, that such an exemption is in the national 
interest. The Secretary shall transmit a copy of each such written 
exemption to Congress immediately after making such a determination.
    (b) The Department of Defense may issue supplemental regulations to 
implement paragraph (a) of this section.



                        Subpart F_Agency Reports



Sec.  604.600  Semi-annual compilation.

    (a) The head of each agency shall collect and compile the disclosure 
reports (see appendix B) and, on May 31 and November 30 of each year, 
submit to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives a report containing a compilation of the information 
contained in the disclosure reports received during the six-month period 
ending on March 31 or September 30, respectively, of that year.
    (b) The report, including the compilation, shall be available for 
public inspection 30 days after receipt of the report by the Secretary 
and the Clerk.

[[Page 50]]

    (c) Information that involves intelligence matters shall be reported 
only to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, the 
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
Representatives, and the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives in accordance with procedures agreed to by 
such committees. Such information shall not be available for public 
inspection.
    (d) Information that is classified under Executive Order 12356 or 
any successor order shall be reported only to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives or the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives (whichever such committees have 
jurisdiction of matters involving such information) and to the 
Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives in accordance with procedures agreed to by such 
committees. Such information shall not be available for public 
inspection.
    (e) The first semi-annual compilation shall be submitted on May 31, 
1990, and shall contain a compilation of the disclosure reports received 
from December 23, 1989 to March 31, 1990.
    (f) Major agencies, designated by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), are required to provide machine-readable compilations to 
the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives no later than with the compilations due on May 31, 1991. 
OMB shall provide detailed specifications in a memorandum to these 
agencies.
    (g) Non-major agencies are requested to provide machine-readable 
compilations to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House 
of Representatives.
    (h) Agencies shall keep the originals of all disclosure reports in 
the official files of the agency.



Sec.  604.605  Inspector General report.

    (a) The Inspector General, or other official as specified in 
paragraph (b) of this section, of each agency shall prepare and submit 
to Congress each year, commencing with submission of the President's 
Budget in 1991, an evaluation of the compliance of that agency with, and 
the effectiveness of, the requirements herein. The evaluation may 
include any recommended changes that may be necessary to strengthen or 
improve the requirements.
    (b) In the case of an agency that does not have an Inspector 
General, the agency official comparable to an Inspector General shall 
prepare and submit the annual report, or, if there is no such comparable 
official, the head of the agency shall prepare and submit the annual 
report.
    (c) The annual report shall be submitted at the same time the agency 
submits its annual budget justifications to Congress.
    (d) The annual report shall include the following: All alleged 
violations relating to the agency's covered Federal actions during the 
year covered by the report, the actions taken by the head of the agency 
in the year covered by the report with respect to those alleged 
violations and alleged violations in previous years, and the amounts of 
civil penalties imposed by the agency in the year covered by the report.





      Sec. Appendix A to Part 604--Certification Regarding Lobbying

 Certification for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements

    The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and 
belief, that:
    (1) No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by 
or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or 
attempting to influence an officer or employee of an agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member 
of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the 
making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the 
entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, 
continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
    (2) If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been 
paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to 
influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an 
officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress 
in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative

[[Page 51]]

agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, 
``Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,'' in accordance with its 
instructions.
    (3) The undersigned shall require that the language of this 
certification be included in the award documents for all subawards at 
all tiers (including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts under 
grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients 
shall certify and disclose accordingly.
    This certification is a material representation of fact upon which 
reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. 
Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or 
entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. 
Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be 
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than 
$100,000 for each such failure.

            Statement for Loan Guarantees and Loan Insurance

    The undersigned states, to the best of his or her knowledge and 
belief, that:
    If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for 
influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any 
agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an 
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this commitment 
providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the 
undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, ``Disclosure 
Form to Report Lobbying,'' in accordance with its instructions.
    Submission of this statement is a prerequisite for making or 
entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. 
Code. Any person who fails to file the required statement shall be 
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than 
$100,000 for each such failure.

[[Page 52]]



     Sec. Appendix B to Part 604--Disclosure Form To Report Lobbying
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC01JA91.007


[[Page 53]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC01JA91.008


[[Page 54]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC01JA91.009


[[Page 55]]



  PART 605--NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR 
            ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

                      Subpart A_General Provisions

Sec.
605.0 Adoption of HHS regulations.
605.1 Purpose.
605.2 Application.
605.3 Definitions.
605.4 Discrimination prohibited.
605.5 Assurances required.
605.6 Remedial action, voluntary action, and self-evaluation.
605.7 Designation of responsible employee and adoption of grievance 
          procedures.
605.8 Notice.
605.9 Administrative requirements for small recipients.
605.10 Effect of state or local law or other requirements and effect of 
          employment opportunities.

                     Subpart B_Employment Practices

605.11 Discrimination prohibited.
605.12 Reasonable accommodation.
605.13 Employment criteria.
605.14 Preemployment inquiries.
605.15-605.20 [Reserved]

                         Subpart C_Accessibility

605.21 Discrimination prohibited.
605.22 Existing facilities.
605.23 New construction.
605.24-605.30 [Reserved]

        Subpart D_Preschool, Elementary, and Secondary Education

605.31 Application of this subpart.
605.32 Location and notification.
605.33 Free appropriate public education.
605.34 Educational setting.
605.35 Evaluation and placement.
605.36 Procedural safeguards.
605.37 Nonacademic services.
605.38 Preschool and adult education.
605.39 Private education.
605.40 [Reserved]

                    Subpart E_Postsecondary Education

605.41 Application of this subpart.
605.42 Admissions and recruitment.
605.43 Treatment of students; general.
605.44 Academic adjustments.
605.45 Housing.
605.46 Financial and employment assistance to students.
605.47 Nonacademic services.
605.48-605.50 [Reserved]

             Subpart F_Health, Welfare, and Social Services

605.51 Application of this subpart.
605.52 Health, welfare, and other social services.
605.53 Drug and alcohol addicts.
605.54 Education of institutionalized persons.
605.55-605.60 [Reserved]

                          Subpart G_Procedures

605.61 Procedures.
605.62-605.90 [Reserved]

    Authority: 29 U.S.C. 794.

    Source: 47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, unless otherwise noted.



                      Subpart A_General Provisions



Sec.  605.0  Adoption of HHS regulations.

    The regulations of the Department of Health and Human Services on 
Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap, 45 CFR part 84, including 
any amendments thereto, have been adopted almost in their entirety to 
programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the 
National Science Foundation. The few changes in the Foundation's rules 
include a newly added sub-paragraph (5) to paragraph (k) of Sec.  605.3; 
and modifications in paragraph (j), Sec.  605.3; paragraph (a) of Sec.  
605.5; paragraph (b) of Sec.  605.46; and Sec.  605.61. Paragraph (c) of 
Sec.  605.5 has been removed, and ``qualified handicapped persons'' has 
been substituted for ``handicapped persons'' wherever that phrase 
appears in Sec.  605.4(b)(5) and in subpart C (Sec. Sec.  605.21 through 
605.23). The date for compliance with Sec.  605.33(d) has been changed.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 61 FR 51021, Sept. 30, 1996; 68 
FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.1  Purpose.

    The purpose of this part is to effectuate section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is designed to eliminate 
discrimination on the basis of handicap in any program or activity 
receiving Federal financial assistance.



Sec.  605.2  Application.

    This part applies to each recipient of Federal financial assistance 
from the National Science Foundation and to

[[Page 56]]

each program or activity that receives such assistance.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.3  Definitions.

    As used in this part, the term:
    (a) The Act means the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Public Law 93-112, 
as amended by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974, Public Law 93-
516, 29 U.S.C. 794.
    (b) Section 504 means section 504 of the Act.
    (c) Education of the Handicapped Act means that statute as amended 
by the Education for all Handicapped Children Act of 1975, Public Law 
94-142, 20 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.
    (d) Foundation means the National Science Foundation.
    (e) Director means the Director of the National Science Foundation.
    (f) Recipient means any state or its political subdivision, any 
instrumentality of a state or its political subdivision, any public or 
private agency, institution, organization, or other entity, or any 
person to which Federal financial assistance is extended directly or 
through another recipient, including any successor, assignee, or 
transferee of a recipient, but excluding the ultimate beneficiary of the 
assistance.
    (g) Applicant for assistance means one who submits an application, 
request, or plan required to be approved by a Foundation official or by 
a recipient as a condition to becoming a recipient.
    (h) Federal financial assistance means any grant, loan, contract 
(other than a procurement contract or a contract of insurance or 
guaranty), or any other arrangement by which the Foundation provides or 
otherwise makes available assistance in the form of:
    (1) Funds;
    (2) Services of Federal personnel; or
    (3) Real and personal property or any interest in or use of such 
property, including:
    (i) Transfers or leases of such property for less than fair market 
value or for reduced consideration; and
    (ii) Proceeds from a subsequent transfer or lease of such property 
if the Federal share of its fair market value is not returned to the 
Federal Government.
    (i) Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, 
equipment, roads, walks, parking lots, or other real or personal 
property or interest in such property.
    (j) Handicapped person--(1) Handicapped persons means any person in 
the United States who (i) has a physical or mental impairment which 
substantially limits one or more major life activities, (ii) has a 
record of such an impairment, or (iii) is regarded as having such an 
impairment.
    (2) As used in paragraph (j)(1) of this section, the phrase:
    (i) Physical or mental impairment means (A) any physiological 
disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss 
affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; 
musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech 
organs; cardiovascular; reproductive, digestive, genito-urinary; hemic 
and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or (B) any mental or psychological 
disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional 
or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.
    (ii) Major life activities means functions such as caring for one's 
self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, 
breathing, learning, and working.
    (iii) Has a record of such an impairment means has a history of, or 
has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that 
substantially limits one or more major life activities.
    (iv) Is regarded as having an impairment means (A) has a physical or 
mental impairment that does not subtantially limit major life activities 
but that is treated by a recipient as constituting such a limitation; 
(B) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major 
life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward such 
impairment; or (C) has none of the impairments defined in paragraph 
(j)(2)(i) of this section but is treated by a recipient as having such 
an impairment.
    (k) Qualified handicapped person means:

[[Page 57]]

    (1) With respect to employment, a handicapped person who, with 
reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job 
in question;
    (2) With respect to public preschool elementary, secondary, or adult 
educational services, a handicapped person (i) of an age during which 
nonhandicapped persons are provided such services, (ii) of any age 
during which it is mandatory under state law to provide such services to 
handicapped persons, or (iii) to whom a state is required to provide a 
free appropriate public education under section 612 of the Education of 
the Handicapped Act; and
    (3) With respect to postsecondary and vocational education services, 
a handicapped person who meets the academic and technical standards 
requisite to admission or participation in the recipient's education 
program or activity;
    (4) With respect to other services, a handicapped person who meets 
the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of such services.
    (5) With respect to scientific and technical experimentation, 
observation, or field work a person who meets the academic, scientific 
and technical standards for participation and any reasonable physical 
qualifications for participation. Physical qualifications are not 
``reasonable,'' however, if they can be obviated without unreasonable 
burden by modifying facilities or aid, benefits, or services or by 
providing auxiliary aids. In determining whether the burdens are 
unreasonable, factors such as cost, risks, or sacrifice of legitimate 
objectives may be considered. In exceptional cases psychological 
qualifications may be considered `reasonable physical qualifications' 
under this paragraph. Nothing in this provision or these regulations 
requires reversal of scientific judgments on research, including choice 
of experiments, protocols for experiments, location of observing sites, 
or the like that are considered necessary to any line of scientific 
inquiry by the research scientists involved.
    (l) Handicap means any condition or characteristic that renders a 
person a handicapped person as defined in paragraph (j) of this section.
    (m) Program or activity means all of the operations of any entity 
described in paragraphs (m)(1) through (4) of this section, any part of 
which is extended Federal financial assistance:
    (1)(i) A department, agency, special purpose district, or other 
instrumentality of a State or of a local government; or
    (ii) The entity of such State or local government that distributes 
such assistance and each such department or agency (and each other State 
or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the 
case of assistance to a State or local government;
    (2)(i) A college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or 
a public system of higher education; or
    (ii) A local educational agency (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801), 
system of vocational education, or other school system;
    (3)(i) An entire corporation, partnership, or other private 
organization, or an entire sole proprietorship--
    (A) If assistance is extended to such corporation, partnership, 
private organization, or sole proprietorship as a whole; or
    (B) Which is principally engaged in the business of providing 
education, health care, housing, social services, or parks and 
recreation; or
    (ii) The entire plant or other comparable, geographically separate 
facility to which Federal financial assistance is extended, in the case 
of any other corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole 
proprietorship; or
    (4) Any other entity which is established by two or more of the 
entities described in paragraph (m)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51380, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.4  Discrimination prohibited.

    (a) General. No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of 
handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, 
or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or 
activity which receives Federal financial assistance.
    (b) Discriminatory actions prohibited. (1) A recipient, in providing 
any aid, benefit, or service, may not, directly or

[[Page 58]]

through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, on the basis of 
handicap:
    (i) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service;
    (ii) Afford a qualified handicapped person an opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not 
equal to that afforded others;
    (iii) Provide a qualified handicapped person with an aid, benefit, 
or service that is not as effective as that provided to others;
    (iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to 
handicapped persons or to any class of handicapped persons unless such 
action is necessary to provide qualified handicapped persons with aid, 
benefits, or services that are as effective as those provided to others;
    (v) Aid or perpetuate discrimination against a qualified handicapped 
person by providing significant assistance to an agency, organization, 
or person that discriminates on the basis of handicap in providing any 
aid, benefit, or service to beneficiaries of the recipient's program or 
activity;
    (vi) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or
    (vii) Otherwise limit a qualified handicapped person in the 
enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by 
others receiving an aid, benefit, or service.
    (2) For purposes of this part, aids, benefits, and services, to be 
equally effective, are not required to produce the identical result or 
level of achievement for handicapped and nonhandicapped persons, but 
must afford handicapped persons equal opportunity to obtain the same 
result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of 
achievement, in the most integrated setting appropriate to the person's 
needs.
    (3) Despite the existence of separate or different aid, benefits, or 
services provided in accordance with this part, a recipient may not deny 
a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to participate in such 
programs or activities that are not separate or different.
    (4) A recipient may not, directly or through contractual or other 
arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration (i) that 
have the effect of subjecting qualified handicapped persons to 
discrimination on the basis of handicap, (ii) that have the purpose or 
effect of defeating or substantially impairing accomplishment of the 
objectives of the recipient's program or activity with respect to 
handicapped persons, or (iii) that perpetuate the discrimination of 
another recipient if both recipients are subject to common 
administrative control or are agencies of the same State.
    (5) In determining the site or location of a facility, an applicant 
for assistance or a recipient may not make selections (i) that have the 
effect of excluding qualified handicapped persons from, denying them the 
benefits of, or otherwise subjecting them to discrimination under any 
program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance or (ii) 
that have the purpose or effect of defeating or substantially impairing 
the accomplishment of the objectives of the program or activity with 
respect to qualified handicapped persons.
    (6) As used in this section, the aid, benefit, or service provided 
under a program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance 
includes any aid, benefit, or service provided in or through a facility 
that has been constructed, expanded, altered, leased or rented, or 
otherwise acquired, in whole or in part, with Federal financial 
assistance.
    (c) Aid, benefits, or services limited by Federal law. The exclusion 
of nonhandicapped persons from aid, benefits, or services limited by 
Federal statute or executive order to handicapped persons or the 
exclusion of a specific class of handicapped persons from aid, benefits, 
or services limited by Federal statute or executive order to a different 
class of handicapped persons is not prohibited by this part.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]

[[Page 59]]



Sec.  605.5  Assurances required.

    (a) Assurances. Recipients of Federal financial assistance to which 
this part applies will assure NSF, in a manner specified by the 
Director, that the programs or activities will be operated in compliance 
with this part.
    (b) Duration of obligation. (1) In the case of Federal financial 
assistance extended in the form of real property or to provide real 
property or structures on the property, the assurance will obligate the 
recipient or, in the case of a subsequent transfer, the transferee, for 
the period during which the real property or structures are used for the 
purpose for which Federal financial assistance is extended or for 
another purpose involving the provision of similar services or benefits.
    (2) In the case of Federal financial assistance extended to provide 
personal property, the assurance will obligate the recipient for the 
period during which it retains ownership or possession of the property.
    (3) In all other cases the assurance will obligate the recipient for 
the period during which Federal financial assistance is extended.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.6  Remedial action, voluntary action, and self-evaluation.

    (a) Remedial action. (1) If the Director finds that a recipient has 
discriminated against persons on the basis of handicap in violation of 
section 504 or this part, the recipient shall take such remedial action 
as the Director deems necessary to overcome the effects of the 
discrimination.
    (2) Where a recipient is found to have discriminated against persons 
on the basis of handicap in violation of section 504 or this part and 
where another recipient exercises control over the recipient that has 
discriminated, the Director, where appropriate, may require either or 
both recipients to take remedial action.
    (3) The Director may, where necessary to overcome the effects of 
discrimination in violation of section 504 or this part, require a 
recipient to take remedial action (i) with respect to handicapped 
persons who are no longer participants in the recipient's program or 
activity but who were participants in the program when such 
discrimination occurred or (ii) with respect to handicapped persons who 
would have been participants in the program or activity had the 
discrimination not occurred.
    (b) Voluntary action. A recipient may take steps, in addition to any 
action that is required by this part, to overcome the effects of 
conditions that resulted in limited participation in the recipient's 
program or activity by qualified handicapped persons.
    (c) Self-evaluation. (1) A recipient shall, within one year of the 
effective date of this part:
    (i) Evaluate, with the assistance of interested persons, including 
handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, 
its current policies and practices and the effects thereof that do not 
or may not meet the requirements of this part;
    (ii) Modify, after consultation with interested persons, including 
handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, 
any policies and practices that do not meet the requirements of this 
part; and
    (iii) Take, after consultation with interested persons, including 
handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, 
appropriate remedial steps to eliminate the effects of any 
discrimination that resulted from adherence to these policies and 
practices.
    (2) A recipient that employs fifteen or more persons shall, for at 
least three years following completion of the evaluation required under 
paragraph (c)(1) of this section, maintain on file, make available for 
public inspection, and provide to the Director upon request: (i) A list 
of the interested person consulted (ii) a description of areas examined 
and any problems identified, and (iii) a description of any 
modifications made and any remedial steps taken.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.7  Designation of responsible employee and adoption of grievance
procedures.

    (a) Designation of responsible employee. A recipient that employs 
fifteen or

[[Page 60]]

more persons shall designate at least one person to coordinate its 
efforts to comply with this part.
    (b) Adoption of grievance procedures. A recipient that employs 
fifteen or more persons shall adopt grievance procedures that 
incorporate appropriate due process standards and that provide for the 
prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action 
prohibited by this part. Such procedures need not be established with 
respect to complaints from applicants for employment or from applicants 
for admission to postsecondary educational institutions.



Sec.  605.8  Notice.

    (a) A recipient that employs fifteen or more persons shall take 
appropriate initial and continuing steps to notify participants, 
beneficiaries, applications, and employees, including those with 
impaired vision or hearing, and unions or professional organizations 
holding collective bargaining or professional agreements with the 
recipient that it does not discriminate on the basis of handicap in 
violation of section 504 and this part. The notification shall state, 
where appropriate, that the recipient does not discriminate in admission 
or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activities. 
The notification shall also include an identification of the responsible 
employee designated pursuant to Sec.  605.7(a). A recipient shall make 
the initial notification required by this paragraph within 90 days of 
the effective date of this part. Methods of initial and continuing 
notification may include the posting of notices, publication in 
newspapers and magazines, placement of notices in recipient's 
publication, and distribution of memoranda or other written 
communications.
    (b) If a recipient publishes or uses recruitment materials or 
publications containing general information that it makes available to 
participants, beneficiaries, applicants, or employees, it shall include 
in those materials or publications a statement of the policy described 
in paragraph (a) of this section. A recipient may meet the requirement 
of this paragraph either by including appropriate inserts in existing 
materials and publications or by revising and reprinting the materials 
and publications.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.9  Administrative requirements for small recipients.

    The Director may require any recipient with fewer than fifteen 
employees, or any class of such recipients, to comply with Sec. Sec.  
605.7 and 605.8, in whole or in part, when the Director finds a 
violation of this part or finds that such compliance will not 
significantly impair the ability of the recipient or class or recipients 
to provide benefits or services.



Sec.  605.10  Effect of state or local law or other requirements and
effect of employment opportunities.

    (a) The obligation to comply with this part is not obviated or 
alleviated by the existence of any state or local law or other 
requirement that, on the basis of handicap, imposes prohibitions or 
limits upon the eligibility of qualified handicapped persons to receive 
services or to practice any occupation or profession.
    (b) The obligation to comply with this part is not obviated or 
alleviated because employment opportunities in any occupation or 
profession are or may be more limited for handicapped persons than for 
nonhandicapped persons.



                     Subpart B_Employment Practices



Sec.  605.11  Discrimination prohibited.

    (a) General. (1) No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis 
of handicap, be subjected to discrimination in employment under any 
program or activity to which this part applies.
    (2) A recipient that receives assistance under the Education of the 
Handicapped Act shall take positive steps to employ and advance in 
employment qualified handicapped persons in programs or activities 
assisted under that Act.
    (3) A recipient shall make all decisions concerning employment under 
any program or activity to which this part applies in a manner which 
ensures that discrimination on the basis of handicap does not occur and 
may not

[[Page 61]]

limit, segregate, or classify applicants or employees in any way that 
adversely affects their opportunities or status because of handicap.
    (4) A recipient may not participate in a contractual or other 
relationship that has the effect of subjecting qualified handicapped 
applicants or employees to discrimination prohibited by this subpart. 
The relationships referred to in this subparagraph include relationships 
with employment and referral agencies, with labor unions, with 
organizations providing or administering fringe benefits to employees of 
the recipient, and with organizations providing training and 
apprenticeships.
    (b) Specific activities. The provisions of this subpart apply to:
    (1) Recruitment, advertising, and the processing of applications for 
employment;
    (2) Hiring, upgrading, promotion, award of tenure, demotion, 
transfer, layoff, termination, right of return from layoff and rehiring;
    (3) Rates of pay or any other form of compensation and changes in 
compensation;
    (4) Job assignments, job classifications, organizational structures, 
position descriptions, lines of progression, and seniority lists;
    (5) Leaves of absence, sick leave, or any other leave;
    (6) Fringe benefits available by virtue of employment, whether or 
not administered by the recipient;
    (7) Selection and financial support for training, including 
apprenticeship, professional meetings, conferences, and other related 
activities, and selection for leaves of absence to pursue training;
    (8) Employer sponsored activities, including those that are social 
or recreational; and
    (9) Any other term, condition, or privilege of employment.
    (c) A recipient's obligation to comply with this subpart is not 
affected by any inconsistent term of any collective bargaining agreement 
to which it is a party.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.12  Reasonable accommodation.

    (a) A recipient shall make reasonable accommodation to the known 
physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified handicapped 
applicant or employee unless the recipient can demonstrate that the 
accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of its 
program or activity.
    (b) Reasonable accommodation may include: (1) Making facilities used 
by employees readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons, 
and (2) job restructuring, part-time or modified work schedules, 
acquisition or modification or equipment or devices, the provision of 
readers or interpreters, and other similar actions.
    (c) In determining pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section whether 
an accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of a 
recipient's program or activity, factors to be considered include:
    (1) The overall size of the recipient's program or activity with 
respect to number of employees, number and type of facilities, and size 
of budget;
    (2) The type of the recipient's operation, including the composition 
and structure of the recipient's workforce; and
    (3) The nature and cost of the accommodation needed.
    (d) A recipient may not deny any employment opportunity to a 
qualified handicapped employee or applicant if the basis for the denial 
is the need to make reasonable accommodation to the physical or mental 
limitations of the employee or applicant.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.13  Employment criteria.

    (a) A recipient may not make use of any employment test or other 
selection criterion that screens out or tends to screen out handicapped 
persons or any class of handicapped persons unless: (1) The test score 
or other selection criterion, as used by the recipient, is shown to be 
job-related for the position in question, and (2) alternative job-
related tests or criteria that do not screen out or tend to screen out 
as many handicapped persons are not shown by the Director to be 
available.

[[Page 62]]

    (b) A recipient shall select and administer tests concerning 
employment so as best to ensure that, when administered to an applicant 
or employee who has a handicap that impairs sensory, manual, or speaking 
skills, the test results accurately reflect the applicant's or 
employee's job skills, aptitude, or whatever other factor the test 
purports to measure, rather than reflecting the applicant's or 
employee's impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills (except where 
those skills are the factors that the test purports to measure).



Sec.  605.14  Preemployment inquiries.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, a 
recipient may not conduct a preemployment medical examination or may not 
make preemployment inquiry of an applicant as to whether the applicant 
is a handicapped person or as to the nature or severity of a handicap. A 
recipient may, however, make preemployment inquiry into an applicant's 
ability to perform job-related functions.
    (b) When a recipient is taking remedial action to correct the 
effects of past discrimination pursuant to Sec.  605.6(a), when a 
recipient is taking voluntary action to overcome the effects of 
conditions that resulted in limited participation in its federally 
assisted program or activity pursuant to Sec.  605.6(b), or when a 
recipient is taking affirmative action pursuant to section 503 of the 
Act, the recipient may invite applicants for employment to indicate 
whether and to what extent they are handicapped, Provided, That:
    (1) The recipient states clearly on any written questionnaire used 
for this purpose or makes clear orally if no written questionnaire is 
used that the information requested is intended for use solely in 
connection with its remedial action obligations or its voluntary or 
affirmative action efforts; and
    (2) The recipient states clearly that the information is being 
requested on a voluntary basis, that it will be kept confidential as 
provided in paragraph (d) of this section, that refusal to provide it 
will not subject the applicant or employee to any adverse treatment, and 
that it will be used only in accordance with this part.
    (c) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a recipient from 
conditioning an offer of employment on the results of a medical 
examination conducted prior to the employee's entrance on duty, 
Provided, That: (1) All entering employees are subjected to such an 
examination regardless of handicap, and (2) the results of such an 
examination are used only in accordance with the requirements of this 
part.
    (d) Information obtained in accordance with this section as to the 
medical condition or history of the applicant shall be collected and 
maintained on separate forms that shall be accorded confidentiality as 
medical records, except that:
    (1) Supervisors and managers may be informed regarding restrictions 
on the work or duties of handicapped persons and regarding necessary 
accommodations;
    (2) First aid and safety personnel may be informed, where 
appropriate, if the condition might require emergency treatment; and
    (3) Government officials investigating compliance with the Act shall 
be provided relevant information upon request.



Sec. Sec.  605.15-605.20  [Reserved]



                         Subpart C_Accessibility



Sec.  605.21  Discrimination prohibited.

    No qualified handicapped person shall, because a recipient's 
facilities are inaccessible to or unusable by handicapped persons, be 
denied the benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or otherwise 
be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity to which 
this part applies.



Sec.  605.22  Existing facilities.

    (a) Accessibility. A recipient shall operate each program or 
activity to which this part applies so that when each part is viewed in 
its entirety it is readily accessible to qualified handicapped persons. 
This paragraph does not require a recipient to make each of its existing 
facilities or every part of a facility accessible to and usable by 
qualified handicapped persons.
    (b) Methods. A recipient may comply with the requirements of 
paragraph (a)

[[Page 63]]

of this section through such means as redesign of equipment, 
reassignment of classes or other services to accessible buildings, 
assignment of aides to beneficiaries, home visits, delivery of health, 
welfare, or other social services at alternate accessible sites, 
alteration of existing facilities and construction of new facilities in 
conformance with the requirements of Sec.  605.23, or any other methods 
that result in making its program or activity accessible to qualified 
handicapped persons. A recipient is not required to make structural 
changes in existing facilities where other methods are effective in 
achieving compliance with paragraph (a) of this section. In choosing 
among available methods for meeting the requirement of paragraph (a) of 
this section, a recipient shall give priority to those methods that 
serve qualified handicapped persons in the most integrated setting 
appropriate.
    (c) Small health, welfare, or other social service providers. If a 
recipient with fewer than fifteen employees that provides health, 
welfare, or other social services finds, after consultation with a 
qualified handicapped person seeking its services, that there is no 
method of complying with paragraph (a) of this section other than making 
a significant alteration in its existing facilities, the recipient may, 
as an alternative, refer the qualified handicapped person to other 
providers of those services that are accessible.
    (d) Time period. A recipient shall comply with the requirement of 
paragraph (a) of this section within sixty days of the effective date of 
this part except that where structural changes in facilities are 
necessary, such changes shall be made within three years of the 
effective date of this part, but in any event as expeditiously as 
possible.
    (e) Transition plan. In the event that structural changes to 
facilities are necessary to meet the requirement of paragraph (a) of 
this section, a recipient shall develop, within six months of the 
effective date of this part, a transition plan setting forth the steps 
necessary to complete such changes. The plan shall be developed with the 
assistance of interested persons, including qualified handicapped 
persons or organizations representing qualified handicapped persons. A 
copy of the transition plan shall be made available for public 
inspection. The plan shall, at a minimum:
    (1) Identify physical obstacles in the recipient's facilities that 
limit the accessibility of its program or activity to qualified 
handicapped persons;
    (2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the 
facilities accessible;
    (3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve 
full accessibility under paragraph (a) of this section and, if the time 
period of the transition plan is longer than one year, identify the 
steps of that will be taken during each year of the transition period; 
and
    (4) Indicate the person responsible for implementation of the plan.
    (f) Notice. The recipient shall adopt and implement procedures to 
ensure that interested persons, including persons with impaired vision 
or hearing, can obtain information as to the existence and location of 
services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to and usuable 
by qualified handicapped persons.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.23  New construction.

    (a) Design and construction. Each facility or part of a facility 
constructed by, on behalf of, or for the use of a recipient shall be 
designed and constructed in such manner that the facility or part of the 
facility is readily accessible to and usable by qualified handicapped 
persons, if the construction was commenced after the effective date of 
this part.
    (b) Alteration. Each facility or part of a facility which is altered 
by, on behalf of, or for the use of a recipient after the effective date 
of this part in a manner that affects or could affect the usability of 
the facility or part of the facility shall, to the maximum extent 
feasible, be altered in such manner that the altered portion of the 
facility is readily accessible to and usable by qualified handicapped 
persons.
    (c) Conformance with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards. (1) 
Effective as

[[Page 64]]

of January 18, 1991, design, construction, or alteration of buildings in 
conformance with sections 3-8 of the Uniform Federal Accessibility 
Standards (USAF) (appendix A to 41 CFR subpart 101-19.6) shall be deemed 
to comply with the requirements of this section with respect to those 
buildings. Departures from particular technical and scoping requirements 
of UFAS by the use of other methods are permitted where substantially 
equivalent or greater access to and usability of the building is 
provided.
    (2) For purposes of this section, section 4.1.6(1)(g) of UFAS shall 
be interpreted to exempt from the requirements of UFAS only mechanical 
rooms and other spaces that, because of their intended use, will not 
require accessibility to the public or beneficiaries or result in the 
employment or residence therein of persons with physical handicaps.
    (3) This section does not require recipients to make building 
alterations that have little likelihood of being accomplished without 
removing or altering a load-bearing structural member.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 55 FR 52138, 52142, Dec. 19, 
1990]



Sec. Sec.  605.24-605.30  [Reserved]



        Subpart D_Preschool, Elementary, and Secondary Education



Sec.  605.31  Application of this subpart.

    Subpart D applies to preschool, elementary, secondary, and adult 
education programs or activities that receive or benefit from Federal 
financial assistance and to recipients that operate, or that receive 
Federal financial assistance for the operation of, such programs or 
activities.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.32  Location and notification.

    A recipient that operates a public elementary or secondary education 
program shall annually:
    (a) Undertake to identify and locate every qualified handicapped 
person residing in the recipient's jurisdiction who is not receiving a 
public education; and
    (b) Take appropriate steps to notify handicapped persons and their 
parents or guardians or the recipient's duty under this subpart.



Sec.  605.33  Free appropriate public education.

    (a) General. A recipient that operates a public elementary or 
secondary education program shall provide a free appropriate public 
education to each qualified handicapped person who is in the recipient's 
jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the person's 
handicap.
    (b) Appropriate education. (1) For the purpose of this subpart, the 
provision of an appropriate education is the provision of regular or 
special education and related aids and services that (i) are designed to 
meet individual educational needs of handicapped persons as adequately 
as the needs of nonhandicapped persons are met and (ii) are based upon 
adherence to procedures that satisfy the requirements of Sec. Sec.  
605.34, 605.35 and 605.36.
    (2) Implementation of an Individualized Education Program developed 
in accordance with the Education of the Handicapped Act is one means of 
meeting the standard established in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section.
    (3) A recipient may place a handicapped person or refer such person 
for aid, benefits, or services other than those that it operates or 
provides as its means of carrying out the requirements of this subpart. 
If so, the recipient remains responsible for ensuring that the 
requirements of this subpart are met with respect to any handicapped 
person so placed or referred.
    (c) Free education--(1) General. For the purpose of this section, 
the provision of a free education is the provision of educational and 
related services without cost to the handicapped person or to his or her 
parents or guardian, except for those fees that are imposed on non-
handicapped persons or their parents or guardian. It may consist either 
of the provision of free services or, if a recipient places a 
handicapped person or refers such person for aid, benefits, or services 
not operated or provided by the recipient as its means of carrying out 
the requirements of this subpart, of

[[Page 65]]

payment for the costs of the aid, benefits, or services. Funds available 
from any public or private agency may be used to meet the requirements 
of this subpart. Nothing in this section shall be construed to relieve 
an insurer or similar third party from an otherwise valid obligation to 
provide or pay for services provided to a handicapped person.
    (2) Transportation. If a recipient places a handicapped person or 
refers such person for aid, benefits, or services not operated or 
provided by the recipient as its means of carrying out the requirements 
of this subpart, the recipient shall ensure that adequate transportation 
to and from the aid, benefits, or services is provided at no greater 
cost than would be incurred by the person or his or her parents or 
guardian if the person were placed in the program operated by the 
recipient.
    (3) Residential placement. If a public or private residential 
placement is necessary to provide a free appropriate public education to 
a handicapped person because of his or her handicap, the placement, 
including non-medical care and room and board, shall be provided at no 
cost to the person or his or her parents or guardian.
    (4) Placement of handicapped persons by parents. If a recipient has 
made available, in conformance with the requirements of this section and 
Sec.  605.34, a free appropriate public education to a handicapped 
person and the person's parents or guardian chooses to place the person 
in a private school, the recipient is not required to pay for the 
person's education in the private school. Disagreements between a parent 
or guardian and a recipient regarding whether the recipient has made a 
free appropriate public education available or otherwise regarding the 
question of financial responsibility are subject to the due process 
procedures of Sec.  605.36.
    (d) Compliance. A recipient may not exclude any qualified 
handicapped person from a public elementary or secondary education after 
the effective date of this part. A recipient that is not, on the 
effective date of this regulation, in full compliance with the other 
requirements of the preceding paragraphs of this section shall meet such 
requirements at the earliest practicable time and in no event later than 
July 1, 1983.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.34  Educational setting.

    (a) Academic setting. A recipient to which this subpart applies 
shall educate, or shall provide for the education of, each qualified 
handicapped person in its jurisdiction with persons who are not 
handicapped to the maximum extent appropriate to the needs of the 
handicapped person. A recipient shall place a handicapped person in the 
regular educational environment operated by the recipient unless it is 
demonstrated by the recipient that the education of the person in the 
regular environment with the use of supplementary aids and services 
cannot be achieved satisfactorily. Whenever a recipient places a person 
in a setting other than the regular educational environment pursuant to 
this paragraph, it shall take into account the proximity of the 
alternate setting to the person's home.
    (b) Nonacademic settings. In providing or arranging for the 
provision of nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities, 
including meals, recess periods, and the services and activities set 
forth in Sec.  605.37(a)(2), a recipient shall ensure that handicapped 
persons participate with nonhandicapped persons in such activities and 
services to the maximum extent appropriate to the needs of the 
handicapped person in question.
    (c) Comparable facilities. If a recipient, in compliance with 
paragraph (a) of this section, operates a facility that is identifiable 
as being for handicapped persons, the recipient shall ensure that the 
facility and the services and activities provided therein are comparable 
to the other facilities, services, and activities of the recipient.



Sec.  605.35  Evaluation and placement.

    (a) Preplacement evaluation. A recipient that operates a public 
elementary or secondary education program or activity shall conduct an 
evaluation in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this 
section of any person who, because of handicap, needs or

[[Page 66]]

is believed to need special education or related services before taking 
any action with respect to the initial placement of the person in 
regular or special education and any subsequent significant change in 
placement.
    (b) Evaluation procedures. A recipient to which this subpart applies 
shall establish standards and procedures for the evaluation and 
placement of persons who, because of handicap, need or are believed to 
need special education or related services which ensure that:
    (1) Tests and other evaluation materials have been validated for the 
specific purpose for which they are used and are administered by trained 
personnel in conformance with the instructions provided by their 
producer;
    (2) Tests and other evaluation materials include those tailored to 
assess specific areas of educational need and not merely those which are 
designed to provide a single general intelligence quotient; and
    (3) Tests are selected and administered so as best to ensure that, 
when a test is administered to a student with impaired sensory, manual, 
or speaking skills, the test results accurately reflect the student's 
aptitude or achievement level or whatever other factor the test purports 
to measure, rather than reflecting the student's impaired sensory, 
manual, or speaking skills (except where those skills are the factors 
that the test purports to measure).
    (c) Placement procedures. In interpreting evaluation data and in 
making placement decisions, a recipient shall (1) draw upon information 
from a variety of sources, including aptitude and achievement tests, 
teacher recommendations, physical condition, social or cultural 
background, and adaptive behavior, (2) establish procedures to ensure 
that information obtained from all such sources is documented and 
carefully considered, (3) ensure that the placement decision is made by 
a group of persons, including persons knowledgeable about the child, the 
meaning of the evaluation data, and the placement options, and (4) 
ensure that the placement decision is made in conformity with Sec.  
605.34.
    (d) Reevaluation. A recipient to which this section applies shall 
establish procedures, in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section, 
for periodic reevaluation of students who have been provided special 
education and related services. A reevaluation procedure consistent with 
the Education for the Handicapped Act is one means of meeting this 
requirement.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.36  Procedural safeguards.

    A recipient that operates a public elementary or secondary education 
program shall establish and implement, with respect to actions regarding 
the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of persons who, 
because of handicap, need or are believed to need special instruction or 
related services, a system of procedural safeguards that includes 
notice, an opportunity for the parents or guardian of the person to 
examine relevant records, an impartial hearing with opportunity for 
participation by the person's parents or guardian and representation by 
counsel, and a review procedure. Compliance with the procedural 
safeguards of section 615 of the Education of the Handicapped Act is one 
means of meeting this requirement.



Sec.  605.37  Nonacademic services.

    (a) General. (1) A recipient to which this subpart applies shall 
provide nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities in such 
manner as is necessary to afford handicapped students an equal 
opportunity for participation in such services and activities.
    (2) Nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities may 
include counseling services, physical recreational athletics, 
transportation, health services, recreational activities, special 
interest groups or clubs sponsored by the recipients, referrals to 
agencies which provide assistance to handicapped persons, and employment 
of students, including both employment by the recipient and assistance 
in making available outside employment.
    (b) Counseling services. A recipient to which this subpart applies 
that provides personal, academic, or vocational counseling, guidance, or 
placement services to its students shall provide these services without 
discrimination on the basis of handicap. The recipient

[[Page 67]]

shall ensure that qualified handicapped students are not counseled 
toward more restrictive career objectives than are nonhandicapped 
students with similar interests and abilities.
    (c) Physical education and athletics. (1) In providing physical 
education courses and athletics and similar aid, benefits, or services 
to any of its students, a recipient to which this subpart applies may 
not discriminate on the basis of handicap. A recipient that offers 
physical education courses or that operates or sponsors interscholastic, 
club, or intramural athletics shall provide to qualified handicapped 
students an equal opportunity for participation.
    (2) A recipient may offer to handicapped students physical education 
and athletic activities that are separate or different from those 
offered to nonhandicapped students only if separation or differentiation 
is consistent with the requirements of Sec.  605.34 and only if no 
qualified handicapped student is denied the opportunity to compete for 
teams or to participate in courses that are not separate or different.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.38  Preschool and adult education.

    A recipient to which this subpart applies that provides preschool 
education or day care or adult education may not, on the basis of 
handicap, exclude qualified handicapped persons and shall take into 
account the needs of such persons in determining the aid, benefits, or 
services to be provided.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.39  Private education.

    (a) A recipient that provides private elementary or secondary 
education may not, on the basis of handicap, exclude a qualified 
handicapped person if the person can, with minor adjustments, be 
provided an appropriate education, as defined in Sec.  605.33(b)(1), 
within that recipient's program or activity.
    (b) A recipient to which this section applies may not charge more 
for the provision of an appropriate education to handicapped persons 
than to nonhandicapped persons except to the extent that any additional 
charge is justified by a substantial increase in cost to the recipient.
    (c) A recipient to which this section applies that provides special 
education shall do so in accordance with the provisions of Sec. Sec.  
605.35 and 605.36. Each recipient to which this section applies is 
subject to the provisions of Sec. Sec.  605.34, 605.37 and 605.38.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.40  [Reserved]



                    Subpart E_Postsecondary Education



Sec.  605.41  Application of this subpart.

    Subpart E applies to postsecondary education programs or activities, 
including postsecondary vocational education programs or activities, 
that receive Federal financial assistance and to recipients that 
operate, or that receive Federal financial assistance for the operation 
of, such programs or activities.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.42  Admissions and recruitment.

    (a) General. Qualified handicapped persons may not, on the basis of 
handicap, be denied admission or be subjected to discrimination in 
admission or recruitment by a recipient to which this subpart applies.
    (b) Admissions. In administering its admission policies, a recipient 
to which this subpart applies:
    (1) May not apply limitations upon the number or proportion of 
handicapped persons who may be admitted;
    (2) May not make use of any test or criterion for admission that has 
a disproportionate, adverse effect on handicapped persons or any class 
of handicapped persons unless (i) the test or criterion, as used by the 
recipient, has been validated as a predictor of success in the education 
program or activity in question and (ii) alternate tests or criteria 
that have a less disproportionate, adverse effect are not shown by the 
Director to be available.

[[Page 68]]

    (3) Shall assure itself that (i) admissions tests are selected and 
administered so as best to ensure that, when a test is administered to 
an applicant who has a handicap that impairs sensory, manual, or 
speaking skills, the test results accurately reflect the applicant's 
aptitude or achievement level or whatever other factor the test purports 
to measure, rather than reflecting the applicant's impaired sensory, 
manual, or speaking skills (except where those skills are the factors 
that the test purports to measure); (ii) admissions tests that are 
designed for persons with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills 
are offered as often and in as timely a manner as are other admissions 
tests; and (iii) admissions tests are administered in facilities that, 
on the whole, are accessible to handicapped persons; and
    (4) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, may not 
make preadmission inquiry as to whether an applicant for admission is a 
handicapped person but, after admission, may make inquiries on a 
confidential basis as to handicaps that may require accommodation.
    (c) Preadmission inquiry exception. When a recipient is taking 
remedial action to correct the effects of past discrimination pursuant 
to Sec.  605.6(a) or when a recipient is taking voluntary action to 
overcome the effects of conditions that resulted in limited 
participation in its federally assisted program or activity pursuant to 
Sec.  605.6(6), the recipient may invite applicants for admission to 
indicate whether and to what extent they are handicapped, Provided, 
That:
    (1) The recipient states clearly on any written questionnaire used 
for this purpose or makes clear orally if no written questionnaire is 
used that the information requested is intended for use solely in 
connection with its remedial action obligations or its voluntary action 
efforts; and
    (2) The recipient states clearly that the information is being 
requested on a voluntary basis, that it will be kept confidential, that 
refusal to provide it will not subject the applicant to any adverse 
treatment, and that it will be used only in accordance with this part.
    (d) Validity studies. For the purpose of paragraph (b)(2) of this 
section, a recipient may base prediction equations on first year grades, 
but shall conduct periodic validity studies against the criterion of 
overall success in the education program or activity in question in 
order to monitor the general validity of the test scores.



Sec.  605.43  Treatment of students; general.

    (a) No qualified handicapped student shall, on the basis of 
handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, 
or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any academic, 
research, occupational training, housing, health insurance, counseling, 
financial aid, physical education, athletics, recreation, 
transportation, other extracurricular, or other postsecondary education 
aid, benefits, or services to which this subpart applies.
    (b) A recipient to which this subpart applies that considers 
participation by students in education programs or activities not 
operated wholly by the recipient as part of, or equivalent to, an 
education program or activity operated by the recipient shall assure 
itself that the other education program or activity, as a whole, 
provides an equal opportunity for the participation of qualified 
handicapped persons.
    (c) A recipient to which this subpart applies may not, on the basis 
of handicap, exclude any qualified handicapped student from any course, 
course of study, or other part of its education program or activity.
    (d) A recipient to which this subpart applies shall operate its 
program or activity in the most integrated setting appropriate.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.44  Academic adjustments.

    (a) Academic requirements. A recipient to which this subpart applies 
shall make such modifications to its academic requirements as are 
necessary to ensure that such requirements do not discriminate or have 
the effect of discriminating, on the basis of handicap,

[[Page 69]]

against a qualified handicapped applicant or student. Academic 
requirements that the recipient can demonstrate are essential to the 
instruction being pursued by such student or to any directly related 
licensing requirement will not be regarded as discriminatory within the 
meaning of this section. Modifications may include changes in the length 
of time permitted for the completion of degree requirements, 
substitution of specific courses required for the completion of degree 
requirements, and adaptation of the manner in which specific courses are 
conducted.
    (b) Other rules. A recipient to which this subpart applies may not 
impose upon handicapped students other rules, such as the prohibition of 
tape recorders in classrooms or of dog guides in campus buildings, that 
have the effect of limiting the participation of handicapped students in 
the recipient's education program or activity.
    (c) Course examinations. In its course examinations or other 
procedures for evaluating students' academic achievement, a recipient to 
which this subpart applies shall provide such methods for evaluating the 
achievement of students who have a handicap that impairs sensory, 
manual, or speaking skills as will best ensure that the results of the 
evaluation represents the student's achievement in the course, rather 
than reflecting the student's impaired sensory, manual, or speaking 
skills (except where such skills are the factors that the test purports 
to measure).
    (d) Auxiliary aids. (1) A recipient to which this subpart applies 
shall take such steps as are necessary to ensure that no handicapped 
student is denied the benefits of, excluded from participation in, or 
otherwise subjected to discrimination under the education program or 
activity operated by the recipient because of the absence of educational 
auxiliary aids for students with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking 
skills.
    (2) Auxiliary aids may include taped texts, interpreters or other 
effective methods of making orally delivered materials available to 
students with hearing impairments, readers in libraries for students 
with visual impairments, classroom equipment adapted for use by students 
with manual impairments, and other similar services and actions. 
Recipients need not provide attendents, individually prescribed devices, 
readers for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a 
personal nature.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.45  Housing.

    (a) Housing provided by the recipient. A recipient that provides 
housing to its nonhandicapped students shall provide comparable, 
convenient, and accessible housing to handicapped students at the same 
cost as to others. At the end of the transition period provided for in 
subpart C, such housing shall be available in sufficient quantity and 
variety so that the scope of handicapped students' choice of living 
accommodations is, as a whole, comparable to that of nonhandicapped 
students.
    (b) Other housing. A recipient that assists any agency, 
organization, or person in making housing available to any of its 
students shall take such action as may be necessary to assure itself 
that such housing is, as a whole, made available in a manner that does 
not result in discrimination on the basis of handicap.



Sec.  605.46  Financial and employment assistance to students.

    (a) Provision of financial assistance. (1) In providing financial 
assistance to qualified handicapped persons, a recipient to which this 
subpart applies may not (i), on the basis of handicap, provide less 
assistance than is provided to nonhandicapped persons, limit eligibility 
for assistance, or otherwise discriminate or (ii) assist any entity or 
person that provides assistance to any of the recipient's students in a 
manner that discriminates against qualified handicapped persons on the 
basis of handicap.
    (2) A recipient may administer or assist in the administration of 
scholarships, fellowships, or other forms of financial assistance 
established under wills, trusts, bequests, or similar legal instruments 
that require awards to be made on the basis of factors that discriminate 
or have the effect of discriminating on the basis of handicap

[[Page 70]]

only if the overall effect of the award of scholarships, fellowships, 
and other forms of financial assistance is not discriminatory on the 
basis of handicap.
    (b) Assistance in making available outside employment. A recipient 
that helps its students to obtain employment shall assure itself that 
the employment opportunities it helps to make available to students are, 
as a whole, made available in a manner that would not violate subpart B 
if they were provided by the recipient.
    (c) Employment of students by recipients. A recipient that employs 
any of its students may not do so in a manner that violates subpart B.



Sec.  605.47  Nonacademic services.

    (a) Physical education and athletics. (1) In providing physical 
education courses and athletics and similar aid, benefits, or services 
to any of its students, a recipient to which this subpart applies may 
not discriminate on the basis of handicap. A recipient that offers 
physical education courses or that operates or sponsors intercollegiate, 
club, or intramural athletics shall provide to qualified handicapped 
students an equal opportunity for participation in these activities.
    (2) A recipient may offer to handicapped students physical education 
and athletic activities that are separate or different only if 
separation or differentiation is consistent with the requirements of 
Sec.  605.43(d) and only if no qualified handicapped student is denied 
the opportunity to compete for teams or to participate in courses that 
are not separate or different.
    (b) Counseling and placement services. A recipient to which this 
subpart applies that provides personal, academic, or vocational 
counseling, guidance, or placement services to its students shall 
provide these services without discrimination on the basis of handicap. 
The recipient shall ensure that qualified handicapped students are not 
counseled toward more restrictive career objectives than are 
nonhandicapped students with similar interests and abilities. This 
requirement does not preclude a recipient from providing factual 
information about licensing and certification requirements that may 
present obstacles to handicapped persons in their pursuit of particular 
careers.
    (c) Social organizations. A recipient that provides significant 
assistance to fraternities, sororities, or similar organizations shall 
assure itself that the membership practices of such organizations do not 
permit discrimination otherwise prohibited by this subpart.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec. Sec.  605.48-605.50  [Reserved]



             Subpart F_Health, Welfare, and Social Services



Sec.  605.51  Application of this subpart.

    Subpart F applies to health, welfare, and other social service 
programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance and to 
recipients that operate, or that receive Federal financial assistance 
for the operation of, such programs or activities.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  605.52  Health, welfare, and other social services.

    (a) General. In providing health, welfare, or other social services 
or benefits, a recipient may not, on the basis of handicap:
    (1) Deny a qualified handicapped person these benefits or services;
    (2) Afford a qualified handicapped person an opportunity to receive 
benefits or services that is not equal to that offered nonhandicapped 
persons;
    (3) Provide a qualified handicapped person which benefits or 
services that are not as effective (as defined in Sec.  605.4(b)) as the 
benefits or services provided to others;
    (4) Provide benefits or services in a manner that limits or has the 
effect of limiting the participation of qualified handicapped persons; 
or
    (5) Provide different or separate benefits or services to 
handicapped persons except where necessary provide qualified handicapped 
persons with benefits and services that are as effective as those 
provided to others.
    (b) Notice. A recipient that provides notice concerning benefits or 
services or written material concerning waivers

[[Page 71]]

of rights or consent to treatment shall take such steps as are necessary 
to ensure that qualified handicapped persons, including those with 
impaired sensory or speaking skills, are not denied effective notice 
because of their handicap.
    (c) Emergency treatment for the hearing impaired. A recipient 
hospital that provides health services or benefits shall establish a 
procedure for effective communication with persons with impaired hearing 
for the purpose of providing emergency health care.
    (d) Auxiliary aids. (1) A recipient to which this subpart applies 
that employs fifteen or more persons shall provide appropriate auxiliary 
aids to persons with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills, where 
necessary to afford such persons an equal opportunity to benefit from 
the service in question.
    (2) The Director may require recipients with fewer than fifteen 
employees to provide auxiliary aids where the provision of aids would 
not significantly impair the ability of the recipient to provide its 
benefits or services.
    (3) For the purpose of this paragraph, auxiliary aids may include 
brailled and taped material, interpreters, and other aids for persons 
with impaired hearing or vision.



Sec.  605.53  Drug and alcohol addicts.

    A recipient to which this subpart applies that operates a general 
hospital or outpatient facility may not discriminate in admission or 
treatment against a drug or alcohol abuser or alcoholic who is suffering 
from a medical condition, because of the person's drug or alcohol abuse 
or alcoholism.



Sec.  605.54  Education of institutionalized persons.

    A recipient to which this subpart applies and that operates or 
supervises a program or activity that provides aid, benefits, or 
services for persons who are institutionalized because of handicap shall 
ensure that each qualified handicapped person, as defined in Sec.  
605.3(k)(2), in its program or activity is provided an appropriate 
education, as defined in Sec.  605.33(b). Nothing in this section shall 
be interpreted as altering in any way the obligations of recipients 
under subpart D.

[47 FR 8573, Mar. 1, 1982, as amended at 68 FR 51381, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec. Sec.  605.55-605.60  [Reserved]



                          Subpart G_Procedures



Sec.  605.61  Procedures.

    The procedural provisions applicable to title VI of the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964 apply to this part. These procedures are found in Sec. Sec.  
611.6 through 611.10 of this title (45 CFR). In the event that the 
Department of Education or the Department of Health and Human Services 
conducts a hearing under this part on behalf of NSF, the provisions of 
45 CFR 84.61 shall also apply except that the Director of NSF or his 
designee shall also be ``the responsible Department official'' for 
purposes of 45 CFR 81.102 and 81.121 and ``the reviewing authority'' for 
purposes of 45 CFR 81.103, 81.104, and 81.105. Also, in such cases, the 
Director of NSF rather than the Secretary of HHS or Education shall 
conduct the review provided for in 45 CFR 81.106.



Sec. Sec.  605.62-605.90  [Reserved]



PART 606_ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN
PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
606.1 Purpose.
606.2 Application.
606.3 Definitions.
606.4-606.9 [Reserved]
606.10 Self-evaluation.
606.11 Notice.
606.12-606.29 [Reserved]
606.30 General prohibitions against discrimination.
606.31-606.39 [Reserved]
606.40 Employment.
606.41-606.49 [Reserved]
606.50 Program accessibility: Discrimination prohibited.
606.51 Program accessibility: Existing facilities.
606.52 Program accessibility: New construction and alterations.
606.53-606.59 [Reserved]
606.60 Communications.

[[Page 72]]

606.61-606.69 [Reserved]
606.70 Complaint procedures.
606.71-606.99 [Reserved]

    Authority: 29 U.S.C. 794.

    Source: 54 FR 4791, Jan. 31, 1989, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  606.1  Purpose.

    The purpose of this part is to effectuate section 119 of the 
Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental Disabilities 
Amendments of 1978, which amended section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 
of 1973 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs 
or activities conducted by Executive agencies or the United States 
Postal Service.



Sec.  606.2  Application.

    This part applies to all programs or activities conducted by the 
Foundation, except for programs or activities conducted outside the 
United States that do not involve individuals with handicaps in the 
United States. Programs and activities receiving Federal financial 
assistance from the Foundation are covered by 45 CFR part 605.



Sec.  606.3  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part, the term--
    Assistant Attorney General means the Assistant Attorney General, 
Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice.
    Auxiliary aids means services or devices that enable persons with 
impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills to have an equal 
opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, programs or 
activities conducted by the Foundation. For example, auxiliary aids 
useful for persons with impaired vision include readers, Brailled 
materials, audio recordings, and other similar services and devices. 
Auxiliary aids useful for persons with impaired hearing include 
telephone handset amplifiers, telephones compatible with hearing aids, 
telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDD's), interpreters, note 
takers, written materials, and other similar services and devices.
    Complete complaint means a written statement that contains the 
complainant's name and address and describes the Foundation's alleged 
discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Foundation of 
the nature and date of the alleged violation of section 504. It shall be 
signed by the complainant or by someone authorized to do so on his or 
her behalf. Complaints filed on behalf of classes or third parties shall 
describe or identify (by name, if possible) the alleged victims of 
discrimination.
    Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, 
equipment, roads, walks, parking lots, rolling stock or other 
conveyances, or other real or personal property.
    Foundation means the National Science Foundation.
    Individual with handicaps means any person in the United States who 
has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or 
more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is 
regarded as having such an impairment. As used in this definition, the 
phrase:
    (1) Physical or mental impairment includes--
    (i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, 
or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: 
neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, 
including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; 
genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or
    (ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental 
retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and 
specific learning disabilities. The term physical or mental impairment 
includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as 
orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, 
epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, 
diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, and drug addiction and 
alcoholism.
    (2) Major life activities includes functions such as caring for 
one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, 
breathing, learning, and working.
    (3) Has a record of such an impairment means has a history of, or 
has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that 
substantially limits one or more major life activities.

[[Page 73]]

    (4) Is regarded as having an impairment means--
    (i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially 
limit major life activities but is treated by the Foundation as 
constituting such a limitation;
    (ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits 
major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward 
such impairment; or
    (iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (1) of this 
definition but is treated by the Foundation as having such an 
impairment.
    Qualified individual with handicaps means--
    (1) With respect to any Foundation program or activity under which a 
person is required to perform services or to achieve a level of 
accomplishment, an individual with handicaps who meets the essential 
eligibility requirements and who can achieve the purpose of the program 
or activity without modifications in the program or activity that the 
Foundation can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in 
its nature;
    (2) With respect to any other program or activity, an individual 
with handicaps who meets the essential eligibility requirements for 
participation in, or receipt of benefits from, that program or activity; 
and
    (3) Qualified handicapped person as that term is defined for 
purposes of employment in 29 CFR 1613.702(f), which is made applicable 
to this part by Sec.  606.40.
    Section 504 means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
(Pub. L. 93-112, 87 Stat. 394 (29 U.S.C. 794)), as amended by the 
Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-516, 88 Stat. 1617); 
and the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental 
Disabilities Amendments of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-602, 92 Stat. 2955); the 
Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-506, 100 Stat. 1810); 
and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 (Pub. L. 100-259, 102 Stat. 
28). As used in this part, section 504 applies only to programs or 
activities conducted by Executive agencies and not to federally assisted 
programs.



Sec. Sec.  606.4-606.9  [Reserved]



Sec.  606.10  Self-evaluation.

    (a) The Foundation shall, within one year of the effective date of 
this part, evaluate its current policies and practices, and the effects 
thereof, that do not or may not meet the requirements of this part, and, 
to the extent modification of any such policies and practices is 
required, the Foundation shall proceed to make the necessary 
modifications.
    (b) The Foundation shall provide an opportunity to interested 
persons, including individuals with handicaps or organizations 
representing individuals with handicaps, to participate in the self-
evaluation process by submitting comments (both oral and written).
    (c) The Foundation shall, for at least three years following 
completion of the evaluation required under paragraph (a) of this 
section, maintain on file and make available for public inspection:
    (1) A list of the interested persons who made comments;
    (2) A description of areas examined and any problems identified; and
    (3) A description of any modifications made.



Sec.  606.11  Notice.

    The Foundation shall make available to employees, applicants, 
participants, beneficiaries, and other interested persons such 
information regarding the provisions of this part and its applicability 
to the programs or activities conducted by the Foundation and make such 
information available to them in such manner as the Director of the 
Foundation finds necessary to apprise such persons of the protections 
against discrimination assured them by section 504 and this regulation.



Sec. Sec.  606.12-606.29  [Reserved]



Sec.  606.30  General prohibitions against discrimination.

    (a) No qualified individual with handicaps shall, on the basis of 
handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, 
or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or 
activity conducted by the Foundation.

[[Page 74]]

    (b)(1) The Foundation, in providing any aid, benefit, or service, 
may not, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other 
arrangements, on the basis of handicap--
    (i) Deny a qualified individual with handicaps the opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service;
    (ii) Afford a qualified individual with handicaps an opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not 
equal to that afforded others;
    (iii) Provide a qualified individual with handicaps with an aid, 
benefit, or service that is not as effective in affording equal 
opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to 
reach the same level of achievement as that provided to others;
    (iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to 
individuals with handicaps or to any class of individuals with handicaps 
than is provided to others unless such action is necessary to provide 
qualified individuals with handicaps with aid, benefits, or services 
that are as effective as those provided to others;
    (v) Deny a qualified individual with handicaps the opportunity to 
participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or
    (vi) Otherwise limit a qualified individual with handicaps in the 
enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by 
others receiving the aid, benefit, or service.
    (2) The Foundation may not deny a qualified individual with 
handicaps the opportunity to participate in programs or activities that 
are not separate or different, despite the existence of permissibly 
separate or different programs or activities.
    (3) The Foundation may not, directly or through contractual or other 
arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration the purpose 
or effect of which would--
    (i) Subject qualified individuals with handicaps to discrimination 
on the basis of handicap; or
    (ii) Defeat or substantially impair accomplishment of the objectives 
of a program or activity with respect to individuals with handicaps.
    (4) The Foundation may not, in determining the site or location of a 
facility, make selections the purpose or effect of which would--
    (i) Exclude qualified individuals with handicaps from, deny them the 
benefits of, or otherwise subject them to discrimination under any 
program or activity conducted by the Foundation; or
    (ii) Defeat or substantially impair the accomplishment of the 
objectives of a program or activity with respect to individuals with 
handicaps.
    (5) The Foundation, in the selection of procurement contractors, may 
not use criteria that subject qualified individuals with handicaps to 
discrimination on the basis of handicap.
    (c) The exclusion of nonhandicapped persons from the benefits of a 
program limited by Federal statute or Executive order to individuals 
with handicaps or the exclusion of a specific class of individuals with 
handicaps from a program limited by Federal statute or Executive order 
to a different class of individuals with handicaps is not prohibited by 
this part.
    (d) The Foundation shall administer programs and activities in the 
most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified 
individuals with handicaps.



Sec. Sec.  606.31-606.39  [Reserved]



Sec.  606.40  Employment.

    No qualified individual with handicaps shall, on the basis of 
handicap, be subjected to discrimination in employment under any program 
or activity conducted by the Foundation. The definitions, requirements, 
and procedures of section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 
U.S.C. 791), as established by the Equal Employment Opportunity 
Commission in 29 CFR part 1613, shall apply to employment in federally 
conducted programs or activities.



Sec. Sec.  606.41-606.49  [Reserved]



Sec.  606.50  Program accessibility: Discrimination prohibited.

    Except as otherwise provided in Sec.  606.51, no qualified 
individual with handicaps shall, because the Foundation's facilities are 
inaccessible to or

[[Page 75]]

unusable by individuals with handicaps, be denied the benefits of, be 
excluded from participation in, or otherwise be subjected to 
discrimination under any program or activity conducted by the 
Foundation.



Sec.  606.51  Program accessibility: Existing facilities.

    (a) General. The Foundation shall operate each program or activity 
so that the program or activity, when viewed in its entirety, is readily 
accessible to and usable by individuals with handicaps. This paragraph 
does not--
    (1) Necessarily require the Foundation to make each of its existing 
facilities accessible to and usable by individuals with handicaps; or
    (2) Require the Foundation to take any action that it can 
demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a 
program or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. In 
those circumstances where Foundation personnel believe that the proposed 
action would fundamentally alter the program or activity or would result 
in undue financial and administrative burdens, the Foundation has the 
initial burden of establishing that compliance with Sec.  606.51(a) 
would result in such alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance 
would result in such alteration or burdens must be made by the 
Foundation Director or his or her designee after considering all 
Foundation resources available for use in the funding and operation of 
the conducted program or activity, and must be accompanied by a written 
statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. If an action 
would result in such an alteration or burdens, the Foundation shall take 
any other action that would not result in such an alteration or such 
burdens but would nevertheless ensure that individuals with handicaps 
receive the benefits and services of the program or activity.
    (b) Methods. The Foundation may comply with the requirements of this 
section through such means as redesign of equipment, reassignment of 
services to accessible buildings, assignment of aides to beneficiaries, 
home visits, delivery of services at alternate accessible sites, 
alteration of existing facilities and construction of new facilities, 
use of accessible rolling stock, or any other methods that result in 
making its programs or activities readily accessible to and usable by 
individuals with handicaps. The Foundation is not required to make 
structural changes in existing facilities where other methods are 
effective in achieving compliance with this section. The Foundation, in 
making alterations to existing buildings, shall meet accessibility 
requirements to the extent compelled by the Architectural Barriers Act 
of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), and any regulations 
implementing it. In choosing among available methods for meeting the 
requirements of this section, the Foundation shall give priority to 
those methods that offer programs and activities to qualified 
individuals with handicaps in the most integrated setting appropriate.
    (c) Time period for compliance. The Foundation shall comply with the 
obligations established under this section within 60 days of the 
effective date of this part except that where structural changes in 
facilities are undertaken, such changes shall be made within three years 
of the effective date of this part, but in any event as expeditiously as 
possible.
    (d) Transition plan. In the event that structural changes to 
facilities will be undertaken to achieve program accessibility, the 
Foundation shall develop, within six months of the effective date of 
this part, a transition plan setting forth the steps necessary to 
complete such changes. The Foundation shall provide an opportunity to 
interested persons, including individuals with handicaps or 
organizations representing individuals with handicaps, to participate in 
the development of the transition plan by submitting comments (both oral 
and written). A copy of the transition plan shall be made available for 
public inspection. The plan shall, at a minimum--
    (1) Identify physical obstacles in the Foundation's facilities that 
limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to individuals 
with handicaps;
    (2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the 
facilities accessible;

[[Page 76]]

    (3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve 
compliance with this section and, if the time period of transition plan 
is longer than one year, identify steps that will be taken during each 
year of the transition period; and
    (4) Indicate the official responsible for implementation of the 
plan.



Sec.  606.52  Program accessibility: New construction and alterations.

    Each building or part of a building that is constructed or altered 
by, on behalf of, or for the use of the Foundation shall be designed, 
constructed, or altered so as to be readily accessible to and usable by 
individuals with handicaps. The definitions, requirements, and standards 
of the Architectural Barriers Act (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), as established 
in 41 CFR 101-19.600 to 101-19.607, apply to buildings covered by this 
section.



Sec. Sec.  606.53-606.59  [Reserved]



Sec.  606.60  Communications.

    (a) The Foundation shall take appropriate steps to ensure effective 
communication with applicants, participants, personnel of other Federal 
entities, and members of the public.
    (1) The Foundation shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids where 
necessary to afford an individual with handicaps an equal opportunity to 
participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a program or activity 
conducted by the Foundation.
    (i) In determining what type of auxiliary aid is necessary, the 
Foundation shall give primary consideration to the requests of the 
individual with handicaps.
    (ii) The Foundation need not provide individually prescribed 
devices, readers for personal use or study, or other devices of a 
personal nature.
    (2) Where the Foundation communicates with applicants and 
beneficiaries by telephone, telecommunications devices for deaf persons 
(TDD's) or equally effective telecommunication systems shall be used to 
communicate with persons with impaired hearing.
    (b) The Foundation shall ensure that interested persons, including 
persons with impaired vision or hearing, can obtain information as to 
the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and 
facilities.
    (c) The Foundation shall provide signage at a primary entrance to 
each of its inaccessible facilities, directing users to a location at 
which they can obtain information about accessible facilities. The 
international symbol for accessibility shall be used at each primary 
entrance of an accessible facility.
    (d) This section does not require the Foundation to take any action 
that it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the 
nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and administrative 
burdens. In those circumstances where Foundation personnel believe that 
the proposed action would fundamentally alter the program or activity or 
would result in undue financial and administrative burdens, the 
Foundation has the initial burden of establishing that compliance with 
Sec.  606.60 would result in such alteration or burdens. The decision 
that compliance would result in such alteration or burdens must be made 
by the Foundation Director or his or her designee after considering all 
Foundation resources available for use in the funding and operation of 
the conducted program or activity and must be accompanied by a written 
statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. If an action 
required to comply with this section would result in such an alteration 
or such burdens, the Foundation shall take any other action that would 
not result in such an alteration or such burdens but would nevertheless 
ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with handicaps 
receive the benefits and services of the program or activity.



Sec. Sec.  606.61-606.69  [Reserved]



Sec.  606.70  Complaint procedures.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this 
section applies to all allegations of discrimination on the basis of 
handicap in programs or activities conducted by the Foundation.
    (b) The Foundation shall process complaints alleging violations of 
section 504 with respect to employment

[[Page 77]]

according to the procedures established by the Equal Employment 
Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR part 1613 pursuant to section 501 of 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791).
    (c) The Director, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs (OEOP), shall 
coordinate implementation of this section.
    (d) Persons wishing to submit complaints should submit complete 
complaints (see Sec.  606.03) to the Office of Equal Opportunity 
Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, 
VA 22230. In accordance with the procedures outlined below, the 
Foundation will accept all complete complaints and will either undertake 
to investigate them if they are within the jurisdiction of the 
Foundation and submitted within 180 days of the alleged acts of 
discrimination or in the case of complaints not within the jurisdiction 
of the Foundation, it shall promptly notify the complainant and shall 
make reasonable efforts to refer the complaint to the appropriate 
government entity. Complete complaints submitted after the 180 day time 
limit may also be acted upon at the discretion of the Foundation if good 
cause for the delay in submission is found.
    (e) The Foundation shall notify the Architectural and Transportation 
Barriers Compliance Board upon receipt of any complaint alleging that a 
building or a facility that is subject to the Architectural Barriers Act 
of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), is not readily accessible to 
and usable by individuals with handicaps.
    (f) Within 180 days of the receipt of a complete complaint, the 
Director, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs (OEOP), or his or her 
designee or delegate, will investigate the complaint and shall notify 
the complainant of the results of the investigation in a letter 
containing--
    (1) Findings of fact and conclusions of law;
    (2) A description of a remedy for each violation found; and
    (3) A notice of a right to appeal to the Director of the Foundation.
    (g)(1) A complainant may appeal findings of fact, conclusions of 
law, or remedies to the Director of the Foundation. Such appeals must be 
in writing and must state fully the basis for the appeal, proposed 
alternative findings of fact, conclusions of law, or remedies. They must 
be sent (as evidenced by an appropriate postmark or other satisfactory 
evidence) within 90 days after the date of receipt from the Foundation 
of the letter described in paragraph (f) of this section. The Foundation 
may extend this time for good cause.
    (2) The Director shall notify the complainant of the results of the 
appeal within 30 days of the receipt of the appeal. If the Director 
determines that additional information is needed from the complainant, 
the Director shall have 30 days from the date such additional 
information is received from the complainant to make a determination on 
the appeal.
    (h) The time limits for sending a letter to the complainant in 
paragraph (f) and for deciding an appeal in paragraph (g)(2) of this 
section may be extended with the permission of the Assistant Attorney 
General.

[54 FR 4791, Jan. 31, 1989, as amended at 59 FR 37437, July 22, 1994]



Sec. Sec.  606.71-606.99  [Reserved]



PART 607_SALARY OFFSET--Table of Contents



Sec.
607.1 Purpose and scope.
607.2 Definitions.
607.3 Applicability.
607.4 Notice requirements before offset.
607.5 Hearing.
607.6 Written decision.
607.7 Coordinating offset with another Federal agency.
607.8 Procedures for salary offset.
607.9 Refunds.
607.10 Statute of limitations.
607.11 Non-waiver of rights.
607.12 Interest, penalties, and administrative costs.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5514; E.O. 12107, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 264; 5 
CFR part 550, subpart K.

    Source: 58 FR 68769, Dec. 29, 1993, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  607.1  Purpose and scope.

    (a) This part provides procedures for the collection by 
administrative offset of a federal employee's salary without his or her 
consent to satisfy certain

[[Page 78]]

debts owed to the Federal government. This part applies to all Federal 
employees who owe debts to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and to 
current employees of NSF who owe debts to other Federal agencies. This 
part does not apply when the employee consents to recovery from his or 
her current pay account.
    (b) This part does not apply to debts or claims arising under:
    (1) The Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, 26 U.S.C. 1 et 
seq.;
    (2) The Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.;
    (3) The tariff laws of the United States; or
    (4) Any case where a collection of a debt by salary offset is 
explicitly provided for or prohibited by another statute.
    (c) This part does not apply to any adjustment to pay arising out of 
an employee's selection of coverage or a change in coverage under a 
Federal benefits program requiring periodic deductions from pay if the 
amount to be recovered was accumulated over four pay periods or less.
    (d) This part does not preclude the compromise, suspension, or 
termination of collection action where appropriate under the standards 
implementing the Federal Claims Collection Act, 31 U.S.C. 3711 et seq., 
and 4 CFR parts 101 through 105.
    (e) This part does not preclude an employee from requesting waiver 
of an overpayment under 5 U.S.C. 5584, 10 U.S.C. 2774, or 32 U.S.C. 716, 
or in any way questioning the amount or validity of the debt by 
submitting a subsequent claim to the General Accounting Office. This 
part does not preclude an employee from requesting a waiver pursuant to 
other statutory provisions applicable to the particular debt being 
collected.
    (f) Matters not addressed in this part should be reviewed in 
accordance with the Federal Claims Collection Standards at 4 CFR 101.1 
et seq.



Sec.  607.2  Definitions.

    For the purposes of this part the following definitions will apply:
    Agency means an executive agency as defined at 5 U.S.C. 105, 
including the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Postal Rate Commission; a 
military department as defined at 5 U.S.C. 102; an agency or court in 
the judicial branch; an agency of the legislative branch, including the 
U.S. Senate and House of Representatives; and other independent 
establishments that are entities of the Federal government.
    Certification means a written debt claim received from a creditor 
agency which requests the paying agency to offset the salary of an 
employee.
    Chief Financial Officer means the Chief Financial Officer of NSF or 
such other official of NSF who is designated by the Chief Financial 
Officer to determine whether an employee is indebted to the United 
States and to take action to collect such debts.
    Creditor agency means an agency of the Federal Government to which 
the debt is owed.
    Debt means an amount owed by a Federal employee to the United States 
from sources which include loans insured or guaranteed by the United 
States and all other amounts due the United States from fees, leases, 
rents, royalties, services, sales of real or personal property, 
overpayments, penalties, damages, interests, fines, forfeitures (except 
those arising under the Uniform Code of Military Justice), and all other 
similar sources.
    Disposable pay means the amount that remains from an employee's 
Federal pay after required deductions for social security, Federal, 
State or local income tax, health insurance premiums, retirement 
contributions, life insurance premiums, Federal employment taxes, and 
any other deductions that are required to be withheld by law.
    Hearing official means an individual responsible for conducting a 
hearing with respect to the existence or amount of a debt claimed, or 
the repayment schedule of a debt, and who renders a decision on the 
basis of such hearing. A hearing official may not be under the 
supervision or control of the Chief Financial Officer or of persons 
having supervision or control over the Chief Financial Officer.
    NSF means the National Science Foundation.
    Paying agency means the agency that employs the individual who owes 
the

[[Page 79]]

debt and authorizes the payment of his or her current pay.
    Salary offset means an administrative offset to collect a debt 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5514 by deduction(s) at one or more officially 
established pay intervals from the current pay account of an employee 
without his or her consent.



Sec.  607.3  Applicability.

    The regulations in this part are to be followed when:
    (a) NSF is owed a debt by an individual who is a current employee of 
the NSF; or
    (b) NSF is owed a debt by an individual currently employed by 
another Federal agency; or
    (c) NSF employs an individual who owes a debt to another Federal 
agency.



Sec.  607.4  Notice requirements before offset.

    (a) Salary offset shall not be made against an employee's pay unless 
the employee is provided with written notice signed by the Chief 
Financial Officer of the debt at least 30 days before salary offset 
commences.
    (b) The written notice shall contain:
    (1) A statement that the debt is owed and an explanation of its 
nature and amount;
    (2) The agency's intention to collect the debt by deducting from the 
employee's current disposable pay account;
    (3) The amount, frequency, proposed beginning date, and duration of 
the intended deduction(s);
    (4) An explanation of interest, penalties, and administrative 
charges, including a statement that such charges will be assessed unless 
excused in accordance with the Federal Claims Collections Standards at 4 
CFR 101.1;
    (5) The employee's right to inspect, request, and receive a copy of 
government records relating to the debt;
    (6) The employee's opportunity to establish a written schedule for 
the voluntary repayment of the debt in lieu of offset;
    (7) The employee's right to an oral hearing or a determination based 
on a review of the written record (``paper hearing'') conducted by an 
impartial hearing official concerning the existence or the amount of the 
debt, or the terms of the repayment schedule;
    (8) The procedures and time period for petitioning for a hearing;
    (9) A statement that a timely filing of a petition for a hearing 
will stay the commencement of collection proceedings;
    (10) A statement that a final decision on the hearing (if requested) 
will be issued by the hearing official not later than 60 days after the 
filing of the petition requesting the hearing unless the employee 
requests and the hearing official grants a delay in the proceedings;
    (11) A statement that knowingly false or frivolous statements, 
representations, or evidence may subject the employee to appropriate 
disciplinary procedures and/or statutory penalties;
    (12) A statement of other rights and remedies available to the 
employee under statutes or regulations governing the program for which 
the collection is being made;
    (13) Unless there are contractual or statutory provisions to the 
contrary, a statement that amounts paid on or deducted for the debt 
which are later waived or found not owed to the United States will be 
promptly refunded to the employee; and
    (14) A statement that the proceedings regarding such debt are 
governed by section 5 of the Debt Collection Act of 1982 (5 U.S.C. 
5514).



Sec.  607.5  Hearing.

    (a) Request for hearing. (1) An employee may file a petition for an 
oral or paper hearing in accordance with the instructions outlined in 
the agency's notice to offset.
    (2) A hearing may be requested by filing a written petition 
addressed to the Chief Financial Officer stating why the employee 
disputes the existence or amount of the debt or, in the case of an 
individual whose repayment schedule has been established other than by a 
written agreement, concerning the terms of the repayment schedule. The 
petition for a hearing must be received by the Chief Financial Officer 
not later than fifteen (15) calendar days after the employee's receipt 
of the offset notice, or notice of the terms of the payment schedule, 
unless the employee can show

[[Page 80]]

good cause for failing to meet the filing deadline.
    (b) Hearing procedures. (1) The hearing will be presided over by an 
impartial hearing official.
    (2) The hearing shall conform to procedures contained in the Federal 
Claims Collection Standards, 4 CFR 102.3(c). The burden shall be on the 
employee to demonstrate that the existence or the amount of the debt is 
in error.



Sec.  607.6  Written decision.

    (a) The hearing official shall issue a final written opinion no 
later than 60 days after the filing of the petition.
    (b) The written opinion will include a statement of the facts 
presented to demonstrate the nature and origin of the alleged debt; the 
hearing official's analysis, findings, and conclusions; the amount and 
validity of the debt, if any; and the repayment schedule, if any.



Sec.  607.7  Coordinating offset with another Federal agency.

    (a) When the NSF is the creditor agency and the Chief Financial 
Officer determines that an employee of another agency (i.e., the paying 
agency) owes a debt to the NSF, the Chief Financial Officer shall, as 
appropriate:
    (1) Certify in writing to the paying agency that the employee owes 
the debt, the amount and basis of the debt, the date on which payment 
was due, and the date the Government's right to collect the debt 
accrued, and that this part 607 has been approved by the Office of 
Personnel Management.
    (2) Unless the employee has consented to salary offset in writing or 
signed a statement acknowledging receipt of the required procedures, and 
the written consent is sent to the paying agency, the Chief Financial 
Officer must advise the paying agency of the action(s) taken under this 
part 607, and the date(s) they were taken.
    (3) Request the paying agency to collect the debt by salary offset. 
If deductions must be made in installments, the Chief Financial Officer 
may recommend to the paying agency the amount or percentage of 
disposable pay to be collected in each installment;
    (4) Arrange for a hearing upon the proper petitioning by the 
employee.
    (b) When the NSF is the creditor agency and the employee is in the 
process of separating from the Federal service, the NSF must submit its 
debt claim to the paying agency as provided in this part. The paying 
agency must certify the total amount collected, give a copy of the 
certification to the employee, and send a copy of the certification and 
notice of the employee's separation to the NSF. If the paying agency is 
aware that the employee is entitled to Civil Service Retirement and 
Disability Fund or other similar payments, it must certify to the agency 
responsible for making such payments that the debtor owes a debt, 
including the amount of the debt, and that the provisions of 5 CFR 
550.1108 have been followed.
    (c) When the NSF is the creditor agency and the employee has already 
separated from Federal service and all payments due from the paying 
agency have been paid, the Chief Financial Officer may request, unless 
otherwise prohibited, that money payable to the employee from the Civil 
Service Retirement and Disability Fund or other similar funds be 
collected by administrative offset.
    (d) When the NSF is the paying agency, upon receipt of a properly 
certified debt claim from another agency, deductions will be scheduled 
to begin at the next established pay interval. The employee must receive 
written notice that NSF has received a certified debt claim from the 
creditor agency, the amount of the debt, the date salary offset will 
begin, and the amount of the deduction(s). NSF shall not review the 
merits of the creditor agency's determination of the validity or the 
amount of the certified claim. If the employee transfers to another 
agency after the creditor agency has submitted its debt claim to NSF and 
before the debt is collected completely, NSF must certify the amount 
collected. One copy of the certification must be furnished to the 
employee. A copy must be furnished to the creditor agency with notice of 
the employee's transfer.



Sec.  607.8  Procedures for salary offset.

    (a) Deductions to liquidate an employee's debt will be by the method 
and

[[Page 81]]

in the amount stated in the Chief Financial Officer's notice of 
intention to offset as provided in Sec.  607.4. Debts will be collected 
in one lump sum where possible. If the employee is financially unable to 
pay in one lump sum, collection must be made in installments.
    (b) Debts will be collected by deduction at officially established 
pay intervals from an employee's current pay account unless alternative 
arrangements for repayment are made.
    (c) Installment deductions will be made over a period not greater 
than the anticipated period of employment. The size of installment 
deductions must bear a reasonable relationship to the size of the debt 
and the employee's ability to pay. The deduction for the pay intervals 
for any period must not exceed 15% of disposable pay unless the employee 
has agreed in writing to a deduction of a greater amount.
    (d) Unliquidated debts may be offset against any financial payment 
due to a separated employee including but not limited to final salary or 
leave payment in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3716.



Sec.  607.9  Refunds.

    (a) NSF will promptly refund to an employee any amounts deducted to 
satisfy debts owed to NSF when the debt is waived, found not owed to 
NSF, or when directed by an administrative or judicial order.
    (b) Another creditor agency will promptly return to NSF any amounts 
deducted by NSF to satisfy debts owed to the creditor agency when the 
debt is waived, found not owed, or when directed by an administrative or 
judicial order.
    (c) Unless required by law, refunds under this section shall not 
bear interest.



Sec.  607.10  Statute of limitations.

    If a debt has been outstanding for more than 10 years after NSF's 
right to collect the debt first accrued, the agency may not collect by 
salary offset unless facts material to the Government's right to collect 
were not known and could not reasonably have been known by the official 
or officials who were charged with the responsibility for discovery and 
collection of such debts.



Sec.  607.11  Non-waiver of rights.

    An employee's involuntary payment of all or any part of a debt 
collected under the regulations in this part will not be construed as a 
waiver of any rights that the employee may have under 5 U.S.C. 5514 or 
any other provision of law.



Sec.  607.12  Interest, penalties, and administrative costs.

    Charges may be assessed on a debt for interest, penalties, and 
administrative costs in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3717 and the Federal 
Claims Collection Standards, 4 CFR 101.1.



PART 608_CLAIMS COLLECTION AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFSET--Table of Contents



Sec.
608.1 Purpose and scope.
608.2 Collection, compromise, and use of consumer reporting agencies.
608.3 Administrative offset.
608.4 Reductions of tax refunds.

    Authority: 31 U.S.C. 3711, 3716, 3718 and 3720A.

    Source: 58 FR 68772, Dec. 29, 1993, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  608.1  Purpose and scope.

    (a) This part sets forth policies and procedures for the collection 
and compromise claims and the administrative offset of claims by the 
National Science Foundation (NSF) pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3711, 3716, 3718 
and 3720A. It is not intended to limit or govern the rights of the NSF 
or the United States to collect, compromise, or administratively offset 
debts or claims under other authority and procedures that may be legally 
available to it.
    (b) Matters not addressed in this part should be reviewed and 
handled in accordance with applicable statutory provisions and the 
Federal Claims Collection Standards issued jointly by the Attorney 
General and the Comptroller General (4 CFR parts 101 through 105).
    (c) Any action other than the issuance of regulations specifically 
required to be done by the head of the agency by any of the statutes or 
regulations referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section shall 
be done on behalf of NSF by its Chief Financial

[[Page 82]]

Officer or by those to whom the Chief Financial Officer delegates 
authority. This is not intended to prevent the Chief Financial Officer 
from issuing additional internal procedures and guidance consistent with 
this part.



Sec.  608.2  Collection, compromise, and use of consumer reporting
agencies.

    (a) Subject to the specific limitations and procedures of 31 U.S.C. 
3711 and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Federal 
Claims Collection Standards, NSF, acting through its Chief Financial 
Officer or those to whom he or she delegates authority or assigns 
responsibilities, shall try to collect claims of the United States 
Government for money or property arising out of the activities of NSF or 
that are referred to NSF and may compromise or suspend or end collection 
action of certain claims. In making demands for payment, NSF will follow 
the guidance set forth at 4 CFR 102.2. In appropriate cases, as 
authorized by and subject to 31 U.S.C. 3718 and 4 CFR 102.6, NSF may 
contract for collection services. Before compromising or suspending or 
ending the collection of a claim in excess of $5,000, the matter shall 
be referred to the NSF Office of General Counsel for legal review.
    (b) When trying to collect a claim of the Government (except for 
claims under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), 
NSF may disclose to a consumer reporting agency information from a 
system of records that an individual is responsible for a claim if (1) a 
notice published pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(3)(4) indicates that 
information in the system of records may be disclosed to a consumer 
reporting agency that an individual is responsible for a claim and (2) 
if the Chief Financial Officer of NSF decides that the claim is valid 
and overdue. Such disclosures to a consumer reporting agency will be 
done only under the conditions and procedures specified in 31 U.S.C. 
3711(f) and in the Federal Claims Collections Standards. Specifically, 
before NSF provides the information to the consumer reporting agency, 
the individual will be given the notice required by 31 U.S.C. 
3711(f)(1)(C); and in accordance with 4 CFR 102.5(c), the right of 
administrative review to be provided to the individual shall be 
consistent with the provisions of 4 CFR 102.3(c). If NSF does not have a 
current address for the individual in its files, it will take reasonable 
action to locate the individual, but if unsuccessful will mail the 
notice to the individual's last known address. NSF will disclose 
information only to a consumer reporting agency that gives satisfactory 
assurances that it is complying with all laws of the United States 
relating to providing consumer credit information. The information 
provided by NSF shall be limited to the type of information described in 
31 U.S.C. 3711(f)(1)(F). Moreover, NSF will not provide such information 
until it has established internal procedures to disclose promptly to a 
consumer reporting agency to which disclosure is made of any substantial 
changes in the condition or amount of the claim and to verify or correct 
promptly information about the claim on request of a consumer reporting 
agency for verification of information disclosed.
    (c) If in response to the notice referred to in paragraph (b) of 
this section, the individual repays or agrees in writing with NSF to a 
repayment plan, the information will not be disclosed to a consumer 
reporting agency. If in response to the notice referred to in paragraph 
(b) the individual requests a review or reconsideration of the claim, 
information shall not be disclosed to the consumer reporting agency 
until such a review is provided.
    (d) The review referred to in paragraph (c) of this section shall be 
based only on the written documentation in the file, including any 
additional written information provided by the individual in response to 
the notice referred to in paragraph (b). A written summary briefly 
describing the nature of the review performed and the conclusion reached 
shall be made. The written summary and conclusion shall be referred to 
the NSF Office of General Counsel for legal review. After legal review, 
a copy of the written summary shall be sent to the individual.



Sec.  608.3  Administrative offset.

    (a) If NSF is unable to collect a claim from a person after trying 
to do so in

[[Page 83]]

accordance with Sec.  608.2, NSF may collect the claim by administrative 
offset subject to the procedures and limitations of 31 U.S.C. 3716 and 
the applicable provisions of the Federal Claims Collection Standards. 
Determinations to pursue administrative offset shall be made on a case-
by-case basis taking into account the considerations specified at 31 
U.S.C. 3716(b) and 4 CFR 102.3(a). Before employing administrative 
offset, NSF will comply with the notice, hearing, review, or other 
procedural requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3716(a) and 4 CFR 102.3(b) and (c). 
Furthermore, before an administrative offset is taken by NSF pursuant to 
the authority of this part 608, the matter shall be referred to the 
Office of General Counsel for legal review to ensure that the required 
procedures have been followed.
    (b) When another agency requests NSF to administratively offset a 
claim owing to that agency, NSF will normally comply with such request 
if the requesting agency has provided the certification required by 4 
CFR 102.3(f) and offset would not be contrary to law. Before imposing 
administrative offsets at the request of another agency under this part 
608, the matter shall be referred to the NSF Office of General Counsel 
for legal review.
    (c)(1) In appropriate cases, NSF may request another agency to 
administratively setoff a claim owed to NSF. Before making the 
certification to the other agency required by 4 CFR 102.3(f), the matter 
shall be referred to the NSF Office of General Counsel for legal review.
    (2) Unless otherwise prohibited by law, NSF may request that moneys 
that are due and payable to a debtor from the Civil Service Retirement 
and Disability Fund, the Foreign Service Retirement Fund or any other 
Federal retirement fund be administratively offset in reasonable amounts 
in order to collect in one full payment or a minimal number of payments 
debts owed the United States by the debtor. Such requests shall be made 
to the appropriate officials of the respective fund servicing agency in 
accordance with such regulations as may be prescribed by that agency. 
The requests for administrative offset will certify in writing that (i) 
the debtor owes the United States a debt and the amount of the debt; 
(ii) NSF has complied with applicable regulations and procedures; and 
(iii) NSF has followed the requirements of the Federal Claims Collection 
Standards as made applicable by this section. Once NSF decides to 
request offset from a Federal retirement fund, it will make the request 
as soon as practical after completion of the applicable procedures in 
order that the fund servicing agency may identify and flag the debtor's 
account in anticipation of the time when the debtor requests or becomes 
eligible to receive payments from the fund and to ensure that offset 
will be initiated prior to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
    (3) If NSF collects part or all of the debt by other means before 
deductions are made or completed pursuant to this paragraph (c), NSF 
shall act promptly to modify or terminate its request for offset.
    (4) This paragraph (c) does not require or authorize the fund 
servicing agency to review the merits of (i) NSF's determination with 
respect to the amount and validity of the debt, (ii) NSF's determination 
as to waiver under an applicable statute, or (iii) NSF's determination 
to provide or not provide an oral hearing.
    (d) No collection by administrative offset shall be made on any debt 
that has been outstanding for more than ten years unless facts material 
to the Government's right to collect the debt were not known, and 
reasonably could not have been known, by the official or officials 
responsible for discovering the debt.
    (e) Administrative offset under this section will not be initiated 
against:
    (1) A debt in which administrative offset of the type of debt 
involved is explicitly provided for or prohibited by a statutes other 
than 31 U.S.C. 3716, including debts subject to the Salary offset 
procedures at 45 CFR part 607;
    (2) Debts owed by other agencies of the United States or by any 
State or local Government; or
    (3) Debts arising under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954; the 
Social Security Act; or the tariff laws of the United States.

[[Page 84]]



Sec.  608.4  Reductions of tax refunds.

    (a) In accordance with regulations and guidance issued by the 
Secretary of the Treasury at 26 CFR 301.6402-6 and the requirements of 
31 U.S.C. 3720A, NSF will participate in the Federal Tax Refund Offset 
Program for offset against income tax refunds of persons owing past due 
legally enforceable debts to NSF.
    (b) For purposes of this section, a past-due legally enforceable 
debt referable to the IRS is a debt which is owed to the United States 
and:
    (1) Except in the case of a judgment debt, has been delinquent for 
at least three months but has not been delinquent for more than ten 
years at the time the offset is made;
    (2) Cannot be currently collected pursuant to the salary offset 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5514(a)(1);
    (3) Is ineligible for administrative offset under 31 U.S.C. 3716(a) 
by reason of 31 U.S.C. 3716(c)(2) or cannot be collected by 
administrative offset under 31 U.S.C. 3716(a) by NSF against amounts 
payable to or on behalf of the debtor by or on behalf of NSF;
    (4) With respect to which NSF has notified or has made a reasonable 
attempt to notify the taxpayer that the debt is past-due and, unless 
repaid within 60 days thereafter, the debt will be referred to the IRS 
for offset against any overpayment of tax;
    (5) With respect to which NSF has given the taxpayer at least 60 
days from the date of notification to present evidence that all or part 
of the debt is not past-due or legally enforceable, has considered the 
evidence presented by such taxpayer, and has determined that an amount 
of such debt is past-due and legally enforceable;
    (6) Has been disclosed by NSF to a consumer reporting agency as 
authorized by 31 U.S.C. 3711(f), unless a consumer reporting agency 
would be prohibited from using such information by 15 U.S.C. 1681c, or 
unless the amount of the debt does not exceed $100.00;
    (7) Is at least $25.00;
    (8) All other requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3720A and the Internal 
Revenue Service regulations at 26 CFR 301.6402-6 relating to the 
eligibility of a debt for tax return offset have been satisfied.
    (c) NSF will make a request for reduction of an IRS tax refund only 
after the NSF determines that an amount is owed and past-due and 
provides the debtor with 60 days written notice. NSF's notice of 
intention to collect by IRS tax refund offset (Notice of Intent) will 
state:
    (1) The amount of the debt;
    (2) That unless the debt is repaid within 60 days from the date of 
the NSF's Notice of Intent, NSF intends to collect the debt by 
requesting the IRS to reduce any amounts payable to the debtor as 
refunds of Federal taxes paid by an amount equal to the amount of the 
debt and all accumulated interest and other charges;
    (3) That the debtor has a right to present evidence that all or part 
of the debt is not past-due or legally enforceable; and
    (4) A mailing address for forwarding any written correspondence and 
a contact name and phone number for any questions.
    (d) A debtor who receives a Notice of Intent has the right to 
present evidence that all or part of the debt is not past-due or not 
legally enforceable. To exercise this right, the debtor must:
    (1) Send a written request for a review of the evidence to the 
address provided in the notice.
    (2) State in the request the amount disputed and the reasons why the 
debtor believes that the debt is not past-due or is not legally 
enforceable.
    (3) Include with the request any documents which the debtor wishes 
to be considered or state that additional information will be submitted 
within the remainder of the 60-day period.
    (e) The failure of a debtor to respond as provided in paragraph (d) 
of this section will result in an automatic referral of the debt to the 
IRS without further action by NSF. If the debtor responds, NSF will 
consider all available evidence related to the debt and issue a written 
determination, including supporting rationale, whether its prior 
determination that the debt is past-due and legally enforceable is 
sustained, amended, or canceled. Before this determination is made the 
matter shall be referred to the NSF Office of General Counsel for legal 
review. NSF will

[[Page 85]]

give prompt notification of this determination to the debtor.



PART 611_NONDISCRIMINATION IN FEDERALLY-ASSISTED PROGRAMS OF THE NATIONAL
SCIENCE FOUNDATION_EFFECTUATION OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
611.1 Purpose.
611.2 Application of part.
611.3 Discrimination prohibited.
611.4 Assurances required.
611.5 Illustrative applications.
611.6 Compliance information.
611.7 Conduct of investigations.
611.8 Procedure for effecting compliance.
611.9 Hearings.
611.10 Decisions and notices.
611.11 Judicial review.
611.12 Effect on other regulations; forms and instructions.
611.13 Definitions.

Appendix A to Part 611

    Authority: Sec. 11(a), National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as 
amended, 42 U.S.C. 1870(a); 42 U.S.C. 2000d-1.

    Source: 29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  611.1  Purpose.

    The purpose of this part is to effectuate the provisions of title VI 
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (hereafter referred to as the ``Act'') 
to the end that no person in the United States shall, on the grounds of 
race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be 
denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination 
under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance 
from the National Science Foundation.



Sec.  611.2  Application of part.

    This part applies to any program for which Federal financial 
assistance is authorized under a law administered by the Foundation, 
including the types of Federal financial assistance listed in appendix A 
of this part. It applies to money paid, property transferred, or other 
Federal financial assistance extended after the effective date of the 
regulation pursuant to an application approved prior to such effective 
date. This part does not apply to (a) any Federal financial assistance 
by way of insurance or guaranty contract, (b) money paid, property 
transferred, or other assistance extended before the effective date of 
this part, (c) any assistance to any individual who is the ultimate 
beneficiary, or (d) any employment practice, under any such program, of 
any employer, employment agency, or labor organization, except to the 
extent described in Sec.  611.3. The fact that a type of Federal 
financial assistance is not listed in the appendix shall not mean, if 
title VI of the Act is otherwise applicable, that a program is not 
covered. Other types of Federal financial assistance under statutes now 
in force or hereafter enacted may be added to this list by notice 
published in the Federal Register.

[29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, as amended at 68 FR 51382, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  611.3  Discrimination prohibited.

    (a) General. No person in the United States, shall, on grounds of 
race, color, or national origin be excluded from participation in, be 
denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination 
under any program to which this part applies.
    (b) Specific discriminatory actions prohibited. (1) A recipient to 
which this part applies may not directly or through contractual or other 
arrangements, on the ground of race, color, or national origin:
    (i) Deny an individual any service, financial aid, or other benefit 
provided under the program;
    (ii) Provide any service, financial aid, or other benefit to an 
individual which is different, or is provided in a different manner, 
from that provided to others under the program;
    (iii) Subject an individual to segregation or separate treatment in 
any matter related to his receipt of any service, financial aid, or 
other benefit under the program;
    (iv) Restrict an individual in any way in the enjoyment of any 
advantage or privilege enjoyed by others receiving any service, 
financial aid, or other benefit under the program;
    (v) Treat an individual differently from others in determining 
whether he satisfies any admission, enrollment, quota, eligibility, 
membership or other

[[Page 86]]

requirement or condition which individuals must meet in order to be 
provided any service, financial aid, or other benefit provided under the 
program;
    (vi) Deny an individual an opportunity to participate in the program 
through the provision of services or otherwise or afford him an 
opportunity to do so which is different from that afforded others under 
the program (including the opportunity to participate in the program of 
an employee but only to the extent set forth in paragraph (c) of this 
section).
    (2) A recipient, in determining the types of services, financial 
aid, or other benefits, or facilities which will be provided under any 
such program, or the class of individuals to whom, or the situations in 
which, such services, financial aid, other benefits, or facilities will 
be provided under any such program, or the class of individuals to be 
afforded an opportunity to participate in any such program, may not 
directly or through contractual or other arrangements, utilize criteria 
or methods of administration which have the effect of subjecting 
individuals to discrimination because of their race, color, or national 
origin, or have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing 
accomplishment of the objectives of the program as respects individuals 
of a particular race, color, or national origin.
    (3) In determining the site or location of facilities, a recipient 
or applicant may not make selections with the purpose or effect of 
excluding individuals from, denying them the benefits of, or subjecting 
them to discrimination under any program to which this regulation 
applies, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin; or with the 
purpose or effect of defeating or substantially impairing the 
accomplishment of the objectives of the Act or this regulation.
    (4) As used in this section the services, financial aid, or other 
benefits provided under a program receiving Federal financial assistance 
shall be deemed to include any service, financial aid, or other benefit 
provided in or through a facility provided with the aid of Federal 
financial assistance.
    (5) The enumeration of specific forms of prohibited discrimination 
in this paragraph and paragraph (c) of this section does not limit the 
generality of the prohibition in paragraph (a) of this section.
    (6) This regulation does not prohibit the consideration of race, 
color, or national origin if the purpose and effect are to remove or 
overcome the consequences of practices or impediments which have 
restricted the availability of, or participation in, the program or 
activity receiving Federal financial assistance, on the grounds of race, 
color, or national origin. Where previous discriminatory practice or 
usage tends, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, to 
exclude individuals from participation in, to deny them the benefits of, 
or to subject them to discrimination under any program or activity to 
which this regulation applies the applicant or recipient has an 
obligation to take reasonable action to remove or overcome the 
consequences of the prior discriminatory practice or usage, and to 
accomplish the purposes of the Act.
    (c) Employment practices. (1) Where a primary objective of the 
Federal financial assistance to a program to which this part applies is 
to provide employment, a recipient may not directly or through 
contractual or other arrangements subject an individual to 
discrimination on the ground of race, color, or national origin in its 
employment practices under such program (including recruitment or 
recruitment advertising, employment, layoff or termination, upgrading, 
demotion, or transfer, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and 
use of facilities), including programs where a primary objective of the 
Federal financial assistance is (i) to assist such individuals through 
employment to meet expenses incident to the commencement or continuation 
of their education or training or (ii) to provide work experience which 
contributes to the education or training of such individuals.
    (2) Types of Federal financial assistance listed in appendix A as 
respects employment opportunities provided thereunder, or in facilities 
provided thereunder, which are limited, or for which preference is 
given, to students,

[[Page 87]]

fellows, or other persons, including research associates, where in 
training for the same or related employments, have one of the above 
purposes as a primary purpose.
    (3) The requirements applicable to construction employment under any 
such program shall be those specified in or pursuant to part III of 
Executive Order 11246 or any Executive order which supersedes it.
    (4) Where a primary objective of the Federal financial assistance is 
not to provide employment, but discrimination on the grounds of race, 
color, or national origin in the employment practices of the recipient 
or other persons subject to the regulation tends, on the grounds of 
race, color, or national origin, to exclude individuals from 
participation in, to deny them the benefits of, or to subject them to 
discrimination under any program to which this regulation applies, the 
provisions of paragraph (c)(3) of this section shall apply to the 
employment practices of the recipient or other persons subject to the 
regulation, to the extent necessary to assure equality of opportunity 
to, and nondiscriminatory treatment of, beneficiaries.
    (d) Medical emergencies. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of 
this section, a recipient of Federal financial assistance shall not be 
deemed to have failed to comply with paragraph (a) of this section if 
immediate provision of a service or other benefit to an individual is 
necessary to prevent his death or serious impairment of his health, and 
such service or other benefit cannot be provided except by or through a 
medical institution which refuses or fails to comply with paragraph (a) 
of this section.

[29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, as amended at 38 FR 17985, July 5, 1973; 68 
FR 51382, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  611.4  Assurances required.

    (a) General. (1) Every application for Federal financial assistance 
to which this part applies, and every application for Federal financial 
assistance to provide a facility shall, as a condition to its approval 
and the extension of any Federal financial assistance pursuant to the 
application, contain or be accompanied by an assurance that the program 
will be conducted or the facility operated in compliance with all 
requirements imposed by or pursuant to this part. In the case where the 
Federal financial assistance is to provide or is in the form of personal 
property, or real property or interest therein or structures thereon, 
the assurance shall obligate the recipient, or, in the case of a 
subsequent transfer, the transferee, for the period during which the 
property is used for a purpose for which the Federal financial 
assistance is extended or for another purpose involving the provision of 
similar services and benefits, or for as long as the recipient retains 
ownership or possession of the property, whichever is longer. In all 
other cases the assurance shall obligate the recipient for the period 
during which Federal Financial assistance is extended pursuant to the 
application. The responsible Foundation official shall specify the form 
of the foregoing assurances and the extent to which like assurances will 
be required of subgrantees, contractors and subcontractors, successors 
in interest, and other participants. Any such assurance shall include 
provisions which give the United States a right to seek its judicial 
enforcement.
    (2) In the case where Federal financial assistance is provided in 
the form of a transfer of real property, structures, or improvements 
thereon, or interest therein, from the Federal Government, the 
instrument effecting or recording the transfer shall contain a covenant 
running with the land assuring nondiscrimination for the period during 
which the real property is used for a purpose for which the Federal 
financial assistance is extended or for another purpose involving the 
provision of similar services or benefits. Where no transfer of property 
or interest therein from the Federal Government is involved, but 
property is acquired or improved with Federal financial assistance, the 
recipient shall agree to include such covenant in any subsequent 
transfer of such property. When the property is obtained from the 
Federal Government, such covenant may also include a condition coupled 
with a right to be reserved by the

[[Page 88]]

Foundation to revert title to the property in the event of a breach of 
the covenant where, in the discretion of the responsible Foundation 
official, such a condition and right of reverter is appropriate to the 
statute under which the real property is obtained and to the nature of 
the grant and the grantee. In such event if a transferee of real 
property proposes to mortgage or otherwise encumber the real property as 
security for financing construction of new, or improvement of existing, 
facilities on such property for the purposes for which the property was 
transferred, the responsible Foundation official may agree, upon request 
of the transferee and if necessary to accomplish such financing, and 
upon such conditions as he deems appropriate, to subordinate such right 
of reversion to the lien of such mortgage or other encumbrance.
    (3) Transfers of surplus property are subject to regulations issued 
by the Administrator of the General Services Administration. (41 CFR 
101-6.2.)
    (b) Elementary and secondary schools. The requirements of paragraph 
(a) of this section with respect to any elementary or secondary school 
or school system shall be deemed to be satisfied if such school or 
school system (1) is subject to a final order of a court of the United 
States for the desegregation of such school or school system, and 
provides an assurance that it will comply with such order, including any 
future modification of such order, or (2) submits a plan for the 
desegregation of such school or school system which the responsible 
Official of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare determines 
is adequate to accomplish the purposes of the Act and this part, and 
provides reasonable assurance that it will carry out such plan. In any 
case of continuing Federal financial assistance the responsible Official 
of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare may reserve the 
right to redetermine, after such period as may be specified by him, the 
adequacy of the plan to accomplish the purposes of the Act and this 
part. In any case in which a final order of a court of the United States 
for the desegregation of such school or school system is entered after 
submission of such a plan, such plan shall be revised to conform to such 
final order, including any future modification of such order.
    (c) Assurances from institutions. (1) In the case of any application 
for Federal financial assistance to an institution of higher education 
(including assistance for construction, for research for a special 
training project, or for any other purpose), the assurance required by 
this section shall extend to admission practices and to all other 
practices relating to the treatment of students.
    (2) The assurance required with respect to an institution of higher 
education, hospital, or any other institution, insofar as the assurance 
relates to the institution's practices with respect to admission or 
other treatment of individuals as students, patients, or clients of the 
institution or to the opportunity to participate in the provision of 
services or other benefits to such individuals, shall be applicable to 
the entire institution.

[29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, as amended at 38 FR 17985, July 5, 1973; 68 
FR 51382, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  611.5  Illustrative applications.

    The following examples will illustrate the application of the 
foregoing provisions to some of the programs aided by the Foundation. 
(In all cases the discrimination prohibited is discrimination on the 
ground of race, color, or national origin prohibited by title VI of the 
Act and this part, as a condition of the receipt of Federal financial 
assistance.)

    1. For support to elementary or secondary schools such as for the 
acquisition of equipment discrimination by the recipient school district 
in any of its elementary or secondary schools, or by the recipient 
private institution, in the admission of students, or in the treatment 
of its students in any aspect of the educational process, is prohibited. 
In this and the following illustration the prohibition of discrimination 
in the treatment of students or other trainees includes the prohibition 
of discrimination among the students or trainees in the availability or 
use of any academic, dormitory, eating, recreational, or other 
facilities of the grantee or other recipient.
    2. In a research, training, or other grant to a university for 
activities to be conducted in a graduate school, discrimination in the 
admission and treatment of students in the

[[Page 89]]

graduate school is prohibited, and the prohibition extends to the entire 
university.
    3. In a training grant to a hospital or other nonacademic 
institution, discrimination is prohibited in the selection of 
individuals to be trained and in their treatment by the grantee during 
their training. In a research or demonstration grant to such an 
institution, discrimination is prohibited with respect to any 
educational activity, any provision of medical or other services and any 
financial aid to individuals incident to the program.
    4. In grants to assist in the construction of facilities for 
research or for the provision of educational services, assurances will 
be required that services will be provided without discrimination, to 
the same extent that discrimination would be prohibited as a condition 
of Federal operating grants for the support of such services. Thus, as a 
condition of grants for the construction of academic, research, or other 
facilities at institutions of higher education, assurances will be 
required that there will be no discrimination in the admission or 
treatment of students. In other construction grants the assurances 
required will similarly be adapted to the nature of the activities to be 
conducted in the facilities for construction of which the grants have 
been authorized by Congress.
    5. Upon transfers of real or personal property for research or 
educational uses, discrimination is prohibited to the same extent as in 
the case of grants for the construction of facilities or the provision 
of equipment for like purposes.
    6. In some situations even though past discriminatory practices have 
been abandoned, the consequences of such practices continue to impede 
the full availability of a benefit. If the efforts required of the 
applicant or recipient under Sec.  611.6(d) to provide information as to 
the availability of the program or activity, and the rights of 
beneficiaries under this regulation, have failed to overcome these 
consequences, it will become necessary for such applicant or recipient 
to take additional steps to make the benefits fully available to racial 
and nationality groups previously subjected to discrimination. This 
action might take the form, for example, of special arrangements for 
obtaining referrals which will insure that groups previously subjected 
to discrimination are adequately served but not the establishment of 
discriminatory qualifications for participation in any program.
    7. Even though an applicant or recipient has never used 
discriminatory policies, the services and benefits of the program or 
activity it administers may not in fact be equally available to some 
racial or nationality groups. In such circumstances an applicant or 
recipient may properly give special consideration to race, color, or 
national origin to make the benefits of its program more widely 
available to such groups, not then being adequately served. For example, 
where a university is not adequately serving members of a particular 
racial or nationality group, it may establish special recruitment 
policies to make its program better known and more readily available to 
such group, and take other steps to provide that group with more 
adequate service.

[29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, as amended at 38 FR 17985, July 5, 1973; 68 
FR 51382, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  611.6  Compliance information.

    (a) Cooperation and assistance. The responsible Foundation official 
shall, to the fullest extent practicable, seek the cooperation of 
recipients in obtaining compliance with this part and shall provide 
assistance and guidance to recipients to help them comply voluntarily 
with this part.
    (b) Compliance reports. Each recipient shall keep such records and 
submit to the responsible Foundation official timely, complete and 
accurate compliance reports at such times, and in such form and 
containing such information, as the responsible Foundation official may 
determine to be necessary to enable him to ascertain whether the 
recipient has complied or is complying with this part. In the case in 
which a primary recipient extends Federal financial assistance to any 
other recipient, such other recipient shall also submit such compliance 
reports to the primary recipient as may be necessary to enable the 
primary recipient to carry out its obligations under this part.
    (c) Access to sources of information. Each recipient shall permit 
access by the responsible Foundation official or his designee during 
normal business hours to such of its books, records, accounts, and other 
sources of information, and its facilities as may be pertinent to 
ascertain compliance with this part. Where any information required of a 
recipient is in the exclusive possession of any other agency, 
institution or person and this agency, institution or person shall fail 
or refuse to furnish this information, the recipient shall so certify in 
its report and shall set forth what efforts it has made to obtain the 
information.
    (d) Information to beneficiaries and participants. Each recipient 
shall make available to participants, beneficiaries,

[[Page 90]]

and other interested persons such information regarding the provisions 
of this part and its applicability to the program for which the 
recipient receives Federal financial assistance, and make such 
information available to them in such manner, as the responsible 
Foundation official finds necessary to apprise such persons of the 
protections against discrimination assured them by the Act and this 
part.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 
3l45-0087)

[29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, as amended at 49 FR 37595, Sept. 25, 1984; 
68 FR 51382, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  611.7  Conduct of investigations.

    (a) Periodic compliance reviews. The responsible Foundation official 
shall from time to time review the practices of recipients to determine 
whether they are complying with this part.
    (b) Complaints. Any person who believes himself or any specific 
class of individuals to be subjected to discrimination prohibited by 
this part may by himself or by a representative file with the 
responsible Foundation official a written complaint. A complaint must be 
filed not later than 90 days from the date of the alleged 
discrimination, unless the time for filing is extended by the 
responsible Foundation official.
    (c) Investigations. The responsible Foundation official will make a 
prompt investigation whenever a compliance review, report, complaint, or 
any other information indicates a possible failure to comply with this 
part. The investigation should include, where appropriate, a review of 
the pertinent practices and policies of the recipient, the circumstances 
under which the possible noncompliance with this part occurred, and 
other factors relevant to a determination as to whether the recipient 
has failed to comply with this part.
    (d) Resolution of matters. (1) If an investigation pursuant to 
paragraph (c) of this section indicates a failure to comply with this 
regulation, the responsible Foundation official will so inform the 
recipient and the matter will be resolved by informal means whenever 
possible. If it has been determined that the matter cannot be resolved 
by informal means, action will be taken as provided for in Sec.  611.8.
    (2) If an investigation does not warrant action pursuant to 
paragraph (d)(1) of this section the responsible Foundation official 
will so inform the recipient and the complainant, if any, in writing.
    (e) Intimidatory or retaliatory acts prohibited. No recipient or 
other person shall intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against 
any individual for the purpose of interfering with any right or 
privilege secured by section 601 of the Act or this part, or because he 
has made a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner 
in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this part. The 
identity of complainants shall be kept confidential except to the extent 
necessary to carry out the purposes of this part, including the conduct 
of any investigation, hearing, or judicial proceeding arising 
thereunder.



Sec.  611.8  Procedure for effecting compliance.

    (a) General. If there appears to be a failure or threatened failure 
to comply with this part, and if the noncompliance or threatened 
noncompliance cannot be corrected by informal means, compliance with 
this part may be effected by the suspension or termination of or refusal 
to grant or to continue Federal financial assistance or by any other 
means authorized by law. Such other means may include, but are not 
limited to (1) a reference to the Department of Justice with a 
recommendation that appropriate proceedings be brought to enforce any 
rights of the United States under any law of the United States 
(including other titles of the Act), or any assurance or other 
contractual undertaking, and (2) any applicable proceeding under State 
or local law.
    (b) Noncompliance with Sec.  611.4. If an applicant fails or refuses 
to furnish an assurance required under Sec.  611.4 or otherwise fails to 
comply with that section, Federal financial assistance may be refused in 
accordance with the procedures of paragraph (c) of this section. The 
Foundation shall not be required to provide assistance in such a case 
during the pendency of the administrative proceedings under such 
subsection,

[[Page 91]]

except that the Foundation shall continue assistance during the pendency 
of such proceedings where such assistance is due and payable pursuant to 
an application therefor approved prior to the effective date of this 
part.
    (c) Termination of or refusal to grant or to continue Federal 
financial assistance. No order suspending, terminating, or refusing to 
grant or continue Federal financial assistance shall become effective 
until:
    (1) The responsible Foundation official has advised the applicant or 
recipient of his failure to comply and has determined that compliance 
cannot be secured by voluntary means,
    (2) There has been an express finding on the record, after 
opportunity for hearings, of a failure by the applicant or recipient to 
comply with a requirement imposed by or pursuant to this part,
    (3) The action has been approved by the Director pursuant to Sec.  
611.10(e) and
    (4) The expiration of thirty days after the Director has filed with 
the Committee of the House and the Committee of the Senate having 
legislative jurisdiction over the program involved, a full written 
report of the circumstances and the grounds for such action.

Any action to suspend or terminate or to refuse to grant or to continue 
Federal financial assistance shall be limited to the particular 
political entity, or part thereof, or other applicant or recipient as to 
whom such a finding has been made and shall be limited in its effect to 
the particular program, or part thereof, in which such noncompliance has 
been so found.
    (d) Other means authorized by law. No action to effect compliance by 
any other means authorized by law shall be taken until (1) the 
responsible Foundation official has determined that compliance cannot be 
secured by voluntary means, (2) the recipient or other person has been 
notified of its failure to comply and of the action to be taken to 
effect compliance, and (3) the expiration of at least ten days from the 
mailing of such notice to the recipient or other person. During this 
period of at least ten days additional efforts shall be made to persuade 
the recipient or other person to comply with this part and to take such 
corrective action as may be appropriate.

[29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, as amended at 38 FR 17985, July 5, 1973; 51 
FR 22938, June 24, 1986]



Sec.  611.9  Hearings.

    (a) Opportunity for hearing. Whenever an opportunity for a hearing 
is required by Sec.  611.8(b), reasonable notice shall be given by 
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the affected 
applicant or recipient. This notice shall advise the applicant or 
recipient of the action proposed to be taken, the specific provision 
under which the proposed action against it is to be taken, and the 
matters of fact or law asserted as the basis for this action, and either 
(1) fix a date not less than twenty days after the date of such notice 
within which the applicant or recipient may request of the responsible 
Foundation official that the matter be scheduled for hearing or (2) 
advise the applicant or recipient that the matter in question has been 
set down for hearing at a stated place and time. The time and place so 
fixed shall be reasonable and shall be subject to change for cause. The 
complainant, if any, shall be advised of the time and place of the 
hearing. An applicant or recipient may waive a hearing and submit 
written information and argument for the record. The failure of an 
applicant or recipient to request a hearing under this paragraph or to 
appear at a hearing for which a date has been set shall be deemed to be 
a waiver of the right to a hearing under section 602 of the Act and 
Sec.  611.8(c) and consent to the making of a decision on the basis of 
such information as is available.
    (b) Time and place of hearing. Hearings shall be held at the offices 
of the Foundation in Arlington, VA, at a time fixed by the responsible 
Foundation official unless he determines that the convenience of the 
applicant or recipient or of the Foundation requires that another place 
be selected. Hearings shall be held before the responsible Foundation 
official or, at the discretion of the Director, a hearing examiner 
designated in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3105 and 3344.

[[Page 92]]

    (c) Right to counsel. In all proceedings under this section, the 
applicant or recipient and the Foundation shall have the right to be 
represented by counsel.
    (d) Procedures, evidence, and record. (1) The hearing, decision, and 
any administrative review thereof shall be conducted in conformity with 
5 U.S.C. 554 through 557, and in accordance with such rules of procedure 
as are proper (and not inconsistent with this section) relating to the 
conduct of the hearing, giving of notices subsequent to those provided 
for in paragraph (a) of this section, taking of testimony, exhibits, 
arguments and briefs, requests for findings, and other related matters. 
Both the Foundation and the applicant or recipient shall be entitled to 
introduce all relevant evidence on the issues as stated in the notice 
for hearing or as determined by the officer conducting the hearing at 
the outset of or during the hearing.
    (2) Technical rules of evidence shall not apply to hearings 
conducted pursuant to this part, but rules or principles designed to 
assure production of the most credible evidence available and to subject 
testimony to test by cross-examination shall be applied where reasonably 
necessary by the officer conducting the hearing. The hearing officer may 
exclude irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence. All 
documents and other evidence offered or taken for the record shall be 
open to examination by the parties and opportunity shall be given to 
refute facts and arguments advanced on either side of the issues. A 
transcript shall be made of the oral evidence except to the extent the 
substance thereof is stipulated for the record. All decisions shall be 
based upon the hearing record and written findings shall be made.
    (e) Consolidated or joint hearings. In cases in which the same or 
related facts are asserted to constitute noncompliance with this part 
with respect to two or more Federal statutes, authorities, or other 
means by which Federal financial assistance is extended and to which 
this part applies or noncompliance with this part and the regulations of 
one or more other Federal departments or agencies issued under title VI 
of the Act, the Director may, by agreement with such other departments 
or agencies, where applicable, provide for the conduct of consolidated 
or joint hearings, and for the application to such hearings of rules of 
procedure not inconsistent with this part. Final decisions in such 
cases, insofar as this part is concerned, shall be made in accordance 
with Sec.  611.10.

[29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, as amended at 38 FR 17985, July 5, 1973; 59 
FR 37437, July 22, 1994; 68 FR 51382, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  611.10  Decisions and notices.

    (a) Decision by a person or persons other than the responsible 
Foundation official. If the hearing is held by a hearing examiner, such 
hearing examiner shall either make an initial decision, if so 
authorized, or certify the entire record including recommended findings 
and proposed decision to the responsible Foundation official for a final 
decision, and a copy of such initial decision or certification shall be 
mailed to the applicant or recipient. Where the initial decision is made 
by the hearing examiner, the applicant or recipient may within 30 days 
of the mailing of such notice of initial decision file with the 
responsible Foundation official his exceptions to the initial decision, 
with his reasons therefor. In the absence of exceptions, the responsible 
Foundation official may on his own motion within 45 days after the 
initial decision serve on the applicant or recipient a notice that he 
will review the decision. Upon the filing of such exceptions or of such 
notice of review the responsible Foundation official shall review the 
initial decision and issue his own decision thereon including the 
reasons therefor. In the absence of either exceptions or a notice of 
review the initial decision shall constitute the final decision of the 
responsible Foundation official.
    (b) Decisions on record or review by the responsible Foundation 
official. Whenever, after hearing, a record is certified to the 
responsible Foundation official for decision or he reviews the decision 
of a hearing examiner pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section, or 
whenever the responsible Foundation official conducts the hearing, the 
applicant or recipient shall be given reasonable opportunity to file 
with him briefs

[[Page 93]]

or other written statements of its contentions, and a copy of the final 
decision of the responsible Foundation official shall be given in 
writing to the applicant or recipient, and to the complainant, if any.
    (c) Decisions on record where a hearing is waived. Whenever a 
hearing is waived pursuant to Sec.  611.9(a), a decision shall be made 
by the responsible Foundation official on the record and a copy of such 
decision shall be given in writing to the applicant or recipient, and to 
the complainant, if any.
    (d) Rulings required. Each decision of a hearing officer, panel, or 
responsible Foundation official shall set forth the ruling on each 
finding, conclusion, or exception presented, and shall identify the 
requirement or requirements imposed by or pursuant to this part with 
which it is found that the applicant or recipient has failed to comply.
    (e) Approval by Director. Any final decision of a responsible 
Foundation official (other than the Director) which provides for the 
suspension or termination of, or the refusal to grant or continue 
Federal financial assistance, or the imposition of any other sanction 
available under this part or the Act, shall promptly be transmitted to 
the Director who may approve such decision, may vacate it, or remit or 
mitigate any sanction imposed.
    (f) Content of orders. The final decision may provide for suspension 
or termination of, or refusal to grant or continue Federal financial 
assistance, in whole or in part, to which this regulation applies, and 
may contain such terms, conditions, and other provisions as are 
consistent with and will effectuate the purposes of the Act and this 
part, including provisions designed to assure that no Federal financial 
assistance to which this regulation applies will thereafter be extended 
to the applicant or recipient determined by such decision to be in 
default in its performance of an assurance given by it pursuant to this 
part, or to have otherwise failed to comply with this part, unless and 
until it corrects its noncompliance and satisfies the responsible 
Foundation official that it will fully comply with this part.
    (g) Posttermination proceedings. (1) An applicant or recipient 
adversely affected by an order issued under paragraph (f) of this 
section shall be restored to full eligibility to receive Federal 
financial assistance if it satisfies the terms and conditions of that 
order for such eligibility or if it brings itself into compliance with 
this regulation and provides reasonable assurance that it will fully 
comply with this regulation.
    (2) Any applicant or recipient adversely affected by an order 
entered pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section may at any time 
request the responsible Foundation official to restore fully its 
eligibility to receive Federal financial assistance. Any such request 
shall be supported by information showing that the applicant or 
recipient has met the requirements of paragraph (g)(1) of this section. 
If the responsible Foundation official determines that those 
requirements have been satisfied, he shall restore such eligibility.
    (3) If the responsible Foundation official denies any such request, 
the applicant or recipient may submit a request for a hearing in 
writing, specifying why it believes such official to have been in error. 
It shall thereupon be given an expeditious hearing, with a decision on 
the record, in accordance with rules of procedure issued by the 
responsible Foundation official. The applicant or recipient will be 
restored to such eligibility if it proves at such a hearing that it 
satisfied the requirements of paragraph (g)(1) of this section. While 
proceedings under this paragraph are pending, the sanctions imposed by 
the order issued under paragraph (f) of this section shall remain in 
effect.

[29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, as amended at 38 FR 17985, July 5, 1973; 51 
FR 22939, June 24, 1986; 68 FR 51382, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  611.11  Judicial review.

    Action taken pursuant to section 602 of the Act is subject to 
judicial review as provided in section 603 of the Act.



Sec.  611.12  Effect on other regulations; forms and instructions.

    (a) Effect on other regulations. All regulations, orders, or like 
directions heretofore issued by any officer of the Foundation which 
impose requirements designed to prohibit any discrimination against 
individuals on the ground

[[Page 94]]

of race, color, or national origin under any program to which this part 
applies, and which authorize the suspension or termination of or refusal 
to grant or to continue Federal financial assistance to any applicant 
for or recipient of such assistance for failure to comply with such 
requirements, are hereby superseded to the extent that such 
discrimination is prohibited by this part, except that nothing in this 
part shall be deemed to relieve any person of any obligation assumed or 
imposed under any such superseded regulation, order, instruction, or 
like direction prior to the effective date of this part. Nothing in this 
part, however, supersedes any of the following (including future 
amendments thereof): (1) Executive Order 11246 and regulation issued 
thereunder, or (2) any other orders, regulations, or instructions, 
insofar as such orders, regulations, or instructions prohibit 
discrimination on the ground of race, color, or national origin in any 
program or situation to which this part is inapplicable, or prohibit 
discrimination on any other ground.
    (b) Forms and instructions. Each responsible Foundation official 
shall issue and promptly make available to interested persons forms and 
detailed instructions and procedures for effectuating this part as 
applied to programs to which this part applies and for which he is 
responsible.
    (c) Supervision and coordination. The Director may from time to time 
assign to officials of other departments or agencies of the Government, 
with the consent of such departments or agencies, responsibilities in 
connection with the effectuation of the purposes of title VI of the Act 
and this part (other than responsibility for final decision as provided 
in Sec.  611.10), including the achievement of effective coordination 
and maximum uniformity within the Foundation and within the Executive 
Branch of the Government in the application of title VI and this 
regulation to similar programs and in similar situations. Any action 
taken, determination made, or requirement imposed by an official of 
another Department or agency acting pursuant to an assignment of 
responsibility under this subsection shall have the same effect as 
though such action had been taken by the responsible official of this 
agency.

[29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, as amended at 38 FR 17985, July 5, 1973; 68 
FR 51382, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  611.13  Definitions.

    As used in this part:
    (a) The term Foundation means the National Science Foundation, and 
includes each of its organizational units.
    (b) The term Director means the Director of the National Science 
Foundation.
    (c) The term responsible Foundation official with respect to any 
program receiving Federal financial assistance means the Director or 
other official of the Foundation designated by the Director.
    (d) The term United States means the States of the United States, 
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American 
Samoa, Guam, Wake Island, the Canal Zone, and the territories and 
possessions of the United States, and the term State means any one of 
the foregoing.
    (e) The term Federal financial assistance includes (1) grants and 
loans of Federal funds, (2) the grant or the donation of Federal 
property and interests in property, (3) the detail of Federal personnel, 
(4) the sale and lease of, and the permission to use (on other than a 
casual or transient basis), Federal property or any interest in such 
property without consideration or at a nominal consideration, or at a 
consideration which is reduced for the purpose of assisting the 
recipient, or in recognition of the public interest to be served by such 
sale or lease to the recipient, and (5) any Federal agreement, 
arrangement, or other contract which has as one of its purposes the 
provision of assistance.
    (f) The terms program or activity and program mean all of the 
operations of any entity described in paragraphs (f)(1) through (4) of 
this section, any part of which is extended Federal financial 
assistance:
    (1)(i) A department, agency, special purpose district, or other 
instrumentality of a State or of a local government; or

[[Page 95]]

    (ii) The entity of such State or local government that distributes 
such assistance and each such department or agency (and each other State 
or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the 
case of assistance to a State or local government;
    (2)(i) A college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or 
a public system of higher education; or
    (ii) A local educational agency (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801), 
system of vocational education, or other school system;
    (3)(i) An entire corporation, partnership, or other private 
organization, or an entire sole proprietorship--
    (A) If assistance is extended to such corporation, partnership, 
private organization, or sole proprietorship as a whole; or
    (B) Which is principally engaged in the business of providing 
education, health care, housing, social services, or parks and 
recreation; or
    (ii) The entire plant or other comparable, geographically separate 
facility to which Federal financial assistance is extended, in the case 
of any other corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole 
proprietorship; or
    (4) Any other entity which is established by two or more of the 
entities described in paragraph (f)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.
    (g) The term facility includes all or any portion of structures, 
equipment, or other real or personal property or interests therein, and 
the provision of facilities includes the construction, expansion, 
renovation, remodeling, alteration or acquisition of facilities.
    (h) The term recipient means any State, political subdivision of any 
State, or instrumentality of any State or political subdivision, any 
public or private agency, institution, or organization, or other entity 
or any individual, in any State, to whom Federal financial assistance is 
extended, directly or through another recipient, including any 
successor, assign, or transferee thereof, but such term does not include 
any ultimate beneficiary.
    (i) The term primary recipient means any recipient which is 
authorized or required to extend Federal financial assistance to another 
recipient.
    (j) The term applicant means one who submits an application, 
request, or plan required to be approved by a responsible Foundation 
official, or by a primary recipient, as a condition to eligibility for 
Federal financial assistance, and the term application means such an 
application, request, or plan.

[29 FR 16305, Dec. 4, 1964, as amended at 68 FR 51382, Aug. 26, 2003]



                       Sec. Appendix A to Part 611

    Statutory Provisions under which the National Science Foundation 
provides Federal financial assistance:
The National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1861-
1875).

[38 FR 17986, July 5, 1973, as amended at 59 FR 37437, July 22, 1994]



PART 612_AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS AND INFORMATION--Table of Contents



Sec.
612.1 General provisions.
612.2 Public reading room.
612.3 Requirements for making requests.
612.4 Responding to requests.
612.5 Timing of responses to requests.
612.6 Responses to requests.
612.7 Exemptions.
612.8 Business information.
612.9 Appeals.
612.10 Fees.
612.11 Other rights and services.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552, as amended.

    Source: 78 FR 53278, Aug. 29, 2013, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  612.1  General provisions.

    (a) This part contains the rules that the National Science 
Foundation (NSF) follows in processing requests for records under the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552. Information routinely 
made available to the public as part of a regular Foundation activity 
(for example, program announcements and solicitations, summary of 
awarded proposals, statistical reports on U.S. science, press releases 
issued by the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs) may be provided 
to the public without reliance on this part. As a matter of policy, the 
Foundation also makes discretionary disclosures of

[[Page 96]]

records or information otherwise exempt under the FOIA whenever 
disclosure would not foreseeably harm an interest protected by a FOIA 
exemption. This policy, however, does not create any right enforceable 
in court. When individuals seek records about themselves under the 
Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, NSF processes those requests under 
both NSF's Privacy regulations at part 613 of this chapter, and this 
part.
    (b) As used in this part, NSF includes one component, the Office of 
the Inspector General (OIG) of the National Science Foundation.



Sec.  612.2  Public reading room.

    (a) The Foundation maintains a public reading room located in the 
NSF Library at 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 225, Arlington, Virginia, 
open during regular working hours Monday through Friday. It contains the 
records that the FOIA requires to be made regularly available for public 
inspection and copying and has computers and printers available for 
public use in accessing records. Also available for public inspection 
and copying are current subject matter indexes of reading room records.
    (b) Information about FOIA and Privacy at NSF and copies of 
frequently requested FOIA releases are available online at www.nsf.gov/
policies/foia/jsp. Most NSF policy documents, staff instructions, 
manuals, and other publications that affect a member of the public, are 
available in electronic form through the ``Publications'' option on the 
tool bar on NSF's Home Page on the World Wide Web at www.nsf.gov.



Sec.  612.3  Requirements for making requests.

    (a) Where to send a request. You may make a FOIA request for records 
of the National Science Foundation by writing directly to the NSF FOIA 
Officer, Office of the General Counsel, National Science Foundation, 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1265, Arlington, VA 22230. Requests may 
also be sent by facsimile to (703) 292-9041 or by email to [email protected]. 
The National Science Foundation includes one agency component, the NSF 
Office of the Inspector General (OIG). For records maintained by the NSF 
OIG, you may write directly to the Office of Inspector General, National 
Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1135, Arlington, VA 
22230. Requests may also be sent to the OIG by facsimile to (703) 292-
9158. The NSF FOIA Officer and the OIG component will also forward 
requests as appropriate.
    (b) Form of request. A FOIA request need not be in any particular 
format, but it must be in writing, include the requester's name and 
mailing address, and be clearly identified both on the envelope and in 
the letter, or in a facsimile or electronic mail message as a Freedom of 
Information Act or ``FOIA'' request. It must describe the records sought 
with sufficient specificity to permit identification, and include 
agreement to pay applicable fees as described in Sec.  612.10. NSF and 
its OIG component are not obligated to act upon a request until it meets 
these procedural requirements.
    (c) Personal records. (1) If you are making a request for records 
about yourself and the records are not contained in a Privacy Act system 
of records, your request will be processed only under the FOIA, since 
the Privacy Act does not apply. If the records about you are contained 
in a Privacy Act system of records, NSF will respond with information on 
how to make a Privacy Act request (see NSF Privacy Act regulations at 45 
CFR 613.2).
    (2) If you are making a request for personal information about 
another individual, either a written authorization signed by that 
individual in accordance with Sec.  613.2(f) of this chapter permitting 
disclosure of those records to you, or proof that that individual is 
deceased (for example, a copy of a death certificate or a published 
obituary) will help the agency process your request.
    (d) Description of records sought. Your request must describe the 
records that you seek in enough detail to enable NSF personnel to locate 
them with a reasonable amount of effort. A record must have been created 
or obtained by NSF and be under the control of NSF at the time of the 
request to be subject to the FOIA. NSF has no obligation under the FOIA 
to create, compile, or obtain a record to satisfy a FOIA request. 
Whenever possible, your request

[[Page 97]]

should include specific descriptive information about each record 
sought, such as the date, title or name, author, recipient, and subject 
matter of the record. As a general rule, the more specific you are about 
the records or type of records that you want, the more likely the 
Foundation will be able to locate those records in response to your 
request, and the more likely fees will be reduced or eliminated. If NSF 
determines that your request does not reasonably describe records, you 
will be advised what additional information is needed to perfect your 
request or why your request is otherwise insufficient.
    (e) Agreement to pay fees. Your request must state that you will 
promptly pay the total fees chargeable under this regulation or set a 
maximum amount you are willing to pay. NSF does not charge if fees total 
less than $25.00. If you seek a waiver of fees, please see Sec.  
612.10(k) for a discussion of the factors you must address. If you place 
an inadequate limit on the amount you will pay, or have failed to make 
payments for previous requests, NSF may require advance payment (see 
Sec.  612.10(i)).
    (f) Receipt date. A request that meets the requirements of this 
section will be considered received on the date it is properly received 
by the Office of the General Counsel or the Office of the Inspector 
General. In determining which records are responsive to a FOIA request, 
the NSF will include only records in its possession as of the date the 
NSF or OIG begins its search. If any other date is used, the NSF or OIG 
shall inform the requester of that date.
    (g) Publications excluded. For the purpose of public requests for 
records the term ``record'' does not include publications which are 
available to the public in the Federal Register, or by sale or free 
distribution. Such publications may be obtained from the Government 
Printing Office, the National Technical Information Service, or through 
NSF's Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://www.nsf.gov/
publications/. Requests for such publications will be referred to or the 
requester informed of the appropriate source.



Sec.  612.4  Processing requests.

    (a) Monitoring of requests. The NSF Office of the General Counsel 
(OGC), or such other office as may be designated by the Director, will 
serve as the central office for administering these regulations. For 
records maintained by the Office of Inspector General, that Office will 
control incoming requests made directly or referred to it, dispatch 
response letters, and maintain administrative records. For all other 
records maintained by NSF, OGC (or such other office as may be 
designated by the Director) will control incoming requests, assign them 
to appropriate action offices, monitor compliance, consult with action 
offices on disclosure, approve necessary extensions, dispatch denial and 
other letters, and maintain administrative records.
    (b) Consultations and referrals. When the NSF receives a request for 
a record in its possession that originated with another agency or in 
which another agency has a substantial interest, it may decide that the 
other agency of the Federal Government is better able to determine 
whether the record should or should not be released under the FOIA.
    (1) If the NSF determines that it is the agency best able to process 
the record in response to the request, then it will do so, after 
consultation with the other interested agencies where appropriate.
    (2) If it determines that it is not the agency best able to process 
the record, then it will refer the request regarding that record (or 
portion of the record) to the agency that originated or has a 
substantial interest in the record in question (but only if that agency 
is subject to the FOIA). Ordinarily, the agency that originated a record 
will be presumed to be best able to determine whether to disclose it.
    (3) Whenever NSF refers all or any part of the responsibility for 
responding to a request to another agency, it ordinarily will notify the 
requester of the referral and inform the requester of the name of each 
agency to which the request has been referred and of the part of the 
request that has been referred, unless such notification would disclose 
information otherwise exempt.

[[Page 98]]



Sec.  612.5  Timing of responses to requests.

    (a) In general. The NSF and its component, OIG, ordinarily will 
initiate processing of requests according to their order of receipt.
    (b) Multitrack processing. (1) NSF and OIG may use two or more 
processing tracks by distinguishing between simple and more complex 
requests based on the amount of work and/or time needed to process the 
request, including through limits based on the number of pages involved. 
If NSF or OIG does so, it shall advise requesters in its slower track(s) 
of the limits of its faster track(s).
    (2) NSF or OIG using multitrack processing may provide requesters in 
its slower track(s) with an opportunity to limit the scope of their 
requests in order to qualify for faster processing within the specified 
limits of the NSF's or OIG's faster track(s). The requester may be 
contacted by telephone, email, or letter, whichever is more efficient in 
each case.
    (c) Time for response. The NSF will seek to take appropriate action 
within 20 days of when a request is properly received or is perfected 
(excluding the date of receipt, weekends, and legal holidays), whichever 
is later. A request which otherwise meets the requirements of Sec.  
612.3 is perfected when you have reasonably described the records sought 
under Sec.  612.3(d), and agreed to pay fees under Sec.  612.3(e), or 
otherwise met the fee requirements under Sec.  612.10.
    (d) Unusual circumstances. (1) Where the time limits for processing 
a request cannot be met because of unusual circumstances, as defined in 
the FOIA, the NSF FOIA Officer or the OIG component will notify the 
requester as soon as practicable in writing of the unusual circumstances 
and may extend the response period for up to ten working days.
    (2) Where the extension is for more than ten working days, the FOIA 
Officer or the OIG component will provide the requester with an 
opportunity either to modify the request so that it may be processed 
within the ten day extension period or to arrange an agreed upon 
alternative time period with the FOIA Officer or the OIG component for 
processing the request or a modified request.
    (3) Where the NSF reasonably believes that multiple requests 
submitted by a requester, or by a group of requesters acting in concert, 
constitute a single request that would otherwise involve unusual 
circumstances, and the requests involve clearly related matters, they 
may be aggregated. Multiple requests involving unrelated matters will 
not be aggregated.
    (e) Expedited processing. (1) If you want to receive expedited 
processing, you must submit a statement, certified to be true and 
correct to the best of your knowledge and belief, explaining in detail 
the basis for requesting expedited processing.
    (2)(i) Requests and appeals will be given expedited treatment 
whenever it is determined that a requester has demonstrated compelling 
need by presenting:
    (A) Circumstances in which the lack of expedited treatment could 
reasonably be expected to pose an imminent threat to the life or 
physical safety of an individual; or
    (B) An urgency to inform the public about an actual or alleged 
Federal government activity, if made by a person primarily engaged in 
disseminating information.
    (ii) For example, a requester who is not a full-time member of the 
news media must establish that he or she is a person whose main 
professional activity or occupation is information dissemination, though 
it need not be his or her sole occupation. Such requester also must 
establish a particular urgency to inform the public about the government 
activity involved in the request, beyond the public's right to know 
about government activity generally, and that the information sought has 
particular value that would be lost if not disseminated quickly.
    (3) Within ten calendar days of receipt of a request for expedited 
processing, the NSF FOIA Officer or OIG component will decide whether to 
grant it, and will notify the requester of the decision orally or in 
writing. If a request for expedited treatment is granted, the request 
will be processed as soon as practicable. If a request for

[[Page 99]]

expedited processing is denied, any appeal of that decision will be 
acted on expeditiously.



Sec.  612.6  Responses to requests.

    (a) Acknowledgment of requests. The NSF or OIG will ordinarily send 
an email acknowledgment of all FOIA requests with an assigned request 
number for further reference and an estimated response date.
    (b) Grants of requests. Once the NSF makes a determination to grant 
a request in whole or in part, it will notify the requester in writing. 
The NSF will inform the requester in the notice of any applicable fee 
and will disclose records to the requester promptly on payment of 
applicable fees. Records disclosed in part will be marked or annotated 
to show both the amount and the location of the information deleted 
where practicable.
    (c) Denials of requests. (1) Denials of FOIA requests will be made 
by the Office of the General Counsel, the Office of the Inspector 
General, or such other office as may be designated by the Director. The 
response letter will briefly set forth the reasons for the denial, 
including any FOIA exemption(s) applied in denying the request. It will 
also provide the name and title or position of the person responsible 
for the denial, will inform the requester of the right to appeal, and 
will, where appropriate, include an estimate of the volume of any 
requested materials withheld. An estimate need not be provided when the 
volume is otherwise indicated through deletions on records disclosed in 
part, or if providing an estimate would harm an interest protected by an 
applicable exemption.
    (2) Requesters can appeal an agency determination to withhold all or 
part of any requested record; a determination that a requested record 
does not exist or cannot be located; a determination that what has been 
requested is not a record subject to the Act; a disapproval of a fee 
category claim by a requester; denial of a fee waiver or reduction; or a 
denial of a request for expedited treatment (see Sec.  612.9).



Sec.  612.7  Exemptions.

    (a) Exemptions from disclosure. The following types of records or 
information may be withholdable as exempt in full or in part from 
mandatory public disclosure:
    (1) Exemption 1-5 U.S.C. 552(b)(1). Records specifically authorized 
and properly classified pursuant to Executive Order to be kept secret in 
the interest of national defense or foreign policy. NSF does not have 
classifying authority and normally does not deal with classified 
materials.
    (2) Exemption 2-5 U.S.C. 552(b)(2). Records related solely to the 
internal personnel rules and practices of NSF. Examples of records 
normally exempt from disclosure include, but are not limited to: 
Information relating to position management and manpower utilization, 
such as internal staffing plans, authorizations or controls, or involved 
in determination of the qualifications of candidates for employment, 
advancement, or promotion including examination questions and answers.
    (3) Exemption 3-5 U.S.C. 552(b)(3). Records specifically exempted 
from disclosure by another statute that either requires that the 
information be withheld in a such way that the agency has no discretion 
in the matter; or establishes particular criteria for withholding or 
refers to particular types of information to be withheld; and, if 
enacted after the date of enactment of the OPEN FOIA Act of 2009, 
October 28, 2009, specifically cites to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(3). Examples of 
records exempt from disclosure include, but are not limited to:
    (i) Records that disclose any invention in which the Federal 
Government owns or may own a right, title, or interest (including a 
nonexclusive license), 35 U.S.C. 205;
    (ii) Contractor proposals not specifically set forth or incorporated 
by reference into a contract, 41 U.S.C. 253b(m);
    (iii) Information protected by the Procurement Integrity Act, 41 
U.S.C. 423;
    (iv) Statistical information protected by section 14(i) of the NSF 
Act of 1950, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 1873(i) and/or the Confidential 
Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002, 44 U.S.C. 
3501 note.

[[Page 100]]

    (4) Exemption 4-5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4). Trade secrets and commercial or 
financial information obtained from a person, and privileged or 
confidential. Information subject to this exemption is that customarily 
held in confidence by the originator(s), including nonprofit 
organizations and their employees. Release of such information is likely 
to cause substantial harm to the competitive position of the originator 
or submitter, or impair the Foundation's ability to obtain such 
information in the future. NSF will process information potentially 
exempted from disclosure by Exemption 4 under Sec.  612.8.
    Examples of records or information normally exempt from disclosure 
include, but are not limited to:
    (i) Information received in confidence, such as grant applications, 
fellowship applications, and research proposals prior to award;
    (ii) Confidential scientific and manufacturing processes or 
developments, and technical, scientific, statistical data or other 
information developed by a grantee;
    (iii) Technical, scientific, or statistical data, and commercial or 
financial information privileged or received in confidence from an 
existing or potential contractor or subcontractor, in connection with 
bids, proposals, or contracts, concerning contract performance, income, 
profits, losses, and expenditures, as well as trade secrets, inventions, 
discoveries, or other proprietary data. When the provisions of 41 U.S.C. 
253b(m) or 41 U.S.C. 423 are met, certain proprietary and source 
selection information may also be withheld under Exemption 3;
    (iv) Confidential proprietary information submitted on a voluntary 
basis;
    (v) Statements or information collected in the course of 
inspections, investigations, or audits, when such statements are 
received in confidence from the individual and retained in confidence 
because they reveal trade secrets or commercial or financial information 
normally considered confidential or privileged.
    (5) Exemption 5-5 U.S.C. 552(b)(5). Inter-agency or intra-agency 
memoranda or letters which would not be available by law to a private 
party in litigation with NSF. Factual material contained in such records 
will be considered for release if it can be reasonably segregated and is 
not otherwise exempt. Examples of records exempt from disclosure 
include, but are not limited to:
    (i) Those portions of reports, memoranda, correspondence, 
workpapers, minutes of meetings, and staff papers, containing 
evaluations, advice, opinions, suggestions, or other deliberative 
material that are prepared for use within NSF or within the Executive 
Branch of the Government by agency personnel and others acting in a 
consultant or advisory capacity;
    (ii) Advance information on proposed NSF plans to procure, lease, or 
otherwise acquire, or dispose of materials, real estate, facilities, 
services or functions, when such information would provide undue or 
unfair competitive advantage to private interests or impede legitimate 
government functions;
    (iii) Negotiating positions or limits at least until the execution 
of a contract (including a grant or cooperative agreement) or the 
completion of the action to which the negotiating positions were 
applicable. They may also be exempt pursuant to other provisions of this 
section;
    (iv) Trade secret or other confidential research development, or 
commercial information owned by the Government, where premature release 
is likely to affect the Government's negotiating position or other 
commercial interest;
    (iv) Records prepared for use in proceedings before any Federal or 
State court or administrative body;
    (vi) Evaluations of and comments on specific grant applications, 
research projects or proposals, fellowship applications or nominations 
or other individual awards, or potential contractors and their products, 
whether made by NSF personnel or by external reviewers acting either 
individually or in panels, committees or similar groups;
    (vii) Preliminary, draft or unapproved documents, such as opinions, 
recommendations, evaluations, decisions, or studies conducted or 
supported by NSF;
    (viii) Proposed budget requests, and supporting projections used or 
arising in the preparation and/or execution of

[[Page 101]]

a budget; proposed annual and multi-year policy, priorities, program and 
financial plan and supporting papers;
    (ix) Those portions of official reports of inspection, reports of 
the Inspector General, audits, investigations, or surveys pertaining to 
safety, security, or the internal management, administration, or 
operation of NSF, when these records have traditionally been treated by 
the courts as privileged against disclosure in litigation.
    (6) Exemption 6-5 U.S.C. 552(b)(6). Personnel and medical files and 
similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly 
unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. The exemption may apply to 
protect the privacy of living persons and of living close survivors of a 
deceased person identified in a record. Information in such files which 
is not otherwise exempt from disclosure pursuant to other provisions of 
this section will be released to the subject or to his designated legal 
representative, and may be disclosed to others with the subject's 
written consent. Examples of records exempt from disclosure include, but 
are not limited to:
    (i) Reports, records, and other materials pertaining to individual 
cases in which disciplinary or other administrative action has been or 
may be taken. Opinions and orders resulting from those administrative or 
disciplinary proceedings shall be disclosed without identifying details 
if used, cited, or relied upon as precedent;
    (ii) Records compiled to evaluate or adjudicate the suitability of 
candidates for employment, and the eligibility of individuals (civilian 
or contractor employees) for security clearances, or for access to 
classified information;
    (iii) Reports and evaluations which reflect upon the qualifications 
or competence of individuals;
    (iv) Personal information such as home addresses and telephone and 
facsimile numbers, private email addresses, social security numbers, 
dates of birth, marital status and the like;
    (v) The exemption also applies when the fact of the existence or 
nonexistence of a responsive record would itself reveal personal, 
private information, and the public interest in disclosure is not 
sufficient to outweigh the privacy interest.
    (7) Exemption 7-5 U.S.C. 552(b)(7). Records or information compiled 
for civil or criminal law enforcement purposes, including the 
implementation of Executive Orders or regulations issued pursuant to 
law. This exemption may exempt from mandatory disclosure records not 
originally created, but later gathered, for law enforcement purposes.
    (i) This exemption applies only to the extent that the production of 
such law enforcement records or information:
    (A) Could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement 
proceedings;
    (B) Would deprive a person of the right to a fair trial or an 
impartial adjudication;
    (C) Could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted 
invasion of personal privacy of a living person, or living close 
survivors of a deceased person identified in a record;
    (D) Could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a 
confidential source, including a source within the Federal Government, 
or a State, local, or foreign agency or authority, or any private 
institution, that furnished information on a confidential basis; and 
information furnished by a confidential source and obtained by a 
criminal law enforcement authority in a criminal investigation;
    (E) Would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement 
investigations or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law 
enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could 
reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law, or
    (F) Could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical 
safety of any individual.
    (ii) Examples of records normally exempt from disclosure include, 
but are not limited to:
    (A) The identity and statements of complainants or witnesses, or 
other material developed during the course of an investigation and all 
materials prepared in connection with related government litigation or 
adjudicative proceedings;

[[Page 102]]

    (B) The identity of firms or individuals investigated for alleged 
irregularities involving NSF grants, contracts or other matters when no 
indictment has been obtained, no civil action has been filed against 
them by the United States, or no government-wide public suspension or 
debarment has occurred;
    (C) Information obtained in confidence, expressed or implied, in the 
course of a criminal investigation by the NSF Office of the Inspector 
General.
    (iii) The exclusions contained in 5 U.S.C. 552(c)(1) and (2) may 
also apply to these records.
    (8) Exemption 8-5 U.S.C. 552(b)(8). Records contained in or related 
to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf 
of, or for the use of any agency responsible for the regulation or 
supervision of financial institutions.
    (9) Exemption 9-5 U.S.C. 552(b)(9). Records containing geological 
and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells.
    (b) Deletion of exempt portions and identifying details. Any 
reasonably segregable portion of a record will be provided to requesters 
after deletion of the portions which are exempt. Whenever any final 
opinion, order, or other materials required to be made available relates 
to a private party or parties and the release of the name(s) or other 
identifying details will constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of 
personal privacy, the record shall be published or made available with 
such identifying details left blank, or shall be published or made 
available with obviously fictitious substitutes and with a notification 
such as the following: Names of parties and certain other identifying 
details have been removed (and fictitious names substituted) in order to 
prevent a clearly unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of the 
individuals involved.



Sec.  612.8  Business information.

    (a) In general. Business information obtained by the Foundation from 
a submitter of that information will be disclosed under the FOIA only 
under this section's procedures.
    (b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:
    (1) Business Information means commercial or financial information 
obtained by the Foundation from a submitter that may be protected from 
disclosure under Exemption 4 of the FOIA and Sec.  612.7(a)(4).
    (2) Submitter means any person or entity from whom the Foundation 
obtains business information, directly or indirectly. The term includes 
corporations; state, local, and tribal governments; and foreign 
governments.
    (c) Designation of business information. A submitter of business 
information must use good faith efforts to designate, by appropriate 
markings, either at the time of submission or at a reasonable time 
thereafter, any portions of its submission that it considers to be 
protected from disclosure under Exemption 4. These designations will 
expire ten years after the date of the submission unless the submitter 
requests, and provides justification for, a longer designation period.
    (d) Notice to submitters. The Foundation will provide a submitter 
with prompt written notice of a FOIA request or administrative appeal 
that seeks its business information wherever required under this 
section, in order to give the submitter an opportunity to object to 
disclosure of any specified portion of that information under paragraph 
(f) of this section. The notice shall either describe the business 
information requested or include copies of the requested records or 
record portions containing the information.
    (e) Where notice is required. Notice will be given to a submitter 
wherever:
    (1) The information has been designated in good faith by the 
submitter as information considered protected from disclosure under 
Exemption 4; or
    (2) The Foundation has reason to believe that the information may be 
protected from disclosure under Exemption 4.
    (f) Opportunity to object to disclosure. NSF will allow a submitter 
a reasonable time, consistent with statutory requirements, to respond to 
the notice described in paragraph (d) of this section. If a submitter 
has any objection to disclosure, it must submit a detailed written 
statement. The statement

[[Page 103]]

must specify all grounds for withholding any portion of the information 
under any exemption of the FOIA and, in the case of Exemption 4, must 
show why the information is a trade secret, or commercial or financial 
information that is privileged or confidential. In the event that a 
submitter fails to respond within the time specified in the notice, the 
submitter will be considered to have no objection to disclosure of the 
information. Information provided by a submitter under this paragraph 
may itself be a record subject to disclosure under the FOIA.
    (g) Notice of intent to disclose. The Foundation will consider a 
submitter's objections and specific grounds for nondisclosure in 
deciding whether to disclose business information. Whenever it decides 
to disclose business information over the objection of a submitter, the 
Foundation will give the submitter written notice, which will include:
    (1) A statement of the reason(s) why the submitter's disclosure 
objections were not sustained;
    (2) A description of the business information to be disclosed; and
    (3) A specified disclosure date, which will be a reasonable time 
subsequent to the notice.
    (h) Exceptions to notice requirements. The notice requirements of 
paragraphs (d) and (g) of this section will not apply if:
    (1) The Foundation determines that the information should not be 
disclosed (the Foundation protects from disclosure to third parties 
information about specific unfunded applications, including pending, 
withdrawn, or declined proposals);
    (2) The information lawfully has been published or has been 
officially made available to the public;
    (3) Disclosure of the information is required by statute (other than 
the FOIA) or by a regulation issued in accordance with the requirements 
of Executive Order 12600 (3 CFR, 1988 Comp., p. 235); or
    (4) The designation made by the submitter under paragraph (c) of 
this section appears obviously frivolous, in which case the Foundation 
will, within a reasonable time prior to a specified disclosure date, 
give the submitter written notice of any final decision to disclose the 
information.
    (i) Notice of FOIA lawsuit. Whenever a requester files a lawsuit 
seeking to compel the disclosure of business information, the Foundation 
will promptly notify the submitter(s). Whenever a submitter files a 
lawsuit seeking to prevent the disclosure of business information, the 
Foundation will notify the requester(s).



Sec.  612.9  Appeals.

    (a) Appeals of denials. You may appeal a denial of your request to 
the General Counsel, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, 
Suite 1265, Arlington, VA 22230. You must make your appeal in writing 
and it must be received by the Office of the General Counsel within ten 
days of the receipt of the denial (weekends, legal holidays, and the 
date of receipt excluded). You must clearly mark your appeal letter and 
the envelope or your electronic submission as a ``Freedom of Information 
Act Appeal.'' Your appeal letter must include a copy of your written 
request and the denial together with any written argument you wish to 
submit.
    (b) Responses to appeals. A written decision on your appeal will be 
made by the General Counsel. A decision affirming an adverse 
determination in whole or in part will contain a statement of the 
reason(s) for the affirmance, including any FOIA exemption(s) applied, 
and will inform you of the FOIA provisions for court review of the 
decision. If the adverse determination is reversed or modified on 
appeal, in whole or in part, you will be notified in a written decision 
and your request will be reprocessed in accordance with that appeal 
decision.
    (c) When appeal is required. If you wish to seek review by a court 
of any denial, you must first appeal it under this section.



Sec.  612.10  Fees

    (a) In general. NSF will charge for processing requests under the 
FOIA in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, except where fees 
are limited under paragraph (d) of this section or where a waiver or 
reduction of fees is granted under paragraph (k) of this section. If 
fees are applicable, NSF will

[[Page 104]]

itemize the amounts charged. NSF may collect all applicable fees before 
sending copies of requested records to a requester. Requesters must pay 
fees by check or money order made payable to the Treasury of the United 
States.
    (b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:
    (1) Commercial use request means a request from or on behalf of a 
person who seeks information for a use or purpose that furthers his or 
her commercial, trade, or profit interests, which can include furthering 
those interests through litigation. When it appears that the requester 
will put the records to a commercial use, either because of the nature 
of the request itself or because NSF has reasonable cause to doubt a 
requester's stated use, NSF will provide the requester a reasonable 
opportunity to submit further clarification.
    (2) Direct costs means those expenses that an agency actually incurs 
in searching for and duplicating (and, in the case of commercial use 
requests, reviewing) records to respond to a FOIA request. Direct costs 
include, for example, the salary of the employee performing the work 
(the basic rate of pay for the employee, plus 16 percent of that rate to 
cover benefits) and the cost of operating duplication machinery. Not 
included in direct costs are overhead expenses such as the costs of 
space and heating or lighting of the facility in which the records are 
kept.
    (3) Duplication means the making of a copy of a record, or of the 
information contained in it, necessary to respond to a FOIA request. 
Copies can take the form of paper, microform, audiovisual materials, or 
electronic records (for example, magnetic tape or compact disk) among 
others. NSF will honor a requester's specified preference of form or 
format of disclosure if the record is readily reproducible by NSF, with 
reasonable effort, in the requested form or format.
    (4) Educational institution means a preschool, a public or private 
elementary or secondary school, an institution of undergraduate higher 
education, an institution of graduate higher education, an institution 
of professional education, or an institution of vocational education 
that operates a program of scholarly research. To be in this category, a 
requester must show that the request is authorized by and made under the 
auspices of a qualifying institution and that the records are not sought 
for a commercial use, but are sought to further scholarly research.
    (5) Noncommercial scientific institution means an institution that 
is not operated on a ``commercial'' basis, as that term is defined in 
paragraph (b)(1) of this section, and that is operated solely for the 
purpose of conducting scientific research, the results of which are not 
intended to promote any particular product or industry. To be in this 
category, a requester must show that the request is authorized by and 
made under the auspices of a qualifying institution and that the records 
are not sought for a commercial use or to promote any particular product 
or industry, but are sought to further scientific research.
    (6) Representative of the news media or news media requester means 
any person actively gathering news for an entity that is organized and 
operated to publish or broadcast news to the public. The term news means 
information that is about current events or that would be of current 
interest to the public. Examples of news media entities include 
television or radio stations broadcasting to the public at large and 
publishers of periodicals (but only in those instances where they can 
qualify as disseminators of ``news'') who make their products available 
for purchase or subscription by the general public. For ``freelance'' 
journalists to be regarded as working for a news organization, they must 
demonstrate a solid basis for expecting publication through that 
organization. A publication contract would be the clearest proof, but 
NSF shall also look to the past publication record of a requester in 
making this determination. To be in this category, a requester must not 
be seeking the requested records for a commercial use. However, a 
request for records supporting the news dissemination function of the 
requester will not be considered to be for a commercial use.
    (7) Review means the examination of a record located in response to 
a request in order to determine whether

[[Page 105]]

any portion of it is exempt from disclosure. It also includes processing 
any record for disclosure, for example, doing all that is necessary to 
redact it and prepare it for disclosure. Review costs are recoverable 
even if a record ultimately is not disclosed. Review time includes time 
spent considering any formal objection to disclosure made by a business 
submitter under Sec.  612.8, but does not include time spent resolving 
general legal or policy issues regarding the application of exemptions.
    (8) Search means the process of looking for and retrieving records 
or information responsive to a request. It includes page by page or line 
by line identification of information within records and also includes 
reasonable efforts to locate and retrieve information from records 
maintained in paper or electronic form or format, or stored in Federal 
Records Centers. NSF will ensure that searches are done in the most 
efficient and least expensive manner reasonably possible. For example, 
NSF will not search line by line where duplicating an entire document 
would be quicker and less expensive.
    (c) Fees. In responding to FOIA requests, NSF will charge the 
following fees unless a waiver or reduction of fees has been granted 
under paragraph (k) of this section:
    (1) Search. (i) Search fees will be charged for all requests, other 
than requests made by educational institutions, noncommercial scientific 
institutions, or representatives of the news media, subject to the 
limitations of paragraph (d) of this section. NSF may charge for time 
spent searching even if responsive records are not located or are 
withheld entirely as exempt from disclosure.
    (ii) Manual searches for records. Whenever feasible, NSF will charge 
at the salary rate(s) (i.e., basic pay plus 16 percent) of the 
employee(s) conducting the search. Where a homogeneous class of 
personnel is used exclusively (e.g., all administrative/clerical or all 
professional/executive), NSF has established an average rate for the 
range of grades typically involved. Routine search for records by 
administrative personnel are charged at $5.50 for each quarter hour. 
When a non-routine, non-clerical search by professional personnel is 
conducted (for example, where the task of determining which records fall 
within a request requires professional time) the charge is $11.50 for 
each quarter hour.
    (iii) Computer searches of records. NSF will charge at the actual 
direct cost of conducting the search. This will include the cost of 
operating the computer system(s) for that portion of operating time that 
is directly attributable to searching for records responsive to a FOIA 
request and operator/programmer salary (i.e., basic pay plus 16 percent) 
apportionable to the search. When NSF can establish a reasonable agency-
wide average rate for computer operating costs and operator/programmer 
salaries involved in FOIA searches, the Foundation will do so and charge 
accordingly.
    (iv) Archived records. For requests that require the retrieval of 
records stored by NSF at a Federal records center operated by the 
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), additional costs 
will be charged in accordance with the Transactional Billing Rate 
Schedule established by NARA.
    (2) Duplication. Duplication fees will be charged to all requesters, 
subject to the limitations of paragraph (d) of this section. For a paper 
photocopy of a record (no more than one copy of which need be supplied), 
the fee will be ten cents per page. For copies produced by computer, 
such as print outs, tapes, compact disks, or other electronic media, NSF 
will charge the direct costs, including operator time, of producing the 
copy. Where paper documents must be scanned in order to comply with a 
requester's preference to receive the records in an electronic format, 
the requester shall pay the direct costs associated with scanning those 
materials. For other forms of duplication, NSF will charge the direct 
costs of that duplication.
    (3) Review. Review fees will be charged to requesters who make a 
commercial use request. Review fees will be charged only for the initial 
record review, in other words, the review done when NSF determines 
whether an exemption applies to a particular record or record portion at 
the initial request level. NSF may charge for review even

[[Page 106]]

if a record ultimately is not disclosed. No charge will be made for 
review at the administrative appeal level for an exemption already 
applied. However, records or record portions withheld under an exemption 
that is subsequently determined not to apply may be reviewed again to 
determine whether any other exemption not previously considered applies; 
the costs of that review are chargeable where it is made necessary by a 
change of circumstances. Review fees will be charged at the salary rate 
(basic pay plus 16%) of the employee(s) performing the review.
    (d) Limitations on charging fees. (1) No search fee will be charged 
for requests by educational institutions, noncommercial scientific 
institutions, or representatives of the news media. (2) Except for 
requesters seeking records for a commercial use, NSF will provide 
without charge:
    (i) The first 100 pages of duplication (or the cost equivalent); and
    (ii) The first two hours of search (or the cost equivalent).
    (3) Whenever a total fee calculated under paragraph (c) of this 
section is $25.00 or less for any request, no fee will be charged.
    (4) The provisions of paragraphs (d)(2) and (3) of this section work 
together. This means that noncommercial requesters will be charged no 
fees unless the cost of search in excess of two hours plus the cost of 
duplication in excess of 100 pages totals more than $25.00. Commercial 
requesters will not be charged unless the costs of search, review, and 
duplication total more than $25.00.
    (e) Notice of anticipated fees in excess of $25.00. When NSF 
determines or estimates that the fees to be charged under this section 
will exceed $25.00, it will notify the requester of the actual or 
estimated amount of the fees, unless the requester has indicated a 
willingness to pay fees as high as those anticipated. If only a portion 
of the fee can be estimated readily, NSF will advise the requester that 
the estimated fee may be only a portion of the total fee. In cases in 
which a requester has been notified that actual or estimated fees exceed 
$25.00, the request will not be considered perfected and further work 
will not be done until the requester agrees to pay the anticipated total 
fee. Any such agreement should be memorialized in writing. A notice 
under this paragraph will offer the requester an opportunity to discuss 
the matter with Foundation personnel in order to reformulate the request 
to meet the requester's needs at a lower cost, if possible. If a 
requester fails to respond within 60 days of notice of actual or 
estimated fees with an agreement to pay those fees, NSF may 
administratively close the request.
    (f) Charges for other services. Apart from the other provisions of 
this section, when NSF chooses as a matter of administrative discretion 
to provide a requested special service such as certifying that records 
are true copies or sending them by other than ordinary mail, the direct 
costs of providing the service will be charged to the requester.
    (g) Charging interest. NSF may charge interest on any unpaid bill 
starting on the 31st day following the date of billing the requester. 
Interest charges will be assessed at the rate provided in 31 U.S.C. 3717 
and will accrue from the date of the billing until payment is received 
by NSF. NSF may follow the provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982 
(Pub. L. 97-365, 96 Stat. 1749), as amended, and its administrative 
procedures, including the use of consumer reporting agencies, collection 
agencies, and offset.
    (h) Aggregating requests. Where NSF reasonably believes that a 
requester or a group of requesters acting together is attempting to 
divide a request into a series of requests for the purpose of avoiding 
fees, the agency may aggregate those requests and charge accordingly. 
NSF may presume that multiple requests of this type made within a 30-day 
period have been made in order to avoid fees. Where requests are 
separated by a longer period, NSF will aggregate them only where there 
exists a solid basis for determining that aggregation is warranted under 
all the circumstances involved. Multiple requests involving unrelated 
matters will not be aggregated.
    (i) Advance payments. (1) For requests other than those described in 
paragraphs (i) (2) and (3) of this section,

[[Page 107]]

NSF will not require the requester to make an advance payment, -in other 
words, a payment made before work is begun or continued on a request. 
Payment owed for work already completed (i.e., a prepayment before 
copies are sent to a requester) is not an advance payment.
    (2) Where NSF determines or estimates that a total fee to be charged 
under this section will be more than $250.00, it may require the 
requester to make an advance payment of an amount up to the amount of 
the entire anticipated fee before beginning to process the request, 
except where it receives a satisfactory assurance of full payment from a 
requester that has a history of prompt payment.
    (3) Where a requester has previously failed to pay a properly 
charged fee to any agency within 30 days of the date of billing, NSF may 
require the requester to pay the full amount due, plus any applicable 
interest, and to make an advance payment of the full amount of any 
anticipated fee, before NSF begins to process a new request or continues 
to process a pending request from that requester.
    (4) In cases in which NSF requires advance payment or payment due 
under paragraph (i)(2) or (3) of this section, the request will not be 
considered perfected and further work will not be done on it until the 
required payment is received.
    (j) Other statutes specifically providing for fees. The fee schedule 
of this section does not apply to fees charged under any statute that 
specifically requires an agency to set and collect fees for particular 
types of records. Where records responsive to requests are maintained 
for distribution by agencies operating such statutorily based fee 
schedule programs, NSF will inform requesters of the steps for obtaining 
records from those sources so that they may do so most economically.
    (k) Waiver or reduction of fees. (1) Records responsive to a request 
will be furnished without charge or at a charge reduced below that 
established under paragraph (c) of this section where NSF determines, 
based on all available information, that disclosure of the requested 
information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute 
significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of 
the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the 
requester.
    (2) To determine whether the first fee waiver requirement is met, 
NSF will consider the following factors:
    (i) The subject of the request: Whether the subject of the requested 
records concerns ``the operations or activities of the government.'' The 
subject of the requested records must concern identifiable operations or 
activities of the federal government, with a connection that is direct 
and clear, not remote or attenuated.
    (ii) The informative value of the information to be disclosed: 
Whether disclosure is ``likely to contribute'' to an understanding of 
government operations or activities. The disclosable portions of the 
requested records must be meaningfully informative about government 
operations or activities in order to be ``likely to contribute'' to an 
increased public understanding of those operations or activities. 
Disclosure of information already in the public domain, in either 
duplicative or substantially identical form, is unlikely to contribute 
to such understanding where nothing new would be added to the public's 
understanding.
    (iii) The contribution to an understanding of the subject by the 
public likely to result from disclosure: Whether disclosure of the 
requested information will contribute to ``public understanding.'' The 
disclosure must contribute to the understanding of a reasonably broad 
audience of persons interested in the subject as opposed to the 
individual understanding of the requester. A requester's expertise in 
the subject area and ability and intention to effectively convey 
information to the public will be considered. A representative of the 
news media as defined in paragraph (b)(6) of this section will normally 
be presumed to satisfy this consideration.
    (iv) The significance of the contribution to public understanding: 
Whether disclosure is likely to contribute ``significantly'' to public 
understanding of government operations or activities. The public's 
understanding of the subject in question must be enhanced by

[[Page 108]]

the disclosure to a significant extent as compared to the level of 
public understanding existing prior to the disclosure. NSF will make no 
value judgments about whether information that would contribute 
significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of 
the government is ``important'' enough to be made public.
    (3) To determine whether the second fee waiver requirement is met, 
NSF will consider the following factors:
    (i) The existence and magnitude of a commercial interest: Whether 
the requester has a commercial interest that would be furthered by the 
requested disclosure. NSF will consider any commercial interest of the 
requester (with reference to the definition of ``commercial use'' in 
paragraph (b)(1) of this section), or of any person on whose behalf the 
requester may be acting, that would be furthered by the requested 
disclosure. Requesters will be given an opportunity in the 
administrative process to provide explanatory information regarding this 
consideration.
    (ii) The primary interest in disclosure: Whether any identified 
commercial interest of the requester is sufficiently large, in 
comparison with the public interest in disclosure, that disclosure is 
``primarily in the commercial interest of the requester.'' A fee waiver 
or reduction is justified where the public interest standard is 
satisfied and that public interest is greater in magnitude than that of 
any identified commercial interest in disclosure. NSF ordinarily will 
presume that where a news media requester has satisfied the public 
interest standard, the public interest will be the interest primarily 
served by disclosure to that requester. Disclosure to data brokers or 
others who merely compile and market government information for direct 
economic return will not be presumed to primarily serve the public 
interest.
    (4) Where only some of the requested records satisfy the 
requirements for a waiver of fees, a waiver will be granted for those 
records.
    (5) Requests for the waiver or reduction of fees should address the 
factors listed in paragraphs (k)(2) and (3) of this section, insofar as 
they apply to each request.



Sec.  612.11  Other rights and services.

    Nothing in this part will be construed to entitle any person, as of 
right, to any service or to the disclosure of any record to which such 
person is not entitled under the FOIA.



PART 613_PRIVACY ACT REGULATIONS--Table of Contents



Sec.
613.1 General provisions.
613.2 Requesting access to records.
613.3 Responding to requests for access to records.
613.4 Amendment of records.
613.5 Exemptions.
613.6 Other rights and services.
613.7 Social Security numbers on documents mailed by NSF.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a; for Sec.  613.7, 42 U.S.C. 405 note, Pub 
L. 115-59, 131 Stat. 1152.

    Source: 70 FR 43068, July 26, 2005, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  613.1  General provisions.

    This part sets forth the National Science Foundation procedures 
under the Privacy Act of 1974. The rules in this part apply to all 
records in systems of records maintained by NSF that are retrieved by an 
individual's name or personal identifier. They describe the procedures 
by which individuals, as defined in the Privacy Act, may request access 
to records about themselves and request amendment or correction of those 
records. All Privacy Act requests for access to records are also 
processed under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552 (as 
provided in part 612 of this chapter), which gives requesters the 
benefit of both statutes. Notice of systems of records maintained by the 
National Science Foundation are published in the Federal Register. This 
part also includes regulations required by the Social Security Fraud 
Prevention Act of 2017 to limit the use of Social Security numbers on 
documents mailed by the National Science Foundation (NSF or Foundation).

[70 FR 43068, July 26, 2005, as amended at 87 FR 64169, Oct. 24, 2022]



Sec.  613.2  Requesting access to records.

    (a) Where to make a request. You may make a request for access to 
NSF

[[Page 109]]

records about yourself by appearing in person at the National Science 
Foundation or by making a written request. If you choose to visit the 
Foundation, you must contact the NSF Security Desk and ask to speak with 
the Foundation's Privacy Act Officer of the General Counsel. Written 
requests should be sent to the NSF Privacy Act Officer, National Science 
Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1265, Arlington, VA 22230. 
Written requests are recommended, since in many cases it may take 
several days to determine whether a record exists, and additional time 
may be required for record(s) retrieval and processing.
    (b) Description of requested records. You must describe the records 
that you seek in enough detail to enable NSF personnel to locate the 
system of records containing them with a reasonable amount of effort. 
Providing information about the purpose for which the information was 
collected, applicable time periods, and name or identifying number of 
each system of records in which you think records about you may be kept, 
will help speed the processing of your request. NSF publishes notices in 
the Federal Register that describe the systems of records maintained by 
the Foundation. The Office of the Federal Register publishes a biennial 
``Privacy Act compilation'' that includes NSF system notices. This 
compilation is available in many large reference and university 
libraries, and can be accessed electronically at the Government Printing 
Office's Web site at www.access.gpo/su_docs/aces/PrivacyAct.shtml.
    (c) Verification of identity. When requesting access to records 
about yourself, NSF requires that you verify your identity in an 
appropriate fashion. Individuals appearing in person should be prepared 
to show reasonable picture identification such as driver's license, 
government or other employment identification card, or passport. Written 
requests must state your full name and current address. you must sign 
your request and your signature must either be notarized, or submitted 
by you under 28 U.S.C. 1746, a law that permits statements to be made 
under penalty of perjury as a substitute for notarization. While no 
specific form is required, you may obtain information about these 
required elements for requests from the NSF Privacy Act Officer, Suite 
1265, 4201 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22230, or from the NSF Home Page 
under ``Public & media Information--FOIA and Privacy Act'' at http://
www.nsf.gov/home/pubinfo/foia.htm. In order to help agency personnel in 
locating and identifying requested records, you may also, at your 
option, include your social security number, and/or date and place of 
birth. An individual reviewing his or her record(s) in person may be 
accompanied by an individual of his or her choice after signing a 
written statement authorizing that individual's presence. Individuals 
requesting or authorizing the disclosure of records to a third party 
must verify their identity and specifically name the third party and 
identify the information to be disclosed.
    (d) Verification of guardianship. When making a request as the 
parent or guardian of a minor or as the guardian of someone determined 
by a court of competent jurisdiction to be incompetent, for access to 
records about that individual, you must establish:
    (1) The identity of the record subject, by stating individuals' name 
and current address and, at your option, the social security number and/
or date and place of birth of the individual;
    (2) Your own identity, as required in paragraph (c) of this section;
    (3) That you are the parent or guardian of that individual, which 
you may prove by providing a copy of the individual's birth certificate 
showing your parentage or by providing a court order establishing your 
guardianship; and
    (4) That you are acting on behalf of that individual in making the 
request.
    (e) The procedures of paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section 
shall also apply to requests made pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3).



Sec.  613.3  Responding to requests for access to records.

    (a) Timing of responses to requests. The Foundation will make 
reasonable effort to act on a request for access to records within 20 
days of its receipt by the Privacy Act Officer (excluding date of 
receipt, weekends, and legal holidays) or from the time any required

[[Page 110]]

identification is received by the Privacy Act Officer, whichever is 
later. In determining which records are responsive to a request, the 
Foundation will include only records in its possession as of the date of 
receipt. When the agency cannot complete processing of a request within 
20 working days, the foundation will send a letter explaining the delay 
and notifying the requester of the date by which processing is expected 
to be completed.
    (b) Authority to grant or deny requests. The Privacy Act Officer, or 
his or her designee in the office with responsibility for the requested 
records, is authorized to grant or deny access to a Foundation record.
    (c) Granting access to records. When a determination is made to 
grant a request for access in whole or part, the requester will be 
notified as soon as possible of the Foundation's decision. Where a 
requester has previously failed to pay a properly charged fee to any 
agency within 30 days of the date of billing, NSF may require the 
requester to pay the full amount due, plus any applicable interest, and 
to make an advance payment of the full amount of any anticipated fee, 
before NSF begins to process a new request or continues to process a 
pending request from that requester.
    (1) Requests made in person. When a request is made in person, if 
the records can be found, and reviewed for access without unreasonable 
disruption of agency operations, the Foundation may disclose the records 
to the requester directly upon payment of any applicable fee. A written 
record should be made documenting the granting of the request. If a 
requester is accompanied by another person, the requester shall be 
required to authorize in writing any discussion of the records in the 
presence of the other person.
    (2) Requests made in writing. The Foundation will send the records 
to the requester promptly upon payment of any applicable fee.
    (d) Denying access to records. The requester will be notified in 
writing of any determination to deny a request for access to records. 
The notification letter will be signed by the Privacy Act Officer, or 
his or designee, as the individual responsible for the denial and will 
include a brief statement of the reason(s) for the denial, including any 
Privacy Act exemption(s) applied in denying the request.
    (e) Fees. The Foundation will charge for duplication of records 
requested under the Privacy Act in the same way it charges for 
duplication under the Freedom of Information Act (see CFR 612.10). No 
search or review fee may be charged for the record unless the record has 
been exempted from access under Exemptions (j)(2) or (k)(2) of the 
Privacy Act.



Sec.  613.4  Amendment of records.

    (a) Where to make a request. An individual may request amendment of 
records pertaining to him or her that are maintained in an NSF Privacy 
Act system of records, except that certain records described in 
paragraph (h) of this section are exempt from amendment. Request for 
amendment of records must be made in writing to the NSF Privacy Act 
Officer, National Science Foundation, Suite 1265, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, 
Arlington, VA 22230.
    (b) How to make a request. Your request should identify each 
particular record in question, state the amendment you want to take 
place and specify why you believe that the record is not accurate, 
relevant, timely, or complete. You may submit any documentation that you 
think would be helpful. Providing an edited copy of the record(s) 
showing the desired change will assist the agency in making a 
determination about your request. If you believe that the same 
information is maintained in more than one NSF system of records you 
should include that information in your request. You must sign your 
request and provide verification of your identity as specified in 
613.2(c).
    (c) Timing of responses to requests. The Privacy Act Officer, or his 
or her designee, will acknowledge receipt of request for amendment 
within 10 working days of receipt. Upon receipt of a proper request the 
Privacy Act Officer will promptly confer with the NSF Directorate or 
Office with responsibility for the record to determine if the request 
should be granted in whole or part.

[[Page 111]]

    (d) Granting request for amendment. When a determination is made to 
grant a request for amendment in whole or part, notification to the 
requester will be made as soon as possible, normally within 30 wording 
days of the Privacy Act Officer receiving the request, describing the 
amendment made and including a copy of the amended record, in 
disclosable form.
    (e) Denying request for amendment. When a determination is made that 
amendment, in whole or part, is unwarranted, the matter shall be brought 
to the attention of the Inspector General, if it pertains to records 
maintained by the Office of the Inspector General, or to the attention 
of the General Counsel, if it pertains to other NSF records. If the 
General Counsel or Inspector General or their designee agrees with the 
determination that amendment is not warranted, the Privacy Act Officer 
will notify the requester in writing, normally within 30 working days of 
the Privacy Act Officer receiving the request. The notification letter 
will be signed by the Privacy Act Officer or his or her designee, and 
will include a statement of the reason(s) for the denial and how to 
appeal the decision.
    (f) Appealing a denial. You may appeal a denial of a request to 
amend records to the General Counsel, National Science Foundation, 4201 
Wilson Blvd., Suite 1265, Arlington, VA 22230. You must make your appeal 
in writing and it must be received by the Office of the General Counsel 
within ten days of the receipt of the denial (weekends, legal holidays, 
and the date of receipt excluded). Clearly mark your appeal letter and 
envelope ``Privacy Act Appeal.'' Your appeal letter must include a copy 
of your original request for amendment and the denial letter, along with 
any additional documentation or argument you wish to submit in favor of 
amending the records. It must be signed by you or your officially 
designated representative.
    (g) Responses to appeals. The General Counsel, or his or her 
designee, will normally render a decision on the appeal within thirty 
working days after proper receipt of the written appeal by the General 
Counsel. If additional time to make a determination is necessary you 
will be advised in writing of the need for an extension.
    (1) Amendment appeal granted. If on appeal the General Counsel, or 
his or her designee, determines that amendment of the record should take 
place, you will be notified as soon as possible of the Foundation's 
decision. The notification will describe the amendment made and include 
a copy of the amended record, in disclosable form.
    (2) Amendment appeal denied--Statement of disagreement. If on appeal 
the General Counsel, or his or her designee, upholds a denial of a 
request for amendment of records, you will be notified in writing of the 
reasons why the appeal was denied and advised of your right to seek 
judicial review of the decision. The letter will also notify you of your 
right to file with the Foundation a concise statement setting forth the 
reasons for your disagreement with the refusal of the Foundation to 
amend the record. The statement should be sent to the Privacy Act 
Officer, who will ensure that a copy of the statement is placed with the 
disputed record. A copy of the statement will be included with any 
subsequent disclosure of the record.
    (h) Records not subject to amendment. The following records are not 
subject to amendment:
    (1) Transcripts of testimony given under oath or written statements 
made under oath;
    (2) Transcripts of grand jury proceedings, judicial proceedings, or 
quasi-judicial proceedings, which are the official record of those 
proceedings;
    (3) Pre-sentence records that originated with the courts; and
    (4) Records in systems of records that have been exempted from 
amendment under Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a(j) or (k) by notice published 
in the Federal Register.



Sec.  613.5  Exemptions.

    (a) Fellowships and other support. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(6), 
the Foundation hereby exempts from the application of 5 U.S.C. 
552a(c)(3) and (d) any materials which would reveal the identity of 
references of fellowship or other

[[Page 112]]

award applicants or nominees, or reviewers of applicants for Federal 
contracts (including grants and cooperative agreements) contained in any 
of the following systems of records:
    (1) ``Fellowships and Other Awards,''
    (2) ``Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records,''
    (3) ``Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records,'' and
    (4) ``Reviewer/Fellowship and Other Awards File and Associated 
Records.''
    (b) OIG Files Compiled for the Purpose of a Criminal Investigation 
and for Related Purposes. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2), the 
Foundation hereby exempts the system of records entitled ``Office of 
Inspector General Investigative Files,'' insofar as it consists of 
information compiled for the purpose of a criminal investigation or for 
other purposes within the scope of 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2), from the 
application of 5 U.S.C. 552a, except for subsections (b), (c)(1) and 
(2), (e)(4)(A) through (F), (e)(6), (7), (9), (10) and (11), and (i).
    (c) OIG and ACA Files Compiled for Other Law Enforcement Purposes. 
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), the Foundation hereby exempts the 
systems of records entitled ``Office of Inspector General Investigative 
Files'' and ``Antarctic Conservation Act Files'' insofar as they consist 
of information compiled for law enforcement purposes other than material 
within the scope of 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2), from the application of 5 
U.S.C. 552a(c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), (H), and (I), and (f).
    (d) Investigations of Scientific Misconduct. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
552a(k)(2) and (k)(5), the Foundation hereby exempts from the 
application of 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and (d) any materials which would 
reveal the identity of confidential sources of information contained in 
the following system of records: ``Debarment/Scientific Misconduct 
Files.''
    (e) Personnel Security Clearances. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(5), 
the Foundation hereby exempts from the application of 5 U.S.C. 
552a(c)(3) and (d) any materials which would reveal the identity of 
confidential sources of information contained in the following system of 
records: ``Personnel Security.''
    (f) Applicants for Employment. Records on applicants for employment 
at NSF are covered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
government-wide system notice ``Recruiting, Examining and Placement 
Records.'' These records are exempted as claimed in 5 CFR 297.501(b)(7).
    (g) Statistical records. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(4), the 
Foundation hereby exempts the systems of records entitled ``Doctorate 
Records Files,'' ``Doctorate Work History Files,'' and ``National Survey 
of Recent College Graduates & Follow-up Files'' from the application of 
5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), (H), and (I), and (f).
    (h) Other records. The Foundation may also assert exemptions for 
records received from another agency that could properly be claimed by 
that agency in responding to a request.



Sec.  613.6  Other rights and services.

    Nothing in this subpart shall be construed to entitle any person, as 
of right, to any service or to the disclosure of any record to which 
such person is not entitled under the Privacy Act.



Sec.  613.7  Social Security numbers on documents mailed by NSF.

    (a) A document that NSF sends by mail shall not include the Social 
Security number (SSN) of an individual, except where the NSF Director 
(or other agency official whom the NSF Director may designate) 
determines that it is necessary. If so, the SSN must be truncated to the 
extent feasible, as follows--
    (1) The document shall include no more than the last four digits of 
the SSN; or
    (2) If the document needs to include more digits, then only where 
they are:
    (i) Required by law (including, but not limited to, a statute, court 
order, or other legal mandate);
    (ii) Needed to identify a specific individual when no adequate 
substitute is available; or
    (iii) Needed to fulfill some other compelling NSF business need.
    (b) No portion of an SSN may be visible on the outside of any NSF 
mailing.
    (c) For purposes of this section, ``mail'' and ``mailing'' means 
printed documents or correspondence, and does

[[Page 113]]

not include emails or any other documents, correspondence, or 
communications in electronic form.
    (d) The requirements of this section shall apply to mail sent by 
NSF, including mailings by a contractor on NSF's behalf, on or after 
October 24, 2022.

[87 FR 64169, Oct. 24, 2022]



PART 614_GOVERNMENT IN THE SUNSHINE ACT REGULATIONS OF THE NATIONAL
SCIENCE BOARD--Table of Contents



Sec.
614.1 General rule.
614.2 Grounds for closing meetings.
614.3 Materials relating to closed portions of meetings.
614.4 Opening of transcript or recording.
614.5 Public announcement.
614.6 Meeting changes.
614.7 Record vote.
614.8 Application to Board Executive Committee.

    Authority: Government in the Sunshine Act, sec. 552b of title 5, 
U.S.C.; 90 Stat. 1241.

    Source: 42 FR 14719, Mar. 16, 1977, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  614.1  General rule.

    Except as otherwise provided in these regulations, every portion of 
every meeting of the National Science Board will be open to public 
observation.



Sec.  614.2  Grounds for closing meetings.

    (a) The National Science Board may by record vote close any portion 
of any meeting if it properly determines that an open meeting:
    (1) Is likely to disclose matters that (i) are specifically 
authorized under criteria established by Executive Order to be kept 
secret in the interests of national defense or foreign policy and (ii) 
are in fact properly classified pursuant to the Executive Order;
    (2) Is likely to relate solely to the internal personnel rules and 
practices of the National Science Foundation;
    (3) Is likely to disclose matters specifically exempted from 
disclosure by statute (other than 5 U.S.C. 552): Provided, That the 
statute (i) requires in such a manner as to leave no discretion on the 
issue that the matters be withheld from the public, or (ii) establishes 
particular criteria for withholding or refers to particular types of 
matters to be withheld;
    (4) Is likely to disclose trade secrets and commercial or financial 
information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential;
    (5) Is likely to involve accusing any person of a crime, or formally 
censuring any person;
    (6) Is likely to disclose personal information where the disclosure 
would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;
    (7) Is likely to disclose investigatory law-enforcement records, or 
information which, if written, would be contained in such records, but 
only to the extent provided in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(7);
    (8) Is likely to disclose information contained in or related to 
examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, 
or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation or 
supervision of financial institutions;
    (9) Is likely to disclose information, the premature disclosure of 
which would:
    (i) In the case of information received from an agency which 
regulates currencies, securities, commodities, or financial 
institutions, be likely to (A) lead to significant financial speculation 
in currencies, securities, or commodities, or (B) significantly endanger 
the stability of any financial institution; or
    (ii) Be likely to significantly frustrate implementation of a 
proposed Foundation action, unless the Foundation has already disclosed 
to the public the content or nature of its proposed action or is 
required by law to make such disclosure on its own initiative before 
taking final action; or
    (10) Is likely to specifically concern the Foundation's 
participation in a civil action or proceeding, an action in a foreign 
court or international tribunal, or an arbitration.
    (b) Anyone who believes his interests may be directly affected by a 
portion of a meeting may request that the Board close it to the public 
for any reason referred to in paragraph (a) (5), (6), or (7) of this 
section. The request should be addressed to the Executive Officer, 
National Science Board, National Science

[[Page 114]]

Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230. It will be 
circulated to Members of the Board if received at least three full days 
before the meeting, and on motion of any Member the Board will determine 
by record vote whether to close the affected portion of the meeting.

[42 FR 14719, Mar. 16, 1977, as amended at 59 FR 37438, July 22, 1994]



Sec.  614.3  Materials relating to closed portions of meetings.

    If a portion or portions of any meeting of the National Science 
Board are closed to the public under Sec.  614.2:
    (a) The General Counsel of the National Science Foundation shall 
publicly certify that, in his opinion, that portion or portions may 
properly be closed to the public. The certificate shall state the 
exemptions under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c) that make the closings proper.
    (b) The presiding officer of the meeting (usually the Chairman of 
the Board) shall furnish a statement setting forth the time and place of 
the meeting and the persons present.
    (c) The Board shall make a complete transcript or electronic 
recording adequate to record fully the proceedings of each portion of 
the meeting that is closed to the public.
    (d) The National Science Board Office shall maintain the General 
Counsel's certificate, the presiding officer's statement, and the 
transcript or recording of the meeting for at least three years after 
the meeting and at least one year after the Board completes 
consideration of any proposal, report, resolution, or similar matter 
discussed in any closed portion of the meeting.

[42 FR 14719, Mar. 16, 1977, as amended at 75 FR 40755, July 14, 2010]



Sec.  614.4  Opening of transcript or recording.

    (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the transcript or 
electronic recording of every portion of every meeting closed to the 
public will promptly be made available on request to any member of the 
public in an easily accessible place.
    (b) Informal requests to inspect or copy the transcript or 
electronic recording of a closed session may be made to the staff of the 
National Science Board and will be handled informally and expeditiously. 
Written requests to inspect or copy such a transcript or recording that 
cite the Freedom of Information Act or the Sunshine Act will be treated 
as formal requests made under the Freedom of Information Act. They will 
be handled under the Foundation's Freedom of Information procedures 
described in 45 CFR part 612. The exemptions of these Sunshine Act 
regulations, 45 CFR 614.2, will govern, however, in determining what 
portions of the transcript or recording may be withheld.
    (c) A request to inspect or copy a transcript or electronic 
recording should specify the date of the meeting and the agenda item or 
items to which the request pertains. It should contain a promise to pay 
the costs of any duplication requested.
    (d) No search or transcription fees will be charged. Duplication 
fees may be charged as provided in 45 CFR 612.6.

[42 FR 55619, Oct. 18, 1977]



Sec.  614.5  Public announcement.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, 
the National Science Board will make a public announcement of each Board 
meeting at least one week before the meeting takes place. The 
announcement will cover:
    (1) The time, place, and subject matter of the meeting;
    (2) What portions of the meeting, if any, are to be closed to the 
public; and
    (3) The name and telephone number of the official designated to 
respond to requests for information on the meeting.
    (b) Each such announcement will be promptly posted on the National 
Science Foundation's Web site at http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/notices/. 
Immediately following the issuance of such an announcement, it will be 
submitted for publication in the Federal Register.
    (c) The announcement may be made less than a week before the meeting 
it announces or after the meeting only if (1) the Board by record vote 
determines that agency business requires the meeting to be called on 
such short or

[[Page 115]]

after-the-fact notice and (2) an announcement is made at the earliest 
practicable time.
    (d) All or any portion of the announcement of any meeting may be 
omitted if the Board by record vote determines that the announcement 
would disclose information which should be withheld under the same 
standards as apply for closing meetings under Sec.  614.2.

[42 FR 14719, Mar. 16, 1977, as amended at 75 FR 40755, July 14, 2010]



Sec.  614.6  Meeting changes.

    (a) The time or place of a meeting of the National Science Board 
that has been publicly announced as provided in Sec.  614.5 may 
subsequently be changed, but any such change will be publicly announced 
at the earliest practicable time.
    (b) The subject matter of any portion of any meeting of the Board 
that has been publicly announced as provided in Sec.  614.5 or the 
determination whether any portion of any meeting so publicly announced 
will be open or closed may subsequently be changed, but only when:
    (1) The Board determines by record vote that agency business so 
requires and that no earlier announcement of the change was possible; 
and
    (2) The Board publicly announces the change and the vote of each 
Member on the change at the earliest practicable time.



Sec.  614.7  Record vote.

    (a) For purposes of this part a vote of the National Science Board 
is a ``record vote'' if:
    (1) It carries by a majority of all those holding office as Board 
Members at the time of the vote;
    (2) No proxies are counted toward the necessary majority; and
    (3) The individual vote of each Member present and voting is 
recorded.
    (b) Within one day of any such record vote or any attempted record 
vote that fails to achieve the necessary majority under paragraph (a)(1) 
of this section, the Board Office will make publicly available a written 
record showing the vote of each Member on the question.
    (c) Within one day of any record vote under which any portion or 
portions of a Board meeting are to be closed to the public, the Board 
Office will make available a full written explanation of the Board's 
action and a list of all persons expected to attend the meeting, showing 
their affiliations.



Sec.  614.8  Application to Board Executive Committee.

    All the provisions of this part applicable to the National Science 
Board shall apply equally to the Executive Committee of the Board 
whenever the Executive Committee is meeting pursuant to its authority to 
act on behalf of the Board.



PART 615_TESTIMONY AND PRODUCTION OF RECORDS--Table of Contents



Sec.
615.1 Purpose.
615.2 Applicability.
615.3 Definitions.
615.4 Legal proceedings before NSF or in which the United States is a 
          party.
615.5 Legal proceedings between private litigants: Testimony and 
          production of documents.
615.6 Legal proceedings between private litigants: Procedure when demand 
          is made.
615.7 Legal proceedings between private litigants: Office of Inspector 
          General employees.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1870(a).

    Source: 59 FR 44056, Aug. 26, 1994, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  615.1  Purpose.

    (a) This part sets forth policies and procedures to be followed 
when, in connection with a legal proceeding, an NSF employee is issued a 
demand to provide testimony or produce official records and information.
    (b) The provisions of this part are intended to promote economy and 
efficiency in NSF's programs and operations; minimize the possibility of 
involving NSF in controversial issues not related to its functions; 
maintain the impartiality of NSF among private litigants; and protect 
sensitive, confidential information and the deliberative process.
    (c) This part is not intended to and does not waive the sovereign 
immunity of the United States.

[[Page 116]]

    (d) This part is intended only to provide guidance for the internal 
operations of NSF, and is not intended to, and does not, and may not be 
relied upon to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
enforceable at law by a party against the United States.



Sec.  615.2  Applicability.

    This part applies to demands and requests for factual or expert 
testimony or for official records or information in legal proceedings, 
whether or not the United States is a party, except that it does not 
apply to:
    (a) Demands upon or requests for an NSF employee to testify as to 
facts or events that are in no way related to his or her official duties 
or to the functions of NSF,
    (b) Demands upon or requests for a former NSF employee to testify as 
to matters in which the former employee was not directly or materially 
involved while at NSF,
    (c) Demands upon or requests for an NSF reviewer to testify as to 
matters not directly related to that individual's employment by or 
service to NSF, and
    (d) Congressional demands and requests for testimony or records.



Sec.  615.3  Definitions.

    (a) Demand--A subpoena, order, or other demand of a court or other 
competent authority for the production of records or for the appearance 
and testimony of an NSF employee, issued in a legal proceeding between 
private litigants.
    (b) Foundation or NSF means the National Science Foundation.
    (c) General Counsel means the General Counsel of the Foundation, or 
any person to whom the General Counsel has delegated authority under 
this part.
    (d) Legal proceeding means any proceeding before a court of law, 
administrative board or commission, hearing officer, or other body 
conducting a legal or administrative proceeding.
    (e) Official records and information means all documents and 
material which are records of the Foundation under the Freedom of 
Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552; all other records contained in NSF's 
files; and all other information or material acquired by an NSF employee 
in the performance of his or her official duties or because of his or 
her official status.
    (f) NSF employee or employee means any present or former officer or 
employee of NSF; any other individual hired through contractual 
agreement by or on behalf of NSF, or who has performed or is performing 
services under such an agreement for NSF; and any individual who served 
or is serving on any advisory committee or in any advisory capacity, 
whether formal or informal.
    (g) Request means any informal request, by whatever method, for the 
production of official records and information or for testimony which 
has not been ordered by a court or other competent authority.
    (h) Testimony means any written or oral statement by a witness, 
including depositions, answers to interrogatories, affidavits, 
declarations, and statements at a hearing or trial.



Sec.  615.4  Legal proceedings before NSF or in which the United States
is a party.

    In any legal proceeding before NSF or to which the United States is 
a party, the General Counsel shall arrange for a current employee to 
testify as a witness for the United States whenever the attorney 
representing the United States requests it. The employee may testify for 
the United States both as to facts within the employee's personal 
knowledge and as an expert or opinion witness. For any party other than 
the United States, the employee may testify only as to facts within his 
or her personal knowledge.



Sec.  615.5  Legal proceedings between private litigants: Testimony and
production of documents.

    (a) No employee may produce official records and information or 
provide any testimony in response to a demand or request unless 
authorized to do so by the General Counsel in accordance with this part.
    (b) The General Counsel, in his or her discretion, may grant an 
employee permission to testify or produce official records and 
information in response to a demand or request. In making this

[[Page 117]]

decision, the General Counsel shall consider whether:
    (1) The purposes of this part are met;
    (2) Allowing such testimony or production of records would be 
necessary to prevent a miscarriage of justice;
    (3) NSF has an interest in the decision that may be rendered in the 
legal proceeding; and
    (4) Allowing such testimony or production of records would be in the 
best interest of NSF or the United States.
    (c) If authorized to testify pursuant to this part, an employee may 
testify as to facts within his or her personal knowledge, but, unless 
specifically authorized to do so by the General Counsel, shall not:
    (1) Disclose confidential or privileged information;
    (2) Testify as to facts when the General Counsel determines such 
testimony would not be in the best interest of the Foundation or the 
United States; or
    (3) Testify as an expert or opinion witness with regard to any 
matter arising out of the employee's official duties or the functions of 
the Foundation.



Sec.  615.6  Legal proceedings between private litigants: Procedure when
demand is made.

    (a) Whenever an employee is served with a demand to testify in his 
or her official capacity, or to produce official records and 
information, the employee shall immediately notify the General Counsel.
    (b) The General Counsel shall review the demand and, in accordance 
with the provisions of Sec.  615.5, determine whether, or on what 
conditions, to authorize the employee to testify and/or produce official 
records and information.
    (c) If a response to a demand is required before the General Counsel 
has made the determination referred to in Sec.  615.6(b), the General 
Counsel shall provide the court or other competent authority with a copy 
of this part, inform the court or other competent authority that the 
demand is being reviewed, and seek a stay of the demand pending a final 
determination. If the court fails to stay the demand, the employee must 
appear at the stated time and place, produce a copy of this part, and 
respectfully decline to comply with the demand. ``United States ex rel 
Touhy v. Ragen,'' 340 US 462 (1951).
    (d) If a court or other competent authority orders that a demand be 
complied with notwithstanding a final decision by the General Counsel to 
the contrary, or at any other stage in the process, the General Counsel 
may take steps to arrange for legal representation for the employee, and 
shall advise the employee on how to respond to the demand.



Sec.  615.7  Legal proceedings between private litigants: Office of
Inspector General employees.

    Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in Sec. Sec.  615.1 
through 615.6, when an employee of the Office of Inspector General is 
issued a demand or receives a request to provide testimony or produce 
official records and information, the Inspector General or his or her 
designee shall be responsible for performing the functions assigned to 
the General Counsel with respect to such demand or request pursuant to 
the provisions of this part.

[73 FR 21549, Apr. 22, 2008]



PART 617_NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF AGE IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES
RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM NSF--Table of Contents



Sec.
617.1 Purpose.
617.2 Definitions.
617.3 Standards.
617.4 General duties of recipients.
617.5 Self-evaluation.
617.6 Information requirements.
617.7 Compliance reviews.
617.8 Pre-award reviews.
617.9 Complaints.
617.10 Mediation.
617.11 Investigation.
617.12 Compliance procedure.
617.13 Hearings, decisions, post-termination proceedings.
617.14 Remedial action by recipients.
617.15 Exhaustion of administrative remedies.
617.16 Prohibition against intimidation or retaliation.

[[Page 118]]


Appendix I to Part 617--List of Age Distinctions Provided in Federal 
          Statutes or Regulations Affecting Federal Financial Assistance 
          Administered by NSF

    Authority: Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 
6101, et seq.; 45 CFR part 90.

    Source: 49 FR 49628, Dec. 21, 1984, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  617.1  Purpose.

    This part prescribes NSF's policies and procedures under the Age 
Discrimination Act of 1975 and the Department of Health and Human 
Services government-wide age discrimination regulations at 45 CFR part 
90. The Act and part 90 prohibit discrimination on the basis of age in 
programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance. The Act 
and part 90 permit federally assisted programs or activities and 
recipients of Federal funds to continue to use age distinctions and 
factors other than age which meet the requirements of the Act and part 
90.

[49 FR 49628, Dec. 21, 1984, as amended at 68 FR 51383, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  617.2  Definitions.

    The following terms used in this part are defined in part 90:

Act
Action
Age
Age distinction
Age-related term
Agency
Federal financial assistance
Program or activity
Recipient (including subrecipients)
United States

[49 FR 49628, Dec. 21, 1984, as amended at 68 FR 51383, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  617.3  Standards.

    Standards for determining whether an age distinction or age-related 
term is prohibited are set out in part 90 of this title 45. See also 
appendix I to this part.



Sec.  617.4  General duties of recipients.

    Each recipient of Federal financial assistance from NSF shall comply 
with the Act, part 90, and this part. Each NSF award of Federal 
financial assistance shall contain the following provision:

                 Compliance With Age Discrimination Act

    The recipient agrees to comply with the Age Discrimination Act of 
1975 as implemented by the Department of Health and Human Services 
regulations at 45 CFR part 90 and the regulations of the Foundation at 
45 CFR part 617. In the event the recipient passes on NSF financial 
assistance to sub-recipients, this provision shall apply to the 
subrecipients, and the instrument under which the Federal financial 
assistance is passed to the subrecipient shall contain a provision 
identical to this provision.



Sec.  617.5  Self-evaluation.

    (a) Each recipient (including subrecipients) employing the 
equivalent of fifteen or more full-time employees shall complete a 
written self-evaluation of its compliance under this part within 18 
months of the effective date of these regulations, unless a similar 
evaluation has been completed for another agency.
    (b) In its self-evaluation, each recipient shall identify all age 
distinctions it uses and justify each age distinction it imposes on the 
program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance from NSF.
    (c) Each recipient shall take corrective action whenever a self-
evaluation indicates a violation of the Act.
    (d) Each recipient shall make the self-evaluation available on 
request to NSF and the public for three years after its completion.



Sec.  617.6  Information requirements.

    Each recipient shall:
    (a) Make available upon request to NSF information necessary to 
determine whether the recipient is complying with the Act.
    (b) Permit reasonable access by NSF or its designee to the books, 
records, accounts, and other recipient facilities and sources of 
information to the extent necessary to determine whether a recipient is 
complying with the Act.



Sec.  617.7  Compliance reviews.

    (a) NSF may conduct compliance reviews of recipients that will 
permit it to investigate and correct violations of

[[Page 119]]

the Act. NSF may conduct these reviews even in the absence of a 
complaint against a recipient. The review may be as comprehensive as 
necessary to determine whether a violation of the Act has occurred.
    (b) If a compliance review indicates a violation of the Act, NSF 
will attempt to achieve voluntary compliance with the Act. If voluntary 
compliance cannot be achieved, NSF may arrange for enforcement as 
described in Sec.  617.12.



Sec.  617.8  Pre-award reviews.

    NSF reserves the right to conduct pre-award reviews of applicants 
for Federal financial assistance from NSF in cases where the NSF has 
substantial reason to believe that a potential recipient who is not then 
a recipient of other NSF financial assistance under the same program or 
activity may engage in practices under that program or activity that 
would violate the Act. However, the results of any such review shall not 
constitute a basis for NSF refusal to grant financial assistance to the 
applicant under that program or activity unless the procedural 
requirements of the Act (42 U.S.C. 6104) and Sec. Sec.  617.12 and 
617.13 of this part have been followed.

[49 FR 49628, Dec. 21, 1984, as amended at 68 FR 51383, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  617.9  Complaints.

    (a) Any person, individually or as a member of a class or on behalf 
of others, may file a complaint with NSF, alleging discrimination 
prohibited by the Act. A complainant shall file a complaint within 180 
days from the date the complainant first had knowledge of the alleged 
act of discrimination. However, for good cause shown, NSF may extend 
this time limit.
    (b) NSF will accept as a sufficient complaint, any written statement 
which identifies the parties involved and the date the complainant first 
had knowledge of the alleged violation, describes generally the action 
or practice complained of, and is signed by the complainant. If an 
insufficient complaint is amended within 10 working days after notice by 
NSF to the complainant of the deficiency, NSF will consider the amended 
complaint as filed on the date the original insufficient complaint was 
filed for purposes of determining if it was timely filed. However, all 
other time requirements established by the Act and this part shall run 
from the date the amended complaint was filed.
    (c) On receipt of any complaint NSF shall promptly send written 
acknowledgement to the complainant, and a copy of the complaint to the 
recipient. In addition, NSF shall send either copies of this part or 
other pertinent information describing the rights and obligations of the 
parties.
    (d) NSF will return to the complainant any complaint outside the 
coverage of this part, and will state why it is outside the coverage of 
this part.



Sec.  617.10  Mediation.

    (a) NSF will refer to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service 
all complaints that fall within the jurisdiction of this part and 
contain all information necessary for further processing.
    (b) Both the complainant and the recipient shall participate in the 
mediation process to the extent necessary to reach an agreement or for a 
mediator to make an informed judgement that an agreement is not 
possible. NSF will take no further administrative action on any 
complaint if the complainant refuses to participate in the mediation 
process.
    (c) If the complainant and the recipient reach an agreement, the 
mediator shall prepare a written statement of the agreement and have the 
complainant and recipient sign it. The mediator shall send a copy of the 
agreement to NSF. NSF shall take no further action on the complaint 
unless the complainant or the recipient fails to comply with the 
agreement, in which case the other party may request that the complaint 
be reopened.
    (d) The mediator shall protect the confidentiality of all 
information obtained in the course of the mediation process. No mediator 
shall testify in any adjudicative proceeding, produce any document, or 
otherwise disclose any information obtained in the course of the 
mediation process without prior approval of the head of the Federal 
Mediation and Conciliation Service.

[[Page 120]]

    (e) NSF will use the mediation process for a maximum of 60 days 
after receiving a complaint. Mediation ends if:
    (1) 60 days elapse from the time NSF receives a sufficient 
complaint: or
    (2) Before the end of the 60 day period, an agreement is reached; or
    (3) Before the end of the 60 day period, the mediator determines 
that an agreement cannot be reached.
    (f) The mediator shall return unresolved complaints to NSF.



Sec.  617.11  Investigation.

    (a) Informal investigation. (1) NSF will investigate complaints that 
are unresolved after mediation or are reopened because of violation of a 
mediation agreement.
    (2) As part of the initial investigation, NSF will use informal fact 
finding methods, including joint or separate discussions with the 
complainant and recipient, to establish the facts, and, if possible, 
will settle the complaint on terms that are agreeable to the parties. 
NSF may seek the assistance of any involved State agency.
    (3) NSF will put any agreement in writing and have it signed by the 
parties and an authorized official of NSF.
    (4) A settlement shall not affect other enforcement efforts of NSF, 
including compliance reviews, or individual complaints that involve the 
recipient.
    (5) A settlement is not a finding of discrimination against the 
recipient.
    (b) Formal investigation. If NSF cannot resolve the complaint 
through informal investigation, it will begin to develop formal findings 
through further investigation of the complaint. If the investigation 
indicates a violation of the Act, NSF will try to obtain voluntary 
compliance. If NSF cannot obtain voluntary compliance, it will begin 
enforcement as described in Sec.  617.12. If the investigation does not 
indicate a violation of the Act, NSF will issue a written determination 
in favor of the recipient.

[49 FR 49628, Dec. 21, 1984, as amended at 68 FR 51383, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  617.12  Compliance procedure.

    (a) NSF may enforce this part by either termination of a recipient's 
financial asistance from NSF for the program or activity involved where 
the recipient has violated the Act or this part or refusal to grant 
further financial assistance under the program or activity involved 
where the recipient has violated the Act or this part. The determination 
of the recipient's violation may be made only after a recipient has had 
an opportunity for a hearing on the record before an administrative law 
judge. Therefore, cases settled in the mediation process or before a 
hearing will not involve termination of a recipient's Federal financial 
assistance from NSF.
    (b) NSF may also enforce this part by any other means authorized by 
law, including but not limited to:
    (1) Referral to the Department of Justice for proceedings to enforce 
any rights of the United States or obligations by this part.
    (2) Use of any requirement of or referral to any Federal, State, or 
local government agency that will have the effect of correcting a 
violation of the Act or this part.
    (c) NSF will limit any termination or refusal to grant further 
financial assistance to the particular recipient and the particular 
program or activity found to be in violation of the Act. NSF will not 
base any part of a termination or refusal on a finding with respect to 
any program or activity of the recipient which does not receive Federal 
financial assistance for NSF.
    (d) NSF will not begin any hearing under paragraph (a) until the 
Director has advised the recipient of its failure to comply with this 
part and has determined that voluntary compliance cannot be obtained.
    (e) NSF will not terminate or refuse to grant financial assistance 
until thirty days have elapsed after the Director has sent a written 
report of the circumstances and grounds of the action to the committees 
of the Congress having legislative jurisdiction over the program or 
activity involved. The Director will file a report whenever any action 
is taken under paragraph (f) of this section.
    (f) Alternate Funds Disbursal Procedures. (1) When NSF withholds 
funds from a recipient under these regulations, the Secretary may 
disburse the withheld funds directly to an alternate

[[Page 121]]

recipient: Any public or non-profit private organization or agency, or 
State or political subdivision of the State.
    (2) The Director will require any alternate recipient to 
demonstrate:
    (i) The ability to comply with these regulations; and
    (ii) The ability to achieve the goals of the Federal statute 
authorizing the Federal financial assistance.

[49 FR 49628, Dec. 21, 1984, as amended at 68 FR 51383, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  617.13  Hearings, decisions, post-termination proceedings.

    Procedures prescribed in 45 CFR 611.9 and 611.10 for NSF enforcement 
of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 shall apply also for NSF 
enforcement of this part. At the conclusion of any action taken under 
Sec.  617.12, NSF, shall remind both parties of the right to judicial 
review established by 42 U.S.C. 6105.



Sec.  617.14  Remedial action by recipients.

    Where the Director finds that a recipient has discriminated on the 
basis of age, the recipient shall take any remedial action the Director 
may require to overcome the effects of the discrimination. If another 
recipient exercises control over the recipient that has discriminated, 
the Director may require both recipients to take remedial action.



Sec.  617.15  Exhaustion of administrative remedies.

    (a) A complainant may file a civil action after exhausting 
administrative remedies under the Act. Administrative remedies are 
exhausted if:
    (1) 180 days have elapsed since the complainant filed a sufficient 
complaint and NSF has made no finding with regard to the complaint; or
    (2) NSF issues any finding in favor of the recipient.
    (b) If NSF fails to make a finding within 180 days or issues a 
finding in favor of the recipient, NSF will:
    (1) Promptly advise the complainant of this fact; and
    (2) Advise the complainant of his or her right to bring a civil 
action for injunctive relief under 42 U.S.C. 6104; and
    (3) Inform the complainant that under 42 U.S.C. 6104:
    (i) The complainant may bring a civil action only in a United States 
District court for the district in which the recipient is located or 
transacts business;
    (ii) A complainant prevailing in a civil action has the right to be 
awarded the costs of the action, including reasonable attorney's fees, 
but that the complainant must demand these costs in the complaint;
    (iii) Before commencing the action the complainant shall give 30 
days notice by registered mail to the Director, the Attorney General of 
the United States, and the recipient;
    (iv) The notice must state the alleged violation of the Act; the 
relief requested; the court in which the complainant is bringing the 
action; and whether or not attorney's fees are demanded in the event the 
complainant prevails; and
    (v) The complainant may not bring an action if the same alleged 
violation of the Act by the same recipient is the subject of a pending 
action in any court of the United States.



Sec.  617.16  Prohibition against intimidation or retaliation.

    A recipient may not engage in acts of intimidation or retaliation 
against a person who:
    (a) Attempts to assert a right protected by the Act, or
    (b) Cooperates in any mediation, investigation, hearing or other 
part of NSF's investigation, conciliation, and enforcement process.



   Sec. Appendix I to Part 617--List of Age Distinctions Provided in 
 Federal Statutes or Regulations Affecting Federal Financial Assistance 
                           Administered by NSF

    I. Section 6 of Pub. L. 94-86, 42 U.S.C. 1881a:
    This statute authorizes the Foundation to establish the Alan T. 
Waterman Award to recognize and encourage the work of ``younger'' 
scientists. Under NSF procedures awards have been limited to persons 35 
years of age or under.

[[Page 122]]



PART 618_NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR
ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE--Table of Contents



                         Subpart A_Introduction

Sec.
618.100 Purpose and effective date.
618.105 Definitions.
618.110 Remedial and affirmative action and self-evaluation.
618.115 Assurance required.
618.120 Transfers of property.
618.125 Effect of other requirements.
618.130 Effect of employment opportunities.
618.135 Designation of responsible employee and adoption of grievance 
          procedures.
618.140 Dissemination of policy.

                           Subpart B_Coverage

618.200 Application.
618.205 Educational institutions and other entities controlled by 
          religious organizations.
618.210 Military and merchant marine educational institutions.
618.215 Membership practices of certain organizations.
618.220 Admissions.
618.225 Educational institutions eligible to submit transition plans.
618.230 Transition plans.
618.235 Statutory amendments.

     Subpart C_Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Admission and 
                         Recruitment Prohibited

618.300 Admission.
618.305 Preference in admission.
618.310 Recruitment.

 Subpart D_Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or 
                          Activities Prohibited

618.400 Education programs or activities.
618.405 Housing.
618.410 Comparable facilities.
618.415 Access to course offerings.
618.420 Access to schools operated by LEAs.
618.425 Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.
618.430 Financial assistance.
618.435 Employment assistance to students.
618.440 Health and insurance benefits and services.
618.445 Marital or parental status.
618.450 Athletics.
618.455 Textbooks and curricular material.

Subpart E_Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Employment in Education 
                    Programs or Activities Prohibited

618.500 Employment.
618.505 Employment criteria.
618.510 Recruitment.
618.515 Compensation.
618.520 Job classification and structure.
618.525 Fringe benefits.
618.530 Marital or parental status.
618.535 Effect of state or local law or other requirements.
618.540 Advertising.
618.545 Pre-employment inquiries.
618.550 Sex as a bona fide occupational qualification.

                          Subpart F_Procedures

618.600 Notice of covered programs.
618.605 Enforcement procedures.

    Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1681, 1682, 1683, 1685, 1686, 1687, 1688.

    Source: 65 FR 52865, 52893, Aug. 30, 2000, unless otherwise noted.



                         Subpart A_Introduction



Sec.  618.100  Purpose and effective date.

    The purpose of these Title IX regulations is to effectuate Title IX 
of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (except sections 904 and 
906 of those Amendments) (20 U.S.C. 1681, 1682, 1683, 1685, 1686, 1687, 
1688), which is designed to eliminate (with certain exceptions) 
discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity 
receiving Federal financial assistance, whether or not such program or 
activity is offered or sponsored by an educational institution as 
defined in these Title IX regulations. The effective date of these Title 
IX regulations shall be September 29, 2000.



Sec.  618.105  Definitions.

    As used in these Title IX regulations, the term:
    Administratively separate unit means a school, department, or 
college of an educational institution (other than a local educational 
agency) admission to which is independent of admission to any other 
component of such institution.
    Admission means selection for part-time, full-time, special, 
associate,

[[Page 123]]

transfer, exchange, or any other enrollment, membership, or 
matriculation in or at an education program or activity operated by a 
recipient.
    Applicant means one who submits an application, request, or plan 
required to be approved by an official of the Federal agency that awards 
Federal financial assistance, or by a recipient, as a condition to 
becoming a recipient.
    Designated agency official means General Counsel and head of the 
policy office, Division of Contracts, Policy, and Oversight.
    Educational institution means a local educational agency (LEA) as 
defined by 20 U.S.C. 8801(18), a preschool, a private elementary or 
secondary school, or an applicant or recipient that is an institution of 
graduate higher education, an institution of undergraduate higher 
education, an institution of professional education, or an institution 
of vocational education, as defined in this section.
    Federal financial assistance means any of the following, when 
authorized or extended under a law administered by the Federal agency 
that awards such assistance:
    (1) A grant or loan of Federal financial assistance, including funds 
made available for:
    (i) The acquisition, construction, renovation, restoration, or 
repair of a building or facility or any portion thereof; and
    (ii) Scholarships, loans, grants, wages, or other funds extended to 
any entity for payment to or on behalf of students admitted to that 
entity, or extended directly to such students for payment to that 
entity.
    (2) A grant of Federal real or personal property or any interest 
therein, including surplus property, and the proceeds of the sale or 
transfer of such property, if the Federal share of the fair market value 
of the property is not, upon such sale or transfer, properly accounted 
for to the Federal Government.
    (3) Provision of the services of Federal personnel.
    (4) Sale or lease of Federal property or any interest therein at 
nominal consideration, or at consideration reduced for the purpose of 
assisting the recipient or in recognition of public interest to be 
served thereby, or permission to use Federal property or any interest 
therein without consideration.
    (5) Any other contract, agreement, or arrangement that has as one of 
its purposes the provision of assistance to any education program or 
activity, except a contract of insurance or guaranty.
    Institution of graduate higher education means an institution that:
    (1) Offers academic study beyond the bachelor of arts or bachelor of 
science degree, whether or not leading to a certificate of any higher 
degree in the liberal arts and sciences;
    (2) Awards any degree in a professional field beyond the first 
professional degree (regardless of whether the first professional degree 
in such field is awarded by an institution of undergraduate higher 
education or professional education); or
    (3) Awards no degree and offers no further academic study, but 
operates ordinarily for the purpose of facilitating research by persons 
who have received the highest graduate degree in any field of study.
    Institution of professional education means an institution (except 
any institution of undergraduate higher education) that offers a program 
of academic study that leads to a first professional degree in a field 
for which there is a national specialized accrediting agency recognized 
by the Secretary of Education.
    Institution of undergraduate higher education means:
    (1) An institution offering at least two but less than four years of 
college-level study beyond the high school level, leading to a diploma 
or an associate degree, or wholly or principally creditable toward a 
baccalaureate degree; or
    (2) An institution offering academic study leading to a 
baccalaureate degree; or
    (3) An agency or body that certifies credentials or offers degrees, 
but that may or may not offer academic study.
    Institution of vocational education means a school or institution 
(except an institution of professional or graduate or undergraduate 
higher education) that has as its primary purpose preparation of 
students to pursue a

[[Page 124]]

technical, skilled, or semiskilled occupation or trade, or to pursue 
study in a technical field, whether or not the school or institution 
offers certificates, diplomas, or degrees and whether or not it offers 
full-time study.
    Recipient means any State or political subdivision thereof, or any 
instrumentality of a State or political subdivision thereof, any public 
or private agency, institution, or organization, or other entity, or any 
person, to whom Federal financial assistance is extended directly or 
through another recipient and that operates an education program or 
activity that receives such assistance, including any subunit, 
successor, assignee, or transferee thereof.
    Student means a person who has gained admission.
    Title IX means Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Public 
Law 92-318, 86 Stat. 235, 373 (codified as amended at 20 U.S.C. 1681-
1688) (except sections 904 and 906 thereof), as amended by section 3 of 
Public Law 93-568, 88 Stat. 1855, by section 412 of the Education 
Amendments of 1976, Public Law 94-482, 90 Stat. 2234, and by Section 3 
of Public Law 100-259, 102 Stat. 28, 28-29 (20 U.S.C. 1681, 1682, 1683, 
1685, 1686, 1687, 1688).
    Title IX regulations means the provisions set forth at Sec. Sec.  
618.100 through 618.605.
    Transition plan means a plan subject to the approval of the 
Secretary of Education pursuant to section 901(a)(2) of the Education 
Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. 1681(a)(2), under which an educational 
institution operates in making the transition from being an educational 
institution that admits only students of one sex to being one that 
admits students of both sexes without discrimination.



Sec.  618.110  Remedial and affirmative action and self-evaluation.

    (a) Remedial action. If the designated agency official finds that a 
recipient has discriminated against persons on the basis of sex in an 
education program or activity, such recipient shall take such remedial 
action as the designated agency official deems necessary to overcome the 
effects of such discrimination.
    (b) Affirmative action. In the absence of a finding of 
discrimination on the basis of sex in an education program or activity, 
a recipient may take affirmative action consistent with law to overcome 
the effects of conditions that resulted in limited participation therein 
by persons of a particular sex. Nothing in these Title IX regulations 
shall be interpreted to alter any affirmative action obligations that a 
recipient may have under Executive Order 11246, 3 CFR, 1964-1965 Comp., 
p. 339; as amended by Executive Order 11375, 3 CFR, 1966-1970 Comp., p. 
684; as amended by Executive Order 11478, 3 CFR, 1966-1970 Comp., p. 
803; as amended by Executive Order 12086, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 230; as 
amended by Executive Order 12107, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 264.
    (c) Self-evaluation. Each recipient education institution shall, 
within one year of September 29, 2000:
    (1) Evaluate, in terms of the requirements of these Title IX 
regulations, its current policies and practices and the effects thereof 
concerning admission of students, treatment of students, and employment 
of both academic and non-academic personnel working in connection with 
the recipient's education program or activity;
    (2) Modify any of these policies and practices that do not or may 
not meet the requirements of these Title IX regulations; and
    (3) Take appropriate remedial steps to eliminate the effects of any 
discrimination that resulted or may have resulted from adherence to 
these policies and practices.
    (d) Availability of self-evaluation and related materials. 
Recipients shall maintain on file for at least three years following 
completion of the evaluation required under paragraph (c) of this 
section, and shall provide to the designated agency official upon 
request, a description of any modifications made pursuant to paragraph 
(c)(2) of this section and of any remedial steps taken pursuant to 
paragraph (c)(3) of this section.



Sec.  618.115  Assurance required.

    (a) General. Either at the application stage or the award stage, 
Federal agencies must ensure that applications for Federal financial 
assistance or awards

[[Page 125]]

of Federal financial assistance contain, be accompanied by, or be 
covered by a specifically identified assurance from the applicant or 
recipient, satisfactory to the designated agency official, that each 
education program or activity operated by the applicant or recipient and 
to which these Title IX regulations apply will be operated in compliance 
with these Title IX regulations. An assurance of compliance with these 
Title IX regulations shall not be satisfactory to the designated agency 
official if the applicant or recipient to whom such assurance applies 
fails to commit itself to take whatever remedial action is necessary in 
accordance with Sec.  618.110(a) to eliminate existing discrimination on 
the basis of sex or to eliminate the effects of past discrimination 
whether occurring prior to or subsequent to the submission to the 
designated agency official of such assurance.
    (b) Duration of obligation. (1) In the case of Federal financial 
assistance extended to provide real property or structures thereon, such 
assurance shall obligate the recipient or, in the case of a subsequent 
transfer, the transferee, for the period during which the real property 
or structures are used to provide an education program or activity.
    (2) In the case of Federal financial assistance extended to provide 
personal property, such assurance shall obligate the recipient for the 
period during which it retains ownership or possession of the property.
    (3) In all other cases such assurance shall obligate the recipient 
for the period during which Federal financial assistance is extended.
    (c) Form. (1) The assurances required by paragraph (a) of this 
section, which may be included as part of a document that addresses 
other assurances or obligations, shall include that the applicant or 
recipient will comply with all applicable Federal statutes relating to 
nondiscrimination. These include but are not limited to: Title IX of the 
Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1681-1683, 1685-
1688).
    (2) The designated agency official will specify the extent to which 
such assurances will be required of the applicant's or recipient's 
subgrantees, contractors, subcontractors, transferees, or successors in 
interest.



Sec.  618.120  Transfers of property.

    If a recipient sells or otherwise transfers property financed in 
whole or in part with Federal financial assistance to a transferee that 
operates any education program or activity, and the Federal share of the 
fair market value of the property is not upon such sale or transfer 
properly accounted for to the Federal Government, both the transferor 
and the transferee shall be deemed to be recipients, subject to the 
provisions of Sec. Sec.  618.205 through 618.235(a).



Sec.  618.125  Effect of other requirements.

    (a) Effect of other Federal provisions. The obligations imposed by 
these Title IX regulations are independent of, and do not alter, 
obligations not to discriminate on the basis of sex imposed by Executive 
Order 11246, 3 CFR, 1964-1965 Comp., p. 339; as amended by Executive 
Order 11375, 3 CFR, 1966-1970 Comp., p. 684; as amended by Executive 
Order 11478, 3 CFR, 1966-1970 Comp., p. 803; as amended by Executive 
Order 12087, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 230; as amended by Executive Order 
12107, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 264; sections 704 and 855 of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295m, 298b-2); Title VII of the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.); the Equal Pay Act of 1963 
(29 U.S.C. 206); and any other Act of Congress or Federal regulation.
    (b) Effect of State or local law or other requirements. The 
obligation to comply with these Title IX regulations is not obviated or 
alleviated by any State or local law or other requirement that would 
render any applicant or student ineligible, or limit the eligibility of 
any applicant or student, on the basis of sex, to practice any 
occupation or profession.
    (c) Effect of rules or regulations of private organizations. The 
obligation to comply with these Title IX regulations is not obviated or 
alleviated by any rule or regulation of any organization, club, athletic 
or other league, or association that would render any applicant or 
student ineligible to participate or limit the eligibility or 
participation of any applicant or student, on

[[Page 126]]

the basis of sex, in any education program or activity operated by a 
recipient and that receives Federal financial assistance.



Sec.  618.130  Effect of employment opportunities.

    The obligation to comply with these Title IX regulations is not 
obviated or alleviated because employment opportunities in any 
occupation or profession are or may be more limited for members of one 
sex than for members of the other sex.



Sec.  618.135  Designation of responsible employee and adoption of
grievance procedures.

    (a) Designation of responsible employee. Each recipient shall 
designate at least one employee to coordinate its efforts to comply with 
and carry out its responsibilities under these Title IX regulations, 
including any investigation of any complaint communicated to such 
recipient alleging its noncompliance with these Title IX regulations or 
alleging any actions that would be prohibited by these Title IX 
regulations. The recipient shall notify all its students and employees 
of the name, office address, and telephone number of the employee or 
employees appointed pursuant to this paragraph.
    (b) Complaint procedure of recipient. A recipient shall adopt and 
publish grievance procedures providing for prompt and equitable 
resolution of student and employee complaints alleging any action that 
would be prohibited by these Title IX regulations.



Sec.  618.140  Dissemination of policy.

    (a) Notification of policy. (1) Each recipient shall implement 
specific and continuing steps to notify applicants for admission and 
employment, students and parents of elementary and secondary school 
students, employees, sources of referral of applicants for admission and 
employment, and all unions or professional organizations holding 
collective bargaining or professional agreements with the recipient, 
that it does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the educational 
programs or activities that it operates, and that it is required by 
Title IX and these Title IX regulations not to discriminate in such a 
manner. Such notification shall contain such information, and be made in 
such manner, as the designated agency official finds necessary to 
apprise such persons of the protections against discrimination assured 
them by Title IX and these Title IX regulations, but shall state at 
least that the requirement not to discriminate in education programs or 
activities extends to employment therein, and to admission thereto 
unless Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310 do not apply to the recipient, 
and that inquiries concerning the application of Title IX and these 
Title IX regulations to such recipient may be referred to the employee 
designated pursuant to Sec.  618.135, or to the designated agency 
official.
    (2) Each recipient shall make the initial notification required by 
paragraph (a)(1) of this section within 90 days of September 29, 2000 or 
of the date these Title IX regulations first apply to such recipient, 
whichever comes later, which notification shall include publication in:
    (i) Newspapers and magazines operated by such recipient or by 
student, alumnae, or alumni groups for or in connection with such 
recipient; and
    (ii) Memoranda or other written communications distributed to every 
student and employee of such recipient.
    (b) Publications. (1) Each recipient shall prominently include a 
statement of the policy described in paragraph (a) of this section in 
each announcement, bulletin, catalog, or application form that it makes 
available to any person of a type, described in paragraph (a) of this 
section, or which is otherwise used in connection with the recruitment 
of students or employees.
    (2) A recipient shall not use or distribute a publication of the 
type described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section that suggests, by 
text or illustration, that such recipient treats applicants, students, 
or employees differently on the basis of sex except as such treatment is 
permitted by these Title IX regulations.
    (c) Distribution. Each recipient shall distribute without 
discrimination on the basis of sex each publication described in 
paragraph (b)(1) of this section, and shall apprise each of its 
admission and employment recruitment

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representatives of the policy of nondiscrimination described in 
paragraph (a) of this section, and shall require such representatives to 
adhere to such policy.



                           Subpart B_Coverage



Sec.  618.200  Application.

    Except as provided in Sec. Sec.  618.205 through 618.235(a), these 
Title IX regulations apply to every recipient and to each education 
program or activity operated by such recipient that receives Federal 
financial assistance.



Sec.  618.205  Educational institutions and other entities controlled
by religious organizations.

    (a) Exemption. These Title IX regulations do not apply to any 
operation of an educational institution or other entity that is 
controlled by a religious organization to the extent that application of 
these Title IX regulations would not be consistent with the religious 
tenets of such organization.
    (b) Exemption claims. An educational institution or other entity 
that wishes to claim the exemption set forth in paragraph (a) of this 
section shall do so by submitting in writing to the designated agency 
official a statement by the highest-ranking official of the institution, 
identifying the provisions of these Title IX regulations that conflict 
with a specific tenet of the religious organization.



Sec.  618.210  Military and merchant marine educational institutions.

    These Title IX regulations do not apply to an educational 
institution whose primary purpose is the training of individuals for a 
military service of the United States or for the merchant marine.



Sec.  618.215  Membership practices of certain organizations.

    (a) Social fraternities and sororities. These Title IX regulations 
do not apply to the membership practices of social fraternities and 
sororities that are exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1954, 26 U.S.C. 501(a), the active membership 
of which consists primarily of students in attendance at institutions of 
higher education.
    (b) YMCA, YWCA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Camp Fire Girls. These 
Title IX regulations do not apply to the membership practices of the 
Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), the Young Women's Christian 
Association (YWCA), the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts, and Camp Fire 
Girls.
    (c) Voluntary youth service organizations. These Title IX 
regulations do not apply to the membership practices of a voluntary 
youth service organization that is exempt from taxation under section 
501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, 26 U.S.C. 501(a), and the 
membership of which has been traditionally limited to members of one sex 
and principally to persons of less than nineteen years of age.



Sec.  618.220  Admissions.

    (a) Admissions to educational institutions prior to June 24, 1973, 
are not covered by these Title IX regulations.
    (b) Administratively separate units. For the purposes only of this 
section, Sec. Sec.  618.225 and 618.230, and Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 
618.310, each administratively separate unit shall be deemed to be an 
educational institution.
    (c) Application of Sec. Sec.  618.300 through .310. Except as 
provided in paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section, Sec. Sec.  618.300 
through 618.310 apply to each recipient. A recipient to which Sec. Sec.  
618.300 through 618.310 apply shall not discriminate on the basis of sex 
in admission or recruitment in violation of Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 
618.310.
    (d) Educational institutions. Except as provided in paragraph (e) of 
this section as to recipients that are educational institutions, 
Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310 apply only to institutions of 
vocational education, professional education, graduate higher education, 
and public institutions of undergraduate higher education.
    (e) Public institutions of undergraduate higher education. 
Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310 do not apply to any public 
institution of undergraduate higher education that traditionally and 
continually from its establishment has had a policy of admitting 
students of only one sex.

[[Page 128]]



Sec.  618.225  Educational institutions eligible to submit transition
plans.

    (a) Application. This section applies to each educational 
institution to which Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310 apply that:
    (1) Admitted students of only one sex as regular students as of June 
23, 1972; or
    (2) Admitted students of only one sex as regular students as of June 
23, 1965, but thereafter admitted, as regular students, students of the 
sex not admitted prior to June 23, 1965.
    (b) Provision for transition plans. An educational institution to 
which this section applies shall not discriminate on the basis of sex in 
admission or recruitment in violation of Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 
618.310.



Sec.  618.230  Transition plans.

    (a) Submission of plans. An institution to which Sec.  618.225 
applies and that is composed of more than one administratively separate 
unit may submit either a single transition plan applicable to all such 
units, or a separate transition plan applicable to each such unit.
    (b) Content of plans. In order to be approved by the Secretary of 
Education, a transition plan shall:
    (1) State the name, address, and Federal Interagency Committee on 
Education Code of the educational institution submitting such plan, the 
administratively separate units to which the plan is applicable, and the 
name, address, and telephone number of the person to whom questions 
concerning the plan may be addressed. The person who submits the plan 
shall be the chief administrator or president of the institution, or 
another individual legally authorized to bind the institution to all 
actions set forth in the plan.
    (2) State whether the educational institution or administratively 
separate unit admits students of both sexes as regular students and, if 
so, when it began to do so.
    (3) Identify and describe with respect to the educational 
institution or administratively separate unit any obstacles to admitting 
students without discrimination on the basis of sex.
    (4) Describe in detail the steps necessary to eliminate as soon as 
practicable each obstacle so identified and indicate the schedule for 
taking these steps and the individual directly responsible for their 
implementation.
    (5) Include estimates of the number of students, by sex, expected to 
apply for, be admitted to, and enter each class during the period 
covered by the plan.
    (c) Nondiscrimination. No policy or practice of a recipient to which 
Sec.  618.225 applies shall result in treatment of applicants to or 
students of such recipient in violation of Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 
618.310 unless such treatment is necessitated by an obstacle identified 
in paragraph (b)(3) of this section and a schedule for eliminating that 
obstacle has been provided as required by paragraph (b)(4) of this 
section.
    (d) Effects of past exclusion. To overcome the effects of past 
exclusion of students on the basis of sex, each educational institution 
to which Sec.  618.225 applies shall include in its transition plan, and 
shall implement, specific steps designed to encourage individuals of the 
previously excluded sex to apply for admission to such institution. Such 
steps shall include instituting recruitment programs that emphasize the 
institution's commitment to enrolling students of the sex previously 
excluded.



Sec.  618.235  Statutory amendments.

    (a) This section, which applies to all provisions of these Title IX 
regulations, addresses statutory amendments to Title IX.
    (b) These Title IX regulations shall not apply to or preclude:
    (1) Any program or activity of the American Legion undertaken in 
connection with the organization or operation of any Boys State 
conference, Boys Nation conference, Girls State conference, or Girls 
Nation conference;
    (2) Any program or activity of a secondary school or educational 
institution specifically for:
    (i) The promotion of any Boys State conference, Boys Nation 
conference, Girls State conference, or Girls Nation conference; or
    (ii) The selection of students to attend any such conference;
    (3) Father-son or mother-daughter activities at an educational 
institution or in an education program or activity,

[[Page 129]]

but if such activities are provided for students of one sex, 
opportunities for reasonably comparable activities shall be provided to 
students of the other sex;
    (4) Any scholarship or other financial assistance awarded by an 
institution of higher education to an individual because such individual 
has received such award in a single-sex pageant based upon a combination 
of factors related to the individual's personal appearance, poise, and 
talent. The pageant, however, must comply with other nondiscrimination 
provisions of Federal law.
    (c) Program or activity or program means:
    (1) All of the operations of any entity described in paragraphs 
(c)(1)(i) through (iv) of this section, any part of which is extended 
Federal financial assistance:
    (i)(A) A department, agency, special purpose district, or other 
instrumentality of a State or of a local government; or
    (B) The entity of such State or local government that distributes 
such assistance and each such department or agency (and each other State 
or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the 
case of assistance to a State or local government;
    (ii)(A) A college, university, or other postsecondary institution, 
or a public system of higher education; or
    (B) A local educational agency (as defined in section 8801 of title 
20), system of vocational education, or other school system;
    (iii)(A) An entire corporation, partnership, or other private 
organization, or an entire sole proprietorship--
    (1) If assistance is extended to such corporation, partnership, 
private organization, or sole proprietorship as a whole; or
    (2) Which is principally engaged in the business of providing 
education, health care, housing, social services, or parks and 
recreation; or
    (B) The entire plant or other comparable, geographically separate 
facility to which Federal financial assistance is extended, in the case 
of any other corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole 
proprietorship; or
    (iv) Any other entity that is established by two or more of the 
entities described in paragraphs (c)(1)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this 
section.
    (2)(i) Program or activity does not include any operation of an 
entity that is controlled by a religious organization if the application 
of 20 U.S.C. 1681 to such operation would not be consistent with the 
religious tenets of such organization.
    (ii) For example, all of the operations of a college, university, or 
other postsecondary institution, including but not limited to 
traditional educational operations, faculty and student housing, campus 
shuttle bus service, campus restaurants, the bookstore, and other 
commercial activities are part of a ``program or activity'' subject to 
these Title IX regulations if the college, university, or other 
institution receives Federal financial assistance.
    (d)(1) Nothing in these Title IX regulations shall be construed to 
require or prohibit any person, or public or private entity, to provide 
or pay for any benefit or service, including the use of facilities, 
related to an abortion. Medical procedures, benefits, services, and the 
use of facilities, necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman or to 
address complications related to an abortion are not subject to this 
section.
    (2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit a penalty 
to be imposed on any person or individual because such person or 
individual is seeking or has received any benefit or service related to 
a legal abortion. Accordingly, subject to paragraph (d)(1) of this 
section, no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied 
the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any academic, 
extracurricular, research, occupational training, employment, or other 
educational program or activity operated by a recipient that receives 
Federal financial assistance because such individual has sought or 
received, or is seeking, a legal abortion, or any benefit or service 
related to a legal abortion.

[[Page 130]]



     Subpart C_Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Admission and 
                         Recruitment Prohibited



Sec.  618.300  Admission.

    (a) General. No person shall, on the basis of sex, be denied 
admission, or be subjected to discrimination in admission, by any 
recipient to which Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310 apply, except as 
provided in Sec. Sec.  618.225 and 618.230.
    (b) Specific prohibitions. (1) In determining whether a person 
satisfies any policy or criterion for admission, or in making any offer 
of admission, a recipient to which Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310 
apply shall not:
    (i) Give preference to one person over another on the basis of sex, 
by ranking applicants separately on such basis, or otherwise;
    (ii) Apply numerical limitations upon the number or proportion of 
persons of either sex who may be admitted; or
    (iii) Otherwise treat one individual differently from another on the 
basis of sex.
    (2) A recipient shall not administer or operate any test or other 
criterion for admission that has a disproportionately adverse effect on 
persons on the basis of sex unless the use of such test or criterion is 
shown to predict validly success in the education program or activity in 
question and alternative tests or criteria that do not have such a 
disproportionately adverse effect are shown to be unavailable.
    (c) Prohibitions relating to marital or parental status. In 
determining whether a person satisfies any policy or criterion for 
admission, or in making any offer of admission, a recipient to which 
Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310 apply:
    (1) Shall not apply any rule concerning the actual or potential 
parental, family, or marital status of a student or applicant that 
treats persons differently on the basis of sex;
    (2) Shall not discriminate against or exclude any person on the 
basis of pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery 
therefrom, or establish or follow any rule or practice that so 
discriminates or excludes;
    (3) Subject to Sec.  618.235(d), shall treat disabilities related to 
pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom 
in the same manner and under the same policies as any other temporary 
disability or physical condition; and
    (4) Shall not make pre-admission inquiry as to the marital status of 
an applicant for admission, including whether such applicant is ``Miss'' 
or ``Mrs.'' A recipient may make pre-admission inquiry as to the sex of 
an applicant for admission, but only if such inquiry is made equally of 
such applicants of both sexes and if the results of such inquiry are not 
used in connection with discrimination prohibited by these Title IX 
regulations.



Sec.  618.305  Preference in admission.

    A recipient to which Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310 apply shall 
not give preference to applicants for admission, on the basis of 
attendance at any educational institution or other school or entity that 
admits as students only or predominantly members of one sex, if the 
giving of such preference has the effect of discriminating on the basis 
of sex in violation of Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310.



Sec.  618.310  Recruitment.

    (a) Nondiscriminatory recruitment. A recipient to which Sec. Sec.  
618.300 through 618.310 apply shall not discriminate on the basis of sex 
in the recruitment and admission of students. A recipient may be 
required to undertake additional recruitment efforts for one sex as 
remedial action pursuant to Sec.  618.110(a), and may choose to 
undertake such efforts as affirmative action pursuant to Sec.  
618.110(b).
    (b) Recruitment at certain institutions. A recipient to which 
Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310 apply shall not recruit primarily or 
exclusively at educational institutions, schools, or entities that admit 
as students only or predominantly members of one sex, if such actions 
have the effect of discriminating on the basis of sex in violation of 
Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310.

[[Page 131]]



 Subpart D_Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or 
                          Activities Prohibited



Sec.  618.400  Education programs or activities.

    (a) General. Except as provided elsewhere in these Title IX 
regulations, no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from 
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to 
discrimination under any academic, extracurricular, research, 
occupational training, or other education program or activity operated 
by a recipient that receives Federal financial assistance. Sections 
618.400 through 618.455 do not apply to actions of a recipient in 
connection with admission of its students to an education program or 
activity of a recipient to which Sec. Sec.  618.300 through 618.310 do 
not apply, or an entity, not a recipient, to which Sec. Sec.  618.300 
through 618.310 would not apply if the entity were a recipient.
    (b) Specific prohibitions. Except as provided in Sec. Sec.  618.400 
through 618.455, in providing any aid, benefit, or service to a student, 
a recipient shall not, on the basis of sex:
    (1) Treat one person differently from another in determining whether 
such person satisfies any requirement or condition for the provision of 
such aid, benefit, or service;
    (2) Provide different aid, benefits, or services or provide aid, 
benefits, or services in a different manner;
    (3) Deny any person any such aid, benefit, or service;
    (4) Subject any person to separate or different rules of behavior, 
sanctions, or other treatment;
    (5) Apply any rule concerning the domicile or residence of a student 
or applicant, including eligibility for in-state fees and tuition;
    (6) Aid or perpetuate discrimination against any person by providing 
significant assistance to any agency, organization, or person that 
discriminates on the basis of sex in providing any aid, benefit, or 
service to students or employees;
    (7) Otherwise limit any person in the enjoyment of any right, 
privilege, advantage, or opportunity.
    (c) Assistance administered by a recipient educational institution 
to study at a foreign institution. A recipient educational institution 
may administer or assist in the administration of scholarships, 
fellowships, or other awards established by foreign or domestic wills, 
trusts, or similar legal instruments, or by acts of foreign governments 
and restricted to members of one sex, that are designed to provide 
opportunities to study abroad, and that are awarded to students who are 
already matriculating at or who are graduates of the recipient 
institution; Provided, that a recipient educational institution that 
administers or assists in the administration of such scholarships, 
fellowships, or other awards that are restricted to members of one sex 
provides, or otherwise makes available, reasonable opportunities for 
similar studies for members of the other sex. Such opportunities may be 
derived from either domestic or foreign sources.
    (d) Aids, benefits or services not provided by recipient. (1) This 
paragraph (d) applies to any recipient that requires participation by 
any applicant, student, or employee in any education program or activity 
not operated wholly by such recipient, or that facilitates, permits, or 
considers such participation as part of or equivalent to an education 
program or activity operated by such recipient, including participation 
in educational consortia and cooperative employment and student-teaching 
assignments.
    (2) Such recipient:
    (i) Shall develop and implement a procedure designed to assure 
itself that the operator or sponsor of such other education program or 
activity takes no action affecting any applicant, student, or employee 
of such recipient that these Title IX regulations would prohibit such 
recipient from taking; and
    (ii) Shall not facilitate, require, permit, or consider such 
participation if such action occurs.



Sec.  618.405  Housing.

    (a) Generally. A recipient shall not, on the basis of sex, apply 
different rules or regulations, impose different fees or requirements, 
or offer different services or benefits related to housing,

[[Page 132]]

except as provided in this section (including housing provided only to 
married students).
    (b) Housing provided by recipient. (1) A recipient may provide 
separate housing on the basis of sex.
    (2) Housing provided by a recipient to students of one sex, when 
compared to that provided to students of the other sex, shall be as a 
whole:
    (i) Proportionate in quantity to the number of students of that sex 
applying for such housing; and
    (ii) Comparable in quality and cost to the student.
    (c) Other housing. (1) A recipient shall not, on the basis of sex, 
administer different policies or practices concerning occupancy by its 
students of housing other than that provided by such recipient.
    (2)(i) A recipient which, through solicitation, listing, approval of 
housing, or otherwise, assists any agency, organization, or person in 
making housing available to any of its students, shall take such 
reasonable action as may be necessary to assure itself that such housing 
as is provided to students of one sex, when compared to that provided to 
students of the other sex, is as a whole:
    (A) Proportionate in quantity; and
    (B) Comparable in quality and cost to the student.
    (ii) A recipient may render such assistance to any agency, 
organization, or person that provides all or part of such housing to 
students of only one sex.



Sec.  618.410  Comparable facilities.

    A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower 
facilities on the basis of sex, but such facilities provided for 
students of one sex shall be comparable to such facilities provided for 
students of the other sex.



Sec.  618.415  Access to course offerings.

    (a) A recipient shall not provide any course or otherwise carry out 
any of its education program or activity separately on the basis of sex, 
or require or refuse participation therein by any of its students on 
such basis, including health, physical education, industrial, business, 
vocational, technical, home economics, music, and adult education 
courses.
    (b)(1) With respect to classes and activities in physical education 
at the elementary school level, the recipient shall comply fully with 
this section as expeditiously as possible but in no event later than one 
year from September 29, 2000. With respect to physical education classes 
and activities at the secondary and post-secondary levels, the recipient 
shall comply fully with this section as expeditiously as possible but in 
no event later than three years from September 29, 2000.
    (2) This section does not prohibit grouping of students in physical 
education classes and activities by ability as assessed by objective 
standards of individual performance developed and applied without regard 
to sex.
    (3) This section does not prohibit separation of students by sex 
within physical education classes or activities during participation in 
wrestling, boxing, rugby, ice hockey, football, basketball, and other 
sports the purpose or major activity of which involves bodily contact.
    (4) Where use of a single standard of measuring skill or progress in 
a physical education class has an adverse effect on members of one sex, 
the recipient shall use appropriate standards that do not have such 
effect.
    (5) Portions of classes in elementary and secondary schools, or 
portions of education programs or activities, that deal exclusively with 
human sexuality may be conducted in separate sessions for boys and 
girls.
    (6) Recipients may make requirements based on vocal range or quality 
that may result in a chorus or choruses of one or predominantly one sex.



Sec.  618.420  Access to schools operated by LEAs.

    A recipient that is a local educational agency shall not, on the 
basis of sex, exclude any person from admission to:
    (a) Any institution of vocational education operated by such 
recipient; or
    (b) Any other school or educational unit operated by such recipient, 
unless such recipient otherwise makes available to such person, pursuant 
to the same policies and criteria of admission,

[[Page 133]]

courses, services, and facilities comparable to each course, service, 
and facility offered in or through such schools.



Sec.  618.425  Counseling and use of appraisal and counseling materials.

    (a) Counseling. A recipient shall not discriminate against any 
person on the basis of sex in the counseling or guidance of students or 
applicants for admission.
    (b) Use of appraisal and counseling materials. A recipient that uses 
testing or other materials for appraising or counseling students shall 
not use different materials for students on the basis of their sex or 
use materials that permit or require different treatment of students on 
such basis unless such different materials cover the same occupations 
and interest areas and the use of such different materials is shown to 
be essential to eliminate sex bias. Recipients shall develop and use 
internal procedures for ensuring that such materials do not discriminate 
on the basis of sex. Where the use of a counseling test or other 
instrument results in a substantially disproportionate number of members 
of one sex in any particular course of study or classification, the 
recipient shall take such action as is necessary to assure itself that 
such disproportion is not the result of discrimination in the instrument 
or its application.
    (c) Disproportion in classes. Where a recipient finds that a 
particular class contains a substantially disproportionate number of 
individuals of one sex, the recipient shall take such action as is 
necessary to assure itself that such disproportion is not the result of 
discrimination on the basis of sex in counseling or appraisal materials 
or by counselors.



Sec.  618.430  Financial assistance.

    (a) General. Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this 
section, in providing financial assistance to any of its students, a 
recipient shall not:
    (1) On the basis of sex, provide different amounts or types of such 
assistance, limit eligibility for such assistance that is of any 
particular type or source, apply different criteria, or otherwise 
discriminate;
    (2) Through solicitation, listing, approval, provision of 
facilities, or other services, assist any foundation, trust, agency, 
organization, or person that provides assistance to any of such 
recipient's students in a manner that discriminates on the basis of sex; 
or
    (3) Apply any rule or assist in application of any rule concerning 
eligibility for such assistance that treats persons of one sex 
differently from persons of the other sex with regard to marital or 
parental status.
    (b) Financial aid established by certain legal instruments. (1) A 
recipient may administer or assist in the administration of 
scholarships, fellowships, or other forms of financial assistance 
established pursuant to domestic or foreign wills, trusts, bequests, or 
similar legal instruments or by acts of a foreign government that 
require that awards be made to members of a particular sex specified 
therein; Provided, that the overall effect of the award of such sex-
restricted scholarships, fellowships, and other forms of financial 
assistance does not discriminate on the basis of sex.
    (2) To ensure nondiscriminatory awards of assistance as required in 
paragraph (b)(1) of this section, recipients shall develop and use 
procedures under which:
    (i) Students are selected for award of financial assistance on the 
basis of nondiscriminatory criteria and not on the basis of availability 
of funds restricted to members of a particular sex;
    (ii) An appropriate sex-restricted scholarship, fellowship, or other 
form of financial assistance is allocated to each student selected under 
paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section; and
    (iii) No student is denied the award for which he or she was 
selected under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section because of the 
absence of a scholarship, fellowship, or other form of financial 
assistance designated for a member of that student's sex.
    (c) Athletic scholarships. (1) To the extent that a recipient awards 
athletic scholarships or grants-in-aid, it must provide reasonable 
opportunities for such awards for members of each sex in proportion to 
the number of students of each sex participating in interscholastic or 
intercollegiate athletics.

[[Page 134]]

    (2) A recipient may provide separate athletic scholarships or 
grants-in-aid for members of each sex as part of separate athletic teams 
for members of each sex to the extent consistent with this paragraph (c) 
and Sec.  618.450.



Sec.  618.435  Employment assistance to students.

    (a) Assistance by recipient in making available outside employment. 
A recipient that assists any agency, organization, or person in making 
employment available to any of its students:
    (1) Shall assure itself that such employment is made available 
without discrimination on the basis of sex; and
    (2) Shall not render such services to any agency, organization, or 
person that discriminates on the basis of sex in its employment 
practices.
    (b) Employment of students by recipients. A recipient that employs 
any of its students shall not do so in a manner that violates Sec. Sec.  
618.500 through 618.550.



Sec.  618.440  Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Subject to Sec.  618.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, 
accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of 
its students, a recipient shall not discriminate on the basis of sex, or 
provide such benefit, service, policy, or plan in a manner that would 
violate Sec. Sec.  618.500 through 618.550 if it were provided to 
employees of the recipient. This section shall not prohibit a recipient 
from providing any benefit or service that may be used by a different 
proportion of students of one sex than of the other, including family 
planning services. However, any recipient that provides full coverage 
health service shall provide gynecological care.



Sec.  618.445  Marital or parental status.

    (a) Status generally. A recipient shall not apply any rule 
concerning a student's actual or potential parental, family, or marital 
status that treats students differently on the basis of sex.
    (b) Pregnancy and related conditions. (1) A recipient shall not 
discriminate against any student, or exclude any student from its 
education program or activity, including any class or extracurricular 
activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false 
pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, unless the 
student requests voluntarily to participate in a separate portion of the 
program or activity of the recipient.
    (2) A recipient may require such a student to obtain the 
certification of a physician that the student is physically and 
emotionally able to continue participation as long as such a 
certification is required of all students for other physical or 
emotional conditions requiring the attention of a physician.
    (3) A recipient that operates a portion of its education program or 
activity separately for pregnant students, admittance to which is 
completely voluntary on the part of the student as provided in paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section, shall ensure that the separate portion is 
comparable to that offered to non-pregnant students.
    (4) Subject to Sec.  618.235(d), a recipient shall treat pregnancy, 
childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy and recovery 
therefrom in the same manner and under the same policies as any other 
temporary disability with respect to any medical or hospital benefit, 
service, plan, or policy that such recipient administers, operates, 
offers, or participates in with respect to students admitted to the 
recipient's educational program or activity.
    (5) In the case of a recipient that does not maintain a leave policy 
for its students, or in the case of a student who does not otherwise 
qualify for leave under such a policy, a recipient shall treat 
pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, and 
recovery therefrom as a justification for a leave of absence for as long 
a period of time as is deemed medically necessary by the student's 
physician, at the conclusion of which the student shall be reinstated to 
the status that she held when the leave began.



Sec.  618.450  Athletics.

    (a) General. No person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from 
participation in, be denied the benefits of, be treated differently from 
another person, or otherwise be discriminated

[[Page 135]]

against in any interscholastic, intercollegiate, club, or intramural 
athletics offered by a recipient, and no recipient shall provide any 
such athletics separately on such basis.
    (b) Separate teams. Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph 
(a) of this section, a recipient may operate or sponsor separate teams 
for members of each sex where selection for such teams is based upon 
competitive skill or the activity involved is a contact sport. However, 
where a recipient operates or sponsors a team in a particular sport for 
members of one sex but operates or sponsors no such team for members of 
the other sex, and athletic opportunities for members of that sex have 
previously been limited, members of the excluded sex must be allowed to 
try out for the team offered unless the sport involved is a contact 
sport. For the purposes of these Title IX regulations, contact sports 
include boxing, wrestling, rugby, ice hockey, football, basketball, and 
other sports the purpose or major activity of which involves bodily 
contact.
    (c) Equal opportunity. (1) A recipient that operates or sponsors 
interscholastic, intercollegiate, club, or intramural athletics shall 
provide equal athletic opportunity for members of both sexes. In 
determining whether equal opportunities are available, the designated 
agency official will consider, among other factors:
    (i) Whether the selection of sports and levels of competition 
effectively accommodate the interests and abilities of members of both 
sexes;
    (ii) The provision of equipment and supplies;
    (iii) Scheduling of games and practice time;
    (iv) Travel and per diem allowance;
    (v) Opportunity to receive coaching and academic tutoring;
    (vi) Assignment and compensation of coaches and tutors;
    (vii) Provision of locker rooms, practice, and competitive 
facilities;
    (viii) Provision of medical and training facilities and services;
    (ix) Provision of housing and dining facilities and services;
    (x) Publicity.
    (2) For purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, unequal 
aggregate expenditures for members of each sex or unequal expenditures 
for male and female teams if a recipient operates or sponsors separate 
teams will not constitute noncompliance with this section, but the 
designated agency official may consider the failure to provide necessary 
funds for teams for one sex in assessing equality of opportunity for 
members of each sex.
    (d) Adjustment period. A recipient that operates or sponsors 
interscholastic, intercollegiate, club, or intramural athletics at the 
elementary school level shall comply fully with this section as 
expeditiously as possible but in no event later than one year from 
September 29, 2000. A recipient that operates or sponsors 
interscholastic, intercollegiate, club, or intramural athletics at the 
secondary or postsecondary school level shall comply fully with this 
section as expeditiously as possible but in no event later than three 
years from September 29, 2000.



Sec.  618.455  Textbooks and curricular material.

    Nothing in these Title IX regulations shall be interpreted as 
requiring or prohibiting or abridging in any way the use of particular 
textbooks or curricular materials.



Subpart E_Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Employment in Education 
                    Programs or Activities Prohibited



Sec.  618.500  Employment.

    (a) General. (1) No person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded 
from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to 
discrimination in employment, or recruitment, consideration, or 
selection therefor, whether full-time or part-time, under any education 
program or activity operated by a recipient that receives Federal 
financial assistance.
    (2) A recipient shall make all employment decisions in any education 
program or activity operated by such recipient in a nondiscriminatory 
manner and shall not limit, segregate, or classify applicants or 
employees in any way that could adversely affect any applicant's or 
employee's employment opportunities or status because of sex.

[[Page 136]]

    (3) A recipient shall not enter into any contractual or other 
relationship which directly or indirectly has the effect of subjecting 
employees or students to discrimination prohibited by Sec. Sec.  618.500 
through 618.550, including relationships with employment and referral 
agencies, with labor unions, and with organizations providing or 
administering fringe benefits to employees of the recipient.
    (4) A recipient shall not grant preferences to applicants for 
employment on the basis of attendance at any educational institution or 
entity that admits as students only or predominantly members of one sex, 
if the giving of such preferences has the effect of discriminating on 
the basis of sex in violation of these Title IX regulations.
    (b) Application. The provisions of Sec. Sec.  618.500 through 
618.550 apply to:
    (1) Recruitment, advertising, and the process of application for 
employment;
    (2) Hiring, upgrading, promotion, consideration for and award of 
tenure, demotion, transfer, layoff, termination, application of nepotism 
policies, right of return from layoff, and rehiring;
    (3) Rates of pay or any other form of compensation, and changes in 
compensation;
    (4) Job assignments, classifications, and structure, including 
position descriptions, lines of progression, and seniority lists;
    (5) The terms of any collective bargaining agreement;
    (6) Granting and return from leaves of absence, leave for pregnancy, 
childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, leave for persons 
of either sex to care for children or dependents, or any other leave;
    (7) Fringe benefits available by virtue of employment, whether or 
not administered by the recipient;
    (8) Selection and financial support for training, including 
apprenticeship, professional meetings, conferences, and other related 
activities, selection for tuition assistance, selection for sabbaticals 
and leaves of absence to pursue training;
    (9) Employer-sponsored activities, including social or recreational 
programs; and
    (10) Any other term, condition, or privilege of employment.



Sec.  618.505  Employment criteria.

    A recipient shall not administer or operate any test or other 
criterion for any employment opportunity that has a disproportionately 
adverse effect on persons on the basis of sex unless:
    (a) Use of such test or other criterion is shown to predict validly 
successful performance in the position in question; and
    (b) Alternative tests or criteria for such purpose, which do not 
have such disproportionately adverse effect, are shown to be 
unavailable.



Sec.  618.510  Recruitment.

    (a) Nondiscriminatory recruitment and hiring. A recipient shall not 
discriminate on the basis of sex in the recruitment and hiring of 
employees. Where a recipient has been found to be presently 
discriminating on the basis of sex in the recruitment or hiring of 
employees, or has been found to have so discriminated in the past, the 
recipient shall recruit members of the sex so discriminated against so 
as to overcome the effects of such past or present discrimination.
    (b) Recruitment patterns. A recipient shall not recruit primarily or 
exclusively at entities that furnish as applicants only or predominantly 
members of one sex if such actions have the effect of discriminating on 
the basis of sex in violation of Sec. Sec.  618.500 through 618.550.



Sec.  618.515  Compensation.

    A recipient shall not make or enforce any policy or practice that, 
on the basis of sex:
    (a) Makes distinctions in rates of pay or other compensation;
    (b) Results in the payment of wages to employees of one sex at a 
rate less than that paid to employees of the opposite sex for equal work 
on jobs the performance of which requires equal skill, effort, and 
responsibility, and that are performed under similar working conditions.



Sec.  618.520  Job classification and structure.

    A recipient shall not:

[[Page 137]]

    (a) Classify a job as being for males or for females;
    (b) Maintain or establish separate lines of progression, seniority 
lists, career ladders, or tenure systems based on sex; or
    (c) Maintain or establish separate lines of progression, seniority 
systems, career ladders, or tenure systems for similar jobs, position 
descriptions, or job requirements that classify persons on the basis of 
sex, unless sex is a bona fide occupational qualification for the 
positions in question as set forth in Sec.  618.550.



Sec.  618.525  Fringe benefits.

    (a) ``Fringe benefits'' defined. For purposes of these Title IX 
regulations, fringe benefits means: Any medical, hospital, accident, 
life insurance, or retirement benefit, service, policy or plan, any 
profit-sharing or bonus plan, leave, and any other benefit or service of 
employment not subject to the provision of Sec.  618.515.
    (b) Prohibitions. A recipient shall not:
    (1) Discriminate on the basis of sex with regard to making fringe 
benefits available to employees or make fringe benefits available to 
spouses, families, or dependents of employees differently upon the basis 
of the employee's sex;
    (2) Administer, operate, offer, or participate in a fringe benefit 
plan that does not provide for equal periodic benefits for members of 
each sex and for equal contributions to the plan by such recipient for 
members of each sex; or
    (3) Administer, operate, offer, or participate in a pension or 
retirement plan that establishes different optional or compulsory 
retirement ages based on sex or that otherwise discriminates in benefits 
on the basis of sex.



Sec.  618.530  Marital or parental status.

    (a) General. A recipient shall not apply any policy or take any 
employment action:
    (1) Concerning the potential marital, parental, or family status of 
an employee or applicant for employment that treats persons differently 
on the basis of sex; or
    (2) Which is based upon whether an employee or applicant for 
employment is the head of household or principal wage earner in such 
employee's or applicant's family unit.
    (b) Pregnancy. A recipient shall not discriminate against or exclude 
from employment any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of 
pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or 
recovery therefrom.
    (c) Pregnancy as a temporary disability. Subject to Sec.  
618.235(d), a recipient shall treat pregnancy, childbirth, false 
pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, recovery therefrom, and any 
temporary disability resulting therefrom as any other temporary 
disability for all job-related purposes, including commencement, 
duration, and extensions of leave, payment of disability income, accrual 
of seniority and any other benefit or service, and reinstatement, and 
under any fringe benefit offered to employees by virtue of employment.
    (d) Pregnancy leave. In the case of a recipient that does not 
maintain a leave policy for its employees, or in the case of an employee 
with insufficient leave or accrued employment time to qualify for leave 
under such a policy, a recipient shall treat pregnancy, childbirth, 
false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, and recovery therefrom as a 
justification for a leave of absence without pay for a reasonable period 
of time, at the conclusion of which the employee shall be reinstated to 
the status that she held when the leave began or to a comparable 
position, without decrease in rate of compensation or loss of 
promotional opportunities, or any other right or privilege of 
employment.



Sec.  618.535  Effect of state or local law or other requirements.

    (a) Prohibitory requirements. The obligation to comply with 
Sec. Sec.  618.500 through 618.550 is not obviated or alleviated by the 
existence of any State or local law or other requirement that imposes 
prohibitions or limits upon employment of members of one sex that are 
not imposed upon members of the other sex.
    (b) Benefits. A recipient that provides any compensation, service, 
or benefit to members of one sex pursuant to a State or local law or 
other requirement shall provide the same compensation,

[[Page 138]]

service, or benefit to members of the other sex.



Sec.  618.540  Advertising.

    A recipient shall not in any advertising related to employment 
indicate preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination based 
on sex unless sex is a bona fide occupational qualification for the 
particular job in question.



Sec.  618.545  Pre-employment inquiries.

    (a) Marital status. A recipient shall not make pre-employment 
inquiry as to the marital status of an applicant for employment, 
including whether such applicant is ``Miss'' or ``Mrs.''
    (b) Sex. A recipient may make pre-employment inquiry as to the sex 
of an applicant for employment, but only if such inquiry is made equally 
of such applicants of both sexes and if the results of such inquiry are 
not used in connection with discrimination prohibited by these Title IX 
regulations.



Sec.  618.550  Sex as a bona fide occupational qualification.

    A recipient may take action otherwise prohibited by Sec. Sec.  
618.500 through 618.550 provided it is shown that sex is a bona fide 
occupational qualification for that action, such that consideration of 
sex with regard to such action is essential to successful operation of 
the employment function concerned. A recipient shall not take action 
pursuant to this section that is based upon alleged comparative 
employment characteristics or stereotyped characterizations of one or 
the other sex, or upon preference based on sex of the recipient, 
employees, students, or other persons, but nothing contained in this 
section shall prevent a recipient from considering an employee's sex in 
relation to employment in a locker room or toilet facility used only by 
members of one sex.



                          Subpart F_Procedures



Sec.  618.600  Notice of covered programs.

    Within 60 days of September 29, 2000, each Federal agency that 
awards Federal financial assistance shall publish in the Federal 
Register a notice of the programs covered by these Title IX regulations. 
Each such Federal agency shall periodically republish the notice of 
covered programs to reflect changes in covered programs. Copies of this 
notice also shall be made available upon request to the Federal agency's 
office that enforces Title IX.



Sec.  618.605  Enforcement procedures.

    The investigative, compliance, and enforcement procedural provisions 
of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d) (``Title 
VI'') are hereby adopted and applied to these Title IX regulations. 
These procedures may be found at 45 CFR part 611.



PART 620_CYBERCORPS[supreg] SCHOLARSHIP FOR SERVICE (SFS) PROGRAM-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
620.1 Scope and purpose.
620.2 Definitions.
620.3 Documenting the service obligation.
620.4 Deferral of service obligation.
620.5 Discharge of agreement to serve or repay.
620.6 Obligation to repay the CyberCorps SFS scholarship.
620.7 Severability.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 7442; 42 U.S.C. 1870.

    Source: 88 FR 50050, Aug. 1, 2023, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  620.1  Scope and purpose.

    The CyberCorps SFS Scholarship for Service (SFS) program provides 
funds to institutions of higher education that award scholarships to 
students who agree to work after graduation in the cybersecurity mission 
of a Federal executive agency, Congress (including any agency, entity, 
office, or commission established in the legislative branch), an 
interstate agency, a state, local or Tribal government or government-
affiliated non-profit considered to be critical infrastructure, or as an 
educator in the field of cybersecurity at a qualified institution of 
higher education, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 7442(b)(3)(B). The employment 
will be for a period equal to the duration of the scholarship and to be 
started within 18 months and to be completed within five years of 
entering the Commitment Phase of the SFS program. Failure to satisfy the 
academic requirements of the program or to complete

[[Page 139]]

the service obligation results in forfeiture of the scholarship award, 
which must either be repaid or shall be treated as a Direct Unsubsidized 
Loan subject to repayment under the terms and conditions described in 
Sec.  620.6 of this part.



Sec.  620.2  Definitions.

    Agreement to serve or repay means an agreement under which the 
individual receiving a CyberCorps SFS scholarship commits to meet the 
service requirement or to repay the scholarship or the loan as described 
in Sec.  620.6, and to comply with notification and other provisions of 
the agreement and these rules.
    Commitment Phase means the period, immediately following the date on 
which the Scholarship Phase ends, within which SFS recipients must 
complete their service obligation (employment). The SFS recipient must 
begin such employment within 18 months and it must be completed, 
including submission of all required verifiable employment 
documentation, within 5 years from the date that the Commitment Phase 
begins. The Commitment Phase is limited to a maximum of five years, 
unless extended by the Director under Sec.  620.4 of this part.
    CyberCorps SFS scholarship recipient (scholarship recipient) means a 
student who is selected by an SFS institution for a CyberCorps SFS 
scholarship and agrees to work after graduation in the cybersecurity 
mission of a Federal executive agency, Congress (including any agency, 
entity, office, or commission established in the legislative branch), an 
interstate agency, a state, local or Tribal government or government-
affiliated non-profit considered to be critical infrastructure (as 
defined in 42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), or as an educator in the field of 
cybersecurity at a qualified institution of higher education (as defined 
in 15 U.S.C. 7442(b)(3)(B)).
    Deferral means an approved extension of the Commitment Phase.
    Director means the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) 
or an NSF official or employee acting for the Director under a 
delegation of authority.
    Scholarship Phase means a period when scholarship recipients are 
enrolled full-time (or, if enrolled in community college, at least half-
time) in an approved SFS academic program in cybersecurity.
    Service obligation means the time period the recipient is required 
to work in the cybersecurity mission of a Federal executive agency, 
Congress (including any agency, entity, office, or commission 
established in the legislative branch), an interstate agency, a state, 
local or Tribal government or government-affiliated non-profit 
considered to be critical infrastructure (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 
5195c(e)), or as an educator in the field of cybersecurity at a 
qualified institution of higher education (as defined in 15 U.S.C. 
7442(b)(3)(B)). The recipient must also obtain prior approval of such 
employment from the SFS program office. Under this definition, as 
applied to employment in the cybersecurity mission of a Federal 
executive agency, creditable service includes periods of employment in 
paid duty status and excludes periods in unpaid nonduty status.
    SFS institution means a higher education institution that receives 
an SFS grant from NSF to recruit, train, and graduate scholarship 
recipients.
    SFS program office means an office managing the SFS program through 
partnership between NSF and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).



Sec.  620.3  Documenting the service obligation.

    To demonstrate that a scholarship recipient is performing service in 
accordance with the agreement to serve or repay, the scholarship 
recipient must, within 30 days of the beginning of the service and upon 
completion of each year of such service, provide to the SFS program 
office documentation of that service in a form and manner approved by 
the SFS program office with all required information, including up-to-
date contact information, and certifications. The scholarship recipient 
must also provide the recipient's SFS institution with this annual 
verifiable documentation of post-award employment and up-to-date contact 
information.

[[Page 140]]



Sec.  620.4  Deferral of service obligation.

    (a) A scholarship recipient whose CyberCorps SFS Scholarship Phase 
has ended may request, from the Director, a deferral of the five-year 
Commitment Phase for completion of the service obligation based on--
    (1) Enrollment in a program of study or engagement in approved 
professional activity that would contribute to further professional 
development and/or cybersecurity workforce readiness for the scholarship 
recipient;
    (2) A condition that is a qualifying reason for leave under the 
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA);
    (3) A call to order to Federal or state active duty or active 
service as a member of a Reserve Component of the Armed Forces named in 
10 U.S.C. 10101, or service as a member of the National Guard on full-
time National Guard duty, as defined in 10 U.S.C. 101(d)(5); or
    (4) Other exceptional circumstances significantly affecting the 
scholarship recipient's ability to serve as determined by the Director.
    (b) A scholarship recipient must apply for a deferral, by submitting 
a written request via the SFS program office, before the scholarship 
recipient's Commitment Phase has expired.
    (c) A scholarship recipient who applies for deferral must provide 
documentation supporting the request as well as current contact 
information including home address, email address, and telephone number.
    (d) The Director, or other official designated by the Director, will 
notify the scholarship recipient on the outcome of the application for 
deferral. If the deferral is denied, the scholarship recipient may 
submit a written request for reconsideration to the SFS program office. 
The request must be received no later than 30 calendar days after NSF 
sent notice of the denial to the recipient. The request must explain why 
the recipient believes the denial is based on an error or mistake of 
fact or law, or if there are any new facts or law that should be 
considered. The Director's determination on the request shall be final, 
with no further reconsideration.



Sec.  620.5  Discharge of agreement to serve or repay.

    (a) Discharge conditions. The Director may provide for the partial 
or total waiver or suspension of any service or repayment obligation by 
a scholarship recipient under the SFS program, including but not limited 
to the following circumstances:
    (1) Death. If a scholarship recipient dies, the Director discharges 
the obligation to complete the agreement to serve or repay based on a 
certified copy of the death certificate or verification of the 
scholarship recipient's death through an authoritative Federal or state 
electronic database approved for use by the Director.
    (2) Total and permanent disability. A scholarship recipient's 
agreement to serve or repay is discharged if the scholarship recipient 
becomes totally and permanently disabled. This is the condition of an 
individual who:
    (i) Is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by 
reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment 
that--
    (A) Can be expected to result in death;
    (B) Has lasted for a continuous period of not less than 60 months; 
or
    (C) Can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 
60 months; or
    (ii) Has been determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to be 
unemployable due to a service-connected disability.
    (3) Extreme hardship. Whenever compliance by the scholarship 
recipient with the obligation is impossible or would involve extreme 
hardship to the scholarship recipient, or if enforcement of such 
obligation with respect to the scholarship recipient would be 
unconscionable. Extreme hardship could include but is not limited to 
financial or economic burden, medical situations, or other situations as 
determined by the Director of NSF.
    (b) Written request. (1) A scholarship recipient must submit a 
written application to the SFS program office, requesting a discharge 
from the Director of NSF in accordance with this section. Requests to 
discharge and refund amounts already repaid or referred to

[[Page 141]]

Treasury will not be considered or granted.
    (2) A scholarship recipient who applies for discharge must provide 
the Director with documentation supporting the request as well as 
current contact information including home address, email address, and 
telephone number.
    (3) The Director, or other official designated by the Director, will 
notify the scholarship recipient on the outcome of the application for 
discharge. If the discharge is denied, the scholarship recipient may 
submit a written request for reconsideration to the SFS program office. 
The request must be received no later than 30 calendar days after NSF 
sent notice of the denial to the recipient. The request must explain why 
the recipient believes the denial is based on an error or mistake of 
fact or law, or if there are any new facts or law that should be 
considered. The Director's determination on the request shall be final, 
with no further reconsideration.



Sec.  620.6  Obligation to repay the CyberCorps SFS scholarship.

    (a) A scholarship recipient who fails to complete the service 
obligation, as evidenced by documentation of that service with all 
required information and certifications, or fails to comply with any 
other conditions of support set forth in 15 U.S.C. 7442(g), must repay 
the scholarship to the United States in an amount calculated in 
accordance with 15 U.S.C. 7442(i).
    (b) If not repaid, the CyberCorps SFS scholarship amounts paid to 
the scholarship recipient, together with interest accruing from the date 
of the scholarship award, at the interest rate determined under 20 
U.S.C. 1087e, shall be treated as a Direct Unsubsidized Loan, without 
regard to any annual or aggregate loan limits under 34 CFR 685.203, and 
subject to the repayment terms and conditions set forth in paragraph (g) 
of this section, unless the scholarship recipient submits required 
documentation to prove the qualified employment within the timeframe 
required by the agreement to serve or repay (or, if the recipient has 
violated any other conditions of support, verifiable documentation 
demonstrating that the recipient has not violated such conditions).
    (c) The scholarship recipient remains liable for any amounts 
calculated in accordance with paragraph (a) that are not repaid, 
including any amounts treated a Direct Unsubsidized Loan as described in 
paragraph (b) of this section. Such amounts, if not repaid, shall be 
referred to the United States Department of the Treasury for collection, 
and, if the individual defaults on the loan, shall also include 
reasonable collection fees and costs (plus court costs and attorney 
fees, if any).
    (d) During the Commitment Phase, approximately 90 days before the 
date that the scholarship recipient must begin performing the service 
obligation (employment) and approximately 90 days before the Commitment 
Phase is scheduled to expire, the scholarship recipient will be notified 
of the date by which they must submit verifiable documentation showing 
that they are satisfying the service obligation.
    (e) At least annually during the service obligation period, the 
scholarship recipient shall be notified of--
    (1) The terms and conditions that the scholarship recipient must 
meet to satisfy the service obligation;
    (2) The requirement for the scholarship recipient to provide to the 
SFS program office, upon completion of each of the required service 
year, verifiable documentation of that service in a form and manner 
approved by that office and the need for scholarship recipients to keep 
copies of this information and copies of their own employment 
documentation; and
    (3) The conditions under which the scholarship recipient may request 
a deferral of the period for completing the service obligation or the 
discharge of the service obligation.
    (f) A scholarship recipient remains obligated to meet all 
requirements of the service obligation, even if the recipient does not 
receive the notices described in paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section.
    (g) A scholarship recipient whose CyberCorps SFS scholarship is 
treated as a Direct Unsubsidized Loan--
    (1) Enters a six-month grace period prior to entering repayment, and

[[Page 142]]

    (2) Is eligible for all other benefits of and subject to all other 
terms and conditions of the Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program.
    (h) If a scholarship recipient's repayment obligation is treated as 
a Direct Unsubsidized Loan under this part, the loan may not be 
converted back to a CyberCorps SFS scholarship if it has been referred 
to the United States Department of the Treasury for collection.



Sec.  620.7  Severability.

    If any provision of this part or its application to any person, act, 
or practice is held invalid, the remainder of the part or the 
application of its provisions to any person, act, or practice shall not 
be affected thereby.



PART 630_GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE 
(FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE)--Table of Contents



                     Subpart A_Purpose and Coverage

Sec.
630.100 What does this part do?
630.105 Does this part apply to me?
630.110 Are any of my Federal assistance awards exempt from this part?
630.115 Does this part affect the Federal contracts that I receive?

      Subpart B_Requirements for Recipients Other Than Individuals

630.200 What must I do to comply with this part?
630.205 What must I include in my drug-free workplace statement?
630.210 To whom must I distribute my drug-free workplace statement?
630.215 What must I include in my drug-free awareness program?
630.220 By when must I publish my drug-free workplace statement and 
          establish my drug-free awareness program?
630.225 What actions must I take concerning employees who are convicted 
          of drug violations in the workplace?
630.230 How and when must I identify workplaces?

        Subpart C_Requirements for Recipients Who Are Individuals

630.300 What must I do to comply with this part if I am an individual 
          recipient?
630.301 [Reserved]

   Subpart D_Responsibilities of National Science Foundation Awarding 
                                Officials

630.400 What are my responsibilities as a National Science Foundation 
          awarding official?

           Subpart E_Violations of This Part and Consequences

630.500 How are violations of this part determined for recipients other 
          than individuals?
630.505 How are violations of this part determined for recipients who 
          are individuals?
630.510 What actions will the Federal Government take against a 
          recipient determined to have violated this part?
630.515 Are there any exceptions to those actions?

                          Subpart F_Definitions

630.605 Award.
630.610 Controlled substance.
630.615 Conviction.
630.620 Cooperative agreement.
630.625 Criminal drug statute.
630.630 Debarment.
630.635 Drug-free workplace.
630.640 Employee.
630.645 Federal agency or agency.
630.650 Grant.
630.655 Individual.
630.660 Recipient.
630.665 State.
630.670 Suspension.

    Authority: 41 U.S.C. 701 et seq.

    Source: 68 FR 66557, 66634, Nov. 26, 2003, unless otherwise noted.



                     Subpart A_Purpose and Coverage



Sec.  630.100  What does this part do?

    This part carries out the portion of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 
1988 (41 U.S.C. 701 et seq., as amended) that applies to grants. It also 
applies the provisions of the Act to cooperative agreements and other 
financial assistance awards, as a matter of Federal Government policy.



Sec.  630.105  Does this part apply to me?

    (a) Portions of this part apply to you if you are either--
    (1) A recipient of an assistance award from the National Science 
Foundation; or
    (2) A(n) National Science Foundation awarding official. (See 
definitions of

[[Page 143]]

award and recipient in Sec. Sec.  630.605 and 630.660, respectively.)
    (b) The following table shows the subparts that apply to you:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             If you are . . .                    see subparts . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) A recipient who is not an individual..  A, B and E.
(2) A recipient who is an individual......  A, C and E.
(3) A(n) National Science Foundation        A, D and E.
 awarding official.
------------------------------------------------------------------------



Sec.  630.110  Are any of my Federal assistance awards exempt from 
this part?

    This part does not apply to any award that the Director or designee 
determines that the application of this part would be inconsistent with 
the international obligations of the United States or the laws or 
regulations of a foreign government.



Sec.  630.115  Does this part affect the Federal contracts that I receive?

    It will affect future contract awards indirectly if you are debarred 
or suspended for a violation of the requirements of this part, as 
described in Sec.  630.510(c). However, this part does not apply 
directly to procurement contracts. The portion of the Drug-Free 
Workplace Act of 1988 that applies to Federal procurement contracts is 
carried out through the Federal Acquisition Regulation in chapter 1 of 
Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations (the drug-free workplace 
coverage currently is in 48 CFR part 23, subpart 23.5).



      Subpart B_Requirements for Recipients Other Than Individuals



Sec.  630.200  What must I do to comply with this part?

    There are two general requirements if you are a recipient other than 
an individual.
    (a) First, you must make a good faith effort, on a continuing basis, 
to maintain a drug-free workplace. You must agree to do so as a 
condition for receiving any award covered by this part. The specific 
measures that you must take in this regard are described in more detail 
in subsequent sections of this subpart. Briefly, those measures are to--
    (1) Publish a drug-free workplace statement and establish a drug-
free awareness program for your employees (see Sec. Sec.  630.205 
through 630.220); and
    (2) Take actions concerning employees who are convicted of violating 
drug statutes in the workplace (see Sec.  630.225).
    (b) Second, you must identify all known workplaces under your 
Federal awards (see Sec.  630.230).



Sec.  630.205  What must I include in my drug-free workplace statement?

    You must publish a statement that--
    (a) Tells your employees that the unlawful manufacture, 
distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance 
is prohibited in your workplace;
    (b) Specifies the actions that you will take against employees for 
violating that prohibition; and
    (c) Lets each employee know that, as a condition of employment under 
any award, he or she:
    (1) Will abide by the terms of the statement; and
    (2) Must notify you in writing if he or she is convicted for a 
violation of a criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace and must 
do so no more than five calendar days after the conviction.



Sec.  630.210  To whom must I distribute my drug-free workplace statement?

    You must require that a copy of the statement described in Sec.  
630.205 be given to each employee who will be engaged in the performance 
of any Federal award.



Sec.  630.215  What must I include in my drug-free awareness program?

    You must establish an ongoing drug-free awareness program to inform 
employees about--
    (a) The dangers of drug abuse in the workplace;
    (b) Your policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace;
    (c) Any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee 
assistance programs; and
    (d) The penalties that you may impose upon them for drug abuse 
violations occurring in the workplace.

[[Page 144]]



Sec.  630.220  By when must I publish my drug-free workplace statement
and establish my drug-free awareness program?

    If you are a new recipient that does not already have a policy 
statement as described in Sec.  630.205 and an ongoing awareness program 
as described in Sec.  630.215, you must publish the statement and 
establish the program by the time given in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 If . . .                          then you . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) The performance period of the award is  must have the policy
 less than 30 days.                          statement and program in
                                             place as soon as possible,
                                             but before the date on
                                             which performance is
                                             expected to be completed.
(b) The performance period of the award is  must have the policy
 30 days or more.                            statement and program in
                                             place within 30 days after
                                             award.
(c) You believe there are extraordinary     may ask the National Science
 circumstances that will require more than   Foundation awarding
 30 days for you to publish the policy       official to give you more
 statement and establish the awareness       time to do so. The amount
 program.                                    of additional time, if any,
                                             to be given is at the
                                             discretion of the awarding
                                             official.
------------------------------------------------------------------------



Sec.  630.225  What actions must I take concerning employees who are 
convicted of drug violations in the workplace?

    There are two actions you must take if an employee is convicted of a 
drug violation in the workplace:
    (a) First, you must notify Federal agencies if an employee who is 
engaged in the performance of an award informs you about a conviction, 
as required by Sec.  630.205(c)(2), or you otherwise learn of the 
conviction. Your notification to the Federal agencies must--
    (1) Be in writing;
    (2) Include the employee's position title;
    (3) Include the identification number(s) of each affected award;
    (4) Be sent within ten calendar days after you learn of the 
conviction; and
    (5) Be sent to every Federal agency on whose award the convicted 
employee was working. It must be sent to every awarding official or his 
or her official designee, unless the Federal agency has specified a 
central point for the receipt of the notices.
    (b) Second, within 30 calendar days of learning about an employee's 
conviction, you must either--
    (1) Take appropriate personnel action against the employee, up to 
and including termination, consistent with the requirements of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), as amended; or
    (2) Require the employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug 
abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for these purposes 
by a Federal, State or local health, law enforcement, or other 
appropriate agency.



Sec.  630.230  How and when must I identify workplaces?

    (a) You must identify all known workplaces under each National 
Science Foundation award. A failure to do so is a violation of your 
drug-free workplace requirements. You may identify the workplaces--
    (1) To the National Science Foundation official that is making the 
award, either at the time of application or upon award; or
    (2) In documents that you keep on file in your offices during the 
performance of the award, in which case you must make the information 
available for inspection upon request by National Science Foundation 
officials or their designated representatives.
    (b) Your workplace identification for an award must include the 
actual address of buildings (or parts of buildings) or other sites where 
work under the award takes place. Categorical descriptions may be used 
(e.g., all vehicles of a mass transit authority or State highway 
department while in operation, State employees in each local 
unemployment office, performers in concert halls or radio studios).
    (c) If you identified workplaces to the National Science Foundation 
awarding official at the time of application or award, as described in 
paragraph (a)(1) of this section, and any workplace that you identified 
changes during the performance of the award, you must inform the 
National Science Foundation awarding official.

[[Page 145]]



        Subpart C_Requirements for Recipients Who Are Individuals



Sec.  630.300  What must I do to comply with this part if I am an
individual recipient?

    As a condition of receiving a(n) National Science Foundation award, 
if you are an individual recipient, you must agree that--
    (a) You will not engage in the unlawful manufacture, distribution, 
dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance in conducting 
any activity related to the award; and
    (b) If you are convicted of a criminal drug offense resulting from a 
violation occurring during the conduct of any award activity, you will 
report the conviction:
    (1) In writing.
    (2) Within 10 calendar days of the conviction.
    (3) To the National Science Foundation awarding official or other 
designee for each award that you currently have, unless Sec.  630.301 or 
the award document designates a central point for the receipt of the 
notices. When notice is made to a central point, it must include the 
identification number(s) of each affected award.



Sec.  630.301  [Reserved]



   Subpart D_Responsibilities of National Science Foundation Awarding 
                                Officials



Sec.  630.400  What are my responsibilities as a(n) National Science
Foundation awarding official?

    As a(n) National Science Foundation awarding official, you must 
obtain each recipient's agreement, as a condition of the award, to 
comply with the requirements in--
    (a) Subpart B of this part, if the recipient is not an individual; 
or
    (b) Subpart C of this part, if the recipient is an individual.



           Subpart E_Violations of This Part and Consequences



Sec.  630.500  How are violations of this part determined for recipients
other than individuals?

    A recipient other than an individual is in violation of the 
requirements of this part if the Director or designee determines, in 
writing, that--
    (a) The recipient has violated the requirements of subpart B of this 
part; or
    (b) The number of convictions of the recipient's employees for 
violating criminal drug statutes in the workplace is large enough to 
indicate that the recipient has failed to make a good faith effort to 
provide a drug-free workplace.



Sec.  630.505  How are violations of this part determined for recipients
who are individuals?

    An individual recipient is in violation of the requirements of this 
part if the Director or designee determines, in writing, that--
    (a) The recipient has violated the requirements of subpart C of this 
part; or
    (b) The recipient is convicted of a criminal drug offense resulting 
from a violation occurring during the conduct of any award activity.



Sec.  630.510  What actions will the Federal Government take against a
recipient determined to have violated this part?

    If a recipient is determined to have violated this part, as 
described in Sec.  630.500 or Sec.  630.505, the National Science 
Foundation may take one or more of the following actions--
    (a) Suspension of payments under the award;
    (b) Suspension or termination of the award; and
    (c) Suspension or debarment of the recipient under 45 CFR part 620, 
for a period not to exceed five years.



Sec.  630.515  Are there any exceptions to those actions?

    The Director, National Science Foundation may waive with respect to 
a particular award, in writing, a suspension of payments under an award, 
suspension or termination of an award, or suspension or debarment of a 
recipient

[[Page 146]]

if the Director, National Science Foundation determines that such a 
waiver would be in the public interest. This exception authority cannot 
be delegated to any other official.



                          Subpart F_Definitions



Sec.  630.605  Award.

    Award means an award of financial assistance by the National Science 
Foundation or other Federal agency directly to a recipient.
    (a) The term award includes:
    (1) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money 
or property in lieu of money.
    (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program, whether or 
not the grant is exempted from coverage under the Governmentwide rule 45 
CFR part 602 that implements OMB Circular A-102 (for availability, see 5 
CFR 1310.3) and specifies uniform administrative requirements.
    (b) The term award does not include:
    (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money.
    (2) Loans.
    (3) Loan guarantees.
    (4) Interest subsidies.
    (5) Insurance.
    (6) Direct appropriations.
    (7) Veterans' benefits to individuals (i.e., any benefit to 
veterans, their families, or survivors by virtue of the service of a 
veteran in the Armed Forces of the United States).



Sec.  630.610  Controlled substance.

    Controlled substance means a controlled substance in schedules I 
through V of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812), and as 
further defined by regulation at 21 CFR 1308.11 through 1308.15.



Sec.  630.615  Conviction.

    Conviction means a finding of guilt (including a plea of nolo 
contendere) or imposition of sentence, or both, by any judicial body 
charged with the responsibility to determine violations of the Federal 
or State criminal drug statutes.



Sec.  630.620  Cooperative agreement.

    Cooperative agreement means an award of financial assistance that, 
consistent with 31 U.S.C. 6305, is used to enter into the same kind of 
relationship as a grant (see definition of grant in Sec.  630.650), 
except that substantial involvement is expected between the Federal 
agency and the recipient when carrying out the activity contemplated by 
the award. The term does not include cooperative research and 
development agreements as defined in 15 U.S.C. 3710a.



Sec.  630.625  Criminal drug statute.

    Criminal drug statute means a Federal or non-Federal criminal 
statute involving the manufacture, distribution, dispensing, use, or 
possession of any controlled substance.



Sec.  630.630  Debarment.

    Debarment means an action taken by a Federal agency to prohibit a 
recipient from participating in Federal Government procurement contracts 
and covered nonprocurement transactions. A recipient so prohibited is 
debarred, in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation for 
procurement contracts (48 CFR part 9, subpart 9.4) and the common rule, 
Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement), that 
implements Executive Order 12549 and Executive Order 12689.



Sec.  630.635  Drug-free workplace.

    Drug-free workplace means a site for the performance of work done in 
connection with a specific award at which employees of the recipient are 
prohibited from engaging in the unlawful manufacture, distribution, 
dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance.



Sec.  630.640  Employee.

    (a) Employee means the employee of a recipient directly engaged in 
the performance of work under the award, including--
    (1) All direct charge employees;
    (2) All indirect charge employees, unless their impact or 
involvement in the performance of work under the award is insignificant 
to the performance of the award; and
    (3) Temporary personnel and consultants who are directly engaged in 
the

[[Page 147]]

performance of work under the award and who are on the recipient's 
payroll.
    (b) This definition does not include workers not on the payroll of 
the recipient (e.g., volunteers, even if used to meet a matching 
requirement; consultants or independent contractors not on the payroll; 
or employees of subrecipients or subcontractors in covered workplaces).



Sec.  630.645  Federal agency or agency.

    Federal agency or agency means any United States executive 
department, military department, government corporation, government 
controlled corporation, any other establishment in the executive branch 
(including the Executive Office of the President), or any independent 
regulatory agency.



Sec.  630.650  Grant.

    Grant means an award of financial assistance that, consistent with 
31 U.S.C. 6304, is used to enter into a relationship--
    (a) The principal purpose of which is to transfer a thing of value 
to the recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation 
authorized by a law of the United States, rather than to acquire 
property or services for the Federal Government's direct benefit or use; 
and
    (b) In which substantial involvement is not expected between the 
Federal agency and the recipient when carrying out the activity 
contemplated by the award.



Sec.  630.655  Individual.

    Individual means a natural person.



Sec.  630.660  Recipient.

    Recipient means any individual, corporation, partnership, 
association, unit of government (except a Federal agency) or legal 
entity, however organized, that receives an award directly from a 
Federal agency.



Sec.  630.665  State.

    State means any of the States of the United States, the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or 
possession of the United States.



Sec.  630.670  Suspension.

    Suspension means an action taken by a Federal agency that 
immediately prohibits a recipient from participating in Federal 
Government procurement contracts and covered nonprocurement transactions 
for a temporary period, pending completion of an investigation and any 
judicial or administrative proceedings that may ensue. A recipient so 
prohibited is suspended, in accordance with the Federal Acquisition 
Regulation for procurement contracts (48 CFR part 9, subpart 9.4) and 
the common rule, Government-wide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement), that implements Executive Order 12549 and Executive 
Order 12689. Suspension of a recipient is a distinct and separate action 
from suspension of an award or suspension of payments under an award.



PART 640_COMPLIANCE WITH THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
640.1 Purpose.
640.2 Committee on Environmental Matters.
640.3 Actions requiring an environmental assessment and categorical 
          exclusions.
640.4 Responsibilities and procedures for preparation of an 
          environmental assessment.
640.5 Responsibilities and procedures for preparation of an 
          environmental impact statement.

    Authority: NEPA; the Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970, 
as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.); sec. 309 of the Clean Air Act, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 7609); E.O. 11514, ``Protection and Enhancement of 
Environmental Quality'' (March 5, 1970, as amended by E.O. 11991, May 
24, 1977); and CEQ regulations at 40 CFR Parts 1500 through 1508.

    Source: 45 FR 40, Jan. 2, 1980, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  640.1  Purpose.

    The purpose of this regulation is to adopt NSF procedures to 
supplement regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508 (hereafter 
referred to as ``CEQ regulations'').

[[Page 148]]



Sec.  640.2  Committee on Environmental Matters.

    (a) There is established an NSF Committee on Environmental Matters 
(hereafter referred to as the Committee) to consist of one 
representative from each directorate. The General Counsel, or his or her 
designee, shall serve as Chairman. At the discretion of the Chairman and 
with the concurrence of the Committee, additional members may be 
appointed.
    (b) All incoming correspondence from CEQ and other agencies 
concerning matters related to NEPA, including draft and final 
environmental impact statements, shall be brought to the attention of 
the Chairman. The Chairman will prepare or, at his or her discretion, 
coordinate replies to such correspondence.
    (c) The Committee shall meet regularly to discuss NSF policies and 
practices regarding NEPA, and make recommendations on the need for or 
adequacy of environmental impact assessments or statements.
    (d) With respect to actions of NSF, the Committee will:
    (1) Maintain a list of actions for which environmental impact 
statements are being prepared.
    (2) Revise this list at regular intervals, based on input from the 
directorates, and send revisions to CEQ.
    (3) Make the list available for public inspection on request.
    (4) Maintain a list of environmental impact assessments.
    (5) Maintain a file of draft and final environmental impact 
statements.
    (e) The Committee and/or the Chairman will perform such additional 
functions as are set forth elsewhere in this part and in other NSF 
issuances.

[45 FR 40, Jan. 2, 1980, as amended at 49 FR 37596, Sept. 25, 1984; 59 
FR 37438, July 22, 1994]



Sec.  640.3  Actions requiring an environmental assessment and 
categorical exclusions.

    (a) The types of actions to be classified as ``major Federal 
actions'' subject to NEPA procedures are discussed generally in the CEQ 
regulations. Paragraph (b) of this section describes various classes of 
NSF actions that normally require the preparation of an environmental 
assessment or an EIS, and those classes that are categorically excluded. 
(Categorical exclusion is defined at 40 CFR 1508.4.) The word 
``normally'' is stressed; there may be individual cases in which 
specific factors require contrary action. NSF directorates and offices 
are responsible for identifying situations in which an environmental 
assessment or an EIS should be prepared even if not normally required by 
paragraph (b) of this paragraph.
    (b) Most NSF awards support individual scientific research projects 
and are not ``major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment'' except in the sense that the long term effect 
of the accumulation of human knowledge is likely to affect the quality 
of the human environment. However, such long term effects are basically 
speculative and unknowable in advance; thus they normally do not provide 
a sufficient basis for classifying research as subject to NEPA (See 40 
CFR 1508.8) and are categorically excluded from an environmental 
assessment. Nevertheless, in some cases the actual procedures used in 
carrying out the research may have potential environmental effects, 
particularly where the project requires construction of facilities or 
major disturbance of the local environment brought about by blasting, 
drilling, excavating, or other means. Accordingly, except as provided in 
paragraph (c) of this section, the following types of activities require 
at least an environmental assessment:
    (1) Cases where developmental efforts are supported, if the project 
supports the transition of a particular technology from the development 
stage to large-scale commercial utilization.
    (2) Any project supporting construction, other than interior 
remodelling.
    (3) Cases where field work affecting the natural environment will be 
conducted.
    (4) Any project that will involve drilling of the earth, excavation, 
explosives, weather modification, or other techniques that may alter a 
local environment.
    (5) Any project that provides for the testing and release of 
biological-control agents for purposes of ecosystem manipulation and 
assessment of short-

[[Page 149]]

and long-term effects of major ecosystem perturbation.
    (c) Directorates having divisions or programs with a substantial 
number of projects that fall within categories (3), (4), and (5) in (b) 
of this section, are authorized to issue supplemental guidelines to 
Division Directors and Program Officers establishing subcategories of 
research methodologies or techniques for which environmental assessments 
need not be prepared. For example, if a program regularly supports 
research that involves noninvasive techniques or nonharmful invasive 
techniques (such as taking water or soil samples, or collecting non-
protected species of flora and fauna) the directorate may determine that 
field projects otherwise coming under paragraph (b)(3) of this section 
which involve only the use of such techniques do not require an 
environmental assessment. However, any such guidelines must be submitted 
to the Chairman for approval.
    (d) In some cases within the categories listed in paragraph (b) of 
this section, it will be evident at the outset or after the assessment 
process is begun that an EIS should be prepared. In such cases an 
assessment need not be completed, but the process of preparing an EIS 
(See Sec.  640.5, of this part) should be started.



Sec.  640.4  Responsibilities and procedures for preparation of an
environmental assessment.

    (a) Program Officers, as the first point of decision in the review 
process, shall determine into which category incoming proposals fall, 
according to the criteria set forth in Sec.  640.3 of this part. 
Notwithstanding this responsibility of the Program Officer, the 
appropriate Division Director, Assistant Director, and other reviewing 
policy officials must assure that adequate analysis is being made.
    (b) Where appropriate, programs, divisions, or directorates will 
advise prospective applicants in program announcements, requests for 
proposals, and other NSF-prepared brochures of the requirement to 
furnish information regarding any environmental impact that the 
applicant's proposed study may have.
    (c) Should an environmental assessment be required, the directorate 
supporting the activity shall be responsible for its preparation. The 
grant or contract applicant may be asked to submit additional 
information in order that a reasonable and accurate assessment may be 
made. Though no specific format for an environmental assessment is 
prescribed, it shall be a separate document suitable for public review 
and shall serve the purpose described in 40 CFR 1508.9, which is quoted 
in full as follows:

                 Section 1508.9 Environmental Assessment

    ``Environmental Assessment'':
    (a) Means a concise public document for which a Federal agency is 
responsible that serves to:
    (1) Briefly provide sufficient evidence and analysis for determining 
whether to prepare an environmental impact statement or a finding of no 
significant impact.
    (2) Aid an agency's compliance with the Act when no environmental 
impact statement is necessary.
    (3) Facilitate preparation of a statement when one is necessary.
    (b) Shall include brief discussions of the need for the proposal, of 
alternatives as required by section 102(2)(E), of the environmental 
impacts of the proposed action and alternatives, and a listing of 
agencies and persons consulted.

    (d) A copy of the assessment or drafts shall accompany the 
appropriate proposal throughout the NSF internal review and approval 
process. At the option of the directorate preparing the assessment, a 
draft may be submitted to the Committee for its review and comments. 
Prior to an award decision, one copy of all completed assessments shall 
be sent to the Chairman for review and updating of the Committee listing 
of assessments.
    (e) If, on the basis of an environmental assessment, it is 
determined that an EIS is not required, a Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FNSI) as described in 40 CFR 1508.13 will be prepared. The FNSI 
shall include the environmental assessment or a summary of it and be 
available to the public from the Committee. If the proposed action is 
one that normally requires an EIS, is closely similar to an action 
normally requiring an EIS, or is without precedent, the FNSI shall be 
made available

[[Page 150]]

for a 30 day public review period before any action is taken.



Sec.  640.5  Responsibilities and procedures for preparation of an
environmental impact statement.

    (a) If initially or after an environmental assessment has been 
completed, it is determined that an environmental impact statement 
should be prepared, it and other related documentation will be prepared 
by the directorate responsible for the action in accordance with section 
102(2)(c) of the Act, this part, and the CEQ regulations. The 
responsible directorate will be in close communication with the grant or 
contract applicant and may have to rely extensively on his or her input 
in preparing the EIS. However, once a document is prepared it shall be 
submitted to the Chairman who, after such review by the Committee as is 
deemed necessary by the Chairman, shall transmit the document as 
required by CEQ regulations and this part. If the Chairman considers a 
document unsatisfactory, he or she shall return it to the responsible 
directorate for revision prior to an award decision.
    Specifically, the following steps, as discussed in the CEQ 
regulations, will be followed in preparing an EIS:
    (1) A notice of intent to prepare a draft EIS will be published as 
described in 40 CFR 1501.7.
    (2) Scoping, as described in 40 CFR 1501.7, will be conducted.
    (3) The format and contents of the draft and final EIS shall be as 
discussed in 40 CFR part 1502.
    (4) Comments on the draft EIS shall be invited as set forth in 40 
CFR 1503.1. The minimum period to be afforded for comments on a draft 
EIS shall be 45 days, unless a lesser period is necessary to comply with 
other specific statutory requirements or in case of emergency 
circumstances, as described in 40 CFR 1506.11.
    (5) The requirements of 40 CFR 1506.9 for filing of documents with 
the Environmental Protection Agency shall be followed.
    (6) The responsible directorate shall examine carefully the basis on 
which supportive studies have been conducted to assure that such studies 
are objective and comprehensive in scope and in depth.
    (7) The Act requires that the decisionmaking involved ``utilize a 
systematic, interdisciplinary approach that will insure the integrated 
use of the natural and social sciences and the environmental design 
arts.'' If such disciplines are not present on the NSF staff, 
appropriate use should be made of personnel of Federal, State, and local 
agencies, universities, non-profit organizations, or private industry.
    (8) A copy of the draft EIS or the final EIS (or a summary, if the 
size of the EIS does not make this practical) shall be included in and 
accompany the appropriate proposal throughout the NSF internal review 
and approval process.
    (b)(1) 40 CFR 1506.1 describes the types of actions that should not 
be taken during the NEPA process. Such actions shall be avoided by NSF 
personnel during the process of preparation of an EIS and for a period 
of thirty days after the final EIS is filed with EPA, unless such 
actions are necessary to comply with other specific statutory 
requirements.
    (2) 40 CFR 1506.10 also places certain limitations on the timing of 
agency decisions on taking ``major Federal actions''. In some cases the 
actual ``decision point'' may be more clear-cut than others. If the 
``action'' that necessitated the preparation of an EIS is one that would 
be carried out under grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, then the 
award shall not be made before the times set forth in 40 CFR 1506.10, 
unless such action is necessary to comply with other specific statutory 
requirements, or as exceptions are needed as provided in 40 CFR 1506.10, 
1506.11, or 1507.3. However, an award for preliminary planning proposals 
may be made before such times if it is so structured as to require 
further NSF approvals for funding the actual actions that might 
adversely affect the quality of the human environment. In such cases, 
the subsequent approvals for funding these actions will be considered 
the ``decision''. This is consistent with the requirement that 
environmental considerations undergo concurrent review with all other 
project planning considerations.

[[Page 151]]

    (c) In appropriate cases, if the action involves other agencies, the 
Chairman may agree to designate another agency as ``lead agency'' and to 
cooperate as discussed in 40 CFR 1501.5 and 1501.6. In such cases, the 
Chairman has authority to alter the procedures described in (a) to the 
extent they are inconsistent with functions assigned to NSF under the 
``cooperating agency'' arrangements.
    (d) A public record of decision stating what the decision was; 
identifying alternatives that were considered, including the 
environmentally preferable one(s); discussing any national policy 
considerations that entered into the decision; and summarizing a 
monitoring and enforcement program if applicable for mitigation, will be 
prepared. This record of decision will be prepared at the time the 
decision is made, or if appropriate, when the agency makes its 
recommendation for action to Congress. (See 40 CFR 1505.2.)



PART 641_ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES FOR PROPOSED NATIONAL
SCIENCE FOUNDATION ACTIONS IN ANTARCTICA--Table of Contents



Sec.
641.10 Purpose.
641.11 Policy.
641.12 Applicability.
641.13 Right of action.
641.14 Definitions.
641.15 Preliminary environmental review.
641.16 Preparation of environmental documents, generally.
641.17 Initial environmental evaluation.
641.18 Comprehensive environmental evaluation.
641.19 Modification of environmental documents.
641.20 Notification of the availability of environmental documents and 
          other information.
641.21 Monitoring.
641.22 Cases of emergency.

    Authority: E.O. 12114, 44 FR 1957, 3 CFR 1979 Comp., p. 356.

    Source: 57 FR 40339, Sept. 3, 1992, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  641.10  Purpose.

    These procedures are designed to elicit and evaluate information 
that will inform the National Science Foundation (NSF) of the potential 
environmental consequences of proposed U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) 
actions, so that relevant environmental considerations are taken into 
account by decisionmakers before reaching final decisions on whether or 
how to proceed with proposed actions. These procedures are consistent 
with and implement the requirements of:
    (a) Executive Order 12114 as it relates to NSF's Antarctic 
activities, and
    (b) the environmental assessment provisions of the Protocol on 
Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty.



Sec.  641.11  Policy.

    It is the policy of NSF to use all practicable means, consistent 
with its authority, to ensure that potential environmental effects of 
actions undertaken by NSF in Antarctica, either independently or in 
cooperation with another country, are appropriately identified and 
considered during the decisionmaking process, and that appropriate 
environmental safeguards which would limit, mitigate or prevent adverse 
impacts on the Antarctic environment are identified.



Sec.  641.12  Applicability.

    The requirements set forth in this part apply to all proposed 
projects, programs and actions authorized or approved by, or subject to 
the control and responsibility of NSF that may have an impact on the 
Antarctic environment.



Sec.  641.13  Right of action

    The procedures set forth in this part establish internal procedures 
to be followed by NSF in considering the potential environmental effects 
of actions taken in Antarctica. Nothing in this part shall be construed 
to create a cause of action.



Sec.  641.14  Definitions.

    As used in these procedures, the term:
    (a) Action means a project, program or other activity, including the 
adoption of an official policy or formal plan, that is undertaken, 
authorized, adopted or approved by, or subject to the control or 
responsibility of NSF, the decommissioning of a physical

[[Page 152]]

plant or facility, and any change in the scope or intensity of a 
project, program or action.
    (b) Antarctica means the area south of 60 degrees south latitude.
    (c) Antarctic environment means the natural and physical environment 
of Antarctica and its dependent and associated ecosystems, but excludes 
social, economic and other environments.
    (d) Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting means a meeting of the 
Parties to the Antarctic Treaty, held pursuant to Article IX(1) of the 
Treaty.
    (e) Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation or CEE means a study of 
the reasonably foreseeable potential effects of a proposed action on the 
antarctic environment, prepared in accordance with the provisions of 
Sec.  641.18, and includes all comments thereon received during the 
comment period described in Sec.  641.18(c). A Comprehensive 
Environmental Evaluation shall constitute an environmental impact 
statement for purposes of the Executive Order.
    (f) Environmental Action Memorandum means a document briefly 
describing a proposed action and its potential impacts, if any, on the 
antarctic environment prepared by the responsible official when he or 
she determines that a proposed action will have less than a minor or 
transitory impact on the Antarctic environment.
    (g) Environmental document means an initial environmental evaluation 
or a comprehensive environmental evaluation.
    (h) Environmental review means the environmental review required by 
the provisions of this part, and includes preliminary environmental 
review and preparation of an environmental document, and review by the 
parties to the Protocol, and committees established under the Protocol 
for that purpose, and the public, as applicable.
    (i) Executive Order means Executive Order 12114, Environmental 
Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions, 44 FR 1957.
    (j) Initial Environmental Evaluation or IEE means a study of the 
reasonably foreseeable potential effects of a proposed action on the 
antarctic environment, prepared in accordance with the provisions of 
Sec.  641.17.
    (k) Preliminary environmental review means the environmental review 
described in Sec.  641.15(a).
    (l) Protocol means the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the 
Antarctic Treaty, adopted on October 4, 1991, in Madrid, at the fourth 
session of the Eleventh Special Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting 
and signed by the United States on that date, and all annexes thereto.
    (m) Responsible official means the Director of the Office of Polar 
Programs, or any NSF employee(s) designated by the Director to be 
principally responsible for the preparation of environmental action 
memoranda or environmental documents under this part.
    (n) Treaty means the Antarctic Treaty signed in Washington, D.C., on 
December 1, 1959, T.I.A.S No. 4780.

[57 FR 40339, Sept. 3, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 37438, July 22, 1994]



Sec.  641.15  Preliminary environmental review.

    (a) The responsible official shall be notified early in the general 
planning process of actions proposed by USAP components that may have 
impacts on the Antarctic environment, so that environmental review may 
be integrated into the planning and decisionmaking processes. The 
responsible official shall conduct a preliminary environmental review of 
each action, including consideration of the potential direct and 
reasonably foreseeable indirect effects of a proposed action on the 
Antarctic environment.
    (b) If, on the basis of the preliminary environmental review, the 
responsible official determines that an action will have less than a 
minor or transitory impact on the Antarctic environment, he will prepare 
an Environmental Action Memorandum briefly summarizing the environmental 
issues considered and conclusions drawn from the review. No further 
environmental review shall be necessary.



Sec.  641.16  Preparation of environmental documents, generally.

    (a) Preparation of an environmental document. If the responsible 
official determines, either initially or on the basis of a preliminary 
environmental review, that a proposed action may

[[Page 153]]

have at least a minor or transitory impact on the Antarctic environment, 
he will prepare an environmental document in accordance with the 
provisions of this part. In making this determination, the responsible 
official should consider whether and to what degree the proposed action:
    (1) Has the potential to adversely affect the Antarctic environment;
    (2) May adversely affect climate and weather patterns;
    (3) May adversely affect air or water quality;
    (4) May affect atmospheric, terrestrial (including aquatic), glacial 
or marine environments;
    (5) May detrimentally affect the distribution, abundance or 
productivity or species, or populations of species of fauna and flora;
    (6) May further jeopardize endangered or threatened species or 
populations of such species;
    (7) May degrade, or pose substantial risk to, areas of biological, 
scientific, historic, aesthetic or wilderness significance;
    (8) Has highly uncertain environmental effects, or involves unique 
or unknown environmental risks; or
    (9) Together with other actions, the effects of any one of which is 
individually insignificant, may have at least minor or transitory 
cumulative environmental effects.
    (b) Prior assessments. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sec.  
641.16(a), if (1) An environmental document (including a generic or 
programmatic CEE) or its equivalent has been prepared for a particular 
type of action; (2) That document includes an analysis of potential 
environmental effects that are directly relevant to the potential 
effects of the proposed action, taking in account factors such as the 
similarity of the actions and of the locations within which they take 
place; and (3) There are no potential site specific or other impacts 
that would require further evaluation, then a new environmental document 
need not be prepared. Instead, the responsible official shall prepare an 
Environmental Action Memorandum for the proposed action, cross-
referencing the previously prepared environmental document.
    (c) Exclusions. NSF has determined that the following actions will 
have less than a minor or transitory impact on the Antarctic 
environment, and are not subject to the procedures set forth in this 
part, except to the extent provided herein:
    (1) Scientific research activities involving:
    (i) Low volume collection of biological or geologic specimens, 
provided no more mammals or birds are taken than can normally be 
replaced by natural reproduction in the following season;
    (ii) Small-scale detonation of explosives in connection with seismic 
research conducted in the continental interior or Antarctica where there 
will be no potential for impact on native flora and fauna;
    (iii) Use of weather/research balloons, research rockets, and 
automatic weather stations that are to be retrieved; and
    (iv) Use of radioisotopes, provided such use complies with 
applicable laws and regulations, and with NSF procedures for handling 
and disposing of radioisotopes.
    (2) Interior remodelling and renovation of existing facilities.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if information developed during the 
planning of any of the actions described in this paragraph (c) indicates 
the possibility that the action may have at least a minor or transitory 
impact on the Antarctic environment, the environmental effects of the 
action shall be reviewed to determine the need for the preparation of an 
environmental document.
    (d) Coordination with other committees, offices and federal 
agencies. The responsible official shall notify NSF's Committee of 
Environmental Matters when he intends to prepare an environmental 
document, and will coordinate preparation of the document with those 
entities. Responsibility for preparation of the environmental document 
rests primarily with the responsible official, but, as soon as is 
feasible, he should consult with and encourage the participation of 
other knowledgeable individuals within NSF, and, where appropriate, with 
other individuals, government agencies and entities with relevant 
knowledge and expertise.

[[Page 154]]

    (e) Type of environmental document. The type of environmental 
document required under this part depends on the nature of the proposed 
action under consideration. An IEE must be prepared for proposed actions 
which the responsible official concludes may have at least a minor or 
transitory impact on the Antarctic environment and for which a CEE is 
not prepared. A CEE must be prepared if an IEE indicates, or if it is 
otherwise determined, that a proposed action is likely to have more than 
a minor or transitory impact on the Antarctic environment.
    (f) Obligation of funds. Because of logistic constraints (i.e., 
constraints due to transportation difficulties, inaccessibility of 
Antarctic bases for much of the year, and the need to obtain items or 
materials requiring long lead times), it may not be possible to complete 
the environmental review of a proposed action before funds must be 
committed and/or disbursed. In such cases, funds for the proposed action 
may be committed and/or disbursed, provided:
    (1) The appropriate environmental review is completed before 
implementation of the proposed action in Antarctica, and
    (2) Implementation plans for the proposed action will be modified or 
canceled, if appropriate, in light of the completed environmental review 
(including public comments, if applicable).

[57 FR 40339, Sept. 3, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 37438, July 22, 1994]



Sec.  641.17  Initial environmental evaluation.

    (a) Contents. An IEE shall contain sufficient detail to assess 
whether a proposed action may have more than a minor or transitory 
impact on the Antarctic environment, and shall include the following 
information:
    (1) A description of the proposed action, including its purpose, 
location, duration and intensity; and
    (2) Consideration of alternatives to the proposed action and any 
impacts that the proposed action may have on the Antarctic environment, 
including cumulative impacts in light of existing and known planned 
actions and existing information on such actions.
    (b) Further environmental review. If an IEE indicates that a 
proposed action is likely to have no more than a minor or transitory 
impact on the Antarctic environment, no further environmental review of 
the action is necessary provided that appropriate procedures, which may 
include monitoring, are put in place to assess and verify the impact of 
the action.
    (c) Availability to public. An annual list of IEEs and a description 
of any decisions taken in consequence thereof shall be provided to the 
Department of State for circulation to all Parties to the Protocol and 
to organizations or committees established pursuant to the Protocol or 
the Treaty, as required. The Environmental Officer, Division of Polar 
Programs, shall also make the list and copies of final IEEs available to 
the public upon request.



Sec.  641.18  Comprehensive environmental evaluation.

    (a) Scoping. If it is determined that a CEE will be prepared, the 
responsible official shall publish a notice of intent to prepare a CEE 
in the Federal Register, inviting interested persons and government 
agencies to participate in the process of identifying significant issues 
relating to the proposed action and determining the scope of the issues 
to be addressed in the CEE.
    (b) Contents of CEE. A CEE shall be a concise and analytical 
document, prepared in accordance with the range of relevant issues 
identified in the scoping process. It shall contain sufficient 
information to permit informed consideration of the reasonably 
foreseeable potential environmental effects of a proposed action and 
possible alternatives to that proposed action. Such information shall 
include the following:
    (1) A description of the proposed action including its purpose, 
location, duration and intensity;
    (2) A description of the initial base-line environmental state with 
which predicted changes are to be compared, and a prediction of the 
future environmental state in the absence of the proposed action;
    (3) A description of the methods and data used to forecast the 
potential impacts of the proposed action;

[[Page 155]]

    (4) An estimate of the nature, extent, duration and intensity of the 
likely direct potential impacts of the proposed action;
    (5) A consideration of the potential indirect or second order 
impacts from the proposed action;
    (6) A consideration of potential cumulative impacts of the proposed 
action in light of existing activities and other known planned actions 
and available information on those actions;
    (7) A description of possible alternatives to the proposed action, 
including the alternative of not proceeding, and the potential 
consequences of those alternatives, in sufficient detail to allow a 
clear basis for choice among the alternatives and the proposed action;
    (8) Identification of measures, including monitoring, that could be 
employed to minimize, mitigate or prevent potential impacts of the 
proposed action, detect unforeseen impacts, provide early warning of any 
adverse effects, and carry out prompt and effective response to 
accidents;
    (9) Identification of unavoidable potential impacts of the proposed 
action;
    (10) Consideration of the potential effects of the proposed action 
on the conduct of scientific research and on other existing uses and 
values;
    (11) Identification of gaps in knowledge and uncertainties 
encountered in compiling the information required by this paragraph (b);
    (12) A non-technical summary of the information included in the CEE; 
and
    (13) The name and address of the person and/or organization which 
prepared the CEE, and the address to which comments thereon should be 
directed.
    (c) Circulation of draft CEE. A draft of each CEE shall be provided 
to the Department of State for circulation to all Parties to the 
Protocol and to organizations or committees established pursuant to the 
Protocol or Treaty, as required by the Protocol, and shall be made 
publicly available. Notice of such public availability shall be 
published in the Federal Register. All such parties shall have a period 
of not less than ninety (90) days within which to review and comment 
upon the draft CEE.
    (d) Final CEE. A final CEE shall address, and shall include or 
summarize, comments received on the draft CEE. The final CEE, notice of 
any decisions related thereto, and any evaluation of the significance of 
the predicted impacts in relation to the advantages of the proposed 
action shall be provided to the Department of State for circulation to 
all Parties to the Protocol, and shall be available to the public upon 
request, at least sixty (60) days prior to the commencement of the 
proposed activity in Antarctica. Notice of such public availability 
shall be published in the Federal Register.
    (e) Implementation of proposed action. No final decision shall be 
taken to proceed in Antarctica with an action for which a final CEE is 
required until after the earlier of:
    (1) The first Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting taking place at 
least one hundred and twenty days after circulation of the draft CEE, or
    (2) Fifteen months following the circulation of the draft CEE.



Sec.  641.19  Modification of environmental documents.

    The responsible official should revise or supplement an 
environmental document if there is a change in a proposed action that 
may have more than a minor or transitory effect on the antarctic 
environment, or if there are new circumstances or information that 
indicate the action may have impacts not anticipated in the original 
environmental document.



Sec.  641.20  Notification of the availability of environmental documents
and other information.

    The Environmental Officer, Office of Polar Programs, shall make 
Environmental Action Memoranda, environmental documents and final data 
obtained under Sec.  641.21, available to the public upon request. 
However, notice of such availability need not be given, except as 
specifically provided in this part.

[57 FR 40339, Sept. 3, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 37438, July 22, 1994]



Sec.  641.21  Monitoring.

    Scientific, analytic and/or reporting procedures shall be put in 
place, including appropriate monitoring of key environmental indicators, 
to assess and

[[Page 156]]

verify the potential environmental impacts of actions which are the 
subject of a CEE. All proposed actions for which an environmental 
document has been prepared shall include procedures designed to provide 
a regular and verifiable record of the actual impacts of those actions, 
in order, inter alia, to
    (a) Enable assessments to be made of the extent to which such 
impacts are consistent with the Protocol; and
    (b) Provide information useful for minimizing or mitigating those 
impacts, and, where appropriate, information on the need for suspension, 
cancellation or modification of the action.



Sec.  641.22  Cases of emergency.

    This part shall not apply to actions taken in cases of emergency 
relating to the safety of human life or of ships, aircraft or equipment 
and facilities of high value, or the protection of the environment which 
require an action to be taken without completion of the environmental 
review required by this part. Notice of any such actions which would 
otherwise have required the preparation of a CEE shall be provided 
immediately to the Department of State for circulation to all Parties to 
the Protocol and to committees and organizations established pursuant to 
the Treaty or Protocol, as required. A description of the emergency 
action undertaken shall also be provided to the Department of State for 
appropriate circulation within ninety days of the action.



PART 650_PATENTS--Table of Contents



Sec.
650.1 Scope of part.
650.2 National Science Foundation patent policy.
650.3 Source of authority.
650.4 Standard patent rights clause.
650.5 Special patent provisions.
650.6 Awards not primarily for research.
650.7 Awards affected by international agreements.
650.8 Retention of rights by inventor.
650.9 Unwanted inventions.
650.10 Inventions also supported by another Federal agency.
650.11 Utilization reports.
650.12 Waivers and approvals.
650.13 Exercise of march-in rights.
650.14 Request for conveyance of title to NSF.
650.15 Appeals.
650.16 Background rights.
650.17 Subcontracts.
650.18 Delegation of authority.
650.19 Electronic invention handling.

Appendix A to Part 650--Optional Format for Confirmatory License

    Authority: 35 U.S.C. 200-212, 42 U.S.C. 1870(e) and 1871; and the 
Presidential Memorandum entitled ``Government Patent Policy'', issued 
February 18, 1983.

    Source: 57 FR 18053, Apr. 28, 1992, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  650.1  Scope of part.

    This part contains the policies, procedures, and clauses that govern 
allocation of rights to inventions made in performance of NSF-assisted 
research. It applies to all current and future funding agreements 
entered into by the Foundation that relate to performance of scientific 
or engineering research. As stated in the NSF Acquisition Regulation 
(chapter 25 of title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations), this part 
applies to contracts as well as to grants and cooperative agreements.



Sec.  650.2  National Science Foundation patent policy.

    As authorized by the National Science Board at its 230th meeting, 
October 15-16, 1981, the Director of the National Science Foundation has 
adopted the following statement of NSF patent policy.
    (a) In accordance with the Bayh-Dole Act and the Presidential 
Memorandum entitled ``Government Patent Policy'' issued February 18, 
1983, the Foundation will use the Patent Rights clause prescribed by the 
Department of Commerce in all its funding agreements for the performance 
of experimental, developmental, or research work, including awards made 
to foreign entities, unless the Foundation determines that some other 
provision would better serve the purposes of that Act or the interests 
of the United States and the general public.
    (b) In funding agreements covered by a treaty or agreement that 
provides that an international organization or foreign government, 
research institute, or inventor will own or share patent rights, the 
Foundation will acquire such patent rights as are necessary to

[[Page 157]]

comply with the applicable treaty or agreement.
    (c) If an awardee elects not to retain rights to an invention, the 
Foundation will allow the inventor to retain the principal patent rights 
unless the awardee, or the inventor's employer if other than the 
awardee, shows that it would be harmed by that action.
    (d) The Foundation will normally allow any patent rights not wanted 
by the awardee or inventor to be dedicated to the public through 
publication in scientific journals or as a statutory invention 
registration. However, if another Federal agency is known to be 
interested in the relevant technology, the Foundation may give it an 
opportunity to review and patent the invention so long as that does not 
inhibit the dissemination of the research results to the scientific 
community.



Sec.  650.3  Source of authority.

    (a) 35 U.S.C. 200-212, commonly called the Bayh-Dole Act, as amended 
by title V of Public Law 98-620 (98 stat. 3335, 3364). That law controls 
the allocation of rights to inventions made by employees of small 
business firms and domestic nonprofit organizations, including 
universities, during federally-supported experimentation, research, or 
development. Government-wide implementing regulations are contained in 
part 401 of title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
    (b) Section 11(e) of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as 
amended, (42 U.S.C. 1870(e)) provides that the Foundation shall have the 
authority to do all things necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
Act, including, but without being limited thereto, the authority--to 
acquire by purchase, lease, loan, gift, or condemnation, and to hold and 
dispose of by grant, sale, lease, or loan, real and personal property of 
all kinds necessary for, or resulting from, the exercise of authority 
granted by this Act.
    (c) Section 12 of the NSF Act (42 U.S.C. 1871) provides that each 
contract or other arrangement executed pursuant to this Act which 
relates to scientific research shall contain provisions governing the 
disposition of inventions produced thereunder in a manner calculated to 
protect the public interest and the equities of the individual or 
organization with which the contract or other arrangement is executed.
    (d) The Presidential Memorandum entitled ``Government Patent 
Policy'' issued February 18, 1983, directs Federal agencies, to the 
extent permitted by law, to apply to all research performers the 
policies of the Bayh-Dole Act. Under the provisions of the National 
Science Foundation Act quoted above, the Foundation is permitted to 
apply the Bayh-Dole policies without restriction.



Sec.  650.4  Standard patent rights clause.

    (a) The following Patent Rights clause will be used in every funding 
agreement awarded by the Foundation that relates to scientific or 
engineering research unless a special patent clause has been negotiated 
(see Sec.  650.5).

                      Patent Rights (August, 2005)

    (a) Definitions--(1) Invention means any invention or discovery 
which is or may be patentable or otherwise protectable under title 35 of 
the United States Code, to any novel variety of plant which is or may be 
protected under the Plant Variety Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 2321 et 
seq.).
    (2) Subject invention means any invention of the grantee conceived 
or first actually reduced to practice in the performance of work under 
this grant, provided that in the case of a variety of plant, the date of 
determination (as defined in section 41(d) of the Plant Variety 
Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 2401(d)) must also occur during the period of 
grant performance.
    (3) Practical application means to manufacture in the case of a 
composition or product, to practice in the case of a process or method, 
or to operate in the case of a machine or system; and, in each case, 
under such conditions as to establish that the invention is being 
utilized and that its benefits are to the extent permitted by law or 
Government regulations available to the public on reasonable terms.
    (4) Made when used in relation to any invention means the conception 
or first actual reduction to practice of such invention.
    (5) Small business firm means a domestic small business concern as 
defined at section 2 of Public Law 85-536 (15 U.S.C. 632) and 
implementing regulations of the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration. For the purpose of this Patents Rights clause, the size 
standard for small business concerns involved in Government procurement 
and subcontracting at 13 CFR 121.3-8 and 13 CFR 121.3-12, respectively, 
will be used.

[[Page 158]]

    (6) Nonprofit organization means a domestic university or other 
institution of higher education or an organization of the type described 
in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (26 U.S.C. 
501(c)) and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal 
Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 501(a)) or any domestic nonprofit scientific or 
educational organization qualified under a State nonprofit organization 
statute.
    (b) Allocation of Principal Rights. The grantee may retain the 
entire right, title, and interest throughout the world to each subject 
invention subject to the provisions of this Patents Rights clause and 35 
U.S.C. 203. With respect to any subject invention in which the grantee 
retains title, the Federal Government shall have a nonexclusive, 
nontransferable, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice or have 
practiced for or on behalf of the United States the subject invention 
throughout the world. If the award indicates it is subject to an 
identified international agreement or treaty, the National Science 
Foundation (NSF) also has the right to direct the grantee to convey to 
any foreign participant such patent rights to subject inventions as are 
required to comply with that agreement or treaty.
    (c) Invention Disclosure, Election of Title and Filing of Patent 
Applications by Grantee. (1) The grantee will disclose each subject 
invention to NSF within two months after the inventor discloses it in 
writing to grantee personnel responsible for the administration of 
patent matters. The disclosure to NSF will be submitted via the iEdison 
Invention Information Management System maintained by the National 
Institutes of Health and shall identify the grant under which the 
invention was made and the inventor(s). It shall be sufficiently 
complete in technical detail to convey a clear understanding of the 
nature, purpose, operation, and, to the extent known, the physical, 
chemical, biological or electrical characteristics of the invention. The 
disclosure shall also identify any publication, on sale or public use of 
the invention and whether a manuscript describing the invention has been 
submitted for publication and, if so, whether it has been accepted for 
publication at the time of disclosure. In addition, after disclosure to 
NSF, the grantee will promptly notify NSF of the acceptance of any 
manuscript describing the invention for publication or of any on sale or 
public use planned by the grantee.
    (2) The grantee will elect in writing whether or not to retain title 
to any such invention by notifying NSF within two years of disclosure to 
NSF. However, in any case where publication, on sale, or public use has 
initiated the one year statutory period wherein valid patent protection 
can still be obtained in the United States, the period for election of 
title may be shortened by NSF to a date that is no more than 60 days 
prior to the end of the statutory period.
    (3) The grantee will file its initial patent application on an 
invention to which it elects to retain title within one year after 
election of title or, if earlier, prior to the end of any statutory 
period wherein valid patent protection can be obtained in the United 
States after a publication, on sale, or public use. The grantee will 
file patent applications in additional countries or international patent 
offices within either ten months of the corresponding initial patent 
application, or six months from the date when permission is granted by 
the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks to file foreign patent 
applications when such filing has been prohibited by a Secrecy Order.
    (4) Requests for extension of the time for disclosure to NSF, 
election, and filing under subparagraphs (c) (1), (2), and (3) of this 
clause may, at the discretion of NSF, be granted.
    (d) Conditions When the Government May Obtain Title. The grantee 
will convey to NSF, upon written request, title to any subject 
invention:
    (1) If the grantee fails to disclose or elect the subject invention 
within the times specified in paragraph (c) above, or elects not to 
retain title; provided that NSF may only request title within 60 days 
after learning of the failure of the grantee to disclose or elect within 
the specified times.
    (2) In those countries in which the grantee fails to file patent 
applications within the times specified in paragraph (c) above; 
provided, however, that if the grantee has filed a patent application in 
a country after the times specified in paragraph (c) above, but prior to 
its receipt of the written request of NSF, the grantee shall continue to 
retain title in that country.
    (3) In any country in which the grantee decides not to continue the 
prosecution of any application for, to pay the maintenance fees on, or 
defend in a reexamination or opposition proceeding on, a patent on a 
subject invention.
    (e) Minimum Rights to Grantee. (1) The grantee will retain a 
nonexclusive royalty-free license throughout the world in each subject 
invention to which the Government obtains title, except if the grantee 
fails to disclose the subject invention within the times specified in 
paragraph (c) above. The grantee's license extends to its domestic 
subsidiaries and affiliates, if any, within the corporate structure of 
which the grantee is a party and includes the right to grant sublicenses 
of the same scope to the extent the grantee was legally obligated to do 
so at the time the grant was awarded. The license is transferable only 
with the approval of NSF except when transferred to the successor of 
that part of the grantee's business to which the invention pertains.

[[Page 159]]

    (2) The grantee's domestic license may be revoked or modified by NSF 
to the extent necessary to achieve expeditious practical application of 
the subject invention pursuant to an application for an exclusive 
license submitted in accordance with applicable provisions at 37 CFR 
part 404. This license will not be revoked in that field of use or the 
geographical areas in which the grantee has achieved practical 
application and continues to make the benefits of the invention 
reasonably accessible to the public. The license in any foreign country 
may be revoked or modified at the discretion of NSF to the extent the 
grantee, its licensees, or its domestic subsidiaries or affiliates have 
failed to achieve practical application in that foreign country.
    (3) Before revocation or modification of the license, NSF will 
furnish the grantee a written notice of its intention to revoke or 
modify the license, and the grantee will be allowed thirty days (or such 
other time as may be authorized by NSF for good cause shown by the 
grantee) after the notice to show cause why the license should not be 
revoked or modified. The grantee has the right to appeal, in accordance 
with applicable regulations in 37 CFR part 404 concerning the licensing 
of Government-owned inventions, any decision concerning the revocation 
or modification of its license.
    (f) Grantee Action to Protect Government's Interest. (1) The grantee 
agrees to execute or to have executed and promptly deliver to NSF all 
instruments necessary to:
    (i) Establish or confirm the rights the Government has throughout 
the world in those subject inventions for which the grantee retains 
title, and
    (ii) Convey title to NSF when requested under paragraph (d) above, 
and to enable the Government to obtain patent protection throughout the 
world in that subject invention.
    (2) The grantee agrees to require, by written agreement, its 
employees, other than clerical and non-technical employees, to disclose 
promptly in writing to personnel identified as responsible for the 
administration of patent matters and in a format suggested by the 
grantee each subject invention made under this grant in order that the 
grantee can comply with the disclosure provisions of paragraph (c) 
above, and to execute all papers necessary to file patent applications 
on subject inventions and to establish the Government's rights in the 
subject inventions. The disclosure format should require, at a minimum, 
the information requested by paragraph (c)(1) above. The grantee shall 
instruct such employees through the employee agreements or other 
suitable educational programs on the importance of reporting inventions 
in sufficient time to permit the filing of patent applications prior to 
U.S. or foreign statutory bars.
    (3) The grantee will notify NSF of any decision not to continue 
prosecution of a patent application, pay maintenance fees, or defend in 
a reexamination or opposition proceeding on a patent, in any country, 
not less than thirty days before the expiration of the response period 
required by the relevant patent office.
    (4) The grantee agrees to include, within the specification of any 
United States patent application and any patent issuing thereon covering 
a subject invention, the following statement: ``This invention was made 
with Government support under (identify the grant) awarded by the 
National Science Foundation. The Government has certain rights in this 
invention.''
    (5) The grantee or its representative will complete, execute, and 
submit electronically to NSF via the iEdison Invention Information 
Management System maintained by the National Institutes of Health a 
confirmation of a License to the United States Government and the page 
of a United States patent application that contains the Federal support 
clause within two months of filing any domestic or foreign patent 
application.
    (g) Subcontracts. (1) The grantee will include this Patents Rights 
clause, suitably modified to identify the parties, in all subcontracts, 
regardless of tier, for experimental, developmental, or research work. 
The subcontractor will retain all rights provided for the grantee in 
this Patents Rights clause, and the grantee will not, as part of the 
consideration for awarding the subcontract, obtain rights in the 
subcontractor's subject inventions.
    (2) In the case of subcontracts, at any tier, when the prime award 
by the Foundation was a contract (but not a grant or cooperative 
agreement), NSF, subcontractor, and contractor agree that the mutual 
obligations of the parties created by this Patents Rights clause 
constitute a contract between the subcontractor and the Foundation with 
respect to those matters covered by this Patents Rights clause.
    (h) Reporting on Utilization of Subject Inventions. The grantee 
agrees to submit on request periodic reports no more frequently than 
annually on the utilization of a subject invention or on efforts at 
obtaining such utilization that are being made by the grantee or its 
licensees or assignees. Such reports shall include information regarding 
the status of development, date of first commercial sale or use, gross 
royalties received by the grantee, and such other data and information 
as NSF may reasonably specify. The grantee also agrees to provide 
additional reports in connection with any march-in proceeding undertaken 
by NSF in accordance with paragraph (j) of this Patents Rights clause. 
As required by 35 U.S.C. 202(c)(5),

[[Page 160]]

NSF agrees it will not disclose such information to persons outside the 
Government without the permission of the grantee.
    (i) Preference for United States Industry. Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this Patents Rights clause, the grantee agrees that neither 
it nor any assignee will grant to any person the exclusive right to use 
or sell any subject invention in the United States unless such person 
agrees that any products embodying the subject invention or produced 
through the use of the subject invention will be manufactured 
substantially in the United States. However, in individual cases, the 
requirement for such an agreement may be waived by NSF upon a showing by 
the grantee or its assignee that reasonable but unsuccessful efforts 
have been made to grant licenses on similar terms to potential licensees 
that would be likely to manufacture substantially in the United States 
or that under the circumstances domestic manufacture is not commercially 
feasible.
    (j) March-in Rights. The grantee agrees that with respect to any 
subject invention in which it has acquired title, NSF has the right in 
accordance with procedures at 37 CFR 401.6 and NSF regulations at 45 CFR 
650.13 to require the grantee, an assignee or exclusive licensee of a 
subject invention to grant a nonexclusive, partially exclusive, or 
exclusive license in any field of use to a responsible applicant or 
applicants, upon terms that are reasonable under the circumstances, and 
if the grantee, assignee, or exclusive licensee refuses such a request, 
NSF has the right to grant such a license itself if NSF determines that:
    (1) Such action is necessary because the grantee or assignee has not 
taken, or is not expected to take within a reasonable time, effective 
steps to achieve practical application of the subject invention in such 
field of use;
    (2) Such action is necessary to alleviate health or safety needs 
which are not reasonably satisfied by the grantee, assignee, or their 
licensees;
    (3) Such action is necessary to meet requirements for public use 
specified by Federal regulations and such requirements are not 
reasonably satisfied by the grantee, assignee, or licensee; or
    (4) Such action is necessary because the agreement required by 
paragraph (i) of this Patents Rights clause has not been obtained or 
waived or because a licensee of the exclusive right to use or sell any 
subject invention in the United States is in breach of such agreement.
    (k) Special Provisions for Grants with Nonprofit Organizations. If 
the grantee is a nonprofit organization, it agrees that:
    (1) Rights to a subject invention in the United States may not be 
assigned without the approval of NSF, except where such assignment is 
made to an organization which has as one of its primary functions the 
management of inventions, provided that such assignee will be subject to 
the same provisions as the grantee;
    (2) The grantee will share royalties collected on a subject 
invention with the inventor, including Federal employee co-inventors 
(when NSF deems it appropriate) when the subject invention is assigned 
in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 202(e) and 37 CFR 401.10;
    (3) The balance of any royalties or income earned by the grantee 
with respect to subject inventions, after payment of expenses (including 
payments to inventors) incidental to the administration of subject 
inventions, will be utilized for the support of scientific research or 
education; and
    (4) It will make efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances 
to attract licensees of subject inventions that are small business firms 
and that it will give preference to a small business firm if the grantee 
determines that the small business firm has a plan or proposal for 
marketing the invention which, if executed, is equally likely to bring 
the invention to practical application as any plans or proposals from 
applicants that are not small business firms; provided that the grantee 
is also satisfied that the small business firm has the capability and 
resources to carry out it plan or proposal. The decision whether to give 
a preference in any specific case will be at the discretion of the 
grantee. However, the grantee agrees that the Secretary of Commerce may 
review the grantee's licensing program and decisions regarding small 
business applicants, and the grantee will negotiate changes to its 
licensing policies, procedures, or practices with the Secretary when the 
Secretary's review discloses that the grantee could take reasonable 
steps to implement more effectively the requirements of this paragraph 
(k)(4).
    (1) Communications. All communications required by this Patents 
Rights clause must be submitted through the iEdison Invention 
Information Management System maintained by the National Institutes of 
Health unless prior permission for another form of submission is 
obtained from the Patent Assistant at [email protected] or at Office of 
the General Counsel, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, 
Arlington, VA 22230.

    (b) When the above Patent Rights clause is used in a funding 
agreement other than a grant, ``grant'' and ``grantee'' may be replaced 
by ``contract'' and ``contractor'' or other appropriate terms.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 
3145-0084)

[57 FR 18053, Apr. 28, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 37438, July 22, 1994; 
62 FR 49938, Sept. 24, 1997; 70 FR 43071, July 26, 2005]

[[Page 161]]



Sec.  650.5  Special patent provisions.

    At the request of the prospective awardee or on recommendation from 
NSF staff, a Grants or Contracts Officer, with the concurrence of the 
cognizant Program Manager, may negotiate special patent provisions when 
he or she determines that exceptional circumstances require restriction 
or elimination of the right of a prospective awardee to retain title to 
any subject invention in order to better promote the policy and 
objectives of chapter 18 of title 35 of the United States Code or the 
National Science Foundation Act. The Grants or Contracts Officer will 
prepare the written determination required by Sec.  401.3(e) of title 37 
of the Code of Federal Regulations and assure that appropriate reports 
are made to the Secretary of Commerce and Chief Counsel for Advocacy of 
the Small Business Administration as required in Sec.  401.3(f). Unless 
doing so would be inconsistent with an obligation imposed on the 
Foundation by statute, international agreement, or pact with other 
participants in or supporters of the research, every special patent 
provision will allow the awardee, after an invention has been made, to 
request that it be allowed to retain principal rights to that invention 
under Sec.  650.12(e) of this regulation.



Sec.  650.6  Awards not primarily for research.

    (a) Awards not primarily intended to support scientific or 
engineering research need contain no patent provision. Examples of such 
awards are travel and conference grants.
    (b) NSF fellowships and traineeships are primarily intended to 
support education or training, not particular research. Therefore, in 
accordance with section 212 of title 35 of the United States Code, the 
Foundation claims no rights to inventions made by fellows or trainees. 
The following provision will be included in each fellowship or 
traineeship program announcement and made part of the award:

                      Intellectual Property Rights

    The National Science Foundation claims no rights to any inventions 
or writings that might result from its fellowship or traineeship awards. 
However, fellows and trainees should be aware that the NSF, another 
Federal agency, or some private party may acquire such rights through 
other support for particular research. Also, fellows and trainees should 
note their obligation to include an Acknowledgment and Disclaimer in any 
publication.



Sec.  650.7  Awards affected by international agreements.

    (a) Some NSF awards are made as part of international cooperative 
research programs. The agreements or treaties underlying many of these 
programs require an allocation of patent rights different from that 
provided by the Patent Rights clause in Sec.  650.4(a). Therefore, as 
permitted by Sec.  401.5(d) of the implementing regulations for the 
Bayh-Dole Act (37 CFR 401.5(d)), paragraph (b) of the standard Patent 
Rights clause in Sec.  650.4(a) has been modified to provide that the 
Foundation may require the grantee to transfer to a foreign government 
or research performer such rights in any subject invention as are 
contemplated in the international agreement. The award instrument will 
identify the applicable agreement or treaty.
    (b) After an invention is disclosed to the Patent Assistant, the 
recipient of an award subject to an international agreement will be 
informed as to what rights, if any, it must transfer to foreign 
participants. Recipients may also ask the Program Manager to provide 
them with copies of the identified international agreements before or 
after accepting an award.



Sec.  650.8  Retention of rights by inventor.

    If an awardee elects not to retain rights to an invention, the 
inventor may request the NSF Patent Assistant for permission to retain 
principal patent rights. Such requests should be made as soon as 
possible after the awardee notifies the Patent Assistant that it does 
not want to patent the invention. Such requests will normally be granted 
unless either the awardee or the employer of the inventor shows that it 
would be harmed by that action. As required by Sec.  401.9 of the 
implementing regulations for the Bayh-Dole Act (37 CFR 401.9), the 
inventor will be subject to the same conditions that the awardee would 
have been, except that the special restrictions imposed on

[[Page 162]]

nonprofit organizations will not apply to the inventor.



Sec.  650.9  Unwanted inventions.

    (a) The Foundation will normally allow any patent rights not wanted 
by the awardee or inventor to be dedicated to the public through 
publication in scientific and engineering journals or as a statutory 
invention registration under section 157 of title 35 of the United 
States Code. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the 
NSF Patent Assistant will acknowledge a negative election by encouraging 
the awardee and inventor to promptly make all research results available 
to the scientific and engineering community.
    (b) If the NSF Patent Assistant believes that another Federal agency 
is interested in the relevant technology, he or she may, after receiving 
the awardee's election not to patent and ascertaining that the inventor 
also does not want to patent, send a copy of the invention disclosure to 
that agency to give it an opportunity to review and patent the 
invention. Unless the agency expresses an interest in the invention 
within thirty days, the Patent Assistant will acknowledge the awardee's 
negative election by encouraging prompt publication of all research 
results. If the agency does express an interest in patenting the 
invention, the Patent Assistant will transfer to it all rights to the 
invention.



Sec.  650.10  Inventions also supported by another Federal Agency.

    Section 401.13(a) of the implementing regulation for the Bayh-Dole 
Act (37 CFR 401.13(a)) provides that in the event that an invention is 
made under funding agreements of more than one federal agency, the 
agencies involved will, at the request of the grantee or contractor or 
on their own initiative, designate one agency to be responsible for the 
administration of the invention. Whenever the NSF Patent Assistant finds 
that another agency also supported an NSF subject invention, he or she 
will consult with the grantee or contractor and appropriate personnel in 
the other agency to determine if a single agency should be designated to 
administer the Government's rights in the invention. The Patent 
Assistant may transfer to, or accept from, any other Federal agency, 
responsibility for administering a jointly-supported invention.



Sec.  650.11  Utilization reports.

    Paragraph (h) of the standard Patent Rights clause set forth in 
Sec.  650.4 obliges grantees ``to submit on request periodic reports no 
more frequently than annually on the utilization of a subject invention 
or on efforts at obtaining such utilization''. At this time, the 
Foundation does not plan to request such reports except in connection 
with march-in investigations conducted under Sec.  650.13. This section 
will be amended to describe periodic reporting requirements if such are 
ever established.

[57 FR 18053, Apr. 28, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 37438, July 22, 1994]



Sec.  650.12  Waivers and approvals.

    (a) Requests for extension of time to disclose to the NSF Patent 
Assistant, make an election to retain title to, or file a patent on a 
subject invention will be granted by the NSF Patent Assistant unless he 
or she determines that such an extension would either imperil the 
securing of valid patent protection or unacceptably restrict the 
publication of the results of the NSF-supported research.
    (b) Approval of assignments by nonprofit organizations (required by 
subparagraph (k)(1) of the Patent Rights clause in Sec.  650.4(a)) will 
be given by the Patent Assistant unless he or she determines that the 
interests of the United States Government will be adversely affected by 
such assignment.
    (c) Approval of long-term exclusive licensing of NSF-assisted 
inventions by nonprofit organizations (restricted by earlier versions of 
the NSF Patents Rights clause and by pre-Bayh-Dole Institutional Patent 
Agreements and waiver conditions) will be given by the Patent Assistant 
unless he or she determines that the interests of the United States 
Government will be adversely affected by such waiver.
    (d) The preference for United States industry imposed by paragraph 
(i) of the Patent Rights clause in Sec.  650.4(a)

[[Page 163]]

may be waived by the NSF Patent Assistant as provided in that paragraph.
    (e) Special restrictions on or limitation of the right of an awardee 
to retain title to subject inventions imposed under Sec.  650.5 of this 
regulation may be waived by the Grants or Contracting Officer whenever 
he or she determines, after consultation with the cognizant Program 
Manager, that the reasons for imposing the restrictions or limitations 
do not require their application to a particular invention.
    (f) Requests for approvals and waiver under this section should be 
addressed to the NSF Patent Assistant as provided in paragraph (1) of 
the Patent Rights clause in Sec.  650.4(a). Requests under paragraph (a) 
of this section for extensions of time to disclose, elect, or file may 
be made by telephone or electronic mail as well as in writing. A written 
request for extension of time to disclose, elect, or file can be assumed 
to have been approved unless the Patent Assistant replies negatively 
within ten business days of the date such request was mailed, 
telecopied, or otherwise dispatched. Requests for approvals or waivers 
under paragraphs (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this section must be in 
writing and should explain why an approval or waiver is justified under 
the stated criteria. The requester will be given a written explanation 
of the reasons for denial of a request covered by this section.



Sec.  650.13  Exercise of march-in rights.

    (a) The procedures established by this section supplement those 
prescribed by Sec.  401.6 of the implementing regulation for the Bayh-
Dole Act (37 CFR Sec.  401.6) and apply to all march-in rights held by 
NSF including those resulting from funding agreements not covered by the 
Bayh-Dole Act.
    (b) Petitions requesting that the NSF exercise a march-in right 
should be addressed to the NSF Patent Assistant. Such petitions should:
    (1) Identify the patent or patent application involved and the 
relevant fields of use of the invention;
    (2) State the grounds for the proposed march-in;
    (3) Supply evidence that one or more of the four conditions creating 
a march-in right (lack of practical application, unsatisfied health or 
safety needs, unmet requirements for public use, or failure to prefer 
United States industry) is present; and
    (4) Explain what action by the Foundation is necessary to correct 
that condition.
    (c) If evidence received from a petitioner or from the Foundation's 
administration of the Patent Rights clause indicates that one or more of 
the four conditions creating a march-in right might exist, the NSF 
Patent Assistant will informally review the matter as provided in Sec.  
401.6(b) of the implementing regulation. If that informal review 
indicates that one or more of the four conditions creating a march-in 
right probably exists, the Patent Assistant will initiate a formal 
march-in proceeding by issuing a written notice to the patent holder. 
That notice will provide all the information required by Sec.  401.6(c) 
of the implementing regulation. The patent holder may submit information 
and argument in opposition to the proposed march-in in person, in 
writing, or through a representative.
    (d) If the NSF Patent Assistant determines that a genuine dispute 
over material facts exists, he or she will identify the disputed facts 
and notify the NSF General Counsel. The General Counsel will create a 
cross-directorate fact-finding panel, which will establish its own fact-
finding procedures within the requirements of Sec.  401.6(e) of the 
implementing regulation based on the dimensions of the particular 
dispute. The Patent Assistant will serve as secretary to the panel, but 
will not take part in its deliberations. Written findings of facts will 
be submitted to the General Counsel, sent by certified mail to the 
patent holder, and made available to all other interested parties.
    (e) The NSF General Counsel will determine whether and how the 
Foundation should exercise a march-in right as provided in Sec.  
401.6(g) of the implementing regulation.



Sec.  650.14  Request for conveyance of title to NSF.

    (a) The procedures established by this section apply to the exercise 
of the Foundation's right under paragraph (d) of the Patent Rights 
clause in Sec.  650.4(a)

[[Page 164]]

to request conveyance of title to a subject invention if certain 
conditions exist.
    (b) The NSF Patent Assistant may request the recipient of an NSF 
award to convey to the Foundation or a designee title in one or more 
countries to any invention to which the awardee has elected not to 
retain title. The NSF Patent Assistant may request immediate conveyance 
of title to a subject invention if the awardee fails (1) to submit a 
timely invention disclosure, (2) to make a timely election to retain 
patent rights, or (3) to file a timely patent application; but only if 
he or she determines that such action is required to preserve patent 
rights.
    (c) The NSF Patent Assistant will informally review any apparent 
failure by an awardee to comply with the requirements of paragraph (c) 
of the Patent Rights clause in Sec.  650.4(a). The interested 
institution, the inventor, the patent holder, and any other interested 
party will be given an opportunity to explain why a particular invention 
was not disclosed, why an election was not made, or why a patent 
application was not filed. If the Patent Assistant determines that a 
genuine dispute over material facts exists, a cross-directorate fact-
finding panel will be appointed by the General Counsel. The panel will 
establish its own fact-finding procedures based on the dimensions of the 
particular dispute. Written findings of facts will be submitted to the 
General Counsel, sent by certified mail to the patent holder, and made 
available to all other interested parties.
    (d) The NSF General Counsel will determine whether the Foundation 
should request conveyance of title or if it should retain title obtained 
under Sec.  650.14(b).



Sec.  650.15  Appeals.

    (a) All actions by the NSF Patent Assistant under Sec.  650.8 
denying an inventor's request to retain rights to a subject invention, 
under Sec.  650.12 denying a request for waiver, or under Sec.  
650.14(d) denying the existence of a material dispute may be appealed to 
the Director of the NSF Division of Grants and Contracts by an affected 
party within thirty days. A request under Sec.  650.14(b) to immediately 
convey title to the Foundation may be appealed to the DGC Director by 
the title holder within five days.
    (b) All actions by a Grants and Agreements Officer or Contracting 
Officer refusing to eliminate restrictions on or limitation of the right 
of an awardee to retain title to subject inventions imposed under Sec.  
650.5 of this regulation may be appealed to the Director of the NSF 
Division of Contracts, Policy, and Oversight (CPO) by an affected party 
within thirty days.
    (c) A decision by the General Counsel to exercise a march-in right 
or to request conveyance of title may be appealed by the patent holder 
or any affected licensee to the NSF Deputy Director within thirty days. 
When a march-in was initiated in response to a petition, the General 
Counsel's decision not to exercise a march-in right or to exercise it in 
a manner different from that requested in the petition may be appealed 
by the petitioner to the NSF Deputy Director within thirty days.
    (d) In reviewing the actions of the NSF Patent Assistant, a Grants 
and Agreements Officer, a Contracting Officer, or the General Counsel, 
the CPO Director or NSF Deputy Director will consider both the factual 
and legal basis for the action or determination and its consistency with 
the policies and objectives of the Foundation and, if applicable, the 
Bayh-Dole Act (35 U.S.C. 200-212) and implementing regulations at part 
401 of title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

[57 FR 18053, Apr. 28, 1992, as amended at 61 FR 51022, Sept. 30, 1996]



Sec.  650.16  Background rights.

    The Foundation will acquire rights to a research performer's pre-
existing technology only in exceptional circumstances where, due to the 
nature of the research being supported, the Foundation requires greater 
control over resulting inventions. The NSF Grants or Contracts Officer, 
with concurrence of the cognizant Program Manager, will negotiate a 
background rights provision. If the affected awardee is a small business 
firm or nonprofit organization, the provision will conform to the 
requirements of the Bayh-

[[Page 165]]

Dole Act (35 U.S.C. 202(f)) as implemented by 37 CFR 401.12).



Sec.  650.17  Subcontracts.

    As provided in paragraph (g) of the Patent Rights clause in Sec.  
650.4(a), awardees should normally use that clause in all subcontracts. 
At the request of the awardee or subcontractor or on recommendation from 
NSF staff, the cognizant Grants or Contracts Officer may direct the 
awardee to insert into subcontracts relating to scientific research a 
special patent provision negotiated under Sec.  650.5.



Sec.  650.18  Delegation of authority.

    The General Counsel is responsible for implementing this regulation 
and is authorized to make any exceptions to or extensions of the NSF 
Patent Policy as may be required by particular circumstances. The 
General Counsel will designate the NSF Patent Assistant and that 
individual is authorized to carry out the functions assigned by this 
regulation.



Sec.  650.19  Electronic invention handling.

    (a) Grantees must use the iEdison Invention Information Management 
System maintained by the National Institutes of Health to disclose NSF 
subject inventions. Detailed instructions for use of that system are 
provided at http://s-edison.info.nih.gov/iEdison/ and should be followed 
for NSF subject inventions except that:
    (1) All communications required must be provided electronically as a 
PDF or TIFF file through iEdison unless prior permission for another 
form of submission is obtained from the Patent Assistant.
    (2) NSF does not require either an Annual Utilization Report or a 
Final Invention Statement and Certification.
    (b) Questions on use of iEdison and requests for permission to 
submit material in other forms may be sent to the NSF Patent Assistant 
at [email protected] or at Office of the General Counsel, National Science 
Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230.

[70 FR 43071, July 26, 2005]



  Sec. Appendix A to Part 650--Optional Format for Confirmatory License

    The following format may be used for the confirmatory license to the 
Government required by subparagraph (f)(5) of the Patent Rights clause 
in Sec.  650.4(a). Any equivalent instrument may also be used.

                 License to the United States Government

    This instrument confirms to the United States Government, as 
represented by the National Science Foundation, an irrevocable, 
nonexclusive, nontransferable, royalty-free license to practice or have 
practiced on its behalf throughout the world the following subject 
invention:

(invention title)

(inventor[s] name[s])

(patent application number and filing date)

(country, if other than United States)

(NSF Disclosure No.).

    This subject invention was made with NSF support through:

(grant or contract number)

(grantee or contractor).

    Principal rights to this subject invention have been left with the 
licensor.

Signed:_________________________________________________________________

Name:___________________________________________________________________

Title:__________________________________________________________________

Date:___________________________________________________________________

    Accepted on behalf of the Government:

                          NSF Patent Assistant

Date:___________________________________________________________________



PART 660_INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION PROGRAMS
AND ACTIVITIES--Table of Contents



Sec.
660.1 What is the purpose of these regulations?
660.2 What definitions apply to these regulations?
660.3 What programs and activities of the Foundation are subject to 
          these regulations?
660.4 [Reserved]
660.5 What is the Director's obligation with respect to Federal 
          interagency coordination?
660.6 What procedures apply to the selection of programs and activities 
          under these regulations?
660.7 How does the Director communicate with state and local officials 
          concerning the Foundation's programs and activities?

[[Page 166]]

660.8 How does the Director provide states an opportunity to comment on 
          proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal 
          development?
660.9 How does the Director receive and respond to comments?
660.10 How does the Director make efforts to accommodate 
          intergovernmental concerns?
660.11 What are the Director's obligations in interstate situations?
660.12 [Reserved]
660.13 May the Director waive any provision of these regulations?

    Authority: E.O. 12372, July 14, 1982 (47 FR 30959), as amended Apr. 
8, 1983 (48 FR 15887); and sec. 401 of the Intergovernmental Cooperation 
Act of 1968 and as amended (31 U.S.C. 6506).

    Source: 48 FR 29365, June 24, 1983, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  660.1  What is the purpose of these regulations?

    (a) The regulations in this part implement Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' issued July 14, 1982 
and amended on April 8, 1983. These regulations also implement 
applicable provisions of section 401 of the Intergovernmental 
Cooperation Act of 1968.
    (b) These regulations are intended to foster an intergovernmental 
partnership and a strengthened Federalism by relying on state processes 
and on state, areawide, regional and local coordination for review of 
proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal development.
    (c) These regulations are intended to aid the internal management of 
the Foundation, and are not intended to create any right or benefit 
enforceable at law by a party against the Foundation or its officers.



Sec.  660.2  What definitions apply to these regulations?

    Foundation means the National Science Foundation.
    Order means Executive Order 12372, issued July 14, 1982, and amended 
April 8, 1983 and titled ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
    Director means the Director of the National Science Foundation or an 
official or employee of the Foundation acting for the Director under a 
delegation of authority.
    State means any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Trust 
Territory of the Pacific Islands.



Sec.  660.3  What programs and activities of the Foundation are subject
to these regulations?

    The Director publishes in the Federal Register a list of the 
Foundation's programs and activities that are subject to these 
regulations.



Sec.  660.4  [Reserved]



Sec.  660.5  What is the Director's obligation with respect to Federal
interagency coordination?

    The Director, to the extent practicable, consults with and seeks 
advice from all other substantially affected Federal departments and 
agencies in an effort to assure full coordination between such agencies 
and the Foundation regarding programs and activities covered under these 
regulations.



Sec.  660.6  What procedures apply to the selection of programs and
activities under these regulations?

    (a) A state may select any program or activity published in the 
Federal Register in accordance with Sec.  660.3 of this part for 
intergovernmental review under these regulations. Each state, before 
selecting programs and activities, shall consult with local elected 
officials.
    (b) Each state that adopts a process shall notify the Director of 
the Foundation's programs and activities selected for that process.
    (c) A state may notify the Director of changes in its selections at 
any time. For each change, the state shall submit to the Director an 
assurance that the state has consulted with elected local elected 
officials regarding the change. The Foundation may establish deadlines 
by which states are required to inform the Director of changes in their 
program selections.
    (d) The Director uses a state's process as soon as feasible, 
depending on individual programs and activities, after the Director is 
notified of its selections.

[[Page 167]]



Sec.  660.7  How does the Director communicate with state and local
officials concerning the Foundation's programs and activities?

    (a) For those programs and activities covered by a state process 
under Sec.  660.6, the Director, to the extent permitted by law:
    (1) Uses the state process to determine views of state and local 
elected officials; and
    (2) Communicates with state and local elected officials, through the 
state process, as early in a program planning cycle as is reasonably 
feasible to explain specific plans and actions.
    (b) The Director provides notice to directly affected state, 
areawide, regional, and local entities in a state of proposed Federal 
financial assistance or direct Federal development if:
    (1) The state has not adopted a process under the Order; or
    (2) The assistance or development involves a program or activity not 
selected for the state process.

This notice may be made by publication in the Federal Register or other 
appropriate means, which the Foundation in its discretion deems 
appropriate.



Sec.  660.8  How does the Director provide states an opportunity to
comment on proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal
development?

    (a) Except in unusual circumstances, the Director gives state 
processes or directly affected state, areawide, regional and local 
officials and entities:
    (1) At least 30 days from the date established by the Director to 
comment on proposed Federal financial assistance in covered programs 
(i.e., those referenced in Sec.  660.3) in the form of continuation 
awards that are not peer reviewed; and
    (2) At least 60 days from the date established by the Director to 
comment on proposed direct Federal development or Federal financial 
assistance in covered programs (i.e., those referenced Sec.  660.3) 
other than continuation awards that are not peer reviewed.
    (b) This section also applies to comments in cases in which the 
review, coordination, and communication with the Foundation have been 
delegated.



Sec.  660.9  How does the Director receive and respond to comments?

    (a) The Director follows the procedures in Sec.  660.10 if:
    (1) A state office or official is designated to act as a single 
point of contact between a state process and all Federal agencies, and
    (2) That office or official transmits a state process recommendation 
for a program selected under Sec.  660.6.
    (b)(1) The single point of contact is not obligated to transmit 
comments from state, areawide, regional or local officials and entities 
where there is no state process recommendation.
    (2) If a state process recommendation is transmitted by a single 
point of contact, all comments from state, areawide, regional, and local 
officials and entities that differ from it must also be transmitted.
    (c) If a state has not established a process, or is unable to submit 
a state process recommendation, state, areawide, regional and local 
officials and entities may submit comments either to the applicant or to 
the Foundation.
    (d) If a program or activity is not selected for a state process, 
state, areawide, regional and local officials and entities may submit 
comments either to the applicant or to the Foundation. In addition, if a 
state process recommendation for a nonselected program or activity is 
transmitted to the Foundation by the single point of contact, the 
Director follows the procedures of Sec.  660.10 of this part.
    (e) The Director considers comments which do not constitute a state 
process recommendation submitted under these regulations and for which 
the Director is not required to apply the procedures of Sec.  660.10 of 
this part, when such comments are provided by a single point of contact, 
by the applicant, or directly to the Foundation by a commenting party.



Sec.  660.10  How does the Director make efforts to accommodate
intergovernmental concerns?

    (a) If a state process provides a state process recommendation to 
the Foundation through its single point of contact, the Director either:
    (1) Accepts the recommendation;

[[Page 168]]

    (2) Reaches a mutually agreeable solution with the state process; or
    (3) Provides the single point of contact with a written explanation 
of the decision in such form as the Director in his or her discretion 
deems appropriate. The Director may also supplement the written 
explanation by providing the explanation to the single point of contact 
by telephone, other telecommunication, or other means.
    (b) In any explanation under paragraph (a)(3) of this section, the 
Director informs the single point of contact that:
    (1) The Foundation will not implement its decision for at least ten 
days after the single point of contact receives the explanation; or
    (2) The Director has reviewed the decision and determined that, 
because of unusual circumstances, the waiting period of at least ten 
days is not feasible.
    (c) For purposes of computing the waiting period under paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section, a single point of contact is presumed to have 
received written notification 5 days after the date of mailing of such 
notification.



Sec.  660.11  What are the Director's obligations in interstate
situations?

    (a) The Director is responsible for:
    (1) Identifying proposed Federal financial assistance and direct 
Federal development that have an impact on interstate areas;
    (2) Notifying appropriate officials and entities in states which 
have adopted a process and which select the Foundation's program or 
activity.
    (3) Making efforts to identify and notify the affected state, 
areawide, regional, and local officials and entities in those states 
that have not adopted a process under the Order or do not select the 
Foundation's program or activity;
    (4) Responding pursuant to Sec.  660.10 of this part if the Director 
receives a recommendation from a designated areawide agency transmitted 
by a single point of contact, in cases in which the review, 
coordination, and communication with the Foundation have been delegated.
    (b) The Director uses the procedures in Sec.  660.10 if a state 
process provides a state process recommendation to the Foundation 
through a single point of contact.



Sec.  660.12  [Reserved]



Sec.  660.13  May the Director waive any provision of these regulations?

    In an emergency, the Director may waive any provision of these 
regulations.



PART 670_CONSERVATION OF ANTARCTIC ANIMALS AND PLANTS--Table of Contents



                         Subpart A_Introduction

Sec.
670.1 Purpose of regulations.
670.2 Scope.
670.3 Definitions.

                  Subpart B_Prohibited Acts, Exceptions

670.4 Prohibited acts.
670.5 Exception in extraordinary circumstances.
670.6 Prior possession exception.
670.7 Food exception.
670.8 Foreign permit exception.
670.9 Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception.
670.10 [Reserved]

                            Subpart C_Permits

670.11 Applications for permits.
670.12 General issuance criteria.
670.13 Permit administration.
670.14 Conditions of permits.
670.15 Modification, suspension, and revocation.
670.16 [Reserved]

       Subpart D_Native Mammals, Birds, Plants, and Invertebrates

670.17 Specific issuance criteria.
670.18 Content of permit applications.
670.19 Designation of native mammals.
670.20 Designation of native birds.
670.21 Designation of native plants.
670.22 Designation of native invertebrates.

   Subpart E_Specially Protected Species of Mammals, Birds, and Plants

670.23 Specific issuance criteria.
670.24 Content of permit applications.
670.25 Designation of specially protected species of native mammals, 
          birds, plants, and invertebrates.
670.26 [Reserved]

[[Page 169]]

              Subpart F_Antarctic Specially Protected Areas

670.27 Specific issuance criteria.
670.28 Content of permit applications.
670.29 Designation of Antarctic specially protected areas, specially 
          managed areas, and historic sites and monuments.
670.30 [Reserved]

         Subpart G_Import Into and Export From the United States

670.31 Specific issuance criteria for imports.
670.32 Specific issuance criteria for exports.
670.33 Content of permit applications.
670.34 Entry and exit ports.
670.35 [Reserved]

       Subpart H_Introduction of Non-Indigenous Plants and Animals

670.36 Specific issuance criteria.
670.37 Content of permit application.
670.38 Conditions of permits.
670.39 Other introductions of non-indigenous species.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 2405, as amended.

    Source: 63 FR 50164, Sept. 21, 1998, unless otherwise noted.



                         Subpart A_Introduction



Sec.  670.1  Purpose of regulations.

    The purpose of the regulations in this part is to conserve and 
protect the native mammals, birds, plants, and invertebrates of 
Antarctica and the ecosystem upon which they depend and to implement the 
Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541, as amended by the 
Antarctic Science, Tourism, and Conservation Act of 1996, Public Law 
104-227.



Sec.  670.2  Scope.

    The regulations in this part apply to:
    (a) Taking mammals, birds, plants, or invertebrates native to 
Antarctica.
    (b) Engaging in harmful interference of mammals, birds, 
invertebrates, or plants native to Antarctica.
    (c) Entering or engaging in activities within Antarctic Specially 
Protected Areas.
    (d) Receiving, acquiring, transporting, offering for sale, selling, 
purchasing, importing, exporting or having custody, control, or 
possession of any mammal, bird, plant or invertebrate, native to 
Antarctica that was taken in violation of the Act.
    (e) Introducing into Antarctica any member of a non-native species.

[63 FR 50164, Sept. 21, 1998, as amended at 86 FR 27986, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.3  Definitions.

    In this part:
    Act means the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541 
(16 U.S.C. 2401 et seq.) as amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism, 
and Conservation Act of 1996, Public Law 104-227.
    Antarctic Specially Protected Area means an area designated by the 
Antarctic Treaty Parties to protect outstanding environmental, 
scientific, historic, aesthetic, or wilderness values or to protect 
ongoing or planned scientific research, designated in subpart F of this 
part.
    Antarctica means the area south of 60 degrees south latitude.
    Director means the Director of the National Science Foundation, or 
an officer or employee of the Foundation designated by the Director.
    Harmful interference means--
    (1) Flying or landing helicopters or other aircraft in a manner that 
disturbs concentrations of native birds or seals;
    (2) Using vehicles or vessels, including hovercraft and small boats, 
in a manner that disturbs concentrations of native birds or seals;
    (3) Using explosives or firearms in a manner that disturbs 
concentrations of native birds or seals;
    (4) Willfully disturbing breeding or molting birds or concentrations 
of native birds or seals by persons on foot;
    (5) Significantly damaging concentrations of native terrestrial 
plants by landing aircraft, driving vehicles, or walking on them, or by 
other means; and
    (6) Any activity that results in the significant adverse 
modification of habitats of any species or population of native mammal, 
native bird, native plant, or native invertebrate.
    Import means to land on, bring into, or introduce into, or attempt 
to land on, bring into or introduce into, any place subject to the 
jurisdiction of the United States, including the 12-mile territorial sea 
of the United States, whether or not such act constitutes an

[[Page 170]]

importation within the meaning of the customs laws of the United States.
    Management plan means a plan to manage the activities and protect 
the special value or values in an Antarctic Specially Protected Area 
designated by the United States as such a site consistent with plans 
adopted by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties.
    Native bird means any member, at any stage of its life cycle, of any 
species of the class Aves which is indigenous to Antarctica or occurs 
there seasonally through natural migrations, that is designated in 
subpart D of this part. It includes any part, product, egg, or offspring 
of or the dead body or parts thereof excluding fossils.
    Native invertebrate means any member of any species of terrestrial 
or freshwater invertebrate, at any stage of its life cycle, which is 
indigenous to Antarctica. It includes any part thereof, but excludes 
fossils.
    Native mammal means any member, at any stage of its life cycle, of 
any species of the class Mammalia, which is indigenous to Antarctica or 
occurs there naturally through migrations, that is designated in subpart 
D of this part. It includes any part, product, offspring of or the dead 
body or parts thereof but excludes fossils.
    Native plant means any member of any species of terrestrial or 
freshwater vegetation, including bryophytes, lichens, fungi, and algae, 
at any stage of its life cycle which is indigenous to Antarctica that is 
designated in subpart D of this part. It includes seeds and other 
propagules, or parts of such vegetation, but excludes fossils.
    Person has the meaning given that term in section 1 of title 1, 
United States Code, and includes any person subject to the jurisdiction 
of the United States and any department, agency, or other 
instrumentality of the Federal Government or of any State or local 
government.
    Protocol means the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the 
Antarctic Treaty, signed October 4, 1991, in Madrid, and all annexes 
thereto, including any future amendments to which the United States is a 
Party.
    Specially Protected Species means any native species designated as a 
Specially Protected Species that is designated in subpart E of this 
part.
    Take or taking means to kill, injure, capture, handle, or molest a 
native mammal or bird, or to remove or damage such quantities of native 
plants or invertebrates that their local distribution or abundance would 
be significantly affected or to attempt to engage in such conduct.
    Treaty means the Antarctic Treaty signed in Washington, DC on 
December 1, 1959.
    United States means the several states of the Union, the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin 
Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and 
other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

[86 FR 27986, May 25, 2021]



                  Subpart B_Prohibited Acts, Exceptions



Sec.  670.4  Prohibited acts.

    Unless a permit has been issued pursuant to subpart C of this part 
or unless one of the exceptions stated in Sec. Sec.  670.5 through 670.9 
is applicable, it is unlawful to commit, attempt to commit, or cause to 
be committed any of the acts described in paragraphs (a) through (g) of 
this section.
    (a) Taking of native mammal, bird, plants or invertebrates. It is 
unlawful for any person to take within Antarctica a native mammal, a 
native bird, native plants or native invertebrates.
    (b) Engaging in harmful interference. It is unlawful for any person 
to engage in harmful interference in Antarctica of native mammals, 
native birds, native plants or native invertebrates.
    (c) Entry into Antarctic specially designated areas. It is unlawful 
for any person to enter or engage in activities within any Antarctic 
Specially Protected Area.
    (d) Possession, sale, export, and import of native mammals, birds, 
plants and invertebrates. It is unlawful for any person to receive, 
acquire, transport, offer for sale, sell, purchase, export, import, or 
have custody, control, or possession of, any native bird, native mammal, 
native plant or native invertebrate

[[Page 171]]

which the person knows, or in the exercise of due care should have 
known, was taken in violation of the Act.
    (e) Introduction of non-indigenous species into Antarctica. It is 
unlawful for any person to introduce into Antarctica any species which 
is not indigenous to Antarctica or which does not occur there naturally 
through migrations, as specified in subpart H of this part, except as 
provided in Sec. Sec.  670.7 and 670.8.
    (f) Violations of regulations. It is unlawful for any person to 
violate the regulations set forth in this part.
    (g) Violation of permit conditions. It is unlawful for any person to 
violate any term or condition of any permit issued under subpart C of 
this part.

[63 FR 50164, Sept. 21, 1998, as amended at 86 FR 27987, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.5  Exception in extraordinary circumstances.

    (a) Emergency exception. No act described in Sec.  670.4 shall be 
unlawful if the person committing the act reasonably believed that the 
act was committed under emergency circumstances involving the safety of 
human life or of ships, aircraft, or equipment or facilities of high 
value, or the protection of the environment.
    (b) Aiding or salvaging native mammals or native birds. The 
prohibition on taking shall not apply to any taking of native mammals or 
native birds if such action is necessary to:
    (1) Aid a sick, injured or orphaned specimen;
    (2) Dispose of a dead specimen; or
    (3) Salvage a dead specimen which may be useful for scientific 
study.
    (c) Reporting. Any actions taken under the exceptions in this 
section shall be reported promptly to the Director.



Sec.  670.6  Prior possession exception.

    (a) Exception. Section 670.4 shall not apply to:
    (1) Any native mammal, bird, plant or invertebrate which is held in 
captivity on or before October 28, 1978; or
    (2) Any offspring of such mammal, bird, plant or invertebrate.
    (b) Presumption. With respect to any prohibited act set forth in 
Sec.  670.4 which occurs after April 29, 1979, the Act creates a 
rebuttable presumption that the native mammal, bird, plant or 
invertebrate involved in such act was not held in captivity on or before 
October 28, 1978, or was not an offspring referred to in paragraph (a) 
of this section.

[86 FR 27987, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.7  Food exception.

    Paragraph (e) of Sec.  670.4 shall not apply to the introduction of 
animals and plants into Antarctica for use as food as long as animals 
and plants used for this purpose are kept under carefully controlled 
conditions. This exception shall not apply to living species of animals. 
Unconsumed poultry or its parts shall be removed from Antarctica unless 
incinerated, autoclaved or otherwise sterilized.



Sec.  670.8  Foreign permit exception.

    Section 670.4(d) and (e) shall not apply to transporting, carrying, 
receiving, or possessing native mammals, native plants, native 
invertebrates or native birds or to the introduction of non-indigenous 
species when conducted by an agency of the United States Government on 
behalf of a foreign national operating under a permit issued by a 
foreign government to give effect to the Protocol.

[86 FR 27987, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.9  Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception.

    Paragraphs (a) through (d) of Sec.  670.4 shall not apply to acts 
carried out by an Antarctic Conservation Act Enforcement Officer 
(designated pursuant to 45 CFR 672.3) if undertaken as part of the 
Antarctic Conservation Act Enforcement Officer's official duties.



Sec.  670.10  [Reserved]



                            Subpart C_Permits



Sec.  670.11  Applications for permits.

    (a) General content of permit applications. All applications for a 
permit shall be dated and signed by the applicant and shall contain the 
following information:
    (1) The name and address of the applicant;

[[Page 172]]

    (i) Where the applicant is an individual, the business or 
institutional affiliation of the applicant must be included; or
    (ii) Where the applicant is a corporation, firm, partnership, or 
institution, or agency, either private or public, the name and address 
of its president or principal officer must be included.
    (2) Where the applicant seeks to engage in a taking:
    (i) The scientific names, numbers, and description of native 
mammals, native birds, native plants or native invertebrates to be 
taken; and
    (ii) Whether the native mammals, birds, plants, invertebrates or 
part of them are to be imported into the United States, and if so, their 
ultimate disposition.
    (3) Where the applicant seeks to engage in a harmful interference, 
the scientific names, numbers, and description of native birds or native 
seals to be disturbed; the scientific names, numbers, and description of 
native plants to be damaged; or the scientific names, numbers, and 
description of native invertebrates, native mammals, native plants, or 
native birds whose habitat will be adversely modified;
    (4) A complete description of the location, time period, and manner 
in which the taking or harmful interference would be conducted, 
including the proposed access to the location;
    (5) Where the application is for the introduction of non-indigenous 
living organisms, the scientific name and number to be introduced;
    (6) Whether agents as referred to in Sec.  670.13 will be used; and
    (7) The desired effective dates of the permit.
    (b) Content of specific permit applications. In addition to the 
general information required for permit applications set forth in this 
subpart, the applicant must submit additional information relating to 
the specific action for which the permit is being sought. These 
additional requirements are set forth in the sections of this part 
dealing with the subject matter of the permit applications as follows:

Native Mammals, Birds, Plants, and Invertebrates--Section 670.17
Specially Protected Species--Section 670.23
Specially Protected Areas--Section 670.27
Import and Export--Section 670.31
Introduction of Non-Indigenous Plants and Animals--Section 670.36

    (c) Certification. Applications for permits shall include the 
following certification:

    I certify that the information submitted in this application for a 
permit is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief. 
Any false statement will subject me to the criminal penalties of 18 
U.S.C. 1001.

    (d) Address to which applications should be sent. Each application 
shall be in writing, addressed to:

Permit Officer, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 
Room 755, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

    (e) Sufficiency of application. The sufficiency of the application 
shall be determined by the Director. The Director may waive any 
requirement for information, or request additional information as 
determined to be relevant to the processing of the application.
    (f) Withdrawal. An applicant may withdraw an application at any 
time.
    (g) Publication of permit applications. The Director shall publish 
notice in the Federal Register of each application for a permit. The 
notice shall invite the submission by interested parties, within 30 days 
after the date of publication of the notice, of written data, comments, 
or views with respect to the application. Information received by the 
Director as a part of any application shall be available to the public 
as a matter of public record.

[63 FR 50164, Sept. 21, 1998, as amended at 86 FR 27987, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.12  General issuance criteria.

    Upon receipt of a complete and properly executed application for a 
permit and the expiration of the applicable public comment period, the 
Director will decide whether to issue the permit. In making the 
decision, the Director will consider, in addition to the specific 
criteria set forth in the appropriate subparts of this part:
    (a) Whether the authorization requested meets the objectives of the 
Act and the requirements of the regulations in this part;

[[Page 173]]

    (b) The judgment of persons having expertise in matters germane to 
the application; and
    (c) Whether the applicant has failed to disclose material 
information required or has made false statements about any material 
fact in connection with the application.



Sec.  670.13  Permit administration.

    (a) Issuance of the permits. The Director may approve any 
application in whole or part. Permits shall be issued in writing and 
signed by the Director. Each permit may contain such terms and 
conditions as are consistent with the Act and this part.
    (b) Denial. The applicant shall be notified in writing of the denial 
of any permit request or part of a request and of the reason for such 
denial. If authorized in the notice of denial, the applicant may submit 
further information or reasons why the permit should not be denied. Such 
further submissions shall not be considered a new application.
    (c) Amendment of applications or permits. An applicant or permit 
holder desiring to have any term or condition of his application or 
permit modified must submit full justification and supporting 
information in conformance with the provisions of this subpart and the 
subpart governing the activities sought to be carried out under the 
modified permit. Any application for modification of a permit that 
involves a material change beyond the terms originally requested will 
normally be subject to the same procedures as a new application.
    (d) Notice of issuance or denial. Within 10 days after the date of 
the issuance or denial of a permit, the Director shall publish notice of 
the issuance or denial in the Federal Register.
    (e) Agents of the permit holder. The Director may authorize the 
permit holder to designate agents to act on behalf of the permit holder.
    (f) Marine mammals, endangered species, and migratory birds. If the 
Director receives a permit application involving any native mammal which 
is a marine mammal as defined by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972 (16 U.S.C. 1362(5)), any species which is an endangered or 
threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.) or any native bird which is protected under the Migratory 
Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), the Director shall submit a 
copy of the application to the Secretary of Commerce or to the Secretary 
of the Interior, as appropriate. If the appropriate Secretary determines 
that a permit should not be issued pursuant to any of the cited acts, 
the Director shall not issue a permit. The Director shall inform the 
applicant of any denial by the appropriate Secretary and no further 
action shall be taken on the application. If, however, the appropriate 
Secretary issues a permit pursuant to the requirements of the cited 
acts, the Director still must determine whether the proposed action is 
consistent with the Act and the regulations in this part.



Sec.  670.14  Conditions of permits.

    (a) Possession of permits. Permits issued under the regulations in 
this part, or copies of them, must be in the possession of persons to 
whom they are issued and their agents when conducting the authorized 
action.
    (b) Display of permits. Any permit issued shall be displayed for 
inspection upon request to the Director, designated agents of the 
Director, or any person with enforcement responsibilities.
    (c) Filing of reports. Permit holders are required to file reports 
of the activities conducted under a permit. Reports shall be submitted 
to the Director not later than June 30 for the preceding 12 months.



Sec.  670.15  Modification, suspension, and revocation.

    (a) The Director may modify, suspend, or revoke, in whole or in 
part, any permit issued under this subpart:
    (1) In order to make the permit consistent with any change to any 
regulation in this part made after the date of issuance of this permit;
    (2) If there is any change in conditions which make the permit 
inconsistent with the purpose of the Act and the regulations in this 
part; or

[[Page 174]]

    (3) In any case in which there has been any violation of any term or 
condition of the permit, any regulation in this part, or any provision 
of the Act.
    (b) Whenever the Director proposes any modifications, suspension, or 
revocation of a permit under this section, the permittee shall be 
afforded opportunity, after due notice, for a hearing by the Director 
with respect to such proposed modification, suspension or revocation. If 
a hearing is requested, the action proposed by the Director shall not 
take effect before a decision is issued by him after the hearing, unless 
the proposed action is taken by the Director to meet an emergency 
situation.
    (c) Notice of the modification, suspension, or revocation of any 
permit by the Director shall be published in the Federal Register, 
within 10 days from the date of the Director's decision.



Sec.  670.16  [Reserved]



       Subpart D_Native Mammals, Birds, Plants, and Invertebrates



Sec.  670.17  Specific issuance criteria.

    With the exception of specially protected species of mammals, birds, 
plants and invertebrates designated in subpart E of this part, permits 
to engage in a taking or harmful interference:
    (a) May be issued only for the purpose of providing--
    (1) Specimens for scientific study or scientific information; or
    (2) Specimens for museums, or other educational uses; or
    (3) Specimens for zoological gardens, but with respect to native 
mammals or birds, only if such specimens cannot be obtained from 
existing captive collections elsewhere, or if there is a compelling 
conservation requirement; and
    (4) For unavoidable consequences of scientific activities or the 
construction and operation of scientific support facilities; and
    (b) Shall ensure, as far as possible, that--
    (1) No more native mammals, birds, plants or invertebrates are taken 
than are necessary to meet the purposes set forth in paragraph (a) of 
this section;
    (2) No more native mammals or native birds are taken in any year 
than can normally be replaced by net natural reproduction in the 
following breeding season;
    (3) The variety of species and the balance of the natural ecological 
systems within Antarctica are maintained; and
    (4) The authorized taking, transporting, carrying, or shipping of 
any native mammal or bird is carried out in a humane manner.

[86 FR 27987, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.18  Content of permit applications.

    In addition to the information required in subpart C of this part, 
an applicant seeking a permit to take a native mammal or native bird 
shall include a complete description of the project including the 
purpose of the proposed taking, the use to be made of the native mammals 
or native birds, and the ultimate disposition of the native mammals and 
birds. An applicant seeking a permit to engage in a harmful interference 
shall include a complete description of the project including the 
purpose of the activity which will result in the harmful interference. 
Sufficient information must be provided to establish that the taking, 
harmful interference, transporting, carrying, or shipping of a native 
mammal or bird shall be humane.



Sec.  670.19  Designation of native mammals.

    The following are designated native mammals:

Pinnipeds:
    Crabeater seal--Lobodon carcinophagus.
    Leopard seal--Hydrurga leptonyx.
    Ross seal--Ommatophoca rossi.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ These species of mammals have been designated as specially 
protected species and are subject to subpart E of this part.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Southern elephant seal--Mirounga leonina.
    Southern fur seals--Arctocephalus spp.\1\
    Weddell seal--Leptonychotes weddelli.
Large Cetaceans (Whales):
    Blue whale--Balaenoptera musculus.
    Fin whale--Balaenoptera physalus.
    Humpback whale--Megaptera novaeangliae.
    Minke whale--Balaenoptera acutrostrata.
    Pygmy blue whale--Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda
    Sei whale--Balaenoptera borealis

[[Page 175]]

    Southern right whale--Balaena glacialis australis
    Sperm whale--Physeter macrocephalus
    Small Cetaceans (Dolphins and porpoises):
    Arnoux's beaked whale--Berardius arnuxii.
    Commerson's dolphin--Cephalorhynchus commersonii
    Dusky dolphin--Lagenorhynchus obscurus
    Hourglass dolphin--Lagenorhynchus cruciger
    Killer whale--Orcinus orca
    Long-finned pilot whale--Globicephala melaena
    Southern bottlenose whale--Hyperoodon planifrons.
    Southern right whale dolphin--Lissodelphis peronii
    Spectacled porpoise--Phocoena dioptrica



Sec.  670.20  Designation of native birds.

    The following are designated native birds:

                                Albatross

    Black-browed--Diomedea melanophris.
    Gray-headed--Diomedea chrysostoma.
    Light-mantled sooty--Phoebetria palpebrata.
    Wandering--Diomedea exulans.

                                 Fulmar

    Northern Giant--Macronectes halli.
    Southern--Fulmarus glacialoides.
    Southern Giant--Macronectes giganteus.

                                  Gull

    Southern Black-backed--Larus dominicanus.

                                 Jaeger

    Parasitic--Stercorarius parasiticus.
    Pomarine--Stercorarius pomarinsus

                                 Penguin

    Adelie--Pygoscelis adeliae.
    Chinstrap--Pygoscelis antarctica.
    Emperor--Aptenodytes forsteri.
    Gentoo--Pygoscelis papua.
    King--Aptenodytes patagonicus.
    Macaroni--Eudyptes chrysolophus.
    Rockhopper--Eudyptes crestatus.

                                 Petrel

    Antarctic--Thalassoica antarctica.
    Black-bellied Storm--Fregetta tropica.
    Blue--Halobaena caerulea.
    Gray--Procellaria cinerea.
    Great-winged--Pterodroma macroptera.
    Kerguelen--Pterodroma brevirostris.
    Mottled--Pterodroma inexpectata.
    Snow--Pagodroma nivea.
    Soft-plumaged--Pterodroma mollis.
    South-Georgia Diving--Pelecanoides georgicus.
    White-bellied Storm--Fregetta grallaria.
    White-chinned--Procellaria aequinoctialis.
    White-headed--Pterodroma lessoni.
    Wilson's Storm--Oceanites oceanicus.

                                 Pigeon

    Cape--Daption capense.

                                 Pintail

    South American Yellow-billed--Anas georgica spinicauda.

                                  Prion

    Antarctic--Pachyptila desolata.
    Narrow-billed--Pachyptila belcheri.

                                  Shag

    Blue-eyed--Phalacrocorax atriceps.

                               Shearwater

    Sooty--Puffinus griseus.

                                  Skua

    Brown--Catharacta lonnbergi
    South Polar--Catharacta maccormicki.

                                 Swallow

    Barn--Hirundo rustica.

                               Sheathbill

    American--Chionis alba.

                                  Tern

    Antarctic--Sterna vittata.
    Arctic--Sterna paradisaea.

[66 FR 46739, Sept. 7, 2001]



Sec.  670.21  Designation of native plants.

    All plants whose normal range is limited to, or includes Antarctica 
are designated native plants, including:

Bryophytes
Freshwater algae
Fungi
Lichens
Vascular Plants

[63 FR 50164, Sept. 21, 1998, as amended at 86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.22  Designation of native invertebrates.

    The following are designated native invertebrates:

Mites
Nematodes
Rotifers
Springtails
Tardigrades

[86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]

[[Page 176]]



   Subpart E_Specially Protected Species of Mammals, Birds, and Plants



Sec.  670.23  Specific issuance criteria.

    Permits authorizing the taking of mammals, birds, plants, or 
invertebrates designated as a Specially Protected Species of mammals, 
birds, and plants in Sec.  670.25 may only be issued if:
    (a) There is a compelling scientific purpose for such taking;
    (b) The actions allowed under any such permit will not jeopardize 
the existing natural ecological system, or the survival of the affected 
species or population;
    (c) The taking involves non-lethal techniques, where appropriate. 
Lethal techniques may only be used on Specially Protected Species where 
there is no suitable alternative technique; and
    (d) The authorized taking, transporting, carrying or shipping will 
be carried out in a humane manner.

[63 FR 50164, Sept. 21, 1998, as amended at 86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.24  Content of permit applications.

    In addition to the information required in subpart C of this part, 
an applicant seeking a permit to take a Specially Protected Species 
shall include the following in the application:
    (a) A detailed scientific justification of the need for taking the 
Specially Protected Species, including a discussion of possible 
alternative species;
    (b) Information demonstrating that the proposed action will not 
jeopardize the existing natural ecological system or the survival of the 
affected species or population; and
    (c) Information establishing that the taking, transporting, 
carrying, or shipping of any native bird or native mammal will be 
carried out in a humane manner.



Sec.  670.25  Designation of specially protected species of native mammals,
birds, plants, and invertebrates.

    The following species has been designated as Specially Protected 
Species by the Antarctic Treaty Parties and is hereby designated 
Specially Protected Species:
    Common Name and Scientific Name
    Ross Seal--Ommatophoca rossii

[73 FR 14939, Mar. 20, 2008]



Sec.  670.26  [Reserved]



              Subpart F_Antarctic Specially Protected Areas



Sec.  670.27  Specific issuance criteria.

    Permits authorizing entry into any Antarctic Specially Protected 
Area designated in Sec.  670.29 may only be issued if:
    (a) The entry and activities to be engaged in are consistent with an 
approved management plan, or
    (b) A management plan relating to the area has not been approved by 
the Antarctic Treaty Parties, but
    (1) There is a compelling scientific purpose for such entry which 
cannot be served elsewhere, and
    (2) The actions allowed under the permit will not jeopardize the 
natural ecological system existing in such area.



Sec.  670.28  Content of permit application.

    In addition to the information required in subpart C of this part, 
an applicant seeking a permit to enter an Antarctic Specially Protected 
Area shall include the following in the application:
    (a) A detailed justification of the need for such entry, including a 
discussion of alternatives;
    (b) Information demonstrating that the proposed action will not 
jeopardize the unique natural ecological system in that area; and
    (c) Where a management plan exists, information demonstrating the 
consistency of the proposed actions with the management plan.



Sec.  670.29  Designation of Antarctic specially protected areas,
specially managed areas, and historic sites and monuments.

    (a) The following areas have been designated by the Antarctic Treaty 
Parties for special protection and are hereby designated as Antarctic 
specially protected areas (ASPA). The Antarctic Conservation Act of 
1978, as amended, prohibits, unless authorized by a permit, any person 
from entering or engaging in activities within an ASPA. Detailed maps 
and descriptions

[[Page 177]]

of the sites and complete management plans can be obtained from the 
National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, National Science 
Foundation, Room 755, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

ASPA 101 Taylor Rookery, Mac. Robertson Land
ASPA 102 Rookery Islands, Holme Bay, Mac. Robertson Land
ASPA 103 Ardery Island and Odbert Island, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land
ASPA 104 Sabrina Island, Northern Ross Sea, Antarctica
ASPA 105 Beaufort Island, McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea
ASPA 106 Cape Hallett, Northern Victoria Land, Ross Sea
ASPA 107 Emperor Island, Dion Islands, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic 
Peninsula
ASPA 108 Green Island, Berthelot Islands, Antarctic Peninsula
ASPA 109 Moe Island, South Orkney Islands
ASPA 110 Lynch Island, South Orkney Islands
ASPA 111 Southern Powell Island and adjacent islands, South Orkney 
Islands
ASPA 112 Coppermine Peninsula, Robert Island, South Shetland Islands
ASPA 113 Litchfield Island, Arthur Harbour, Anvers Island, Palmer 
Archipelago
ASPA 115 Lagotellerie Island, Marguerite Bay, Graham Land
ASPA 116 New College Valley, Caughley Beach, Cape Bird, Ross Island
ASPA 117 Avian Island, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula
ASPA 119 Davis Valley and Forlidas Pond, Dufek Massif, Pensacola 
Mountains
ASPA 120 Pointe-Geologie Archipelego, Terre Adelie
ASPA 121 Cape Royds, Ross Island
ASPA 122 Arrival Heights, Hut Point Peninsula, Ross Island
ASPA 123 Barwick and Balham Valleys, Southern Victoria Land
ASPA 124 Cape Crozier, Ross Island
ASPA 125 Fildes Peninsula, King George Island (25 de Mayo)
ASPA 126 Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands
ASPA 127 Haswell Island
ASPA 128 Western shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South 
Shetland Islands
ASPA 129 Rdthera Point, Adelaide Island
ASPA 131 Canada Glacier, Lake Fryxell, Taylor Valley, Victoria Land
ASPA 132 Potter Peninsula, King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo) (South 
Shetland Islands)
ASPA 133 Harmony Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands
ASPA 134 Cierva Point and offshore islands, Danco Coast, Antarctic 
Peninsula
ASPA 135 North-eastern Bailey Peninsula, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land
ASPA 136 Clark Peninsula, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land
ASPA 137 North-west White Island, McMurdo Sound
ASPA 138 Linnaeus Terrace, Asgard Range, Victoria Land
ASPA 139 Biscoe Point, Anvers Island, Palmer Archipelago
ASPA 140 Parts of Deception Island, South Shetland Islands
ASPA 141 Yukidori Valley, Langhovde, Lutzow-Holm Bay
ASPA 142 Svarthamaren
ASPA 143 Marine Plain, Mule Peninsula, Vestfold Hills, Princess 
Elizabeth Land
ASPA 144 Chile Bay (Discovery Bay), Greenwich Island, South Shetland 
Islands
ASPA 145 Port Foster, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands
ASPA 146 South Bay, Doumer Island, Palmer Archipelago
ASPA 147 Ablation Valley and Ganymede Heights, Alexander Island
ASPA 148 Mount Flora, Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula
ASPA 149 Cape Shirreff and San Telmo Island, Livingston Island, South 
Shetland Islands
ASPA 150 Ardley Island, Maxwell Bay, King George Island (25 de Mayo)
ASPA 151 Lions Rump, King George Island, South Shetland Islands
ASPA 152 Western Bransfield Strait
ASPA 153 Eastern Dallmann Bay
ASPA 154 Botany Bay, Cape Geology, Victoria Land
ASPA 155 Cape Evans, Ross Island
ASPA 156 Lewis Bay, Mount Erebus, Ross Island
ASPA 157 Backdoor Bay, Cape Royds, Ross Island
ASPA 158 Hut Point, Ross Island
ASPA 159 Cape Adare, Borchgrevink Coast
ASPA 160 Frazier Islands, Windmill Islands, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica
ASPA 161 Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea
ASPA 162 Mawson's Huts, Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay, George V Land, 
East Antarctica
ASPA 163 Dakshin Gangotri Glacier, Dronning Maud Land
ASPA 164 Scullin and Murray Monoliths, Mac. Robertson Land
ASPA 165 Edmonson Point, Wood Bay, Ross Sea
ASPA 166 Port-Martin, Terre Adelie
ASPA 167 Hawker Island, Vestfold Hills, Ingrid Christensen Coast, 
Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica
ASPA 168 Mount Harding, Grove Mountains, East Antarctica
ASPA 169 Amanda Bay, Ingrid Christensen Coast, Princess Elizabeth Land, 
East Antarctica

[[Page 178]]

ASPA 170 Marion Nunataks, Charcot Island, Antarctic Peninsula
ASPA 171 Narebski Point, Barton Peninsula, King George Island
ASPA 172 Lower Taylor Glacier and Blood Falls, Taylor Vallye, McMurdo 
Dry Valleys, Victoria Land
ASPA 173 Cape Washington and Silverfish Bay, Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea
ASPA 174 Stornes, Larsemann Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land
ASPA 175 High Altitude Geothermal sites of the Ross Sea Region

    (b) The following areas have been designated by the Antarctic Treaty 
Parties for special management and have been designated as Antarctic 
specially managed areas (ASMA). Detailed maps and descriptions of the 
sites and complete management plans can be obtained from the National 
Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, Room 755, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

ASMA 1 Admiralty Bay, King George Island
ASMA 2 McMurdo Dry Valleys, Southern Victoria Land
ASMA 4 Deception Island
ASMA 5 Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, South Pole
ASMA 6 Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica
ASMA 7 Southwest Anvers Island and Palmer Basin

    (c) The following areas have been designated by the Antarctic Treaty 
Parties as historic sites or monuments (HSM). The Antarctic Conservation 
Act of 1978, as amended, prohibits any damage, removal or destruction of 
a historic site or monument listed pursuant to Annex V to the Protocol. 
Descriptions of the sites or monuments can be obtained from the National 
Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, Room 755, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230.

    HSM 1 Flag mast erected in December 1965 at South Geographical Pole 
by the First Argentine Overland Polar Expedition.
    HSM 2 Rock cairn and plaques erected in January 1961 at Syowa 
Station in memory of Shun Fukushima.
    HSM 3 Rock cairn and plaque erected in January 1930 by Sir Douglas 
Mawson on Proclamation Island, Enderby Land.
    HSM 4 Station building to which a bust of V.I. Lenin is fixed 
together with a plaque in memory of the conquest of the Pole of 
Inaccessibility, by Soviet Antarctic Explorers in 1958.
    HSM 5 Rock cairn and plaque at Cape Bruce, Mac. Robertson Land, 
erected in February 1931 by Sir Douglas Mawson.
    HSM 6 Rock cairn and canister at Walkabout Rocks, Vestfold Hills, 
Princess Elizabeth Land, erected in 1939 by Sir Hubert Wilkins.
    HSM 7 Stone with inscribed plaque, erected at Mirny Observatory, 
Mabus Point, in memory of driver-mechanic Ivan Kharma.
    HSM 8 Metal Monument sledge and plaque at Mirny Observatory, Mabus 
Point, in memory of driver-mechanic Anatoly Shcheglov.
    HSM 9 Cemetery on Buromskiy Island, near Mirny Observatory.
    HSM 10 Building (Magnetic Observatory) at Dobrowolsky Station, 
Hunger Hills, with plaque in memory of the opening of Oasis Station in 
1956.
    HSM 11 Heavy Tractor at Vostock Station with plaque in memory of the 
opening of the Station in 1957.
    HSM 14 Site of ice cave at Inexpressible Island, Terra Nova Bay, 
constructed in March 1912 by Victor Campbell's Northern Party.
    HSM 15 Hut at Cape Royds, Ross Island, built in February 1908 by the 
British Antarctic Expedition.
    HSM 16 Hut at Cape Evans, Ross Island, built in January 1911 by the 
British Antarctic Expedition.
    HSM 17 Cross on Wind Vane Hill, Cape Evans, Ross Island, erected by 
the Ross Sea Party in memory of three members of the party who died in 
the vicinity in 1916.
    HSM 18 Hut at Hut Point, Ross Island, built in February 1902 by the 
British Antarctic Expedition.
    HSM 19 Cross at Hut Point, Ross Island, erected in February 1904 by 
the British Antarctic Expedition in memory of George Vince.
    HSM 20 Cross on Observation Hill, Ross Island, erected in January 
1913 in by the British Antarctic Expedition in memory of Captain Robert 
F Scott's party which perished on the return journey from the South 
Pole.
    HSM 21 Remains of stone hut at Cape Crozier, Ross Island, 
constructed in July 1911 by the British Antarctic Expedition.
    HSM 22 Three huts and associated relics at Cape Adare Two built in 
February 1899 the third was built in February 2011 all by the British 
Antarctic Expedition.
    HSM 23 Grave at Cape Adare of Norwegian biologist Nicolai Hanson.
    HSM 24 Rock cairn, known as ``Amundsen's cairn,'' at Mount Betty, 
Queen Maud Range erected by Roald Amundsen in January 1912.
    HSM 26 Abandoned installations of Argentine Station ``General San 
Martin'' on Barry Island, Debenham Islands, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic 
Peninsula.

[[Page 179]]

    HSM 27 Cairn with a replica of a lead plaque erected at Megalestris 
Hill, Petermann Island in 1909 by the second French expedition.
    HSM 28 Rock Cairn at Port Charcot, Booth Island, with wooden pillar 
and plaque.
    HSM 29 Lighthouse named ``Primero de Mayo'' erected on Lambda 
Island, Melchior Islands, by Argentina in 1942.
    HSM 30 Shelter at Paradise Harbour erected in 1950.
    HSM 32 Concrete Monolith erected in 1947 near Capitan Arturo Prat 
Base on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands.
    HSM 33 Shelter and cross with plaque near Capitan Arturo Prat Base 
Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands.
    HSM 34 Bust at Capitan Arturo Prat base Greenwich Island, South 
Shetland Islands, of Chilean naval hero Arturo Prat.
    HSM 35 Wooden cross and statue of the Virgin of Carmen erected in 
1947 near Capitan Arturo Prat base Greenwich Island, South Shetland 
Islands.
    HSM 36 Replica of a metal plaque erected by Eduard Dallman at Potter 
Cove, King George Island, South Shetland Islands.
    HSM 37 Statue erected in 1948 at General Hernando O'Higgins Base 
(Chile) Trinity Peninsula.
    HSM 38 Wooden hut on Snow Hill Island built in February 1902 by the 
Swedish South Polar Expedition.
    HSM 39 Stone hut at Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula built in January 
1903 by the Swedish South Polar Expedition.
    HSM 40 Bust of General San Martin, grotto with statue of the Virgin 
Lujan, a flag mast and graveyard at Base Esperanza, Hope Bay Trinity 
Peninsula, erected by Argentina in 1955.
    HSM 41 Stone hut and grave at Paulet Island built in 1903 by members 
of the Swedish South Polar Expedition.
    HSM 42 Area of Scotia bay, Laurie Island, South Orkney containing 
stone huts built in 1903 by the Scottish Antarctic Expedition, Argentine 
meteorological hut and magnetic observatory (Moneta house) and 
graveyard.
    HSM 43 Cross erected in 1955 and subsequently moved to Belgrano II 
Station, Nunatak Bertrab, Confin Coast, Coats Land in 1979.
    HSM 44 Plaque erected at temporary Indian Station ``Dakshin 
Gangotri,'' Princess Astrid Kyst, Droning Maud Land, listing the names 
of the first Indian Antarctic Expedition.
    HSM 45 Plaque on Brabant Island, on Metchnikoff Point, at a height 
of 70m on the crest of the moraine separating this point from the 
glacier and bearing an inscription.
    HSM 46 All of the buildings and installations of Port-Martin Base, 
Terre Adelie, constructed in 1950 by the 3rd French expedition in Terre 
Adelie.
    HSM 47 Wooden building called ``Base Marret'' on the Ile des 
Petrels, Terre Adelie.
    HSM 48 Iron Cross on the North-East headland of the Ile des Petrels, 
Terre Adelie.
    HSM 49 Concrete pillar erected by the First Polish Antarctic 
Expedition at Dobrowski Station on Bunger Hill in January 1959, to 
measure acceleration due to gravity.
    HSM 50 Brass Plaque bearing the Polish Eagle at Fildes Peninsula, 
King George Island, South Shetland Islands.
    HSM 51 Grave of Wlodzimierz Puchalski, surmounted by an iron cross 
south of Arctowski station on King George Island, South Shetland 
Islands.
    HSM 52 Monolith commemorating the establishment on 20 February 1965 
of the ``Great Wall Station'' on Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, 
South Shetland Islands.
    HSM 53 Bust of Captain Luis Alberto Pardo, monolith and plaques on 
Point Wild, Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands.
    HSM 54 Richard E. Byrd Historic Monument, a bronze bust at McMurdo 
Station.
    HSM 55 East Base, Antarctica, Stonington Island (Buildings and 
artifacts) erected by the Antarctic Service Expedition (1939-1941) and 
the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (1947-1948).
    HSM 56 Waterboat Point, Danco Coast, (remains of hut and environs).
    HSM 57 Plaque at ``Yankee Bay'' (Yankee Harbour), MacFarlane Strait, 
Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands.
    HSM 59 Cairn on Half Moon Beach, Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, 
South Shetland Islands and a Plaque on `Cerro Gaviota' opposite San 
Telmo Islets.
    HSM 60 Wooden plaque and cairn placed in November 1903 at ``Penguins 
Bay,'' Seymour Island (Marambio), James Ross Archipelago.
    HSM 61 ``Base A'' at Port Lockroy, Goudier Island, off Wiencke 
Island.
    HSM 62 ``Base F'' (Wordie House)' on Winter Island, Argentine 
Islands.
    HSM 63 ``Base Y'' on Horseshoe Island, Marguerite Bay, western 
Graham Land.
    HSM 64 ``Base E'' on Stonington Island, Marguerite Bay, western 
Graham Land.
    HSM 65 Message post erected in January 1895 on Svend Foyn Island, 
Possession Islands.
    HSM 66 Prestrud's cairn, Scott Nunataks, Alexandra Mountains, Edward 
VII Peninsula erected in December 1911.
    HSM 67 Rock shelter known as ``Granite House,'' erected in 1911 at 
Cape Geology, Granite Harbour.
    HSM 68 Site of depot at Hells Gate Moraine, Inexpressible Island, 
Terra Nova Bay.
    HSM 69 Message post at Cape Crozier, Ross Island, erected January 
1902 by Capt. Robert F. Scott's Discovery Expedition.

[[Page 180]]

    HSM 70 Message post at Cape Wadworth, Coulman Island, erected 
January 1902 by Capt. Robert F. Scott.
    HSM 71 Whalers Bay, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands 
(includes whaling artifacts).
    HSM 72 Mikkelsen Cairn, Tryne Islands, Vestfold Hills.
    HSM 73 Memorial Cross for the 1979 Mount Erebus crash victims, 
erected in January 1987 at Lewis Bay, Ross Island.
    HSM 74 Unnamed cove on the south-west coast of Elephant Island, 
South Shetland Islands, including the foreshore and intertidal area, in 
which the wreckage of a large wooden sailing vessel is located.
    HSM 75 ``A Hut'' of Scott base, Pram Point, Ross Island.
    HSM 76 Ruins of base Pedro Aguirre Cerda, Pendulum Cove, Deception 
Island, South Shetland Islands.
    HSM 77 Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay, George V Land, including Boat 
Harbour and the historic artifacts contained within its waters.
    HSM 78 Memorial Plaque at India Point, Humboldt Mountains, Wohlthat 
Massif, central Dronning Maud Land.
    HSM 79 Lillie Marleen Hut, Mt. Dockery, Everett Range, Northern 
Victoria Land.
    HSM 80 Amundsen's Tent erected in December 1911 at the South Pole.
    HSM 81 Rocher du Debarguement (Landing Rock).
    HSM 82 Monument to the Antarctic Treaty and Plaques, Fildes 
Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands.
    HSM 83 Base ``W'' established in 1956 at Detaille Island, Lallemande 
Fjord, Loubert Coast .
    HSM 84 Hut at erected in 1973 at Damoy Point, Dorian Bay, Wiencke 
Island, Palmer Archipelago.
    HSM 85 Plaque Commemorating the PM-3A Nuclear Power Plant at McMurdo 
Station.
    HSM 86 No.1 Building Commemorating China's Antarctic Expedition at 
Great Wall Station.
    HSM 87 Location of the first permanently occupied German Antarctic 
research station ``Georg Forster'' at the Schirmacher Oasis, Dronning 
Maud Land.
    HSM 88 Professor Kudryashov's Drilling Complex Building, Vostok 
Station.
    HSM 89 Terra Nova Expedition 1910-12, Upper ``Summit Camp'', Mount 
Erebus.
    HSM 90 Terra Nova Expedition 1910-12, Lower ``Camp E'' Site, Mount 
Erebus.
    HSM 91 Lame Dog Hut at the Bulgarian base St. Kliment Ohridski, 
Livingston Island.
    HSM 92 Oversnow heavy tractor ``Kharkovchanka'' that was used in 
Antarctica from 1959 to 2010.
    HSM 93 Endurance, Wreck of the vessel owned and used by Sir Ernest 
Shackleton during his 1914-15 Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
    HSM 94 C.A. Larsen Multiexpedition cairn.

[84 FR 16792, Apr. 23, 2019, as amended at 86 FR 27990, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.30  [Reserved]



         Subpart G_Import Into and Export From the United States



Sec.  670.31  Specific issuance criteria for imports.

    Subject to compliance with other applicable law, any person who 
takes a native mammal, bird, plant or invertebrate under a permit issued 
under the regulations in this part may import it into the United States 
unless the Director finds that the importation would not further the 
purpose for which it was taken. If the importation is for a purpose 
other than that for which the native mammal, bird, plant or invertebrate 
was taken, the Director may permit importation upon a finding that 
importation would be consistent with the purposes of the Act, the 
regulations in this part, or the permit under which they were taken.

[86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.32  Specific issuance criteria for exports.

    The Director may permit export from the United States of any native 
mammal, bird, plant or invertebrate taken within Antarctica upon a 
finding that exportation would be consistent with the purposes of the 
Act, the regulations in this part, or the permit under which they were 
taken.

[86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.33  Content of permit applications.

    In addition to the information required in subpart C of this part, 
an applicant seeking a permit to import into or export from the United 
States a native mammal, a native bird, native plants or native 
invertebrates taken within Antarctica shall include the following in the 
application:
    (a) Information demonstrating that the import or export would 
further the

[[Page 181]]

purposes for which the species was taken;
    (b) Information demonstrating that the import or export is 
consistent with the purposes of the Act or the regulations in this part;
    (c) A statement as to which U.S. port will be used for the import or 
export, and
    (d) Information describing the intended ultimate disposition of the 
imported or exported item.

[63 FR 50164, Sept. 21, 1998, as amended at 86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.34  Entry and exit ports.

    (a) Any native mammal, native bird, native invertebrates or native 
plants taken within Antarctica that are imported into or exported from 
the United States must enter or leave the United States at ports 
designated by the Secretary of Interior in 50 CFR part 14. The ports 
currently designated are:
    (1) Los Angeles, California.
    (2) San Francisco, California.
    (3) Miami, Florida.
    (4) Honolulu, Hawaii.
    (5) Chicago, Illinois.
    (6) New Orleans, Louisiana.
    (7) New York, New York.
    (8) Seattle, Washington.
    (9) Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.
    (10) Portland, Oregon.
    (11) Baltimore, Maryland.
    (12) Boston, Massachusetts.
    (13) Atlanta, Georgia.
    (b) Permits to import or export at non-designated ports may be 
sought from the Secretary of Interior pursuant to subpart C, 50 CFR part 
14.

[63 FR 50164, Sept. 21, 1998, as amended at 86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.35  [Reserved]



       Subpart H_Introduction of Non-Indigenous Plants and Animals



Sec.  670.36  Specific issuance criteria.

    (a) For purposes consistent with the Act, only the following species 
may be considered for a permit allowing their introduction into 
Antarctica:
    (1) Cultivated plants and their reproductive propagules for 
controlled use; and
    (2) Species of living organisms including viruses, bacteria, yeasts, 
and fungi, for controlled experimental use.
    (b) Living non-indigenous species of birds shall not be introduced 
into Antarctica.

[86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.37  Content of permit application.

    Applications for the introduction of non-indigenous species into 
Antarctica must describe:
    (a) The species, numbers, and if appropriate, the age and sex, of 
the species to be introduced into Antarctica;
    (b) The need for the species;
    (c) What precautions the applicant will take to prevent escape or 
contact with native fauna and flora; and
    (d) How the species will be removed from Antarctica or destroyed 
after they have served their purpose.

[86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.38  Conditions of permits.

    All permits allowing the introduction of non-indigenous species will 
require that the species be kept under controlled conditions to prevent 
its escape or contact with native fauna and flora and that after serving 
its purpose the species shall be removed from Antarctica or be destroyed 
in manner that protects the natural system of Antarctica.

[86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]



Sec.  670.39  Other introductions of non-indigenous species.

    (a) Reasonable precautions shall be taken to prevent the accidental 
introduction of microorganisms not present naturally in the Antarctic 
Treaty area.
    (b) Any species, including progeny, not native to the Antarctic 
Treaty area, that is introduced without a permit, shall be removed or 
disposed of, whenever feasible, unless the removal or disposal would 
result in a greater adverse environmental impact. Reasonable steps shall 
be taken to control the consequences of an introduction to avoid harm to 
native fauna or flora.

[86 FR 27988, May 25, 2021]

[[Page 182]]



PART 671_WASTE REGULATION--Table of Contents



                         Subpart A_Introduction

Sec.
671.1 Purpose of regulations.
671.2 Scope.
671.3 Definitions.

                  Subpart B_Prohibited Acts, Exceptions

671.4 Prohibited acts.
671.5 Exceptions.

                            Subpart C_Permits

671.6 Applications for permits.
671.7 General issuance criteria.
671.8 Permit administration.
671.9 Conditions of permit.
671.10 Review, modification, suspension, and revocation.

                       Subpart D_Waste Management

671.11 Waste storage.
671.12 Waste disposal.
671.13 Waste management for the USAP.

    Subpart E_Designation of Banned Substances; Reclassification of 
                               Pollutants

671.14 Annual review.
671.15 Publication of preliminary determination.
671.16 Designation and redesignation of pollutants.

                      Subpart F_Cases of Emergency

671.17 Cases of emergency.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 2405.

    Source: 58 FR 34719, June 29, 1993, unless otherwise noted.



                         Subpart A_Introduction



Sec.  671.1  Purpose of regulations.

    The purposes of these regulations in part 671 are to protect the 
Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems, to 
preserve Antarctica's value as an area for the conduct of scientific 
research, and to implement the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, 
Public Law 95-541, consistent with the provisions of the Protocol on 
Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, signed in Madrid, 
Spain, on October 4, 1991.



Sec.  671.2  Scope.

    These regulations in part 671 apply to any U.S. citizen's use or 
release of a banned substance, designated pollutant or waste in 
Antarctica.

[58 FR 34719, June 29, 1993, as amended at 59 FR 37438, July 22, 1994]



Sec.  671.3  Definitions.

    (a) Definitions. In this part:
    Act means the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541, 
92 Stat. 2048 (16 U.S.C. 2401 et seq.)
    Antarctic hazardous waste means any waste consisting of or 
containing one or more designated pollutants.
    Antarctica means the area south of 60 degrees south latitude.
    Banned substance means any polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), non-
sterile soil, polystyrene beads, plastic chips or similar loose 
polystyrene packing material, pesticides (other than those required for 
scientific, medical or hygiene purposes) or other substance designated 
as such under subpart E of this part.
    Designated pollutant means any substance designated as such by the 
Director pursuant to subpart E of this part; any pesticide, radioactive 
substance, or substance consisting of or containing any chemical listed 
by source, generic or chemical name at 40 CFR 61.01, Table 116.4A of 40 
CFR 116.4; subpart D of 40 CFR part 261, 40 CFR 302.4, part 355, and 
part 372; and any substance which exhibits a hazardous waste 
characteristic as defined in subparts B and C of 40 CFR part 261; but 
shall not include any banned substance.
    Director means the Director of the National Science Foundation, or 
an officer or employee of the Foundation designated by the Director.
    Incinerate or Incineration means the processing of material by 
mechanisms that (1) involve the control of combustion air and/or fuel so 
as to maintain adequate temperature for efficient combustion; (2) 
contain the combustion reaction in an enclosed device with sufficient 
residence time and mixing for complete processing; and (3) control 
emission of gaseous or particulate combustion products.
    Master permit means a permit issued to a federal agency, or its 
agents or contractors, or any other entity, covering activities 
conducted in connection with USAP or other group activities in 
Antarctica.

[[Page 183]]

    NSF or Foundation means the National Science Foundation.
    Open burning means combustion of any material by means other than 
incineration.
    Permit means a permit issued pursuant to subpart C of this part.
    Private permit means any permit other than a master permit.
    Protocol means the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the 
Antarctic Treaty, signed by the United States in Madrid on October 4, 
1991, and any and all Annexes thereto, as amended or supplemented from 
time to time.
    Release means any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, 
emptying, discharging, injecting, leaching, dumping, burying or 
disposing of a substance, whether intentionally or accidentally.
    Station means McMurdo Station, Palmer Station, Amundsen-Scott South 
Pole Station and any other permanent USAP facility in Antarctica 
designed to accommodate at least 50 persons at any one time.
    Substance means any gas, liquid, or solid, or mixture thereof, 
including biological material.
    Treaty means the Antarctic Treaty signed in Washington, D.C., on 
December 1, 1959.
    United States means the several States of the Union, the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin 
Islands, Guam and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, including 
the Federated States of Micronesia and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands.
    United States Antarctic Program or USAP means the United States 
national program in Antarctica.
    U.S. citizen means any individual who is a citizen or national of 
the United States; any corporation, partnership, trust, association, or 
other legal entity existing or organized under the laws of any of the 
United States; and any department agency or other instrumentality of the 
Federal government or of any State, and any officer, employee, or agent 
of such instrumentality.
    Use means to use, generate or create a substance, or to import a 
substance into Antarctica, but does not include the shipboard use of a 
substance, provided that substance is not released or removed from the 
vessel.
    Waste means any substance that will no longer be used for any useful 
purpose, but does not include substances to be recycled in Antarctica, 
or substances to be reused in a manner different than their initial use, 
provided such substances are stored in a manner that will prevent their 
dispersal into the environment, and further provided that they are 
recycled, reused or disposed of in accordance with the provisions of 
this part within three years. Recycling includes, but is not limited to, 
the reuse, further use, reclamation or extraction of a waste through a 
process or activity that is separate from the process or activity that 
produced the waste.
    (b) Pollutants, generally. All banned substances, designated 
pollutants and waste shall be considered pollutants for purposes of the 
Antarctic Conservation Act.



                  Subpart B_Prohibited Acts, Exceptions



Sec.  671.4  Prohibited acts.

    Unless one of the exceptions stated in Sec.  671.5 is applicable, it 
is unlawful for any U.S. citizen to:
    (a) Use or release any banned substance in Antarctica;
    (b) Use or release any designated pollutant in Antarctica, except 
pursuant to a permit issued by NSF under subpart C of this part;
    (c) Release any waste in Antarctica, except pursuant to a permit 
issued by NSF under subpart C of this part; or
    (d) Violate any term or condition of a permit issued by NSF under 
subpart C of this part, or any term or condition of any of the 
regulations issued under this part.



Sec.  671.5  Exceptions

    A permit shall not be required for any use or release of designated 
pollutants or waste allowed under the Act to Prevent Marine Pollution 
from Ships (33 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.), as amended, or for any shipboard 
use of banned substances or designated pollutants, provided such 
substances are not removed from the vessel in Antarctica.

[[Page 184]]



                            Subpart C_Permits



Sec.  671.6  Applications for permits.

    (a) General content of permit applications. Each application for a 
permit shall be dated and signed by the applicant, and shall include the 
following information:
    (1) The applicant's name, address and telephone number, the business 
or institutional affiliation of the applicant, or the name, address and 
telephone number of the president, principal officer or managing partner 
of the applicant, as applicable;
    (2) A description of the types, expected concentrations and volumes 
of wastes and designated pollutants to be released in Antarctica; the 
nature and timing of such releases; arrangements for waste management, 
including, without limitation, plans for waste reduction, minimization, 
treatment and processing, recycling, storage, transportation and 
disposal; arrangements for training and educating personnel to comply 
with these waste management requirements and procedures, and 
arrangements for monitoring compliance; and other arrangements for 
minimizing and monitoring the environmental impacts of proposed 
operations and activities;
    (3) A description of the types, expected concentrations and volumes 
of designated pollutants to be used in Antarctica; the nature and timing 
of such uses; the method of storage of designated pollutants; and a 
contingency plan for controlling releases in a manner designed to 
minimize any resulting hazards to health and the environment;
    (4) The desired effective date and duration of the permit; and
    (5) The following certification:

    ``I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, and based 
upon due inquiry, the information submitted in this application for a 
permit is complete and accurate. Any knowing or intentional false 
statement will subject me to the criminal penalties of 18 U.S.C. 1001.''

    (b) Address to which application should be sent. Each application 
shall be in writing, and sent to:

Permits Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230.

    (c) Sufficiency of application. The sufficiency of the application 
shall be determined by the Director. The Director may waive any 
requirement for information, or require such additional information as 
he determines is relevant to the processing and evaluation of the 
application.
    (d) Publication of permit applications. The Director shall publish 
notice in the Federal Register of each application for a permit and the 
proposed conditions of its issuance (including duration). The notice 
shall invite the submission by interested parties, the Environmental 
Protection Agency and other federal agencies, within 30 days after the 
date of publication of notice, of written data, comments, or views with 
respect to the application. Information received by the Director as a 
part of any application shall be available to the public as a matter of 
public record.

[58 FR 34719, June 29, 1993, as amended at 59 FR 37438, July 22, 1994]



Sec.  671.7  General issuance criteria.

    (a) Upon receipt of a complete and properly executed application for 
a permit, the Director will decide whether and on what conditions he 
will issue a permit. In making this decision, the Director will 
carefully consider any comments or suggestions received from interested 
parties, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies 
pursuant to Sec.  671.6(d), and will determine whether the permit 
requested meets the objectives of the Act, the Protocol, and the 
requirements of these regulations.
    (b) Permits authorizing the use or release of designated pollutants 
or wastes may be issued only if, based on relevant available 
information, the Director determines that such use or release will not 
pose a substantial hazard to health or the environment, taking into 
account available information on the possible cumulative impact of 
multiple releases.



Sec.  671.8  Permit administration.

    (a) Issuance of permits. The Director may approve an application for 
a permit in whole or in part, and may condition such approval upon 
compliance with additional terms and conditions.

[[Page 185]]

Permits shall be issued in writing, shall be signed by the Director, 
shall specify duration, and shall contain such terms and conditions as 
may be established by the Director and as are consistent with the Act 
and this part.
    (b) Denial. An applicant shall be notified in writing of the denial 
of any permit request or part of a request, and the reason for such 
denial. If authorized in the notice of denial, the applicant may submit 
further information, or reasons why the permit should not be denied. 
Such further submissions shall constitute amendments of the application.
    (c) Amendment of applications or permits. An applicant or permit 
holder desiring to have any term or condition of his application or 
permit modified must submit full justification and supporting 
information in conformance with the provisions of this part. Any 
application for modification of a permit that involves a material change 
beyond the terms originally requested will be subject to the same 
procedures as a new application.
    (d) Public notice of issuance or denial. Within 10 days after the 
date of the issuance or denial of a permit, the Director shall publish 
notice of the issuance or denial in the Federal Register, including the 
conditions of issuance or basis for denial, as appropriate.



Sec.  671.9  Conditions of permit.

    (a) Conditions. All permits issued pursuant to subpart C of this 
part shall be conditioned upon compliance with the relevant provisions 
of the ACA, the Treaty, the Protocol, such specific conditions or 
restrictions as may be imposed by the Director under Sec.  671.7, and 
the provisions of subpart D of this part.
    (b) Possession of permits. Permits issued under this part, or copies 
of them, must be in the possession of persons to whom they are issued or 
their agents when conducting the authorized action. Any permit issued 
shall be shown to the Director or to any other person with enforcement 
authority upon request.
    (c)(1) Reports. Permit holders must provide the Director with 
written reports of:
    (i) Any non-permitted release of designated pollutants or waste 
within fourteen days after the occurrence of such release, including the 
date, quantity and cause of the release, and plans for remediation;
    (ii) The identity and quantity of all designated pollutants removed 
from Antarctica or otherwise disposed of, and the method of disposal; 
and
    (iii) Any other violations of the terms and conditions of their 
permits.
    (2) The Director may also require permit holders to file reports of 
activities conducted under their permits. Such reports shall be 
submitted to the Director not later than June 30 for the preceding 12 
month period ending May 31.



Sec.  671.10  Review, modification, suspension, and revocation.

    (a) The Director may modify, suspend or revoke, in whole or in part, 
any permit issued under this part:
    (1) In order to make the permit consistent with any change to any 
regulation in this part made after the date of issuance of the permit;
    (2) If there is any change in conditions which makes the permit 
inconsistent with the Act and any regulation in this part; or
    (3) In any case in which there has been any violation of any term or 
condition of the permit, any regulation in this part, or any provision 
of the Act.
    (b) The Director shall review all unexpired permits issued under 
this part at least biennially to determine whether those permits should 
be modified, suspended or revoked as set forth in paragraph (a) of this 
section.
    (c) Whenever the Director proposes any modifications, suspensions or 
revocations of a permit under this Sec.  671.10, the permittee shall be 
afforded the opportunity, after due notice, for a hearing by the 
Director with respect to such proposed modification, suspension, or 
revocation. If a hearing is requested, the action proposed by the 
Director shall not take effect before a decision is issued by him after 
the hearing, unless the proposed action is taken by the Director to meet 
an emergency situation.
    (d) Notice of the modification, suspension, or revocation of any 
permit

[[Page 186]]

shall be published in the Federal Register within 10 days from the date 
of the Director's decision.



                       Subpart D_Waste Management



Sec.  671.11  Waste storage.

    (a) Pending the treatment, disposal or removal of any wastes 
pursuant to Sec.  671.12, all wastes shall be contained, confined or 
stored in a manner that will prevent dispersal into the environment;
    (b) All Antarctic hazardous wastes generated at or transported to 
any USAP station may be temporarily stored at such station prior to the 
treatment, disposal or removal of any wastes pursuant to Sec.  671.12, 
provided all such Antarctic hazardous waste is stored in either closed 
containers or tanks labeled to indicate their contents and the beginning 
date of accumulation of such waste, and further provided the following 
conditions are satisfied:
    (1) If Antarctic hazardous wastes, radioactive wastes, or medical 
wastes, are generated at or transported to McMurdo Station, they may be 
temporarily stored at that station for a period not to exceed 15 months;
    (2) If Antarctic hazardous wastes, radioactive wastes, or medical 
wastes, are generated at or transported to South Pole Station, they may 
be temporarily stored at that station while awaiting transport to 
McMurdo Station, for a period not to exceed 15 months;
    (3) If Antarctic hazardous wastes, radioactive wastes, or medical 
wastes, are generated at or transported to Palmer Station, they may be 
temporarily stored at that station while awaiting transport to McMurdo 
Station or other disposition, for a period not to exceed 28 months;
    (4) Containers holding Antarctic hazardous wastes must be:
    (i) In good, non-leaking condition with sufficient structural 
integrity for the storage of Antarctic hazardous waste;
    (ii) Made of or lined with materials which will not react with, and 
are otherwise compatible with, the Antarctic hazardous waste to be 
stored, so that the ability of the containers to contain such waste is 
not impaired;
    (iii) Stored in a manner that allows access for inspection and 
response to emergencies; and
    (iv) Inspected at least weekly for leakage and deterioration. All 
inspections must be appropriately documented.
    (5) Tank systems used for storing Antarctic hazardous wastes must be 
in good, non-leaking condition with sufficient structural integrity for 
the storing of hazardous wastes; and systems must be inspected weekly to 
detect corrosion or releases of waste and to collect data from 
monitoring and leak detection equipment, to the extent available, to 
ensure that they are functioning properly. All inspections must be 
appropriately documented. Prior to the expiration of the 15 month period 
referred to in Sec.  671.11(b)(1), all Antarctic hazardous wastes shall 
be treated or removed from Antarctica in accordance with Sec.  671.12.
    (6) Ignitable, reactive or incompatible wastes shall be properly 
segregated and protected from sources of ignition or reaction, as 
appropriate.
    (c) All Antarctic hazardous wastes generated at a location other 
than a permanent station may be temporarily stored at such location for 
a period not to exceed 12 months, in closed, non-leaking containers 
marked to indicate their contents. Such containers must be in good 
condition and made of or lined with material which will not react with 
and is otherwise compatible with the Antarctic hazardous waste stored 
therein so as not to impair the ability of the container to contain the 
waste. Prior to the expiration of the 12 month period referred to above, 
all such hazardous wastes shall be either:
    (1) Treated or processed, disposed of or removed from Antarctica 
pursuant to Sec.  671.12, or
    (2) Removed to a permanent station and temporarily stored at that 
station in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.



Sec.  671.12  Waste disposal.

    (a)(1) The following wastes shall be removed from Antarctica:
    (i) Radioactive materials;
    (ii) Electrical batteries;

[[Page 187]]

    (iii) Fuel (both liquid and solid);
    (iv) Waste containing harmful levels of heavy metals or acutely 
toxic or harmful persistent compounds;
    (v) Poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam, 
rubber and lubricating oils, treated timbers and other products 
containing additives which can produce harmful emissions or releases;
    (vi) All other plastic wastes except low density polyethylene 
containers (such as bags for storing wastes) provided such containers 
are incinerated in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section;
    (vii) Solid, non-combustible wastes; and
    (viii) Fuel, oil and chemical drums that constitute waste.
    (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the 
obligations set forth in paragraphs (a)(1) (vii) and (viii) of this 
section shall not apply if the Director determines that the removal of 
such wastes by any practicable option would cause greater adverse 
environmental impacts than would be caused by leaving them in their 
existing locations.
    (b) All liquid wastes other than sewage and domestic liquid wastes 
and wastes referred in paragraph (a) of this section shall be removed 
from Antarctica to the maximum extent practicable.
    (c) Sewage and domestic liquid wastes may be discharged directly 
into the sea, taking into account the assimilative capacity of the 
receiving marine environment, and provided that such discharge occurs, 
wherever practicable, where conditions exist for initial dilution and 
rapid dispersal, and further provided that large quantities of such 
wastes (generated in a station where the average weekly occupancy over 
the austral summer is approximately 30 individuals or more) shall be 
treated at least by maceration. If biological treatment processes are 
used, the by-product of such treatment may be disposed of into the sea 
provided disposal does not adversely affect the local environment.
    (d) Residues of introduced animal carcasses, laboratory culture of 
micro-organisms and plant pathogens, and introduced avian products must 
be removed from Antarctica unless incinerated, autoclaved or otherwise 
sterilized.
    (e) Combustible wastes not removed from Antarctica other than wastes 
referred to in paragraph (a) of this section, shall be burnt in 
incinerators which reduce harmful emissions or discharges to the maximum 
extent practicable and the solid residue of such incineration shall be 
removed from Antarctica; provided, however, that USAP may continue to 
bury such combustible wastes in snow pits at South Pole Station, but 
must phase out such practices before March 1, 1995. Any emission or 
discharge standards and equipment guidelines which may be recommended by 
the Committee for Environmental Protection constituted or to be 
constituted pursuant to the Protocol or by the Scientific Committee on 
Antarctic Research shall be taken into account.
    (f) Sewage and domestic liquid wastes and other liquid wastes not 
removed from Antarctica in accordance with other provisions of this 
section, shall, to the maximum extent practicable, not be disposed of 
onto sea ice, ice shelves or grounded ice-sheet unless such wastes were 
generated by stations located inland on ice shelves or on the grounded 
ice-sheet. In such event, the wastes may be disposed of in deep ice pits 
if that is the only practicable option, provided the ice pits are not 
located on known ice-flow lines which terminate at ice-free land areas 
or in blue ice areas of high ablation.
    (g) No wastes may be disposed of onto ice-free areas or into any 
fresh water system.
    (h) Open burning of wastes is prohibited at all permanent stations, 
and shall be phased out at all other locations by March 1, 1994. If it 
is necessary to dispose of waste by open burning prior to March 1, 1994, 
allowance shall be made for the wind direction and speed and the type of 
waste to be burnt to limit particulate deposition and to avoid such 
deposition over areas of special biological, scientific, historic, 
aesthetic or wilderness significance.
    (i) Each unauthorized release of waste in Antarctic shall be, to the 
maximum extent practicable, promptly cleaned up by the person 
responsible for such release.

[[Page 188]]



Sec.  671.13  Waste management for the USAP.

    (a) In order to provide a basis for tracking USAP wastes, and to 
facilitate studies aimed at evaluating the environmental impacts of 
scientific activity and logistic support, the USAP shall classify its 
wastes in one of the following categories:
    (1) Sewage and domestic liquid wastes;
    (2) Other liquid wastes and chemicals, including fuels and 
lubricants;
    (3) Solid wastes to be combusted;
    (4) Other solid wastes; and
    (5) Radioactive material.
    (b) USAP shall prepare and annually review and update a waste 
management plan (including plans for waste reduction, storage and 
disposal) specifying for each of its permanent stations, field camps and 
ships (other than small boats that are part of the operations of 
permanent stations or are otherwise taken into account in existing 
management plans for ships):
    (1) Current and planned waste management arrangements, including 
final disposal;
    (2) Current and planned arrangement for assessing the environmental 
effects of waste and waste management;
    (3) Other efforts to minimize environmental effects of wastes and 
waste management; and
    (4) Programs for cleaning up existing waste disposal sites and 
abandoned work sites.
    (c) USAP shall designate one or more waste management officials to 
develop and monitor waste management plans and ensure that members of 
expeditions receive training so as to limit the impact of their 
activities on the Antarctic environment, and to inform them of the 
requirements of the Protocol and of this part.
    (d) USAP shall, to the extent practicable, prepare an inventory of 
locations of past activities (i.e., traverses, fuel depots, field bases, 
crashed aircraft) so that such locations can be taken into account in 
planning future scientific, logistic and waste management programs.
    (e) USAP shall clean up its past and present waste disposal sites on 
land and abandoned work sites, except that it shall not be required to:
    (1) Remove any structure designated as a historic site or monument; 
or
    (2) Remove any structure or waste in circumstances where the removal 
would result in greater adverse environmental impact than leaving the 
structure or waste in its existing location.
    (f) USAP shall circulate waste management plans and inventories 
described in this section in accordance with the requirements of the 
Treaty and the Protocol.



    Subpart E_Designation of Banned Substances; Reclassification of 
                               Pollutants



Sec.  671.14  Annual review.

    The Director shall review the list of banned substances and 
designated pollutants at least annually, and may propose the designation 
or redesignation of any substance as a banned substance, designated 
pollutant or other waste, based on the following criteria:
    (a) If the Director determines that a substance, including a 
designated pollutant, poses a substantial immediate hazard to health or 
the environment and such hazard cannot be eliminated through waste 
management practices or other methods, or if the Parties to the Protocol 
or Treaty agree that a substance should be banned from use in 
Antarctica, the Director may designate such substance a banned 
substance.
    (b) If the Director determines that a substance is liable to create 
a hazard to health or the environment if improperly treated or 
processed, stored, transported, or disposed of, the Director may 
designate such substance a designated pollutant.
    (c) If the Director determines that a substance previously 
designated a banned substance no longer displays the characteristics 
described in paragraph (a) of this section, the Director may remove such 
substance from the list of banned substances (to the extent consistent 
with the provisions of the Protocol), but if the Director determines 
that such substance has the characteristics described in paragraph (b) 
of this section, it shall be redesignated a designated pollutant.

[[Page 189]]

    (d) If the Director determines that a substance previously 
designated a designated pollutant no longer displays the characteristics 
described in paragraph (b) of this section, the Director may remove such 
substance from the list of designated pollutants.
    (e) In making the determinations referred to in paragraphs (a) 
through (d) of this section, the Director shall take into account all 
relevant new information obtained through monitoring activities or 
otherwise.



Sec.  671.15  Publication of preliminary determination

    Prior to any designation or redesignation of substances pursuant to 
Sec.  671.14 (including removal of such substances from lists of banned 
substances or designated pollutants), the Director shall publish notice 
in the Federal Register of any proposed designation or redesignation, 
including the basis therefor. The notice shall invite the submission by 
interested parties, the Environmental Protection Agency and other 
federal agencies, within 30 days after the date of publication of 
notice, of written data, comments, or views with respect to such action.



Sec.  671.16  Designation and redesignation of pollutants

    After review of any comments or suggestions received from interested 
parties, the Environmental Protection Agency and other Federal agencies 
pursuant to Sec.  671.15, the Director will make a final determination 
to designate and redesignate various substances as set forth above. 
Within 10 days after the date of such final determination, the Director 
shall publish notice of any action taken in the Federal Register. Such 
action shall become effective no earlier than thirty days following 
publication of notice.



                      Subpart F_Cases of Emergency



Sec.  671.17  Cases of emergency.

    The provisions of this part shall not apply in cases of emergency 
relating to the safety of human life or of ships, aircraft or other 
equipment and facilities of high value, or the protection of the 
environment. Notice of any acts or omissions resulting from such 
emergency situations shall be reported promptly to the Director, who 
shall notify the Treaty parties in accordance with the requirements of 
the Treaty and the Protocol, and publish notice of such acts or 
omissions in the Federal Register.



PART 672_ENFORCEMENT AND HEARING PROCEDURES--Table of Contents



Sec.
672.1 Hearing procedures--Scope of these rules.
672.2 Definitions.
672.3 Powers and duties of the Director; Presiding Official; Office of 
          Polar Programs.
672.4 Filing, service, and form of pleadings and documents.
672.5 Filing and service of rulings, orders, and decisions.
672.6 Appearances.
672.7 Issuance of complaint.
672.8 Answer to the complaint.
672.9 Motions.
672.10 Default order.
672.11 Informal settlement; consent agreement and order.
672.12 Prehearing conference.
672.13 Accelerated decision; decision to dismiss.
672.14 Scheduling the hearing.
672.15 Evidence.
672.16 Objections and offers of proof.
672.17 Burden of presentation; burden of persuasion.
672.18 Filing the transcript.
672.19 Proposed findings, conclusions, and order.
672.20 Initial decision.
672.21 Appeal from or review of interlocutory orders or rulings.
672.22 Appeal from or review of initial decision.
672.23 Final order on appeal.
672.24 Maximum civil monetary penalties for violations.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 2401 et seq., 28 U.S.C. 2461 note.

    Source: 54 FR 7132, Feb. 16, 1989, unless otherwise noted. 
Redesignated at 58 FR 34718, June 29, 1993.



Sec.  672.1  Hearing procedures--Scope of these rules.

    (a) These hearing rules govern all adjudicatory proceedings for the 
assessment of civil penalties or imposition of other sanctions pursuant 
to the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, 16 U.S.C. 2407; 2404(f); 
2401-2412; and

[[Page 190]]

    (b) Other adjudicatory proceedings that the Foundation, in its 
discretion, determines are appropriate for handling under these rules, 
including proceedings governed by the Administrative Procedure Act 
requirements for ``hearings on the record.'' 5 U.S.C. 554 (1982).
    (c) Questions arising at any stage of the proceeding which are not 
addressed in these rules shall be resolved at the discretion of the 
Director or Presiding Officer.



Sec.  672.2  Definitions.

    (a) Throughout these rules, words in the singular also include the 
plural, and words in the masculine gender also include the feminine, and 
vice versa.
    (b) Act means the particular statute authorizing the initiation of 
the proceeding.
    (c) Administrative Law Judge means an Administrative Law Judge 
appointed under 5 U.S.C. 3105 (see also Pub. L. 95-251, 92 Stat. 183).
    (d) Complainant means any person authorized to issue a complaint on 
behalf of the Agency to persons alleged to be in violation of the Act. 
The complainant shall not be the Presiding Officer or any other person 
who will participate or advise in the decision.
    (e) Complaint means a written communication, alleging one or more 
violations of specific provisions of the Act, Treaties, NSF regulations 
or a permit promulgated thereunder, issued by the complainant to a 
person under this subpart.
    (f) Consent Agreement means any written document, signed by the 
parties, containing stipulations or conclusions of fact or law, and a 
proposed penalty, revocation or suspension of a permit, or other 
sanction.
    (g) Director means the Director of the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) or his delegatee.
    (h) Final Order means (1) an order issued by the Director after an 
appeal of an initial decision, accelerated decision, a decision to 
dismiss, or default order, or (2) an initial decision which becomes a 
final order.
    (i) Foundation, Agency, or NSF means the National Science 
Foundation.
    (j) Hearing means a hearing on the record open to the public and 
conducted under these rules.
    (k) Hearing Clerk is the person with whom all pleadings, motions, 
and other documents required under this subpart are filed.
    (l) Initial Decision means the decision issued by the Presiding 
Officer based upon the official record of the proceedings.
    (m) Party means any person that participates in a hearing as 
complainant, respondent, or intervenor.
    (n) Permit means a permit issued under section 5 of the Antarctic 
Conservation Act of 1978, 16 U.S.C. section 2404.
    (o) Person includes any individual, partnership, association, 
corporation, and any trustee, assignee, receiver or legal successor 
thereof; any organized group of persons whether incorporated or not; and 
any officer, employee, agent, department, agency or instrumentality of 
the Federal Government. of any State or local unit of government, or of 
any foreign government.
    (p) Presiding Officer means the attorney designated by the Director 
to conduct hearings or other proceedings under this subpart.
    (q) Respondent means any person proceeded against in the complaint.
    (r) Terms defined in the Act and not defined in these rules of 
practice are used consistent with the meanings given in the Act.



Sec.  672.3  Powers and duties of the Director; Presiding Official;
Office of Polar Programs.

    (a) Director. The Director of NSF shall exercise all powers and 
duties as prescribed or delegated under the Act and these rules.
    (b) The Director may delegate all or part of his authority. Partial 
delegation does not prevent the Presiding Officer from referring any 
motion or case to the Director.
    (c) Presiding Officer. The Director may designate one or more 
Presiding Officers to perform the functions described below. The 
Presiding Officers shall be attorneys who are permanent or temporary 
employees of the Foundation or some other Federal Agency and may perform 
other duties compatible

[[Page 191]]

with their authority as hearing officers. Administrative Law Judges may 
perform the functions of Presiding Officers. The Presiding Officer shall 
have performed no prosecutorial or investigatory functions in connection 
with any matter related to the hearing.
    (d) The Presiding Officer shall conduct a fair and impartial 
proceeding, assure that the facts are fully elicited, adjudicate all 
issues, and avoid delay. The Presiding Officer shall have authority to:
    (1) Conduct administrative hearings under these rules of practice;
    (2) Rule upon motions, requests, and offers of proof, dispose of 
procedural requests, and issue all necessary orders;
    (3) Administer oaths and affirmations and take affidavits;
    (4) Examine witnesses and receive documentary or other evidence;
    (5) For good cause, upon motion or sua sponte, order a party, or an 
officer or agent thereof, to produce testimony, documents, or other 
nonprivileged evidence, and failing the production thereof without good 
cause being shown, draw adverse inferences against that party;
    (6) Admit or exclude evidence;
    (7) Hear and decide questions of facts, law or discretion;
    (8) Require parties to attend conferences for the settlement or 
simplification of the issues, or the expedition of facts, law or 
discretion;
    (9) Issue subpoenas authorized by the Act; and
    (10) Take all actions necessary for the maintenance of order and for 
the efficient, fair and impartial adjudication of issues arising in 
proceedings governed by these rules.
    (e) Disqualification; Withdrawal. (1) The Presiding Officer may not 
participate in any matter in which he (i) has a financial interest or 
(ii) has any relationship with a party or with the subject matter which 
would make it inappropriate for him to act. Any party may at any time by 
motion made to the Director, or his delegatee, request that the 
Presiding Officer be disqualified from the proceeding.
    (2) If the Presiding Officer is disqualified or withdraws from the 
proceeding, the Director shall assign a qualified replacement who has 
none of the infirmities listed in paragraph (e)(1) of this section. The 
Director, should he withdraw or disqualify himself, shall assign the 
Deputy Director to be his replacement.
    (f) Office of Polar Programs. The Office of Polar Programs (OPP) 
manages and operates the national program in Antarctica, including 
administration of the Antarctic Conservation Act (ACA) permit system. 
OPP is responsible for investigating alleged violations of the 
``prohibited acts'' section of the ACA and alleged noncompliance with 
ACA permits. OPP will act as the official complainant in all proceedings 
under the ACA governed by these rules. OPP may delegate all or part of 
its investigatory duties to other appropriate NSF employees, other 
qualified federal employees, or consultants. OPP will prepare complaints 
with the assistance of designated prosecuting attorneys within NSF's 
Office of the General Counsel, other qualified federal attorneys, or 
other appropriate legal representative selected jointly by OPP and OGC. 
The designated prosecuting attorney will represent OPP in all 
proceedings governed by these rules.
    (g) The Office of Polar Programs, acting on behalf of the Director, 
may designate qualified individuals as enforcement officers empowered to 
execute all of the law enforcement functions set forth in section 10 of 
the ACA, 16 U.S.C. 2409, as well as any other appropriate actions 
ancillary to those statutory duties. OPP will provide each enforcement 
officer with official enforcement credentials for identification 
purposes and use during execution of official duties.

OPP may also designate knowledgeable individuals to provide educational 
and other information regarding the Antarctic to tour operators, their 
clients and employees, and other visitors to the Antarctic.
    (h) The Office of the General Counsel, with the concurrence of the 
Office of Polar Programs, may refer appropriate cases to the Department 
of Justice for

[[Page 192]]

possible prosecution of criminal violations of the Antarctic 
Conservation Act.

[54 FR 7132, Feb. 16, 1989. Redesignated at 58 FR 34718, June 29, 1993, 
and amended at 59 FR 37438, July 22, 1994; 61 FR 51022, Sept. 30, 1996; 
66 FR 42451, Aug. 13, 2001]



Sec.  672.4  Filing, service, and form of pleadings and documents.

    (a) Filing of pleadings and documents. (1) Except as otherwise 
provided, the original and one copy of the complaint, and the original 
of the answer and of all other documents served in the proceeding, shall 
be filed with the Hearing Clerk.
    (2) A certificate of service shall accompany each document filed or 
served. Except as otherwise provided, a party filing documents with the 
Hearing Clerk, after the filing of the answer, shall serve copies 
thereof upon all other parties and the Presiding Officer. The Presiding 
Officer shall maintain a duplicate file during the course of the 
proceeding.
    (3) When the Presiding Officer corresponds directly with the 
parties, he shall file the original of the correspondence with the 
Hearing Clerk, maintain a copy in the duplicate file, and send a copy to 
all parties. Parties who correspond directly with the Presiding Officer 
shall in addition to serving all other parties send a copy of all such 
correspondence to the Hearing Clerk. A certificate of service shall 
accompany each document served under this subsection.
    (b) Service of pleadings and documents--(1) Service of complaint. 
(i) Service of a copy of the signed original of the complaint, together 
with a copy of these rules, may be made personally or by certified mail, 
return receipt requested, on the respondent or his representative.
    (ii) Service upon a domestic or foreign corporation or upon a 
partnership or other unincorporated association which is subject to suit 
under a common name shall be made by personal service or certified mail, 
as prescribed by paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, directed to an 
officer, partner, a managing or general agent, or to any other person 
authorized by appointment or by Federal or State law to receive service 
of process.
    (iii) Service upon an officer or agency of the United States shall 
be made by delivering a copy of the complaint to the officer or agency, 
or in any manner prescribed for service by applicable regulations. If 
the agency is a corporation, the complaint shall be served as prescribed 
in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section.
    (iv) Service upon a State or local unit of government, or a State or 
local officer, agency, department, corporation or other instrumentality 
shall be made by serving a copy of the complaint in the manner 
prescribed by the law of the State for the service of process on any 
such persons, or
    (A) If upon a State or local unit of government, or a State or local 
department, agency, corporation or other instrumentality, by delivering 
a copy of the complaint to the chief executive officer thereof; or
    (B) If upon a State or local officer by delivering a copy to such 
officer.
    (v) Proof of service of the complaint shall be made by affidavit of 
the person making personal service, or by properly executed return 
receipt. Such proof of service shall be filed with the complaint 
immediately upon completion of service.
    (2) The first page of every pleading, letter, or other document 
shall contain a caption identifying the respondent and the docket number 
which is exhibited on the complaint.
    (3) The original of any pleading, letter, or other document (other 
than exhibits) shall be signed by the party filing it or by his 
representative. The signature constitutes a representation by the signer 
that he has read the pleading, letter or other document, that to the 
best of his knowledge, information and belief, the statements made 
therein are true, and that it is not interposed for delay.
    (4) The initial document filed by any person shall contain his name, 
address and telephone number. Any changes in this information shall be 
communicated promptly to the Hearing Clerk, Presiding Officer, and all 
parties to the proceeding. A party who fails to furnish such information 
and any changes thereto shall be deemed to have waived

[[Page 193]]

his right to notice and service under these rules.



Sec.  672.5  Filing and service of rulings, orders, and decisions.

    (a) All rulings, orders, decisions, and other documents issued by 
the Presiding Officer shall be filed with the Hearing Clerk. Copies of 
all such documents shall be served personally, or by certified mail, 
return receipt requested, upon all parties.
    (b) Computation. In computing any period of time prescribed or 
allowed in these rules, except as otherwise provided, computation is by 
calendar days and does not include the day of the event from which the 
designated period begins to run. When a stated time expires on a 
Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the stated time period shall be 
extended to include the next business day.
    (c) Extensions of time. The Presiding Officer may grant an extension 
of time for the filing of any pleading, document, or motion (1) upon 
timely motion of a party to the proceeding, for good cause shown, and 
after consideration of prejudice to other parties, or (2) upon his own 
motion. Such a motion by a party may only be made after notice to all 
other parties, unless the movant can show good cause why serving notice 
is impracticable. The motion shall be filed in advance of the date on 
which the pleading, document or motion is due to be filed, unless the 
failure of a party to make timely motion for extension of time was the 
result of excusable neglect.
    (d) Service by mail. Service of the complaint is complete when the 
return receipt is signed. Service of all other pleadings and documents 
is complete upon mailing. Where a pleading or document is served by 
mail, five (5) days shall be added to the time allowed by these rules 
for the filing of a responsive pleading or document.
    (e) Ex parte discussion of proceeding. At no time after the issuance 
of the complaint shall the Presiding Officer, or any other person who is 
likely to advise these officials in the decision on the case, discuss ex 
parte the merits of the proceeding with any interested person outside 
the Agency, with any Agency staff member who performs a prosecutorial or 
investigative function in the proceeding or other factually related 
proceeding, or with any representative of such person. Any ex parte 
memorandum or other communication addressed to the Presiding Officer 
during the pendency of the proceeding and relating to the merits 
thereof, by or on behalf of any party, shall be regarded as argument 
made in the proceeding and shall be served upon all other parties. The 
Presiding Officer shall give the other parties an opportunity to reply.
    (f) Subject to the provisions of law restricting the public 
disclosure of confidential information, any person may, during Agency 
business hours, inspect and copy any document filed in any proceeding. 
Such documents shall be made available by the Hearing Clerk.
    (g) The person seeking copies of any documents filed in a proceeding 
shall bear the cost of duplication. Upon a formal request the Agency may 
waive this cost in appropriate cases.



Sec.  672.6  Appearances.

    (a) Appearances. Any party may appear in person or by counsel or 
other representative. A partner may appear on behalf of a partnership 
and an officer may appear on behalf of a corporation. Persons who appear 
as counsel or other representative must conform to the standards of 
conduct and ethics required of practitioners before the courts of the 
United States.
    (b) Intervention. A motion for leave to intervene in any proceeding 
conducted under these rules must set forth the grounds for the proposed 
intervention, the position and interest of the movant, and whether the 
intervention will cause delay. Any person already a party to the 
proceeding may file an answer to a motion to intervene, making specific 
reference to the factors set forth in the foregoing sentence and 
paragraph (c) of this section, within ten (10) days after service of the 
motion for leave to intervene.
    (c) A motion for leave to intervene in a proceeding must ordinarily 
be filed before the first prehearing conference, or if there is no such 
conference, prior to the setting of a time and place for a hearing. Any 
motion filed after that time must include, in addition to the

[[Page 194]]

information set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, a statement of 
good cause for the failure to file in a timely manner. Agreements, 
arrangements, and other matters previously resolved during the 
proceeding are binding on the intervenor.
    (d) Disposition. The Presiding Officer may grant leave to intervene 
only if the movant demonstrates that (1) his presence in the proceeding 
would not unduly prolong or otherwise prejudice the adjudication of the 
rights of the original parties; (2) the movant will be adversely 
affected by a final order; and (3) the interests of the movant are not 
being adequately represented by the original parties. The intervenor 
becomes a full party to the proceeding upon the granting of leave to 
intervene.
    (e) Amicus curiae. Persons not parties to the proceeding who wish to 
file briefs may so move. The motion shall identify the interest of the 
applicant and shall state the reasons why the proposed amicus brief is 
desirable. If the motion is granted, the Presiding Officer or Director 
shall issue an order setting the time for filing such brief. An amicus 
curiae is eligible to participate in any briefing after his motion is 
granted, and shall be served with all briefs, motions, and orders 
relating to issues to be briefed.
    (f) Consolidation. The Presiding Officer may, by motion or sua 
sponte, consolidate any or all matters at issue in two or more 
proceedings docketed under these rules where (1) there exists common 
parties or common questions of fact or law; (2) consolidation would 
expedite and simplify consideration of the issues; and (3) consolidation 
would not adversely affect the rights of parties engaged in otherwise 
separate proceedings.
    (g) Severance. The Presiding Officer may, by motion or sua sponte, 
for good cause shown order any proceedings severed with respect to any 
or all parties or issues.



Sec.  672.7  Issuance of complaint.

    (a) General. If the complainant has reason to believe that a person 
has violated any provision of the Antarctic Conservation Act, other Act 
or attendant regulations, or a permit issued under the ACA, he may 
institute a proceeding for the assessment of a civil penalty or other 
sanctions by issuing a complaint under the Act and these rules.
    (b) If the complainant has reason to believe that (1) a permittee 
violated any term or condition of the permit, or (2) a permittee 
misrepresented or inaccurately described any material fact in the permit 
application or failed to disclose all relevant facts in the permit 
application, or (3) other good cause exists for such action, he may 
institute a proceeding for the revocation or suspension of a permit by 
issuing a complaint under the Act and these rules. A complaint may seek 
suspension or revocation of a permit in addition to the assessment of a 
civil penalty.
    (c) Content and amendment of the complaint. All complaints shall 
include:
    (1) A statement reciting the section(s) of the Act, regulations, 
and/or permit authorizing the issuance of the complaint;
    (2) A concise statement of the factual basis for all alleged 
violations; and
    (3) Notice of the respondent's right to request a hearing on any 
material fact contained in the complaint, or on the appropriateness of 
the proposed sanction.
    (d) Each complaint for the assessment of a civil penalty shall also 
include:
    (1) Specific reference to each provision of the Act and implementing 
regulations which respondent is alleged to have violated;
    (2) The amount of the civil penalty which is proposed to be 
assessed; and
    (3) A statement explaining the reasoning behind the proposed 
penalty;
    (e) Each complaint for the revocation or suspension of a permit 
shall also include:
    (1) Specific reference to each term or condition of the permit which 
the respondent is alleged to have violated, to each alleged inaccuracy 
or misrepresentation in respondent's permit application, to each fact 
which the respondent allegedly failed to disclose in his permit 
application, or to other reasons which form the basis for the complaint;
    (2) A request for an order to either revoke or suspend the permit 
and a statement of the terms and conditions

[[Page 195]]

of any proposed partial suspension or revocation; and
    (3) A statement indicating the basis for recommending the 
revocation, rather than the suspension, of the permit, or vice versa.
    A copy of these rules shall accompany each complaint served.
    (f) Derivation of proposed civil penalty. The complainant shall 
determine the dollar amount of the proposed civil penalty in accordance 
with any criteria set forth in the Act and with any civil penalty 
guidance issued by NSF.
    (g) Amendment of the complaint. The complainant may amend the 
complaint once as a matter of right at any time before the answer is 
filed. Otherwise the complainant may amend the complaint only upon 
motion granted by the Presiding Officer. Respondent shall have twenty 
(20) additional days from the date of service of the amended complaint 
to file his answer.
    (h) Withdrawal of the complaint. The complainant may withdraw the 
complaint, or any part thereof, without prejudice one time before the 
answer has been filed. After one withdrawal before the filing of an 
answer, or after the filing of an answer, the complainant may withdraw 
the complaint, or any part thereof, without prejudice, only upon motion 
granted by the Presiding Officer.
    (i) Complainant, in cooperation with the Office of General Counsel, 
may refer cases to the Department of Justice for possible criminal 
prosecution if there is reason to believe that respondent willfully 
violated the Antarctic Conservation Act or its attendant regulations. 
Such referral does not automatically preclude NSF from proceeding 
administratively under the Act and these rules against the same 
respondent.



Sec.  672.8  Answer to the complaint.

    (a) General. Where respondent (1) contests any material fact upon 
which the complaint is based; (2) contends that the amount of the 
penalty proposed in the complaint or the proposed revocation or 
suspension, as the case may be, is inappropriate; or (3) contends that 
he is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, he shall file a written 
answer to the complaint with the Hearing Clerk. Any such answer to the 
complaint must be filed with the Hearing Clerk within twenty (20) days 
after service of the complaint.
    (b) Contents of the answer. The answer shall clearly and directly 
admit, deny or explain each of the factual allegations contained in the 
complaint. If respondent asserts he has no knowledge of a particular 
factual allegation, the allegation is deemed denied. The answer shall 
also state (1) the circumstances or arguments which are alleged to 
constitute the grounds of defense; (2) the facts which respondent 
intends to place at issue; and (3) whether a hearing is requested.
    (c) Request for hearing. A hearing upon the issues raised by the 
complaint and answer shall be held upon request of respondent in the 
answer. The Presiding Officer may deem the right to a hearing waived if 
it is not requested by respondent. In addition, a hearing may be held at 
the discretion of the Presiding Officer, sua sponte, to examine issues 
raised in the answer.
    (d) Failure to admit, deny, or explain. Failure of respondent to 
admit, deny, or explain any material factual allegation contained in the 
complaint constitutes an admission of the allegation.
    (e) Amendment of the answer. The respondent may amend the answer to 
the complaint upon motion granted by the Presiding Officer.



Sec.  672.9  Motions.

    (a) General. All motions, except those made orally on the record 
during a hearing, shall (1) be in writing; (2) state the basis or 
grounds with particularity; (3) set forth the relief or order sought; 
and (4) be accompanied by any affidavit, certificate, or other evidence 
or legal memorandum relied upon.
    (b) Response to motions. A party must file a response to any written 
motion within ten (10) days after service of such motion, unless the 
Presiding Officer allows additional time. The response shall be 
accompanied by any affidavit, certificate, other evidence, or legal 
memorandum relied upon. If no response is filed within the designated 
period, the Presiding Officer may deem the parties to have waived any 
objection to the granting of the motion. The

[[Page 196]]

Presiding Officer may also set a shorter time for response, or make such 
other appropriate orders concerning the disposition of motions.
    (c) Ruling on Motions. The Presiding Officer shall rule on all 
motions, unless otherwise provided in these rules. The Presiding Officer 
may permit oral argument if he considers it necessary or desirable.



Sec.  672.10  Default order.

    (a) Default. The Presiding Officer may find a party in default (1) 
after motion, upon failure to file a timely answer to the complaint; (2) 
after motion or sua sponte, upon failure to comply with a prehearing or 
hearing order of the Presiding Officer; or (3) after motion or sua 
sponte, upon failure to appear at a conference or hearing without good 
cause being shown. No finding of default on the basis of a failure to 
appear at a hearing shall be made against the respondent unless the 
complainant presents sufficient evidence to the Presiding Officer to 
establish a prima facie case against the respondent. Any motion for a 
default order shall include a proposed default order and shall be served 
upon all parties. The alleged defaulting party shall have twenty (20) 
days from service to reply to the motion. Default by respondent 
constitutes, for purposes of the pending action only, an admission of 
all facts alleged in the complaint and a waiver of respondent's right to 
a hearing on such factual allegations. If the complaint is for the 
assessment of a civil penalty, the penalty proposed in the complaint 
shall become due and payable by respondent without further proceedings 
sixty (60) days after a final order issued upon default. If the 
complaint is for the revocation or suspension of a permit, the 
conditions of revocation or suspension proposed in the complaint shall 
become effective without further proceedings on the date designated by 
the Presiding Officer in his final order issued upon default. Default by 
the complainant shall result in the dismissal of the complaint with 
prejudice.
    (b) Procedures upon default. When the Presiding Officer finds a 
default has occurred, he shall issue a default order against the 
defaulting party. This order shall constitute the initial decision, and 
shall be filed with the Hearing Clerk.
    (c) Contents of a default order. A default order shall include 
findings of fact showing the grounds for the order, conclusions 
regarding all material issues of law or discretion, and the penalty 
which is recommended, or the terms and conditions of permit revocation 
or suspension, or other sanctions.
    (d) The Presiding Officer may set aside a default order for good 
cause shown.



Sec.  672.11  Informal settlement; consent agreement and order.

    (a) Settlement policy. The Agency encourages settlement of a 
proceeding at any time if the settlement is consistent with the 
provisions and objectives of the Act and applicable regulations. The 
respondent may confer with complainant concerning settlement whether or 
not the respondent requests a hearing. Settlement conferences shall not 
affect the respondent's obligation to file a timely answer.
    (b) Consent agreement. The parties shall forward a written consent 
agreement and a proposed consent order to the Presiding Officer whenever 
settlement or compromise is proposed. The consent agreement shall state 
that, for the purpose of this proceeding, respondent (1) admits the 
jurisdictional allegations of the complaint; (2) admits the facts 
stipulated in the consent agreement or neither admits nor denies 
specific factual allegations contained in the complaint; and (3) 
consents to the assessment of a stated civil penalty or to the stated 
permit revocation or suspension, or to other sanctions or actions in 
mitigation. The consent agreement shall include any and all terms of the 
agreement, and shall be signed by all parties or their counsel or 
representatives.
    (c) Consent order. No settlement or consent agreement shall dispose 
of any proceeding under the rules without a consent order from the 
Director or his delegatee. Before signing such an order, the Director or 
his delegatee may require that the parties to the settlement appear 
before him to answer inquiries relating to the consent agreement or 
order.

[[Page 197]]

    (d) Actions by respondent to clean, protect, enhance, or benefit the 
environment. NSF may accept from respondent environmentally beneficial 
actions, in lieu of penalties, in whole or in part, assessed under the 
Antarctic Conservation Act. An assessment of the monetary value of any 
action in mitigation shall be made before that action is incorporated as 
a part of any consent agreement and order.



Sec.  672.12  Prehearing conference.

    (a) Purpose of prehearing conference. Unless a conference appears 
unnecessary, the Presiding Officer, at any time before the hearing 
begins, shall direct the parties and their counsel or other 
representatives to appear at a conference before him to consider:
    (1) The settlement of the case;
    (2) The simplification of issues and stipulation of facts not in 
dispute;
    (3) The necessity or desirability of amendments to pleadings;
    (4) The exchange of exhibits, documents, prepared testimony, and 
admissions or stipulations of fact which will avoid unnecessary proof;
    (5) The limitation of the number of expert or other witnesses;
    (6) Setting a time and place for the hearing; and
    (7) Any other matters which may expedite the proceeding.
    (b) Exchange of witness lists and documents. Unless otherwise 
ordered by the Presiding Officer, each party at the prehearing 
conference shall make available to all other parties (1) the names of 
the expert and other witnesses he intends to call, together with a brief 
narrative summary of their expected testimony, and (2) copies of all 
documents and exhibits which each party intends to introduce into 
evidence. Documents and exhibits shall be marked for identification as 
ordered by the Presiding Officer. The Presiding Officer may exclude from 
evidence any document or testimony not disclosed at the prehearing 
conference. If the Presiding Officer permits the submittal of new 
evidence, he will grant parties a reasonable opportunity to respond.
    (c) Record of the prehearing conference. No transcript of a 
prehearing conference relating to settlement shall be made. With respect 
to other prehearing conferences, no transcript of any prehearing 
conferences shall be made unless ordered by the Presiding Officer upon 
motion of a party or sua sponte. The Presiding Officer shall prepare and 
file for the record a written summary of the action taken at the 
conference. The summary shall incorporate any written stipulations or 
agreements of the parties and all rulings and appropriate orders 
containing directions to the parties.
    (d) Unavailability of a prehearing conference. If a prehearing 
conference is unnecessary or impracticable, the Presiding Officer, on 
motion or sua sponte, may conduct a telephonic conference or direct the 
parties to correspond with him to accomplish any of the objectives set 
forth in this section.
    (e) Other discovery. (1) Except as provided by paragraph (b) of this 
section, further discovery shall be permitted only upon determination by 
the Presiding Officer that (i) such discovery will not in any way 
unreasonably delay the proceeding; (ii) the information to be obtained 
is not otherwise obtainable; and (iii) such information has significant 
probative value.
    (2) The Presiding Officer shall order depositions upon oral 
questions only upon a showing of good cause and upon a finding that (i) 
the information sought cannot be obtained by alternative methods; or 
(ii) there is substantial reason to believe that relevant and probative 
evidence may otherwise not be preserved for presentation by a witness at 
the hearing.
    (3) Any party may request further discovery by motion. Such a motion 
shall set forth (i) the circumstances warranting the taking of the 
discovery; (ii) the nature of the information expected to be discovered; 
and (iii) the proposed time and place where it will be taken. If the 
Presiding Officer determines that the motion should be granted, he shall 
issue an order granting discovery, with any qualifying conditions and 
terms.
    (4) When the information sought to be obtained is within the control 
of one of the parties, failure to comply with an order issued pursuant 
to this paragraph may lead to (i) the inference that the information to 
be discovered would be adverse to the party from whom the

[[Page 198]]

information was sought; or (ii) the issuance of a default.



Sec.  672.13  Accelerated decision; decision to dismiss.

    (a) General. The Presiding Officer, upon motion of any party or sua 
sponte, may at any time render an accelerated decision in favor of the 
complainant or the respondent as to all or any part of the proceeding, 
without further hearing or upon such limited additional evidence, such 
as affidavits, as he may require, if no genuine issue of material fact 
exists and a party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law regarding 
all or any part of the proceeding. In addition, the Presiding Officer, 
upon motion of the respondent, may at any time dismiss an action without 
further hearing or upon such limited additional evidence as he requires, 
if complainant fails to establish a prima facie case, or if other 
grounds show complainant has no right to relief.
    (b) Effect. (1) If an accelerated decision or a decision to dismiss 
is issued as to all the issues and claims in the proceeding, the 
decision constitutes an initial decision of the Presiding Officer, and 
shall be filed with the Hearing Clerk.
    (2) If an accelerated decision or a decision to dismiss is rendered 
on less than all issues or claims in the proceeding, the Presiding 
Officer shall determine what material facts exist without substantial 
controversy and what material facts remain controverted in good faith. 
He shall then issue an interlocutory order specifying the facts which 
appear substantially uncontroverted, and the issues and claims upon 
which the hearing will proceed.



Sec.  672.14  Scheduling the hearing.

    (a) When an answer is filed, the Hearing Clerk shall forward the 
complaint, the answer, and any other documents filed thus far in the 
proceeding to the Presiding Officer, who will notify the parties of his 
assignment.
    (b) Notice of hearing. If the respondent requests a hearing in his 
answer, or one is ordered by the Presiding Officer, the Presiding 
Officer shall serve upon the parties a notice setting forth a time and 
place for the hearing. The Presiding Officer may issue the notice of 
hearing at any appropriate time, but not later than twenty (20) days 
prior to the date set for the hearing.
    (c) Postponement of hearing. The Presiding Officer will not grant a 
request for postponement of a hearing except upon motion and for good 
cause shown.



Sec.  672.15  Evidence.

    (a) General. The Presiding Officer shall admit all evidence which is 
not irrelevant, immaterial, unduly repetitious, or otherwise unreliable 
or of little probative value. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, 
evidence relating to settlement which would be excluded in the federal 
courts under Ru1e 408 of the Federal Rules of Evidence is inadmissible. 
In the presentation, admission, disposition, and use of evidence, the 
Presiding Officer shall preserve the confidentiality of trade secrets 
and other commercial and financial information. The confidential or 
trade secret status of any information shall not, however, preclude its 
introduction into evidence. The Presiding Officer may review such 
evidence in camera, and issue appropriate protective orders.
    (b) Examination of witnesses. Parties shall examine witnesses 
orally, under oath or affirmation, except as otherwise provided in these 
rules or by the Presiding Officer. Parties shall have the right to 
cross-examine a witness who appears at the hearing.
    (c) Verified statements. The Presiding Officer may admit into the 
record as evidence, in lieu of oral testimony, statements of fact or 
opinion prepared by a witness. The admissibility of the evidence 
contained in the statement shall be subject to the same rules as if the 
testimony were produced under oral examination. Before any such 
statement is read or admitted into evidence, the witness shall deliver a 
copy of the statement to the Presiding Officer, the reporter, and 
opposing counsel. The witness presenting the statement shall swear to or 
affirm the statement and shall be subject to appropriate oral cross-
examination.

[[Page 199]]

    (d) Admission of affidavits where the witness is unavailable. The 
Presiding Officer may admit into evidence affidavits of witnesses who 
are ``unavailable,'' within the meaning of that term under Rule 804(a) 
of the Federal Rules of Evidence.
    (e) Exhibits. Where practicable, an original and one copy of each 
exhibit shall be filed with the Presiding Officer for the record and a 
copy shall be furnished to each party. A true copy of any exhibit may be 
substituted for the original.
    (f) Official notice. Official notice may be taken of any matter 
judicially noticeable in the Federal courts and of other facts within 
the specialized knowledge and experience of the Agency. Opposing parties 
shall be given adequate opportunity to show that such facts are 
erroneously noticed.



Sec.  672.16  Objections and offers of proof.

    (a) Objection. Any objection concerning the conduct of the hearing 
may be made orally or in writing during the hearing. The party raising 
the objection must supply a short statement of its grounds. The ruling 
by the Presiding Officer on any objection and the reasons given for it 
shall be part of the record. An exception to each objection overruled 
shall be automatic and is not waived by further participation in the 
hearing.
    (b) Offer of proof. Whenever evidence is excluded from the record, 
the party offering the evidence may make an offer of proof, which shall 
be included in the record. The offer of proof for excluded oral 
testimony shall consist of a brief statement describing the nature of 
the evidence excluded. The offer of proof for excluded documents or 
exhibits shall consist of the insertion in the record of the documents 
or exhibits excluded.



Sec.  672.17  Burden of presentation; burden of persuasion.

    The complainant has the burden of going forward with and of proving 
that the violation occurred as set forth in the complaint and that the 
proposed civil penalty, revocation, suspension, or other sanction, is 
appropriate. Following the establishment of a prima facie case, 
respondent has the burden of presenting and of going forward with any 
defense to the allegations set forth in the complaint. The Presiding 
Officer shall decide all controverted matters upon a preponderance of 
the evidence.



Sec.  672.18  Filing the transcript.

    The hearing shall be transcribed verbatim. After the Presiding 
Officer closes the record, the reporter shall promptly transmit the 
original and certified copies to the Hearing Clerk, and one certified 
copy directly to the Presiding Officer. A certificate of service shall 
accompany each copy of the transcript. The Hearing Clerk shall notify 
all parties of the availability of the transcript and shall furnish the 
parties with a copy of the transcript upon payment of the cost of 
reproduction, unless a party can show that the cost is unduly 
burdensome. Any person not a party to the proceeding may obtain a copy 
of the transcript upon payment of the reproduction fee, except for those 
parts of the transcript ordered to be kept confidential by the Presiding 
Officer.



Sec.  672.19  Proposed findings, conclusions, and order.

    Unless otherwise ordered by the Presiding Officer, any party may 
submit proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a proposed 
order, together with supporting briefs, within twenty (20) days after 
the parties are notified of the availability of the transcript. The 
Presiding Officer shall set a time by which reply briefs must be 
submitted. All submissions shall be in writing, shall be served upon all 
parties, and shall contain adequate references to the record and relied-
upon authorities.



Sec.  672.20  Initial decision.

    (a) Filing and contents. The Presiding Officer shall issue and file 
with the Hearing Clerk an initial decision as soon as practicable after 
the period for filing reply briefs, if any, has expired. The initial 
decision shall contain findings of fact, conclusions regarding all 
material issues of law or discretion, the reasons for the findings and 
conclusions, a recommended civil penalty assessment or other sanction, 
if appropriate, and a proposed final order. Upon

[[Page 200]]

receipt of an initial decision, the Hearing Clerk shall forward a copy 
to all parties, and shall send the original, along with the record of 
the proceeding, to the Director.
    (b) Amount of civil penalty. If the Presiding Officer determines 
that a violation has occurred, he shall set the dollar amount of the 
recommended civil penalty in the initial decision in accordance with any 
criteria set forth in the Act, and must consider any civil penalty 
guidelines issued by NSF. If the Presiding Officer decides to assess a 
penalty different in amount from the penalty recommended in the 
complaint, he shall set forth in the initial decision the specific 
reasons for the increase or decrease. The Presiding Officer shall not 
raise a penalty from that recommended in the complaint if the respondent 
has defaulted.
    (c) Effect of initial decision. The initial decision of the 
Presiding Officer shall become the final order of the Agency within 
forty-five (45) days after its service upon the parties and without 
further proceedings unless (1) an appeal to the Director is filed by a 
party to the proceedings; or (2) the Director elects, sua sponte, to 
review the initial decision.
    (d) Motion to reopen a hearing. A motion to reopen a hearing to take 
further evidence must be made no later than twenty (20) days after 
service of the initial decision on the parties and shall (1) state the 
specific grounds upon which relief is sought; (2) state briefly the 
nature and purpose of the evidence to be adduced; (3) show that such 
evidence is not cumulative; and (4) show good cause why such evidence 
was not adduced at the hearing. The motion shall be made to the 
Presiding Officer and filed with the Hearing Clerk. Parties shall have 
ten (10) days following service to respond. The Presiding Officer shall 
grant or deny such motion as soon as practicable. The conduct of any 
proceeding which may be required as a result of the granting of any 
motion to reopen shall be governed by the provisions of the applicable 
sections of these rules. The filing of a motion to reopen a hearing 
shall automatically stay the running of all time periods specified under 
these Rules until such time as the motion is denied or the reopened 
hearing is concluded.



Sec.  672.21  Appeal from or review of interlocutory orders or rulings.

    (a) Request for interlocutory orders or rulings. Except as provided 
in this section, appeals to the Director or, upon delegation, to the 
General Counsel, shall obtain as a matter of right only from a default 
order, an accelerated decision or decision to dismiss, or an initial 
decision rendered after an evidentiary hearing. Appeals from other 
orders or rulings shall lie only if the Presiding Officer, upon motion 
of a party, certifies such orders or rulings to the Director on appeal. 
Requests for such certification shall be filed in writing within six (6) 
days of notice of the ruling or service of the order, and shall state 
briefly the grounds to be relied upon on appeal.
    (b) Availability of interlocutory appeal. The Presiding Officer may 
certify any ruling for appeal to the Director when (1) the order or 
ruling involves an important question of law or policy and there is 
substantial grounds for difference of opinion; and (2) either (i) an 
immediate appeal from the order or ruling will materially advance the 
ultimate resolution of the proceeding, or (ii) review after the final 
order is issued will be inadequate or ineffective.
    (c) Decision. If the Director or the General Counsel takes no action 
within thirty (30) days of the certification, the appeal is dismissed. 
If the Director or the General Counsel decides to hear the interlocutory 
appeal, he shall make and transmit his findings and conclusions to the 
Presiding Officer. When the Presiding Officer declines to certify an 
order or ruling to the Director on interlocutory appeal, it may be 
reviewed by the Director only upon appeal from the initial decision.
    (d) Stay of proceedings. The Presiding Officer may stay the 
proceedings for an interlocutory appeal. Proceedings will not be stayed 
except in extraordinary circumstances. Where the Presiding Officer 
grants a stay of more than thirty (30) days, such stay must be 
separately approved by the Director.

[[Page 201]]



Sec.  672.22  Appeal from or review of initial decision.

    (a) Notice of appeal. Any party may appeal any adverse initial 
decision of the Presiding Officer by filing a notice of appeal and an 
accompanying appellate brief with the Hearing Clerk and upon all other 
parties and amicus curiae within twenty (20) days after the initial 
decision is served upon the parties. The notice of appeal shall set 
forth alternative findings of fact, alternative conclusions regarding 
issues of law or discretion, and a proposed order together with relevant 
references to the record and the initial decision. The appellant's brief 
shall contain a statement of the issues presented for review, argument 
on the issues presented, and a short conclusion stating the precise 
relief sought, together with appropriate references to the record. 
Within twenty (20) days of the service of notices of appeal and briefs, 
any other party or amicus curiae may file with the Hearing Clerk a reply 
brief responding to argument raised by the appellant, together with 
references to the relevant portions of the record, initial decision, or 
opposing brief. Reply briefs shall be limited to the scope of the appeal 
brief.
    (b) Sua sponte review by the Director. Whenever the Director 
determines sua sponte to review an initial decision, the Hearing Clerk 
shall serve notice of such intention on the parties within forty-five 
(45) days after the initial decision is served upon the parties. The 
notice shall include a statement of issues to be briefed by the parties 
and a time schedule for the service and filing of briefs.
    (c) Scope of appeal or review. The appeal of the initial decision 
shall be limited to those issues raised by the parties during the course 
of the proceeding. If the Director determines that issues raised, but 
not appealed by the parties, should be argued, he shall give the parties 
or their representatives written notice of such determination to permit 
preparation of adequate argument. Nothing herein shall prohibit the 
Director from remanding the case to the Presiding Officer for further 
proceedings.
    (d) Argument. The Director may, upon request of a party or sua 
sponte, assign a time and place for oral argument.



Sec.  672.23  Final order on appeal.

    (a) Contents of the final order. When an appeal has been taken or 
the Director issues a notice of intent to conduct review sua sponte, the 
Director shall issue a final order as soon as practicable after the 
filing of all appellate briefs or oral argument. The Director shall 
adopt, modify or set aside the findings and conclusions contained in the 
decision or order being reviewed and shall set forth in the final order 
the reasons for his actions. The Director may, in his discretion, 
increase or decrease the assessed penalty from the amount recommended in 
the decision or order being reviewed, except that if the order being 
reviewed is a default order, the Director may not increase the amount of 
the penalty.
    (b) Payment of a civil penalty. The respondent shall pay the full 
amount of the civil penalty assessed in the final order within sixty 
(60) days after receipt of the final order unless otherwise agreed by 
the parties. Payment shall be made by forwarding to the Hearing Clerk a 
cashier's check or certified check in the amount of the penalty assessed 
in the final order, payable to the Treasurer, United States of America.
    (c) Money due and owing the United States by virtue of an unappealed 
final decision or settlement order may be collected by referral to the 
Department of Justice for appropriate civil action against respondent.



Sec.  672.24  Maximum civil monetary penalties for violations.

    (a) For violations occurring prior to August 1, 2016, the maximum 
civil penalty is $6500 for any violation and $11,000 for knowing 
violations.
    (b) For violations occurring after August 1, 2016, but before 
January 1, 2017, the maximum civil penalty is adjusted to $16,250 for 
any violation and $27,500 for knowing violations.
    (c) For violations occurring on or after January 1, 2017, the 
maximum penalty, which may be assessed under part 672 of the title, is 
the larger of:

[[Page 202]]

    (1) The amount for the previous calendar year, or
    (2) An amount adjusted for inflation, calculated by multiplying the 
amount for the previous calendar year by the percentage by which the 
CPI-U for the month of October preceding the current calendar year 
exceeds the CPI-U for the month of October of the calendar year two 
years prior to the current calendar year, adding that amount to the 
amount for the previous calendar year, and rounding the total to the 
nearest dollar.
    (d) Notice of the maximum penalty which may be assessed under part 
672 of this title for calendar years after 2016 will be published by the 
NSF in the Federal Register on an annual basis on or before January 15 
of each calendar year.

[81 FR 41452, June 27, 2016]



PART 673_ANTARCTIC NON-GOVERNMENTAL EXPEDITIONS--Table of Contents



Sec.
673.1 Purpose of regulations.
673.2 Scope.
673.3 Definitions.
673.4 Environmental protection information.
673.5 Emergency response plan.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 2401 et. seq.

    Source: 66 FR 42451, Aug. 13, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  673.1  Purpose of regulations.

    The purpose of the regulations in this part is to implement the 
Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541, as amended by the 
Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, Public Law 104-
227, and Article 15 of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the 
Antarctic Treaty done at Madrid on October 4, 1991. Specifically, this 
part requires that all non-governmental expeditions, for which advance 
notice by the United States is required under the Antarctic Treaty, who 
use non-flagged vessels ensure that the vessel owner or operator has an 
appropriate emergency response plan. This part is also designed to 
ensure that expedition members are informed of their environmental 
protection obligations under the Antarctic Conservation Act.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 
3145-0180)



Sec.  673.2  Scope.

    The requirements in this part apply to non-governmental expeditions 
to or within Antarctica for which the United States is required to give 
advance notice under Paragraph (5) of Article VII of the Antarctic 
Treaty.



Sec.  673.3  Definitions.

    In this part:
    Antarctica means the area south of 60 degrees south latitude.
    Expedition means an activity undertaken by one or more non-
governmental persons organized within or proceeding from the United 
States to or within Antarctica for which advance notification is 
required under Paragraph 5 of Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty.
    Person has the meaning given that term in section 1 of title 1, 
United States Code, and includes any person subject to the jurisdiction 
of the United States except that the term does not include any 
department, agency, or other instrumentality of the Federal Government.



Sec.  673.4  Environmental protection information.

    (a) Any person who organizes a non-governmental expedition to 
Antarctica and who does business in the United States shall notify 
expedition members of the environmental protection obligations of the 
Antarctic Conservation Act.
    (b) The National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs may 
prepare for publication and distribution explanation of the prohibited 
acts set forth in the Antarctic Conservation Act, as well as other 
appropriate educational material for tour operators, their clients, and 
employees. Such material provided to tour operators for distribution to 
their passengers and crew shall be disseminated prior to or during 
travel to the Antarctic.

[[Page 203]]



Sec.  673.5  Emergency response plan.

    Any person organizing a non-governmental expedition to or within 
Antarctica who is transporting passengers aboard a non-U.S. flagged 
vessel shall ensure that:
    (a) The vessel owner's or operator's shipboard oil pollution 
emergency plan, prepared and maintained according to Regulation 26 of 
Annex I of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution 
from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto 
(MARPOL 73/78), has provisions for prompt and effective response action 
to such emergencies as might arise in the performance of the vessel's 
activities in Antarctica. Any emergency response plan which satisfies 
the requirements contained in 33 CFR 151.26 of the U.S. Coast Guard 
regulations will also satisfy the requirements of this paragraph. If the 
vessel owner or operator does not have a shipboard oil pollution 
emergency plan, a separate plan for prompt and effective response action 
is required.
    (b) The vessel owner or operator agrees to take all reasonable 
measures to implement the plan for a prompt and effective response 
action in the event of an emergency, taking into account considerations 
of risk to human life and safety.



PART 674_ANTARCTIC METEORITES--Table of Contents



Sec.
674.1 Purpose of regulations.
674.2 Scope and applicability.
674.3 Definitions.
674.4 Restrictions on collection of meteorites in Antarctica.
674.5 Requirements for collection, handling, documentation and curation 
          of Antarctic meteorites.
674.6 Submission of information to NSF.
674.7 Exception for serendipitous finds.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 2401 et seq.

    Source: 68 FR 15379, Mar. 31, 2003, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  674.1  Purpose of regulations.

    The purpose of the regulations in this part is to implement the 
Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended by the Antarctic Science, 
Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, (16 U.S.C 2401 et seq.), and 
Article 7 of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic 
Treaty done at Madrid on October 4, 1991. Specifically, this part is 
designed to ensure meteorites in Antarctica will be collected for 
scientific research purposes only and that U.S. expedition organizers to 
Antarctica who plan to collect meteorites in Antarctica will ensure that 
any specimens collected will be properly collected, handled, documented 
and curated to preserve their scientific value.



Sec.  674.2  Scope and applicability.

    This part applies to any person who collects meteorites in 
Antarctica. The requirements of Sec.  674.5 apply to any person 
organizing an expedition to or within Antarctica for which the United 
States is required to give advance notice under Paragraph (5) of Article 
VII of the Antarctic Treaty where one of the purposes of the expedition 
is to collect meteorites in Antarctica. The requirements in this part 
only apply to the collection of meteorites in Antarctica after April 30, 
2003.



Sec.  674.3  Definitions.

    In this part:
    Antarctica means the area south of 60 degrees south latitude.
    Expedition means an activity undertaken by one or more persons 
organized within or proceeding from the United States to or within 
Antarctica for which advance notification is required under Paragraph 5 
of Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty.
    Incremental cost is the extra cost involved in sharing the samples 
with other researchers. It does not include the initial cost of 
collecting the meteorites in Antarctica or the cost of maintaining the 
samples in a curatorial facility.
    Person has the meaning given that term in section 1 of title 1, 
United States Code, and includes any person subject to the jurisdiction 
of the United States.



Sec.  674.4  Restrictions on collection of meteorites in Antarctica.

    No person may collect meteorites in Antarctica for other than 
scientific research purposes.

[[Page 204]]



Sec.  674.5  Requirements for collection, handling, documentation, and
curation of Antarctic meteorites.

    (a) Any person organizing an expedition to or within Antarctica, 
where one of the purposes of the expedition is to collect meteorites in 
Antarctica, shall ensure that the meteorites will be properly collected, 
documented, handled, and curated to preserve their scientific value. 
Curation includes making specimens available to bona fide scientific 
researchers on a timely basis, in accordance with specified procedures.
    (b) Expedition organizers described in paragraph (a) of this section 
shall develop and implement written procedures for the collection, 
documentation, and curation of specimens which include the following 
components:
    (1) Handling requirements. Handling procedures shall ensure that the 
specimens are properly labeled and handled to minimize the potential for 
contamination from the point of collection to the point of curation. At 
a minimum, handling procedures shall include:
    (i) Handling the samples with clean Teflon or polyethylene coated 
implements or stainless steel implements (or equivalent);
    (ii) Double bagging of samples in Teflon or polyethylene (or 
equivalent) bags;
    (iii) A unique sample identifier included with the sample;
    (iv) Keeping the samples frozen at or below -15 [deg]C until opened 
and thawed in a clean laboratory setting at the curation facility; and
    (v) Thawing in a clean, dry, non-reactive gas environment, such as 
nitrogen or argon.
    (2) Sample documentation. Documentation for each specimen, that 
includes, at a minimum:
    (i) A unique identifier for the sample;
    (ii) The date of find;
    (iii) The date of collection (if different from date of find);
    (iv) The latitude and longitude to within 500 meters of the location 
of the find and the name of the nearest named geographical feature;
    (v) The name, organizational affiliation, and address of the finder 
or the expedition organizer;
    (vi) A physical description of the specimen and of the location of 
the find; and
    (vii) Any observations of the collection activity, such as potential 
contamination of the specimen.
    (3) Curation. Make prior arrangements to ensure that any specimens 
collected in Antarctica will be maintained in a curatorial facility that 
will:
    (i) Preserve the specimens in a manner that precludes chemical or 
physical degradation;
    (ii) Produce an authoritative classification for meteorites that can 
be shown to belong to a well-established chemical and petrological 
group, and provide appropriate descriptions for those meteorites that 
cannot be shown to belong to an established chemical and petrological 
group;
    (iii) Develop and maintain curatorial records associated with the 
meteorites including collection information, authoritative 
classification, total known mass, information about handling and sample 
preparation activities that have been performed on the meteorite, and 
sub-sample information;
    (iv) Submit an appropriate summary of information about the 
meteorites to the Antarctic Master Directory via the National Antarctic 
Data Coordination Center as soon as possible, but no later than two 
years after receipt of samples at the curatorial facility;
    (v) Submit information on classification of the meteorite to an 
internationally recognized meteorite research catalog, such as the 
``Catalogue of Meteorites'' published by the Natural History Museum of 
London or the ``Meteoritical Bulletin'' published by the Meteoritical 
Society;
    (vi) Specify procedures by which requests for samples by bonafide 
scientific researchers will be handled;
    (vii) Make samples available to bonafide scientific researchers at 
no more than incremental cost and within a reasonable period of time; 
and
    (viii) In the event that the initial curatorial facility is no 
longer in a position to provide curation services for the specimens, or 
believes that the meteorites no longer merit curation, it shall consult 
with the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs

[[Page 205]]

to identify another appropriate curatorial facility, or to determine 
another appropriate arrangement.



Sec.  674.6  Submission of information to NSF.

    A copy of the written procedures developed by expedition organizers 
pursuant to Sec.  674.5(b) shall be furnished to the National Science 
Foundation's Office of Polar Programs at a minimum of 90 days prior to 
the planned departure date of the expedition for Antarctica. NSF shall 
publish a notice of availability of the plan in the Federal Register 
that provides for a 15 day comment period. NSF shall evaluate the 
procedures in the plan to determine if they are sufficient to ensure 
that the meteorites will be properly collected, handled, documented, and 
curated. NSF shall provide comments on the adequacy of the plan within 
45 days of receipt. If NSF advises the expedition organizer that the 
procedures satisfy the requirements of Sec.  674.5 and the procedures 
are implemented, the expedition organizer will have satisfied the 
requirements of this part.



Sec.  674.7  Exception for serendipitous finds.

    A person who makes a serendipitous discovery of a meteorite in 
Antarctica which could not have been reasonably anticipated, may collect 
the meteorite for scientific research purposes, provided that the 
meteorite is collected in the manner most likely to prevent 
contamination under the circumstances, and provided that the meteorite 
is otherwise handled, documented and curated in accordance with the 
requirements of Sec.  674.5.



PART 675_MEDICAL CLEARANCE PROCESS FOR DEPLOYMENT TO ANTARCTICA-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
675.1 Purpose and authority.
675.2 Medical examinations.
675.3 Medical clearance criteria.
675.4 Waiver process.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1870.

    Source: 62 FR 31522, June 10, 1997, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  675.1  Purpose and authority.

    (a) This part sets forth the procedures for medical screening to 
determine whether candidates for participation in the United States 
Antarctic Program (USAP) are physically qualified and psychologically 
adapted for assignment or travel to Antarctica. Medical screening 
examinations are necessary to determine the presence of any physical or 
psychological conditions that would threaten the health or safety of the 
candidate or other USAP participants or that could not be effectively 
treated by the limited medical care capabilities in Antarctica.
    (b) Presidential Memorandum No. 6646 (February 5, 1982) (available 
from the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, room 
755, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230) sets forth the National 
Science Foundation's overall management responsibilities for the entire 
United States national program in Antarctica.



Sec.  675.2  Medical examinations.

    (a) Any individual seeking to travel to Antarctica under sponsorship 
of the United States Antarctic Program must undergo a medical and dental 
examination to determine whether the individual is physically qualified 
for deployment to Antarctica.
    (b) The medical and dental examinations may be conducted by a 
qualified licensed physician or dentist of the candidate's choosing, or 
designated by the employing organization, following instructions 
provided by the USAP. The medical examinations shall include a medical 
history, physical examination and appropriate clinical tests which 
address major organ systems for medical conditions inconsistent with 
safe deployment to Antarctica.
    (c) The candidate's physician/dentist will submit the required 
medical information on the appropriate USAP-provided forms to a USAP-
designated physician who will determine whether the individual is 
qualified for deployment to Antarctica based upon Medical Clearance 
Criteria established by the USAP. All information requested on the forms 
shall be provided.
    (d) Candidates who anticipate spending the austral winter in 
Antarctica

[[Page 206]]

(when evacuation may be impossible) are subject to additional 
evaluation, including a determination of psychological adaptability for 
such an isolated assignment. Psychological evaluations of ``winter-
over'' candidates shall be performed by a qualified team of USAP-
designated physicians/clinical psychologists.



Sec.  675.3  Medical clearance criteria.

    (a) The USAP shall establish Medical Clearance Criteria for 
determining eligibility for deployment to Antarctica. (See Medical 
Standards for Antarctic Deployment available from the National Science 
Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, room 755.09, 4201 Wilson Blvd., 
Arlington, VA 22230).
    The criteria will include examination of the following major organ 
systems:
    (1) Lungs and chest wall.
    (2) Heart and vascular system.
    (3) Abdominal organs and gastrointestinal system.
    (4) Endocrine or metabolic system.
    (5) Genitalia and urinary system.
    (6) Musculoskeletal.
    (7) Skin and cellular tissues.
    (8) Neurological Disorders.
    (9) Psychiatric or psychological.
    (10) Dental.
    (b) The USAP may review and revise the Medical Clearance Criteria 
periodically as appropriate.



Sec.  675.4  Waiver process.

    (a) If an individual is found not physically qualified for 
deployment to Antarctica, the USAP's contractor will inform the 
individual of the determination and of the administrative waiver 
process, and will provide a waiver application package to the individual 
upon request.
    (b) The waiver applicant should send the completed waiver 
application package to the USAP's contractor which will forward the 
package to NSF's Office of Polar Programs for review and a determination 
on the appropriateness of a waiver. In making the waiver determination, 
the Office of Polar Programs may consult with other qualified medical 
personnel and may require waiver applicants to take further medical 
examinations or to furnish additional medical documentation in support 
of the waiver application.
    (c) The Director, Office of Polar Programs (or designee) will make a 
final determination, in the exercise of his or her discretion, on the 
appropriateness of a waiver on a case-by-case basis.
    (d) Individuals for whom a waiver is determined to be appropriate 
are eligible for deployment to Antarctica subject to any necessary 
limitations/restrictions identified by the Director, Office of Polar 
Programs, or designee.



PART 680_NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RULES OF PRACTICE--Table of Contents



     Subpart A_Rules of Practice for the National Science Foundation

Sec.
680.10 Definitions; cross-references to employee ethical conduct 
          standards and financial disclosure regulations.
680.11 Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards.
680.12 One-year NSF post-employment restrictions.
680.13 Purposes for ``substitute'' requirements.

Subpart B [Reserved]

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 7301; 42 U.S.C. 1870(a); 5 CFR 2635.105(c)(3).

    Source: 47 FR 32131, July 26, 1982, unless otherwise noted.



     Subpart A_Rules of Practice for the National Science Foundation

    Source: 61 FR 59837, Nov. 25, 1996, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  680.10  Definitions; cross-references to employee ethical conduct
standards and financial disclosure regulations.

    (a) Definitions. Under this subpart, unless a provision plainly 
indicates otherwise:
    (1) Award means any grant, contract, cooperative agreement, loan, or 
other arrangement made by the Government.
    (2) Employee includes, in addition to any individual defined in 5 
CFR 2635.102(h), any individual working at NSF under the 
Intergovernmental Personnel Act. It includes any part-time or 
intermittent employee, temporary

[[Page 207]]

consultant; but not a special Government employee, as defined in 18 
U.S.C. 202(a).
    (3) Institution means any university, college, business firm, 
research institute, professional society, or other organization. It 
includes all parts of a university or college, including all 
institutions in a multi-institution State or city system. It includes 
any university consortium or joint corporation; but not the universities 
that belong to such a consortium. Those universities shall be considered 
separate institutions for purposes of this part.
    (4) Proposal means an application for an award and includes a bid.
    (b) Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards and 
financial disclosure regulations. Members of the National Science Board 
and other employees of the National Science Foundation (NSF), including 
special Government employees, should refer to the Standards of Ethical 
Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR part 2635, the 
National Science Foundation's regulations at 5 CFR part 5301 which 
supplement the executive branch Standards, and the executive branch 
financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR part 2634.



Sec.  680.11  Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards.

    (a)(1) Many scientists, engineers, and educators interrupt active 
research and teaching careers to spend a year or two at NSF and then 
return to research and teaching, usually at the same institution from 
which they came. Many such visiting scientists, engineers, and educators 
(and a few permanent employees) who have been principal investigators 
under NSF awards before coming to NSF, retain some interest or 
association with the work. If an individual is a principal investigator 
under an NSF award, the individual is not precluded from retaining ties 
to the work after becoming an NSF employee. The employee may stay in 
contact with those who are continuing the work in the employee's 
laboratory or on his or her project. The employee may continue to 
supervise graduate students. And the employee may visit and work in the 
laboratory on his or her own time for these and related purposes.
    (2) Before a prospective employee comes to NSF, the prospective 
employee and the grantee institution must designate, subject to NSF 
approval, a ``substitute principal investigator''--i.e., another 
scientist who will be responsible for the work and equipment and will 
represent the institution in any dealings with NSF officials while the 
prospective employee is at NSF.
    (3) Appointment of a substitute principal investigator is 
unnecessary if all work under an award is to be completely suspended 
while the employee is at NSF. If the work is to be suspended, the 
employee and the grantee institution must inform the NSF in writing 
before the employee's employment begins. Work under the award may be 
resumed when the employee completes his or her NSF employment, and its 
term may be extended to account for the time lost during the employee's 
NSF employment.
    (b)(1) NSF will entertain no proposal on which a current NSF 
employee would be a senior investigator or equivalent, unless it is a 
proposal for continuation or extension of support for work on which the 
employee served in that capacity before coming to NSF. Any proposal for 
continuation of NSF support at essentially the same level (with 
reasonable allowance for inflation) will normally be considered a 
proposal for continuation or extension if it would support the work of 
the same investigator and his or her laboratory or group (if any) in the 
same general field of science, engineering, or education, 
notwithstanding that the focus of the work may change in response to 
research opportunities or educational needs.
    (2) Someone other than the current NSF employee must submit any such 
proposal for continuation or extension of work NSF previously supported 
and handle all negotiations with NSF, but the capacity in which the 
current NSF employee will serve should be clearly spelled out in the 
proposal.
    (c) In accordance with 5 CFR 5301.103(a)(1), an NSF employee may not 
receive, directly or indirectly, any salary, consulting fee, honorarium, 
or

[[Page 208]]

other form of compensation for services, or reimbursement of expenses, 
from an NSF award.



Sec.  680.12  One-year NSF post-employment restrictions.

    (a) For one year after leaving NSF employment, a former NSF 
employee, including a special Government employee who has performed work 
for NSF on more than 60 days in the previous twelve months, shall not 
represent himself, herself, or any other person in dealings with any NSF 
official on any proposal, project, or other particular matter.
    (b) The one-year restriction contained in paragraph (a) of this 
section is in addition to any post-employment restriction imposed by 
statute, including 18 U.S.C. 207 and 41 U.S.C. 423. To the extent that 
any disqualification required by paragraph (a) of this section is not 
also required by statute, written exceptions may be granted by the NSF's 
General Counsel, whose decisions shall be final. Exceptions will be rare 
and will be granted only where strict application of the rules would 
result in undue hardship for former short-term employees or for other 
former employees, and when granting an exception would not result in an 
unfair advantage to the former employee.
    (c)(1) Paragraph (a) of this section applies to particular matters 
involving specific parties, such as grants, contracts, or other 
agreements; applications for permits, licenses, or the like; requests 
for rulings or similar official determinations; claims; investigations 
or audits; charges or accusations against individuals or firms; 
adjudicatory hearings; and court cases.
    (2) For former employees, other than special Government employees, 
paragraph (a) of this section also applies to particular matters that do 
not involve specific parties, such as:
    (i) Determinations to establish or dis-establish a particular 
program or set its budget level for a particular fiscal year;
    (ii) Decisions to undertake or terminate a particular project;
    (iii) Decisions to open or not open a contract to competitive 
bidding;
    (iv) General policy or rulemaking--including, for example, decisions 
on particular NSF rules or formal policy, such as adoption or amendment 
of a resolution by the National Science Board, promulgation or amendment 
of an NSF regulation or circular, amendment of standard grant or 
contract terms, or changes to NSF manuals or policy documents; and
    (v) Agency positions on particular legislative or regulatory 
proposals.
    (d) Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to:
    (1) Any expression of a former employee's views on policy issues 
where the circumstances make it obvious that the former employee is only 
speaking as an informed and interested citizen, not representing any 
financial or other interests of his or her own or of any other person or 
institution with which he or she is associated;
    (2) Any appearance or communication concerning matters of a personal 
or individual nature, such as the former employee's taxes, salary, 
benefits, possible Federal employment, rights as a former employee, or 
the application of conflict-of-interest rules to something the former 
employee proposes to do;
    (3) Any appearance on the former employee's own behalf in any 
litigation or administrative proceeding; or
    (4) Any presentation of scientific or technical information (at a 
site visit, for example) or any other communication of scientific or 
technical information on work being proposed or conducted.
    (e) As soon as his or her NSF employment ceases, a former NSF 
employee (including any former special Government employee described in 
paragraph (a) of this section) may again be listed as principal 
investigator on an NSF award, may be listed as principal investigator in 
any proposal or award, and may sign a proposal as principal 
investigator. However, the former employee and the grantee institution 
shall formally designate, subject to NSF approval, a ``substitute 
negotiator'' who, though not principally responsible for the work, will 
represent the former employee and the institution in dealings with NSF 
officials on any proposal or

[[Page 209]]

project for as long as the former employee would be barred from 
representational contacts with NSF by paragraph (a) of this section or 
by statute.



Sec.  680.13  Purposes for ``substitute'' requirements.

    Appointment of a ``substitute principal investigator'' or 
``substitute negotiator'' ensures against unthinking violation of the 
restrictions on dealings with NSF officials. It serves this purpose by 
flagging proposals or awards affected by the restrictions and by 
identifying someone else with whom NSF officials can properly discuss 
them or negotiate over them. Designation of a substitute principal 
investigator while an employee is at NSF has two additional functions: 
it identifies another person to be responsible for the work and 
equipment, and it reminds all concerned that during an employee's NSF 
service his or her attentions should focus on NSF duties.

Subpart B [Reserved]



PART 681_PROGRAM FRAUD CIVIL REMEDIES ACT REGULATIONS--Table of Contents



              Purpose, Definitions, and Basis for Liability

Sec.
681.1 Purpose.
681.2 Definitions.
681.3 What is the basis for the imposition of civil penalties and 
          assessments?

              Procedures Leading to Issuance of a Complaint

681.4 Who investigates program fraud?
681.5 What happens if program fraud is suspected?
681.6 When may NSF issue a complaint?
681.7 What is contained in a complaint?
681.8 How will the complaint be served?

               Procedures Following Service of a Complaint

681.9 How does a defendant respond to the complaint?
681.10 What happens if a defendant fails to file an answer?
681.11 What happens once an answer is filed?

                           Hearing Procedures

681.12 What kind of hearing is contemplated?
681.13 At the hearing, what rights do the parties have?
681.14 What is the role of the ALJ?
681.15 How are the functions of the ALJ separated from those of the 
          investigating official and the reviewing official?
681.16 Can the reviewing official or the ALJ be disqualified?
681.17 What rights are there to review documents?
681.18 What type of discovery is authorized and how is it conducted?
681.19 Are witness lists exchanged before the hearing?
681.20 Can witnesses be subpoenaed?
681.21 Who pays the costs for a subpoena?
681.22 Are protective orders available?
681.23 How are documents filed and served with the ALJ?
681.24 How is time computed?
681.25 Where is the hearing held?
681.26 How will the hearing be conducted and who has the burden of 
          proof?
681.27 How is evidence presented at the hearing?
681.28 How is witness testimony presented?
681.29 Will the hearing proceedings be recorded?
681.30 Are ex parte communications between a party and the ALJ 
          permitted?
681.31 Are there sanctions for misconduct?
681.32 Are post-hearing briefs required?

                          Decisions and Appeals

681.33 How is the case decided?
681.34 How are penalty and assessment amounts determined?
681.35 Can a party request reconsideration of the initial decision?
681.36 When does the initial decision of the ALJ become final?
681.37 What are the procedures for appealing the ALJ decision?
681.38 What happens if an initial decision is appealed?
681.39 Are there any limitations on the right to appeal to the authority 
          head?
681.40 How does the authority head dispose of an appeal?
681.41 What judicial review is available?
681.42 Can the administrative complaint be settled voluntarily?
681.43 How are civil penalties and assessments collected?
681.44 Is there a right to administrative offset?
681.45 What happens to collections?
681.46 What if the investigation indicates criminal misconduct?

    Source: 74 FR 26794, June 4, 2009, unless otherwise noted.

              Purpose, Definitions, and Basis for Liability



Sec.  681.1  Purpose.

    This part implements the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986, 
31

[[Page 210]]

U.S.C. 3801-3812 (``PFCRA''). PFCRA provides NSF, and other Federal 
agencies, with an administrative remedy to impose civil penalties and 
assessments against persons who make, submit, or present, or cause to be 
made, submitted or presented, false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims or 
written statements to NSF. PFCRA also provides due process protections 
to all persons who are subject to administrative proceedings under this 
part.



Sec.  681.2  Definitions.

    For the purposes of this part--
    ALJ means an Administrative Law Judge in the authority appointed 
pursuant to section 3105 of title 5 or detailed to the authority 
pursuant to section 3344 of title 5.
    Authority means the National Science Foundation.
    Authority head means the Director of the National Science Foundation 
or the Director's designee.
    Benefit is intended to cover anything of value, including but not 
limited to, any advantage, preference, privilege, license, permit, 
favorable decision, ruling, status, or loan guarantee.
    Claim is defined in section 3801(a)(3) of title 31 of the United 
States Code.
    Complaint means the administrative complaint served by the reviewing 
official on the defendant under Sec.  681.8.
    Defendant means any person alleged in a complaint under Sec.  681.7 
to be liable for a civil penalty or assessment pursuant to PFCRA.
    Government means the United States Government.
    Individual means a natural person.
    Initial decision means the written decision of the ALJ required by 
Sec.  681.33, and includes a revised initial decision issued following a 
remand or a motion for reconsideration.
    Investigating official means the NSF Inspector General or an 
employee of the Office of Inspector General designated by the Inspector 
General.
    Knows or has reason to know is defined in section 3801(a)(5) of 
title 31 of the United States Code.
    Makes shall include the terms presents, submits, and causes to be 
made, presented, or submitted. As the context requires, making or made 
shall likewise include the corresponding forms of such terms.
    Person means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, 
or private organization, and includes the plural of that term.
    Representative means an attorney who is in good standing of the bar 
of any State, Territory, or possession of the United States, or of the 
District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other 
individual designated in writing by the defendant.
    Reviewing official means the General Counsel of NSF or the General 
Counsel's designee.
    Statement is defined in section 3801(a)(9) of title 5 of the United 
States Code.



Sec.  681.3  What is the basis for the imposition of civil penalties
and assessments?

    (a) Claims. (1) Any person shall be subject, in addition to any 
other remedy that may be prescribed by law, to a civil penalty of not 
more than $5,000 for each claim if that person makes a claim that the 
person knows or has reason to know--
    (i) Is false, fictitious, or fraudulent;
    (ii) Includes or is supported by any written statement which asserts 
a material fact which is false, fictitious, or fraudulent;
    (iii) Includes or is supported by any written statement that--
    (A) Omits a material fact;
    (B) Is false, fictitious, or fraudulent as a result of such 
omission; and
    (C) Is a statement in which the person making such statement has a 
duty to include such material fact; or
    (iv) Is for payment for the provision of property or services which 
the person has not provided as claimed.
    (2) Each voucher, invoice, claim form, or other individual request 
or demand for property, services, or money constitutes a separate claim.
    (3) A claim shall be considered made to the authority, recipient, or 
party when such a claim is actually made to an agent, fiscal 
intermediary, or other entity, including any State or political 
subdivision of a State, acting for or on behalf of NSF.
    (4) Each claim for property, services, or money is subject to a 
civil penalty

[[Page 211]]

regardless of whether such property, services, or money is actually 
delivered or paid.
    (5) If the Government has made any payment on a claim, a person 
subject to a civil penalty under paragraph (a)(1) of this section may 
also be subject to an assessment of not more than twice the amount of 
such claim or that portion thereof that is determined to be in violation 
of paragraph (a)(1) of this section. Such assessment shall be in lieu of 
damages sustained by the Government because of such a claim.
    (b) Statements. (1) Any person shall be subject, in addition to any 
other remedy that may be prescribed by law, to a civil penalty of not 
more than $5,000 for each statement if that person makes a written 
statement that the person knows or has reason to know--
    (i) Asserts a material fact which is false, fictitious, or 
fraudulent; or
    (ii) Is false, fictitious, or fraudulent because it omits a material 
fact that the person making the statement has a duty to include in such 
a statement; and
    (iii) Contains or is accompanied by an express certification or 
affirmation of the truthfulness and accuracy of the contents of this 
statement.
    (2) A person will only be subject to a civil penalty under 
681.3(b)(1) if the written statement made by the person contains or is 
accompanied by an express certification or affirmation of the 
truthfulness and accuracy of the contents of this statement.
    (3) Each written representation, certification, or affirmation 
constitutes a separate statement.
    (4) A statement shall be considered made to NSF when it is actually 
made to an agent, fiscal intermediary, or other entity, including any 
State or political subdivision of a State, acting for or on behalf of 
NSF.
    (c) No proof of specific intent to defraud is required to establish 
liability under this section.
    (d) In any case in which it is determined that more than one person 
is liable for making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim or 
statement under this section, each such person may be held liable for a 
civil penalty and assessment, where appropriate, under this section.
    (e) In any case in which it is determined that more than one person 
is liable for making a claim under this section on which the Government 
has made payment, an assessment may be imposed against any such person 
or jointly and severally against any combination of persons.
    (f) For claims or statements made on or after August 1, 2016, but 
before January 1, 2017, the maximum penalty which may be assessed under 
part 681 of the title is $10,781. For claims or statements made on or 
after January 1, 2017, the maximum penalty which may be assessed under 
part 681 of the title is the larger of:
    (1) The amount for the previous calendar year, or
    (2) An amount adjusted for inflation, calculated by multiplying the 
amount for the previous calendar year by the percentage by which the 
CPI-U for the month of October preceding the current calendar year 
exceeds the CPI-U for the month of October of the calendar year two 
years prior to the current calendar year, adding that amount to the 
amount for the previous calendar year, and rounding the total to the 
nearest dollar.
    (g) Notice of the maximum penalty, which may be assessed under part 
681 of this title for calendar years after 2016, will be published by 
NSF in the Federal Register on an annual basis on or before January 15 
of each calendar year.

[74 FR 26794, June 4, 2009, as amended at 81 FR 41452, June 27, 2016]

              Procedures Leading to Issuance of a Complaint



Sec.  681.4  Who investigates program fraud?

    The Inspector General, or his or her designee, is the investigating 
official responsible for investigating allegations that a false claim or 
statement has been made. In this regard, the Inspector General has 
authority under PFCRA and the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 
App. 3), as amended, to issue administrative subpoenas for the 
production of records and documents.

[[Page 212]]



Sec.  681.5  What happens if program fraud is suspected?

    (a) If the investigating official concludes that an action under 
this part is warranted, the investigating official submits a report 
containing the findings and conclusions of the investigation to the 
reviewing official. If the reviewing official determines that the report 
provides adequate evidence that a person made a false, fictitious or 
fraudulent claim or statement, the reviewing official shall transmit to 
the Attorney General written notice of an intention to refer the matter 
for adjudication, with a request for approval of such referral. This 
notice will include the reviewing official's statements concerning:
    (1) The reasons for the referral;
    (2) The claims or statements upon which liability would be based;
    (3) The evidence that supports liability;
    (4) An estimate of the amount of money or the value of property, 
services, or other benefits requested or demanded in the false claim or 
statement;
    (5) Any exculpatory or mitigating circumstances that may relate to 
the claims or statements known by the reviewing official or the 
investigating official; and
    (6) A statement that there is a reasonable prospect of collecting an 
appropriate amount of penalties and assessments.
    (b) If, at any time, the Attorney General or his or her designee 
requests in writing that this administrative process be stayed, the 
authority head, as identified in Sec.  681.2(c) of this part, must stay 
the process immediately. The authority head may order the process 
resumed only upon receipt of the written authorization of the Attorney 
General.



Sec.  681.6  When may NSF issue a complaint?

    NSF may issue a complaint:
    (a) If the Attorney General (or designee) approves the referral of 
the allegations for adjudication; and
    (b) In a case of submission of false claims, if the amount of money 
or the value of property or services demanded or requested in a false 
claim, or a group of related claims submitted at the same time, does not 
exceed $150,000.



Sec.  681.7  What is contained in a complaint?

    (a) A complaint is a written statement giving notice to the person 
alleged to be liable under 31 U.S.C. 3802 of the specific allegations 
being referred for adjudication and of the person's right to request a 
hearing with respect to those allegations.
    (b) The complaint will state that NSF seeks to impose civil 
penalties, assessments, or both, against the defendant and will include:
    (1) The allegations of liability against the defendant, including 
the statutory basis for liability, identification of the claims or 
statements involved, and the reasons liability allegedly arises from 
such claims or statements;
    (2) The maximum amount of penalties and assessments for which the 
defendant may be held liable;
    (3) A statement that the defendant may request a hearing by filing 
an answer and may be represented by a representative;
    (4) Instructions for filing such an answer; and
    (5) A warning that failure to file an answer within 30 days of 
service of the complaint will result in imposition of the maximum amount 
of penalties and assessments.
    (c) The reviewing official must serve any complaint on the defendant 
and, if a hearing is requested by the defendant, provide a copy to the 
ALJ assigned to the case.



Sec.  681.8  How will the complaint be served?

    (a) The complaint must be served on individual defendants directly, 
a partnership through a general partner, and on corporations or on 
unincorporated associations through an executive officer or a director, 
except that service also may be made on any person authorized by 
appointment or by law to receive process for the defendant.
    (b) The complaint may be served either by:
    (1) Registered or certified mail; or
    (2) Personal delivery by anyone 18 years of age or older.

[[Page 213]]

    (c) The date of service is the date of personal delivery or, in the 
case of service by registered or certified mail, the date of postmark.
    (d) When served with the complaint, the defendant should also be 
served with a copy of this part 681 and 31 U.S.C. 3801-3812.

               Procedures Following Service of a Complaint



Sec.  681.9  How does a defendant respond to the complaint?

    (a) A defendant may file an answer with the reviewing official 
within 30 days of service of the complaint. An answer will be considered 
a request for an oral hearing.
    (b) In the answer, a defendant--
    (1) Must admit or deny each of the allegations of liability 
contained in the complaint (a failure to deny an allegation is 
considered an admission);
    (2) Must state any defense on which the defendant intends to rely;
    (3) May state any reasons why he or she believes the penalties, 
assessments, or both should be less than the statutory maximum; and
    (4) Must state the name, address, and telephone number of the person 
authorized by the defendant to act as the defendant's representative, if 
any.
    (c) If the defendant is unable to file a timely answer which meets 
the requirements set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, the 
defendant may file with the reviewing official a general answer denying 
liability, requesting a hearing, and requesting an extension of time in 
which to file a complete answer. A general answer must be filed within 
30 days of service of the complaint.
    (d) If the defendant initially files a general answer requesting an 
extension of time, the reviewing official must promptly file with the 
ALJ the complaint, the general answer, and the request for an extension 
of time.
    (e) For good cause shown, the ALJ may grant the defendant up to 30 
additional days within which to file an answer meeting the requirements 
of paragraph (b) of this section. Such answer must be filed with the ALJ 
and a copy must be served on the reviewing official.



Sec.  681.10  What happens if a defendant fails to file an answer?

    (a) If a defendant does not file any answer within 30 days after 
service of the complaint, the reviewing official may refer the complaint 
to the ALJ.
    (b) Once the complaint is referred, the ALJ will promptly serve on 
the defendant a notice that an initial decision will be issued.
    (c) The ALJ will assume the facts alleged in the complaint to be 
true and, if such facts establish liability under the statute, the ALJ 
will issue an initial decision imposing the maximum amount of penalties 
and assessments allowed under PFCRA.
    (d) Except as otherwise provided in this section, when a defendant 
fails to file a timely answer, the defendant waives any right to further 
review of the penalties and assessments imposed in the initial decision.
    (e) The initial decision becomes final 30 days after it is issued.
    (f) At any time before an initial decision becomes final, a 
defendant may file a motion with the ALJ asking that the case be 
reopened. An ALJ may only reopen a case if, in this motion, he or she 
determines that the defendant set forth extraordinary circumstances that 
prevented the defendant from filing a timely answer. The initial 
decision will be stayed until the ALJ makes a decision on the motion. 
The reviewing official may respond to the motion.
    (g) If the ALJ determines that a defendant has demonstrated 
extraordinary circumstances excusing his failure to file a timely 
answer, the ALJ will withdraw the initial decision, and grant the 
defendant an opportunity to answer the complaint.
    (h) A decision by the ALJ to deny a defendant's motion to reopen a 
case is not subject to reconsideration under Sec.  681.35.
    (i) The defendant may appeal to the authority head the decision 
denying a motion to reopen by filing a notice of appeal with the 
authority head within 15 days after the ALJ denies the motion. The 
timely filing of a notice of appeal shall stay the initial decision 
until the authority head decides the issue.
    (j) If the defendant files a timely notice of appeal with the 
authority head,

[[Page 214]]

the ALJ shall forward the record of the proceeding to the authority 
head.
    (k) The authority head shall decide expeditiously, based solely on 
the record before the ALJ, whether extraordinary circumstances excuse 
the defendant's failure to file a timely answer.
    (l) If the authority head decides that extraordinary circumstances 
excused the defendant's failure to file a timely answer, the authority 
head shall remand the case to the ALJ with instructions to grant the 
defendant an opportunity to answer.
    (m) If the authority head decides that the defendant's failure to 
file a timely answer is not excused, the authority head shall reinstate 
the initial decision of the ALJ, which shall become final and binding 
upon the parties 30 days after the authority head issues such a 
decision.



Sec.  681.11  What happens once an answer is filed?

    (a) When the reviewing official receives an answer, he or she must 
file concurrently, the complaint and the answer with the ALJ, along with 
a designation of NSF's representative.
    (b) When the ALJ receives the complaint and the answer, the ALJ will 
promptly serve a notice of hearing upon the defendant and the NSF 
representative, in the same manner as the complaint, which is described 
in Sec.  681.8. The notice of oral hearing must be served within six 
years of the date on which the claim or statement is made.
    (c) The notice must include:
    (1) The tentative date, time, and place of the hearing;
    (2) The legal authority and jurisdiction under which the hearing is 
being held;
    (3) The matters of fact and law to be asserted;
    (4) A description of the procedures for the conduct of the hearing;
    (5) The name, address, and telephone number of the defendant's 
representative and the representative for NSF; and
    (6) Such other matters as the ALJ deems appropriate.

                           Hearing Procedures



Sec.  681.12  What kind of hearing is contemplated?

    The hearing is a formal proceeding conducted by the ALJ during which 
a defendant will have the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, 
present testimony, and dispute liability.



Sec.  681.13  At the hearing, what rights do the parties have?

    Each party has the right to:
    (a) Be represented by a representative;
    (b) Request a pre-hearing conference and participate in any 
conference held by the ALJ;
    (c) Conduct discovery;
    (d) Agree to stipulations of fact or law which will be made a part 
of the record;
    (e) Present evidence relevant to the issues at the hearing;
    (f) Present and cross-examine witnesses;
    (g) Present arguments at the hearing as permitted by the ALJ; and
    (h) Submit written briefs and proposed findings of fact and 
conclusions of law after the hearing, as permitted by the ALJ.



Sec.  681.14  What is the role of the ALJ?

    An ALJ retained by NSF serves as the presiding officer at all 
hearings.
    (a) The ALJ shall conduct a fair and impartial hearing, avoid delay, 
maintain order, and assure that a record of the proceeding is made.
    (b) The ALJ has the authority to--
    (1) Set and change the date, time, and place of the hearing upon 
reasonable notice to the parties;
    (2) Continue or recess the hearing in whole or in part for a 
reasonable period of time;
    (3) Hold conferences to identify or simplify the issues, or to 
consider other matters that may aid in the expeditious disposition of 
the proceeding;
    (4) Administer oaths and affirmations;
    (5) Issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses and the 
production of documents at depositions or at hearings;
    (6) Rule on motions and other procedural matters;

[[Page 215]]

    (7) Regulate the scope and timing of discovery;
    (8) Regulate the course of the hearing and the conduct of 
representatives and parties;
    (9) Examine witnesses;
    (10) Receive, rule on, exclude, or limit evidence;
    (11) Upon motion of a party, take official notice of facts;
    (12) Upon motion of a party, decide cases, in whole or in part, by 
summary judgment where there is no disputed issue of material fact;
    (13) Conduct any conference, argument or hearing on motions in 
person or by telephone; and
    (14) Exercise such other authority as is necessary to carry out the 
responsibilities of the ALJ under this part.
    (c) The ALJ does not have the authority to find Federal statutes or 
regulations invalid.



Sec.  681.15  How are the functions of the ALJ separated from those of
the investigating official and the reviewing official?

    (a) The investigating official, the reviewing official, and any 
employee or agent of the authority who takes part in investigating, 
preparing, or presenting a particular case may not, in such case or a 
factually related case:
    (1) Participate in the hearing as the ALJ;
    (2) Participate or advise in the review of the initial decision by 
the authority head; or
    (3) Make the collection of penalties and assessment under 31 U.S.C. 
3806.
    (b) The ALJ shall not be responsible to or subject to the 
supervision or direction of the investigating official or the reviewing 
official.



Sec.  681.16  Can the reviewing official or ALJ be disqualified?

    (a) A reviewing official or an ALJ may disqualify himself or herself 
at any time.
    (b) Upon motion of any party, the reviewing official or ALJ may be 
disqualified as follows:
    (1) The motion must be supported by an affidavit containing specific 
facts establishing that personal bias or other reason for 
disqualification exists, including the time and circumstances of the 
discovery of such facts;
    (2) The motion must be filed promptly after discovery of the grounds 
for disqualification or the objection will be deemed waived; and
    (3) The party, or representative of record, must certify in writing 
that the motion is made in good faith.
    (c) Once a motion has been filed to disqualify the reviewing 
official, the ALJ will halt the proceedings until resolving the matter 
of disqualification. If the ALJ determines that the reviewing official 
is disqualified, the ALJ will dismiss the complaint without prejudice. 
If the ALJ disqualifies himself or herself, the case will be promptly 
reassigned to another ALJ.



Sec.  681.17  What rights are there to review documents?

    (a) Once the ALJ issues a hearing notice pursuant to Sec.  
681.11(b), and upon written request to the reviewing official, the 
defendant may:
    (1) Review any relevant and material documents, transcripts, 
records, and other materials that relate to the allegations set out in 
the complaint and upon which the findings and conclusions of the 
investigating official are based, unless such documents are subject to a 
privilege under Federal law. Upon payment of fees for duplication, the 
defendant may obtain copies of such documents; and
    (2) Obtain a copy of all exculpatory information in the possession 
of the reviewing official or investigating official relating to the 
allegations in the complaint, even if it is contained in a document that 
would otherwise be privileged. If the document would otherwise be 
privileged, only that portion containing exculpatory information must be 
disclosed.
    (b) The notice sent to the Attorney General from the reviewing 
official as described in Sec.  681.5(a) is not discoverable under any 
circumstances.
    (c) If the reviewing official does not respond to the defendant's 
request within 20 days, the defendant may file a motion to compel 
disclosure of the documents with the ALJ subject to the provisions of 
this section. Such a motion may only be filed with the ALJ following the 
filing of an answer pursuant to Sec.  681.9.

[[Page 216]]



Sec.  681.18  What type of discovery is authorized and how is it conducted?

    (a) The following types of discovery are authorized:
    (1) Requests for production of documents for inspection and copying;
    (2) Requests for admissions of authenticity of any relevant document 
or of the truth of any relevant fact;
    (3) Written interrogatories; and
    (4) Depositions.
    (b) For the purpose of this section, the term ``documents'' includes 
information, documents, reports, answers, records, accounts, papers, and 
other data and documentary evidence. Nothing contained herein shall be 
interpreted to require the creation of a document.
    (c) Unless mutually agreed to by the parties, discovery is available 
only as ordered by the ALJ. The ALJ shall regulate the timing of 
discovery.
    (d) Motions for discovery. (1) A party seeking discovery may file a 
motion with the ALJ. Such a motion shall be accompanied by a copy of the 
requested discovery, or in the case of depositions, a summary of the 
scope of the proposed deposition.
    (2) Within ten days of service, a party may file an opposition to 
the motion and/or a motion for protective order as provided in Sec.  
681.22.
    (3) The ALJ may grant a motion for discovery only if he or she finds 
that the discovery sought--
    (i) Is necessary for the expeditious, fair, and reasonable 
consideration of the issues;
    (ii) Is not unduly costly or burdensome;
    (iii) Will not unduly delay the proceeding; and
    (iv) Does not seek privileged information.
    (4) The burden of showing that discovery should be allowed is on the 
party seeking discovery.
    (5) The ALJ may grant discovery subject to a protective order under 
Sec.  681.22.
    (e) Depositions. (1) If a motion for deposition is granted, the ALJ 
shall issue a subpoena for the deponent, which may require the deponent 
to produce documents. The subpoena shall specify the time and place at 
which the deposition will be held.
    (2) The party seeking to depose shall serve the subpoena in the 
manner prescribed by Sec.  681.8.
    (3) The deponent may file with the ALJ a motion to quash the 
subpoena or a motion for a protective order within ten days of service.
    (4) The party seeking to depose shall provide for the taking of a 
verbatim transcript of the deposition, which it shall make available to 
all other parties for inspection and copying.
    (f) Each party shall bear its own costs of discovery.



Sec.  681.19  Are witness lists exchanged before the hearing?

    (a) As ordered by the ALJ, the parties must exchange witness lists 
and copies of proposed hearing exhibits, including copies of any written 
statements or transcripts of deposition testimony that each party 
intends to offer in lieu of live testimony.
    (b) If a party objects, the ALJ will not admit into evidence the 
testimony of any witness whose name does not appear on the witness list 
or any exhibit not provided to an opposing party in advance unless the 
ALJ finds good cause for the omission or concludes that there is no 
prejudice to the objecting party.
    (c) Unless a party objects within the time set by the ALJ, documents 
exchanged in accordance with this section are deemed to be authentic for 
the purpose of admissibility at the hearing.



Sec.  681.20  Can witnesses be subpoenaed?

    (a) A party wishing to procure the appearance and testimony of any 
individual at the hearing may request that the ALJ issue a subpoena.
    (b) A subpoena requiring the attendance and testimony of an 
individual may also require the individual to produce documents at the 
hearing.
    (c) A party seeking a subpoena shall file a written request not less 
than 15 days before the date of the hearing unless otherwise allowed by 
the ALJ for good cause shown. Such request shall specify any documents 
to be produced and shall designate the witnesses and describe the 
address and location thereof with sufficient particularity to permit 
such witnesses to be found.

[[Page 217]]

    (d) The subpoena shall specify the time and place at which the 
witness is to appear and any documents the witness is to produce.
    (e) The party seeking the subpoena shall serve it in the manner 
prescribed in Sec.  681.8. A subpoena on a party or upon an individual 
under the control of a party may be served by first class mail.
    (f) A party or the individual to whom the subpoena is directed may 
file with the ALJ a motion to quash the subpoena within ten days after 
service or on or before the time specified in the subpoena for 
compliance if it is less than ten days after service.



Sec.  681.21  Who pays the costs for a subpoena?

    The party requesting a subpoena shall pay the cost of the fees and 
mileage of any witness subpoenaed in the amounts that would be payable 
to a witness in a proceeding in United States District Court. A check 
for witness fees and mileage shall accompany the subpoena when served, 
except that when a subpoena is issued on behalf of NSF, a check of fees 
and mileage need not accompany the subpoena.



Sec.  681.22  Are protective orders available?

    (a) A party or prospective witness or deponent may file a motion for 
a protective order with respect to discovery sought by an opposing party 
or with respect to the hearing, seeking to limit the availability or 
disclosure of evidence.
    (b) In issuing a protective order, the ALJ may make any order which 
justice requires to protect a party or person from annoyance, 
embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, including one or 
more of the following:
    (1) That the discovery not be had;
    (2) That the discovery may be had only on specified terms and 
conditions;
    (3) That the discovery may be had only through a method of discovery 
other than requested;
    (4) That certain matters not be inquired into, or that the scope of 
discovery be limited to certain matters;
    (5) That discovery be conducted with no one present except persons 
designated by the ALJ;
    (6) That the contents of the discovery be sealed;
    (7) That a deposition after being sealed be opened only by order of 
the ALJ;
    (8) That a trade secret or other confidential research, development, 
commercial information, or facts pertaining to any criminal 
investigation, proceeding, or other administrative investigation not be 
disclosed or be disclosed only in a designated way; or
    (9) That the parties simultaneously file specified documents or 
information enclosed in sealed envelopes to be opened as directed by the 
ALJ.



Sec.  681.23  How are documents filed and served with the ALJ?

    (a) Documents filed with the ALJ must include an original and two 
copies. Every document filed in the proceeding must contain a title 
(e.g., motion to quash subpoena), a caption setting forth the title of 
the action, and the case number assigned by the ALJ. Every document must 
be signed by the person on whose behalf the paper was filed, or his or 
her representative.
    (b) Documents are considered filed when they are mailed. The date of 
mailing may be established by a certificate from the party or its 
representative, or by proof that the document was sent by certified or 
registered mail.
    (c) A party filing a document with the ALJ must, at the time of 
filing, serve a copy of such document on every other party. When a party 
is represented by a representative, the party's representative must be 
served in lieu of the party.
    (d) A certificate of the individual serving the document constitutes 
proof of service. The certificate must set forth the manner in which the 
document was served.



Sec.  681.24  How is time computed?

    (a) In computing any period of time under this part or in an order 
issued thereunder, the time begins with the day following the act, 
event, or default, and includes the last day of the period, unless it is 
a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday observed by the Federal government, 
in which event it includes the next business day.

[[Page 218]]

    (b) When the period of time allowed is less than seven days, 
intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays observed by the 
Federal government are excluded from the computation.
    (c) Where a document has been served or issued by placing it in the 
mail, an additional five days will be added to the time permitted for 
any response.



Sec.  681.25  Where is the hearing held?

    The ALJ will hold the hearing in any judicial district of the United 
States:
    (a) In which the defendant resides or transacts business; or
    (b) In which the claim or statement on which liability is based was 
made to NSF; or
    (c) As agreed upon by the defendant and the ALJ.



Sec.  681.26  How will the hearing be conducted and who has the burden
of proof?

    (a) The ALJ conducts a hearing in order to determine whether a 
defendant is liable for a civil penalty, assessment, or both and, if so, 
the appropriate amount of the penalty and/or assessment. The hearing 
will be recorded and transcribed, and the transcript of testimony, 
exhibits admitted at the hearing, and all papers filed in the proceeding 
constitute the record for a decision by the ALJ.
    (b) NSF must prove a defendant's liability and any aggravating 
factors by a preponderance of the evidence.
    (c) A defendant must prove any affirmative defenses and any 
mitigating factors by a preponderance of the evidence.



Sec.  681.27  How is evidence presented at the hearing?

    (a) The ALJ shall determine the admissibility of evidence.
    (b) Except as provided in this part, the ALJ shall not be bound by 
the Federal Rules of Evidence. However, the ALJ may apply the Federal 
Rules of Evidence where he or she deems appropriate.
    (c) The ALJ shall exclude irrelevant and immaterial evidence.
    (d) Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative 
value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, 
confusion of the issues, or by considerations of undue delay or needless 
presentation of cumulative evidence.
    (e) Although relevant, evidence shall be excluded if it is 
privileged under Federal law.
    (f) Evidence concerning offers of compromise or settlement shall be 
inadmissible to the extent provided in Rule 408 of the Federal Rules of 
Evidence.
    (g) The ALJ shall permit the parties to introduce rebuttal witnesses 
and evidence.



Sec.  681.28  How is witness testimony presented?

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, testimony 
at the hearing shall be given orally by witnesses under oath or 
affirmation.
    (b) At the discretion of the ALJ, testimony may be admitted in the 
form of a written statement or deposition. Any such statement must be 
provided to all other parties along with the last known address of such 
witness, in a manner which allows sufficient time for other parties to 
subpoena such witness for cross-examination at the hearing. Prior 
written statements of witnesses proposed to testify at the hearing and 
deposition transcripts shall be exchanged as provided in Sec.  681.19.
    (c) The ALJ shall exercise reasonable control over the mode and 
order of interrogating witnesses and presenting evidence.
    (d) The ALJ shall permit the parties to conduct such cross 
examination as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the 
facts.
    (e) Upon motion of any party, the ALJ shall order witnesses excluded 
from the hearing room so that they cannot hear the testimony of other 
witnesses. This rule does not authorize exclusion of--
    (1) A party who is an individual;
    (2) In the case of a party that is not an individual, an officer or 
employee of the party appearing for the entity pro se or designated by 
the party's representative; or
    (3) An individual whose presence is shown by a party to be essential 
to the presentation of its case, including an individual employed by the 
Government engaged in assisting the representative for the Government.

[[Page 219]]



Sec.  681.29  Will the hearing proceedings be recorded?

    The hearing will be recorded and transcribed. The transcript of 
testimony, exhibits and other evidence admitted at the hearing, and all 
papers and requests filed in the proceeding constitute the record for 
the decision by the ALJ and the authority head.



Sec.  681.30  Are ex parte communications between a party and the ALJ
permitted?

    Ex parte communications between a party and the ALJ are not 
permitted unless the other party consents to such a communication taking 
place. This does not prohibit a party from inquiring about the status of 
a case or asking routine questions concerning administrative functions 
or procedures.



Sec.  681.31  Are there sanctions for misconduct?

    (a) The ALJ may sanction a person, including any party or 
representative, for failing to comply with an order, or for engaging in 
other misconduct that interferes with the speedy, orderly, and fair 
conduct of a hearing.
    (b) Any such sanction shall reasonably relate to the severity and 
nature of the misconduct.
    (c) When a party fails to comply with an order, including an order 
for taking a deposition, the production of evidence within the party's 
control, or a request for admission, the ALJ may:
    (1) Draw an inference in favor of the requesting party with regard 
to the information sought;
    (2) In the case of requests for admission, deem each matter of which 
an admission is requested to be admitted;
    (3) Prohibit the party failing to comply with such order from 
introducing evidence concerning, or otherwise relying upon testimony 
relating to the information sought; and
    (4) Strike any part of the pleadings or other submissions of the 
party failing to comply with such a request.
    (d) The ALJ may refuse to consider any motion, request, response, 
brief or other document which is not filed in a timely fashion.
    (e) If a party fails to prosecute or defend an action under this 
part commenced by service of a notice of hearing, the ALJ may dismiss 
the action or may issue an initial decision imposing penalties and 
assessments.



Sec.  681.32  Are post-hearing briefs required?

    Post-hearing briefs are not required, but the ALJ may permit them at 
his or her discretion.

                          Decisions and Appeals



Sec.  681.33  How is the case decided?

    (a) The ALJ will issue an initial decision based only on the record. 
It will contain findings of fact, conclusions of law, and the amount of 
any penalties and assessments imposed.
    (b) The ALJ will serve the initial decision on all parties within 90 
days after the close of the hearing or, if the filing of post-hearing 
briefs were permitted, within 90 days after the final post-hearing brief 
was filed.
    (c) The findings of fact must include a finding on each of the 
following issues:
    (1) Whether any one or more of the claims or statements identified 
in the complaint violate this part; and
    (2) If the defendant is liable for penalties or assessments, the 
appropriate amount of any such penalties or assessments, considering any 
mitigating or aggravating factors.
    (d) The initial decision will include a description of the right of 
a defendant found liable for a civil penalty or assessment to file a 
motion for reconsideration with the ALJ or a notice of appeal with the 
authority head.



Sec.  681.34  How are penalty and assessment amounts determined?

    (a) In determining an appropriate amount of civil penalties and 
assessments, the ALJ and the authority head, upon appeal, should 
evaluate any circumstances that mitigate or aggravate the violation and 
should articulate in their opinions the reasons that support the 
penalties and assessments they impose. Although not exhaustive, the 
following factors are among those that may influence the ALJ and the 
authority head in determining the amount of penalties and assessments to 
impose with respect to the misconduct charged in the complaint:

[[Page 220]]

    (1) The number of false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims or 
statements;
    (2) The time period over which such claims or statements were made;
    (3) The degree of the defendant's culpability with respect to the 
misconduct;
    (4) The amount of money or the value of the property, services, or 
benefit falsely claimed;
    (5) The value of the Government's actual loss as a result of the 
misconduct, including foreseeable consequential damages and the cost of 
the investigation;
    (6) The relationship of the amount imposed as civil penalties to the 
amount of the Government's loss;
    (7) The potential or actual impact of the misconduct upon public 
confidence in the management of Government programs and operations;
    (8) Whether the defendant has engaged in a pattern of the same or 
similar misconduct;
    (9) Whether the defendant attempted to conceal the misconduct;
    (10) The degree to which the defendant has involved others in the 
misconduct or in concealing it;
    (11) Where the misconduct of employees or agents is imputed to the 
defendant, the extent to which the defendant's practices fostered or 
attempted to preclude such misconduct;
    (12) Whether the defendant cooperated in or obstructed an 
investigation of the misconduct;
    (13) Whether the defendant assisted in identifying and prosecuting 
other wrongdoers;
    (14) The complexity of the program or transaction, and the degree of 
the defendant's sophistication with respect to it, including the extent 
of the defendant's prior participation in the program or in similar 
transactions;
    (15) Whether the defendant has been found, in any criminal, civil, 
or administrative proceeding to have engaged in similar misconduct or to 
have dealt dishonestly with the Government of the United States or a 
state, directly or indirectly; and
    (16) The need to deter the defendant and others from engaging in the 
same or similar misconduct.
    (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the ALJ or 
the authority head from considering any other factors that in any given 
case may mitigate or aggravate the offense for which penalties and 
assessments are imposed.



Sec.  681.35  Can a party request reconsideration of the initial decision?

    (a) Any party may file a motion for reconsideration of the initial 
decision with the ALJ within 20 days of receipt of the initial decision. 
If the initial decision was served by mail, there is a rebuttable 
presumption that the initial decision was received by the party 5 days 
from the date of mailing.
    (b) A motion for reconsideration must be accompanied by a supporting 
brief and must describe specifically each allegedly erroneous decision.
    (c) Any response to a motion for reconsideration will only be 
allowed if it is requested by the ALJ.
    (d) The ALJ will dispose of a motion for reconsideration by denying 
it or by issuing a revised initial decision.
    (e) If the ALJ issues a revised initial decision upon motion of a 
party, no further motions for reconsideration may be filed by any party.



Sec.  681.36  When does the initial decision of the ALJ become final?

    (a) The initial decision of the ALJ becomes the final decision of 
NSF, and shall be binding on all parties 30 days after it is issued, 
unless any party timely files a motion for reconsideration or any 
defendant adjudged to have submitted a false, fictitious, or fraudulent 
claim or statement timely appeals to the authority head of NSF, as set 
forth in Sec.  681.37.
    (b) If the ALJ disposes of a motion for reconsideration by denying 
it or by issuing a revised initial decision, the ALJ's order on the 
motion for reconsideration becomes the final decision of NSF 30 days 
after the order is issued, unless a defendant adjudged to have submitted 
a false, fictitious, fraudulent claim or statement timely appeals to the 
authority head of NSF, as set forth in Sec.  681.37.



Sec.  681.37  What are the procedures for appealing the ALJ decision?

    (a) Any defendant who submits a timely answer and is found liable 
for a

[[Page 221]]

civil penalty or assessment in an initial decision may appeal the 
decision.
    (b) The defendant may file a notice of appeal with the authority 
head within 30 days following issuance of the initial decision, serving 
a copy of the notice of appeal on all parties and the ALJ. The authority 
head may extend this deadline for up to an additional 30 days if an 
extension request is filed within the initial 30-day period and shows 
good cause.
    (c) The defendant's appeal will not be considered until all timely 
motions for reconsideration have been resolved.
    (d) If a timely motion for reconsideration is denied, a notice of 
appeal may be filed within 30 days following such denial or issuance of 
a revised initial decision, whichever applies.
    (e) A notice of appeal must be supported by a written brief 
specifying why the initial decision should be reversed or modified.
    (f) The NSF representative may file a brief in opposition to the 
notice of appeal within 30 days of receiving the defendant's appeal and 
supporting brief.
    (g) If a defendant timely files a notice of appeal, and the time for 
filing reconsideration motions has expired, the ALJ will forward the 
record of the proceeding to the authority head.



Sec.  681.38  What happens if an initial decision is appealed?

    (a) An initial decision is stayed automatically pending disposition 
of a motion for reconsideration or of an appeal to the authority head.
    (b) No administrative stay is available following a final decision 
of the authority head.



Sec.  681.39  Are there any limitations on the right to appeal to the
authority head?

    (a) A defendant has no right to appear personally, or through a 
representative, before the authority head.
    (b) There is no right to appeal any interlocutory ruling.
    (c) The authority head will not consider any objection or evidence 
that was not raised before the ALJ unless the defendant demonstrates 
that the failure to object was caused by extraordinary circumstances. If 
the defendant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the authority head 
that extraordinary circumstances prevented the presentation of evidence 
at the hearing, and that the additional evidence is material, the 
authority head may remand the matter to the ALJ for consideration of the 
additional evidence.



Sec.  681.40  How does the authority head dispose of an appeal?

    (a) The authority head may affirm, reduce, reverse, compromise, 
remand, or settle any penalty or assessment imposed by the ALJ in the 
initial decision or reconsideration decision.
    (b) The authority head will promptly serve each party to the appeal 
and the ALJ with a copy of his or her decision. This decision must 
contain a statement describing the right of any person, against whom a 
penalty or assessment has been made, to seek judicial review.



Sec.  681.41  What judicial review is available?

    31 U.S.C. 3805 authorizes judicial review by the appropriate United 
States District Court of any final NSF decision imposing penalties or 
assessments, and specifies the procedures for such review. To obtain 
judicial review, a defendant must file a petition with the appropriate 
court in a timely manner.



Sec.  681.42  Can the administrative complaint be settled voluntarily?

    (a) Parties may make offers of compromise or settlement at any time. 
Any compromise or settlement must be in writing.
    (b) The reviewing official has the exclusive authority to compromise 
or settle the case from the date on which the reviewing official is 
permitted to issue a complaint until the ALJ issues an initial decision.
    (c) The authority head has exclusive authority to compromise or 
settle the case from the date of the ALJ's initial decision until 
initiation of any judicial review or any action to collect the penalties 
and assessments.
    (d) The Attorney General has exclusive authority to compromise or 
settle the case while any judicial review or any action to recover 
penalties and assessments is pending.

[[Page 222]]

    (e) The investigating official may recommend settlement terms to the 
reviewing official, the authority head, or the Attorney General, as 
appropriate.



Sec.  681.43  How are civil penalties and assessments collected?

    Section 3806 and 3808(b) of title 31, United States Code, authorize 
actions for collection of civil penalties and assessments imposed under 
this part and specify the procedures for such actions.



Sec.  681.44  Is there a right to administrative offset?

    The amount of any penalty or assessment which has become final, or 
for which a judgment has been entered, or any amount agreed upon in a 
compromise or settlement, may be collected by administrative offset 
under 31 U.S.C. 3716, except that an administrative offset may not be 
made under this subsection against a refund of an overpayment of Federal 
taxes, then or later owing by the United States to the defendant.



Sec.  681.45  What happens to collections?

    All amounts collected pursuant to this part shall be deposited as 
miscellaneous receipts in the Treasury of the United States, except as 
provided in 31 U.S.C. 3806(g).



Sec.  681.46  What if the investigation indicates criminal misconduct?

    (a) Any investigating official may:
    (1) Refer allegations of criminal misconduct directly to the 
Department of Justice for prosecution or for suit under the False Claims 
Act or other civil proceeding;
    (2) Defer or postpone a report or referral to the reviewing official 
to avoid interference with a criminal investigation or prosecution; or
    (3) Issue subpoenas under any other statutory authority.
    (b) Nothing in this part limits the requirement that NSF employees 
report suspected violations of criminal law to the NSF Office of 
Inspector General or to the Attorney General.



PART 689_RESEARCH MISCONDUCT--Table of Contents



Sec.
689.1 Definitions.
689.2 General policies and responsibilities.
689.3 Actions.
689.4 Role of awardee institutions.
689.5 Initial NSF handling of misconduct matters.
689.6 Investigations.
689.7 Pending proposals and awards.
689.8 Interim administrative actions.
689.9 Dispositions.
689.10 Appeals.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1870(a).

    Source: 67 FR 11937, Mar. 18, 2002, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  689.1  Definitions.

    The following definitions apply to this part:
    (a) Research misconduct means fabrication, falsification, or 
plagiarism in proposing or performing research funded by NSF, reviewing 
research proposals submitted to NSF, or in reporting research results 
funded by NSF.
    (1) Fabrication means making up data or results and recording or 
reporting them.
    (2) Falsification means manipulating research materials, equipment, 
or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the 
research is not accurately represented in the research record.
    (3) Plagiarism means the appropriation of another person's ideas, 
processes, results or words without giving appropriate credit.
    (4) Research, for purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, 
includes proposals submitted to NSF in all fields of science, 
engineering, mathematics, and education and results from such proposals.
    (b) Research misconduct does not include honest error or differences 
of opinion.



Sec.  689.2  General policies and responsibilities.

    (a) NSF will take appropriate action against individuals or 
institutions upon a finding that research misconduct has occurred. 
Possible actions are described in Sec.  689.3. NSF may also take interim 
action during an investigation, as described in Sec.  689.8.

[[Page 223]]

    (b) NSF will find research misconduct only after careful inquiry and 
investigation by an awardee institution, by another Federal agency, or 
by NSF. An ``inquiry'' consists of preliminary information-gathering and 
preliminary fact-finding to determine whether an allegation or apparent 
instance of research misconduct has substance and if an investigation is 
warranted. An investigation must be undertaken if the inquiry determines 
the allegation or apparent instance of research misconduct has 
substance. An ``investigation'' is a formal development, examination and 
evaluation of a factual record to determine whether research misconduct 
has taken place, to assess its extent and consequences, and to evaluate 
appropriate action.
    (c) A finding of research misconduct requires that--
    (1) There be a significant departure from accepted practices of the 
relevant research community; and
    (2) The research misconduct be committed intentionally, or 
knowingly, or recklessly; and
    (3) The allegation be proven by a preponderance of evidence.
    (d) Before NSF makes any final finding of research misconduct or 
takes any final action on such a finding, NSF will normally afford the 
accused individual or institution notice, a chance to provide comments 
and rebuttal, and a chance to appeal. In structuring procedures in 
individual cases, NSF may take into account procedures already followed 
by other entities investigating or adjudicating the same allegation of 
research misconduct.
    (e) Debarment or suspension for research misconduct will be imposed 
only after further procedures described in applicable debarment and 
suspension regulations, as described in Sec. Sec.  689.8 and 689.9, 
respectively. Severe research misconduct, as established under the 
regulations in this part, is an independent cause for debarment or 
suspension under the procedures established by the debarment and 
suspension regulations.
    (f) The Office of Inspector General (OIG) oversees investigations of 
research misconduct and conducts any NSF inquiries and investigations 
into suspected or alleged research misconduct.
    (g) The Deputy Director adjudicates research misconduct proceedings 
and the Director decides appeals.
    (h) Investigative and adjudicative research misconduct records 
maintained by the agency are exempt from public disclosure under the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 
552a) to the extent permitted by law and regulation.



Sec.  689.3  Actions.

    (a) Possible final actions listed in this paragraph (a) for guidance 
range from minimal restrictions (Group I) to the most severe and 
restrictive (Group III). They are not exhaustive and do not include 
possible criminal sanctions.
    (1) Group I actions. (i) Send a letter of reprimand to the 
individual or institution.
    (ii) Require as a condition of an award that for a specified period 
an individual or institution obtain special prior approval of particular 
activities from NSF.
    (iii) Require for a specified period that an institutional official 
other than those guilty of misconduct certify the accuracy of reports 
generated under an award or provide assurance of compliance with 
particular policies, regulations, guidelines, or special terms and 
conditions.
    (2) Group II actions. (i) Totally or partially suspend an active 
award, or restrict for a specified period designated activities or 
expenditures under an active award.
    (ii) Require for a specified period special reviews of all requests 
for funding from an affected individual or institution to ensure that 
steps have been taken to prevent repetition of the misconduct.
    (iii) Require a correction to the research record.
    (3) Group III actions. (i) Terminate an active award.
    (ii) Prohibit participation of an individual as an NSF reviewer, 
advisor, or consultant for a specified period.
    (iii) Debar or suspend an individual or institution from 
participation in Federal programs for a specified period

[[Page 224]]

after further proceedings under applicable regulations.
    (b) In deciding what final actions are appropriate when misconduct 
is found, NSF officials should consider:
    (1) How serious the misconduct was;
    (2) The degree to which the misconduct was knowing, intentional, or 
reckless;
    (3) Whether it was an isolated event or part of a pattern;
    (4) Whether it had a significant impact on the research record, 
research subjects, other researchers, institutions or the public 
welfare; and
    (5) Other relevant circumstances.
    (c) Interim actions may include, but are not limited to:
    (1) Totally or partially suspending an existing award;
    (2) Suspending eligibility for Federal awards in accordance with 
debarment-and-suspension regulations;
    (3) Proscribing or restricting particular research activities, as, 
for example, to protect human or animal subjects;
    (4) Requiring special certifications, assurances, or other, 
administrative arrangements to ensure compliance with applicable 
regulations or terms of the award;
    (5) Requiring more prior approvals by NSF;
    (6) Deferring funding action on continuing grant increments;
    (7) Deferring a pending award;
    (8) Restricting or suspending participation as an NSF reviewer, 
advisor, or consultant.
    (d) For those cases governed by the debarment and suspension 
regulations, the standards of proof contained in the debarment and 
suspension regulations shall control. Otherwise, NSF will take no final 
action under this section without a finding of misconduct supported by a 
preponderance of the relevant evidence.



Sec.  689.4  Role of awardee institutions.

    (a) Awardee institutions bear primary responsibility for prevention 
and detection of research misconduct and for the inquiry, investigation, 
and adjudication of alleged research misconduct. In most instances, NSF 
will rely on awardee institutions to promptly:
    (1) Initiate an inquiry into any suspected or alleged research 
misconduct;
    (2) Conduct a subsequent investigation, if warranted;
    (3) Take action necessary to ensure the integrity of research, the 
rights and interests of research subjects and the public, and the 
observance of legal requirements or responsibilities; and
    (4) Provide appropriate safeguards for subjects of allegations as 
well as informants.
    (b) If an institution wishes NSF to defer independent inquiry or 
investigation, it should:
    (1) Complete any inquiry and decide whether an investigation is 
warranted within 90 days. If completion of an inquiry is delayed, but 
the institution wishes NSF deferral to continue, NSF may require 
submission of periodic status reports.
    (2) Inform OIG immediately if an initial inquiry supports a formal 
investigation.
    (3) Keep OIG informed during such an investigation.
    (4) Complete any investigation and reach a disposition within 180 
days. If completion of an investigation is delayed, but the institution 
wishes NSF deferral to continue, NSF may require submission of periodic 
status reports.
    (5) Provide OIG with the final report from any investigation.
    (c) NSF expects institutions to promptly notify OIG should the 
institution become aware during an inquiry or investigation that:
    (1) Public health or safety is at risk;
    (2) NSF's resources, reputation, or other interests need protecting;
    (3) There is reasonable indication of possible violations of civil 
or criminal law;
    (4) Research activities should be suspended;
    (5) Federal action may be needed to protect the interests of a 
subject of the investigation or of others potentially affected; or
    (6) The scientific community or the public should be informed.
    (d) Awardee institutions should maintain and effectively communicate 
to their staffs appropriate policies and procedures relating to research 
misconduct, which should indicate when NSF should be notified.

[[Page 225]]



Sec.  689.5  Initial NSF handling of misconduct matters.

    (a) NSF staff who learn of alleged misconduct will promptly and 
discreetly inform OIG or refer informants to OIG.
    (b) The identity of informants who wish to remain anonymous will be 
kept confidential to the extent permitted by law or regulation.
    (c) If OIG determines that alleged research misconduct involves 
potential civil or criminal violations, OIG may refer the matter to the 
Department of Justice.
    (d) Otherwise OIG may:
    (1) Inform the awardee institution of the alleged research 
misconduct and encourage it to undertake an inquiry;
    (2) Defer to inquiries or investigations of the awardee institution 
or of another Federal agency; or
    (3) At any time proceed with its own inquiry.
    (e) If OIG proceeds with its own inquiry it will normally complete 
the inquiry no more than 90 days after initiating it.
    (f) On the basis of what it learns from an inquiry and in 
consultation as appropriate with other NSF offices, OIG will decide 
whether a formal NSF investigation is warranted.



Sec.  689.6  Investigations.

    (a) When an awardee institution or another Federal agency has 
promptly initiated its own investigation, OIG may defer an NSF inquiry 
or investigation until it receives the results of that external 
investigation. If it does not receive the results within 180 days, OIG 
may proceed with its own investigation.
    (b) If OIG decides to initiate an NSF investigation, it must give 
prompt written notice to the individual or institutions to be 
investigated, unless notice would prejudice the investigation or unless 
a criminal investigation is underway or under active consideration. If 
notice is delayed, it must be given as soon as it will no longer 
prejudice the investigation or contravene requirements of law or Federal 
law-enforcement policies.
    (c) If a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice, the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation, or another Federal agency is underway 
or under active consideration by these agencies or the NSF, OIG will 
determine what information, if any, may be disclosed to the subject of 
the investigation or to other NSF employees.
    (d) An NSF investigation may include:
    (1) Review of award files, reports, and other documents already 
readily available at NSF or in the public domain;
    (2) Review of procedures or methods and inspection of laboratory 
materials, specimens, and records at awardee institutions;
    (3) Interviews with subjects or witnesses;
    (4) Review of any documents or other evidence provided by or 
properly obtainable from parties, witnesses, or other sources;
    (5) Cooperation with other Federal agencies; and
    (6) Opportunity for the subject of the investigation to be heard.
    (e) OIG may invite outside consultants or experts to participate in 
an NSF investigation. They should be appointed in a manner that ensures 
the official nature of their involvement and provides them with legal 
protections available to federal employees.
    (f) OIG will make every reasonable effort to complete an NSF 
investigation and to report its recommendations, if any, to the Deputy 
Director within 180 days after initiating it.



Sec.  689.7  Pending proposals and awards.

    (a) Upon learning of alleged research misconduct OIG will identify 
potentially implicated awards or proposals and when appropriate, will 
ensure that program, grant, and contracting officers handling them are 
informed (subject to Sec.  689.6(c)).
    (b) Neither a suspicion or allegation of research misconduct nor a 
pending inquiry or investigation will normally delay review of 
proposals. To avoid influencing reviews, reviewers or panelists will not 
be informed of allegations or of ongoing inquiries or investigations. 
However, if allegations, inquiries, or investigations have been rumored 
or publicized, the responsible Program Director may consult with OIG 
and, after further consultation

[[Page 226]]

with the Office of General Counsel, either defer review, inform 
reviewers to disregard the matter, or inform reviewers of the status of 
the matter.



Sec.  689.8  Interim administrative actions.

    (a) After an inquiry or during an external or NSF investigation the 
Deputy Director may order that interim actions (as described in Sec.  
689.3(c)) be taken to protect Federal resources or to guard against 
continuation of any suspected or alleged research misconduct. Such an 
order will normally be issued on recommendation from OIG and in 
consultation with the Division of Contracts, Policy, and Oversight or 
Division of Grants and Agreements, the Office of the General Counsel, 
the responsible Directorate, and other parts of the Foundation as 
appropriate.
    (b) When suspension is determined to be appropriate, the case will 
be referred to the suspending official pursuant to 2 CFR part 180, and 
the suspension procedures of 2 CFR part 180 will be followed, but the 
suspending official will be either the Deputy Director or an official 
designated by the Deputy Director.
    (c) Such interim actions may be taken whenever information developed 
during an investigation indicates a need to do so. Any interim action 
will be reviewed periodically during an investigation by NSF and 
modified as warranted. An interested party may request a review or 
modification by the Deputy Director of any interim action.
    (d) The Deputy Director will make and OIG will retain a record of 
interim actions taken and the reasons for taking them.
    (e) Interim administrative actions are not final agency actions 
subject to appeal.

[67 FR 11937, Mar. 18, 2002, as amended at 72 FR 4944, Feb. 2, 2007]



Sec.  689.9  Dispositions.

    (a) After receiving a report from an external investigation by an 
awardee institution or another Federal agency, OIG will assess the 
accuracy and completeness of the report and whether the investigating 
entity followed reasonable procedures. It will either recommend adoption 
of the findings in whole or in part or, normally within 30 days, 
initiate a new investigation.
    (b) When any satisfactory external investigation or an NSF 
investigation fails to confirm alleged misconduct--
    (1) OIG will notify the subject of the investigation and, if 
appropriate, those who reported the suspected or alleged misconduct. 
This notification may include the investigation report.
    (2) Any interim administrative restrictions that were imposed will 
be lifted.
    (c) When any satisfactory investigation confirms misconduct. (1) In 
cases in which debarment is considered by OIG to be an appropriate 
disposition, the case will be referred to the debarring official 
pursuant to 2 CFR part 180 and the procedures of 2 CFR part 180 will be 
followed, but:
    (i) The debarring official will be either the Deputy Director, or an 
official designated by the Deputy Director.
    (ii) Except in unusual circumstances, the investigation report and 
recommended disposition will be included among the materials provided to 
the subject of the investigation as part of the notice of proposed 
debarment.
    (iii) The notice of the debarring official's decision will include 
instructions on how to pursue an appeal to the Director.
    (2) In all other cases--
    (i) Except in unusual circumstances, the investigation report will 
be provided by OIG to the subject of the investigation, who will be 
invited to submit comments or rebuttal. Comments or rebuttal submitted 
within the period allowed, normally 30 days, will receive full 
consideration and may lead to revision of the report or of a recommended 
disposition.
    (ii) Normally within 45 days after completing an NSF investigation 
or receiving the report from a satisfactory external investigation, OIG 
will submit to the Deputy Director the investigation report, any 
comments or rebuttal from the subject of the investigation, and a 
recommended disposition. The recommended disposition will propose any 
final actions to be taken by NSF. Section 689.3 lists possible final 
actions and considerations to be used in determining them.

[[Page 227]]

    (iii) The Deputy Director will review the investigation report and 
OIG's recommended disposition. Before issuing a disposition the Deputy 
Director may initiate further hearings or investigation. Normally within 
120 days after receiving OIG's recommendations or after completion of 
any further proceedings, the Deputy Director will send the affected 
individual or institution a written disposition, specifying actions to 
be taken. The decision will include instructions on how to pursue an 
appeal to the Director.

[67 FR 11937, Mar. 18, 2002, as amended at 72 FR 4944, Feb. 2, 2007]



Sec.  689.10  Appeals.

    (a) An affected individual or institution may appeal to the Director 
in writing within 30 days after receiving the Deputy Director's written 
decision. The Deputy Director's decision becomes a final administrative 
action if it is not appealed within the 30 day period.
    (b) The Director may appoint an uninvolved NSF officer or employee 
to review an appeal and make recommendations.
    (c) The Director will normally inform the appellant of a final 
decision within 60 days after receiving the appeal. That decision will 
be the final administrative action of the Foundation



PART 690_PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS--Table of Contents



Sec.
690.101 To what does this policy apply?
690.102 Definitions for purposes of this policy.
690.103 Assuring compliance with this policy--research conducted or 
          supported by any Federal department or agency.
690.104 Exempt research.
690.105-690.106 [Reserved]
690.107 IRB membership.
690.108 IRB functions and operations.
690.109 IRB review of research.
690.110 Expedited review procedures for certain kinds of research 
          involving no more than minimal risk, and for minor changes in 
          approved research.
690.111 Criteria for IRB approval of research.
690.112 Review by institution.
690.113 Suspension or termination of IRB approval of research.
690.114 Cooperative research.
690.115 IRB records.
690.116 General requirements for informed consent.
690.117 Documentation of informed consent.
690.118 Applications and proposals lacking definite plans for 
          involvement of human subjects.
690.119 Research undertaken without the intention of involving human 
          subjects.
690.120 Evaluation and disposition of applications and proposals for 
          research to be conducted or supported by a Federal department 
          or agency.
690.121 [Reserved]
690.122 Use of Federal funds.
690.123 Early termination of research support: Evaluation of 
          applications and proposals.
690.124 Conditions.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 42 U.S.C. 300v-1(b).

    Source: 82 FR 7259, 7273, Jan. 19, 2017, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  690.101  To what does this policy apply?

    (a) Except as detailed in Sec.  690.104, this policy applies to all 
research involving human subjects conducted, supported, or otherwise 
subject to regulation by any Federal department or agency that takes 
appropriate administrative action to make the policy applicable to such 
research. This includes research conducted by Federal civilian employees 
or military personnel, except that each department or agency head may 
adopt such procedural modifications as may be appropriate from an 
administrative standpoint. It also includes research conducted, 
supported, or otherwise subject to regulation by the Federal Government 
outside the United States. Institutions that are engaged in research 
described in this paragraph and institutional review boards (IRBs) 
reviewing research that is subject to this policy must comply with this 
policy.
    (b) [Reserved]
    (c) Department or agency heads retain final judgment as to whether a 
particular activity is covered by this policy and this judgment shall be 
exercised consistent with the ethical principles of the Belmont 
Report.\62\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \62\ The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of 
Biomedical and Behavioral Research.- Belmont Report. Washington, DC: 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 1979.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 228]]

    (d) Department or agency heads may require that specific research 
activities or classes of research activities conducted, supported, or 
otherwise subject to regulation by the Federal department or agency but 
not otherwise covered by this policy comply with some or all of the 
requirements of this policy.
    (e) Compliance with this policy requires compliance with pertinent 
federal laws or regulations that provide additional protections for 
human subjects.
    (f) This policy does not affect any state or local laws or 
regulations (including tribal law passed by the official governing body 
of an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe) that may otherwise be 
applicable and that provide additional protections for human subjects.
    (g) This policy does not affect any foreign laws or regulations that 
may otherwise be applicable and that provide additional protections to 
human subjects of research.
    (h) When research covered by this policy takes place in foreign 
countries, procedures normally followed in the foreign countries to 
protect human subjects may differ from those set forth in this policy. 
In these circumstances, if a department or agency head determines that 
the procedures prescribed by the institution afford protections that are 
at least equivalent to those provided in this policy, the department or 
agency head may approve the substitution of the foreign procedures in 
lieu of the procedural requirements provided in this policy. Except when 
otherwise required by statute, Executive Order, or the department or 
agency head, notices of these actions as they occur will be published in 
the Federal Register or will be otherwise published as provided in 
department or agency procedures.
    (i) Unless otherwise required by law, department or agency heads may 
waive the applicability of some or all of the provisions of this policy 
to specific research activities or classes of research activities 
otherwise covered by this policy, provided the alternative procedures to 
be followed are consistent with the principles of the Belmont 
Report.\63\ Except when otherwise required by statute or Executive 
Order, the department or agency head shall forward advance notices of 
these actions to the Office for Human Research Protections, Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS), or any successor office, or to the 
equivalent office within the appropriate Federal department or agency, 
and shall also publish them in the Federal Register or in such other 
manner as provided in department or agency procedures. The waiver notice 
must include a statement that identifies the conditions under which the 
waiver will be applied and a justification as to why the waiver is 
appropriate for the research, including how the decision is consistent 
with the principles of the Belmont Report.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \63\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (j) Federal guidance on the requirements of this policy shall be 
issued only after consultation, for the purpose of harmonization (to the 
extent appropriate), with other Federal departments and agencies that 
have adopted this policy, unless such consultation is not feasible.
    (k) [Reserved]
    (l) Compliance dates and transition provisions:
    (1) Pre-2018 Requirements. For purposes of this section, the pre-
2018 Requirements means this subpart as published in the 2016 edition of 
the Code of Federal Regulations.
    (2) 2018 Requirements. For purposes of this section, the 2018 
Requirements means the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human 
Subjects requirements contained in this part. The general compliance 
date for the 2018 Requirements is January 21, 2019. The compliance date 
for Sec.  690.114(b) (cooperative research) of the 2018 Requirements is 
January 20, 2020.
    (3) Research subject to pre-2018 requirements. The pre-2018 
Requirements shall apply to the following research, unless the research 
is transitioning to comply with the 2018 Requirements in accordance with 
paragraph (l)(4) of this section:

[[Page 229]]

    (i) Research initially approved by an IRB under the pre-2018 
Requirements before January 21, 2019;
    (ii) Research for which IRB review was waived pursuant to Sec.  
690.101(i) of the pre-2018 Requirements before January 21, 2019; and
    (iii) Research for which a determination was made that the research 
was exempt under Sec.  690.101(b) of the pre-2018 Requirements before 
January 21, 2019.
    (4) Transitioning research. If, on or after July 19, 2018, an 
institution planning or engaged in research otherwise covered by 
paragraph (l)(3) of this section determines that such research instead 
will transition to comply with the 2018 Requirements, the institution or 
an IRB must document and date such determination.
    (i) If the determination to transition is documented between July 
19, 2018, and January 20, 2019, the research shall:
    (A) Beginning on the date of such documentation through January 20, 
2019, comply with the pre-2018 Requirements, except that the research 
shall comply with the following:
    (1) Section 690.102(l) of the 2018 Requirements (definition of 
research) (instead of Sec.  690.102(d) of the pre-2018 Requirements);
    (2) Section 690.103(d) of the 2018 Requirements (revised 
certification requirement that eliminates IRB review of application or 
proposal) (instead of Sec.  690.103(f) of the pre-2018 Requirements); 
and
    (3) Section 690.109(f)(1)(i) and (iii) of the 2018 Requirements 
(exceptions to mandated continuing review) (instead of Sec.  690.103(b), 
as related to the requirement for continuing review, and in addition to 
Sec.  690.109, of the pre-2018 Requirements); and
    (B) Beginning on January 21, 2019, comply with the 2018 
Requirements.
    (ii) If the determination to transition is documented on or after 
January 21, 2019, the research shall, beginning on the date of such 
documentation, comply with the 2018 Requirements.
    (5) Research subject to 2018 Requirements. The 2018 Requirements 
shall apply to the following research:
    (i) Research initially approved by an IRB on or after January 21, 
2019;
    (ii) Research for which IRB review is waived pursuant to paragraph 
(i) of this section on or after January 21, 2019; and
    (iii) Research for which a determination is made that the research 
is exempt on or after January 21, 2019.
    (m) Severability: Any provision of this part held to be invalid or 
unenforceable by its terms, or as applied to any person or circumstance, 
shall be construed so as to continue to give maximum effect to the 
provision permitted by law, unless such holding shall be one of utter 
invalidity or unenforceability, in which event the provision shall be 
severable from this part and shall not affect the remainder thereof or 
the application of the provision to other persons not similarly situated 
or to other dissimilar circumstances.

[82 FR 7259, 7273, Jan. 19, 2017, as amended at 83 FR 28519, July 19, 
2018]



Sec.  690.102  Definitions for purposes of this policy.

    (a) Certification means the official notification by the institution 
to the supporting Federal department or agency component, in accordance 
with the requirements of this policy, that a research project or 
activity involving human subjects has been reviewed and approved by an 
IRB in accordance with an approved assurance.
    (b) Clinical trial means a research study in which one or more human 
subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which 
may include placebo or other control) to evaluate the effects of the 
interventions on biomedical or behavioral health-related outcomes.
    (c) Department or agency head means the head of any Federal 
department or agency, for example, the Secretary of HHS, and any other 
officer or employee of any Federal department or agency to whom the 
authority provided by these regulations to the department or agency head 
has been delegated.
    (d) Federal department or agency refers to a federal department or 
agency (the department or agency itself rather than its bureaus, offices 
or divisions) that takes appropriate administrative action to make this 
policy applicable

[[Page 230]]

to the research involving human subjects it conducts, supports, or 
otherwise regulates (e.g., the U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the Central Intelligence 
Agency).
    (e)(1) Human subject means a living individual about whom an 
investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research:
    (i) Obtains information or biospecimens through intervention or 
interaction with the individual, and uses, studies, or analyzes the 
information or biospecimens; or
    (ii) Obtains, uses, studies, analyzes, or generates identifiable 
private information or identifiable biospecimens.
    (2) Intervention includes both physical procedures by which 
information or biospecimens are gathered (e.g., venipuncture) and 
manipulations of the subject or the subject's environment that are 
performed for research purposes.
    (3) Interaction includes communication or interpersonal contact 
between investigator and subject.
    (4) Private information includes information about behavior that 
occurs in a context in which an individual can reasonably expect that no 
observation or recording is taking place, and information that has been 
provided for specific purposes by an individual and that the individual 
can reasonably expect will not be made public (e.g., a medical record).
    (5) Identifiable private information is private information for 
which the identity of the subject is or may readily be ascertained by 
the investigator or associated with the information.
    (6) An identifiable biospecimen is a biospecimen for which the 
identity of the subject is or may readily be ascertained by the 
investigator or associated with the biospecimen.
    (7) Federal departments or agencies implementing this policy shall:
    (i) Upon consultation with appropriate experts (including experts in 
data matching and re-identification), reexamine the meaning of 
``identifiable private information,'' as defined in paragraph (e)(5) of 
this section, and ``identifiable biospecimen,'' as defined in paragraph 
(e)(6) of this section. This reexamination shall take place within 1 
year and regularly thereafter (at least every 4 years). This process 
will be conducted by collaboration among the Federal departments and 
agencies implementing this policy. If appropriate and permitted by law, 
such Federal departments and agencies may alter the interpretation of 
these terms, including through the use of guidance.
    (ii) Upon consultation with appropriate experts, assess whether 
there are analytic technologies or techniques that should be considered 
by investigators to generate ``identifiable private information,'' as 
defined in paragraph (e)(5) of this section, or an ``identifiable 
biospecimen,'' as defined in paragraph (e)(6) of this section. This 
assessment shall take place within 1 year and regularly thereafter (at 
least every 4 years). This process will be conducted by collaboration 
among the Federal departments and agencies implementing this policy. Any 
such technologies or techniques will be included on a list of 
technologies or techniques that produce identifiable private information 
or identifiable biospecimens. This list will be published in the Federal 
Register after notice and an opportunity for public comment. The 
Secretary, HHS, shall maintain the list on a publicly accessible Web 
site.
    (f) Institution means any public or private entity, or department or 
agency (including federal, state, and other agencies).
    (g) IRB means an institutional review board established in accord 
with and for the purposes expressed in this policy.
    (h) IRB approval means the determination of the IRB that the 
research has been reviewed and may be conducted at an institution within 
the constraints set forth by the IRB and by other institutional and 
federal requirements.
    (i) Legally authorized representative means an individual or 
judicial or other body authorized under applicable law to consent on 
behalf of a prospective subject to the subject's participation in the 
procedure(s) involved in the research. If there is no applicable law 
addressing this issue, legally authorized representative means an 
individual recognized by institutional policy as acceptable for 
providing consent in the

[[Page 231]]

nonresearch context on behalf of the prospective subject to the 
subject's participation in the procedure(s) involved in the research.
    (j) Minimal risk means that the probability and magnitude of harm or 
discomfort anticipated in the research are not greater in and of 
themselves than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the 
performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests.
    (k) Public health authority means an agency or authority of the 
United States, a state, a territory, a political subdivision of a state 
or territory, an Indian tribe, or a foreign government, or a person or 
entity acting under a grant of authority from or contract with such 
public agency, including the employees or agents of such public agency 
or its contractors or persons or entities to whom it has granted 
authority, that is responsible for public health matters as part of its 
official mandate.
    (l) Research means a systematic investigation, including research 
development, testing, and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute 
to generalizable knowledge. Activities that meet this definition 
constitute research for purposes of this policy, whether or not they are 
conducted or supported under a program that is considered research for 
other purposes. For example, some demonstration and service programs may 
include research activities. For purposes of this part, the following 
activities are deemed not to be research:
    (1) Scholarly and journalistic activities (e.g., oral history, 
journalism, biography, literary criticism, legal research, and 
historical scholarship), including the collection and use of 
information, that focus directly on the specific individuals about whom 
the information is collected.
    (2) Public health surveillance activities, including the collection 
and testing of information or biospecimens, conducted, supported, 
requested, ordered, required, or authorized by a public health 
authority. Such activities are limited to those necessary to allow a 
public health authority to identify, monitor, assess, or investigate 
potential public health signals, onsets of disease outbreaks, or 
conditions of public health importance (including trends, signals, risk 
factors, patterns in diseases, or increases in injuries from using 
consumer products). Such activities include those associated with 
providing timely situational awareness and priority setting during the 
course of an event or crisis that threatens public health (including 
natural or man-made disasters).
    (3) Collection and analysis of information, biospecimens, or records 
by or for a criminal justice agency for activities authorized by law or 
court order solely for criminal justice or criminal investigative 
purposes.
    (4) Authorized operational activities (as determined by each agency) 
in support of intelligence, homeland security, defense, or other 
national security missions.
    (m) Written, or in writing, for purposes of this part, refers to 
writing on a tangible medium (e.g., paper) or in an electronic format.



Sec.  690.103  Assuring compliance with this policy--research conducted
or supported by any Federal department or agency.

    (a) Each institution engaged in research that is covered by this 
policy, with the exception of research eligible for exemption under 
Sec.  690.104, and that is conducted or supported by a Federal 
department or agency, shall provide written assurance satisfactory to 
the department or agency head that it will comply with the requirements 
of this policy. In lieu of requiring submission of an assurance, 
individual department or agency heads shall accept the existence of a 
current assurance, appropriate for the research in question, on file 
with the Office for Human Research Protections, HHS, or any successor 
office, and approved for Federal-wide use by that office. When the 
existence of an HHS-approved assurance is accepted in lieu of requiring 
submission of an assurance, reports (except certification) required by 
this policy to be made to department and agency heads shall also be made 
to the Office for Human Research Protections, HHS, or any successor 
office. Federal departments and agencies will conduct or support 
research covered by this policy

[[Page 232]]

only if the institution has provided an assurance that it will comply 
with the requirements of this policy, as provided in this section, and 
only if the institution has certified to the department or agency head 
that the research has been reviewed and approved by an IRB (if such 
certification is required by Sec.  690.103(d)).
    (b) The assurance shall be executed by an individual authorized to 
act for the institution and to assume on behalf of the institution the 
obligations imposed by this policy and shall be filed in such form and 
manner as the department or agency head prescribes.
    (c) The department or agency head may limit the period during which 
any assurance shall remain effective or otherwise condition or restrict 
the assurance.
    (d) Certification is required when the research is supported by a 
Federal department or agency and not otherwise waived under Sec.  
690.101(i) or exempted under Sec.  690.104. For such research, 
institutions shall certify that each proposed research study covered by 
the assurance and this section has been reviewed and approved by the 
IRB. Such certification must be submitted as prescribed by the Federal 
department or agency component supporting the research. Under no 
condition shall research covered by this section be initiated prior to 
receipt of the certification that the research has been reviewed and 
approved by the IRB.
    (e) For nonexempt research involving human subjects covered by this 
policy (or exempt research for which limited IRB review takes place 
pursuant to Sec.  690.104(d)(2)(iii), (d)(3)(i)(C), or (d)(7) or (8)) 
that takes place at an institution in which IRB oversight is conducted 
by an IRB that is not operated by the institution, the institution and 
the organization operating the IRB shall document the institution's 
reliance on the IRB for oversight of the research and the 
responsibilities that each entity will undertake to ensure compliance 
with the requirements of this policy (e.g., in a written agreement 
between the institution and the IRB, by implementation of an 
institution-wide policy directive providing the allocation of 
responsibilities between the institution and an IRB that is not 
affiliated with the institution, or as set forth in a research 
protocol).

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 
0990-0260)



Sec.  690.104  Exempt research.

    (a) Unless otherwise required by law or by department or agency 
heads, research activities in which the only involvement of human 
subjects will be in one or more of the categories in paragraph (d) of 
this section are exempt from the requirements of this policy, except 
that such activities must comply with the requirements of this section 
and as specified in each category.
    (b) Use of the exemption categories for research subject to the 
requirements of subparts B, C, and D: Application of the exemption 
categories to research subject to the requirements of 45 CFR part 46, 
subparts B, C, and D, is as follows:
    (1) Subpart B. Each of the exemptions at this section may be applied 
to research subject to subpart B if the conditions of the exemption are 
met.
    (2) Subpart C. The exemptions at this section do not apply to 
research subject to subpart C, except for research aimed at involving a 
broader subject population that only incidentally includes prisoners.
    (3) Subpart D. The exemptions at paragraphs (d)(1), (4), (5), (6), 
(7), and (8) of this section may be applied to research subject to 
subpart D if the conditions of the exemption are met. Paragraphs 
(d)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section only may apply to research subject to 
subpart D involving educational tests or the observation of public 
behavior when the investigator(s) do not participate in the activities 
being observed. Paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section may not be applied 
to research subject to subpart D.
    (c) [Reserved]
    (d) Except as described in paragraph (a) of this section, the 
following categories of human subjects research are exempt from this 
policy:
    (1) Research, conducted in established or commonly accepted 
educational settings, that specifically involves normal educational 
practices that are not likely to adversely impact students' opportunity 
to learn required educational content or the assessment

[[Page 233]]

of educators who provide instruction. This includes most research on 
regular and special education instructional strategies, and research on 
the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional techniques, 
curricula, or classroom management methods.
    (2) Research that only includes interactions involving educational 
tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, 
interview procedures, or observation of public behavior (including 
visual or auditory recording) if at least one of the following criteria 
is met:
    (i) The information obtained is recorded by the investigator in such 
a manner that the identity of the human subjects cannot readily be 
ascertained, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects;
    (ii) Any disclosure of the human subjects' responses outside the 
research would not reasonably place the subjects at risk of criminal or 
civil liability or be damaging to the subjects' financial standing, 
employability, educational advancement, or reputation; or
    (iii) The information obtained is recorded by the investigator in 
such a manner that the identity of the human subjects can readily be 
ascertained, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects, and 
an IRB conducts a limited IRB review to make the determination required 
by Sec.  690.111(a)(7).
    (3)(i) Research involving benign behavioral interventions in 
conjunction with the collection of information from an adult subject 
through verbal or written responses (including data entry) or 
audiovisual recording if the subject prospectively agrees to the 
intervention and information collection and at least one of the 
following criteria is met:
    (A) The information obtained is recorded by the investigator in such 
a manner that the identity of the human subjects cannot readily be 
ascertained, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects;
    (B) Any disclosure of the human subjects' responses outside the 
research would not reasonably place the subjects at risk of criminal or 
civil liability or be damaging to the subjects' financial standing, 
employability, educational advancement, or reputation; or
    (C) The information obtained is recorded by the investigator in such 
a manner that the identity of the human subjects can readily be 
ascertained, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects, and 
an IRB conducts a limited IRB review to make the determination required 
by Sec.  690.111(a)(7).
    (ii) For the purpose of this provision, benign behavioral 
interventions are brief in duration, harmless, painless, not physically 
invasive, not likely to have a significant adverse lasting impact on the 
subjects, and the investigator has no reason to think the subjects will 
find the interventions offensive or embarrassing. Provided all such 
criteria are met, examples of such benign behavioral interventions would 
include having the subjects play an online game, having them solve 
puzzles under various noise conditions, or having them decide how to 
allocate a nominal amount of received cash between themselves and 
someone else.
    (iii) If the research involves deceiving the subjects regarding the 
nature or purposes of the research, this exemption is not applicable 
unless the subject authorizes the deception through a prospective 
agreement to participate in research in circumstances in which the 
subject is informed that he or she will be unaware of or misled 
regarding the nature or purposes of the research.
    (4) Secondary research for which consent is not required: Secondary 
research uses of identifiable private information or identifiable 
biospecimens, if at least one of the following criteria is met:
    (i) The identifiable private information or identifiable 
biospecimens are publicly available;
    (ii) Information, which may include information about biospecimens, 
is recorded by the investigator in such a manner that the identity of 
the human subjects cannot readily be ascertained directly or through 
identifiers linked to the subjects, the investigator does not contact 
the subjects, and the investigator will not re-identify subjects;

[[Page 234]]

    (iii) The research involves only information collection and analysis 
involving the investigator's use of identifiable health information when 
that use is regulated under 45 CFR parts 160 and 164, subparts A and E, 
for the purposes of ``health care operations'' or ``research'' as those 
terms are defined at 45 CFR 164.501 or for ``public health activities 
and purposes'' as described under 45 CFR 164.512(b); or
    (iv) The research is conducted by, or on behalf of, a Federal 
department or agency using government-generated or government-collected 
information obtained for nonresearch activities, if the research 
generates identifiable private information that is or will be maintained 
on information technology that is subject to and in compliance with 
section 208(b) of the E-Government Act of 2002, 44 U.S.C. 3501 note, if 
all of the identifiable private information collected, used, or 
generated as part of the activity will be maintained in systems of 
records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, and, if 
applicable, the information used in the research was collected subject 
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
    (5) Research and demonstration projects that are conducted or 
supported by a Federal department or agency, or otherwise subject to the 
approval of department or agency heads (or the approval of the heads of 
bureaus or other subordinate agencies that have been delegated authority 
to conduct the research and demonstration projects), and that are 
designed to study, evaluate, improve, or otherwise examine public 
benefit or service programs, including procedures for obtaining benefits 
or services under those programs, possible changes in or alternatives to 
those programs or procedures, or possible changes in methods or levels 
of payment for benefits or services under those programs. Such projects 
include, but are not limited to, internal studies by Federal employees, 
and studies under contracts or consulting arrangements, cooperative 
agreements, or grants. Exempt projects also include waivers of otherwise 
mandatory requirements using authorities such as sections 1115 and 1115A 
of the Social Security Act, as amended.
    (i) Each Federal department or agency conducting or supporting the 
research and demonstration projects must establish, on a publicly 
accessible Federal Web site or in such other manner as the department or 
agency head may determine, a list of the research and demonstration 
projects that the Federal department or agency conducts or supports 
under this provision. The research or demonstration project must be 
published on this list prior to commencing the research involving human 
subjects.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (6) Taste and food quality evaluation and consumer acceptance 
studies:
    (i) If wholesome foods without additives are consumed, or
    (ii) If a food is consumed that contains a food ingredient at or 
below the level and for a use found to be safe, or agricultural chemical 
or environmental contaminant at or below the level found to be safe, by 
the Food and Drug Administration or approved by the Environmental 
Protection Agency or the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture.
    (7) Storage or maintenance for secondary research for which broad 
consent is required: Storage or maintenance of identifiable private 
information or identifiable biospecimens for potential secondary 
research use if an IRB conducts a limited IRB review and makes the 
determinations required by Sec.  690.111(a)(8).
    (8) Secondary research for which broad consent is required: Research 
involving the use of identifiable private information or identifiable 
biospecimens for secondary research use, if the following criteria are 
met:
    (i) Broad consent for the storage, maintenance, and secondary 
research use of the identifiable private information or identifiable 
biospecimens was obtained in accordance with Sec.  690.116(a)(1) through 
(4), (a)(6), and (d);
    (ii) Documentation of informed consent or waiver of documentation of 
consent was obtained in accordance with Sec.  690.117;
    (iii) An IRB conducts a limited IRB review and makes the 
determination required by Sec.  690.111(a)(7) and makes the 
determination that the research to

[[Page 235]]

be conducted is within the scope of the broad consent referenced in 
paragraph (d)(8)(i) of this section; and (iv) The investigator does not 
include returning individual research results to subjects as part of the 
study plan. This provision does not prevent an investigator from abiding 
by any legal requirements to return individual research results.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 
0990-0260)



Sec. Sec.  690.105-690.106  [Reserved]



Sec.  690.107  IRB membership.

    (a) Each IRB shall have at least five members, with varying 
backgrounds to promote complete and adequate review of research 
activities commonly conducted by the institution. The IRB shall be 
sufficiently qualified through the experience and expertise of its 
members (professional competence), and the diversity of its members, 
including race, gender, and cultural backgrounds and sensitivity to such 
issues as community attitudes, to promote respect for its advice and 
counsel in safeguarding the rights and welfare of human subjects. The 
IRB shall be able to ascertain the acceptability of proposed research in 
terms of institutional commitments (including policies and resources) 
and regulations, applicable law, and standards of professional conduct 
and practice. The IRB shall therefore include persons knowledgeable in 
these areas. If an IRB regularly reviews research that involves a 
category of subjects that is vulnerable to coercion or undue influence, 
such as children, prisoners, individuals with impaired decision-making 
capacity, or economically or educationally disadvantaged persons, 
consideration shall be given to the inclusion of one or more individuals 
who are knowledgeable about and experienced in working with these 
categories of subjects.
    (b) Each IRB shall include at least one member whose primary 
concerns are in scientific areas and at least one member whose primary 
concerns are in nonscientific areas.
    (c) Each IRB shall include at least one member who is not otherwise 
affiliated with the institution and who is not part of the immediate 
family of a person who is affiliated with the institution.
    (d) No IRB may have a member participate in the IRB's initial or 
continuing review of any project in which the member has a conflicting 
interest, except to provide information requested by the IRB.
    (e) An IRB may, in its discretion, invite individuals with 
competence in special areas to assist in the review of issues that 
require expertise beyond or in addition to that available on the IRB. 
These individuals may not vote with the IRB.



Sec.  690.108  IRB functions and operations.

    (a) In order to fulfill the requirements of this policy each IRB 
shall:
    (1) Have access to meeting space and sufficient staff to support the 
IRB's review and recordkeeping duties;
    (2) Prepare and maintain a current list of the IRB members 
identified by name; earned degrees; representative capacity; indications 
of experience such as board certifications or licenses sufficient to 
describe each member's chief anticipated contributions to IRB 
deliberations; and any employment or other relationship between each 
member and the institution, for example, full-time employee, part-time 
employee, member of governing panel or board, stockholder, paid or 
unpaid consultant;
    (3) Establish and follow written procedures for:
    (i) Conducting its initial and continuing review of research and for 
reporting its findings and actions to the investigator and the 
institution;
    (ii) Determining which projects require review more often than 
annually and which projects need verification from sources other than 
the investigators that no material changes have occurred since previous 
IRB review; and
    (iii) Ensuring prompt reporting to the IRB of proposed changes in a 
research activity, and for ensuring that investigators will conduct the 
research activity in accordance with the terms of the IRB approval until 
any proposed changes have been reviewed and approved by the IRB, except 
when necessary to eliminate apparent immediate hazards to the subject.

[[Page 236]]

    (4) Establish and follow written procedures for ensuring prompt 
reporting to the IRB; appropriate institutional officials; the 
department or agency head; and the Office for Human Research 
Protections, HHS, or any successor office, or the equivalent office 
within the appropriate Federal department or agency of
    (i) Any unanticipated problems involving risks to subjects or others 
or any serious or continuing noncompliance with this policy or the 
requirements or determinations of the IRB; and
    (ii) Any suspension or termination of IRB approval.
    (b) Except when an expedited review procedure is used (as described 
in Sec.  690.110), an IRB must review proposed research at convened 
meetings at which a majority of the members of the IRB are present, 
including at least one member whose primary concerns are in 
nonscientific areas. In order for the research to be approved, it shall 
receive the approval of a majority of those members present at the 
meeting.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 
0990-0260)



Sec.  690.109  IRB review of research.

    (a) An IRB shall review and have authority to approve, require 
modifications in (to secure approval), or disapprove all research 
activities covered by this policy, including exempt research activities 
under Sec.  690.104 for which limited IRB review is a condition of 
exemption (under Sec.  690.104(d)(2)(iii), (d)(3)(i)(C), and (d)(7), and 
(8)).
    (b) An IRB shall require that information given to subjects (or 
legally authorized representatives, when appropriate) as part of 
informed consent is in accordance with Sec.  690.116. The IRB may 
require that information, in addition to that specifically mentioned in 
Sec.  690.116, be given to the subjects when in the IRB's judgment the 
information would meaningfully add to the protection of the rights and 
welfare of subjects.
    (c) An IRB shall require documentation of informed consent or may 
waive documentation in accordance with Sec.  690.117.
    (d) An IRB shall notify investigators and the institution in writing 
of its decision to approve or disapprove the proposed research activity, 
or of modifications required to secure IRB approval of the research 
activity. If the IRB decides to disapprove a research activity, it shall 
include in its written notification a statement of the reasons for its 
decision and give the investigator an opportunity to respond in person 
or in writing.
    (e) An IRB shall conduct continuing review of research requiring 
review by the convened IRB at intervals appropriate to the degree of 
risk, not less than once per year, except as described in Sec.  
690.109(f).
    (f)(1) Unless an IRB determines otherwise, continuing review of 
research is not required in the following circumstances:
    (i) Research eligible for expedited review in accordance with Sec.  
690.110;
    (ii) Research reviewed by the IRB in accordance with the limited IRB 
review described in Sec.  690.104(d)(2)(iii), (d)(3)(i)(C), or (d)(7) or 
(8);
    (iii) Research that has progressed to the point that it involves 
only one or both of the following, which are part of the IRB-approved 
study:
    (A) Data analysis, including analysis of identifiable private 
information or identifiable biospecimens, or
    (B) Accessing follow-up clinical data from procedures that subjects 
would undergo as part of clinical care.
    (2) [Reserved]
    (g) An IRB shall have authority to observe or have a third party 
observe the consent process and the research.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 
0990-0260)



Sec.  690.110  Expedited review procedures for certain kinds of research
involving no more than minimal risk, and for minor changes in approved
research.

    (a) The Secretary of HHS has established, and published as a Notice 
in the Federal Register, a list of categories of research that may be 
reviewed by the IRB through an expedited review procedure. The Secretary 
will evaluate the list at least every 8 years and

[[Page 237]]

amend it, as appropriate, after consultation with other federal 
departments and agencies and after publication in the Federal Register 
for public comment. A copy of the list is available from the Office for 
Human Research Protections, HHS, or any successor office.
    (b)(1) An IRB may use the expedited review procedure to review the 
following:
    (i) Some or all of the research appearing on the list described in 
paragraph (a) of this section, unless the reviewer determines that the 
study involves more than minimal risk;
    (ii) Minor changes in previously approved research during the period 
for which approval is authorized; or
    (iii) Research for which limited IRB review is a condition of 
exemption under Sec.  690.104(d)(2)(iii), (d)(3)(i)(C), and (d)(7) and 
(8).
    (2) Under an expedited review procedure, the review may be carried 
out by the IRB chairperson or by one or more experienced reviewers 
designated by the chairperson from among members of the IRB. In 
reviewing the research, the reviewers may exercise all of the 
authorities of the IRB except that the reviewers may not disapprove the 
research. A research activity may be disapproved only after review in 
accordance with the nonexpedited procedure set forth in Sec.  
690.108(b).
    (c) Each IRB that uses an expedited review procedure shall adopt a 
method for keeping all members advised of research proposals that have 
been approved under the procedure.
    (d) The department or agency head may restrict, suspend, terminate, 
or choose not to authorize an institution's or IRB's use of the 
expedited review procedure.



Sec.  690.111  Criteria for IRB approval of research.

    (a) In order to approve research covered by this policy the IRB 
shall determine that all of the following requirements are satisfied:
    (1) Risks to subjects are minimized:
    (i) By using procedures that are consistent with sound research 
design and that do not unnecessarily expose subjects to risk, and
    (ii) Whenever appropriate, by using procedures already being 
performed on the subjects for diagnostic or treatment purposes.
    (2) Risks to subjects are reasonable in relation to anticipated 
benefits, if any, to subjects, and the importance of the knowledge that 
may reasonably be expected to result. In evaluating risks and benefits, 
the IRB should consider only those risks and benefits that may result 
from the research (as distinguished from risks and benefits of therapies 
subjects would receive even if not participating in the research). The 
IRB should not consider possible long-range effects of applying 
knowledge gained in the research (e.g., the possible effects of the 
research on public policy) as among those research risks that fall 
within the purview of its responsibility.
    (3) Selection of subjects is equitable. In making this assessment 
the IRB should take into account the purposes of the research and the 
setting in which the research will be conducted. The IRB should be 
particularly cognizant of the special problems of research that involves 
a category of subjects who are vulnerable to coercion or undue 
influence, such as children, prisoners, individuals with impaired 
decision-making capacity, or economically or educationally disadvantaged 
persons.
    (4) Informed consent will be sought from each prospective subject or 
the subject's legally authorized representative, in accordance with, and 
to the extent required by, Sec.  690.116.
    (5) Informed consent will be appropriately documented or 
appropriately waived in accordance with Sec.  690.117.
    (6) When appropriate, the research plan makes adequate provision for 
monitoring the data collected to ensure the safety of subjects.
    (7) When appropriate, there are adequate provisions to protect the 
privacy of subjects and to maintain the confidentiality of data.
    (i) The Secretary of HHS will, after consultation with the Office of 
Management and Budget's privacy office and other Federal departments and 
agencies that have adopted this policy, issue guidance to assist IRBs in 
assessing what provisions are adequate to

[[Page 238]]

protect the privacy of subjects and to maintain the confidentiality of 
data.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (8) For purposes of conducting the limited IRB review required by 
Sec.  690.104(d)(7)), the IRB need not make the determinations at 
paragraphs (a)(1) through (7) of this section, and shall make the 
following determinations:
    (i) Broad consent for storage, maintenance, and secondary research 
use of identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens is 
obtained in accordance with the requirements of Sec.  690.116(a)(1)-(4), 
(a)(6), and (d);
    (ii) Broad consent is appropriately documented or waiver of 
documentation is appropriate, in accordance with Sec.  690.117; and
    (iii) If there is a change made for research purposes in the way the 
identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens are stored 
or maintained, there are adequate provisions to protect the privacy of 
subjects and to maintain the confidentiality of data.
    (b) When some or all of the subjects are likely to be vulnerable to 
coercion or undue influence, such as children, prisoners, individuals 
with impaired decision-making capacity, or economically or educationally 
disadvantaged persons, additional safeguards have been included in the 
study to protect the rights and welfare of these subjects.



Sec.  690.112  Review by institution.

    Research covered by this policy that has been approved by an IRB may 
be subject to further appropriate review and approval or disapproval by 
officials of the institution. However, those officials may not approve 
the research if it has not been approved by an IRB.



Sec.  690.113  Suspension or termination of IRB approval of research.

    An IRB shall have authority to suspend or terminate approval of 
research that is not being conducted in accordance with the IRB's 
requirements or that has been associated with unexpected serious harm to 
subjects. Any suspension or termination of approval shall include a 
statement of the reasons for the IRB's action and shall be reported 
promptly to the investigator, appropriate institutional officials, and 
the department or agency head.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 
0990-0260)



Sec.  690.114  Cooperative research.

    (a) Cooperative research projects are those projects covered by this 
policy that involve more than one institution. In the conduct of 
cooperative research projects, each institution is responsible for 
safeguarding the rights and welfare of human subjects and for complying 
with this policy.
    (b)(1) Any institution located in the United States that is engaged 
in cooperative research must rely upon approval by a single IRB for that 
portion of the research that is conducted in the United States. The 
reviewing IRB will be identified by the Federal department or agency 
supporting or conducting the research or proposed by the lead 
institution subject to the acceptance of the Federal department or 
agency supporting the research.
    (2) The following research is not subject to this provision:
    (i) Cooperative research for which more than single IRB review is 
required by law (including tribal law passed by the official governing 
body of an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe); or
    (ii) Research for which any Federal department or agency supporting 
or conducting the research determines and documents that the use of a 
single IRB is not appropriate for the particular context.
    (c) For research not subject to paragraph (b) of this section, an 
institution participating in a cooperative project may enter into a 
joint review arrangement, rely on the review of another IRB, or make 
similar arrangements for avoiding duplication of effort.



Sec.  690.115  IRB records.

    (a) An institution, or when appropriate an IRB, shall prepare and 
maintain adequate documentation of IRB activities, including the 
following:
    (1) Copies of all research proposals reviewed, scientific 
evaluations, if any, that accompany the proposals, approved sample 
consent forms, progress reports submitted by investigators, and reports 
of injuries to subjects.

[[Page 239]]

    (2) Minutes of IRB meetings, which shall be in sufficient detail to 
show attendance at the meetings; actions taken by the IRB; the vote on 
these actions including the number of members voting for, against, and 
abstaining; the basis for requiring changes in or disapproving research; 
and a written summary of the discussion of controverted issues and their 
resolution.
    (3) Records of continuing review activities, including the rationale 
for conducting continuing review of research that otherwise would not 
require continuing review as described in Sec.  690.109(f)(1).
    (4) Copies of all correspondence between the IRB and the 
investigators.
    (5) A list of IRB members in the same detail as described in Sec.  
690.108(a)(2).
    (6) Written procedures for the IRB in the same detail as described 
in Sec.  690.108(a)(3) and (4).
    (7) Statements of significant new findings provided to subjects, as 
required by Sec.  690.116(c)(5).
    (8) The rationale for an expedited reviewer's determination under 
Sec.  690.110(b)(1)(i) that research appearing on the expedited review 
list described in Sec.  690.110(a) is more than minimal risk.
    (9) Documentation specifying the responsibilities that an 
institution and an organization operating an IRB each will undertake to 
ensure compliance with the requirements of this policy, as described in 
Sec.  690.103(e).
    (b) The records required by this policy shall be retained for at 
least 3 years, and records relating to research that is conducted shall 
be retained for at least 3 years after completion of the research. The 
institution or IRB may maintain the records in printed form, or 
electronically. All records shall be accessible for inspection and 
copying by authorized representatives of the Federal department or 
agency at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 
0990-0260)



Sec.  690.116  General requirements for informed consent.

    (a) General. General requirements for informed consent, whether 
written or oral, are set forth in this paragraph and apply to consent 
obtained in accordance with the requirements set forth in paragraphs (b) 
through (d) of this section. Broad consent may be obtained in lieu of 
informed consent obtained in accordance with paragraphs (b) and (c) of 
this section only with respect to the storage, maintenance, and 
secondary research uses of identifiable private information and 
identifiable biospecimens. Waiver or alteration of consent in research 
involving public benefit and service programs conducted by or subject to 
the approval of state or local officials is described in paragraph (e) 
of this section. General waiver or alteration of informed consent is 
described in paragraph (f) of this section. Except as provided elsewhere 
in this policy:
    (1) Before involving a human subject in research covered by this 
policy, an investigator shall obtain the legally effective informed 
consent of the subject or the subject's legally authorized 
representative.
    (2) An investigator shall seek informed consent only under 
circumstances that provide the prospective subject or the legally 
authorized representative sufficient opportunity to discuss and consider 
whether or not to participate and that minimize the possibility of 
coercion or undue influence.
    (3) The information that is given to the subject or the legally 
authorized representative shall be in language understandable to the 
subject or the legally authorized representative.
    (4) The prospective subject or the legally authorized representative 
must be provided with the information that a reasonable person would 
want to have in order to make an informed decision about whether to 
participate, and an opportunity to discuss that information.
    (5) Except for broad consent obtained in accordance with paragraph 
(d) of this section:
    (i) Informed consent must begin with a concise and focused 
presentation of the key information that is most likely to assist a 
prospective subject or legally authorized representative in 
understanding the reasons why one might or might not want to participate 
in the research. This part of the informed

[[Page 240]]

consent must be organized and presented in a way that facilitates 
comprehension.
    (ii) Informed consent as a whole must present information in 
sufficient detail relating to the research, and must be organized and 
presented in a way that does not merely provide lists of isolated facts, 
but rather facilitates the prospective subject's or legally authorized 
representative's understanding of the reasons why one might or might not 
want to participate.
    (6) No informed consent may include any exculpatory language through 
which the subject or the legally authorized representative is made to 
waive or appear to waive any of the subject's legal rights, or releases 
or appears to release the investigator, the sponsor, the institution, or 
its agents from liability for negligence.
    (b) Basic elements of informed consent. Except as provided in 
paragraph (d), (e), or (f) of this section, in seeking informed consent 
the following information shall be provided to each subject or the 
legally authorized representative:
    (1) A statement that the study involves research, an explanation of 
the purposes of the research and the expected duration of the subject's 
participation, a description of the procedures to be followed, and 
identification of any procedures that are experimental;
    (2) A description of any reasonably foreseeable risks or discomforts 
to the subject;
    (3) A description of any benefits to the subject or to others that 
may reasonably be expected from the research;
    (4) A disclosure of appropriate alternative procedures or courses of 
treatment, if any, that might be advantageous to the subject;
    (5) A statement describing the extent, if any, to which 
confidentiality of records identifying the subject will be maintained;
    (6) For research involving more than minimal risk, an explanation as 
to whether any compensation and an explanation as to whether any medical 
treatments are available if injury occurs and, if so, what they consist 
of, or where further information may be obtained;
    (7) An explanation of whom to contact for answers to pertinent 
questions about the research and research subjects' rights, and whom to 
contact in the event of a research-related injury to the subject;
    (8) A statement that participation is voluntary, refusal to 
participate will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which the 
subject is otherwise entitled, and the subject may discontinue 
participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which 
the subject is otherwise entitled; and
    (9) One of the following statements about any research that involves 
the collection of identifiable private information or identifiable 
biospecimens:
    (i) A statement that identifiers might be removed from the 
identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens and that, 
after such removal, the information or biospecimens could be used for 
future research studies or distributed to another investigator for 
future research studies without additional informed consent from the 
subject or the legally authorized representative, if this might be a 
possibility; or
    (ii) A statement that the subject's information or biospecimens 
collected as part of the research, even if identifiers are removed, will 
not be used or distributed for future research studies.
    (c) Additional elements of informed consent. Except as provided in 
paragraph (d), (e), or (f) of this section, one or more of the following 
elements of information, when appropriate, shall also be provided to 
each subject or the legally authorized representative:
    (1) A statement that the particular treatment or procedure may 
involve risks to the subject (or to the embryo or fetus, if the subject 
is or may become pregnant) that are currently unforeseeable;
    (2) Anticipated circumstances under which the subject's 
participation may be terminated by the investigator without regard to 
the subject's or the legally authorized representative's consent;
    (3) Any additional costs to the subject that may result from 
participation in the research;
    (4) The consequences of a subject's decision to withdraw from the 
research

[[Page 241]]

and procedures for orderly termination of participation by the subject;
    (5) A statement that significant new findings developed during the 
course of the research that may relate to the subject's willingness to 
continue participation will be provided to the subject;
    (6) The approximate number of subjects involved in the study;
    (7) A statement that the subject's biospecimens (even if identifiers 
are removed) may be used for commercial profit and whether the subject 
will or will not share in this commercial profit;
    (8) A statement regarding whether clinically relevant research 
results, including individual research results, will be disclosed to 
subjects, and if so, under what conditions; and
    (9) For research involving biospecimens, whether the research will 
(if known) or might include whole genome sequencing (i.e., sequencing of 
a human germline or somatic specimen with the intent to generate the 
genome or exome sequence of that specimen).
    (d) Elements of broad consent for the storage, maintenance, and 
secondary research use of identifiable private information or 
identifiable biospecimens. Broad consent for the storage, maintenance, 
and secondary research use of identifiable private information or 
identifiable biospecimens (collected for either research studies other 
than the proposed research or nonresearch purposes) is permitted as an 
alternative to the informed consent requirements in paragraphs (b) and 
(c) of this section. If the subject or the legally authorized 
representative is asked to provide broad consent, the following shall be 
provided to each subject or the subject's legally authorized 
representative:
    (1) The information required in paragraphs (b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(5), 
and (b)(8) and, when appropriate, (c)(7) and (9) of this section;
    (2) A general description of the types of research that may be 
conducted with the identifiable private information or identifiable 
biospecimens. This description must include sufficient information such 
that a reasonable person would expect that the broad consent would 
permit the types of research conducted;
    (3) A description of the identifiable private information or 
identifiable biospecimens that might be used in research, whether 
sharing of identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens 
might occur, and the types of institutions or researchers that might 
conduct research with the identifiable private information or 
identifiable biospecimens;
    (4) A description of the period of time that the identifiable 
private information or identifiable biospecimens may be stored and 
maintained (which period of time could be indefinite), and a description 
of the period of time that the identifiable private information or 
identifiable biospecimens may be used for research purposes (which 
period of time could be indefinite);
    (5) Unless the subject or legally authorized representative will be 
provided details about specific research studies, a statement that they 
will not be informed of the details of any specific research studies 
that might be conducted using the subject's identifiable private 
information or identifiable biospecimens, including the purposes of the 
research, and that they might have chosen not to consent to some of 
those specific research studies;
    (6) Unless it is known that clinically relevant research results, 
including individual research results, will be disclosed to the subject 
in all circumstances, a statement that such results may not be disclosed 
to the subject; and
    (7) An explanation of whom to contact for answers to questions about 
the subject's rights and about storage and use of the subject's 
identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens, and whom 
to contact in the event of a research-related harm.
    (e) Waiver or alteration of consent in research involving public 
benefit and service programs conducted by or subject to the approval of 
state or local officials--(1) Waiver. An IRB may waive the requirement 
to obtain informed consent for research under paragraphs (a) through (c) 
of this section, provided the IRB satisfies the requirements of 
paragraph (e)(3) of this section. If an individual was asked to provide 
broad consent for

[[Page 242]]

the storage, maintenance, and secondary research use of identifiable 
private information or identifiable biospecimens in accordance with the 
requirements at paragraph (d) of this section, and refused to consent, 
an IRB cannot waive consent for the storage, maintenance, or secondary 
research use of the identifiable private information or identifiable 
biospecimens.
    (2) Alteration. An IRB may approve a consent procedure that omits 
some, or alters some or all, of the elements of informed consent set 
forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section provided the IRB 
satisfies the requirements of paragraph (e)(3) of this section. An IRB 
may not omit or alter any of the requirements described in paragraph (a) 
of this section. If a broad consent procedure is used, an IRB may not 
omit or alter any of the elements required under paragraph (d) of this 
section.
    (3) Requirements for waiver and alteration. In order for an IRB to 
waive or alter consent as described in this subsection, the IRB must 
find and document that:
    (i) The research or demonstration project is to be conducted by or 
subject to the approval of state or local government officials and is 
designed to study, evaluate, or otherwise examine:
    (A) Public benefit or service programs;
    (B) Procedures for obtaining benefits or services under those 
programs;
    (C) Possible changes in or alternatives to those programs or 
procedures; or
    (D) Possible changes in methods or levels of payment for benefits or 
services under those programs; and
    (ii) The research could not practicably be carried out without the 
waiver or alteration.
    (f) General waiver or alteration of consent--(1) Waiver. An IRB may 
waive the requirement to obtain informed consent for research under 
paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section, provided the IRB satisfies 
the requirements of paragraph (f)(3) of this section. If an individual 
was asked to provide broad consent for the storage, maintenance, and 
secondary research use of identifiable private information or 
identifiable biospecimens in accordance with the requirements at 
paragraph (d) of this section, and refused to consent, an IRB cannot 
waive consent for the storage, maintenance, or secondary research use of 
the identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens.
    (2) Alteration. An IRB may approve a consent procedure that omits 
some, or alters some or all, of the elements of informed consent set 
forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section provided the IRB 
satisfies the requirements of paragraph (f)(3) of this section. An IRB 
may not omit or alter any of the requirements described in paragraph (a) 
of this section. If a broad consent procedure is used, an IRB may not 
omit or alter any of the elements required under paragraph (d) of this 
section.
    (3) Requirements for waiver and alteration. In order for an IRB to 
waive or alter consent as described in this subsection, the IRB must 
find and document that:
    (i) The research involves no more than minimal risk to the subjects;
    (ii) The research could not practicably be carried out without the 
requested waiver or alteration;
    (iii) If the research involves using identifiable private 
information or identifiable biospecimens, the research could not 
practicably be carried out without using such information or 
biospecimens in an identifiable format;
    (iv) The waiver or alteration will not adversely affect the rights 
and welfare of the subjects; and
    (v) Whenever appropriate, the subjects or legally authorized 
representatives will be provided with additional pertinent information 
after participation.
    (g) Screening, recruiting, or determining eligibility. An IRB may 
approve a research proposal in which an investigator will obtain 
information or biospecimens for the purpose of screening, recruiting, or 
determining the eligibility of prospective subjects without the informed 
consent of the prospective subject or the subject's legally authorized 
representative, if either of the following conditions are met:

[[Page 243]]

    (1) The investigator will obtain information through oral or written 
communication with the prospective subject or legally authorized 
representative, or
    (2) The investigator will obtain identifiable private information or 
identifiable biospecimens by accessing records or stored identifiable 
biospecimens.
    (h) Posting of clinical trial consent form. (1) For each clinical 
trial conducted or supported by a Federal department or agency, one IRB-
approved informed consent form used to enroll subjects must be posted by 
the awardee or the Federal department or agency component conducting the 
trial on a publicly available Federal Web site that will be established 
as a repository for such informed consent forms.
    (2) If the Federal department or agency supporting or conducting the 
clinical trial determines that certain information should not be made 
publicly available on a Federal Web site (e.g. confidential commercial 
information), such Federal department or agency may permit or require 
redactions to the information posted.
    (3) The informed consent form must be posted on the Federal Web site 
after the clinical trial is closed to recruitment, and no later than 60 
days after the last study visit by any subject, as required by the 
protocol.
    (i) Preemption. The informed consent requirements in this policy are 
not intended to preempt any applicable Federal, state, or local laws 
(including tribal laws passed by the official governing body of an 
American Indian or Alaska Native tribe) that require additional 
information to be disclosed in order for informed consent to be legally 
effective.
    (j) Emergency medical care. Nothing in this policy is intended to 
limit the authority of a physician to provide emergency medical care, to 
the extent the physician is permitted to do so under applicable Federal, 
state, or local law (including tribal law passed by the official 
governing body of an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe).

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 
0990-0260)



Sec.  690.117  Documentation of informed consent.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, informed 
consent shall be documented by the use of a written informed consent 
form approved by the IRB and signed (including in an electronic format) 
by the subject or the subject's legally authorized representative. A 
written copy shall be given to the person signing the informed consent 
form.
    (b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the 
informed consent form may be either of the following:
    (1) A written informed consent form that meets the requirements of 
Sec.  690.116. The investigator shall give either the subject or the 
subject's legally authorized representative adequate opportunity to read 
the informed consent form before it is signed; alternatively, this form 
may be read to the subject or the subject's legally authorized 
representative.
    (2) A short form written informed consent form stating that the 
elements of informed consent required by Sec.  690.116 have been 
presented orally to the subject or the subject's legally authorized 
representative, and that the key information required by Sec.  
690.116(a)(5)(i) was presented first to the subject, before other 
information, if any, was provided. The IRB shall approve a written 
summary of what is to be said to the subject or the legally authorized 
representative. When this method is used, there shall be a witness to 
the oral presentation. Only the short form itself is to be signed by the 
subject or the subject's legally authorized representative. However, the 
witness shall sign both the short form and a copy of the summary, and 
the person actually obtaining consent shall sign a copy of the summary. 
A copy of the summary shall be given to the subject or the subject's 
legally authorized representative, in addition to a copy of the short 
form.
    (c)(1) An IRB may waive the requirement for the investigator to 
obtain a signed informed consent form for some or all subjects if it 
finds any of the following:
    (i) That the only record linking the subject and the research would 
be the

[[Page 244]]

informed consent form and the principal risk would be potential harm 
resulting from a breach of confidentiality. Each subject (or legally 
authorized representative) will be asked whether the subject wants 
documentation linking the subject with the research, and the subject's 
wishes will govern;
    (ii) That the research presents no more than minimal risk of harm to 
subjects and involves no procedures for which written consent is 
normally required outside of the research context; or
    (iii) If the subjects or legally authorized representatives are 
members of a distinct cultural group or community in which signing forms 
is not the norm, that the research presents no more than minimal risk of 
harm to subjects and provided there is an appropriate alternative 
mechanism for documenting that informed consent was obtained.
    (2) In cases in which the documentation requirement is waived, the 
IRB may require the investigator to provide subjects or legally 
authorized representatives with a written statement regarding the 
research.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 
0990-0260)



Sec.  690.118  Applications and proposals lacking definite plans for
involvement of human subjects.

    Certain types of applications for grants, cooperative agreements, or 
contracts are submitted to Federal departments or agencies with the 
knowledge that subjects may be involved within the period of support, 
but definite plans would not normally be set forth in the application or 
proposal. These include activities such as institutional type grants 
when selection of specific projects is the institution's responsibility; 
research training grants in which the activities involving subjects 
remain to be selected; and projects in which human subjects' involvement 
will depend upon completion of instruments, prior animal studies, or 
purification of compounds. Except for research waived under Sec.  
690.101(i) or exempted under Sec.  690.104, no human subjects may be 
involved in any project supported by these awards until the project has 
been reviewed and approved by the IRB, as provided in this policy, and 
certification submitted, by the institution, to the Federal department 
or agency component supporting the research.



Sec.  690.119  Research undertaken without the intention of involving
human subjects.

    Except for research waived under Sec.  690.101(i) or exempted under 
Sec.  690.104, in the event research is undertaken without the intention 
of involving human subjects, but it is later proposed to involve human 
subjects in the research, the research shall first be reviewed and 
approved by an IRB, as provided in this policy, a certification 
submitted by the institution to the Federal department or agency 
component supporting the research, and final approval given to the 
proposed change by the Federal department or agency component.



Sec.  690.120  Evaluation and disposition of applications and proposals
for research to be conducted or supported by a Federal department or
agency.

    (a) The department or agency head will evaluate all applications and 
proposals involving human subjects submitted to the Federal department 
or agency through such officers and employees of the Federal department 
or agency and such experts and consultants as the department or agency 
head determines to be appropriate. This evaluation will take into 
consideration the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection 
against these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the 
subjects and others, and the importance of the knowledge gained or to be 
gained.
    (b) On the basis of this evaluation, the department or agency head 
may approve or disapprove the application or proposal, or enter into 
negotiations to develop an approvable one.



Sec.  690.121  [Reserved]



Sec.  690.122  Use of Federal funds.

    Federal funds administered by a Federal department or agency may not 
be expended for research involving human subjects unless the 
requirements of this policy have been satisfied.

[[Page 245]]



Sec.  690.123  Early termination of research support: Evaluation of
applications and proposals.

    (a) The department or agency head may require that Federal 
department or agency support for any project be terminated or suspended 
in the manner prescribed in applicable program requirements, when the 
department or agency head finds an institution has materially failed to 
comply with the terms of this policy.
    (b) In making decisions about supporting or approving applications 
or proposals covered by this policy the department or agency head may 
take into account, in addition to all other eligibility requirements and 
program criteria, factors such as whether the applicant has been subject 
to a termination or suspension under paragraph (a) of this section and 
whether the applicant or the person or persons who would direct or has/
have directed the scientific and technical aspects of an activity has/
have, in the judgment of the department or agency head, materially 
failed to discharge responsibility for the protection of the rights and 
welfare of human subjects (whether or not the research was subject to 
federal regulation).



Sec.  690.124  Conditions.

    With respect to any research project or any class of research 
projects the department or agency head of either the conducting or the 
supporting Federal department or agency may impose additional conditions 
prior to or at the time of approval when in the judgment of the 
department or agency head additional conditions are necessary for the 
protection of human subjects.

                        PARTS 691	699 [RESERVED]

[[Page 247]]



                 CHAPTER VII--COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS




  --------------------------------------------------------------------
Part                                                                Page
700

[Reserved]

701             Organization and functions of the Commission         249
702             Rules on hearings, reports, and meetings of 
                    the Commission..........................         252
703             Operations and functions of State Advisory 
                    Committees..............................         261
704             Information disclosure and communications...         264
705             Materials available pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
                    552a....................................         271
706             Employee responsibilities and conduct.......         276
707             Enforcement of nondiscrimination on the 
                    basis of disability in programs or 
                    activities conducted by U.S. Commission 
                    on Civil Rights.........................         277
708             Collection by salary offset from indebted 
                    current and former employees............         283
709-799

[Reserved]

[[Page 249]]

                           PART 700 [RESERVED]



PART 701_ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION--Table of Contents



                  Subpart A_Organizations and Functions

Sec.
701.1 Establishment.
701.2 Responsibilities.

                    Subpart B_Organization Statement

701.10 Membership of the Commission.
701.11 Commission meetings--duties of the Chairperson.
701.12 Staff Director.
701.13 Staff organization and functions.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1975, 1975a, 1975b.

    Source: 67 FR 70482, Nov. 22, 2002, unless otherwise noted.



                  Subpart A_Organizations and Functions



Sec.  701.1  Establishment.

    The United States Commission on Civil Rights (hereinafter referred 
to as the ``Commission'') is a bipartisan agency of the executive branch 
of the Government. The predecessor agency to the present Commission was 
established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, 71 Stat. 634. This Act was 
amended by the Civil Rights Act of 1960, 74 Stat. 86; the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 241; by 81 Stat. 582 (1967); by 84 Stat. 1356 
(1970); by 86 Stat. 813 (1972); and by the Civil Rights Act of 1978, 92 
Stat. 1067. The present Commission was established by the United States 
Commission on Civil Rights Act of 1983, 97 Stat. 1301, as amended by the 
Civil Rights Commission Amendments Act of 1994, 108 Stat. 4339. The 
statutes are codified in 42 U.S.C. 1975 through 1975d. (Hereinafter, the 
1994 Act will be referred to as ``the Act.'')



Sec.  701.2  Responsibilities.

    (a) The Commission's authority under 42 U.S.C. 1975a(a) may be 
summarized as follows:
    (1) To investigate allegations in writing under oath or affirmation 
that citizens of the United States are being deprived of their right to 
vote and have that vote counted by reason of color, race, religion, sex, 
age, disability, or national origin;
    (2) To study and collect information relating to discrimination or a 
denial of equal protection of the laws under the Constitution because of 
color, race, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin or in the 
administration of justice;
    (3) To appraise the laws and policies of the Federal Government 
relating to discrimination or denials of equal protection of the laws 
under the Constitution because of, color, race, religion, sex, age, 
disability, or national origin or in the administration of justice;
    (4) To serve as a national clearinghouse for information relating to 
discrimination or denials of equal protection of the laws because of 
color, race, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin;
    (5) To prepare public service announcements and advertising 
campaigns to discourage discrimination or denials of equal protection of 
the laws because of color, race, religion, sex, age, disability, or 
national origin.
    (b) Under 42 U.S.C. 1975a(c), the Commission is required to submit 
at least one report annually that monitors Federal civil rights 
enforcement efforts in the United States and other such reports to the 
President and to the Congress at such times as the Commission, the 
Congress, or the President shall deem appropriate.
    (c) In fulfilling these responsibilities the Commission is 
authorized by the Act to hold hearings and to issue subpoenas for the 
attendance of witnesses; to consult with governors, attorneys general; 
and other representatives of State and local governments, and private 
organizations; and is required to establish an advisory committee in 
each State. The Act also provides that all Federal agencies shall 
cooperate fully with the Commission so that it may effectively carry out 
its functions and duties.



                    Subpart B_Organization Statement



Sec.  701.10  Membership of the Commission.

    (a) The Commission is composed of eight members (or 
``Commissioners''),

[[Page 250]]

not more than four of whom may be of the same political party. The 
President shall appoint four members, the President pro tempore of the 
Senate shall appoint two, and the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives shall appoint two.
    (b) The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Commission are 
designated by the President with the concurrence of a majority of the 
Commissioners. The Vice Chairperson acts as Chairperson in the absence 
or disability of the Chairperson or in the event of a vacancy in that 
office.
    (c) No vacancy in the Commission affects its powers and any vacancy 
is filled in the same manner and is subject to the same limitations with 
respect to party affiliations as previous appointments.
    (d) Five members of the Commission constitute a quorum.



Sec.  701.11  Commission meetings--duties of the Chairperson.

    (a) At a meeting of the Commission in each calendar year, the 
Commission shall, by vote of the majority, adopt a schedule of 
Commission meetings for the following calendar year.
    (b) In addition to the regularly scheduled meetings, it is the 
responsibility of the Chairperson to call the Commission to meet in a 
special open meeting at such time and place as he or she shall deem 
appropriate; provided however, that upon the motion of a member, and a 
favorable vote by a majority of Commission members, a special meeting of 
the Commission may be held in the absence of a call by the Chairperson.
    (c) The Chairperson, after consulting with the Staff Director, shall 
establish the agenda for each meeting. The agenda at the meeting of the 
Commission may be modified by the addition or deletion of specific items 
upon the motion of a Commissioner and a favorable vote by a majority of 
the members.
    (d) In the event that after consulting with the members of the 
Commission and consideration of the views of the members the Chairperson 
determines that there are insufficient substantive items on a proposed 
meeting agenda to warrant holding a scheduled meeting, the Chairperson 
may cancel such meeting.



Sec.  701.12  Staff Director.

    A Staff Director for the Commission is appointed by the President 
with the concurrence of a majority of the Commissioners. The Staff 
Director is the administrative head of the agency.



Sec.  701.13  Staff organization and functions.

    The Commission staff organization and function are as follows:
    (a) Office of the Staff Director. Under the direction of the Staff 
Director, this Office defines and disseminates to staff the policies 
established by the Commissioners; develops program plans for 
presentation to the Commissioners; evaluates program results; supervises 
and coordinates the work of other agency offices; manages the 
administrative affairs of the agency; appoints an Equal Employment 
Opportunity Officer for the agency's in-house Equal Employment 
Opportunity Program; and conducts agency liaison with the Executive 
Office of the President, the Congress, and other Federal agencies.
    (b) Office of the Deputy Staff Director. Under the direction of the 
Deputy Staff Director, this Office is responsible for the day-to-day 
administration of the agency; evaluation of quantity and quality of 
program efforts; personnel administration; and the supervision of Office 
Directors who do not report directly to the Staff Director.
    (c) Office of the General Counsel. Under the direction of the 
General Counsel, who reports directly to the Staff Director, this office 
serves as legal counsel to the Commissioners and to the agency; legal 
aspects of agency-related personnel actions, employment issues, and 
labor relations issues; plans and conducts hearings and consultations 
for the Commission; conducts legal studies; prepares reports of legal 
studies and hearings; drafts or reviews proposals for legislative and 
executive action; receives and responds to requests for material under 
the Freedom of Information Act, Federal Advisory Committee Act, 
Administrative Procedures Act, and the Sunshine Act; serves

[[Page 251]]

as the agency's ethics office and responds to requests for advice and 
guidance on questions of ethical conduct, conflicts of interest, and 
reporting financial interest; and reviews all agency publications and 
congressional testimony for legal sufficiency.
    (d) Office of Management. This Office is responsible for all 
administrative, management, and facilitative services necessary for the 
operation of the agency, including financial management, personnel, 
publications, and the National Clearinghouse Library. This office 
consists of three divisions reporting directly to the Staff Director.
    (1) Administrative Services and Clearinghouse Division. Under the 
direction of the Chief of Administrative Services, this Division is 
responsible for the identification and acquisition of Commission hearing 
facilities; oversight of the Rankin Library and the distribution of 
publications; procurement; information and resources management; 
security; telecommunications; transportation; space management; repair 
and maintenance services; supplies; central mailing lists; and assorted 
other administrative duties and functions;
    (2) Budget and Finance Division. Under the direction of the Chief of 
Budget and Finance, this Division is responsible for budget preparation, 
formulation, justification, and execution; financial management; and 
accounting, including travel for Commissioners and staff; and
    (3) Human Resources Division. Under the direction of the Director of 
Human Resources, this Division is responsible for human resources 
development, including career staffing, classification, benefits, time 
and attendance, training, and compensation.
    (e) Office of Federal Civil Rights Evaluation. Under the direction 
of an Assistant Staff Director, this Office is responsible for 
monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the civil rights enforcement 
effort of the Federal Government; developing concepts for programs, 
projects, and policies directed toward the achievement of Commission 
goals; preparing documents that articulate the Commission's views and 
concerns regarding Federal civil rights to Federal agencies having 
appropriate jurisdiction; and receiving complaints alleging denial of 
civil rights because of color, race, religion, sex, age, disability, or 
national origin and referring these complaints to the appropriate 
government agency for investigation and resolution.
    (f) Congressional Affairs Unit. This Unit is responsible for liaison 
with committees and members of Congress or their staffs, monitoring 
legislative activities relating to civil rights, and preparing testimony 
for presentation before committees of Congress when such testimony has 
been requested by a committee.
    (g) Public Affairs Unit. Under the direction of the Chief of Public 
Affairs, this Unit is responsible for planning and managing briefings at 
which the Commission receives information regarding civil rights issues; 
developing plans for community outreach activities; managing the 
Commission's public service announcements; media releases and press 
conferences; preparing for publication periodic updates of Commission 
activities and a Commission civil rights magazine; and keeping the 
Commission and Commission staff apprised of civil rights conferences and 
activities.
    (h) Regional Programs Coordination Unit. Under the direction of the 
Chief of the Regional Programs Coordination Unit, this Unit is 
responsible for directing and coordinating the programs and work of the 
regional offices and 51 State Advisory Committees to the Commission and 
maintaining liaison between the regional offices and the various 
headquarters' offices of the Commission.
    (i) Regional Offices. The Commission has six regional offices, each 
headed by a Director, that coordinate studies and fact-finding 
activities on a variety of civil rights issues addressed by the State 
Advisory Committees (SAC) in their regions and approved by the Staff 
Director; report to the Commission on the results of SAC activities; 
submit SAC reports to the Commission for action; and assist with follow-
up on recommendations included in SAC or Commission reports. The name of 
the Director, the address, and telephone and facsimile numbers for each 
regional office are published annually in

[[Page 252]]

the ``United States Government Manual''. The regions and the SACs that 
they serve are:

            Region I: Eastern Regional Office, Washington, DC

    Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, 
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode 
Island, and Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia.

          Region II: Southern Regional Office, Atlanta, Georgia

    Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and 
Tennessee.

        Region III: Midwestern Regional Office, Chicago, Illinois

    Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

         Region IV: Central Regional Office, Kansas City, Kansas

    Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, 
Nebraska, and Oklahoma.

       Region V: Rocky Mountain Regional Office, Denver, Colorado

    Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and 
Wyoming.

       Region VI: Western Regional Office, Los Angeles, California

    Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, 
and Washington.



PART 702_RULES ON HEARINGS, REPORTS, AND MEETINGS OF THE COMMISSION-
-Table of Contents



                     Subpart A_Hearings and Reports

Sec.
702.1 Definitions.
702.2 Authorization for hearing.
702.3 Notice of hearing.
702.4 Subpoenas.
702.5 Conduct of proceedings.
702.6 Executive session.
702.7 Counsel.
702.8 Evidence at Commission proceedings.
702.9 Cross-examination at public session.
702.10 Voluntary witnesses at public session of a hearing.
702.11 Special executive session.
702.12 Contempt of the Commission.
702.13 Intimidation of witnesses.
702.14 Transcript of Commission proceedings.
702.15 Witness fees.
702.16 Attendance of news media at public sessions.
702.17 Communications with respect to Commission proceedings.
702.18 Commission reports.

                           Subpart B_Meetings

702.50 Purpose and scope.
702.51 Definitions.
702.52 Open meeting requirements.
702.53 Closed meetings.
702.54 Closed meeting procedures.
702.55 Public announcement of meetings.
702.56 Records.
702.57 Administrative review.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1975, 1975a, 1975b.

    Source: 67 FR 70482, Nov. 22, 2002, unless otherwise noted.



                     Subpart A_Hearings and Reports



Sec.  702.1  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part, the following definitions shall apply 
unless otherwise provided:
    (a) The Act means the United States Commission on Civil Rights Act 
of 1983, 97 Stat. 1301, as amended by the Civil Rights Commission 
Amendments Act of 1994, 108 Stat. 4339, codified in 42 U.S.C. 1975 
through 1975d.
    (b) The Commission means the United States Commission on Civil 
Rights or, as provided in Sec.  702.2, to any authorized subcommittee 
thereof.
    (c) The Chairperson means the Chairperson of the Commission or 
authorized subcommittee thereof or to any acting Chairperson of the 
Commission or of such subcommittee.
    (d) Proceeding means collectively to any public session of the 
Commission and executive session held in connection therewith.
    (e) Hearing means collectively to a public session of the Commission 
and any executive session held in connection therewith, including the 
attendance of witnesses or the production of written or other matters 
for which subpoenas have been issued.
    (f) Witnesses are persons subpoenaed to attend and testify or 
produce written or other matter.
    (g) The rules in this part means the Rules on Hearings of the 
Commission.
    (h) Report means statutory reports or portions thereof issued 
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1975a(c).
    (i) Verified answer means an answer the truth of which is 
substantiated by

[[Page 253]]

oath or affirmation attested to by a notary public or other person who 
has legal authority to administer oaths.



Sec.  702.2  Authorization for hearing.

    Under 42 U.S.C. 1975a(e)(1) the Commission or, on the authorization 
of the Commission, any subcommittee of two or more members, at least one 
of whom shall be of each major political party, may, for the purpose of 
carrying out the provisions of the Act, hold such hearings and act at 
such times and locations as the Commission or such authorized 
subcommittee may deem advisable. The holding of hearings by the 
Commission or the appointment of a subcommittee to hold hearings 
pursuant to this section must be approved by a majority of the 
Commission or by a majority of the members present at a meeting at which 
at least a quorum of five members is present.



Sec.  702.3  Notice of hearing.

    At least 30 days prior to the commencement of any hearing, the 
Commission shall publish in the Federal Register notice of the date on 
which such hearing is to commence, the location at which it is to be 
held, and the subject of the hearing.



Sec.  702.4  Subpoenas.

    (a) Subpoenas for the attendance and testimony of witnesses or the 
production of written or other matter may be issued by the Commission 
over the signature of the Chairperson and may be served by any person 
designated by the Chairperson.
    (b) A witness compelled to appear before the Commission or required 
to produce written or other matter shall be served with a copy of the 
rules in this part at the time of service of the subpoena.
    (c) The Commission may issue subpoenas for the attendance and 
testimony of witnesses or for the production of written or other matter. 
Such a subpoena may not require the presence of a witness more than 100 
miles outside the location wherein the witness is found or resides or is 
domiciled or transacts business or has appointed an agent for receipt of 
service of process.
    (d) The Chairperson shall receive and the Commission shall dispose 
of requests to subpoena additional witnesses except as otherwise 
provided in Sec.  702.6(e).
    (e) Requests for subpoenas shall be in writing, supported by a 
showing of the general relevance and materiality of the evidence sought. 
Witness fees and mileage shall be computed and paid pursuant to Sec.  
702.15.
    (f) Subpoenas shall be issued at a reasonably sufficient time in 
advance of their scheduled return, in order to give subpoenaed persons 
an opportunity to prepare for their appearance and to employ counsel, 
should they so desire.
    (g) No subpoenaed document or information contained therein shall be 
made public unless it is introduced into and received as part of the 
official record of the hearing.



Sec.  702.5  Conduct of proceedings.

    (a) The Chairperson shall announce in an opening statement the 
subject of the proceedings.
    (b) Following the opening statement, the Commission shall first 
convene in executive session if one is required pursuant to the 
provisions of Sec.  702.6.
    (c) The Chairperson, subject to the approval of the Commission, 
shall:
    (1) Set the order of presentation of evidence and appearance of 
witnesses;
    (2) Rule on objections and motions;
    (3) Administer oaths and affirmations;
    (4) Make all rulings with respect to the introduction into or 
exclusion from the record of documentary or other evidence;
    (5) Regulate the course and decorum of the proceedings and the 
conduct of the parties and their counsel to ensure that the proceedings 
are conducted in a fair and impartial manner.
    (d) Proceedings shall be conducted with reasonable dispatch and due 
regard shall be had for the convenience and necessity of witnesses.
    (e) The questioning of witnesses shall be conducted only by Members 
of the Commission, by authorized Commission staff personnel, or by 
counsel to the extent provided in Sec.  702.7.
    (f) In addition to persons served with a copy of the rules in this 
part pursuant to Sec. Sec.  702.4 and 702.6, a copy of the rules in this 
part will be made available to all witnesses.

[[Page 254]]

    (g) The Chairperson may punish breaches of order and decorum by 
censure and exclusion from the proceedings.



Sec.  702.6  Executive session.

    (a) If the Commission determines that evidence or testimony at any 
hearing may tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, it shall 
receive such evidence or testimony or summary of such evidence or 
testimony in executive session.
    (b) The Commission shall afford any persons defamed, degraded, or 
incriminated by such evidence or testimony an opportunity to appear and 
be heard in executive session, with a reasonable number of additional 
witnesses requested by them, before deciding to use such evidence or 
testimony.
    (1) Such person shall be served with notice, in writing, at least 10 
days prior to the date, time, and location for the appearance of 
witnesses at executive session or where service is by mail at least 14 
days prior to such date. This notice shall be accompanied by a copy of 
the rules in this part and by a brief summary of the information that 
the Commission has determined may tend to defame, degrade, or 
incriminate such person;
    (2) The notice, summary, and rules in this part shall be served by 
certified mail or by leaving a copy thereof at the last known residence 
or business address of such person; and
    (3) The date of service, for purposes of this section, shall be the 
day when the material is deposited in the mail or is delivered in 
person, whichever is applicable. When service is made by mail, the 
return post office receipt shall be proof of service; in all other 
cases, the acknowledgment of the party served or the verified return of 
the one making service shall be proof of the same.
    (c) If a person receiving notice under this section notifies the 
Commission within five days of service of such notice or where service 
is by mail within eight days of service of such notice that the 
scheduled appearance constitutes a hardship, the Commission may, in its 
discretion, set a new date or time for such person's appearance at the 
executive session.
    (d) In the event such persons fail to appear at executive session at 
the time and location scheduled under paragraph (b) or (c) of this 
section, they shall not be entitled to another opportunity to appear at 
executive session, except as provided in Sec.  702.11.
    (e) If such persons intend to submit sworn statements of themselves 
or others, or if they intend that witnesses appear in their behalf at 
executive session, they shall, no later than 48 hours prior to the time 
set under paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, submit to the Commission 
all such statements and a list of all witnesses. The Commission will 
inform such persons whether the number of witnesses requested is 
reasonable within the meaning of paragraph (b) of this section. In 
addition, the Commission will receive and dispose of requests from such 
persons to subpoena other witnesses. Requests for subpoenas shall be 
made sufficiently in advance of the scheduled executive session to 
afford subpoenaed persons reasonable notice of their obligation to 
appear at that session. Subpoenas returnable at executive session shall 
be governed by the provisions of Sec.  702.4.
    (f) Persons for whom an executive session has been scheduled, and 
persons compelled to appear at such session, may be represented by 
counsel at such session to the extent provided by Sec.  702.7.
    (g) Attendance at executive session shall be limited to 
Commissioners; authorized Commission staff personnel; witnesses, and 
their counsel at the time scheduled for their appearance; and such other 
persons whose presence is requested or consented to by the Commission.
    (h) In the event the Commission determines to release or to use 
evidence or testimony that it has determined may tend to defame, 
degrade, or incriminate any persons in such a manner as to reveal 
publicly their identity, such evidence or testimony, prior to such 
public release or use, will be presented at a public session, and the 
Commission will afford them an opportunity to appear as voluntary 
witnesses or to file a sworn statement in their own behalf and to submit 
brief and pertinent sworn statements of others.

[[Page 255]]



Sec.  702.7  Counsel.

    (a) Persons compelled to appear in person before the Commission and 
any witness appearing at a public session of the Commission will be 
accorded the right to be accompanied and advised by counsel, who will 
have the right to subject their clients to reasonable examination, make 
objections on the record, and briefly argue the basis for such 
objections.
    (b) For the purpose of this section, counsel shall mean an attorney 
at law admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United 
States or the highest court of any State or Territory of the United 
States.
    (c) Failure of any persons to obtain counsel shall not excuse them 
from attendance in response to a subpoena, nor shall any persons be 
excused in the event their counsel is excluded from the proceeding 
pursuant to Sec.  702.6(g). In the latter case, however, such persons 
shall be afforded a reasonable time to obtain other counsel, said time 
to be determined by the Commission.



Sec.  702.8  Evidence at Commission proceedings.

    (a) The rules of evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity 
shall not control proceedings of the Commission.
    (b) Where a witness testifying at a public session of a hearing or a 
session for return of subpoenaed documents offers the sworn statements 
of other persons, such statements, in the discretion of the Commission, 
may be included in the record, provided they are received by the 
Commission 24 hours in advance of the witness' appearance.
    (c) The prepared statement of a witness testifying at a public 
session of a hearing, in the discretion of the Commission, may be placed 
into the record, provided that such statement is received by the 
Commission 24 hours in advance of the witness' appearance.
    (d) In the discretion of the Commission, evidence may be included in 
the record after the close of a public session of a hearing provided the 
Commission determines that such evidence does not tend to defame, 
degrade, or incriminate any person.
    (e) The Commission will determine the pertinence of testimony and 
evidence adduced at its proceedings and may refuse to include in the 
record of a proceeding or may strike from the record any evidence it 
considers to be cumulative, immaterial, or not pertinent.



Sec.  702.9  Cross-examination at public session.

    If the Commission determines that oral testimony of a witness at a 
public session tends to defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, such 
person, or through counsel, shall be permitted to submit questions to 
the Commission in writing, which, in the discretion of the Commission, 
may be put to such witness by the Chairperson or by authorized 
Commission staff personnel.



Sec.  702.10  Voluntary witnesses at public session of a hearing.

    A person who has not been subpoenaed and who has not been afforded 
an opportunity to appear pursuant to Sec.  702.6 may be permitted, in 
the discretion of the Commission, to make an oral or written statement 
at a public session of a hearing. Such person may be questioned to the 
same extent and in the same manner as other witnesses before the 
Commission.



Sec.  702.11  Special executive session.

    If, during the course of a public session, evidence is submitted 
that was not previously presented at executive session and that the 
Commission determines may defame, degrade, or incriminate any person, 
the provisions of Sec.  702.6 shall apply and such extensions, recesses 
or continuances of the public session shall be ordered by the 
Commission, as it deems necessary. The time and notice requirements of 
Sec.  702.6 may be modified by the Commission provided reasonable notice 
of a scheduled executive session is afforded such person; the Commission 
may, in its discretion, strike such evidence from the record, in which 
case the provisions of Sec.  702.6 shall not apply.



Sec.  702.12  Contempt of the Commission.

    Proceedings and process of the Commission are governed by 42 U.S.C. 
1975a(e)(2), which provides that in case of contumacy or refusal to obey 
a subpoena, the Attorney General may in a

[[Page 256]]

Federal court of appropriate jurisdiction obtain an appropriate order to 
enforce the subpoena.



Sec.  702.13  Intimidation of witnesses.

    Witnesses at Commission proceedings are protected by the provisions 
of 18 U.S.C. 1505, which provide that whoever, with intent to avoid, 
evade, prevent, or obstruct compliance, in whole or in part, with any 
civil investigative demand duly and properly made under the Antitrust 
Civil Process Act, willfully withholds, misrepresents, removes from any 
place, conceals, covers up, destroys, mutilates, alters, or by other 
means falsifies any documentary material, answers to written 
interrogatories, or oral testimony, which is the subject of such demand; 
or attempts to do so or solicits another to do so; or whoever corruptly, 
or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication 
influences, obstructs, or impedes or endeavors to influence, obstruct, 
or impede the due and proper administration of the law under which any 
pending proceeding is being had before any department or agency of the 
United States, or the due and proper exercise of the power of inquiry 
under which any inquiry or investigation is being had by either House, 
or any committee of either House or any joint committee of the Congress 
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, 
or both.



Sec.  702.14  Transcript of Commission proceedings.

    (a) An accurate transcript shall be made of the testimony of all 
witnesses at all proceedings of the Commission. Transcripts shall be 
recorded solely by the official reporter or by any other person or means 
designated by the Commission.
    (b) Every person who submits data or evidence shall be entitled to 
retain or, on payment of lawfully prescribed costs, procure a copy or 
transcript thereof, except that witnesses in a hearing held in executive 
session may be limited, for good cause, to inspection of the official 
transcript of their testimony. Transcript copies of public sessions may 
be obtained by the public upon the payment of the cost thereof.
    (c) Persons who have presented testimony at a proceeding may ask 
within 60 days after the close of the proceeding to correct errors in 
the transcript of their testimony. Such requests shall be granted only 
to make the transcript conform to their testimony as presented at the 
proceeding.



Sec.  702.15  Witness fees.

    A witness attending any session of the Commission shall be paid the 
same fees and mileage that are paid witnesses in the courts of the 
United States. Mileage payments must be tendered at the witness' request 
upon service of a subpoena issued on behalf of the Commission or any 
subcommittee thereof.



Sec.  702.16  Attendance of news media at public sessions.

    Reasonable access for coverage of public sessions shall be provided 
to the various communications media, including newspapers, magazines, 
radio, newsreels, and television, subject to the physical limitations of 
the room in which the session is held and consideration of the physical 
comfort of Commission members, staff, and witnesses. However, no 
witnesses shall be televised, filmed, or photographed during the session 
nor shall the testimony of any witness be broadcast or recorded for 
broadcasting if the witness objects.



Sec.  702.17  Communications with respect to Commission proceedings.

    During any proceeding held outside Washington, DC, communications to 
the Commission with respect to such proceeding must be made to the 
Chairperson or authorized Commission staff personnel in attendance. All 
requests for subpoenas returnable at a hearing, requests for appearance 
of witnesses at a hearing, and statements or other documents for 
inclusion in the record of a proceeding, required to be submitted in 
advance, must be submitted to the Chairperson, or such authorized person 
as the Chairperson may appoint, at an office located in the community 
where such hearing or proceeding is scheduled to be held. The location 
of such office will be set forth in all subpoenas issued under the rules 
in this part and in all notices prepared pursuant to Sec.  706.2.

[[Page 257]]



Sec.  702.18  Commission reports.

    (a) If a Commission report tends to defame, degrade, or incriminate 
any person, the report or relevant portions thereof shall be delivered 
to such person at least 30 days before the report is made public to 
allow such person to make a timely verified answer to the report. The 
Commission shall afford such person an opportunity to file with the 
Commission a verified answer to the report or relevant portions thereof 
not later than 20 days after service as provided by the regulations in 
this part.
    (1) Such person shall be served with a copy of the report or 
relevant portions thereof, with an indication of the section(s) that the 
Commission has determined tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate such 
person, a copy of the Act, and a copy of the regulations in this part.
    (2) The report or relevant portions thereof, the Act, and 
regulations in this part shall be served by certified mail, return 
receipt requested, or by leaving a copy thereof at the last known 
residence or business address or the agent of such person.
    (3) The date of service for the purposes of this section shall be 
the day the material is delivered either by the post office or 
otherwise, to such person or the agent of such person or at the last 
known residence or business address of such person. The acknowledgement 
of the party served or the verified return of the one making service 
shall be proof of service except that when service is made by mail, the 
return post office receipt shall also constitute proof of same.
    (b) If a person receiving a Commission report or relevant portions 
thereof under this part requests an extension of time from the 
Commission within seven days of service of such report, the Commission 
may, upon a showing of good cause, grant the person additional time 
within which to file a verified answer.
    (c) A verified answer shall plainly and concisely state the facts 
and law constituting the person's reply or defense to the charges or 
allegations contained in the report.
    (d) Such verified answer shall be published as an appendix to the 
report; however, the Commission may except from the answer such matter 
as it determines to be scandalous, prejudicial, or unnecessary.



                           Subpart B_Meetings



Sec.  702.50  Purpose and scope.

    This subpart contains the regulations of the United States 
Commission on Civil Rights implementing sections (a)-(f) of 5 U.S.C. 
552b, the ``Government in the Sunshine Act.'' They are adopted to 
further the principle that the public is entitled to the fullest 
practicable information regarding the decision-making processes of the 
Commission. They open meetings of the Commission to public observation 
except where the rights of individuals are involved or the ability of 
the Commission to carry out its responsibilities requires 
confidentiality.



Sec.  702.51  Definitions.

    (a) Commission means the United States Commission on Civil Rights 
and any subcommittee of the Commission authorized under the United 
States Commission on Civil Rights Act of 1983, 97 Stat. 1301, as amended 
by the Civil Rights Commission Amendments Act of 1994, 108 Stat. 4339. 
The statutes are codified in 42 U.S.C. 1975 through 1975d.
    (b) Commissioner means a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil 
Rights appointed by the President, the President pro tempore of the 
Senate, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as provided in 
42 U.S.C. 1975.
    (c) Meeting means the deliberations of at least the number of 
Commissioners required to take action on behalf of the Commission where 
such deliberations determine or result in the joint conduct or 
disposition of official Commission business.
    (1) The number of Commissioners required to take action on behalf of 
the Commission is four, except that such number is two when the 
Commissioners are a subcommittee of the Commission authorized under 42 
U.S.C. 1975a(e)(1).
    (2) Deliberations among Commissioners regarding the setting of the 
time, location, or subject matter of a meeting, whether the meeting is 
open or closed, whether to withhold information discussed at a closed 
meeting,

[[Page 258]]

and any other deliberations required or permitted by 5 U.S.C. 552b (d) 
and (e) and Sec. Sec.  702.54 and 702.55 of this subpart, are not 
meetings for the purposes of this subpart.
    (3) The consideration by Commissioners of Commission business that 
is not discussed through conference calls or a series of two party calls 
by the number of Commissioners required to take action on behalf of the 
Commission is not a meeting for the purposes of this subpart.
    (d) Public announcement or publicly announce means the use of 
reasonable methods, such as the posting on the Commission's website or 
public notice bulletin boards and the issuing of press releases, to 
communicate information to the public regarding Commission meetings.
    (e) Staff Director means the Staff Director of the Commission.



Sec.  702.52  Open meeting requirements.

    (a) Every portion of every Commission meeting shall be open to 
public observation, except as provided in Sec.  702.53 of this subpart. 
Commissioners shall not jointly conduct or dispose of agency business 
other than in accordance with this subpart.
    (b) This subpart gives the public the right to attend and observe 
Commission open meetings; it confers no right to participate in any way 
in such meetings.
    (c) The Staff Director shall be responsible for making physical 
arrangements for Commission open meetings that provide ample space, 
sufficient visibility, and adequate acoustics for public observation.
    (d) The presiding Commissioner at an open meeting may exclude 
persons from a meeting and shall take all steps necessary to preserve 
order and decorum.



Sec.  702.53  Closed meetings.

    (a) The Commission may close a portion or portions of a meeting and 
withhold information pertaining to such meeting when it determines that 
the public interest does not require otherwise and when such portion or 
portions of a meeting or the disclosure of such information is likely 
to:
    (1) Disclose matters that are:
    (i) Specifically authorized under criteria established by an 
Executive Order to be kept secret in the interests of national defense 
or foreign policy and
    (ii) In fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive Order;
    (2) Disclose information relating solely to the internal personnel 
rules and practices of the Commission;
    (3) Disclose matters specifically exempted from disclosure by 
statute (other than 5 U.S.C. 552b), provided that such statute:
    (i) Requires that the matters be withheld from the public in such a 
manner as to leave no discretion on the issue, or
    (ii) Establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to 
particular types of matters to be withheld;
    (4) Disclose trade secrets and commercial or financial information 
obtained from a person and is privileged or confidential;
    (5) Involve accusing any person of a crime or formally censuring any 
person;
    (6) Disclose information of a personal nature where disclosure would 
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;
    (7) Disclose investigatory records compiled for law enforcement 
purposes, or information that if written would be contained in such 
records, but only to the extent that the production of such records or 
information would:
    (i) Interfere with enforcement proceedings,
    (ii) Deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial 
adjudication,
    (iii) Constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,
    (iv) Disclose the identity of a confidential source and, in the case 
of a record received by the Commission from a criminal law enforcement 
authority in the course of a criminal investigation or by an agency 
conducting a lawful national security intelligence investigation, 
confidential information furnished only by the confidential source,
    (v) Disclose investigative techniques and procedures, or
    (vi) Endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement 
personnel;

[[Page 259]]

    (8) Disclose information received by the Commission and contained in 
or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, 
on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation 
or supervision of financial institutions;
    (9) Disclose information the premature disclosure of that would:
    (i) In the case of information received by the Commission from an 
agency that regulates currencies, securities, commodities, or financial 
institutions, be likely to:
    (A) Lead to significant financial speculation in currencies, 
securities, or commodities, or
    (B) Significantly endanger the stability of any financial 
institution; or
    (ii) Be likely to significantly frustrate implementation of a 
proposed action, except that this paragraph shall not apply in any 
instance where the Commission has already disclosed to the public the 
content or nature of its proposed action or where the Commission is 
required by law to make such disclosure on its own initiative prior to 
taking final agency action on such proposal; or
    (10) Specifically concern the Commission's issuance of a subpoena or 
the Commission's participation in a civil action or proceeding, an 
action in a foreign court or international tribunal, or an arbitration.
    (b) [Reserved]



Sec.  702.54  Closed meeting procedures.

    (a) A meeting or portion thereof will be closed, and information 
pertaining to a closed meeting will be withheld, only after four 
Commissioners when no Commissioner's position is vacant, three 
Commissioners when there is a vacancy, or two Commissioners on a 
subcommittee authorized under 42 U.S.C. 1975a(e)(1), vote to take such 
action.
    (b)(1) A separate vote shall be taken with respect to each meeting, 
a portion or portions of which are proposed to be closed to the public 
under Sec.  702.53, and with respect to any information to be withheld 
under Sec.  702.53.
    (2) A single vote may be taken with respect to a series of meetings, 
a portion or portions of which are proposed to be closed to the public, 
or with respect to any information concerning such series of meetings, 
so long as:
    (i) Each meeting in such series involves the same particular 
matters, and
    (ii) Is scheduled to be held no more than thirty (30) days after the 
initial meeting in such series.
    (c) The Commission will vote on the question of closing a meeting or 
portion thereof and withholding information under paragraph (b) of this 
section if one Commissioner calls for such a vote. The vote of each 
Commissioner participating in a vote to close a meeting shall be 
recorded and no proxies shall be allowed.
    (1) If such vote is against closing a meeting and withholding 
information, the Staff Director, within one working day of such vote, 
shall make publicly available by putting in a place easily accessible to 
the public a written copy of such vote reflecting the vote of each 
Commissioner.
    (2) If such vote is for closing a meeting and withholding 
information, the Staff Director, within one working day of such vote, 
shall make publicly available by putting in a place easily accessible to 
the public a written copy of such vote reflecting the vote of each 
Commissioner, and:
    (i) A full written explanation of the decision to close the meeting 
or portions thereof (such explanation will be as detailed as possible 
without revealing the exempt information);
    (ii) A list of all persons other than staff members expected to 
attend the meeting and their affiliation (the identity of persons 
expected to attend such meeting will be withheld only if revealing their 
identity would reveal the exempt information that is the subject of the 
closed meeting).
    (d) Prior to any vote to close a meeting or portion thereof under 
paragraph (c) of this section, the Commissioners shall obtain from the 
General Counsel an opinion as to whether the closing of a meeting or 
portions thereof is in accordance with paragraphs (a)(1) through (10) of 
Sec.  702.53.
    (1) For every meeting closed in accordance with paragraphs (a)(1) 
through (10) of Sec.  702.53, the General Counsel shall publicly certify 
in writing that, in his or her opinion, the

[[Page 260]]

meeting may be closed to the public and shall cite each relevant 
exemptive provision.
    (2) A copy of certification by the General Counsel together with a 
statement from the presiding officer of the closed meeting setting forth 
the time and location of the meeting and the persons present, shall be 
retained by the Commission.
    (e) For all meetings closed to the public, the Commission shall 
maintain a complete verbatim transcript or electronic recording adequate 
to record fully the proceedings of each meeting or portion of a meeting, 
which sets forth the time and location of the meeting and the persons 
present. In the case of a meeting or a portion of a meeting closed to 
the public pursuant to paragraphs (a)(8), (9)(i)(A), or (10) of Sec.  
702.53, the Commission may retain a set of minutes and such minutes 
shall fully and clearly describe all matters discussed and provide a 
full and accurate summary of any actions taken, and the reasons 
therefor, including a description of each of the views expressed on any 
item and the record of any roll call vote (reflecting the vote of each 
member on the question). All documents considered in connection with any 
action shall be identified in such minutes.
    (f) Any person whose interests may be directly affected by a portion 
of a meeting may request that such portion be closed to the public under 
Sec.  702.53 or that it be open to the public if the Commission has 
voted to close the meeting pursuant to Sec.  702.53(a)(5), (6) or (7). 
The Commission will vote on the request if one Commissioner asks that a 
vote be taken. Such requests shall be made to the Staff Director within 
a reasonable amount of time after the meeting or vote in question is 
publicly announced.



Sec.  702.55  Public announcement of meetings.

    (a) Agenda. The Staff Director shall set as early as possible but in 
any event at least eight calendar days before a meeting, the time, 
location, and subject matter for the meeting. Agenda items will be 
identified in adequate detail to inform the general public of the 
specific business to be discussed at the meeting.
    (b) Notice. The Staff Director, at least eight calendar days before 
a meeting, shall make public announcement of:
    (1) The time of the meeting;
    (2) Its location;
    (3) Its subject matter;
    (4) Whether it is open or closed to the public; and
    (5) The name and phone number of a Commission staff member who will 
respond to requests for information about the meeting.
    (c) Changes. (1) The time of day or location of a meeting may be 
changed following the public announcement required by paragraph (b) of 
this section, if the Staff Director publicly announces such change at 
the earliest practicable time subsequent to the decision to change the 
time of day or location of the meeting.
    (2) The date of a meeting may be changed following the public 
announcement required by paragraph (b) of this section, or a meeting may 
be scheduled less than eight calendar days in advance, if:
    (i) Four Commissioners when no Commissioner's position is vacant, 
three Commissioners when there is such a vacancy, or two Commissioners 
on a subcommittee authorized under 42 U.S.C. 1975a(d), determine by 
recorded vote that Commission business requires such a meeting at an 
earlier date; and
    (ii) The Staff Director, at the earliest practicable time following 
such vote, makes public announcement of the time, location, and subject 
matter of such meeting and whether it is open or closed to the public.
    (3) The subject matter of a meeting or the determination to open or 
close a meeting or a portion of a meeting to the public may be changed 
following the public announcement required by paragraph (b) of this 
section if:
    (i) Four Commissioners when no Commissioner's position is vacant, 
three Commissioners when there is such a vacancy, or two Commissioners 
on a subcommittee authorized under 42 U.S.C. 1975a(e)(1) determine by 
recorded vote that Commission business so requires; and

[[Page 261]]

    (ii) The Staff Director publicly announces such change and the vote 
of each Commissioner upon such change at the earliest practicable time 
subsequent to the decision to make such change.
    (d)(1) Federal Register. Immediately following all public 
announcements required by paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, notice 
of the time, location, and subject matter of a meeting, whether the 
meeting is open or closed to the public, any change in one of the 
preceding, and the name and phone number of the official designated by 
the Commission to respond to requests for information about meeting, 
shall be submitted for publication in the Federal Register.
    (2) Notice of a meeting will be published in the Federal Register 
even after the meeting that is the subject of the notice has occurred in 
order to provide a public record of all Commission meetings.



Sec.  702.56  Records.

    (a) The Commission shall promptly make available to the public in an 
easily accessible place at Commission headquarters the following 
materials:
    (1) A copy of the certification by the General Counsel required by 
Sec.  702.54(e)(1).
    (2) A copy of all recorded votes required to be taken by these 
rules.
    (3) A copy of all announcements published in the Federal Register 
pursuant to this subpart.
    (4) Transcripts, electronic recordings, and minutes of closed 
meetings determined not to contain items of discussion or information 
that may be withheld under Sec.  702.53. Copies of such material will be 
furnished to any person at the actual cost of transcription or 
duplication.
    (b)(1) Requests to review or obtain copies of records compiled under 
this Act, other than transcripts, electronic recordings, or minutes of a 
closed meeting, will be processed under the Freedom of Information Act 
and, where applicable, the Privacy Act regulations of the Commission 
(parts 704 and 705, respectively, of this title). Nothing in this 
subpart expands or limits the present rights of any person under the 
rules in this part with respect to such requests.
    (2) Requests to review or obtain copies of transcripts, electronic 
recordings, or minutes of a closed meeting maintained under Sec.  
702.54(e) and not released under paragraph (a)(4) of this section shall 
be directed to the Staff Director who shall respond to such requests 
within ten (10) working days.
    (c) The Commission shall maintain a complete verbatim copy of the 
transcript, a complete copy of minutes, or a complete electronic 
recording of each meeting, or portion of a meeting, closed to the 
public, for a period of two years after such meeting or until one year 
after the conclusion of any agency proceeding with respect to which the 
meeting or portion was held, whichever occurs later.



Sec.  702.57  Administrative review.

    Any person who believes a Commission action governed by this subpart 
to be contrary to the provisions of this subpart shall file an objection 
in writing with the Staff Director specifying the violation and 
suggesting corrective action. Whenever possible, the Staff Director 
shall respond within ten (10) working days of the receipt of such 
objections.



PART 703_OPERATIONS AND FUNCTIONS OF STATE ADVISORY COMMITTEES-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
703.1 Name and establishment.
703.2 Functions.
703.3 Scope of subject matter.
703.4 Advisory Committee Management Officer.
703.5 Membership.
703.6 Officers.
703.7 Subcommittees--Special assignments.
703.8 Meetings.
703.9 Reimbursement of members.
703.10 Public availability of documents and other materials.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1975a(d).

    Source: 67 FR 70482, Nov. 22, 2002, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  703.1  Name and establishment.

    Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1975a(d), the Commission has chartered and 
maintains Advisory Committees to the

[[Page 262]]

Commission in each State, and the District of Columbia. All relevant 
provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-
463, as amended) are applicable to the management, membership, and 
operations of such committees and subcommittees thereof.



Sec.  703.2  Functions.

    Under the Commission's charter each Advisory Committee shall:
    (a) Advise the Commission in writing of any knowledge or information 
it has of any alleged deprivation of the right to vote and to have the 
vote counted by reason of color, race, religion, sex, age, disability, 
or national origin, or that citizens are being accorded or denied the 
right to vote in Federal elections as a result of patterns or practices 
of fraud or discrimination;
    (b) Advise the Commission concerning matters related to 
discrimination or a denial of equal protection of the laws under the 
Constitution and the effect of the laws and policies of the Federal 
Government with respect to equal protection of the laws;
    (c) Advise the Commission upon matters of mutual concern in the 
preparation of reports of the Commission to the President and the 
Congress;
    (d) Receive reports, suggestions, and recommendations from 
individuals, public and private organizations, and public officials upon 
matters pertinent to inquiries conducted by the Advisory Committee;
    (e) Initiate and forward advice and recommendations to the 
Commission upon matters that the Advisory Committee has studied;
    (f) Assist the Commission in the exercise of its clearinghouse 
function and with respect to other matters that the Advisory Committee 
has studied;
    (g) Attend, as observers, any open hearing or conference that the 
Commission may hold within the State.



Sec.  703.3  Scope of subject matter.

    The scope of the subject matter to be dealt with by Advisory 
Committees shall be those subjects of inquiry or study with which the 
Commission itself is authorized to investigate, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 
1975(a). Each Advisory Committee shall confine its studies to the State 
covered by its charter. It may, however, subject to the requirements of 
Sec.  703.4, undertake to study, within the limitations of the Act, 
subjects other than those chosen by the Commission for study.



Sec.  703.4  Advisory Committee Management Officer.

    (a) The Chief of the Regional Programs Coordination Unit is 
designated as Advisory Committee Management Officer pursuant to the 
requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Public Law 
92-463, as amended).
    (b) Such Officer shall carry out the functions specified in section 
8(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
    (c) Such Officer shall, for each Advisory Committee, appoint a 
Commission employee to provide services to the Committee and to be 
responsible for supervising the activity of the Committee pursuant to 
section 8 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The employee is subject 
to the supervision of the Regional Director of the Commission 
responsible for the State within which said Committee is chartered.



Sec.  703.5  Membership.

    (a) Subject to exceptions made from time to time by the Commission 
to fit special circumstances, each Advisory Committee shall consist of 
at least 11 members appointed by the Commission. Members of the Advisory 
Committees shall serve for a fixed term to be set by the Commission upon 
the appointment of a member subject to the duration of Advisory 
Committees as prescribed by the charter, provided that members of the 
Advisory Committee may, at any time, be removed by the Commission.
    (b) No person is to be denied an opportunity to serve on a State 
Advisory Committee because of race, age, sex, religion, national origin, 
or disability. The Commission shall encourage membership on the State 
Advisory Committee to be broadly diverse.

[71 FR 8485, Feb. 17, 2006]



Sec.  703.6  Officers.

    (a) The officers of each Advisory Committee shall be a Chairperson, 
Vice Chairperson, and such other officers as may be deemed advisable.

[[Page 263]]

    (b) The Chairperson shall be appointed by the Commission.
    (c) The Vice Chairperson and other officers shall be elected by the 
majority vote of the full membership of the Committee.
    (d) The Chairperson, or in his or her absence the Vice Chairperson, 
under the direction of the Commission staff member appointed pursuant to 
Sec.  703.4(b) shall:
    (1) Call meetings of the Committee;
    (2) Preside over meetings of the Committee;
    (3) Appoint all subcommittees of the Committee;
    (4) Certify for accuracy the minutes of Committee meetings prepared 
by the assigned Commission staff member; and
    (5) Perform such other functions as the Committee may authorize or 
the Commission may request.



Sec.  703.7  Subcommittees--Special assignments.

    Subject to the approval of the designated Commission employee, an 
Advisory Committee may:
    (a) Establish subcommittees, composed of members of the Committee, 
to study and report upon matters under consideration and authorize such 
subcommittees to take specific action within the competence of the 
Committee; and
    (b) Designate individual members of the Committee to perform special 
projects involving research or study on matters under consideration by 
the Committee.



Sec.  703.8  Meetings.

    (a) Meetings of a Committee shall be convened by the designated 
Commission employee or subject to his or her approval by the Chairperson 
or a majority of the Advisory Committee members. The agenda for such 
Committee or subcommittee meeting shall be approved by the designated 
Commission employee.
    (b) A quorum shall consist of one-half or more of the members of the 
Committee, or five members, whichever is the lesser, except that with 
respect to the conduct of fact-finding meetings as authorized in 
paragraph (e) of this section, a quorum shall consist of three members.
    (c) Notice of all meetings of an Advisory Committee shall be given 
to the public.
    (1) Notice shall be published in the Federal Register at least 15 
days prior to the meetings, provided that in emergencies such 
requirement may be waived.
    (2) Notice of meetings shall be provided to the public by press 
releases and other appropriate means.
    (3) Each notice shall contain a statement of the purpose of the 
meeting, a summary of the agenda, and the date, time, and location of 
such meeting.
    (d) Except as provided for in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, all 
meetings of Advisory Committees or subcommittees shall be open to the 
public.
    (1) The Chief of the Regional Programs Coordination Unit may 
authorize a Committee or subcommittee to hold a meeting closed to the 
public if he or she determines that the closing of such meeting is in 
the public interest provided that prior to authorizing the holding of a 
closed meeting the Chief of the Regional Programs Coordination Unit has 
requested and received the opinion of the General Counsel with respect 
to whether the meeting may be closed under one or more of the exemptions 
provided in the Government in the Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b(c).
    (2) In the event that any meeting or portion thereof is closed to 
the public, the Committee shall publish, at least annually, in summary 
form a report of the activities conducted in meetings not open to the 
public.
    (e) Advisory Committees and subcommittees may hold fact-finding 
meetings for the purpose of inviting the attendance of and soliciting 
information and views from government officials and private persons 
respecting subject matters within the jurisdiction of the Committee or 
subcommittee.
    (f) Any person may submit a written statement at any business or 
fact-finding meeting of an Advisory Committee or subcommittee.
    (g) At the discretion of the designated Commission employee or his 
or her designee, any person may make an oral presentation at any 
business or

[[Page 264]]

fact-finding meeting, provided that such presentation will not defame, 
degrade, or incriminate any other person as prohibited by the Act.



Sec.  703.9  Reimbursement of members.

    (a) Advisory Committee members may be reimbursed by the Commission 
by a per diem subsistence allowance and for travel expenses at rates not 
to exceed those prescribed by Congress for Government employees, for the 
following activities only:
    (1) Attendance at meetings, as provided for in Sec.  703.8; and
    (2) Any activity specifically requested and authorized by the 
Commission to be reimbursed.
    (b) Members will be reimbursed for the expense of travel by private 
automobile on a mileage basis only to the extent such expense is no more 
than that of suitable public transportation for the same trip unless 
special circumstances justify the additional expense of travel by 
private automobile.



Sec.  703.10  Public availability of documents and other materials.

    Part 704 of this chapter shall be applicable to reports, 
publications, and other materials prepared by or for Advisory 
Committees.



PART 704_INFORMATION DISCLOSURE AND COMMUNICATIONS--Table of Contents



Sec.
704.1 Material available pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552.
704.2 Complaints.
704.3 Other requests and communications.
704.4 Restrictions on disclosure of information.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552, 552a, 552b.

    Source: 67 FR 70482, Nov. 22, 2002, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  704.1  Material available pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552.

    (a) Purpose, scope, and definitions. (1) This section contains the 
regulations of the United States Commission on Civil Rights implementing 
the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552. These regulations inform 
the public with respect to where and how records and information may be 
obtained from the Commission. Officers and employees of the Commission 
shall make Commission records available under 5 U.S.C. 552 only as 
prescribed in this section. Nothing contained in this section, however, 
shall be construed to prohibit officers or employees of the Commission 
from routinely furnishing information or records that are customarily 
furnished in the regular performance of their duties.
    (2) For the purposes of this part the following terms are defined as 
indicated:
    Commission means the United States Commission on Civil Rights;
    FOIA means Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552;
    FOIA Request means a request in writing, for records pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 552, which meets the requirements of paragraph (d) of this part. 
This part does not apply to telephone or other oral communications or 
requests not complying with paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section.
    Office of the General Counsel means the General Counsel of the 
Commission or his or her designee;
    Staff Director means the Staff Director of the Commission.
    (b) General policy. In order to foster the maximum participation of 
an informed public in the affairs of Government, the Commission will 
make the fullest possible disclosure of its identifiable records and 
information consistent with such considerations as those provided in the 
exemptions of 5 U.S.C. 552 that are set forth in paragraph (f) of this 
section.
    (c) Material maintained on file pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2). 
Material maintained on file pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2) shall be 
available for inspection during regular business hours at the offices of 
the Commission at 624 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20425. Copies of 
such material shall be available upon written request, specifying the 
material desired, addressed to the Office of the General Counsel, U.S. 
Commission on Civil Rights, 624 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20425, 
and upon the payment of fees, if any, determined in accordance with 
paragraph (e) of this section.
    (1) Current index. Included in the material available pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 552(a)(2) shall be an index of:

[[Page 265]]

    (i) All other material maintained on file pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
552(a)(2); and
    (ii) All material published by the Commission in the Federal 
Register and currently in effect.
    (2) Deletion of identifying details. Wherever deletions from 
material maintained on file pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2) are required 
in order to prevent a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy, 
justification for the deletions shall be placed as a preamble to 
documents from which such deletions are made.
    (d) Materials available pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3)--(1) Request 
procedures. (i) Each request for records pursuant to this section shall 
be in writing over the signature of the requester, addressed to the 
Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 624 9th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20425 and:
    (A) Shall clearly and prominently be identified as a request for 
information under the Freedom of Information Act (if submitted by mail 
or otherwise submitted in an envelope or other cover, be clearly and 
prominently identified as such on the envelope or other cover--e.g., 
FOIA); and
    (B) Shall contain a sufficiently specific description of the record 
requested with respect to names, dates, and subject matter to permit 
such record to be identified and located; and
    (C) Shall contain a statement that whatever costs involved pursuant 
to paragraph (e) of this section will be paid, that such costs will be 
paid up to a specified amount, or that waiver or reduction of fees is 
requested pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section.
    (ii) If the information submitted pursuant to paragraph (d)(1)(i)(B) 
of this section is insufficient to enable identification and location of 
the records, the General Counsel shall as soon as possible notify the 
requester in writing indicating the additional information needed. Every 
reasonable effort shall be made to assist in the identification and 
location of the record sought. Time requirements under the regulations 
in this part are tolled from the date notification under this section is 
sent to the requester until an answer in writing to such notification is 
received from requester.
    (iii) A request for records that is not in writing or does not 
comply with paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section is not a request under 
the Freedom of Information Act and the 10 day time limit for agency 
response under the Act will not be deemed applicable.
    (iv) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the General 
Counsel shall immediately notify the requester of noncompliance with 
paragraphs (d)(1)(i)(C) and (e) of this section.
    (2) Agency determinations. (i) Responses to all requests pursuant to 
5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3) shall be made by the General Counsel in writing to 
the requester within 10 working days after receipt by the General 
Counsel of such request except as specifically exempted under paragraphs 
(d)(1) (ii), (iii) and (iv) of this section, and shall state:
    (A) Whether and to what extent the Commission will comply with the 
request;
    (B) The probable availability of the records or that the records may 
be furnished with deletions or that records will be denied as exempt 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(1) through (9);
    (C) The estimated costs, determined in accordance with paragraph (e) 
of this section, including waiver or reduction of fee as appropriate and 
any deposit or prepayment requirement; and
    (D) When records are to be provided, the time and place at which 
records or copies will be available determined in accordance with the 
terms of the request and with paragraph (d)(3) of this section. Such 
response shall be termed a determination notice.
    (ii) In the case of denial of requests in whole or part the 
determination notice shall state:
    (A) Specifically what records are being denied;
    (B) The reasons for such denials;
    (C) The specific statutory exemption(s) upon which such denial is 
based;
    (D) The names and titles or positions of every person responsible 
for the denial of such request; and
    (E) The right of appeal to the Staff Director of the Commission and 
procedures for such appeal as provided under paragraph (g) of this 
section.
    (iii) Each request received by the Office of the General Counsel for 
records pursuant to the regulations in this part

[[Page 266]]

shall be recorded immediately. The record of each request shall be kept 
current, stating the date and time the request is received, the name and 
address of the person making the request, any amendments to such 
request, the nature of the records requested, the action taken regarding 
the request, including waiver of fees, extensions of time pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B), and appeals. The date and subject of any letters 
pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this section or agency determinations 
pursuant to paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section, the date(s) any records 
are subsequently furnished, and the payment requested and received.
    (3) Time limitations. (i) Time limitations for agency response to a 
request for records established by the regulations in this part shall 
begin when the request is recorded pursuant to paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of 
this section. A written request pursuant to FOIA but sent to an office 
of the Commission other than the Office of the General Counsel shall be 
date stamped, initialed, and redirected immediately to the Office of the 
General Counsel. The required period for agency determination shall 
begin when it is received by the Office of the General Counsel in 
accordance with paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section.
    (ii) In unusual circumstances, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B), 
the General Counsel may, in the case of initial determinations under the 
regulations in this part, extend the 10 working day time limit in which 
the agency is required to make its determination notification. Such 
extension shall be communicated in writing to the requesting party 
setting forth with particularity the reasons for such extension and the 
date on which a determination is expected to be transmitted. Such 
extensions may not exceed 10 working days for any request and may only 
be used to the extent necessary to properly process a particular 
request. Such extension is permissible only where there is a 
demonstrated need:
    (A) To search for and collect the requested records from field 
facilities or other establishments that are separate from the Office of 
the General Counsel;
    (B) To search for, collect, and appropriately examine a voluminous 
amount of separate and distinct records that are demanded in a single 
request; or
    (C) For consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable 
speed, with another agency having a substantial interest in the 
determination of the request or among two or more components of the same 
agency having substantial subject matter interest therein.
    (e) Fees--(1) Definitions. The following definitions apply to the 
terms when used in this section:
    (i) Direct costs means those expenditures that the Commission 
actually incurs in searching for and duplicating (and in the case of 
commercial requesters, reviewing) documents to respond to a request made 
under paragraph (d) of this section. Direct costs include, for example, 
the salary of the employee(s) performing the work (the basic rate of pay 
for the employee(s) plus 16 percent of that rate to cover benefits) and 
the cost of operating duplicating machinery. Not included in direct 
costs are overhead expenses such as costs of space and heating or 
lighting the facility in which the records are stored.
    (ii) Search means all time spent looking for material that is 
responsive to a request, including page-by-page or line-by-line 
identification within documents. However, an entire document will be 
duplicated if this would prove to be a more efficient and less expensive 
method of complying with a request than a more detailed manner of 
searching. Search is distinguished from review of material in order to 
determine whether the material is exempt from disclosure.
    (iii) Duplication means the process of making a copy of a document 
necessary to respond to a request for disclosure of records. Such copies 
can take the form of paper or machine readable documentation (e.g., 
magnetic tape or disk), among others.
    (iv) Review means the process of examining documents located in 
response to an information request to determine whether any portion of 
any document is permitted to be withheld. It also includes processing 
any documents for disclosure, e.g., doing all that is necessary to 
prepare them for release. Review does not include time spent resolving 
general legal or policy issues

[[Page 267]]

regarding the application of exemptions.
    (v) Commercial use request means a request from or on behalf of one 
who seeks information for a use or purpose that furthers the commercial, 
trade, or profit interests of the requester or the person on whose 
behalf the request is made. In deciding whether a requester properly 
belongs in this category, the General Counsel will determine the use to 
which a requester will put the documents requested. When the General 
Counsel has reasonable cause to doubt such intended use, or where such 
use is not clear from the request itself, the General Counsel will seek 
additional clarification before assigning the request to a specific 
category.
    (vi) Educational institution means a school, an institution of 
higher education, an institution of professional education, or an 
institution of vocational education that operates a program or programs 
of scholarly research.
    (vii) Noncommercial scientific institution means an institution that 
is not operated on a commercial basis and that is operated solely for 
the purpose of conducting scientific research the results of which are 
not intended to promote any particular product or industry.
    (viii) Representative of the news media means any person actively 
gathering news for an entity that is organized and operated to publish 
or broadcast news to the public. The term news means information that is 
about current events or that would be of current interest to the public. 
News media entities include television or radio stations broadcasting to 
the public at large, and publishers of periodicals (but only in those 
instances when they can qualify as disseminators of news) who make their 
products available for purchase or subscription by the general public. 
Freelance journalists may be regarded as working for a news organization 
if they can demonstrate a solid basis for expecting publication through 
that organization, even though not actually employed by it.
    (2) Costs to be included in fees. The direct costs included in fees 
will vary according to the following categories of requests:
    (i) Commercial use requests. Fees will include the Commission's 
direct costs for searching for, reviewing, and duplicating the requested 
records.
    (ii) Educational and noncommercial scientific institution requests. 
The Commission will provide documents to requesters in this category for 
the cost of duplication alone, excluding charges for the first 100 
pages. To be eligible for inclusion in this category, requesters must 
show that the request is being made under the auspices of a qualifying 
institution and that the records are sought in furtherance of scholarly 
(if the request is from an educational institution) or scientific (if 
the request is from a noncommercial scientific institution) research.
    (iii) Requests from representatives of the news media. The 
Commission will provide documents to requesters in this category for the 
cost of duplication alone, excluding charges for the first 100 pages. To 
be eligible for inclusion in this category a requester must meet the 
criteria in paragraph (e)(1)(viii) of this section.
    (iv) All other requests. The Commission will charge requesters who 
do not fit into any of the categories in paragraphs (e)(2)(i) through 
(iii) of this section fees that cover the direct costs of searching for 
and duplicating records that are responsive to the requests, except for 
the first two hours of search time and the first 100 pages duplicated. 
However, requests from persons for records about themselves will 
continue to be treated under the fee provisions of the Privacy Act of 
1974 and Sec.  705.10 of this chapter.
    (3) Fee calculation. Fees will be calculated as follows:
    (i) Manual search. At the salary rate (basic pay plus 16 percent) of 
the employee(s) making the search.
    (ii) Computer search. At the actual direct cost of providing the 
search, including computer search time directly attributable to search 
for records responsive to the request, runs, and operator salary 
apportionable to the search.
    (iii) Review (commercial use requests only). At the salary rate 
(basic pay plus 16 percent) of the employee(s) conducting the review. 
Only the review necessary at the initial administrative

[[Page 268]]

level to determine the applicability of any exemption, and not review at 
the administrative appeal level, will be included in the fee.
    (iv) Duplication. At 20 cents per page for paper copy. For copies of 
records prepared by computer (such as tapes or printouts), the actual 
cost of production, including operator time, will be charged.
    (v) Additional services; certification. Express mail and other 
additional services that may be arranged by the requester will be 
charged at actual cost. The fee for certification or authentication of 
copies shall be $3.00 per document.
    (vi) Assessment of interest. The Commission may begin assessing 
interest charges on the 31st day following the day the fee bill is sent. 
Interest will be at the rate prescribed in 31 U.S.C. 3717 and will 
accrue from the date of billing.
    (vii) No fee shall be charged if the total billable cost calculated 
under paragraphs (e)(2) and (3) of this section is less than $10.00.
    (4) Waiver or reduction of fees. (i) Documents will be furnished 
without charge, or at a reduced charge, where disclosure of the 
information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute 
significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of 
the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the 
requester.
    (ii) Whenever a waiver or reduction of fees is granted, only one 
copy of the record will be furnished.
    (iii) The decision of the General Counsel on any fee waiver or 
reduction request shall be final and unappealable.
    (5) Payment procedures--(i) Fee payment. Payment of fees shall be 
made by cash (if delivered in person), check, or money order payable to 
the United States Commission on Civil Rights.
    (ii) Notification of fees. No work shall be done that will result in 
fees in excess of $25.00 without written authorization from the 
requester. Where it is anticipated that fees will exceed $25.00, and the 
requester has not indicated in advance a willingness to pay fees as high 
as are anticipated, the requester will be notified of the amount of the 
projected fees. The notification shall offer the requester an 
opportunity to confer with the General Counsel in an attempt to 
reformulate the request so as to meet the requester's needs at a lower 
cost. The administrative time limits prescribed in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6) 
will not begin until after the requester agrees in writing to accept the 
prospective charges.
    (6) Advance payment of fees. When fees are projected to exceed 
$250.00, the requester may be required to make an advance payment of all 
or part of the fee before the request is processed. If a requester has 
previously failed to pay a fee in a timely fashion (i.e., within 30 days 
of the billing date), the requester will be required to pay the full 
amount owed plus any applicable interest, and to make an advance payment 
of the full amount of the estimated fee before a new or pending request 
is processed from that requester. The administrative time limits 
prescribed in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6) will not begin until after the 
requester has complied with this provision.
    (7) Other provisions--(i) Charges for unsuccessful search. Charges 
may be assessed for time spent searching for requested records, even if 
the search fails to locate responsive records or the records are 
determined, after review, to be exempt from disclosure.
    (ii) Aggregating requests to avoid fees. Multiple requests shall be 
aggregated when the General Counsel reasonably determines that a 
requester or group of requesters is attempting to break down a request 
into a series of requests to evade fees.
    (iii) Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996. The Debt Collection 
Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-134), including disclosure to 
consumer reporting agencies and use of collection agencies, will be used 
to encourage payment where appropriate.
    (f) Exemptions (5 U.S.C. 552(b))-(1) General. The Commission may 
exempt from disclosure matters that are:
    (i)(A) Specifically authorized under criteria established by an 
Executive Order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or 
foreign policy and
    (B) Are in fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive 
Order.

[[Page 269]]

    (ii) Related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of 
an agency;
    (iii) Specifically exempted from disclosure by statute;
    (iv) Trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained 
from a person and privileged or confidential;
    (v) Interagency or intra-agency memoranda or letters that would not 
be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with 
the agency;
    (vi) Personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of 
which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal 
privacy;
    (vii) Records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, 
but only to the extent that the production of such law enforcement 
records or information:
    (A) Could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement 
proceedings;
    (B) Could deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an 
impartial adjudication;
    (C) Could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted 
invasion of personal privacy;
    (D) Could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a 
confidential source, including a State, local, or foreign agency or 
authority or any private institution that furnished information on a 
confidential basis;
    (E) Could disclose techniques and procedures for all enforcement 
investigations or prosecutions, or could disclose guidelines for law 
enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could 
reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law; or
    (F) Could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical 
safety of any individual;
    (viii) Contained in or related to examination, operating, or 
condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency 
responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions; 
and
    (ix) Geological and geophysical information and data, including 
maps, concerning wells.
    (2) Investigatory records or information. (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(7)).
    (i) Among the documents exempt from disclosure pursuant to paragraph 
(f)(1)(vii) of this section shall be records or information reflecting 
investigations that either are conducted for the purpose of determining 
whether a violation(s) of legal right has taken place, or have disclosed 
that a violation(s) of legal right has taken place, but only to the 
extent that production of such records or information would fall within 
the classifications established in paragraphs (f)(1)(vii)(B) through (F) 
of this section.
    (ii) Among the documents exempt from disclosure under 
paragraphs(f)(1)(vii)(D) and (f)(2)(i) of this section concerning 
confidential sources shall be documents that disclose the fact or the 
substance of a communication made to the Commission in confidence 
relating to an allegation or support of an allegation of wrongdoing by 
certain persons. It is sufficient under this section to indicate the 
confidentiality of the source if the substance of the communication or 
the circumstances of the communication indicate that investigative 
effectiveness could reasonably be expected to be inhibited by 
disclosure.
    (iii) Whenever a request is made that involves access to records 
described in paragraph (f)(1)(vii)(A) of this section and the 
investigation or proceeding involves a possible violation of criminal 
law and there is reason to believe that the subject of the investigation 
or proceeding is not aware of its pendency and disclosure of the 
existence of the records could reasonably be expected to interfere with 
enforcement proceedings, the Commission may, during only such time as 
that circumstance continues, treat the records as not subject to the 
requirements of 5 U.S.C. 552 and this section.
    (3) Any reasonably segregable portion of a record shall be provided 
to any person requesting such record after deletion of the portions that 
are exempt under this section.
    (g) Administrative appeals. (1) These procedures apply whenever a 
requester is denied records under paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section.
    (2) Parties may appeal decisions under paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this 
section

[[Page 270]]

within 90 days of the date of such decision by filing a written request 
for review addressed to the Staff Director, U.S. Commission on Civil 
Rights, 624 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20425, by certified mail, 
including a copy of the written denial, and may include a statement of 
the circumstances, reasons or arguments advanced in support of 
disclosure. Review will be made by the Staff Director on the basis of 
the written record.
    (3) The decision on review of any appeal filed under this section 
shall be in writing over the signature of the Staff Director will be 
promptly communicated to the person requesting review and will 
constitute the final action of the Commission.
    (4) Determinations of appeals filed under this section shall be made 
within 20 working days after the receipt of such appeal. If, on appeal, 
denial of records is in whole or part upheld, the Staff Director shall 
notify the persons making such request of the provisions for judicial 
review of that determination under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6).
    (5) An extension of time may be granted under this section pursuant 
to criteria established in paragraph (d)(3)(ii) (A) through (C) of this 
section, except that such extension together with any extension, which 
may have been granted pursuant to paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section, 
may not exceed a total of 10 working days.



Sec.  704.2  Complaints.

    Any person may bring to the attention of the Commission a grievance 
that he or she believes falls within the jurisdiction of the Commission, 
as set forth in section 3 of the Act. This shall be done by submitting a 
complaint in writing to the Office of Civil Rights Evaluation, U.S. 
Commission on Civil Rights, 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20425. 
Allegations falling under section 3(a)(1) of the Act must be under oath 
or affirmation. All complaints should set forth the pertinent facts upon 
which the complaint is based, including but not limited to specification 
of:
    (a) Names and titles of officials or other persons involved in acts 
forming the basis for the complaint;
    (b) Accurate designations of place locations involved;
    (c) Dates of events described in the complaint.



Sec.  704.3  Other requests and communications.

    Requests for information should be addressed to the Public Affairs 
Unit and requests for Commission literature should be directed to 
National Clearinghouse Library, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 624 9th 
Street, NW., Washington DC 20425. Communications with respect to 
Commission proceedings should be made pursuant to Sec.  702.17 of this 
chapter. All other communications should be directed to Office of Staff 
Director, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 624 9th Street, Washington, 
DC 20425.



Sec.  704.4  Restrictions on disclosure of information.

    (a) By the provisions of the Act, no evidence or testimony or 
summary of evidence or testimony taken in executive session may be 
released or used in public sessions without the consent of the 
Commission, and any person who releases or uses in public without the 
consent of the Commission such evidence or testimony taken in executive 
session shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more 
than 1 year.
    (b) Unless a matter of public record, all information or documents 
obtained or prepared by any Commissioner, officer, or employee of the 
Commission, including members of Advisory Committees, in the course of 
his or official duties, or by virtue of his or her official status, 
shall not be disclosed or used by such person for any purpose except in 
the performance of his or her official duties.
    (c) Any Commissioner, officer, or employee of the Commission, 
including members of Advisory Committees, who is served with a subpoena, 
order, or other demand requiring the disclosure of such information or 
the production of such documents shall appear in response to such 
subpoena, order, or other demand and, unless otherwise directed by the 
Commission, shall respectfully decline to disclose the information or 
produce the documents

[[Page 271]]

called for, basing his or her refusal upon this section. Any such person 
who is served with such a subpoena, order, or other demand shall 
promptly advise the Commission of the service of such subpoena, order, 
or other demand, the nature of the information or documents sought, and 
any circumstances that may bear upon the desirability of making 
available such information or documents.



PART 705_MATERIALS AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO 5 U.S.C. 552a--Table of Contents



Sec.
705.1 Purpose and scope.
705.2 Definitions.
705.3 Procedures for requests pertaining to individual records in a 
          system of records.
705.4 Times, places, and requirements for identification of individuals 
          making requests and identification of records requested.
705.5 Disclosure of requested information to individuals.
705.6 Request for correction or amendment to record.
705.7 Agency review of request for correction or amendment of the 
          record.
705.8 Appeal of an initial adverse agency determination.
705.9 Disclosure of records to a person other than the individual to 
          whom the record pertains.
705.10 Fees.
705.11 Penalties.
705.12 Special procedures: Information furnished by other agencies.
705.13 Exemptions.
705.95 Accounting of the disclosures of records.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a.

    Source: 67 FR 70482, Nov. 22, 2002, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  705.1  Purpose and scope.

    (a) The purpose of this part is to set forth rules to inform the 
public regarding information maintained by the United States Commission 
on Civil Rights about identifiable individuals and to inform those 
individuals how they may gain access to and correct or amend information 
about themselves.
    (b) The rules in this part carry out the requirements of the Privacy 
Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579) and in particular 5 U.S.C. 552a as added 
by that Act.
    (c) The rules in this part apply only to records disclosed or 
requested under the Privacy Act of 1974, and not to requests for 
information made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 
552.



Sec.  705.2  Definitions.

    For the purpose of this part:
    (a) Commission and agency mean the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights;
    (b) Individual means a citizen of the United States or an alien 
lawfully admitted for permanent residence;
    (c) Maintain includes maintain, collect, use, or disseminate;
    (d) Record means any item, collection, or grouping of information 
about an individual that is maintained by the Commission, including, but 
not limited to, his or her education, financial transactions, medical 
history, and criminal or employment history and that contains his or her 
name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular 
assigned to the individual;
    (e) System record means a group of any records under the control of 
the Commission from which information may be retrieved by the name of 
the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other 
identifying particular assigned to that individual;
    (f) Statistical record means a record in a system of records 
maintained for statistical research or reporting purposes only and not 
used in whole or in part in making any determination about an 
identifiable individual, except as provided in 13 U.S.C. 8;
    (g) Routine use means, with respect to the disclosure of a record, 
the use of such record for a purpose that is compatible with the purpose 
for which it was collected;
    (h) Confidential source means a source who furnished information to 
the Government under an express promise that the identity of the source 
would remain confidential, or, prior to September 27, 1975, under an 
implied promise that the identity of the source would be held in 
confidence; and
    (i) Act means the Privacy Act of 1974, Public Law 93-579.

[[Page 272]]



Sec.  705.3  Procedures for requests pertaining to individual records
in a system of records.

    (a) An individual seeking notification of whether a system of 
records contains a record pertaining to him or her or an individual 
seeking access to information or records pertaining to him or her, that 
are available under the Privacy Act of 1974, shall present his or her 
request in person or in writing to the General Counsel of the 
Commission.
    (b) In addition to meeting the requirements set forth in Sec.  
705.4(c) or (d), any person who requests information under the 
regulations in this part shall provide a reasonably specific description 
of the information sought so that it may be located without undue search 
or inquiry. If possible, that description should include the nature of 
the records sought, the approximate dates covered by the record, and, if 
known by the requester, the system in which the record is thought to be 
included. Requested information that is not identified by a reasonably 
specific description is not an identifiable record, and the request for 
that information cannot be treated as a formal request.
    (c) If the description is insufficient, the agency will notify the 
requester and, to the extent possible, indicate the additional 
information required. Every reasonable effort shall be made to assist a 
requester in the identification and location of the record or records 
sought.



Sec.  705.4  Times, places, and requirements for identification of
individuals making requests and identification of records requested.

    (a) The General Counsel is the designated Privacy Act Officer for 
the Commission.
    (b) An individual making a request to the General Counsel in person 
may do so at the Commission's headquarters office, 624 9th Street, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20425, on any business day during business hours. 
Persons may also appear for purposes of identification only, at any of 
the regional offices of the Commission on any business day during 
business hours. Regional offices are located as follows:

            Region I: Eastern Regional Office, Washington, DC

    Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, 
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode 
Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

          Region II: Southern Regional Office, Atlanta, Georgia

    Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and 
Tennessee.

        Region III: Midwestern Regional Office, Chicago, Illinois

    Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

         Region IV: Central Regional Office, Kansas City, Kansas

    Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, 
Nebraska, and Oklahoma.

       Region V: Rocky Mountain Regional Office, Denver, Colorado

    Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and 
Wyoming.

       Region VI: Western Regional Office, Los Angeles, California

    Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, 
and Washington.

    (c) An individual seeking access to records in person may establish 
his or her identity by the presentation of one document bearing a 
photograph (such as a driver's license, passport, or identification card 
or badge) or by the presentation of two items of identification that do 
not bear a photograph, but do bear both a name and address (such as a 
credit card). When identification is made without photographic 
identification, the Commission will request a signature comparison to 
the signature appearing on the items offered for identification, 
whenever possible and practical.
    (d) An individual seeking access to records by mail shall establish 
his or her identity by a signature, address, date of birth, and one 
other identification, such as a copy of a driver's license, passport, 
identification card or badge, credit card, or other document. The words 
Privacy Act Request should be placed in capital letters on the face of 
the envelope in order to facilitate requests by mail.

[[Page 273]]

    (e) An individual seeking access in person or by mail who cannot 
provide the required documentation of identification may provide a 
notarized statement, swearing or affirming to his or her identity and to 
the fact that he or she understands that there are criminal penalties 
for the making of false statements.
    (f) The parent or guardian of a minor or a person judicially 
determined to be incompetent, in addition to establishing the identity 
of the minor or incompetent person he or she represents as required by 
paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section, shall establish his or her 
own parentage or guardianship by furnishing a copy of a birth 
certificate showing parentage or court order establishing guardianship.
    (g) An individual seeking to review information about himself or 
herself may be accompanied by another person of his or her own choosing. 
In all such cases, the individual seeking access shall be required to 
furnish a written statement authorizing the discussion of his or her 
record in the presence of the accompanying person.



Sec.  705.5  Disclosure of requested information to individuals.

    The General Counsel, or one or more assistants designated by him or 
her, upon receiving a request for notification of the existence of a 
record or for access to a record shall:
    (a) Determine whether such record exists;
    (b) Determine whether access is available under the Privacy Act;
    (c) Notify the requesting person of those determinations within 10 
(ten) working days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public 
holidays); and
    (d) Provide access to information pertaining to that person that has 
been determined to be available.



Sec.  705.6  Request for correction or amendment to record.

    (a) Any individual who has reviewed a record pertaining to him or 
her that was furnished to him or her under this part may request the 
agency to correct or amend all or part of that record.
    (b) Each individual requesting a correction or amendment shall send 
the request to the General Counsel.
    (c) Each request for a correction or amendment of a record shall 
contain the following information:
    (1) The name of the individual requesting the correction or 
amendment.
    (2) The name of the system of records in which the record sought to 
be amended is maintained.
    (3) The location of the record system from which the record was 
obtained.
    (4) A copy of the record sought to be amended or a description of 
that record.
    (5) A statement of the material in the record that should be 
corrected or amended.
    (6) A statement of the specific wording of the correction or 
amendment sought.
    (7) A statement of the basis for the requested correction or 
amendment, including any material that the individual can furnish to 
substantiate the reasons for the amendment sought.



Sec.  705.7  Agency review of request for correction or amendment of 
the record.

    Within ten (10) working days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal 
public holidays) of the receipt of the request for the correction or 
amendment of a record, the General Counsel shall acknowledge receipt of 
the request and inform the individual that his or her request has been 
received and inform the individual whether further information is 
required before the correction or amendment can be considered. Further, 
the General Counsel shall promptly and, under normal circumstances, not 
later than thirty (30) working days after receipt of the request, make 
the requested correction or amendment or notify the individual of his or 
her refusal to do so, including in the notification the reasons for the 
refusal and the procedures established by the Commission by which the 
individual may initiate a review of that refusal. In the event of 
correction or amendment, an individual shall be provided with one copy 
of each record or portion thereof corrected or amended pursuant to his 
or her request without charge as evidence of the correction or

[[Page 274]]

amendment. The Commission shall also provide to all prior recipients of 
such a record, the corrected or amended information to the extent that 
it is relevant to the information previously furnished to a recipient 
pursuant to the Privacy Act.



Sec.  705.8  Appeal of an initial adverse agency determination.

    (a) Any individual whose request for access or for a correction or 
amendment that has been denied, in whole or in part, by the General 
Counsel may appeal that decision to the Staff Director of the 
Commission, 624 9th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20425, or to a designee 
of the Staff Director.
    (b) The appeal shall be in writing and shall:
    (1) Name the individual making the appeal;
    (2) Identify the record sought to be amended or corrected;
    (3) Name the record system in which that record is contained;
    (4) Contain a short statement describing the amendment or correction 
sought; and
    (5) State the name of the person who initially denied the correction 
or amendment.
    (c) Not later than thirty (30) working days (excluding Saturdays, 
Sundays, and legal public holidays) after the date on which the agency 
received the appeal, the Staff Director shall complete his or her review 
of the appeal and make a final decision thereon, unless, for good cause 
shown, the Staff Director extends the appeal period beyond the initial 
thirty (30) day appeal period. In the event of such an extension, the 
Staff Director shall promptly notify the individual making the appeal 
that the period for a final decision has been extended.
    (d) After review of an appeal request, the Staff Director will send 
a written notice to the requester containing the following information:
    (1) The decision; and if the denial is upheld, the reasons for the 
decision;
    (2) The right of the requester to institute a civil action in a 
Federal District Court for judicial review of the decision if the appeal 
is denied; and
    (3) The right of the requester to file with the Commission a concise 
statement setting forth the reasons for his or her disagreement with the 
Commission's decision denying the request. The Commission shall make 
this statement available to any person to whom the record is later 
disclosed together with a brief statement, if the Commission considers 
it appropriate, of the agency's reasons for denying the requested 
correction or amendment. These statements shall also be provided to all 
prior recipients of the record to the extent that it is relevant to the 
information previously furnished to a recipient pursuant to the Privacy 
Act.



Sec.  705.9  Disclosure of records to a person other than the individual
to whom the record pertains.

    (a) Any individual who desires to have his or her record disclosed 
to or mailed to a third person may authorize that person to act as his 
or her agent for that specific purpose. The authorization shall be in 
writing, signed by the individual, and notarized. The agent shall also 
submit proof of his or her own identity as provided in Sec.  705.4.
    (b) The parent of any minor individual or the legal guardian of any 
individual who has been declared by a court to be incompetent, due to 
physical or mental incapacity, may act on behalf of that individual in 
any matter covered by this part. A parent or guardian who desires to act 
on behalf of such an individual shall present suitable evidence of 
parentage or guardianship by birth certificate, copy of a court order or 
similar documents, and proof of the individual's identity as provided in 
Sec.  705.4.
    (c) An individual to whom a record is to be disclosed, in person, 
pursuant to this part may have a person of his or her own choosing 
accompany the individual when the record is disclosed.



Sec.  705.10  Fees.

    If an individual requests copies of his or her records the charge 
shall be three (3) cents per page; however, the Commission shall not 
charge for copies furnished to an individual as a necessary part of the 
process of disclosing the record to an individual. Fees may be waived or 
reduced in accordance with Sec.  704.1(e) of this chapter because of

[[Page 275]]

indigency, where the cost is nominal, when it is in the public interest 
not to charge, or when waiver would not constitute an unreasonable 
expense to the Commission.



Sec.  705.11  Penalties.

    Any person who makes a false statement in connection with any 
request for a record, or in any request for an amendment to a record 
under this part, is subject to the penalties prescribed in 18 U.S.C. 494 
and 495.



Sec.  705.12  Special procedures: Information furnished by other
agencies.

    When records or information sought from the Commission include 
information furnished by other Federal agencies, the General Counsel 
shall consult with the appropriate agency prior to making a decision to 
disclose or to refuse to disclose the record, but the decision whether 
or not to disclose the record shall be made by the General Counsel.



Sec.  705.13  Exemptions.

    (a) Under the provision of 5 U.S.C. 552a(k), it has been determined 
by the agency that the following exemptions are necessary and proper and 
may be asserted by the agency:
    (1) Exemption (k)(2) of the Act. Investigatory material compiled for 
law enforcement purposes, other than material within the scope of 
subsection (j)(2) of the Privacy Act: Provided, however, That if any 
individual is denied any right, privilege, or benefit that he or she 
would otherwise be eligible for, as a result of the maintenance of such 
material, such material shall be provided to such individual, except to 
the extent that the disclosure of such material would reveal the 
identify of a source who furnished information to the Government under 
an express promise that the identity of the source would be held in 
confidence, or, prior to [the effective date of this section], under an 
implied promise that the identity of the source would be held in 
confidence.
    (2) Exemption (k)(4) of the Act. Statistical personnel records that 
are used only to generate aggregate data or for other evaluative or 
analytical purposes and that are not used to make decisions on the 
rights, benefits, or entitlements of individuals.
    (3) Exemption (k)(5) of the Act. Investigatory material maintained 
solely for the purposes of determining an individual's qualifications, 
eligibility, or suitability for employment in the Federal civilian 
service, Federal contracts, or access to classified information, but 
only to the extent that disclosure of such material would reveal the 
identity of the source who furnished information to the Government under 
an express promise that the identity of the source would be held in 
confidence, or prior to September 27, 1975, under an implied promise 
that the identity of the source would be held in confidence.
    (4) Exemption (k)(6) of the Act. Testing or examination material 
used solely to determine individual qualifications for promotion or 
appointment in the Federal service the disclosure of which would 
compromise the objectivity or fairness of the testing or examination 
process.
    (b) Following are Commission systems of records that are partially 
exempt under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), (4), (5), and (6) and the reasons for 
such exemptions:
    (1) Appeals, Grievances, and Complaints (staff)--Commission Project, 
CRC-001. Exempt partially under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2). The reasons for 
possibly asserting the exemptions are to prevent subjects of 
investigation from frustrating the investigatory process, to prevent 
disclosure of investigative techniques, to maintain the ability to 
obtain necessary information, to fulfill commitments made to sources to 
protect their identities and the confidentiality of information and to 
avoid endangering these sources.
    (2) Complaints, CRC-003--Exempt partially under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2). 
The reasons for possibly asserting the exemptions are to prevent 
subjects of investigation from frustrating the investigatory process, to 
prevent disclosure of investigative techniques, to maintain the ability 
to obtain necessary information, to fulfill commitments made to sources 
to protect their identities and the confidentiality of information and 
to avoid endangering these sources.

[[Page 276]]

    (3) Commission projects, CRC-004--Partially exempt under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(k)(2). The reasons for asserting the exemptions are to prevent 
subjects of investigation from frustrating the investigatory process, to 
prevent disclosure of investigative techniques, to maintain the ability 
to obtain necessary information, to fulfill commitments made to sources 
to protect their identities and the confidentiality of information and 
to avoid endangering these sources.
    (4) Other Employee Programs: EEO, Troubled Employee, and Upward 
Mobility, CRC-006--Partially exempt under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(4), (5), and 
(6). The reasons for asserting the exemptions are to maintain the 
ability to obtain candid and necessary information, to fulfill 
commitments made to sources to protect the confidentiality of 
information, to avoid endangering these sources and, primarily, to 
facilitate proper selection or continuance of the best applicants or 
persons for a given position.
    (5) State Advisory Committees Projects, CRC-009--Partially exempt 
under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2). The reasons for possibly asserting the 
exemptions are to prevent subjects of investigation from frustrating the 
investigatory process, to prevent disclosure of investigative 
techniques, to maintain the ability to obtain necessary information, to 
fulfill commitments made to sources to protect their identities and the 
confidentiality of information and to avoid endangering these sources.



Sec.  705.95  Accounting of the disclosures of records.

    (a) All disclosures of records covered by this part, except for the 
exemptions listed in paragraph (b) of this section, shall be accounted 
for by keeping a written record of the particular record disclosed, the 
name and address of the person or agency to whom or to which disclosed, 
and the date, nature, and purpose of the disclosure.
    (b) No accounting is required for disclosures of records to those 
officials and employees of the Commission who have a need for the record 
in the performance of their duties or if disclosure would be required 
under the Freedom of Information Act. 5 U.S.C. 552.
    (c) The accounting shall be maintained for 5 years or until the 
record is destroyed or transferred to the National Archives and Records 
Administrator for storage, in which event, the accounting pertaining to 
those records, unless maintained separately, shall be transferred with 
the records themselves.
    (d) The accounting of disclosures may be recorded in any system the 
Commission determines is sufficient for this purpose, however, the 
Commission must be able to construct from its system a listing of all 
disclosures. The system of accounting of disclosures is not a system of 
records under the definition in Sec.  705.2(e) and no accounting need be 
maintained for disclosure of the accounting of disclosures.
    (e) Upon request of an individual to whom a record pertains, the 
accounting of the disclosures of that record shall be made available to 
the requester, provided that he or she has complied with Sec.  705.3(a) 
and with Sec.  705.4(c) or (d).



PART 706_EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT--Table of Contents



    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 7301; 42 U.S.C. 1975b(d).



Sec.  706.1  Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards,
financial disclosure and financial interests regulations and other conduct
rules.

    Employees of the United States Commission on Civil Rights are 
subject to the executive branch standards of ethical conduct contained 
in 5 CFR part 2635, the Commission regulations at 5 CFR part 7801 which 
supplement the executive branchwide standards, the executive branch 
financial disclosure regulations contained in 5 CFR part 2634, and the 
executive branch financial interests regulations contained in 5 CFR part 
2640, as well as the executive branch employee responsibilities and 
conduct regulations contained in 5 CFR part 735.

[73 FR 33727, June 13, 2008]

[[Page 277]]



PART 707_ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN 
PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
707.1 Purpose.
707.2 Application.
707.3 Definitions.
707.4 Self-evaluation and remedial measures.
707.5 Notice.
707.6 General prohibitions against discrimination.
707.7 Employment.
707.8 Physical access.
707.9 Access to communications.
707.10 Auxiliary aids.
707.11 Eliminating discriminatory qualifications and selection criteria.
707.12 Compliance procedures.

    Authority: 29 U.S.C. 791 et seq.

    Source: 67 FR 70482, Nov. 22, 2002, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  707.1  Purpose.

    The purpose of this part is to effectuate section 119 of the 
Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental Disabilities 
Amendments of 1978, which amended section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 
of 1973, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in 
programs or activities conducted by Executive agencies or the United 
States Postal Service.



Sec.  707.2  Application.

    This part applies to all programs and activities, including 
employment, conducted by the Agency.



Sec.  707.3  Definitions.

    For the purposes of this part, the term--
    (a) Agency means the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and its State 
Advisory Committees.
    (b) Auxiliary aids means services or devices that enable persons 
with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills to have an equal 
opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, programs or 
activities conducted by the Agency. For example, auxiliary aids useful 
for persons with impaired vision include readers, Braille materials, 
audio recordings, and other similar services and devices. Auxiliary aids 
useful for persons with impaired hearing include telephone handset 
amplifiers, telephones compatible with hearing aids, telecommunication 
devices for deaf persons (TDD's), interpreters, note takers, written 
materials, and other similar services and devices.
    (c) Complete complaint means a written statement that contains the 
complainant's name and address and describes the Agency's alleged 
discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Agency of the 
nature and date of the alleged violation of section 504. It shall be 
signed by the complainant or by someone authorized to do so on his or 
her behalf. Complaints filed on behalf of classes or third parties shall 
describe or identify (by name, if possible) the alleged victims of 
discrimination.
    (d) Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, 
equipment, roads, walks, parking lots, vehicles, or other real or 
personal property.
    (e) Individual with disabilities means any person who has a physical 
or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life 
activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having 
such an impairment. As used in this definition, the phrase:
    (1) Physical or mental impairment includes--
    (i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, 
or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: 
Neurological, musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, 
including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; 
genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or
    (ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental 
retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and 
specific learning disabilities. The term physical or mental impairment 
includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as 
orthopedic, visual, speech and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, 
epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, 
diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, drug addiction, and 
alcoholism.

[[Page 278]]

    (2) Major life activities includes functions such as caring for 
one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, 
breathing, learning, and working.
    (3) Has a record of such an impairment means has a history of, or 
has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that 
substantially limits one or more major life activities.
    (4) Is regarded as having an impairment means--
    (i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially 
limit major life activities but is treated by the Agency as constituting 
such a limitation;
    (ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits 
major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward 
such impairment; or
    (iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (e)(1) of 
this definition but is treated by the Agency as having such an 
impairment.
    (f) Qualified individual with disabilities means--
    (1) With respect to any Agency program or activity under which a 
person is required to perform services or to achieve a level of 
accomplishment, an individual with disabilities who meets the essential 
eligibility requirements and who can achieve the purpose of the program 
or activity without modifications in the program or activity that the 
Agency can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in its 
nature; and
    (2) With respect to employment, an individual with disabilities who 
meets the definition set forth in 29 CFR 1614.203, which is made 
applicable to this part by Sec.  707.7.
    (3) With respect to any other Agency program or activity, an 
individual with disabilities who meets the essential eligibility 
requirements for participation in, or receipt of benefits from, that 
program or activity.
    (g) Section 504 means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
(Public Law 93-112, 87 Stat. 394 (29 U.S.C. 794), as amended through 
1998. As used in this part, section 504 applies only to programs or 
activities conducted by the Agency. The Agency does not operate any 
programs of Federal financial assistance to other entities.



Sec.  707.4  Self-evaluation and remedial measures.

    (a) The Agency shall, before February 16, 1991 evaluate its current 
policies and practices, and the effects thereof, that do not or may not 
meet the requirements of this part, and, to the extent modification of 
any such policies and practices is required, the Agency shall proceed to 
make the necessary modifications.
    (b) The Agency shall provide an opportunity to interested persons, 
including individuals with disabilities and organizations representing 
individuals with disabilities, to participate in the self-evaluation 
process by submitting comments (both oral and written).
    (c) The Agency shall, for at least three years following completion 
of the evaluation required under paragraph (a) of this section, maintain 
on file and make available for public inspection:
    (1) A description of areas examined and any problems identified; and
    (2) A description of any modifications made.



Sec.  707.5  Notice.

    (a) The Agency shall make available to all employees, applicants, 
and other interested persons, as appropriate, information regarding the 
provisions of this part and its applicability to the programs or 
activities conducted by the Agency, and such information shall be made 
available to the extent the Staff Director finds necessary to apprise 
such persons of the protections against discrimination assured them by 
section 504 and this part.
    (b) The Agency shall ensure that interested persons, including 
persons with impaired vision or hearing, can obtain information as to 
the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and 
facilities.
    (c) The Agency shall take appropriate steps to provide individuals 
with disabilities with information regarding their section 504 rights 
under the Agency's programs or activities.

[[Page 279]]



Sec.  707.6  General prohibitions against discrimination.

    (a) No qualified individual with disabilities shall, on the basis of 
disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits 
of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or 
activity conducted by the Agency.
    (b)(1) The Agency, in providing any aid, benefit, or service, shall 
not, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, 
on the basis of disability--
    (i) Deny a qualified individual with disabilities the opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit(s), or service(s);
    (ii) Afford a qualified individual with disabilities an opportunity 
to participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit(s), or service(s) 
that are not equal to that afforded others;
    (iii) Provide a qualified individual with disabilities with an aid, 
benefit(s), or service(s) that are not as effective in affording equal 
opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to 
reach the same level of achievement as that provided to others;
    (iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to 
individuals with disabilities or to any class of individuals with 
disabilities than are provided to others unless such action is necessary 
to provide qualified individuals with disabilities with aid, benefits, 
or services that are as effective as those provided to others:
    (v) Deny a qualified individual with disabilities the opportunity to 
participate as a member of planning or advisory boards or committees; or
    (vi) Otherwise limit a qualified individual with disabilities in the 
enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by 
others receiving the aid, benefit(s), or service(s).
    (2) The Agency shall not deny a qualified individual with 
disabilities the opportunity to participate in programs or activities 
that are not separate or different, despite the existence of permissibly 
separate or different programs or activities.
    (3) The Agency shall not, directly or through contractual or other 
arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration the purpose 
or effect of which would--
    (i) Subject qualified individuals with disabilities to 
discrimination on the basis of disability; or
    (ii) Defeat or substantially impair accomplishment of the objectives 
of a program or activity with respect to individuals with disabilities.
    (4) The Agency shall not in determining the site or location of a 
facility or activity make selections the purpose or effect of which 
would--
    (i) Exclude individuals with disabilities from, deny them the 
benefits of, or otherwise subject them to discrimination under any 
program or activity conducted by the Agency; or
    (ii) Defeat or substantially impair the accomplishment of the 
objectives of a program or activity with respect to individuals with 
disabilities.
    (5) The Agency, in the selection of procurement contractors, shall 
not use criteria that subject qualified individuals with disabilities to 
discrimination on the basis of disability.
    (c) The exclusion of non-disabled persons from the benefits of a 
program limited by Federal statute or Executive order to individuals 
with disabilities or the exclusion of a specific class of individuals 
with disabilities from a program limited by Federal statute or Executive 
order to a different class of individuals with disabilities is not 
prohibited by this part.
    (d) The Agency shall administer programs and activities in the most 
integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals 
with disabilities.



Sec.  707.7  Employment.

    No qualified individual with disabilities shall, on the basis of 
disability, be subjected to discrimination in employment under any 
program or activity conducted by the Agency. The definitions, 
requirements, and procedures of section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 
1973 (29 U.S.C. 791), as established by the Equal Employment Opportunity 
Commission in 29 CFR 1614.101 through 1614.110, shall apply to 
employment in programs or activities conducted by the Agency.

[[Page 280]]



Sec.  707.8  Physical access.

    (a) Discrimination prohibited. Except as otherwise provided in this 
section, no qualified individual with disabilities shall, because the 
Agency's facilities are inaccessible to or unusable by individuals with 
disabilities, be denied the benefits of, be excluded from participation 
in, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or 
activity conducted by the Agency.
    (b) Existing facilities-program access--(1) Existing facilities 
defined. For the purpose of this section, existing facilities means 
those facilities owned, leased or used through some other arrangement by 
the Agency on March 28, 1990.
    (2) General. The Agency shall operate each program or activity 
conducted in an existing facility so that the program or activity, when 
viewed in its entirety, is readily accessible to and usable by 
individuals with disabilities. This paragraph does not--
    (i) Necessarily require the Agency to make each of its existing 
facilities accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities
    (ii) Require the Agency to take any action that it can demonstrate 
would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or 
activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. In those 
circumstances where Agency personnel believe that the proposed action 
would fundamentally alter the program or activity or would result in 
undue financial and administrative burdens, the Agency has the burden of 
proving that compliance with this paragraph would result in such 
alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would result in such 
alteration or burdens must be made by the Staff Director or his or her 
designee after considering all Agency resources available for use in the 
funding and operation of the conducted program or activity, and must be 
accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that 
conclusion. If an action would result in such an alteration or such 
burdens, the Agency shall take any other action that would not result in 
such an alteration or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that 
individuals with disabilities receive the benefits and services of the 
program or activity.
    (3) Methods. (i) The Agency may comply with the requirements of this 
section through such means as redesign of equipment, reassignment of 
services to accessible buildings, assignment of aides to individuals 
with disabilities, delivery of services at alternative accessible sites, 
alteration of existing facilities and construction of new facilities, 
use of accessible vehicles, or any other methods that result in making 
its program or activities readily accessible to and usable by 
individuals with disabilities.
    (ii) The Agency is not required to make structural changes in 
existing facilities where other methods are effective in achieving 
compliance with paragraph (b)(2) of this section. The Agency, in making 
alterations to existing buildings to achieve program accessibility, 
shall meet accessibility requirements imposed by the Architectural 
Barriers Act of 1968, 42 U.S.C. 4151 through 4157,
    (iii) In choosing among available methods for meeting the 
requirements of this section, the Agency shall give priority to those 
methods that offer programs and activities to qualified individuals with 
disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of 
qualified individuals with disabilities.
    (4) Time period for compliance. The Agency shall comply with the 
obligations established under this section before April 17, 1990, except 
that where structural changes in facilities are undertaken, such changes 
shall be made before February 16, 1993, but in any event as 
expeditiously as possible.
    (5) Transition plan. In the event that structural changes to 
facilities will be undertaken to achieve program accessibility, the 
Agency shall develop, before August 16, 1990, a transition plan setting 
forth the steps necessary to complete such changes. The Agency shall 
provide an opportunity to interested persons, including individuals with 
disabilities and organizations representing individuals with 
disabilities, to participate in the development of the transition plan 
by submitting comments (both oral and written). A copy of the transition 
plan shall be made

[[Page 281]]

available for public inspection. The plan shall, at a minimum--
    (i) Identify physical obstacles in the Agency's facilities that 
limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to individuals 
with disabilities;
    (ii) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the 
facilities accessible;
    (iii) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve 
compliance with this paragraph and, if the time period of the transition 
plan is longer than 1 year, identify steps that will be taken during 
each year of the transition period; and
    (iv) Indicate the official response for implementation of the plan.
    (6) The Agency shall provide signs at a primary entrance to each of 
its inaccessible facilities, directing users to a location at which they 
can obtain information about accessible facilities. The international 
symbol for accessibility shall be used at each primary entrance of an 
accessible facility.
    (c) New purchases, leases, or other arrangements. (1) Any building 
or facility acquired after March 28, 1990, whether by purchase, lease 
(other than lease renewal), or any other arrangement, shall be readily 
accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.
    (2) Nothing in this paragraph requires the Agency to take any action 
that it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the 
nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and administrative 
burdens. In those circumstances where Agency personnel believe that the 
proposed action would fundamentally alter the program or activity or 
would result in undue financial and administrative burdens, the Agency 
has the burden of proving that compliance with this paragraph would 
result in such alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would 
result in such alteration or burdens must be made by the Staff Director 
or his or her designee after considering all Agency resources available 
for use in the funding and operation of the conducted program or 
activity, and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons 
for reaching that conclusion. If an action would result in such an 
alteration or such burdens, the Agency shall take any other action that 
would not result in such an alteration or such burdens but would 
nevertheless ensure that individuals with disabilities receive the 
benefits and services of the program or activity.
    (d) New construction and alterations. Each building or part of a 
building that is constructed or altered by, on behalf of, or for the use 
of the Agency shall be designed, constructed, or altered so as to be 
readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities in 
accordance with the requirements imposed by the Architectural Barriers 
Act of 1968, 42 U.S.C. 4151 through 4157.



Sec.  707.9  Access to communications.

    (a) Discrimination prohibited. Except as otherwise provided in this 
section, no qualified individual with disabilities shall, because the 
Agency's communications are inaccessible to or unusable by individuals 
with disabilities, be denied the benefits of, be excluded from 
participation in, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any 
program or activity conducted by the Agency.
    (b) The Agency shall take appropriate steps to ensure effective 
communication with applicants, participants, personnel of other Federal 
entities, and members of the public.
    (c) Specific requirements regarding oral communications--(1) 
Telecommunications devices for deaf persons. (i) The Agency headquarters 
and each regional office shall maintain and reliably answer at least one 
telecommunications device for deaf persons (TDD) or equally effective 
telecommunications device.
    (ii) The Agency shall ensure that all Agency letterhead, forms, and 
other documents listing any Agency telephone number list the appropriate 
TDD numbers.
    (2) Interpreter service. (i) The Agency shall establish a reliable 
system for the provision of qualified interpreters to individuals with 
disabilities for Agency programs or activities. This provision does not 
require the Agency to have an interpreter on staff, but does require the 
Agency to be able to provide a qualified interpreter on reasonable 
notice.
    (ii) Notice of the availability of interpreter service shall be 
included in

[[Page 282]]

all announcements notifying the public of Agency activities to which the 
public is invited or which it is permitted to attend, including but not 
limited to the Commission's meetings, consultations, hearings, press 
conferences, and State Advisory Committee conferences and meetings. This 
notice shall designate the Agency official(s) and the address, telephone 
and TDD number to call to request interpreter services.
    (d) Specific requirements for printed communications. (1) The Agency 
shall establish a system to provide to individuals with disabilities 
appropriate reader or taping service for all Agency publications that 
are available to the public. This provision does not require the Agency 
to have a reader or taper on staff, but does require the Agency to be 
able to provide appropriate reader or taping service within a reasonable 
time and on reasonable notice. The Agency shall effectively notify 
qualified individuals with disabilities of the availability of reader or 
taping services.
    (2) Notice of the availability of reader or taping service shall be 
included in all publications that are available to the public. This 
notice shall designate the Agency official(s) and the address, 
telephone, and TDD number to call to request interpreter services.
    (e) Nothing in this section or Sec.  707.10 requires the Agency to 
take any action that it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental 
alteration in the nature of a program or activity or in undue financial 
and administrative burdens. In those circumstances where Agency 
personnel believe that the proposed action would fundamentally alter the 
program or activity or would result in undue financial and 
administrative burdens, the Agency has the burden of proving that 
compliance with this section or Sec.  707.10 would result in such 
alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would result in such 
alteration or burdens must be made by the Staff Director or his or her 
designee after considering all Agency resources available for use in the 
funding and operation of the conducted program or activity and must be 
accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that 
conclusion. If an action required to comply with this paragraph would 
result in such an alteration or such burdens, the Agency shall take any 
other action that would not result in such an alteration or such burdens 
but would nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, 
individuals with disabilities receive the benefits and services of the 
program or activity.



Sec.  707.10  Auxiliary aids.

    (a) The Agency shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids where 
necessary to afford an individual with disabilities an equal opportunity 
to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a program or activity 
conducted by the Agency.
    (b) In determining what type of auxiliary aid is necessary, the 
Agency shall give primary consideration to the requests of the 
individual with disabilities.
    (c) The Agency need not provide individually prescribed devices, 
readers for personal use or study, or other devices of a personal 
nature.



Sec.  707.11  Eliminating discriminatory qualifications and selection
criteria.

    The Agency shall not make use of any qualification standard, 
eligibility requirement, or selection criterion that excludes particular 
classes of individuals with disabilities from an Agency program or 
activity merely because the persons are disabled, without regard to an 
individual's actual ability to participate. An irrebuttable presumption 
of inability to participate based upon a disability shall be permissible 
only if the condition would, in all instances, prevent an individual 
from meeting the essential eligibility requirements for participating 
in, or receiving the benefits of, the particular program or activity.



Sec.  707.12  Compliance procedures.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this 
section applies to all allegations of discrimination on the basis of 
disability in programs or activities conducted by the Agency.
    (b) The Agency shall process complaints alleging violations of 
section 504 with respect to employment according to the procedures 
established in 29 U.S.C. 791 by the Equal Employment Opportunity 
Commission in 29 CFR part 1613 pursuant to section 501 of the

[[Page 283]]

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791).
    (c) Responsibility for implementation and operation of this section 
shall be vested in the Office of General Counsel.
    (d) The Agency shall accept and investigate all complete complaints 
for which it has jurisdiction. All complete complaints must be filed 
within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination. The Agency may 
extend this time period for good cause.
    (e) If the Agency receives a complaint over which it does not have 
jurisdiction, it shall promptly notify the complainant and shall make 
reasonable efforts to refer the complaint to the appropriate Government 
entity.
    (f) The Agency shall notify the Architectural and Transportation 
Barriers Compliance Board upon receipt of any complaint alleging that a 
building or facility that is subject to the Architectural Barriers Act 
of 1968, 42 U.S.C. 4151 through 4157, is not readily accessible to and 
usable by individuals with disabilities.
    (g) Within 180 days of the receipt of a complete complaint for which 
it has jurisdiction, the Agency shall notify the complainant of the 
results of the investigation in a letter containing--
    (1) Findings of fact and conclusions of law;
    (2) A description of a remedy for each violation found; and
    (3) A notice of the right to appeal.
    (h) Appeals of the findings of fact and conclusions of law or 
remedies must be filed by the complainant within 90 days of receipt from 
the Agency of the letter required by paragraph (g) of this section. The 
Staff Director may extend this time for good cause.
    (i) Timely appeals shall be accepted and processed by the Staff 
Director or the Staff Director's designee.
    (j) The Agency shall notify the complainant in writing of the 
results of the appeal within 60 days of the receipt of the request. If 
the head of the Agency determines that additional information is needed 
from the complainant, it shall have 60 days from the date it receives 
the additional information to make its determination on the appeal.
    (k) The time limits cited in paragraphs (d), (g), (h), and (j) of 
this section may be extended for an individual case when the Staff 
Director determines that there is good cause, based on the particular 
circumstances of that case, for the extension.
    (l) The Agency may delegate its authority for conducting complaint 
investigations to other Federal agencies; however, the authority for 
making the final determination may not be delegated to another Agency.



PART 708_COLLECTION BY SALARY OFFSET FROM INDEBTED CURRENT AND FORMER
EMPLOYEES--Table of Contents



Sec.
708.1 Purpose and scope.
708.2 Policy.
708.3 Definitions.
708.4 Applicability.
708.5 Notice.
708.6 Petitions for hearing.
708.7 Hearing procedures.
708.8 Written decision.
708.9 Coordinating offset with another Federal agency.
708.10 Procedures for salary offset.
708.11 Refunds.
708.12 Statute of limitations.
708.13 Non-waiver of rights by payments.
708.14 Interest, penalties, and administrative costs.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5514.

    Source: 67 FR 70482, Nov. 22, 2002, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  708.1  Purpose and scope.

    (a) The regulations in this part provide the procedure pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 5514 and 5 CFR 550.1101 through 550.1110 for the collection by 
administrative offset of a Federal employee's salary without his or her 
consent to satisfy certain debts owed to the Federal government. This 
procedure applies to all Federal employees who owe debts to the U.S. 
Commission on Civil Rights (Commission). This provision does not apply 
when the employee consents to recovery from his or her current pay 
account.
    (b) This procedure does not apply to debts or claims arising under:
    (1) The Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.);
    (2) The Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.);

[[Page 284]]

    (3) The tariff laws of the United States; or
    (4) To any case where collection of a debt by salary offset is 
explicitly provided for or prohibited by another statute (e.g., travel 
advances in 5 U.S.C. 5705 and employee training expenses in 5 U.S.C. 
4108).
    (c) The Commission shall except from salary offset provisions any 
adjustments to pay arising out of an employee's election of coverage or 
a change in coverage under a Federal benefits programs requiring 
periodic payroll deductions from pay, if the amount to be recovered was 
accumulated over four pay periods or less.
    (d) These procedures do not preclude an employee or former employee 
from requesting a waiver of a salary overpayment under 5 U.S.C. 5584 or 
10 U.S.C. 2774 or in any way questioning the amount or validity of the 
debt by submitting a subsequent claim to the General Accounting Office 
(GAO) in accordance with procedures prescribed by the GAO. In addition, 
this procedure does not preclude an employee from requesting a waiver 
pursuant to other statutory provisions applicable to the particular debt 
being collected.



Sec.  708.2  Policy.

    It is the policy of the Commission to apply the procedures in the 
regulations in this part uniformly and consistently in the collection of 
internal debts from its current and former employees.



Sec.  708.3  Definitions.

    For the purposes of the regulations in this part the following 
definitions apply:
    (a) Agency means:
    (1) An Executive agency as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105, including the 
U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Postal Rate Commission;
    (2) A military department as defined in 5 U.S.C. 102;
    (3) An agency or court in the judicial branch, including a court as 
defined in 28 U.S.C. 610, the District Court for the Northern Mariana 
Islands, and the Judicial panel on Multidistrict Litigation;
    (4) An agency of the legislative branch, including the U.S. Senate 
and the U.S. House of Representatives; and
    (5) Other independent establishments that are entities of the 
Federal Government.
    (b) Creditor agency means the agency to which the debt is owed.
    (c) Debt means an amount owed to the United States from sources, 
which include loans insured or guaranteed by the United States and 
amounts due the United States from fees, leases, rents, royalties, 
services, sales of real or personal property, overpayments, penalties, 
damages, interest, fines and forfeitures (except those arising under the 
Uniform Code of Military Justice), and all other similar sources.
    (d) Deputy Staff Director means the Deputy Staff Director of the 
Commission or in his or her absence, or in the event of a vacancy in the 
position or its elimination, the Director of Human Resources.
    (e) Disposable pay means that part of current basic pay, special 
pay, incentive pay, retired pay, retainer pay, or in the case of an 
employee not entitled to basic pay, other authorized pay remaining from 
an employee's Federal pay after required deductions for social security, 
Federal, state or local income tax, health insurance premiums, 
retirement contributions, life insurance premiums, Federal employment 
taxes, and any other deductions that are required to be withheld by law.
    (f) Employee means a current employee of an agency, including a 
current member of the Armed Forces or a Reserve of the Armed Forces 
(Reserves).
    (g) Former employee means an employee who is no longer employed with 
the Commission but is currently employed with another Federal agency.
    (h) FCCS means the Federal Claims Collection Standards jointly 
published by the Department of Justice and the General Accounting Office 
at 4 CFR chapter I.
    (i) Hearing official means an individual responsible for conducting 
any hearing with respect to the existence or amount of a debt claimed, 
and who renders a decision on the basis of such hearing. A hearing 
official may not be under the supervision or control of the Deputy Staff 
Director of the Commission.

[[Page 285]]

    (j) Paying agency means the agency employing the individual who owes 
the debt and is responsible for authorizing the payment of his or her 
current pay.
    (k) Pay interval will normally be the biweekly pay period but may be 
some regularly recurring period of time in which pay is received.
    (l) Retainer pay means the pay above the maximum rate of an 
employee's grade that he or she is allowed to keep in special situations 
rather than having the employee's rate of basic pay reduced.
    (m) Salary offset means an administrative offset to collect a debt 
under 5 U.S.C. 5514 by deduction(s) at one or more officially 
established pay intervals from the current pay account of an employee 
without his or her consent.
    (n) Waiver means the cancellation, remission, forgiveness, or non-
recovery of a debt allegedly owed by an employee to an agency as 
permitted or required by 5 U.S.C. 5584, 10 U.S.C. 2774, or 5 U.S.C. 
8346(b), or any other law.



Sec.  708.4  Applicability.

    The regulations in this part are to be followed when:
    (a) The Commission is owed a debt by an individual who is a current 
employee of the Commission; or
    (b) The Commission is owed a debt by an individual currently 
employed by another Federal agency; or
    (c) The Commission employs an individual who owes a debt to another 
Federal agency.



Sec.  708.5  Notice.

    (a) Deductions shall not be made unless the employee who owes the 
debt has been provided with written notice signed by the Deputy Staff 
Director or in his or her absence, or in the event of a vacancy in that 
position or its elimination, the Director of Human Resources (or the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Finance Center acting on behalf 
of the Commission) of the debt at least 30 days before salary offset 
commences.
    (b) The written notice from the Deputy Staff Director, acting on 
behalf of the Commission, as the creditor agency, shall contain:
    (1) A statement that the debt is owed and an explanation of its 
origin, nature, and amount;
    (2) The agency's intention to collect the debt by deducting from the 
employee's current disposable pay account;
    (3) The amount, frequency, proposed beginning date, and duration of 
the intended deduction(s);
    (4) An explanation of the requirements concerning the current 
interest rate, penalties, and administrative costs, including a 
statement that such charges will be assessed unless excused in 
accordance with the Federal Claims Collections Standards (4 CFR chapter 
I);
    (5) The employee's right to inspect, request, or receive a copy of 
the government records relating to the debt;
    (6) The employee's right to enter into a written repayment schedule 
for the voluntary repayment of the debt in lieu of offset;
    (7) The right to a hearing conducted by an impartial hearing 
official (either an administrative law judge or an official who is not 
under the control of the Commission);
    (8) The method and time period for petitioning for a hearing;
    (9) A statement that the timely filing (i.e., within 15 calendar 
days) of a petition for a hearing will stay the commencement of 
collection proceedings;
    (10) A statement that a final decision on the hearing (if one is 
requested) will be issued at the earliest practical date but not later 
than 60 days after the filing of the petition requesting the hearing 
unless the employee requests and the hearing official grants a delay in 
the proceedings.
    (11) A statement that an employee knowingly submitting false or 
frivolous statements (5 CFR 550.1101), representations, or evidence may 
subject the employee to disciplinary procedures under 5 U.S.C. 7501 et 
seq. and 5 CFR part 752; penalties under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. 
3729-3731; or criminal penalties under 18 U.S.C. 286, 287, 1001, and 
1002;
    (12) A statement of other rights and remedies available to the 
employee under statutes or regulations governing the program for which 
the collection is being made;

[[Page 286]]

    (13) A statement that an employee will be promptly refunded any 
amount paid or deducted for a debt that is later waived or found not 
valid unless there are applicable contractual or statutory provisions to 
the contrary; and
    (14) The name, address, and phone number of an official who can be 
contacted concerning the indebtedness.



Sec.  708.6  Petitions for hearing.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, an employee 
who wants a hearing must file a written petition for a hearing to be 
received by the Deputy Staff Director not later than 15 calendar days 
from the date of receipt of the Notice of Offset. The petition must 
state why the employee believes the determination of the Commission 
concerning the existence or amount of the debt is in error.
    (b) The petition must be signed by the employee and should identify 
and explain with reasonable specificity and brevity the facts, evidence, 
and witnesses that the employee believes support his or her position.
    (c) If the employee objects to the percentage of disposable pay to 
be deducted from each check, the petition should state the objection and 
the reasons for it.
    (d) If the employee files a petition for a hearing later than the 15 
calendar days from the date of receipt of the Notice of Offset, as 
described in paragraph (a) of this section, the hearing official may 
accept the request if the employee can show that there was good cause 
(such as due to circumstances beyond his or her control or because he or 
she was not informed or aware of the time limit) for failing to meet the 
deadline date.
    (e) An employee will not be granted a hearing and will have his or 
her disposable pay offset in accordance with the Deputy Staff Director's 
offset schedule if he or she fails to show good cause why he or she 
failed to file the petition for a hearing within the stated time limits.



Sec.  708.7  Hearing procedures.

    (a) If an employee timely files a petition for a hearing under Sec.  
708.6, the Deputy Staff Director shall select the time, date, and 
location for the hearing.
    (b) The hearing shall be conducted by an impartial hearing official.
    (c) The Commission, as the creditor agency, will have the burden of 
proving the existence of the debt.
    (d) The employee requesting the hearing shall have the burden of 
proof to demonstrate that the existence or amount of the debt is in 
error.



Sec.  708.8  Written decision.

    (a) The hearing official shall issue a written opinion no later than 
sixty (60) days after the filing of the petition for hearing; or no 
longer than sixty (60) days from the proceedings if an extension has 
been granted pursuant to Sec.  708.5(b)(10).
    (b) The written opinion will include: A statement of the facts 
presented to demonstrate the nature and origin of the alleged debt; the 
hearing official's analysis, findings, and conclusions; the amount and 
validity of the debt; and, if applicable, the repayment schedule.



Sec.  708.9  Coordinating offset with another Federal agency.

    (a) The Commission is the creditor agency when the Deputy Staff 
Director determines that an employee of another Federal agency owes a 
delinquent debt to the Commission. The Deputy Staff Director shall, as 
appropriate:
    (1) Arrange for a hearing upon the proper petitioning by the 
employee;
    (2) Certify in writing that the employee of the paying agency owes 
the debt, the amount, and basis of the debt, the date on which payment 
is due, the date the Government's right to collect the debt first 
accrued, and that the Commission's regulations for salary offset have 
been approved by the Office of Personnel Management;
    (3) If the collection must be made in installments, the Commission, 
as the creditor agency, will advise the paying agency of the amount or 
percentage of disposable pay to be collected in each installment and the 
number and the commencement date of the installments;
    (4) Advise the paying agency of the actions taken under 5 U.S.C. 
5514(a) and provide the dates on which action was taken, unless the 
employee has

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consented to salary offset in writing or signed a statement 
acknowledging receipt of procedures required by law. The written consent 
or acknowledgement must be sent to the paying agency;
    (5) If the employee is in the process of separating, the Commission 
will submit its debt claim to the paying agency as provided in this 
part. The paying agency must certify any amounts already collected, 
notify the employee, and send a copy of the certification of the monies 
already collected and notice of the employee's separation to the 
Commission. If the paying agency is aware that the employee is entitled 
to Civil Service or Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund or 
similar payments, it must provide written notification to the agency has 
been rendered in favor of the Commission.
    (6) If the employee has already separated and all payments due from 
the paying agency have been paid, the Assistant Staff Director for 
Management may request, unless otherwise prohibited, that money payable 
to the employee from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund or 
other similar funds be collected by administrative offset. The 
Commission will provide the agency responsible for these payments with a 
properly certified claim.
    (b) The Commission is the paying agency when an employee of this 
agency owes a debt to another Federal agency that is the creditor 
agency.
    (1) Upon receipt of a properly certified debt claim from a creditor 
agency, deductions will be scheduled to begin at the next established 
pay interval.
    (2) The Commission must give the employee written notice that it has 
received a certified debt claim from a creditor agency (including the 
amount), and the date that deductions will be scheduled to begin and the 
amount of the deduction.
    (3) The Commission shall not review the merits of the creditor 
agency's determination of the amount of the certified claim or of its 
validity.
    (4) If the employee transfers to another paying agency after the 
creditor agency has submitted its debt claim but before the debt is 
collected completely, the Commission must certify the total amount 
collected to the creditor agency with notice of the employee's transfer. 
One copy of this certification must be furnished to the employee. The 
creditor agency will submit a properly certified claim to the new paying 
agency before collection can be resumed.
    (5) When the Commission, as a paying agency, receives an incomplete 
debt claim from a creditor agency, it must return the debt claim with a 
notice that procedures under 5 U.S.C. 5514 and this subpart must be 
provided and a properly certified debt claim received before action will 
be taken to collect from the employee's current pay account.



Sec.  708.10  Procedures for salary offset.

    (a) Deductions to liquidate an employee's debt will be by the method 
and in the amount stated in the Assistant Staff Director for 
Management's written notice of intent to collect from the employee's 
current pay, unless alternative arrangements for repayment are made.
    (b) If the employee filed a petition for a hearing with the 
Assistant Staff Director for Management before the expiration of the 
period provided, then deductions will begin after the hearing official 
has provided the employee with a hearing, and a final written decision 
has been rendered in favor of the Commission.
    (c) A debt will be collected in a lump-sum if possible.
    (d) If an employee is financially unable to pay in one lump sum or 
the amount of the debt exceeds 15 percent of disposable pay for an 
officially established pay interval, collection must be made in 
installments. The size of the installment deduction(s) will bear a 
reasonable relationship to the size of the debt and the deduction will 
be established for a period not greater than the anticipated period of 
employment. The deduction for the pay intervals for any period must not 
exceed 15% of disposable pay unless the employee has agreed in writing 
to a deduction of a greater amount. If possible, the installment payment 
will be sufficient in size and frequency to liquidate the debt in no 
more than three years.

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    (e) Installment payments may be less than 15 percent of disposable 
pay if the Assistant Staff Director for Management determines that the 
15 percent deduction would create an extreme financial hardship.
    (f) Installment payments of less than $25.00 per pay period or 
$50.00 per month, will only be accepted in the most unusual 
circumstances.
    (g) Unliquidated debts may be offset by the paying agency under 31 
U.S.C. 3716 against any financial payment due to a separating employee 
including but not limited to final salary payment, retired pay, or lump 
sum leave, etc. as of the date of separation to the extent necessary to 
liquidate the debt.
    (h) If the debt cannot be liquidated by offset from any final 
payment due a separated employee it may be recovered by the offset in 
accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3716 from any later payments due the former 
employee from the United States.



Sec.  708.11  Refunds.

    (a) The Commission will refund promptly any amounts deducted to 
satisfy debts owned to the Commission when the debt is waived, found not 
owed to the Commission, or when directed by an administrative or 
judicial order; or the creditor agency will promptly return any amounts 
deducted and forwarded by the Commission to satisfy debts owed to the 
creditor agency when the debt is waived, found not owed, or when 
directed by an administrative or judicial order.
    (b) Upon receipt of monies returned in accordance with paragraph (a) 
of this section, the Commission will refund the amount to the current or 
former employee.
    (c) Unless required by law, refunds under this section shall not 
bear interest nor shall liability be conferred to the Commission for 
debt or refunds owed by other creditor agencies.



Sec.  708.12  Statute of limitations.

    If a debt has been outstanding for more than 10 years after the 
agency's right to collect the debt first accrued, the agency may not 
collect by salary offset unless facts material to the government's right 
to collect were not known and could not reasonably have been known by 
the official or officials who were charged with the responsibility for 
discovery and collection of such debts.



Sec.  708.13  Non-waiver of rights by payments.

    An employee's involuntary payment of all or any part of a debt 
collected under the regulations in this part will not be construed as a 
waiver of any rights that employee may have under 5 U.S.C. 5514 or any 
other provision of contract or law unless there are statutory or 
contractual provisions to the contrary.



Sec.  708.14  Interest, penalties, and administrative costs.

    Charges may be assessed for interest, penalties, and administrative 
costs.

                        PARTS 709	799 [RESERVED]

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              CHAPTER VIII--OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT




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Part                                                                Page
800             Multi-State Plan Program....................         291
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PART 800_MULTI-STATE PLAN PROGRAM--Table of Contents



              Subpart A_General Provisions and Definitions

Sec.
800.10 Basis and scope.
800.20 Definitions.

         Subpart B_Multi-State Plan Program Issuer Requirements

800.101 General requirements.
800.102 Compliance with Federal law.
800.103 Authority to contract with issuers.
800.104 Phased expansion, etc.
800.105 Benefits.
800.106 Cost-sharing limits, advance payments of premium tax credits, 
          and cost-sharing reductions.
800.107 Levels of coverage.
800.108 Assessments and user fees.
800.109 Network adequacy.
800.110 Service area.
800.111 Accreditation requirement.
800.112 Reporting requirements.
800.113 Benefit plan material or information.
800.114 Compliance with applicable State law.
800.115 Level playing field.
800.116 Process for dispute resolution.

   Subpart C_Premiums, Rating Factors, Medical Loss Ratios, and Risk 
                               Adjustment

800.201 General requirements.
800.202 Rating factors.
800.203 Medical loss ratio.
800.204 Reinsurance, risk corridors, and risk adjustment.

            Subpart D_Application and Contracting Procedures

800.301 Application process.
800.302 Review of applications.
800.303 MSP Program contracting.
800.304 Term of the contract.
800.305 Contract renewal process.
800.306 Nonrenewal.

                          Subpart E_Compliance

800.401 Contract performance.
800.402 Contract quality assurance.
800.403 Fraud and abuse.
800.404 Compliance actions.
800.405 Reconsideration of compliance actions.

   Subpart F_Appeals by Enrollees of Denials of Claims for Payment or 
                                 Service

800.501 General requirements.
800.502 MSP issuer internal claims and appeals.
800.503 External review.
800.504 Judicial review.

                         Subpart G_Miscellaneous

800.601 Reservation of authority.
800.602 Consumer choice with respect to certain services.
800.603 Disclosure of information.

    Authority: Sec. 1334 of Pub. L. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119; Pub. L. 111-
152, 124 Stat. 1029 (42 U.S.C. 18054).

    Source: 80 FR 9655, Feb. 24, 2015; 80 FR 16577, Mar. 30, 2015, 
unless otherwise noted.



              Subpart A_General Provisions and Definitions



Sec.  800.10  Basis and scope.

    (a) Basis. This part is based on the following sections of title I 
of the Affordable Care Act:
    (1) 1001. Amendments to the Public Health Service Act.
    (2) 1302. Essential Health Benefits Requirements.
    (3) 1311. Affordable Choices of Health Benefit Plans.
    (4) 1324. Level Playing Field.
    (5) 1334. Multi-State Plans.
    (6) 1341. Transitional Reinsurance Program for Individual Market in 
Each State.
    (7) 1342. Establishment of Risk Corridors for Plans in Individual 
and Small Group Markets.
    (8) 1343. Risk Adjustment.
    (b) Scope. This part establishes standards for health insurance 
issuers to contract with the United States Office of Personnel 
Management (OPM) to offer Multi-State Plan (MSP) options to provide 
health insurance coverage on Exchanges for each State. It also 
establishes standards for appeal of a decision by OPM affecting the 
issuer's participation in the MSP Program and standards for an enrollee 
in an MSP option to appeal denials of payment or services by an MSP 
issuer.



Sec.  800.20  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part:
    Actuarial value (AV) has the meaning given that term in 45 CFR 
156.20.
    Affordable Care Act means the Patient Protection and Affordable Care 
Act (Pub. L. 111-148), as amended by the

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Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-152).
    Applicant means an issuer or group of issuers that has submitted an 
application to OPM to be considered for participation in the Multi-State 
Plan Program.
    Benefit plan material or information means explanations or 
descriptions, whether printed or electronic, that describe a health 
insurance issuer's products. The term does not include a policy or 
contract for health insurance coverage.
    Cost sharing has the meaning given that term in 45 CFR 155.20.
    Director means the Director of the United States Office of Personnel 
Management.
    EHB-benchmark plan has the meaning given that term in 45 CFR 156.20.
    Exchange means a governmental agency or non-profit entity that meets 
the applicable requirements of 45 CFR part 155 and makes qualified 
health plans (QHPs) and MSP options available to qualified individuals 
and qualified employers. Unless otherwise identified, this term refers 
to State Exchanges, regional Exchanges, subsidiary Exchanges, and a 
Federally-facilitated Exchange.
    Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or FEHB Program means the 
health benefits program administered by the United States Office of 
Personnel Management pursuant to chapter 89 of title 5, United States 
Code.
    Group of issuers means:
    (1) A group of health insurance issuers that are affiliated either 
by common ownership and control or by common use of a nationally 
licensed service mark (as defined in this section); or
    (2) An affiliation of health insurance issuers and an entity that is 
not an issuer but that owns a nationally licensed service mark (as 
defined in this section).
    Health insurance coverage means benefits consisting of medical care 
(provided directly, through insurance or reimbursement, or otherwise) 
under any hospital or medical service policy or certificate, hospital or 
medical service plan contract, or health maintenance organization 
contract offered by a health insurance issuer. Health insurance coverage 
includes group health insurance coverage, individual health insurance 
coverage, and short-term, limited duration insurance.
    Health insurance issuer or issuer means an insurance company, 
insurance service, or insurance organization (including a health 
maintenance organization) that is required to be licensed to engage in 
the business of insurance in a State and that is subject to State law 
that regulates insurance (within the meaning of section 514(b)(2) of the 
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)). This term does not 
include a group health plan as defined in 45 CFR 146.145(a).
    HHS means the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
    Level of coverage means one of four standardized actuarial values of 
plan coverage as defined by section 1302(d)(1) of the Affordable Care 
Act.
    Licensure means the authorization obtained from the appropriate 
State official or regulatory authority to offer health insurance 
coverage in the State.
    Multi-State Plan option or MSP option means a discrete pairing of a 
package of benefits with particular cost sharing (which does not include 
premium rates or premium rate quotes) that is offered pursuant to a 
contract with OPM pursuant to section 1334 of the Affordable Care Act 
and meets the requirements of 45 CFR part 800.
    Multi-State Plan Program or MSP Program means the program 
administered by OPM pursuant to section 1334 of the Affordable Care Act.
    Multi-State Plan Program issuer or MSP issuer means a health 
insurance issuer or group of issuers (as defined in this section) that 
has a contract with OPM to offer health plans pursuant to section 1334 
of the Affordable Care Act and meets the requirements of this part.
    Nationally licensed service mark means a word, name, symbol, or 
device, or any combination thereof, that an issuer or group of issuers 
uses consistently nationwide to identify itself.
    Non-profit entity means:
    (1) An organization that is incorporated under State law as a non-
profit entity and licensed under State law as a health insurance issuer; 
or

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    (2) A group of health insurance issuers licensed under State law, a 
substantial portion of which are incorporated under State law as non-
profit entities.
    OPM means the United States Office of Personnel Management.
    Percentage of total allowed cost of benefits has the meaning given 
that term in 45 CFR 156.20.
    Plan year means a consecutive 12-month period during which a health 
plan provides coverage for health benefits. A plan year may be a 
calendar year or otherwise.
    Prompt payment means a requirement imposed on a health insurance 
issuer to pay a provider or enrollee for a claimed benefit or service 
within a defined time period, including the penalty or consequence 
imposed on the issuer for failure to meet the requirement.
    Qualified Health Plan or QHP means a health plan that has in effect 
a certification that it meets the standards described in subpart C of 45 
CFR part 156 issued or recognized by each Exchange through which such 
plan is offered pursuant to the process described in subpart K of 45 CFR 
part 155.
    Rating means the process, including rating factors, numbers, 
formulas, methodologies, and actuarial assumptions, used to set premiums 
for a health plan.
    Secretary means the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human 
Services.
    SHOP means a Small Business Health Options Program operated by an 
Exchange through which a qualified employer can provide its employees 
and their dependents with access to one or more qualified health plans 
(QHPs).
    Silver plan variation has the meaning given that term in 45 CFR 
156.400.
    Small employer means, in connection with a group health plan with 
respect to a calendar year and a plan year, an employer who employed an 
average of at least one but not more than 100 employees on business days 
during the preceding calendar year and who employs at least one employee 
on the first day of the plan year. In the case of plan years beginning 
before January 1, 2016, a State may elect to define small employer by 
substituting ``50 employees'' for ``100 employees.''
    Standard plan has the meaning given that term in 45 CFR 156.400.
    State means each of the 50 States or the District of Columbia.
    State Insurance Commissioner means the commissioner or other chief 
insurance regulatory official of a State.
    State-level issuer means a health insurance issuer designated by the 
Multi-State Plan (MSP) issuer to offer an MSP option or MSP options. The 
State-level issuer may offer health insurance coverage through an MSP 
option in all or part of one or more States.



         Subpart B_Multi-State Plan Program Issuer Requirements



Sec.  800.101  General requirements.

    An MSP issuer must:
    (a) Licensed. Be licensed as a health insurance issuer in each State 
where it offers health insurance coverage;
    (b) Contract with OPM. Have a contract with OPM pursuant to this 
part;
    (c) Required levels of coverage. Offer levels of coverage as 
required by Sec.  800.107 of this part;
    (d) Eligibility and enrollment. MSP options and MSP issuers must 
meet the same requirements for eligibility, enrollment, and termination 
of coverage as those that apply to QHPs and QHP issuers pursuant to 45 
CFR part 155, subparts D, E, and H, and 45 CFR 156.250, 156.260, 
156.265, 156.270, and 156.285;
    (e) Applicable to each MSP issuer. Ensure that each of its MSP 
options meets the requirements of this part;
    (f) Compliance. Comply with all standards set forth in this part;
    (g) OPM direction and other legal requirements. Timely comply with 
OPM instructions and directions and with other applicable law; and
    (h) Other requirements. Meet such other requirements as determined 
appropriate by OPM, in consultation with HHS, pursuant to section 
1334(b)(4) of the Affordable Care Act.
    (i) Non-discrimination. MSP options and MSP issuers must comply with 
applicable Federal and State non-discrimination laws, including the 
standards set forth in 45 CFR 156.125 and 156.200(e).

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Sec.  800.102  Compliance with Federal law.

    (a) Public Health Service Act. As a condition of participation in 
the MSP Program, an MSP issuer must comply with applicable provisions of 
part A of title XXVII of the PHS Act. Compliance shall be determined by 
the Director.
    (b) Affordable Care Act. As a condition of participation in the MSP 
Program, an MSP issuer must comply with applicable provisions of title I 
of the Affordable Care Act. Compliance shall be determined by the 
Director.



Sec.  800.103  Authority to contract with issuers.

    (a) General. OPM may enter into contracts with health insurance 
issuers to offer at least two MSP options on Exchanges and SHOPs in each 
State, without regard to any statutes that would otherwise require 
competitive bidding.
    (b) Non-profit entity. In entering into contracts with health 
insurance issuers to offer MSP options, OPM will enter into a contract 
with at least one non-profit entity as defined in Sec.  800.20 of this 
part.
    (c) Group of issuers. Any contract to offer MSP options may be with 
a group of issuers as defined in Sec.  800.20 of this part.
    (d) Individual and group coverage. The contracts will provide for 
individual health insurance coverage and for group health insurance 
coverage for small employers.



Sec.  800.104  Phased expansion, etc.

    (a) Phase-in. OPM may enter into a contract with a health insurance 
issuer to offer MSP options if the health insurance issuer agrees that:
    (1) With respect to the first year for which the health insurance 
issuer offers MSP options, the health insurance issuer will offer MSP 
options in at least 60 percent of the States;
    (2) With respect to the second such year, the health insurance 
issuer will offer the MSP options in at least 70 percent of the States;
    (3) With respect to the third such year, the health insurance issuer 
will offer the MSP options in at least 85 percent of the States; and
    (4) With respect to each subsequent year, the health insurance 
issuer will offer the MSP options in all States.
    (b) Partial coverage within a State. (1) OPM may enter into a 
contract with an MSP issuer even if the MSP issuer's MSP options for a 
State cover fewer than all the service areas specified for that State 
pursuant to Sec.  800.110 of this part.
    (2) If an issuer offers both an MSP option and QHP on the same 
Exchange, an MSP issuer must offer MSP coverage in a service area or 
areas that is equal to the greater of:
    (i) The QHP service area defined by the issuer or,
    (ii) The service area specified for that State pursuant to Sec.  
800.110 of this part covered by the issuer's QHP.
    (c) Participation in SHOPs. (1) An MSP issuer's participation in a 
Federally-facilitated SHOP must be consistent with the requirements for 
QHP issuers specified in 45 CFR 156.200(g).
    (2) An MSP issuer must comply with State standards governing 
participation in a State-based SHOP, consistent with Sec.  800.114. For 
these State-based SHOP standards, OPM retains discretion to allow an MSP 
issuer to phase-in SHOP participation in States pursuant to section 
1334(e) of the Affordable Care Act.
    (d) Licensed where offered. OPM may enter into a contract with an 
MSP issuer who is not licensed in every State, provided that the issuer 
is licensed in every State where it offers MSP coverage through any 
Exchanges in that State and demonstrates to OPM that it is making a good 
faith effort to become licensed in every State consistent with the 
timeframe in paragraph (a) of this section.



Sec.  800.105  Benefits.

    (a) Package of benefits. (1) An MSP issuer must offer a package of 
benefits that includes the essential health benefits (EHB) described in 
section 1302 of the Affordable Care Act for each MSP option within a 
State.
    (2) The package of benefits referred to in paragraph (a)(1) of this 
section must comply with section 1302 of the Affordable Care Act, as 
well as any applicable standards set by OPM and any applicable standards 
set by HHS.

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    (b) Package of benefits options. (1) An MSP issuer must offer at 
least one uniform package of benefits in each State that is 
substantially equal to:
    (i) The EHB-benchmark plan in each State in which it operates; or
    (ii) Any EHB-benchmark plan selected by OPM under paragraph (c) of 
this section.
    (2) An issuer applying to participate in the MSP Program may select 
either or both of the package of benefits options described in paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section in its application. In each State, the issuer may 
choose one EHB-benchmark for each product it offers.
    (3) An MSP issuer must comply with any State standards relating to 
substitution of benchmark benefits or standard benefit designs.
    (c) OPM selection of benchmark plans. (1) The OPM-selected EHB-
benchmark plans are the three largest Federal Employees Health Benefits 
(FEHB) Program plan options, as identified by HHS pursuant to section 
1302(b) of the Affordable Care Act, and as supplemented pursuant to 
paragraphs (c)(2) through (5) of this section.
    (2) Any EHB-benchmark plan selected by OPM under paragraph (c)(1) 
lacking coverage of pediatric oral services or pediatric vision services 
must be supplemented by the addition of the entire category of benefits 
from the largest Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program 
(FEDVIP) dental or vision plan options, respectively, pursuant to 45 CFR 
156.110(b) and section 1302(b) of the Affordable Care Act.
    (3) In all States where an MSP issuer uses the OPM-selected EHB-
benchmark plan, the MSP issuer may manage formularies around the needs 
of anticipated or actual users, subject to approval by OPM.
    (4) An MSP issuer must follow the definition of habilitative 
services and devices as follows:
    (i) An MSP issuer must follow the Federal definitions where HHS 
specifically defines habilitative services and devices if the State does 
not define the term, if the State defines the term in a conflicting way, 
or if the State definition is less stringent than the Federal 
definition.
    (ii) An MSP issuer must follow State definitions where the State 
specifically defines the habilitative services and devices category 
pursuant to 45 CFR 156.110(f) and the State definition is not in 
conflict with the Federal definition or goes above the standards set in 
the Federal definition.
    (iii) In the case of any State that does not define this category 
and absent a clearly applicable Federal definition, if any OPM-selected 
EHB-benchmark plan lacks coverage of habilitative services and devices, 
OPM may determine what habilitative services and devices are to be 
included in that EHB-benchmark plan.
    (5) Any EHB-benchmark plan selected by OPM under paragraph (c)(1) of 
this section must include, for each State, any State-required benefits 
enacted before December 31, 2011, that are included in the State's EHB-
benchmark plan as described in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, or 
specific to the market in which the plan is offered.
    (d) OPM approval. An MSP issuer's package of benefits, including its 
formulary, must be submitted for approval by OPM, which will review a 
package of benefits proposed by an MSP issuer and determine if it is 
substantially equal to an EHB-benchmark plan described in paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section, pursuant to standards set forth by OPM and any 
applicable standards set forth by HHS, including 45 CFR 156.115, 
156.122, and 156.125.
    (e) State payments for additional State-required benefits. If a 
State requires that benefits in addition to the benchmark package be 
offered to MSP enrollees in that State, then pursuant to section 
1334(c)(2) of the Affordable Care Act, the State must defray the cost of 
such additional benefits by making payments either to the enrollee or to 
the MSP issuer on behalf of the enrollee.



Sec.  800.106  Cost-sharing limits, advance payments of premium tax credits,
and cost-sharing reductions.

    (a) Cost-sharing limits. For each MSP option it offers, an MSP 
issuer must ensure that the cost-sharing provisions of the MSP option 
comply with section 1302(c) of the Affordable Care Act, as

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well as any applicable standards set by OPM or HHS.
    (b) Advance payments of premium tax credits and cost-sharing 
reductions. For each MSP option it offers, an MSP issuer must ensure 
that an eligible individual receives the benefit of advance payments of 
premium tax credits under section 36B of the Internal Revenue Code and 
the cost-sharing reductions under section 1402 of the Affordable Care 
Act. An MSP issuer must also comply with any applicable standards set by 
OPM or HHS.



Sec.  800.107  Levels of coverage.

    (a) Silver and gold levels of coverage required. An MSP issuer must 
offer at least one MSP option at the silver level of coverage and at 
least one MSP option at the gold level of coverage on each Exchange in 
which the issuer is certified to offer an MSP option pursuant to a 
contract with OPM.
    (b) Bronze or platinum metal levels of coverage permitted. Pursuant 
to a contract with OPM, an MSP issuer may offer one or more MSP options 
at the bronze level of coverage or the platinum level of coverage, or 
both, on any Exchange or SHOP in any State.
    (c) Child-only plans. For each level of coverage, the MSP issuer 
must offer a child-only MSP option at the same level of coverage as any 
health insurance coverage offered to individuals who, as of the 
beginning of the plan year, have not attained the age of 21.
    (d) Plan variations for the reduction or elimination of cost-
sharing. An MSP issuer must comply with section 1402 of the Affordable 
Care Act, as well as any applicable standards set by OPM or HHS.
    (e) OPM approval. An MSP issuer must submit the levels of coverage 
plans and plan variations to OPM for review and approval by OPM.



Sec.  800.108  Assessments and user fees.

    (a) Discretion to charge assessment and user fees. Beginning in plan 
year 2015, OPM may require an MSP issuer to pay an assessment or user 
fee as a condition of participating in the MSP Program.
    (b) Determination of amount. The amount of the assessment or user 
fee charged by OPM for a plan year is the amount determined necessary by 
OPM to meet the costs of OPM's functions under the Affordable Care Act 
for a plan year, including but not limited to such functions as entering 
into contracts with, certifying, recertifying, decertifying, and 
overseeing MSP options and MSP issuers for that plan year. The amount of 
the assessment or user fee charged by OPM will be offset against the 
assessment or user fee amount required by any State-based Exchange or 
federally-facilitated Exchange such that the total of all assessments 
and user fees paid by the MSP issuer for the year for the MSP option 
shall be no greater than nor less than the amount of the assessment or 
user fee paid by QHP issuers in that State-based Exchange or federally-
facilitated Exchange for that year.
    (c) Process for collecting MSP assessment or user fees. OPM may 
require an MSP issuer to make payment of the MSP Program assessment or 
user fee amount directly to OPM, or may establish other mechanisms for 
the collection process.



Sec.  800.109  Network adequacy.

    (a) General requirement. An MSP issuer must ensure that the provider 
network of each of its MSP options, as available to all enrollees, meets 
the following standards:
    (1) Maintains a network that is sufficient in number and types of 
providers to assure that all services will be accessible without 
unreasonable delay;
    (2) Is consistent with the network adequacy provisions of section 
2702(c) of the Public Health Service Act; and
    (3) Includes essential community providers in compliance with 45 CFR 
156.235.
    (b) Provider directory. An MSP issuer must make its provider 
directory for an MSP option available to the Exchange for publication 
online pursuant to guidance from the Exchange and to potential enrollees 
in hard copy, upon request. In the provider directory, an MSP issuer 
must identify providers that are not accepting new patients.
    (c) OPM guidance. OPM will issue guidance containing the criteria 
and standards that it will use to determine the adequacy of a provider 
network.

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Sec.  800.110  Service area.

    An MSP issuer must offer an MSP option within one or more service 
areas in a State defined by each Exchange pursuant to 45 CFR 155.1055. 
If an Exchange permits issuers to define their service areas, an MSP 
issuer must obtain OPM's approval for its proposed service areas. 
Pursuant to Sec.  800.104 of this part, OPM may enter into a contract 
with an MSP issuer even if the MSP issuer's MSP options for a State 
cover fewer than all the service areas specified for that State. MSP 
options will follow the same standards for service areas for QHPs 
pursuant to 45 CFR 155.1055.



Sec.  800.111  Accreditation requirement.

    (a) General requirement. An MSP issuer must be or become accredited 
consistent with the requirements for QHP issuers specified in section 
1311 of the Affordable Care Act and 45 CFR 156.275(a)(1).
    (b) Release of survey. An MSP issuer must authorize the accrediting 
entity that accredits the MSP issuer to release to OPM and to the 
Exchange a copy of its most recent accreditation survey, together with 
any survey-related information that OPM or an Exchange may require, such 
as corrective action plans and summaries of findings.
    (c) Timeframe for accreditation. An MSP issuer that is not 
accredited as of the date that it enters into a contract with OPM must 
become accredited within the timeframe established by OPM as authorized 
by 45 CFR 155.1045.



Sec.  800.112  Reporting requirements.

    (a) OPM specification of reporting requirements. OPM will specify 
the data and information that must be reported by an MSP issuer, 
including data permitted or required by the Affordable Care Act and such 
other data as OPM may determine necessary for the oversight and 
administration of the MSP Program. OPM will also specify the form, 
manner, processes, and frequency for the reporting of data and 
information. The Director may require that MSP issuers submit claims 
payment and enrollment data to facilitate OPM's oversight and 
administration of the MSP Program in a manner similar to the FEHB 
Program.
    (b) Quality and quality improvement standards. An MSP issuer must 
comply with any standards required by OPM for reporting quality and 
quality improvement activities, including but not limited to 
implementation of a quality improvement strategy, disclosure of quality 
measures to enrollees and prospective enrollees, reporting of pediatric 
quality measures, and implementation of rating and enrollee satisfaction 
surveys, which will be similar to standards under section 1311(c)(1)(E), 
(H), and (I), (c)(3), and (c)(4) of the Affordable Care Act.



Sec.  800.113  Benefit plan material or information.

    (a) Compliance with Federal and State law. An MSP issuer must comply 
with Federal and State laws relating to benefit plan material or 
information, including the provisions of this section and guidance 
issued by OPM specifying its standards, process, and timeline for 
approval of benefit plan material or information.
    (b) General standards for MSP applications and notices. An MSP 
issuer must provide all applications and notices to enrollees in 
accordance with the standards described in 45 CFR 155.205(c). OPM may 
establish additional standards to meet the needs of MSP enrollees.
    (1) Accuracy. An MSP issuer is responsible for the accuracy of its 
benefit plan material or information.
    (2) Truthful, not misleading, no material omissions, and plain 
language. All benefit plan material or information must be:
    (i) Truthful, not misleading, and without material omissions; and
    (ii) Written in plain language, as defined in section 1311(e)(3)(B) 
of the Affordable Care Act.
    (3) Uniform explanation of coverage documents and standardized 
definitions. An MSP issuer must comply with the provisions of section 
2715 of the PHS Act and regulations issued to implement that section.
    (4) OPM review and approval of benefit plan material or information. 
OPM may request an MSP issuer to submit to

[[Page 298]]

OPM benefit plan material or information, as defined in Sec.  800.20. 
OPM reserves the right to review and approve benefit plan material or 
information to ensure that an MSP issuer complies with Federal and State 
laws, and the standards prescribed by OPM with respect to benefit plan 
material or information.
    (5) Statement on certification by OPM. An MSP issuer may include a 
statement in its benefit plan material or information that:
    (i) OPM has certified the MSP option as eligible to be offered on 
the Exchange; and
    (ii) OPM monitors the MSP option for compliance with all applicable 
law.



Sec.  800.114  Compliance with applicable State law.

    (a) Compliance with State law. An MSP issuer must, with respect to 
each of its MSP options, generally comply with State law pursuant to 
section 1334(b)(2) of the Affordable Care Act. However, the MSP options 
and MSP issuers are not subject to State laws that:
    (1) Are inconsistent with section 1334 of the Affordable Care Act or 
this part;
    (2) Prevent the application of a requirement of part A of title 
XXVII of the PHS Act; or
    (3) Prevent the application of a requirement of title I of the 
Affordable Care Act.
    (b) Determination of inconsistency. After consultation with the 
State and HHS, OPM reserves the right to determine, in its judgment, as 
effectuated through an MSP Program contract, these regulations, or OPM 
guidance, whether the standards set forth in paragraph (a) of this 
section are satisfied with respect to particular State laws.



Sec.  800.115  Level playing field.

    An MSP issuer must, with respect to each of its MSP options, meet 
the following requirements in order to ensure a level playing field, 
subject to Sec.  800.114:
    (a) Guaranteed renewal. Guarantee that an enrollee can renew 
enrollment in an MSP option in compliance with sections 2703 and 2742 of 
the PHS Act;
    (b) Rating. In proposing premiums for OPM approval, use only the 
rating factors permitted under section 2701 of the PHS Act and State 
law;
    (c) Preexisting conditions. Not impose any preexisting condition 
exclusion and comply with section 2704 of the PHS Act;
    (d) Non-discrimination. Comply with section 2705 of the PHS Act;
    (e) Quality improvement and reporting. Comply with all Federal and 
State quality improvement and reporting requirements. Quality 
improvement and reporting means quality improvement as defined in 
section 1311(h) of the Affordable Care Act and quality improvement plans 
or strategies required under State law, and quality reporting as defined 
in section 2717 of the PHS Act and section 1311(g) of the Affordable 
Care Act. Quality improvement also includes activities such as, but not 
limited to, implementation of a quality improvement strategy, disclosure 
of quality measures to enrollees and prospective enrollees, and 
reporting of pediatric quality measures, which will be similar to 
standards under section 1311(c)(1)(E), (H), and (I) of the Affordable 
Care Act;
    (f) Fraud and abuse. Comply with all Federal and State fraud and 
abuse laws;
    (g) Licensure. Be licensed in every State in which it offers an MSP 
option;
    (h) Solvency and financial requirements. Comply with the solvency 
standards set by each State in which it offers an MSP option;
    (i) Market conduct. Comply with the market conduct standards of each 
State in which it offers an MSP option;
    (j) Prompt payment. Comply with applicable State law in negotiating 
the terms of payment in contracts with its providers and in making 
payments to claimants and providers;
    (k) Appeals and grievances. Comply with Federal standards under 
section 2719 of the PHS Act for appeals and grievances relating to 
adverse benefit determinations, as described in subpart F of this part;
    (l) Privacy and confidentiality. Comply with all Federal and State 
privacy and security laws and requirements, including any standards 
required by OPM in guidance or contract, which will be similar to the 
standards contained in

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45 CFR part 164 and applicable State law; and
    (m) Benefit plan material or information. Comply with Federal and 
State law, including Sec.  800.113 of this part.



Sec.  800.116  Process for dispute resolution.

    (a) Determinations about applicability of State law under section 
1334(b)(2) of the Affordable Care Act. In the event of a dispute about 
the applicability to an MSP option or MSP issuer of a State law, the 
State may request that OPM reconsider a determination that an MSP option 
or MSP issuer is not subject to such State law.
    (b) Required demonstration. A State making a request under paragraph 
(a) of this section must demonstrate that the State law at issue:
    (1) Is not inconsistent with section 1334 of the Affordable Care Act 
or this part;
    (2) Does not prevent the application of a requirement of part A of 
title XXVII of the PHS Act; and
    (3) Does not prevent the application of a requirement of title I of 
the Affordable Care Act.
    (c) Request for review. The request must be in writing and include 
contact information, including the name, telephone number, email 
address, and mailing address of the person or persons whom OPM may 
contact regarding the request for review. The request must be in such 
form, contain such information, and be submitted in such manner and 
within such timeframe as OPM may prescribe.
    (1) The requester may submit to OPM any relevant information to 
support its request.
    (2) OPM may obtain additional information relevant to the request 
from any source as it may, in its judgment, deem necessary. OPM will 
provide the requester with a copy of any additional information it 
obtains and provide an opportunity for the requester to respond 
(including by submission of additional information or explanation).
    (3) OPM will issue a written decision within 60 calendar days after 
receiving the written request, or after the due date for a response 
under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, whichever is later, unless a 
different timeframe is agreed upon.
    (4) OPM's written decision will constitute final agency action that 
is subject to review under the Administrative Procedure Act in the 
appropriate U.S. district court. Such review is limited to the record 
that was before OPM when OPM made its decision.



   Subpart C_Premiums, Rating Factors, Medical Loss Ratios, and Risk 
                               Adjustment



Sec.  800.201  General requirements.

    (a) Premium negotiation. OPM will negotiate annually with an MSP 
issuer, on a State by State basis, the premiums for each MSP option 
offered by that issuer in that State. Such negotiations may include 
negotiations about the cost-sharing provisions of an MSP option.
    (b) Duration. Premiums will remain in effect for the plan year.
    (c) Guidance on rate development. OPM will issue guidance addressing 
methods for the development of premiums for the MSP Program. That 
guidance will follow State rating standards generally applicable in a 
State, to the greatest extent practicable.
    (d) Calculation of actuarial value. An MSP issuer must calculate 
actuarial value in the same manner as QHP issuers under section 1302(d) 
of the Affordable Care Act, as well as any applicable standards set by 
OPM or HHS.
    (e) OPM rate review process. An MSP issuer must participate in the 
rate review process established by OPM to negotiate rates for MSP 
options. The rate review process established by OPM will be similar to 
the process established by HHS pursuant to section 2794 of the PHS Act 
and disclosure and review standards established under 45 CFR part 154.
    (f) State effective rate review. With respect to its MSP options, an 
MSP issuer is subject to a State's rate review process, including a 
State's Effective Rate Review Program established by HHS pursuant to 
section 2794 of the PHS Act and 45 CFR part 154. In the event HHS is 
reviewing rates for a State pursuant to section 2794 of the PHS Act, HHS 
will defer to OPM's judgment regarding the MSP options'

[[Page 300]]

proposed rate increase. If a State withholds approval of an MSP option 
and OPM determines, in its discretion, that the State's action would 
prevent OPM from administrating the MSP Program, OPM retains authority 
to make the final decision to approve rates for participation in the MSP 
Program, notwithstanding the absence of State approval.
    (g) Single risk pool. An MSP issuer must consider all enrollees in 
an MSP option to be in the same risk pool as all enrollees in all other 
health plans in the individual market or the small group market, 
respectively, in compliance with section 1312(c) of the Affordable Care 
Act, 45 CFR 156.80, and any applicable Federal or State laws and 
regulations implementing that section.



Sec.  800.202  Rating factors.

    (a) Permissible rating factors. In proposing premiums for each MSP 
option, an MSP issuer must use only the rating factors permitted under 
section 2701 of the PHS Act.
    (b) Application of variations based on age or tobacco use. Rating 
variations permitted under section 2701 of the PHS Act must be applied 
by an MSP issuer based on the portion of the premium attributable to 
each family member covered under the coverage in accordance with any 
applicable Federal or State laws and regulations implementing section 
2701(a) of the PHS Act.
    (c) Age rating. For age rating, an MSP issuer must use the ratio 
established by the State in which the MSP option is offered, if it is 
less than 3:1.
    (1) Age bands. An MSP issuer must use the uniform age bands 
established under HHS regulations implementing section 2701(a) of the 
PHS Act.
    (2) Age curves. An MSP issuer must use the age curves established 
under HHS regulations implementing section 2701(a) of the PHS Act, or 
age curves established by a State pursuant to HHS regulations.
    (d) Rating areas. An MSP issuer must use the rating areas 
appropriate to the State in which the MSP option is offered and 
established under HHS regulations implementing section 2701(a) of the 
PHS Act.
    (e) Tobacco rating. An MSP issuer must apply tobacco use as a rating 
factor in accordance with any applicable Federal or State laws and 
regulations implementing section 2701(a) of the PHS Act.
    (f) Wellness programs. An MSP issuer must comply with any applicable 
Federal or State laws and regulations implementing section 2705 of the 
PHS Act.



Sec.  800.203  Medical loss ratio.

    (a) Required medical loss ratio. An MSP issuer must attain:
    (1) The medical loss ratio (MLR) required under section 2718 of the 
PHS Act and regulations promulgated by HHS; and
    (2) Any MSP-specific MLR that OPM may set in the best interests of 
MSP enrollees or that is necessary to be consistent with a State's 
requirements with respect to MLR.
    (b) Consequences of not attaining required medical loss ratio. If an 
MSP issuer fails to attain an MLR set forth in paragraph (a) of this 
section, OPM may take any appropriate action, including but not limited 
to intermediate sanctions, such as suspension of marketing, decertifying 
an MSP option in one or more States, or terminating an MSP issuer's 
contract pursuant to Sec.  800.404 of this part.



Sec.  800.204  Reinsurance, risk corridors, and risk adjustment.

    (a) Transitional reinsurance program. An MSP issuer must comply with 
section 1341 of the Affordable Care Act, 45 CFR part 153, and any 
applicable Federal or State regulations under section 1341 that set 
forth requirements to implement the transitional reinsurance program for 
the individual market.
    (b) Temporary risk corridors program. An MSP issuer must comply with 
section 1342 of the Affordable Care Act, 45 CFR part 153, and any 
applicable Federal regulations under section 1342 that set forth 
requirements to implement the risk corridor program.
    (c) Risk adjustment program. An MSP issuer must comply with section 
1343 of the Affordable Care Act, 45 CFR part 153, and any applicable 
Federal or State regulations under section 1343 that set forth 
requirements to implement the risk adjustment program.

[[Page 301]]



            Subpart D_Application and Contracting Procedures



Sec.  800.301  Application process.

    (a) Acceptance of applications. Without regard to 41 U.S.C. 6101(b)-
(d), or any other statute requiring competitive bidding, OPM may 
consider annual applications from health insurance issuers, including 
groups of health insurance issuers as defined in Sec.  800.20, to 
participate in the MSP Program. If OPM determines that it is not 
beneficial for the MSP Program to consider new issuer applications for 
an upcoming year, OPM will issue a notice to that effect. Each existing 
MSP issuer may complete a renewal application annually.
    (b) Form and manner of applications. An applicant must submit to 
OPM, in the form and manner and in accordance with the timeline 
specified by OPM, the information requested by OPM for determining 
whether an applicant meets the requirements of this part.



Sec.  800.302  Review of applications.

    (a) Determinations. OPM will determine if an applicant meets the 
requirements of this part. If OPM determines that an applicant meets the 
requirements of this part, OPM may accept the applicant to enter into 
contract negotiations with OPM to participate in the MSP Program.
    (b) Requests for additional information. OPM may request additional 
information from an applicant before making a decision about whether to 
enter into contract negotiations with that applicant to participate in 
the MSP Program.
    (c) Declination of application. If, after reviewing an application 
to participate in the MSP Program, OPM declines to enter into contract 
negotiations with the applicant, OPM will inform the applicant in 
writing of the reasons for that decision.
    (d) Discretion. The decision whether to enter into contract 
negotiations with a health insurance issuer who has applied to 
participate in the MSP Program is committed to OPM's discretion.
    (e) Impact on future applications. OPM's declination of an 
application to participate in the MSP Program will not preclude the 
applicant from submitting an application for a subsequent year to 
participate in the MSP Program.



Sec.  800.303  MSP Program contracting.

    (a) Participation in MSP Program. To become an MSP issuer, the 
applicant and the Director or the Director's designee must sign a 
contract that meets the requirements of this part.
    (b) Standard contract. OPM will establish a standard contract for 
the MSP Program.
    (c) Premiums. OPM and the applicant will negotiate the premiums for 
an MSP option for each plan year in accordance with the provisions of 
subpart C of this part.
    (d) Package of benefits. OPM must approve the applicant's package of 
benefits for its MSP option.
    (e) Additional terms and conditions. OPM may elect to negotiate with 
an applicant such additional terms, conditions, and requirements that:
    (1) Are in the interests of MSP enrollees; or
    (2) OPM determines to be appropriate.
    (f) Certification to offer health insurance coverage.
    (1) For each plan year, an MSP Program contract will specify MSP 
options that OPM has certified, the specific package(s) of benefits 
authorized to be offered on each Exchange, and the premiums to be 
charged for each package of benefits on each Exchange.
    (2) An MSP issuer may not offer an MSP option on an Exchange unless 
its MSP Program contract with OPM includes a certification authorizing 
the MSP issuer to offer the MSP option on that Exchange in accordance 
with paragraph (f)(1) of this section.



Sec.  800.304  Term of the contract.

    (a) Term of a contract. The term of the contract will be specified 
in the MSP Program contract and must be for a period of at least the 12 
consecutive months defined as the plan year.
    (b) Plan year. The plan year is a consecutive 12-month period during 
which an MSP option provides coverage for health benefits. A plan year 
may be a calendar year or otherwise.

[[Page 302]]



Sec.  800.305  Contract renewal process.

    (a) Renewal. To continue participating in the MSP Program, an MSP 
issuer must provide to OPM, in the form and manner and in accordance 
with the timeline prescribed by OPM, the information requested by OPM 
for determining whether the MSP issuer continues to meet the 
requirements of this part.
    (b) OPM decision. Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, OPM will 
renew the MSP Program contract of an MSP issuer who timely submits the 
information described in paragraph (a).
    (c) OPM discretion not to renew. OPM may decline to renew the 
contract of an MSP issuer if:
    (1) OPM and the MSP issuer fail to agree on premiums and benefits 
for an MSP option for the subsequent plan year;
    (2) The MSP issuer has engaged in conduct described in Sec.  
800.404(a) of this part; or
    (3) OPM determines that the MSP issuer will be unable to comply with 
a material provision of section 1334 of the Affordable Care Act or this 
part.
    (d) Failure to agree on premiums and benefits. Except as otherwise 
provided in this part, if an MSP issuer has complied with paragraph (a) 
of this section and OPM and the MSP issuer fail to agree on premiums and 
benefits for an MSP option on one or more Exchanges for the subsequent 
plan year by the date required by OPM, either party may provide notice 
of nonrenewal pursuant to Sec.  800.306 of this part, or OPM may in its 
discretion withdraw the certification of that MSP option on the Exchange 
or Exchanges for that plan year. In addition, if OPM and the MSP issuer 
fail to agree on benefits and premiums for an MSP option on one or more 
Exchanges by the date set by OPM and in the event of no action (no 
notice of nonrenewal or renewal) by either party, the MSP Program 
contract will be renewed and the existing premiums and benefits for that 
MSP option on that Exchange or Exchanges will remain in effect for the 
subsequent plan year.



Sec.  800.306  Nonrenewal.

    (a) Nonrenewal. Nonrenewal may pertain to the MSP issuer or the 
State-level issuer. The circumstances under which nonrenewal may occur 
are:
    (1) Nonrenewal of contract. As used in this subpart and subpart E of 
this part, ``nonrenewal of contract'' means a decision by either OPM or 
an MSP issuer not to renew an MSP Program contract.
    (2) Nonrenewal of participation. As used in this subpart and subpart 
E of this part, ``nonrenewal of participation'' means a decision by OPM, 
an MSP issuer, or a State-level issuer not to renew a State-level 
issuer's participation in a MSP Program contract.
    (b) Notice required. Either OPM or an MSP issuer may decline to 
renew an MSP Program contract by providing a written notice of 
nonrenewal to the other party.
    (c) MSP issuer responsibilities. The MSP issuer's written notice of 
nonrenewal must be made in accordance with its MSP Program contract with 
OPM. The MSP issuer also must comply with any requirements regarding the 
termination of a plan that are applicable to a QHP offered on an 
Exchange on which the MSP option was offered, including a requirement to 
provide advance written notice of termination to enrollees. MSP issuers 
shall provide written notice to enrollees in accordance with Sec.  
800.404(d).



                          Subpart E_Compliance



Sec.  800.401  Contract performance.

    (a) General. An MSP issuer must perform an MSP Program contract with 
OPM in accordance with the requirements of section 1334 of the 
Affordable Care Act and this part. The MSP issuer must continue to meet 
such requirements while under an MSP Program contract with OPM.
    (b) Specific requirements for issuers. In addition to the 
requirements described in paragraph (a) of this section, each MSP issuer 
must:
    (1) Have, in the judgment of OPM, the financial resources to carry 
out its obligations under the MSP Program;
    (2) Keep such reasonable financial and statistical records, and 
furnish to OPM such reasonable financial and statistical reports with 
respect to the MSP option or the MSP issuer, as may be requested by OPM;

[[Page 303]]

    (3) Permit representatives of OPM (including the OPM Office of 
Inspector General), the U.S. Government Accountability Office, and any 
other applicable Federal Government auditing entities to audit and 
examine its records and accounts that pertain, directly or indirectly, 
to the MSP option at such reasonable times and places as may be 
designated by OPM or the U.S. Government Accountability Office;
    (4) Timely submit to OPM a properly completed and signed novation or 
change-of-name agreement in accordance with subpart 42.12 of 48 CFR part 
42;
    (5) Perform the MSP Program contract in accordance with prudent 
business practices, as described in paragraph (c) of this section; and
    (6) Not perform the MSP Program contract in accordance with poor 
business practices, as described in paragraph (d) of this section.
    (c) Prudent business practices. OPM will consider an MSP issuer's 
specific circumstances and facts in using its discretion to determine 
compliance with paragraph (b)(5) of this section. For purposes of 
paragraph (b)(5) of this section, prudent business practices include, 
but are not limited to, the following:
    (1) Timely compliance with OPM instructions and directives;
    (2) Legal and ethical business and health care practices;
    (3) Compliance with the terms of the MSP Program contract, 
regulations, and statutes;
    (4) Timely and accurate adjudication of claims or rendering of 
medical services;
    (5) Operating a system for accounting for costs incurred under the 
MSP Program contract, which includes segregating and pricing MSP option 
medical utilization and allocating indirect and administrative costs in 
a reasonable and equitable manner;
    (6) Maintaining accurate accounting reports of costs incurred in the 
administration of the MSP Program contract;
    (7) Applying performance standards for assuring contract quality as 
outlined at Sec.  800.402; and
    (8) Establishing and maintaining a system of internal controls that 
provides reasonable assurance that:
    (i) The provision and payments of benefits and other expenses comply 
with legal, regulatory, and contractual guidelines;
    (ii) MSP funds, property, and other assets are safeguarded against 
waste, loss, unauthorized use, or misappropriation; and
    (iii) Data is accurately and fairly disclosed in all reports 
required by OPM.
    (d) Poor business practices. OPM will consider an MSP issuer's 
specific circumstances and facts in using its discretion to determine 
compliance with paragraph (b)(6) of this section. For purposes of 
paragraph (b)(6) of this section, poor business practices include, but 
are not limited to, the following:
    (1) Using fraudulent or unethical business or health care practices 
or otherwise displaying a lack of business integrity or honesty;
    (2) Repeatedly or knowingly providing false or misleading 
information in the rate setting process;
    (3) Failing to comply with OPM instructions and directives;
    (4) Having an accounting system that is incapable of separately 
accounting for costs incurred under the contract and/or that lacks the 
internal controls necessary to fulfill the terms of the contract;
    (5) Failing to ensure that the MSP issuer properly pays or denies 
claims, or, if applicable, provides medical services that are 
inconsistent with standards of good medical practice; and
    (6) Entering into contracts or employment agreements with providers, 
provider groups, or health care workers that include provisions or 
financial incentives that directly or indirectly create an inducement to 
limit or restrict communication about medically necessary services to 
any individual covered under the MSP Program. Financial incentives are 
defined as bonuses, withholds, commissions, profit sharing or other 
similar adjustments to basic compensation (e.g., service fee, 
capitation, salary) which have the effect of limiting or reducing 
communication about appropriate medically necessary services.

[[Page 304]]

    (e) Performance escrow account. OPM may require MSP issuers to pay 
an assessment into an escrow account to ensure contract compliance and 
benefit MSP enrollees.



Sec.  800.402  Contract quality assurance.

    (a) General. This section prescribes general policies and procedures 
to ensure that services acquired under MSP Program contracts conform to 
the contract's quality requirements.
    (b) Internal controls. OPM may periodically evaluate the 
contractor's system of internal controls under the quality assurance 
program required by the contract and will acknowledge in writing if the 
system is inconsistent with the requirements set forth in the contract. 
OPM's reviews do not diminish the contractor's obligation to implement 
and maintain an effective and efficient system to apply the internal 
controls.
    (c) Performance standards. (1) OPM will issue specific performance 
standards for MSP Program contracts and will inform MSP issuers of the 
applicable performance standards prior to negotiations for the contract 
year. OPM may benchmark its standards against standards generally 
accepted in the insurance industry. OPM may authorize nationally 
recognized standards to be used to fulfill this requirement.
    (2) MSP issuers must comply with the performance standards issued 
pursuant to this section.



Sec.  800.403  Fraud and abuse.

    (a) Program required. An MSP issuer must conduct a program to assess 
its vulnerability to fraud and abuse as well as to address such 
vulnerabilities.
    (b) Fraud detection system. An MSP issuer must operate a system 
designed to detect and eliminate fraud and abuse by employees and 
subcontractors of the MSP issuer, by providers furnishing goods or 
services to MSP enrollees, and by MSP enrollees.
    (c) Submission of information. An MSP issuer must provide to OPM 
such information or assistance as may be necessary for the agency to 
carry out the duties and responsibilities, including those of the Office 
of Inspector General as specified in sections 4 and 6 of the Inspector 
General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.). An MSP issuer must provide any 
requested information in the form, manner, and timeline prescribed by 
OPM.



Sec.  800.404  Compliance actions.

    (a) Causes for OPM compliance actions. The following constitute 
cause for OPM to impose a compliance action described in paragraph (b) 
of this section against an MSP issuer:
    (1) Failure by the MSP issuer to meet the requirements set forth in 
Sec.  800.401(a) and (b);
    (2) An MSP issuer's sustained failure to perform the MSP Program 
contract in accordance with prudent business practices, as described in 
Sec.  800.401(c);
    (3) A pattern of poor conduct or evidence of poor business practices 
such as those described in Sec.  800.401(d); or
    (4) Such other violations of law or regulation as OPM may determine, 
including pursuant to its authority under Sec. Sec.  800.102 and 
800.114.
    (b) Compliance actions. (1) OPM may impose a compliance action 
against an MSP issuer at any time during the contract term if it 
determines that the MSP issuer is not in compliance with applicable law, 
this part, or the terms of its contract with OPM.
    (2) Compliance actions may include, but are not limited to:
    (i) Establishment and implementation of a corrective action plan;
    (ii) Imposition of intermediate sanctions, such as suspension of 
marketing;
    (iii) Performance incentives;
    (iv) Reduction of service area or areas;
    (v) Withdrawal of the certification of the MSP option or options 
offered on one or more Exchanges;
    (vi) Nonrenewal of participation
    (vii) Nonrenewal of contract; and
    (viii) Withdrawal of approval or termination of the MSP Program 
contract.
    (c) Notice of compliance action. (1) OPM must notify an MSP issuer 
in writing of a compliance action under this section. Such notice must 
indicate the specific compliance action undertaken and the reason for 
the compliance action.
    (2) For compliance actions listed in Sec.  800.404(b)(2)(v) through 
(viii), such notice must include a statement that the

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MSP issuer is entitled to request a reconsideration of OPM's 
determination to impose a compliance action pursuant to Sec.  800.405.
    (3) Upon imposition of a compliance action listed in paragraphs 
(b)(2)(iv) through (vii) of this section, OPM must notify the State 
Insurance Commissioner(s) and Exchange officials in the State or States 
in which the compliance action is effective.
    (d) Notice to enrollees. If the contract is terminated, if OPM 
withdraws certification of an MSP option, or if a State-level issuer's 
participation in the MSP Program contract is not renewed, as described 
in Sec. Sec.  800.306 and 800.404(b)(2), or in any situation in which an 
MSP option is no longer available to enrollees, the MSP issuer must 
comply with any State or Exchange requirements regarding discontinuing a 
particular type of coverage that are applicable to a QHP offered on the 
Exchange on which the MSP option was offered, including a requirement to 
provide advance written notice before the coverage will be discontinued. 
If a State or Exchange does not have requirements about advance notice 
to enrollees, the MSP issuer must inform current MSP enrollees in 
writing of the discontinuance of the MSP option no later than 90 days 
prior to discontinuing the MSP option, unless OPM determines that there 
is good cause for less than 90 days' notice.
    (e) Definition. As used in this subpart, ``termination'' means a 
decision by OPM to cancel an MSP Program contract prior to the end of 
its contract term. The term includes OPM's withdrawal of approval of an 
MSP Program contract.



Sec.  800.405  Reconsideration of compliance actions.

    (a) Right to request reconsideration. An MSP issuer may request that 
OPM reconsider a determination to impose one of the following compliance 
actions:
    (1) Withdrawal of the certification of the MSP option or options 
offered on one or more Exchanges;
    (2) Nonrenewal of participation
    (3) Nonrenewal of contract; or
    (4) Termination of the MSP Program contract.
    (b) Request for reconsideration and/or hearing. (1) An MSP issuer 
with a right to request reconsideration specified in paragraph (a) of 
this section may request a hearing in which OPM will reconsider its 
determination to impose a compliance action.
    (2) A request under this section must be in writing and contain 
contact information, including the name, telephone number, email 
address, and mailing address of the person or persons whom OPM may 
contact regarding a request for a hearing with respect to the 
reconsideration. The request must be in such form, contain such 
information, and be submitted in such manner as OPM may prescribe.
    (3) The request must be received by OPM within 15 calendar days 
after the date of the MSP issuer's receipt of the notice of compliance 
action. The MSP issuer may request that OPM's reconsideration allow a 
representative of the MSP issuer to appear personally before OPM.
    (4) A request under this section must include a detailed statement 
of the reasons that the MSP issuer disagrees with OPM's imposition of 
the compliance action, and may include any additional information that 
will assist OPM in rendering a final decision under this section.
    (5) OPM may obtain additional information relevant to the request 
from any source as it may, in its judgment, deem necessary. OPM will 
provide the MSP issuer with a copy of any additional information it 
obtains and provide an opportunity for the MSP issuer to respond 
(including by submitting additional information or explanation).
    (6) OPM's reconsideration and hearing, if requested, may be 
conducted by the Director or a representative designated by the Director 
who did not participate in the initial decision that is the subject of 
the request for review.
    (c) Notice of final decision. OPM will notify the MSP issuer, in 
writing, of OPM's final decision on the MSP issuer's request for 
reconsideration and the specific reasons for that final decision. OPM's 
written decision will constitute final agency action that is subject to 
review under the Administrative Procedure Act in the appropriate

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U.S. district court. Such review is limited to the record that was 
before OPM when it made its decision.



   Subpart F_Appeals by Enrollees of Denials of Claims for Payment or 
                                 Service



Sec.  800.501  General requirements.

    (a) Definitions. For purposes of this subpart:
    (1) Adverse benefit determination has the meaning given that term in 
45 CFR 147.136(a)(2)(i).
    (2) Claim means a request for:
    (i) Payment of a health-related bill; or
    (ii) Provision of a health-related service or supply.
    (b) Applicability. This subpart applies to enrollees and to other 
individuals or entities who are acting on behalf of an enrollee and who 
have the enrollee's specific written consent to pursue a remedy of an 
adverse benefit determination.



Sec.  800.502  MSP issuer internal claims and appeals.

    (a) Processes. MSP issuers must comply with the internal claims and 
appeals processes applicable to group health plans and health insurance 
issuers under 45 CFR 147.136(b).
    (b) Timeframes and notice of determination. An MSP issuer must 
provide written notice to an enrollee of its determination on a claim 
brought under paragraph (a) of this section according to the timeframes 
and notification rules under 45 CFR 147.136(b) and (e), including the 
timeframes for urgent claims. If the MSP issuer denies a claim (or a 
portion of the claim), the enrollee may appeal the adverse benefit 
determination to the MSP issuer in accordance with 45 CFR 147.136(b).



Sec.  800.503  External review.

    (a) External review by OPM. OPM will conduct external review of 
adverse benefit determinations using a process similar to OPM review of 
disputed claims under 5 CFR 890.105(e), subject to the standards and 
timeframes set forth in 45 CFR 147.136(d).
    (b) Notice. Notices to MSP enrollees regarding external review under 
paragraph (a) of this section must comply with 45 CFR 147.136(e), and 
are subject to review and approval by OPM.
    (c) Issuer obligation. An MSP issuer must pay a claim or provide a 
health-related service or supply pursuant to OPM's final decision or the 
final decision of an independent review organization without delay, 
regardless of whether the plan or issuer intends to seek judicial review 
of the external review decision and unless or until there is a judicial 
decision otherwise.



Sec.  800.504  Judicial review.

    (a) OPM's written decision under the external review process 
established under Sec.  800.503(a) of this part will constitute final 
agency action that is subject to review under the Administrative 
Procedure Act in the appropriate U.S. district court. A decision made by 
an independent review organization under the process established under 
Sec.  800.503(a) is not within OPM's discretion and therefore is not 
final agency action.
    (b) Judicial review under paragraph (a) of this section is limited 
to the record that was before OPM when OPM made its decision.



                         Subpart G_Miscellaneous



Sec.  800.601  Reservation of authority.

    OPM reserves the right to implement and supplement these regulations 
with written operational guidelines.



Sec.  800.602  Consumer choice with respect to certain services.

    (a) Assured availability of varied coverage. Consistent with Sec.  
800.104 of this part, OPM will ensure that at least one of the MSP 
issuers on each Exchange in each State offers at least one MSP option 
that does not provide coverage of services described in section 
1303(b)(1)(B)(i) of the Affordable Care Act.
    (b) State opt-out. An MSP issuer may not offer abortion coverage in 
any State where such coverage of abortion services is prohibited by 
State law.
    (c) Notice to Enrollees--(1) Notice of exclusion. The MSP issuer 
must provide notice to consumers prior to enrollment that non-excepted 
abortion services are not a covered benefit in the

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form, manner, and timeline prescribed by OPM.
    (2) Notice of coverage. If an MSP issuer chooses to offer an MSP 
option that covers non-excepted abortion services, in addition to an MSP 
option that does not cover non-excepted abortion services, the MSP 
issuer must provide notice to consumers prior to enrollment that non-
excepted abortion services are a covered benefit. An MSP issuer must 
provide notice in a manner consistent with 45 CFR 147.200(a)(3), to meet 
the requirements of 45 CFR 156.280(f). OPM may provide guidance on the 
form, manner, and timeline for this notice.
    (3) OPM review and approval of notices. OPM may require an MSP 
issuer to submit to OPM such notices. OPM reserves the right to review 
and approve these consumer notices to ensure that an MSP issuer complies 
with Federal and State laws, and the standards prescribed by OPM with 
respect to Sec.  800.602.



Sec.  800.603  Disclosure of information.

    (a) Disclosure to certain entities. OPM may provide information 
relating to the activities of MSP issuers or State-level issuers to a 
State Insurance Commissioner or Director of a State-based Exchange.
    (b) Conditions of when to disclose. OPM shall only make a disclosure 
described in this section to the extent that such disclosure is:
    (1) Necessary or appropriate to permit OPM's Director, a State 
Insurance Commissioner, or Director of a State-based Exchange to 
administer and enforce laws applicable to an MSP issuer or State-level 
issuer over which it has jurisdiction, or
    (2) Otherwise in the best interests of enrollees or potential 
enrollees in MSP options.
    (c) Confidentiality of information. OPM will take appropriate steps 
to cause the recipient of this information to preserve the information 
as confidential.

                        PARTS 801	899 [RESERVED]

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                      CHAPTER IX--DENALI COMMISSION




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Part                                                                Page
900             National Environmental Policy Act 
                    implementing procedures.................         311
901-999

 [Reserved]

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PART 900_NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT IMPLEMENTING PROCEDURES-
-Table of Contents



                            Subpart A_General

Sec.
900.101 Purpose.
900.102 Environmental policy.
900.103 Terms and abbreviations.
900.104 Federal and intergovernmental relationships.
900.105 Applicant responsibility.
900.106 Denali Commission responsibility.
900.107 Role of lead and cooperating agencies.
900.108 Public involvement.

                Subpart B_Environmental Review Procedures

900.201 Environmental review process.
900.202 Emergency actions.
900.203 Determination of federal actions.
900.204 Categorical exclusions.
900.205 Environmental assessment.
900.206 Environmental impact statement.
900.207 Programmatic environmental reviews.

                   Subpart C_Environmental Assessments

900.301 Content.
900.302 General considerations in preparing environmental assessments.
900.303 Public involvement.
900.304 Actions resulting from assessment.
900.305 Findings of no significant impact.
900.306 Proposals normally requiring an EA.

                Subpart D_Environmental Impact Statements

900.401 Notice of intent and scoping.
900.402 Preparation and filing of draft and final EISs.
900.403 Supplemental EIS.
900.404 Adoption.
900.405 Proposals normally requiring an EIS.

Appendix A to Part 900--Categorical Exclusions

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 3121, 4321; 40 CFR parts 1500 through1508.

    Source: 81 FR 53033, Aug. 11, 2016, unless otherwise noted.



                            Subpart A_General



Sec.  900.101  Purpose.

    This regulation prescribes the policies and procedures of the Denali 
Commission (Commission) for implementing the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347) and the 
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the 
Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508). This 
regulation also addresses other related federal environmental laws, 
statutes, regulations, and Executive Orders that apply to Commission 
actions. This part adopts, supplements, and is to be used in conjunction 
with, 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508, consistent with 40 CFR 1507.3.



Sec.  900.102  Environmental policy.

    It is the policy of the Commission to:
    (a) Comply with the procedures and policies of NEPA and other 
related environmental laws, regulations, and orders applicable to 
Commission actions;
    (b) Provide guidance to applicants responsible for ensuring that 
proposals comply with all appropriate Commission requirements;
    (c) Integrate NEPA requirements and other planning and environmental 
review procedures required by law or Commission practice so that all 
such procedures run concurrently rather than consecutively;
    (d) Encourage and facilitate public involvement in Commission 
decisions that affect the quality of the human environment;
    (e) Use the NEPA process to identify and assess reasonable 
alternatives to proposed Commission actions to avoid or minimize adverse 
effects upon the quality of the human environment;
    (f) Use all practicable means consistent with NEPA and other 
essential considerations of national policy to restore or enhance the 
quality of the human environment and avoid, minimize, or otherwise 
mitigate any possible adverse effects of the Commission's actions upon 
the quality of the human environment; and
    (g) Consider and give important weight to factors including 
customary and traditional uses of resources, recreation, and the 
objectives of Federal, regional, State, local and tribal land use plans, 
policies, and controls for the area concerned in developing proposals 
and making decisions in order to achieve a proper balance between the 
development and utilization of natural, cultural and human resources and 
the

[[Page 312]]

protection and enhancement of environmental quality (see NEPA section 
101 and 40 CFR 1508.14). In particular the Commission will consider 
potential effects on subsistence activities, which are critically 
important to the daily existence of Alaska Native villages.



Sec.  900.103  Terms and abbreviations.

    (a) For the purposes of this part, the definitions in the CEQ 
Regulations, 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508, are adopted and 
supplemented as set out in paragraphs (a)(1) through (5) of this 
section. In the event of a conflict the CEQ Regulations apply.
    (1) Action. Action and Federal action as defined in 40 CFR 1508.18, 
include projects, programs, plans, or policies, subject to the 
Commission's control and responsibility.
    (2) Applicant. The federal, state, local government or non-
governmental partner or organization applying to the Commission for 
financial assistance or other approval. An applicant may also be a 
partner organization in receipt of award funds.
    (3) Approving Official. The Denali Commission staff member 
designated by the Federal Co-Chair or his/her designee to fulfill the 
responsibilities defined in Sec.  900.106, including overseeing 
development of and approval of the NEPA document.
    (4) Commission proposal (or proposal). A proposal, as defined at 40 
CFR 1508.23, is a Commission proposal whether initiated by the 
Commission, another federal agency, or an applicant.
    (5) Federal Co-Chair. One of the seven members of the Commission, 
appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, as defined in the Denali 
Commission Act of 1998, 42 U.S.C. 3121, Public Law 105-277.
    (b) The following abbreviations are used throughout this part:
    (1) CATEX--Categorical exclusions;
    (2) CEQ--Council on Environmental Quality;
    (3) EA--Environmental assessment;
    (4) EIS--Environmental impact statement;
    (5) FONSI--Finding of no significant impact;
    (6) NEPA--National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended;
    (7) NOI--Notice of intent; and
    (8) ROD--Record of decision.



Sec.  900.104  Federal and intergovernmental relationships.

    The Denali Commission was created to deliver the services of the 
federal government in the most cost-effective manner practicable. In 
order to reduce administrative and overhead costs, the Commission 
partners with federal, state and local agencies and Alaska Native 
villages and commonly depends on these governmental agencies for project 
management. Consequently, the Commission generally relies on the 
expertise and processes already in use by partnering agencies to help 
prepare Commission NEPA analyses and documents.
    (a) With federal partners, the Commission will work as either a 
joint lead agency (40 CFR 1501.5 and 1508.16) or cooperating agency (40 
CFR 1501.6 and 1508.5). The Commission may invite other Federal agencies 
to serve as the lead agency, a joint lead agency, or as a cooperating 
agency.
    (b) Consistent with 40 CFR 1508.5, the Commission will typically 
invite Alaska Native villages and state and local government partners to 
serve as cooperating agencies.
    (c) Requests for the Commission to serve as a lead agency (40 CFR 
1501.5(d)), for CEQ to determine which Federal agency shall be the lead 
agency (40 CFR 1501.5(e)), or for the Commission to serve as a 
cooperating agency (40 CFR 1501.6(a)(1)) shall be mailed to the 
Commission office.



Sec.  900.105  Applicant responsibility.

    (a) Applicants shall work under Commission direction provided by the 
Approving Official, and assist the Commission in fulfilling its NEPA 
obligations by preparing NEPA analyses and documents that comply with 
the provisions of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), the CEQ Regulations (40 
CFR parts 1500 through 1508), and the requirements set forth in this 
part.
    (b) Applicants shall follow Commission direction when they assist 
the Commission with the following responsibilities, among others:
    (1) Prepare and disseminate applicable environmental documentation 
concurrent with a proposal's engineering, planning, and design;

[[Page 313]]

    (2) Create and distribute public notices;
    (3) Coordinate public hearings and meetings as required;
    (4) Submit all environmental documents created pursuant to this part 
to the Commission for review and approval before public distribution;
    (5) Participate in all Commission-conducted hearings or meetings;
    (6) Consult with the Commission prior to obtaining the services of 
an environmental consultant; in the case that an EIS is required, the 
consultant or contractor will be selected by the Commission; and
    (7) Implement mitigation measures included as voluntary commitments 
by the applicant or as requirements of the applicant in environmental 
documents.



Sec.  900.106  Denali Commission responsibility.

    (a) The Federal Co-Chair or his/her designee shall designate an 
Approving Official for each Commission proposal, and shall provide 
environmental guidance to the Approving Official;
    (b) The Approving Official shall provide direction and guidance to 
the applicant as well as identification and development of required 
analyses and documentation;
    (c) The Approving Official shall make an independent evaluation of 
the environmental issues, take responsibility for the scope and content 
of the environmental document (EA or EIS), and make the environmental 
finding;
    (d) The Approving Official shall ensure mitigation measures included 
in environmental documents are implemented; and
    (e) The Approving official shall be responsible for coordinating 
communications with cooperating agencies and other federal agencies.



Sec.  900.107  Role of lead and cooperating agencies.

    In accordance with Sec.  900.104, the Commission may defer the lead 
agency role to other federal agencies in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.5, 
and the Commission will then exercise its role as either a joint lead or 
a cooperating agency in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.6.



Sec.  900.108  Public involvement.

    (a) When public involvement is required pursuant to subparts C and D 
of this part, interested persons and the affected public shall be 
provided notice of the availability of environmental documents, NEPA-
related hearings, and public meetings. Such notice will be made on the 
Commission Web site and other means such that the community is notified 
(e.g., community postings, newspaper, radio or television).
    (b) Applicants shall assist the Commission in providing the 
opportunity for public participation and considering the public comments 
on the proposal as described in subparts C and D of this part.
    (c) Interested persons can obtain information or status reports on 
EISs and other elements of the NEPA process from the Commission's office 
at 510 L Street, Suite 410; Anchorage, Alaska 99501; or on the 
Commission Web site at http://www.denali.gov. Telephone: (907) 271-1414. 
The Commission will provide hard copies of NEPA documents to 
governmental and/or tribal entities in the affected communities.
    (d) In the interests of national security or the public health, 
safety, or welfare, the Commission may reduce any time periods that the 
Commission has established and that are not required by the CEQ 
Regulations. The Commission shall publish a notice on the Web site at 
http://www.denali.gov and notify interested parties (see 40 CFR 1506.6) 
specifying the revised time periods for the proposed action and the 
rationale for the reduction.



                Subpart B_Environmental Review Procedures



Sec.  900.201  Environmental review process.

    (a) General. The environmental review process is the investigation 
of potential environmental impacts to determine the environmental 
process to be followed and to assist in the preparation of the 
environmental document.
    (b) Early coordination. Applicants will contact the Commission and 
work with the Approving Official to begin the environmental review 
process as soon as

[[Page 314]]

Denali Commission assistance is projected. Environmental issues shall be 
identified and considered early in the proposal planning process. A 
systematic, interdisciplinary approach that includes community 
involvement and intergovernmental coordination to expand the potential 
sources of information and identify areas of concern will be used. 
Environmental permits and other forms of approval, concurrence, or 
consultation may be required. The planning process shall include 
permitting and other review processes to ensure that necessary 
information will be collected and provided to permitting and reviewing 
agencies in a timely manner.



Sec.  900.202  Emergency actions.

    (a) General. Emergency circumstances may require immediate actions 
that preclude following standard NEPA processes. The Council shall limit 
alternative arrangements to those actions that are necessary to control 
the immediate impacts of the emergency. In the event of emergency 
circumstances, the Approving Official should coordinate with the Federal 
Co-Chair as soon as practicable. Immediate emergency actions necessary 
to protect the lives and safety of the public or prevent adverse impacts 
to ecological resources and functions should never be delayed in order 
to comply with these NEPA procedures. Alternative arrangements for NEPA 
compliance are permitted for emergency actions pursuant to paragraphs 
(b) through (d) of this section.
    (b) Categorical exclusion (CATEX). When emergency circumstances make 
it necessary to determine whether an extraordinary circumstance would 
preclude the use of a CATEX, the Approving Official shall make the 
determination as soon as practicable. If an extraordinary circumstance 
exists, the Approving Official shall comply with paragraphs (c) and (d) 
of this section, as applicable.
    (c) Environmental assessment (EA). When emergency circumstances make 
it necessary to take an action that requires an EA before the EA can be 
completed, the Approving Official will consult with the Federal Co-Chair 
to develop alternative arrangements to meet the requirements of these 
NEPA implementing procedures and CEQ Regulations pertaining to EAs. 
Alternative arrangements should focus on minimizing adverse 
environmental impacts of the proposed action and the emergency. To the 
maximum extent practicable, these alternative arrangements should 
include the content, interagency coordination, and public notification 
and involvement that would normally be undertaken for an EA for the 
action at issue and cannot alter the requirements of the CEQ Regulations 
at 40 CFR 1508.9(a)(1) and (b). The Federal Co-Chair may grant an 
alternative arrangement. Any alternative arrangement shall be 
documented. The Federal Co-Chair will inform CEQ of the alternative 
arrangements at the earliest opportunity.
    (d) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Where emergency 
circumstances make it necessary to take actions with significant 
environmental impacts without observing other provisions of these NEPA 
implementing procedures and the CEQ Regulations (see 40 CFR 1506.11) the 
Federal Co-Chair may consult with CEQ about alternative arrangements for 
implementation of NEPA. In these situations, the Commission may reduce 
processing times or, if the emergency situation warrants, abbreviate its 
preparation and processing of EISs. Any request for alternative 
arrangements must be submitted by the Federal Co-Chair to CEQ and notice 
of a potential request should be provided to CEQ at the earliest 
opportunity. For projects undertaken by an applicant, the Approving 
Official will inform the Federal Co-Chair about the emergency. The 
Federal Co-Chair will consult CEQ requesting the alternative 
arrangements for complying with NEPA.



Sec.  900.203  Determination of federal actions.

    (a) The Commission shall determine whether any Commission proposal:
    (1) Is categorically excluded from preparation of either an EA or an 
EIS;
    (2) Requires preparation of an EA; or
    (3) Requires preparation of an EIS.
    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, the Commission 
may prepare a NEPA document to assist

[[Page 315]]

any Commission action at any time in order to further the purposes of 
NEPA. This NEPA document may be done to analyze the consequences of 
ongoing Commission activities, to support Commission planning, to assess 
the need for mitigation, to disclose fully the potential environmental 
consequences of Commission actions, or for any other reason. Documents 
prepared under this paragraph shall be prepared in the same manner as 
Commission documents prepared under this part.



Sec.  900.204  Categorical exclusions.

    (a) General. A categorical exclusion (CATEX) is defined in 40 CFR 
1508.4 as a category of actions which do not individually or 
cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and, for 
which in the absence of extraordinary circumstances or sensitive 
resources, neither an EA nor an EIS is required. Actions that meet the 
conditions in paragraph (b) of this section and are listed in section A 
of appendix A of this part can be categorically excluded from further 
analysis and documentation in an EA or EIS. Actions that meet the 
screening conditions in paragraph (b) of this section and are listed in 
section B of appendix A require satisfactory completion of a Denali 
Commission CATEX checklist in order to be categorically excluded from 
further analysis and documentation in an EA or EIS.
    (b) Conditions. The following three conditions must be met for an 
action to be categorically excluded from further analysis in an EA or 
EIS.
    (1) The action has not been segmented (too narrowly defined or 
broken down into small parts in order minimize its potential effects and 
avoid a higher level of NEPA review) and its scope includes the 
consideration of connected actions and, when evaluating extraordinary 
circumstances, cumulative impacts.
    (2) No extraordinary circumstances described in paragraph (c) of 
this section exist, unless resolved through other regulatory means.
    (3) One categorical exclusion described in either section of 
appendix A of this part encompasses the proposed action.
    (c) Extraordinary circumstances. Any action that normally would be 
classified as a CATEX but could involve extraordinary circumstances will 
require appropriate environmental review documented in a Denali 
Commission CATEX checklist to determine if the CATEX classification is 
proper or if an EA or EIS should be prepared. Extraordinary 
circumstances to be considered include those likely to:
    (1) Have a reasonable likelihood of significant impacts on public 
health, public safety, or the environment;
    (2) Have effects on the environment that are likely to be highly 
controversial or involve unresolved conflicts concerning alternative 
uses of available resources;
    (3) Have possible effects on the human environment that are highly 
uncertain, involve unique or unknown risks, or are scientifically 
controversial;
    (4) Establish a precedent for future action or represent a decision 
in principle about future actions with potentially significant 
environmental effects;
    (5) Relate to other actions with individually insignificant but 
cumulatively significant environmental effects;
    (6) Have a greater scope or size than is normal for the category of 
action;
    (7) Have the potential to degrade already existing poor 
environmental conditions or to initiate a degrading influence, activity, 
or effect in areas not already significantly modified from their natural 
condition;
    (8) Have a disproportionately high and adverse effect on low income 
or minority populations (see Executive Order 12898);
    (9) Limit access to and ceremonial use of Indian sacred sites on 
federal lands by Indian religious practitioners or adversely affect the 
physical integrity of such sacred sites (see Executive Order 13007);
    (10) Threaten a violation of a federal, tribal, state or local law 
or requirement imposed for the protection of the environment;
    (11) Have a reasonable likelihood of significant impact to 
subsistence activities; or

[[Page 316]]

    (12) Have a reasonable likelihood of significant impacts on 
environmentally sensitive resources, such as:
    (i) Properties listed, or eligible for listing, in the National 
Register of Historic Places;
    (ii) Species listed, or proposed to be listed, on the List of 
Endangered or Threatened Species, or their habitat; or
    (iii) Natural resources and unique geographic characteristics such 
as historic or cultural resources; park, recreation or refuge lands; 
wilderness areas; wild or scenic rivers; national natural landmarks; 
sole or principal drinking water aquifers; prime farmlands; special 
aquatic sites (defined under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act); 
floodplains; national monuments; and other ecologically significant or 
critical areas.



Sec.  900.205  Environmental assessment.

    (a) An EA is required for all proposals, except those exempt from 
NEPA or categorically excluded under this part, and those requiring or 
determined to require an EIS. EAs provide sufficient evidence and 
analysis to determine whether to prepare an EIS or a finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI).
    (b) In addition, an EA may be prepared on any action at any time in 
order to assist in planning and decision making, to aid in the 
Commission's compliance with NEPA when no EIS is necessary, or to 
facilitate EIS preparation.
    (c) EAs shall be prepared in accordance with subpart C of this part 
and shall contain analyses to support conclusions regarding 
environmental impacts. If a FONSI is proposed, it shall be prepared in 
accordance with Sec.  900.305.



Sec.  900.206  Environmental impact statement.

    An EIS is required when the project is determined to have a 
potentially significant impact on the human environment. EISs shall be 
prepared in accordance with subpart D of this part.



Sec.  900.207  Programmatic environmental reviews.

    (a) A programmatic NEPA review is used to assess the environmental 
impacts of a proposed action that is broad in reach, such as a program, 
plan, or policy (see 40 CFR 1502.4). Analyses of subsequent actions that 
fall within the program, plan, or policy may be tiered to the 
programmatic review, as described in 40 CFR 1502.20 and 1508.28.
    (b) Programmatic NEPA reviews may take the form of a programmatic EA 
or a programmatic EIS.
    (c) A programmatic EA shall meet all of the requirements for EAs in 
subpart C of this part, including those for content and public 
involvement. In order to adopt a programmatic EA prepared by another 
agency that did not provide the same public involvement opportunities as 
the Commission, the Commission shall provide notice of the availability 
of the programmatic EA and make it available for public comment 
consistent with Sec.  900.303(b) and (c) before adopting it.
    (d) A programmatic EIS shall meet all of the requirements for EISs 
in subpart D of this part and in 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508.



                   Subpart C_Environmental Assessments



Sec.  900.301  Content.

    (a) An EA shall include brief discussions of the need for the 
proposal; of alternatives to the proposal as required by NEPA section 
102(2)(E); and of the environmental impacts of the proposal and 
alternatives. The EA shall also include a listing of agencies and 
persons consulted in the preparation of the EA.
    (b) An EA may describe a broad range of alternatives and proposed 
mitigation measures to facilitate planning and decisionmaking.
    (c) The EA should also document compliance, to the extent possible, 
with all applicable environmental laws and Executive Orders, or provide 
reasonable assurance that those requirements can be met.
    (d) The EA should be a concise public document. The level of detail 
and depth of impact analysis will normally be limited to the minimum 
needed to

[[Page 317]]

determine the significance of potential environmental effects.



Sec.  900.302  General considerations in preparing environmental
assessments.

    (a) Adoption of an EA. The Commission may adopt an EA prepared for a 
proposal before the Commission by another agency or an applicant when 
the EA, or a portion thereof, addresses the proposed Commission action 
and meets the standards for an adequate analysis under this part and 
relevant provisions of 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508, provided that the 
Commission makes its own evaluation of the environmental issues and 
takes responsibility for the scope and content of the EA in accordance 
with 40 CFR 1506.5(b).
    (b) Incorporation by reference into the EA. Any document may be 
incorporated by reference in accordance with 40 CFR 1502.21 and used in 
preparing an EA in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.4(e) and 1506.5(a), 
provided that the Commission makes its own evaluation of the 
environmental issues and takes responsibility for the scope and content 
of the EA in accordance with 40 CFR 1506.5(b).



Sec.  900.303  Public involvement.

    (a) Commission approval is required before an EA is made available 
to the public and the notice of availability is published.
    (b) The public shall be provided notice of the availability of EAs 
and draft FONSIs in accordance with 40 CFR 1506.6 and Sec.  900.108(a) 
by the Approving Official. The Approving Official is responsible for 
making the EA available for public inspection and will provide hard 
copies on request to the affected units of Alaska Native/American Indian 
tribal organizations and/or local government.
    (c) EAs and draft FONSIs will be available for public comment for 
not less than 15 calendar days but may be published for a longer period 
of time as determined by the Approving Official.
    (d) Final Commission action will be taken after public comments 
received on an EA and draft FONSI are reviewed and considered.



Sec.  900.304  Actions resulting from assessment.

    (a) Accepted without modification. The Commission may accept a 
proposal without modifications if the EA indicates that the proposal 
does not have significant environmental impacts and a FONSI is prepared 
in accordance with Sec.  900.305.
    (b) Accepted with modification. If an EA identifies potentially 
significant environmental impacts, the proposal may be modified to 
eliminate such impacts. Proposals so modified may be accepted by the 
Commission if the proposed changes are evaluated in an EA and a FONSI is 
prepared in accordance with Sec.  900.305.
    (c) Mitigated FONSI. If mitigation is required to reduce the impacts 
below significant the FONSI shall identify the mitigation and describe 
applicable monitoring and enforcement measures intended to ensure the 
implementation of the mitigation measures.
    (d) Prepare an EIS. The Commission shall require that the proposal 
be evaluated in an EIS, prepared in accordance with subpart D to this 
part, if the EA indicates significant environmental impacts that cannot 
be mitigated below a specified level of significance.
    (e) Rejected. The Commission may always elect to reject a proposal.



Sec.  900.305  Findings of no significant impact.

    (a) Definition. Finding of no significant impact (FONSI) means a 
document by the Commission briefly presenting the reasons why an action, 
not otherwise excluded as provided in Sec.  900.204, will not have a 
significant impact on the human environment and for which an EIS will 
not be prepared.
    (b) Applicant responsibility. The applicant shall assist the 
Commission with preparing the EA. The Commission remains responsible for 
compiling the public hearing summary or minutes, where applicable; and 
copies of any written comments received and responses thereto.
    (c) Content. A FONSI shall include the EA or a summary of it and 
shall note any other environmental documents related to it (40 CFR 
1501.7(a)(5)).

[[Page 318]]

If the assessment is included, the finding need not repeat any of the 
discussion in the assessment but may incorporate it by reference.
    (d) Publication. The Commission shall make the final FONSI available 
to the public on the Commission Web site.
    (e) Special circumstances. The FONSI notice of availability will be 
made available for public review (including State and areawide 
clearinghouses) for 30 days before the Commission makes its final 
determination whether to prepare an environmental impact statement and 
before the action may begin (40 CFR 1501.4(e)(2)) where:
    (1) The proposed action is, or is closely similar to, one which 
normally requires the preparation of an environmental impact statement 
under Sec.  900.405; or
    (2) The nature of the proposed action is one without precedent.



Sec.  900.306  Proposals normally requiring an EA.

    Proposals that normally require preparation of an EA include the 
following:
    (a) Initial field demonstration of a new technology; and
    (b) Field trials of a new product or new uses of an existing 
technology.



                Subpart D_Environmental Impact Statements



Sec.  900.401  Notice of intent and scoping.

    (a) The Commission shall publish a NOI, as described in 40 CFR 
1508.22, in the Federal Register as soon as practicable after a decision 
is made to prepare an EIS, in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.7. If there 
will be a lengthy period of time between the Commission's decision to 
prepare an EIS and its actual preparation, the Commission may defer 
publication of the NOI until a reasonable time before preparing the EIS, 
provided that the Commission allows a reasonable opportunity for 
interested parties to participate in the EIS process. Consistent with 
Sec.  900.201(b), the Commission and the applicant will coordinate 
during the time period prior to the publication of the NOI to identify: 
the scope of the action, potential modifications to the proposal, 
potential alternatives, environmental constraints, potential timeframes 
for the environmental review, and federal, state, or tribal entities 
that could be interested in the project, including those with the 
potential to become cooperating agencies. Through the NOI, the 
Commission shall invite comments and suggestions on the scope of the 
EIS.
    (b) Publication of the NOI in the Federal Register shall begin the 
public scoping process. The public scoping process for a Commission EIS 
shall allow a minimum of 30 days for the receipt of public comments.



Sec.  900.402  Preparation and filing of draft and final EISs.

    (a) General. Except for proposals for legislation as provided for in 
40 CFR 1506.8, EISs shall be prepared in two stages and may be 
supplemented.
    (b) Format. The EIS format recommended by 40 CFR 1502.10 shall be 
used unless a determination is made on a particular project that there 
is a compelling reason to do otherwise. In such a case, the EIS format 
must meet the minimum requirements prescribed in 40 CFR 1502.10, as 
further described in 40 CFR 1502.11 through 1502.18.
    (c) Applicant role. The draft or final EIS shall be prepared by the 
Commission with assistance from the applicant under appropriate guidance 
and direction from the Approving Official.
    (d) Third-party consultants. A third-party consultant selected by 
the Commission or in cooperation with a cooperating agency may prepare 
the draft or final EIS.
    (e) Commission responsibility. The Commission shall provide a 
schedule with time limits, guidance, participate in the preparation, 
independently evaluate, and take responsibility for the content of the 
draft and final EIS.
    (f) Filing. After a draft or final EIS has been prepared, the 
Commission shall file the EIS with the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA). The EPA will publish a notice of availability in accordance with 
40 CFR 1506.9 and 1506.10.
    (g) Draft to final EIS. When a final EIS does not require 
substantial changes from the draft EIS, the Commission may document 
required changes in errata sheets, insertion

[[Page 319]]

pages, and revised sections. The Commission will then circulate such 
changes together with comments on the draft EIS, responses to comments, 
and other appropriate information as its final EIS. The Commission will 
not circulate the draft EIS again; however, the Commission will post the 
EIS on its Web site and provide the draft EIS if requested.
    (h) Record of decision. A record of decision (ROD) will be prepared 
in accordance with 40 CFR 1505.2.



Sec.  900.403  Supplemental EIS.

    (a) Supplements to either draft or final EISs shall be prepared, as 
prescribed in 40 CFR 1502.9, when the Commission finds that there are 
substantial changes are proposed in a project that are relevant to 
environmental concerns; or when there are significant new circumstances 
or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the 
proposed action or its impacts.
    (b) Where Commission action remains to be taken and the EIS is more 
than three years old, the Commission will review the EIS to determine 
whether it is adequate or requires supplementation.
    (c) The Commission shall prepare, circulate and file a supplement to 
an EIS in the same fashion (exclusive of scoping) as a draft and final 
EIS. In addition, the supplement and accompanying administrative record 
shall be included in the administrative record for the proposal. When an 
applicant is involved, the applicant shall, under the direction of the 
approving official, provide assistance.
    (d) An NOI to prepare a supplement to a final EIS will be published 
in those cases where a ROD has already been issued.



Sec.  900.404  Adoption.

    (a) The Commission may adopt a draft or final EIS or portion thereof 
(see 40 CFR 1506.3), including a programmatic EIS, prepared by another 
agency.
    (b) If the actions covered by the original EIS and the proposal are 
substantially the same, the Commission shall recirculate it as a final 
statement. Otherwise, the Commission shall treat the statement as a 
draft and recirculate it except as provided in paragraph (c) of this 
section.
    (c) Where the Commission is a cooperating agency, it may adopt the 
EIS of the lead agency without recirculating it when, after an 
independent review of the EIS, the Commission concludes that its 
comments and suggestions have been satisfied.
    (d) When the Commission adopts an EIS which is not final within the 
agency that prepared it, or when the action it assesses is the subject 
of a referral under 40 CFR part 1504, or when the EIS's adequacy is the 
subject of a judicial action which is not final, the Commission shall so 
specify.



Sec.  900.405  Proposals normally requiring an EIS.

    An EIS will normally be required for:
    (a) Large scale infrastructure construction efforts such as the 
relocation of an entire community;
    (b) A project that requires a formal consultation under Section 7 of 
the Endangered Species Act; or
    (c) Where implementation of the proposal may directly cause or 
induce changes that significantly:
    (1) Displace population;
    (2) Alter the character of existing residential areas; or
    (3) Adversely affect a floodplain.





           Sec. Appendix A to Part 900--Categorical Exclusions

                    A. General Categorical Exclusions

    Actions consistent with any of the following categories are, in the 
absence of extraordinary circumstances, categorically excluded from 
further analysis in an EA or EIS:
    A1. Routine administrative and management activities including, but 
not limited to, those activities related to budgeting, finance, 
personnel actions, procurement activities, compliance with applicable 
executive orders and procedures for sustainable or ``greened'' 
procurement, retaining legal counsel, public affairs activities (e.g., 
issuing press releases, newsletters and notices of funding 
availability), internal and external program evaluation and monitoring 
(e.g., site visits), database development and maintenance, and computer 
systems administration.

[[Page 320]]

    A2. Routine activities that the Commission does to support its 
program partners and stakeholders, such as serving on task forces, ad 
hoc committees or representing Commission interests in other forums.
    A3. Approving and issuing grants for administrative overhead 
support.
    A4. Approving and issuing grants for social services, education and 
training programs, including but not limited to support for Head Start, 
senior citizen programs, drug treatment programs, and funding 
internships, except for projects involving construction, renovation, or 
changes in land use.
    A5. Approving and issuing grants for facility planning and design.
    A6. Nondestructive data collection, inventory, study, research, and 
monitoring activities (e.g., field, aerial and satellite surveying and 
mapping).
    A7. Research, planning grants and technical assistance projects that 
are not reasonably expected to commit the federal government to a course 
of action, to result in legislative proposals, or to result in direct 
development.
    A8. Acquisition and installation of equipment including, but not 
limited to, EMS, emergency and non-expendable medical equipment (e.g., 
digital imaging devices and dental equipment), and communications 
equipment (e.g., computer upgrades).

                    B. Program Categorical Exclusions

    Actions consistent with any of the following categories are, in the 
absence of extraordinary circumstances, categorically excluded from 
further analysis and documentation in an EA or EIS upon completion of 
the Denali Commission CATEX checklist:
    B1. Upgrade, repair, maintenance, replacement, or minor renovations 
and additions to buildings, roads, harbors and other maritime 
facilities, grounds, equipment, and other facilities, including but not 
limited to, roof replacement, foundation repair, ADA access ramp and 
door improvements, weatherization and energy efficiency related 
improvements, HVAC renovations, painting, floor system replacement, 
repaving parking lots and ground maintenance, that do not result in a 
change in the functional use of the real property.
    B2. Engineering studies and investigations that do not permanently 
change the environment.
    B3. Construction or lease of new infrastructure including, but not 
limited to, health care facilities, community buildings, housing, and 
bulk fuel storage and power generation plants, where such lease or 
construction:
    (a) Is at the site of existing infrastructure and capacity is not 
substantially increased; or
    (b) Is for infrastructure of less than 12,000 square feet of useable 
space when less than two aces of surface land area are involved at a new 
site.
    B4. Construction or modification of electric power stations or 
interconnection facilities (including, but not limited to, switching 
stations and support facilities).
    B5. Construction of electric powerlines approximately ten miles in 
length or less, or approximately 20 miles in length or less within 
previously disturbed or developed powerline or pipeline rights-of-way.
    B6. Upgrading or rebuilding approximately twenty miles in length or 
less of existing electric powerlines, which may involve minor 
relocations of small segments or the powerlines.
    B7. Demolition, disposal, or improvements involving buildings or 
structures when done in accordance with applicable regulations, 
including those regulations applying to removal of asbestos, 
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and other hazardous materials.

                        PARTS 901	999 [RESERVED]

[[Page 321]]



CHAPTER X--OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND 
            FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES




  --------------------------------------------------------------------
Part                                                                Page
1000            Individual development account reserve funds 
                    established pursuant to Grants for 
                    Assets for Independence.................         323
1050            Charitable choice under the Community 
                    Services Block Grant Act programs.......         323
1080            Emergency Community Services Homeless Grant 
                    Program.................................         325
1081-1099

 [Reserved]

[[Page 323]]



PART 1000_INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT RESERVE FUNDS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT
TO GRANTS FOR ASSETS FOR INDEPENDENCE--Table of Contents



Sec.
1000.1 Scope.
1000.2 Definitions.
1000.3 Requirements.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 604 nt.

    Source: 66 FR 48972, Sept. 25, 2001, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1000.1  Scope.

    This part applies to the Office of Community Services' Assets for 
Independence Program.



Sec.  1000.2  Definitions.

    Individual Development Account means a trust or custodial account 
created or organized in the United States exclusively for the purpose of 
paying the qualified expenses of an eligible individual, as defined in 
section 404(2) of Pub. L. 105-285, or enabling the eligible individual 
to make an emergency withdrawal as defined in section 404(3) of Pub. L. 
105-385. The written governing instrument creating the trust or 
custodial account must meet the requirements of Section 404(5) of Pub. 
L. 105-285, and of the Project Eligibility Requirements set forth in 
Program Announcements.
    Qualified Entity means one or more not-for-profit organizations 
described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and 
exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code; or a State or 
local government agency; or a tribal government which has submitted an 
application under section 405 of Pub. L. 105-285 jointly with a 
501(c)(3) organization that is exempt from taxation under 501(a) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or an entity that is a credit union 
designated as a low-income credit union by the National Credit Union 
Administration (NCUA), or an organization designated as a community 
development financial institution by the Secretary of the Treasury (or 
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund), and can demonstrate 
a collaborative relationship with a local community-based organization 
whose activities are designed to address poverty in the community and 
the needs of community members for economic independence and stability.
    Reserve Fund means a fund, established by a qualified entity, that 
shall include all funds provided to the qualified entity from any public 
or private source in connection with the demonstration project and the 
proceeds from any investment made with such funds. The fund shall be 
maintained in accordance with section 407(c)(3), as amended. No less 
than 85 percent of the Federal grant funds in the Reserve Fund shall be 
used as matching contributions for Individual Development Accounts.

[66 FR 48972, Sept. 25, 2001, as amended at 67 FR 19518, Apr. 22, 2002]



Sec.  1000.3  Requirements.

    (a) A qualified entity, other than a State or local government 
agency or tribal government, shall establish a Reserve Fund for use in 
the Assets for Independence program. Each reserve fund established by a 
qualified entity, other than a State or local government agency or 
tribal government, is subject to the Department of Health and Human 
Services' uniform administrative requirements under 45 CFR part 75.
    (b) Any reserve fund established by a qualified entity that is a 
State or local government agency or tribal government is subject to the 
Department of Health and Human Services' uniform administrative 
requirements under 45 CFR part 75.

[66 FR 48972, Sept. 25, 2001, as amended at 81 FR 3021, Jan. 20, 2016]



PART 1050_CHARITABLE CHOICE UNDER THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT ACT
PROGRAMS--Table of Contents



Sec.
1050.1 Scope.
1050.2 Definitions.
1050.3 What conditions apply to the Charitable Choice provisions of the 
          CSBG Act?

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.

    Source: 68 FR 56469, Sept. 30, 2003, unless otherwise noted.

[[Page 324]]



Sec.  1050.1  Scope.

    This part applies to programs authorized under the Community 
Services Block Grant Act (CSBG Act). Title 42 U.S.C. 9901, 9913, 9920, 
9921, 9922, 9923.



Sec.  1050.2  Definitions.

    Applicable program means any program authorized under Title II of 
the Community Opportunities, Accountability, and Training and Education 
Act of 1998, 42 U.S.C. 9901, et seq.
    Direct funding, directly funded or funding provided directly means 
funding that is provided to an organization directly by a governmental 
entity or an intermediate organization that has the same duties as a 
governmental entity, as opposed to funding that an organization receives 
as a result of the genuine and independent private choice of a 
beneficiary.
    Intermediate organization means an organization that is authorized 
by the terms of a contract, grant or other agreement with the Federal 
Government, or a State or local government, to select other non-
governmental organizations to provide assistance under an applicable 
program. For example, when a State uses CSBG Act funds to pay for 
technical assistance services provided by a private entity and also 
authorizes that entity to subcontract for a portion of the technical 
assistance effort, the private entity is an intermediate organization.
    Program beneficiary or recipient means an individual who receives 
services under a program funded in whole or part by an applicable 
program.
    Program participant means a public or private entity that has 
received financial assistance under an applicable program.



Sec.  1050.3  What conditions apply to the Charitable Choice provisions
of the CSBG Act?

    These Charitable Choice provisions apply whenever the Federal 
government, or a State or local government, uses funds under the CSBG 
Act to provide awards, contracts, or other assistance under any program 
authorized in the Community Services Block Grant, 42 U.S.C. 9901, et 
seq. Additionally, these provisions apply whenever an intermediate 
organization acting under a contract, grant, or other agreement with a 
Federal, State, or local government entity selects nongovernmental 
organizations to provide assistance under any of the programs authorized 
under the Community Services Block Grant Act.
    (a)(1) Religious organizations are eligible, on the same basis as 
any other organization, to participate in the applicable programs as 
long as they use program funds consistent with the Establishment Clause 
and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States 
Constitution.
    (2) Neither the Federal government nor a State or local government 
receiving funds under an applicable program shall discriminate against 
an organization that applies to provide, or provides, services or 
benefits on the basis of the organization's religious character or 
affiliation.
    (b) No program participant that receives direct funding under an 
applicable program may expend the program funds for inherently religious 
activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization. 
If an organization conducts such activities, it must offer them 
separately, in time or location, from the programs or services directly 
funded under any applicable program, and participation must be voluntary 
for program beneficiaries.
    (c) A religious organization that participates in an applicable 
program will retain its independence from Federal, State, and local 
governments and may continue to carry out its mission, including the 
definition, practice and expression of its religious beliefs, provided 
that it does not expend any direct funding under the applicable program 
to support any inherently religious activities, such as worship, 
religious instruction, or proselytization. Among other things, religious 
organizations may use space in their facilities to provide services 
funded under an applicable program without removing religious art, 
icons, scriptures, or other symbols. In addition, such a religious 
organization retains the authority over its internal governance, and it 
may retain religious terms in its organization's name, select its board 
members on a religious basis, and include religious references in its 
organization's

[[Page 325]]

mission statements and other governing documents.
    (d) The participation of a religious organization in, or its receipt 
of funds from, an applicable program does not affect that organization's 
exemption provided under 42 U.S.C. 2000e-1 regarding employment 
practices.
    (e) A religious organization that receives funds under an applicable 
program, shall not, in providing program services or benefits, 
discriminate against a program beneficiary or prospective program 
beneficiary on the basis of religion or a religious belief.
    (f) Religious organizations that receive funds under an applicable 
program are subject to the same regulations as other nongovernmental 
organizations to account, in accordance with generally accepted auditing 
and accounting principles, for the use of such funds. In addition, 
religious organizations are required to keep any Federal funds they 
receive for services segregated in a separate account from non-Federal 
funds. Only the segregated government funds are subject to audit by the 
government under the applicable program.
    (g) If a State or local government contributes its own funds to 
supplement CSBG Act funded activities, the State or local government has 
the option to segregate the Federal funds or commingle them. However, if 
the funds are commingled, the Charitable Choice provisions apply to all 
of the commingled funds.
    (h) If a nongovernmental pass-through entity, acting under a grant, 
contract, or other agreement with the Federal, State or local 
government, is given the authority to select nongovernmental 
organizations to provide services under an applicable program, then the 
intermediate organization must ensure that the service provider complies 
with these Charitable Choice provisions and 45 CFR 87.1 and 87.3(i) and 
(j). The pass-through entity retains all other rights of a 
nongovernmental organization under the Charitable Choice provisions.

[68 FR 56469, Sept. 30, 2003, as amended at 81 FR 19428, Apr. 4, 2016; 
85 FR 82148, Dec. 17, 2020]



PART 1080_EMERGENCY COMMUNITY SERVICES HOMELESS GRANT PROGRAM-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
1080.1 Scope.
1080.2 Definitions.
1080.3 Allocation of funds.
1080.4 Eligible use of funds.
1080.5 Application procedures for States.
1080.6 Funding of alternative organizations.
1080.7 Funding of Indian tribes.
1080.8 Reporting requirements.
1080.9 Other requirements.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 11302 (101 Stat. 485); 42 U.S.C. 11461-11464, 
11472 (101 Stat. 532-533), as amended.

    Source: 54 FR 6372, Feb. 9, 1989, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1080.1  Scope.

    This part applies to the Emergency Community Services Homeless Grant 
Program.



Sec.  1080.2  Definitions.

    (a) Homeless or homeless individual includes:
    (1) An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime 
residence; and
    (2) An individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is:
    (i) A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to 
provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, 
congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill);
    (ii) An institution that provides a temporary residence for 
individuals intended to be institutionalized; or
    (iii) A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used 
as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

The term homeless or homeless individual does not include any individual 
imprisoned or otherwise detained pursuant to an Act of the Congress or a 
State law.
    (b) Indian tribe means any tribe, band, nation, or other organized 
group or community of Indians, including any Alaska Native village or 
regional or village corporation (as defined in, or established pursuant 
to, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act), that is recognized by the 
Federal Government as eligible for special programs and

[[Page 326]]

services provided to Indians because of their status as Indians.
    (c) State includes the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, 
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of 
Palau.



Sec.  1080.3  Allocation of funds.

    From the amounts made available under the Emergency Community 
Services Homeless Grant Program, the Secretary shall make grants to 
States that administer programs under the Community Services Block Grant 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.), after taking into account the amount set 
aside for Indian tribes in Sec.  1080.7(a) of this chapter. Such grants 
shall be allocated to the States in accordance with the formula set 
forth in subsections (a) and (b) of section 674 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
9903 (a) and (b)). No funds shall be allocated under subsection (c) of 
section 674 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 9903(c)).



Sec.  1080.4  Eligible use of funds.

    Amounts awarded under the Emergency Community Services Homeless 
Grant Program may be used only for the following purposes:
    (a) Expansion of comprehensive services to homeless individuals to 
provide follow-up and long-term services to help them make the 
transition out of poverty;
    (b) Renovation of buildings to be used to provide such services, 
except that not more than 50 percent of such amounts may be used for 
such purpose, and provided that all procedures required under the 
National Historic Preservation Act are followed;
    (c) Provision of assistance in obtaining social and maintenance 
services and income support services for homeless individuals;
    (d) Promotion of private sector and other assistance to homeless 
individuals; and
    (e) After October 1, 1988, provision of assistance to any individual 
who has received a notice of foreclosure, eviction, or termination of 
utility services, if--
    (1) The inability of the individual to make mortgage, rental, or 
utility payments is due to a sudden reduction in income;
    (2) The assistance is necessary to avoid the foreclosure, eviction, 
or termination of utility services; and
    (3) There is a reasonable prospect that the individual will be able 
to resume the payments within a reasonable period of time.
    (f) Provision of, or referral to, violence counseling for homeless 
children and individuals, and the provision of violence counseling 
training to individuals who work with homeless children and individuals; 
and,
    (g) Not more than 5 percent of the amount received will be used to 
defray State administrative costs.

[54 FR 6372, Feb. 9, 1989, as amended at 57 FR 27946, June 23, 1992]



Sec.  1080.5  Application procedures for States.

    (a) Each State requesting funds under the Emergency Community 
Services Homeless Grant Program shall submit to the Office of Community 
Services an application for funds for each fiscal year, at a time 
established by the Secretary. Approval must be requested of and received 
from the Office of Community Services before a State may implement 
changes to the information requested by paragraph (b) of this section 
after an application has been approved.
    (b) The application may be in any format, but must include a 
description of the agencies, organizations, and activities that the 
State intends to support with the amounts received. In addition, the 
application must include the following assurances, signed by the 
Governor or his/her designee:
    (1) The State will award not less than 95 percent of the amounts it 
receives to:
    (i) Community action agencies and other organizations that are 
eligible to receive amounts under section 675(c)(2)(A) of the Community 
Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9904(c)(2)(A));
    (ii) Organizations serving migrant and seasonal farmworkers; and
    (iii) Any organization to which a State, that applied for and 
received a waiver from the Secretary under Public Law 98-139, made a 
grant under the

[[Page 327]]

Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.) for fiscal 
year 1984;
    (2) No amount received will be used to supplant other programs for 
homeless individuals administered by the State;
    (3) Not more than 5 percent of the amount received will be used to 
defray State administrative costs;
    (4) Every effort will be made to award the funds within 60 days of 
their receipt;
    (5) Not more than 25 percent of the amounts received will be used 
for the purpose described in Sec.  1080.4(e) of these regulations; and
    (6) The State will have mechanisms in place to assure coordination 
among State and local agencies serving the homeless. This will include 
coordination at the State level with the agency responsible for 
developing the Comprehensive Homeless Assistance Plan or the 
Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy as required by section 401 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 11361), as amended by section 836 of the 
Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act.
    (7) The State will have procedures in place to assure compliance 
with the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act prior to 
the awarding of any amounts to be used for renovating any properties 
that are listed on, or eligible for inclusion on, the National Register 
of Historic Places.

(Information collection requirements are approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget under control number 0970-0088)

[54 FR 6372, Feb. 9, 1989, as amended at 57 FR 27946, June 23, 1992]



Sec.  1080.6  Funding of alternative organizations.

    (a) If a State does not apply for or submits an approvable 
application for a grant under the Emergency Community Services Homeless 
Grant Program, the Secretary shall use the amounts that would have been 
allocated to that State to make grants to agencies and organizations in 
the State that meet the requirements of Sec.  1080.5(b)(1).
    (b) The amounts allocated under this section in any fiscal year 
shall be awarded to eligible agencies and organizations in the same 
proportion as funds distributed to those agencies and organizations by 
the State for the previous fiscal year under the Community Services 
Block Grant Program (42 U.S.C. 9904(c)(2)(A)).
    (c) Agencies and organizations eligible to be funded under this 
section shall submit an application meeting the requirements of 
Sec. Sec.  1080.5(a) and 1080.5(b)(2), (3), (5), (6) and (7), at a time 
specified by the Secretary. If such an agency or organization does not 
apply for or submit an approvable application under this section, the 
funds that would have been allocated to them shall be reallocated by the 
Secretary to the remaining eligible agencies and organizations on a pro 
rata basis.

[54 FR 6372, Feb. 9, 1989, as amended at 57 FR 27946, June 23, 1992]



Sec.  1080.7  Funding of Indian tribes.

    (a) Not less than 1.5 percent of the funds provided in each fiscal 
year for the Emergency Community Services Homeless Grant Program shall 
be allocated by the Secretary directly to Indian tribes that have 
applied for and received a direct grant award under section 674(c) of 
the Community Services Block Grant Act (41 U.S.C. 9903(c)) for that 
fiscal year.
    (b) An Indian tribe funded under this section is not required to 
submit an application for Emergency Community Services Homeless Grant 
Program funds. A tribe's application for a direct grant award under 
section 674(c) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 
9903(c)) that is submitted by September 1 for the succeeding fiscal year 
will be considered as an application for Emergency Community Services 
Homeless Grant Program funds for that fiscal year. Acceptance of the 
Community Services Block Grant application by the Office of Community 
Services will constitute approval of an award of funds under this 
section.
    (c) Funds allocated under this section shall be allotted to an 
Indian tribe in an amount that bears the same ratio to all the funds 
allocated under this section as the tribe's poverty population bears to 
the total poverty population of all tribes funded under this section, 
except that no tribe shall receive an amount of less than:

[[Page 328]]

    (1) $500, for those tribes whose allocation under this section would 
otherwise be at least $1 but no more than $500; or
    (2) $1000, for those tribes whose allocation under this section 
would otherwise be at least $501 but less than $1000.
    (d) For purposes of this section, an Indian tribe's poverty 
population shall be calculated by multiplying the tribe's overall 
population by the Indian rural poverty rate for the State in which it is 
located, using the population and rural poverty rate figures established 
for the purposes of making direct grants under section 674(c) of the 
Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9903(c)).



Sec.  1080.8  Reporting requirements.

    Each recipient of funds under the Emergency Community Services 
Homeless Grant Program shall submit an annual report to the Secretary, 
within 6 months of the end of the period covered by the report, on the 
expenditure of funds and the implementation of the program for that 
fiscal year.
    (a) The report is to state the types of activities funded, any 
efforts undertaken by the grantee and its subgrantees to coordinate 
homeless activities funded under this program with other homeless 
assistance activities in the State and communities, the number of 
individuals served and any impediments, including statutory and 
regulatory restrictions to homeless individuals' use of the program and 
to their obtaining services or benefits under the program.
    (b) Such annual report shall provide information on the use of funds 
to defray State administrative costs, including the types of activities 
which specifically address services to the homeless and also those 
activities that are related to the administrative costs associated with 
the coordination and integration of services to the homeless.
    (c) States shall also provide information in the annual report which 
details programs, progress, and activities that are specifically related 
to expenditures for renovation, including the effects of such activities 
on historic properties, and the provision of, or referral to, services 
for domestic violence.

(Information collection requirements are approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget under control number 0970-0088)

[57 FR 27946, June 23, 1992]



Sec.  1080.9  Other requirements.

    All recipients of grants under the Emergency Community Services 
Homeless Grant Program shall be subject to the following regulations 
applicable to the block grant programs in the Department of Health and 
Human Services:
    (a) 45 CFR part 96, subpart B, Sec.  96.12--Grant Payment, 
concerning the timing and method of disbursing grant awards;
    (b) 45 CFR part 96, subpart B, Sec.  96.14--Time Period for 
Obligation and Expenditure of Grant Funds, as amended, concerning the 
availability of grant funds;
    (c) 45 CFR part 96, subpart C--Financial Management, as amended, 
concerning financial management and audit requirements;
    (d) 45 CFR part 96, subpart E--Enforcement, as amended, concerning 
enforcement and complaint procedures; and
    (e) 45 CFR part 96, subpart F--Hearing Procedures, concerning 
hearing procedures.

                       PARTS 1081	1099 [RESERVED]

[[Page 329]]



     CHAPTER XI--NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES




  --------------------------------------------------------------------


  Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to chapter XI appear at 66 FR 
47096, Sept. 11, 2001.

                          SUBCHAPTER A--GENERAL
Part                                                                Page
1105            Standards of conduct for employees..........         331
1110            Nondiscrimination in federally assisted 
                    programs................................         331
              SUBCHAPTER B--NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
1116-1147

 [Reserved]

1148            Procedures for disclosure of records under 
                    the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)...         343
1149            Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act regulations         355
1150            Collection of claims........................         372
1151            Nondiscrimination on the basis of handicap..         385
1152            Intergovernmental review of National 
                    Endowment for the Arts programs and 
                    activities..............................         393
1153            Enforcement of nondiscrimination on the 
                    basis of handicap in programs or 
                    activities conducted by the National 
                    Endowment for the Arts..................         397
1156            Nondiscrimination on the basis of age.......         403
1157

[Reserved]

1158            New restrictions on lobbying................         409
1159            Implementation of the Privacy Act of 1974...         421
      SUBCHAPTER C--FEDERAL COUNCIL ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES
1160            Indemnities under the Arts and Artifacts 
                    Indemnity Act...........................         430
           SUBCHAPTER D--NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
1167            Testimony and production of records.........         435
1168            New restrictions on lobbying................         437
1169            Privacy Act regulations.....................         448
1170            Nondiscrimination on the basis of handicap 
                    in federally assisted programs or 
                    activities..............................         454

[[Page 330]]

1171            Public access to NEH records under the 
                    Freedom of Information Act..............         466
1172            Nondiscrimination on the basis of age in 
                    federally assisted programs or 
                    activities..............................         476
1173            Indemnification of employees................         483
1174            Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act regulations         484
1175            Enforcement of nondiscrimination on the 
                    basis of handicap in programs or 
                    activities conducted by the National 
                    Endowment for the Humanities............         497
1176            Part-time career employment.................         503
1177            Claims collection...........................         504
1178            Use of penalty mail in the location and 
                    recovery of missing children............         521
1179            Salary offset...............................         521
         SUBCHAPTER E--INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES
1180

[Reserved]

1181            Enforcement of nondiscrimination on the 
                    basis of handicap in programs or 
                    activities conducted by the Institute of 
                    Museum and Library Services.............         526
1182            Implementation of the Privacy Act of 1974...         531
1183

[Reserved]

1184            Implementation of the Freedom of Information 
                    Act.....................................         540
1185-1199

 [Reserved]

[[Page 331]]



                          SUBCHAPTER A_GENERAL





PART 1105_STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES--Table of Contents



    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 7301.

    Source: 68 FR 52702, Sept. 5, 2003, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1105.1  Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and
financial disclosure and financial interests regulations.

    Employees of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National 
Endowment for the Humanities are subject to the executive branchwide 
standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the executive branch 
employees responsibilities and conduct regulations at 5 CFR part 735; 
the executive branch financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR part 
2634, and the executive branch financial interests regulations at 5 CFR 
part 2640. Employees of the National Endowment for the Arts are also 
subject to that Agency's regulations at 5 CFR part 6501, which 
supplement the executive branchwide standards of conduct at 5 CFR part 
2635. Employees of the National Endowment for the Humanities are also 
subject to that Agency's regulations at 5 CFR part 6601, which 
supplement the executive branchwide standards of conduct at 5 CFR part 
2635.



PART 1110_NONDISCRIMINATION IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAMS-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
1110.1 Purpose.
1110.2 Application of part.
1110.3 Discrimination prohibited.
1110.4 Assurances required.
1110.5 Illustrative applications.
1110.6 Compliance information.
1110.7 Conduct of investigations.
1110.8 Procedure for effecting compliance.
1110.9 Hearings.
1110.10 Decisions and notices.
1110.11 Judicial review.
1110.12 Effect on other regulations; forms and instructions.
1110.13 Definitions.

Appendix A to Part 1110--Federal Financial Assistance to Which This Part 
          Applies

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2000d-2000d-7.

    Source: 38 FR 17991, July 5, 1973, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1110.1  Purpose.

    The purpose of this part is to effectuate the provisions of title VI 
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (hereafter referred to as the ``Act''), 
42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq., to the end that no person in the United States 
shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded 
from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise 
subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving 
Federal financial assistance from the National Endowment for the Arts, 
the National Endowment for the Humanities, or the Institute of Museum 
and Library Services.

[62 FR 66826, Dec. 22, 1997]



Sec.  1110.2  Application of part.

    This part applies to any program for which Federal financial 
assistance is authorized under a law administered by the National 
Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for Humanities, or the 
Institute of Museum and Library Services, including the types of Federal 
financial assistance listed in appendix A of this part. It applies to 
money paid, property transferred, or other Federal financial assistance 
extended after the effective date of the part, including assistance 
pursuant to an application approved prior to such date. It also applies 
to federal financial assistance extended to any such program prior to 
the effective date of this part under a contract or grant where the term 
of the contract or grant continues beyond such date or where the 
assistance was to provide real or personal property and the recipient or 
his transferee continues to use or retain ownership or possession of the 
property (see Sec.  1110.4(a)(1)). This part does not apply to (a) any 
Federal financial assistance by way of insurance or guaranty contract, 
(b) any assistance to

[[Page 332]]

any individual who is the ultimate beneficiary under any such program, 
or (c) any employment practice, under any such program, of any employer, 
employment agency, or labor organization, except to the extent described 
in Sec.  1110.3. The fact that a type of Federal financial assistance is 
not listed in appendix A shall not mean, if title VI of the Act is 
otherwise applicable, that a program is not covered. Other types of 
Federal financial assistance under statutes now in force or hereinafter 
enacted may be added to this list by notice published in the Federal 
Register.

[38 FR 17991, July 5, 1973, as amended at 62 FR 66826, Dec. 22, 1997; 68 
FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1110.3  Discrimination prohibited.

    (a) General. No person in the United States shall, on grounds of 
race, color, or national origin be excluded from participation in, be 
denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected, to discrimination 
under any program to which this part applies.
    (b) Specific discriminatory actions prohibited. (1) A recipient 
under any program to which this part applies may not directly or through 
contractual or other arrangements, on the ground of race, color, or 
national origin:
    (i) Deny an individual any service, financial aid, or other benefit 
provided under the program;
    (ii) Provide any service, financial aid, or other benefit to an 
individual which is different, or is provided in a different manner, 
from that provided to others under the program;
    (iii) Subject an individual to segregation or separate treatment in 
any matter related to his receipt of any service, financial aid, or 
other benefit under the program;
    (iv) Restrict an individual in any way in the enjoyment of any 
advantage or privilege enjoyed by others receiving any service, 
financial aid, or other benefit under the program;
    (v) Treat an individual differently from others in determining 
whether he satisfies any admission, enrollment, quota, eligibility, 
membership, or other requirement or condition which individuals must 
meet in order to be provided any service, financial aid, or other 
benefit provided under the program;
    (vi) Deny an individual an opportunity to participate in the program 
through the provision of services or otherwise or afford him an 
opportunity to do so which is different from that afforded others under 
the program (including the opportunity to participate in the program as 
an employee but only to the extent set forth in paragraph (c) of this 
section).
    (2) A recipient, in determining the types of services, financial 
aid, or other benefits, or facilities which will be provided under any 
such program, or the class of individuals to whom, or the situations in 
which, such services, financial aid, other benefits, or facilities will 
be provided under any such program, or the class of individuals to be 
afforded an opportunity to participate in any such program, may not 
directly or through contractual or other arrangements, utilize criteria 
or methods of administration which have the effect of subjecting 
individuals to discrimination because of their race, color, or national 
origin, or have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing 
accomplishment of the objectives of the program as respects individuals 
of a particular race, color, or national origin.
    (3) In determining the site or location of facilities, a recipient 
or applicant may not make selections with the purpose or effect of 
excluding individuals from, denying them the benefits of, or subjecting 
them to discrimination under any program to which this regulation 
applies, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin; or with the 
purpose or effect of defeating or substantially impairing the 
accomplishment of the objectives of the Act or this regulation.
    (4) As used in this section, the services, financial aid, or other 
benefits provided under a program receiving Federal financial assistance 
shall be deemed to include any service, financial aid, or other benefit 
provided in or through a facility provided with the aid of Federal 
financial assistance.
    (5) The enumeration of specific forms of prohibited discrimination 
in this paragraph and paragraph (c) of this section does not limit the 
generality of

[[Page 333]]

the prohibition in paragraph (a) of this section.
    (6) This regulation does not prohibit the consideration of race, 
color, or national origin if the purpose and effect are to remove or 
overcome the consequences of practices or impediments which have 
restricted the availability of, or participation in, the program or 
activity receiving Federal financial assistance, on the grounds of race, 
color, or national origin. Where previous discriminatory practice or 
usage tends, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, to 
exclude individuals from participation in, to deny them the benefits of, 
or to subject them to discrimination under any program or activity to 
which this regulation applies the applicant or recipient has an 
obligation to take reasonable action to remove or overcome the 
consequences of the prior discriminatory practice or usage, and to 
accomplish the purposes of the Act.
    (c) Employment practices. (1) Where a primary objective of the 
Federal financial assistance to a program to which this part applies is 
to provide employment, a recipient may not directly or through 
contractual or other arrangements subject an individual to 
discrimination on the ground of race, color, or national origin in its 
employment practices under such program (including recruitment or 
recruitment advertising employment, layoff or termination, upgrading, 
demotion, or transfer, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and 
use of facilities), including programs where a primary objective of the 
Federal financial assistance is (i) to assist such individuals through 
employment to meet expenses incident to the commencement or continuation 
of their education or training or (ii) to provide work experience which 
contributes to the education or training of such individuals or (iii) to 
reduce the unemployment of such individuals or to help them through 
employment to meet subsistence needs.
    (2) The requirements applicable to construction employment under any 
such program shall be those specified in or pursuant to Executive Order 
11246 or any executive order which supersedes it.
    (3) Where a primary objective of the Federal financial assistance is 
not to provide employment, but discrimination on the grounds of race, 
color, or national origin in the employment practices of the recipient 
or other persons subject to the regulation tends, on the grounds of 
race, color, or national origin, to exclude individuals from 
participation in, to deny them the benefits of, or to subject them to 
discrimination under any program to which this regulation applies, the 
provisions of the foregoing subparagraph of this paragraph (c) shall 
apply to the employment practices of the recipient or other persons 
subject to the regulation, to the extent necessary to assure equality of 
opportunity to and nondiscriminatory treatment of, beneficiaries.
    (d) Medical emergencies. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of 
this section, a recipient of Federal financial assistance shall not be 
deemed to have failed to comply with paragraph (a) of this section if 
immediate provision of a service or other benefit to an individual is 
necessary to prevent his death or serious impairment of his health and 
such service or other benefit cannot be provided except by or through a 
medical institution which refuses or fails to comply with paragraph (a) 
of this section.



Sec.  1110.4  Assurances required.

    (a) General. (1) Every application for Federal financial assistance 
to which this part applies, and every application for Federal financial 
assistance to provide a facility shall, as a condition to its approval 
and the extension of any Federal financial assistance pursuant to the 
application, contain or be accompanied by an assurance that the program 
will be conducted or the facility operated in compliance with all 
requirements imposed by or pursuant to this part. In the case where the 
Federal financial assistance is to provide or is in the form of personal 
property, or real property or interest therein or structures thereon, 
the assurance shall obligate the recipient, or, in the case of a 
subsequent transfer, the transferee, for the period during which the 
property is used for a purpose for which the Federal financial 
assistance is extended or for another purpose involving the provision of 
similar services and

[[Page 334]]

benefits, or for as long as the recipient retains ownership or 
possession of the property, whichever is longer; and any other type or 
form of assistance, the assurances shall be in effect for the duration 
of the period during which Federal financial assistance is extended to 
the program. The responsible Endowment official shall specify the form 
of the foregoing assurances and the extent to which like assurances will 
be required of subgrantees, contractors and subcontractors, successors 
in interest, and other participants. Any such assurance shall include 
provisions which give the United States a right to seek its judicial 
enforcement.
    (2) In the case of real property, structures or improvements 
thereon, or interests therein, which was acquired with Federal financial 
assistance, or in the case where Federal financial assistance is 
provided in the form of a transfer of real property or interest therein 
from the Federal Government, the instrument effecting or recording the 
transfer, shall contain a covenant running with the land assuring 
nondiscrimination for the period during which the real property is used 
for a purpose for which the Federal financial assistance is extended or 
for another purpose involving the provision of similar services or 
benefits. Where no transfer of property is involved, but property is 
improved with Federal financial assistance, the recipients shall agree 
to include such a covenant in any subsequent transfer of such property. 
Where the property is obtained from the Federal Government, such 
covenant may also include a condition coupled with a right to be 
reserved by the Endowment to revert title to the property in the event 
of a breach of the covenant where, in the discretion of the responsible 
Endowment official, such a condition and right of reverter is 
appropriate to the statute under which the real property is obtained and 
to the nature of the grant and the grantee. In the event a transferee of 
real property proposes to mortgage or otherwise encumber the real 
property as security for financing construction of new, or improvement 
of existing, facilities on such property for the purposes for which the 
property was transferred, the Chairman of the Endowment concerned may 
agree, upon request of the transferee and if necessary to accomplish 
such financing, and upon such conditions as he deems appropriate, to 
forebear the exercise of such right to revert title for so long as the 
lien of such mortgage or other encumbrance remains effective.
    (3) Transfers of surplus property are subject to regulations issued 
by the Administrator of the General Services Administration. (41 CFR 
101-6.2)
    (b) Continuing Federal financial assistance. Every application by a 
State or a State agency for continuing Federal financial assistance to 
which this part applies shall as a condition to its approval and the 
extension of any Federal financial assistance pursuant to the 
application (1) contain or be accompanied by a statement that the 
program is (or, in the case of a new program, will be) conducted in 
compliance with all requirements imposed by or pursuant to this part, 
and (2) provide or be accompanied by provision for such methods of 
administration for the program as are found by the responsible Endowment 
official to give reasonable assurance that the applicant and all 
recipients of Federal financial assistance under such program will 
comply with all requirements imposed by or pursuant to this part.
    (c) Elementary and secondary schools. The requirements of paragraph 
(a) of this section with respect to any elementary or secondary school 
or school system shall be deemed to be satisfied if such school or 
school system (1) is subject to a final order of a court of the United 
States for the desegregation of such school or school system, and 
provides an assurance that it will comply with such order, including any 
future modification of such order, or (2) submits a plan for the 
desegregation of such school or school system which the responsible 
official of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare determines 
is adequate to accomplish the purposes of the Act and this part within 
the earliest practicable time and provides reasonable assurance that it 
will carry out such plan. In any case of continuing Federal financial 
assistance, the responsible official of the Department of Health, 
Education, and

[[Page 335]]

Welfare may reserve the right to redetermine, after such period as may 
be specified by him, the adequacy of the plan to accomplish the purposes 
of the Act and this part. In any case in which a final order of a court 
of the United States for the desegregation of such school or school 
system is entered after submission of such a plan, such plan shall be 
revised to conform to such final order, including any future 
modification of such order.
    (d) Assurances from institutions. (1) In the case of any application 
for Federal financial assistance to an institution of higher education 
(including assistance for construction, for research, for a special 
training project, or for any other purpose), the assurance required by 
this section shall extend to admission practices and to all other 
practices relating to the treatment of students.
    (2) The assurance required with respect to an institution of higher 
education or any other institution, insofar as the assurance relates to 
the institution's practices with respect to admission or other treatment 
of individuals as students, or clients of the institution or to the 
opportunity to participate in the provision of services or other 
benefits to such individuals, shall be applicable to the entire 
institution.

[38 FR 17991, July 5, 1973, as amended at 68 FR 51383, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1110.5  Illustrative applications.

    The following examples will illustrate the application of the 
foregoing provisions to some of the activities for which Federal 
financial assistance is provided by the Endowments. (In all cases the 
discrimination prohibited is discrimination on the ground of race, 
color, or national origin prohibited by title VI of the Act and this 
part, as a condition of the receipt of Federal financial assistance.)
    (a) In a research, training, or other grant to a university for 
activities to be conducted in a graduate school, discrimination in the 
admission and treatment of students in the graduate school is 
prohibited, and the prohibition extends to the entire university.
    (b) In cases of Federal financial assistance to elementary or 
secondary schools, discrimination by the recipient school district in 
any of its elementary or secondary schools, or by the recipient private 
institution, in the admission of students, or in the treatment of its 
students in any aspect of the educational process, is prohibited. In 
this and the following illustration the prohibition of discrimination in 
the treatment of students or other trainees includes the prohibition of 
discrimination among the students or trainees in the availability or use 
of any academic, dormitory, eating, recreational, or other facilities of 
the grantee or other recipient.
    (c) In a training grant to a nonacademic institution, discrimination 
is prohibited in the selection of individuals to be trained and in their 
treatment by the grantee during their training. In a research or 
demonstration grant to such an institution, discrimination is prohibited 
with respect to any educational activity, any provision of medical or 
other services and any financial aid to individuals incident to the 
program.
    (d) Where Federal financial assistance is provided to assist in the 
presentation of artistic and cultural productions to the public, 
assurances will be required that such productions will not be presented 
before any audience which has been selected on a discriminatory basis.
    (e) A recipient may not take action that is calculated to bring 
about indirectly what this part forbids it to accomplish directly. Thus, 
a State, in selecting projects to be supported through a State agency, 
may not base its selections on criteria which have the effect of 
defeating or substantially impairing accomplishment of the objectives of 
the Federal financial assistance as respects individuals of a particular 
race, color, or national origin.
    (f) In some situations even though past discriminatory practices 
have been abandoned, the consequences of such practices continue to 
impede the full availability of a benefit. If the efforts required of 
the applicant or recipient under Sec.  1110.6(d) to provide information 
as to the availability of the program or activity, and the rights of 
beneficiaries under this regulation, have failed to overcome these 
consequences, it will become necessary for

[[Page 336]]

such applicant or recipient to take additional steps to make the 
benefits fully available to racial and nationality groups previously 
subjected to discrimination. This action might take the form, for 
example of special arrangements for obtaining referrals or making 
selections which will insure that groups previously subjected to 
discrimination are adequately served.
    (g) Even though an applicant or recipient has never used 
discriminatory policies, the services and benefits of the program or 
activity it administers may not in fact be equally available to some 
racial or nationality groups. In such circumstances an applicant or 
recipient may properly give special consideration to race, color, or 
national origin to make the benefits of its program more widely 
available to such groups, not then being adequately served. For example, 
where a university is not adequately serving members of a particular 
racial or nationality group, it may establish special recruitment 
policies to make its program better known and more readily available to 
such group, and take other steps to provide that group with more 
adequate service.

[38 FR 17991, July 5, 1973, as amended at 68 FR 51383, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1110.6  Compliance information.

    (a) Cooperation and assistance. The responsible Endowment official 
shall, to the fullest extent practicable, seek the cooperation of 
recipients in obtaining compliance with this part and shall provide 
assistance and guidance to recipients to help them comply voluntarily 
with this part.
    (b) Compliance reports. Each recipient shall keep such records and 
submit to the responsible Endowment official timely, complete and 
accurate compliance reports at such times, and in such form and 
containing such information, as the responsible Endowment official may 
determine to be necessary to enable him to ascertain whether the 
recipient has complied or is complying with this part. In the case in 
which a primary recipient extends Federal financial assistance to any 
other recipient, such other recipient shall also submit such compliance 
reports to the primary recipient as may be necessary to enable the 
primary recipient to carry out its obligations under this part.
    (c) Access to sources of information. Each recipient shall permit 
access by the responsible Endowment official or his designee during 
normal business hours to such of its books, records, accounts, and other 
sources of information, and its facilities as may be pertinent to 
ascertain compliance with this part. Where any information required of a 
recipient is in the exclusive possession of any other agency, 
institution or person and this agency, institution or person shall fail 
or refuse to furnish this information, the recipient shall so certify in 
its report and shall set forth what efforts it has made to obtain the 
information.
    (d) Information to beneficiaries and participants. Each recipient 
shall make available to participants, beneficiaries, and other 
interested persons such information regarding the provisions of this 
part and its applicability to the program for which the recipient 
receives Federal financial assistance, and make such information 
available to them in such manner, as the responsible Endowment official 
finds necessary to apprise such persons of the protections against 
discrimination assured them by the Act and this part.

[38 FR 17991, July 5, 1973, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1110.7  Conduct of investigations.

    (a) Periodic compliance reviews. The responsible Endowment official 
shall from time to time review the practices of recipients to determine 
whether they are complying with this part.
    (b) Complaints. Any person who believes himself or any specific 
class of individuals to be subjected to discrimination prohibited by 
this part may by himself or by a representative file with the 
responsible Endowment official a written complaint. A complaint must be 
filed not later than ninety days from the date of the alleged 
discrimination, unless the time for filing is extended by the 
responsible Endowment official.
    (c) Investigations. The responsible Endowment official will make a 
prompt investigation whenever a compliance review, report, complaint, or 
any other information indicates a possible failure

[[Page 337]]

to comply with this part. The investigation should include, where 
appropriate, a review of the pertinent practices and policies of the 
recipient, the circumstances under which the possible noncompliance with 
this part occurred, and other factors relevant to a determination as to 
whether the recipient has failed to comply with this part.
    (d) Resolution of matters. (1) If an investigation pursuant to 
paragraph (c) of this section indicates a failure to comply with this 
part, the responsible Endowment official will so inform the recipient 
and the matter will be resolved by informal means whenever possible. If 
it has been determined that the matter cannot be resolved by informal 
means, action will be taken as provided for in Sec.  1110.8.
    (2) If an investigation does not warrant action pursuant to 
paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the responsible Endowment official 
will so inform the recipient and the complainant, if any, in writing.
    (e) Intimidatory or retaliatory acts prohibited. No recipient or 
other person shall intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against 
any individual for the purpose of interfering with any right or 
privilege secured by section 601 of the Act or this part, or because he 
has made a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner 
in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this part. The 
identity of complainants shall be kept confidential except to the extent 
necessary to carry out the purposes of this part, including the conduct 
of any investigation, hearing, or judicial proceeding arising 
thereunder.



Sec.  1110.8  Procedure for effecting compliance.

    (a) General. If there appears to be a failure or threatened failure 
to comply with this part, and if the noncompliance or threatened 
noncompliance cannot be corrected by informal means, compliance with 
this part may be effected by the suspension or termination of or refusal 
to grant or to continue Federal financial assistance or by any other 
means authorized by law. Such other means may include, but are not 
limited to, (1) a reference to the Department of Justice with a 
recommendation that appropriate proceedings be brought to enforce any 
rights of the United States under any law of the United States 
(including other titles of the Act), or any assurance or other 
contractual undertaking, and (2) any applicable proceeding under State 
or local law.
    (b) Noncompliance with Sec.  1110.4. If an applicant fails or 
refuses to furnish an assurance required under Sec.  1110.4 or otherwise 
fails to comply with that section, Federal financial assistance may be 
refused in accordance with the procedures of paragraph (c) of this 
section. The Endowment concerned shall not be required to provide 
assistance in such a case during the pendency of the administrative 
proceedings under such paragraph, except that such Endowment shall 
continue assistance during the pendency of such proceedings where such 
assistance is due and payable pursuant to an application therefor 
approved prior to the effective date of this part.
    (c) Termination of or refusal to grant or to continue Federal 
financial assistance. No order suspending, terminating, or refusing to 
grant or continue Federal financial assistance shall become effective 
until (1) the responsible Endowment official has advised the applicant 
or recipient of his failure to comply and has determined that compliance 
cannot be secured by voluntary means, (2) there has been an express 
finding on the record, after opportunity for hearings, of a failure by 
the applicant or recipient to comply with a requirement imposed by or 
pursuant to this part, (3) the action has been approved by the Chairman 
of the Endowment concerned, and (4) the expiration of 30 days after the 
Chairman has filed with the Committee of the House and the Committee of 
the Senate having legislative jurisdiction over the program involved, a 
full written report of the circumstances and the grounds for such 
action. Any action to suspend or terminate or to refuse to grant or to 
continue Federal financial assistance shall be limited to the particular 
political entity, or part thereof, or other applicant or recipient as to 
whom such a

[[Page 338]]

finding has been made and shall be limited in its effect to the 
particular program, or part thereof, in which such noncompliance has 
been so found.
    (d) Other means authorized by law. No action to effect compliance by 
any other means authorized by law shall be taken until (1) the 
responsible Endowment official has determined that compliance cannot be 
secured by voluntary means, (2) the recipient or other person has been 
notified of its failure to comply and of the action to be taken to 
effect compliance, and (3) the expiration of at least 10 days from the 
mailing of such notice to the recipient or other person. During this 
period of at least 10 days, additional efforts shall be made to persuade 
the recipient or other person to comply with this part and to take such 
corrective action as may be appropriate.



Sec.  1110.9  Hearings.

    (a) Opportunity for hearing. Whenever an opportunity for a hearing 
is required by Sec.  1110.8(c), reasonable notice shall be given by 
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the affected 
applicant or recipient. This notice shall advise the applicant or 
recipient of the action proposed to be taken, the specific provision 
under which the proposed action against it is to be taken, and the 
matters of fact or law asserted as the basis for this action, and 
either:
    (1) Fix a date not less than 20 days after the date of such notice 
within which the applicant or recipient may request of the responsible 
Endowment official that the matter be scheduled for hearing or
    (2) Advise the applicant or recipient that the matter in question 
has been set down for hearing at a stated place and time. The time and 
place so fixed shall be reasonable and shall be subject to change for 
cause. The complainant, if any, shall be advised of the time and place 
of the hearing. An applicant or recipient may waive a hearing and submit 
written information and argument for the record. The failure of an 
applicant or recipient to request a hearing under this paragraph or to 
appear at a hearing for which a date has been set shall be deemed to be 
a waiver of the right of a hearing under section 602 of the Act and 
Sec.  1110.8(c) of this part and consent to the making of a decision on 
the basis of such information as is available.
    (b) Time and place of hearing. Hearings shall be held at the offices 
of the Endowment concerned in Washington, DC, at a time fixed by the 
responsible Endowment official unless he determines that the convenience 
of the applicant or recipient or of the Endowment requires that another 
place be selected. Hearings shall be held before the responsible 
Endowment official or, at his discretion, before a hearing examiner 
designated in accordance with section 11 of the Administrative Procedure 
Act.
    (c) Right to counsel. In all proceedings under this section, the 
applicant or recipient and the Endowment shall have the right to be 
represented by counsel.
    (d) Procedures, evidence, and record. (1) The hearing, decision, and 
any administrative review thereof shall be conducted in conformity with 
5 U.S.C. 554-557 (sections 5-8 of the Administrative Procedure Act), and 
in accordance with such rules of procedure as are proper (and not 
inconsistent with this section) relating to the conduct of the hearing, 
giving of notices subsequent to those provided for in paragraph (a) of 
this section, taking of testimony, exhibits, arguments and briefs, 
requests for findings, and other related matters. Both the Endowment and 
the applicant or recipient shall be entitled to introduce all relevant 
evidence on the issues as stated in the notice for hearing or as 
determined by the officer conducting the hearing at the outset of or 
during the hearing.
    (2) Technical rules of evidence shall not apply to hearings 
conducted pursuant to this part, but rules or principles designed to 
assure production of the most credible evidence available and to subject 
testimony to test by cross-examination shall be applied where reasonably 
necessary by the officer conducting the hearing. The hearing officer may 
exclude irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence. All 
documents and other evidence entered or taken for the record shall be 
open to examination by the parties and opportunity shall be given to 
refute facts and arguments advanced on either side

[[Page 339]]

of the issues. A transcript shall be made of the oral evidence except to 
the extent the substance thereof is stipulated for the record. All 
decisions shall be based upon the hearing record and written findings 
shall be made.
    (e) Consolidated or joint hearings. In cases in which the same or 
related facts are asserted to constitute noncompliance with this 
Regulation with respect to two or more Federal statutes, authorities, or 
other means by which Federal financial assistance is extended and to 
which this part applies, or noncompliance with this part and the 
regulations of one or more other Federal departments or agencies issued 
under title VI of the Act, the Chairman of the Endowment concerned may, 
by agreement with such other departments or agencies where applicable, 
provide for the conduct of consolidated or joint hearings and for the 
application to such hearings of rules or procedures not inconsistent 
with this part. Final decisions in such cases, insofar as this 
regulation is concerned, shall be made in accordance with Sec.  1110.10.

[38 FR 17991, July 5, 1973, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1110.10  Decisions and notices.

    (a) Decision by person other than the responsible Endowment 
official. If the hearing is held by a hearing examiner such hearing 
examiner shall either make an initial decision, if so authorized, or 
certify the entire record including his recommended findings and 
proposed decision to the responsible Endowment official for a final 
decision, and a copy of such initial decision or certification shall be 
mailed to the applicant or recipient. Where the initial decision is made 
by the hearing examiner the applicant or recipient may within 30 days of 
the mailing of such notice of initial decision file with the responsible 
Endowment official his exceptions to the initial decision, with his 
reasons therefor. In the absence of exceptions, the responsible 
Endowment official may on his own motion within 45 days after the 
initial decision serve on the applicant or recipient a notice that he 
will review the decision. Upon the filing of such exceptions or of such 
notice of review the responsible Endowment official shall review the 
initial decision and issue his own decision thereon including the 
reasons therefor. In the absence of either exceptions or a notice of 
review the initial decision shall constitute the final decision of the 
responsible Endowment official.
    (b) Decisions on record or review by the responsible Endowment 
official. Whenever a record is certified to the responsible Endowment 
official for decision or he reviews the decision of a hearing examiner 
pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section, or whenever the responsible 
Endowment official conducts the hearing, the applicant or recipient 
shall be given reasonable opportunity to file with him briefs or other 
written statements of its contentions, and a copy of the final decision 
of the responsible Endowment official shall be given in writing to the 
applicant or recipient and to the complainant if any.
    (c) Decisions on record where a hearing is waived. Whenever a 
hearing is waived pursuant to Sec.  1110.9(a) a decision shall be made 
by the responsible Endowment official on the record and a copy of such 
decision shall be given in writing to the applicant or recipient, and to 
the complainant, if any.
    (d) Rulings required. Each decision of a hearing officer or 
responsible Endowment official shall set forth his ruling on each 
finding, conclusion, or exception presented, and shall identify the 
requirement or requirements imposed by or pursuant to this part with 
which it is found that the applicant or recipient has failed to comply.
    (e) Approval by Chairman. Any final decision of a responsible 
Endowment official (other than the Chairman) which provides for the 
suspension or termination of, or the refusal to grant or continue 
Federal financial assistance, or the imposition of any other sanction 
available under this part or the Act, shall promptly be transmitted to 
the Chairman, who may approve such decision, may vacate it, or remit or 
mitigate any sanction imposed.
    (f) Content of orders. The final decision may provide for suspension 
or termination of, or refusal to grant or continue Federal financial 
assistance, in whole or in part, to which this regulation applies, and 
may contain such terms, conditions, and other provisions

[[Page 340]]

as are consistent with and will effectuate the purposes of the Act and 
this part, including provisions designed to assure that no Federal 
financial assistance to which this regulation applies will thereafter be 
extended to the applicant or recipient determined by such decision to be 
in default in its performance of an assurance given by it pursuant to 
this part, or to have otherwise failed to comply with this part, unless 
and until it corrects its noncompliance and satisfies the responsible 
Endowment official that it will fully comply with this part.
    (g) Post termination proceedings. (1) An applicant or recipient 
adversely affected by an order issued under paragraph (f) of this 
section shall be restored to full eligibility to receive Federal 
financial assistance if it satisfies the terms and conditions of that 
order for such eligibility or if it brings itself into compliance with 
this regulation and provides reasonable assurance that it will fully 
comply with this regulation. (An elementary or secondary school or 
school system which is unable to file an assurance of compliance with 
Sec.  1110.3 shall be restored to full eligibility to receive Federal 
financial assistance, if it files a court order or a plan for 
desegregation which meets the requirements of Sec.  1110.4(c), and 
provides reasonable assurance that it will comply with this court order 
or plan.)
    (2) Any applicant or recipient adversely affected by an order 
entered pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section may at any time 
request the responsible Endowment official to restore fully its 
eligibility to receive Federal financial assistance. Any such request 
shall be supported by information showing that the applicant or 
recipient has met the requirements of paragraph (g)(1) of this section. 
If the responsible Endowment official determines that those requirements 
have been satisfied, he shall restore such eligibility.
    (3) If the responsible Endowment official denies any such request, 
the applicant or recipient may submit a request for a hearing in 
writing, specifying why it believes such official to have been in error. 
It shall thereupon be given an expeditious hearing, with a decision on 
the record, in accordance with rules of procedure issued by the 
responsible Endowment official. The applicant or recipient will be 
restored to such eligibility if it proves at such a hearing that it 
satisfied the requirements of paragraph (g)(1) of this section. While 
proceedings under this paragraph are pending, the sanctions imposed by 
the order issued under paragraph (f) of this section shall remain in 
effect.

[38 FR 17991, July 5, 1973, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1110.11  Judicial review.

    Action taken pursuant to section 602 of the Act is subject to 
judicial review as provided in section 603 of the Act.



Sec.  1110.12  Effect on other regulations; forms and instructions.

    (a) Effects on other regulations. Nothing in this part shall be 
deemed to supersede any of the following (including future amendments 
thereof): (1) Executive Orders 10925, 11114, and 11246, and regulations 
issued thereunder, or (2) Executive Order 11063 and regulations issued 
thereunder or any other regulations or instructions insofar as such 
order, regulations, or instructions prohibit discrmination on the 
grounds of race, color, or national origin in any program or situation 
to which this part is inapplicable, or prohibit discrimination on any 
other ground.
    (b) Forms and instructions. Each responsible Endowment official 
shall issue and promptly make available to interested persons forms and 
detailed instructions and procedures for effectuating this part as 
applied to programs to which this part applies and for which he is 
responsible.
    (c) Supervision and coordination. The Chairman of an Endowment may 
from time to time assign to other officials of the Endowment or to 
officials of other departments or agencies of the Government, with the 
consent of such departments or agencies, responsibilities in connection 
with the effectuation of the purposes of title VI of the Act and this 
part, including the achievement of effective coordination and maximum 
uniformity within the Endowment and within the executive branch of the 
Government in the application of title VI and this part of similar 
programs and in similar situations. Any action

[[Page 341]]

taken, determination made, or requirement imposed by an official of 
another department or agency acting pursuant to an assignment of 
responsibility under this subsection shall have the same effect as 
though such action had been taken by the responsible official of this 
agency.



Sec.  1110.13  Definitions.

    As used in this part:
    (a) The term Foundation means the National Foundations for the Arts 
and the Humanities, and includes the National Endowment for the Arts, 
the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and 
Library Services, and each of their organizational units.
    (b) The term Endowment means the National Endowment for the Arts, 
the National Endowment for the Humanities, or the Institute of Museum 
and Library Services.
    (c) The term Chairman means the Chairman of the National Endowment 
for the Arts, the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, 
or the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
    (d) The term responsible Endowment official with respect to any 
program receiving Federal financial assistance means the Chairman of any 
Endowment or other Endowment official designated by the Chairman.
    (e) The term United States means the States of the United States, 
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American 
Samoa, Guam, Wake Island, the Canal Zone, and the territories and 
possessions of the United States, and the term State means any one of 
the foregoing.
    (f) The term Federal financial assistance includes (1) grants and 
loans of Federal funds, (2) the grant or the donation of Federal 
property and interests in property, (3) the detail of Federal personnel, 
(4) the sale and lease of, and the permission to use (on other than a 
casual or transient basis), Federal property or any interest in such 
property without consideration or at a nominal consideration, or at a 
consideration which is reduced for the purpose of assisting the 
recipient, or in recognition of the public interest to be served by such 
sale or lease to the recipient, and (5) any Federal agreement, 
arrangement, or other contract which has as one of its purposes the 
provision of assistance.
    (g) Program or activity and program mean all of the operations of 
any entity described in paragraphs (g)(1) through (4) of this section, 
any part of which is extended Federal financial assistance:
    (1)(i) A department, agency, special purpose district, or other 
instrumentality of a State or of a local government; or
    (ii) The entity of such State or local government that distributes 
such assistance and each such department or agency (and each other State 
or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the 
case of assistance to a State or local government;
    (2)(i) A college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or 
a public system of higher education; or
    (ii) A local educational agency (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801), 
system of vocational education, or other school system;
    (3)(i) An entire corporation, partnership, or other private 
organization, or an entire sole proprietorship--
    (A) If assistance is extended to such corporation, partnership, 
private organization, or sole proprietorship as a whole; or
    (B) Which is principally engaged in the business of providing 
education, health care, housing, social services, or parks and 
recreation; or
    (ii) The entire plant or other comparable, geographically separate 
facility to which Federal financial assistance is extended, in the case 
of any other corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole 
proprietorship; or
    (4) Any other entity which is established by two or more of the 
entities described in paragraph (g)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.
    (h) The term facility includes all or any portion of structures, 
equipment, or other real or personal property or interests therein, and 
the provision of facilities includes the construction, expansion, 
renovation, remodeling, alteration or acquisition of facilities.
    (i) The term recipient means any State, political subdivision of any

[[Page 342]]

State, or instrumentality of any State or political subdivision, any 
public or private agency, institution, or organization, or other entity 
or any individual, in any State, to whom Federal financial assistance is 
extended, directly or through another recipient, including any 
successor, assign, or transferee thereof, but such term does not include 
any ultimate beneficiary.
    (j) The term primary recipients means any recipient which is 
authorized or required to extend Federal financial assistance to another 
recipient.
    (k) The term applicant means one who submits an application, 
request, or plan required to be approved by a responsible Endowment 
official, or by a primary recipient, as a condition to eligibility for 
Federal financial assistance, and the term application means such an 
application, request, or plan.

[38 FR 17991, July 5, 1973, as amended at 62 FR 66826, Dec. 22, 1997; 68 
FR 51383, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec. Appendix A to Part 1110--Federal Financial Assistance to Which This 
                              Part Applies

    1. Assistance to groups for projects and productions in the arts.
    2. Surveys, research and planning in the arts.
    3. Assistance to State arts agencies for projects and productions in 
the arts.
    4. Support of research in the humanities.
    5. Support of educational programs in the humanities, including the 
training of students and teachers.
    6. Assistance to promote the interchange of information in the 
humanities.
    7. Assistance to foster public understanding and appreciation of the 
humanities.
    8. Support of the publication of scholarly works in the humanities.

[[Page 343]]



              SUBCHAPTER B_NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS



                       PARTS 1116	1147 [RESERVED]



PART 1148_PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)--Table of Contents



Sec.
1148.1 What is the purpose and scope of these regulations?
1148.2 How will the Arts Endowment make proactive disclosures?
1148.3 How can I make a FOIA request?
1148.4 How will the Arts Endowment respond to my request?
1148.5 When will the Arts Endowment respond to my request?
1148.6 How will I receive responses to my requests?
1148.7 How does the Arts Endowment handle confidential commercial 
          information?
1148.8 How can I appeal a denial of my request?
1148.9 What are the Arts Endowment policies regarding preservation of 
          records?
1148.10 How will fees be charged?
1148.11 What other rules apply to Arts Endowment FOIA requests?

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552; 28 U.S.C. 1746; 31 U.S.C. 3717; E.O. 12600, 
52 FR 23781, 3 CFR, 1987 Comp.

    Source: 84 FR 6345, Feb. 27, 2019, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1148.1  What is the purpose and scope of these regulations?

    This part contains the rules that the Arts Endowment follows in 
processing requests for records under the Freedom of Information Act 
(FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552. These rules should be read in conjunction with the 
text of the FOIA and the Uniform Freedom of Information Fee Schedule and 
Guidelines published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB 
Guidelines). Requests made by individuals for records about themselves 
under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, are processed in 
accordance with the Arts Endowment's Privacy Act regulations as well as 
under this part.



Sec.  1148.2  How will the Arts Endowment make proactive disclosures?

    Records that the Arts Endowment makes available for public 
inspection in an electronic format may be accessed through the Arts 
Endowment's open government page, available at https://www.arts.gov/
open. The Arts Endowment will determine which of its records should be 
made publicly available, identify additional records of interest to the 
public that are appropriate for public disclosure, and post and index 
such records. The Arts Endowment will ensure that its website of posted 
records and indices is reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis.



Sec.  1148.3  How can I make a FOIA request?

    (a) General information. To make a request for records, a requester 
should write directly to the Arts Endowment at National Endowment for 
the Arts, Office of General Counsel, 400 7th St. SW, Second Floor, 
Washington, DC 20506. Requests may also be sent by facsimile to the 
General Counsel's office at (202) 682-5572, or by email to 
[email protected].
    (b) Identity requirements. Depending on the type of document you ask 
for, the Arts Endowment may require verification of your identity or the 
identity of a third party.
    (1) A requester who is making a request for records about himself or 
herself must comply with the Arts Endowment's verification requirements 
as set forth in Sec.  1159.9 of this chapter.
    (2) Where a request for records pertains to another individual, a 
requester may receive greater access by submitting either a notarized 
authorization signed by that individual or a declaration made in 
compliance with the requirements set forth in 28 U.S.C. 1746 by that 
individual authorizing disclosure of the records to the requester, or by 
submitting proof that the individual is deceased (e.g., a copy of a 
death certificate or an obituary). As an exercise of administrative 
discretion, the Arts Endowment may require a requester to supply 
additional information if necessary in order to verify that a particular 
individual has consented to disclosure.
    (c) Description of records sought. Requesters must describe the 
records

[[Page 344]]

sought in sufficient detail to enable Arts Endowment personnel to locate 
them with a reasonable amount of effort. To the extent possible, 
requesters should include specific information that may help the Arts 
Endowment identify the requested records, such as the date, title or 
name, author, recipient, subject matter of the record, case number, file 
designation, or reference number. Before submitting their requests, 
requesters may contact the Arts Endowment's designated FOIA contact or 
FOIA Public Liaison to discuss the records they seek and to receive 
assistance in describing the records. Contact information for the Arts 
Endowment's designated FOIA contact and FOIA Public Liaison is available 
on the Arts Endowment's FOIA website (https://www.arts.gov/foia-
contacts), or can be obtained by calling (202) 682-54184. If after 
receiving a request, the Arts Endowment determines that it does not 
reasonably describe the records sought, the Arts Endowment will inform 
the requester what additional information is needed or why the request 
is otherwise insufficient. Requesters who are attempting to reformulate 
or modify such a request may discuss their request with the Arts 
Endowment's designated FOIA contact or FOIA Public Liaison. If a request 
does not reasonably describe the records sought, the Arts Endowment's 
response to the request may be delayed.
    (d) Format specifications. Requests may specify the preferred form 
or format (including electronic formats) for the records you seek. The 
Arts Endowment will accommodate your request if the record is readily 
reproducible in that form or format.
    (e) Contact information requirements. Requesters must provide 
contact information, such as their phone number, email address, and/or 
mailing address, to assist the Arts Endowment in communicating with them 
and providing released records.



Sec.  1148.4  How will the Arts Endowment respond to my request?

    (a) In general. In determining which records are responsive to a 
request, the Arts Endowment ordinarily will include only records in its 
possession as of the date that it begins its search. If any other date 
is used, the Arts Endowment will inform the requester of that date. A 
record that is excluded from the requirements of the FOIA pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 552(c), is not considered responsive to a request.
    (b) Authority to grant or deny requests. The Arts Endowment 
Chairperson or his/her designee is authorized to grant or to deny any 
requests for records that are maintained by the Arts Endowment.
    (c) Consultation and referral. When reviewing records located by the 
Arts Endowment in response to a request, the Arts Endowment will 
determine whether another agency of the Federal Government is better 
able to determine whether the record is exempt from disclosure under the 
FOIA. As to any such record, the Arts Endowment will proceed in one of 
the following ways:
    (1) Consultation. When records originated with the Arts Endowment, 
but contain within them information of interest to another agency or 
other Federal Government office, the Arts Endowment will typically 
consult with that other entity prior to making a release determination.
    (2) Referral. (i) When the Arts Endowment believes that a different 
agency is best able to determine whether to disclose the record, the 
Arts Endowment typically should refer the responsibility for responding 
to the request regarding that record to that agency. Ordinarily, the 
agency that originated the record is presumed to be the best agency to 
make the disclosure determination. However, if the Arts Endowment and 
the originating agency jointly agree that the Arts Endowment is in the 
best position to respond regarding the record, then the record may be 
handled as a consultation.
    (ii) Whenever the Arts Endowment refers any part of the 
responsibility for responding to a request to another agency, it will 
document the referral, maintain a copy of the record that it refers, and 
notify the requester of the referral, informing the requester of the 
name(s) of the agency to which the record was referred, including that 
agency's FOIA contact information.
    (d) Timing of responses to consultations and referrals. The Arts 
Endowment will

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consider a FOIA request to be a perfected FOIA request if it complies 
with this section. All consultations and referrals received by the Arts 
Endowment will be handled in the order of the date that the first agency 
received the perfected FOIA request.
    (e) Agreements regarding consultations and referrals. The Arts 
Endowment may establish agreements with other agencies to eliminate the 
need for consultations or referrals with respect to particular types of 
records.



Sec.  1148.5  When will the Arts Endowment respond to my request?

    (a) In general. The Arts Endowment ordinarily will respond to 
requests according to their order of receipt.
    (b) Multitrack processing. The Arts Endowment will designate a 
specific track for requests that are granted expedited processing, in 
accordance with the standards set forth in paragraph (e) of this 
section. The Arts Endowment may also designate additional processing 
tracks that distinguish between simple and more complex requests based 
on the estimated amount of work or time needed to process the request. 
Among the factors the Arts Endowment may consider are the number of 
records requested, the number of pages involved in processing the 
request and the need for consultations or referrals. The Arts Endowment 
will advise requesters of the track into which their request falls and, 
when appropriate, will offer the requesters an opportunity to narrow or 
modify their request so that it can be placed in a different processing 
track.
    (c) Unusual circumstances. Whenever the Arts Endowment cannot meet 
the statutory time limit for processing a request because of ``unusual 
circumstances,'' as defined in the FOIA, and the Arts Endowment extends 
the time limit on that basis, the Arts Endowment will, before expiration 
of the 20 business day period to respond, notify the requester in 
writing of the unusual circumstances involved and of the date by which 
the Arts Endowment estimates processing of the request will be 
completed. Where the extension exceeds 10 working days, the Arts 
Endowment will, as described by the FOIA, provide the requester with an 
opportunity to modify the request or arrange an alternative time period 
for processing the original or modified request. The Arts Endowment will 
make available its designated FOIA contact or FOIA Public Liaison for 
this purpose. The Arts Endowment will also alert requesters to the 
availability of the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) to 
provide dispute resolution services.
    (d) Aggregating requests. To satisfy unusual circumstances under the 
FOIA, the Arts Endowment may aggregate requests in cases where it 
reasonably appears that multiple requests, submitted either by a 
requester or by a group of requesters acting in concert, constitute a 
single request that would otherwise involve unusual circumstances. The 
Arts Endowment will not aggregate multiple requests that involve 
unrelated matters.
    (e) Expedited processing. Consistent with 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(E)(i), 
the Arts Endowment may grant expedited processing under certain 
circumstances:
    (1) The Arts Endowment will process requests and appeals on an 
expedited basis whenever it is determined that they involve:
    (i) Circumstances in which the lack of expedited processing could 
reasonably be expected to pose an imminent threat to the life or 
physical safety of an individual; or
    (ii) An urgency to inform the public about an actual or alleged 
Federal Government activity, if made by a person who is primarily 
engaged in disseminating information.
    (2) A request for expedited processing may be made at any time. 
Requests based on paragraphs (e)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section must be 
submitted to the Arts Endowment's Office of General Counsel. When making 
a request for expedited processing of an administrative appeal, the 
request should be submitted to the Arts Endowment's FOIA Appeals Office 
per Sec.  1148.8(a).
    (3) A requester who seeks expedited processing must submit a 
statement, certified to be true and correct, explaining in detail the 
basis for making the request for expedited processing. For example, 
under paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section, a requester who is not a 
full-time member of the news media

[[Page 346]]

must establish that the requester is a person whose primary professional 
activity or occupation is information dissemination, though it need not 
be the requester's sole occupation. Such a requester also must establish 
a particular urgency to inform the public about the government activity 
involved in the request--one that extends beyond the public's right to 
know about government activity generally. The existence of numerous 
articles published on a given subject can be helpful in establishing the 
requirement that there be an ``urgency to inform'' the public on the 
topic. As a matter of administrative discretion, the Arts Endowment may 
waive the formal certification requirement.
    (4) The Arts Endowment will notify the requester within 10 calendar 
days of the receipt of a request for expedited processing of its 
decision whether to grant or deny expedited processing. If expedited 
processing is granted, the request must be given priority, placed in the 
processing track for expedited requests, and must be processed as soon 
as practicable. If a request for expedited processing is denied, the 
Arts Endowment will act on any appeal of that decision expeditiously.



Sec.  1148.6  How will I receive responses to my requests?

    (a) In general. The Arts Endowment, to the extent practicable, will 
communicate with requesters having access to the internet 
electronically, such as email or web portal.
    (b) Acknowledgments of requests. The Arts Endowment will acknowledge 
the request in writing and assign it an individualized tracking number 
if it will take longer than 10 working days to process. The Arts 
Endowment will include in the acknowledgment a brief description of the 
records sought to allow requesters to more easily keep track of their 
requests.
    (c) Estimated dates of completion and interim responses. Upon 
request, the Arts Endowment will provide an estimated date by which the 
Arts Endowment expects to provide a response to the requester. If a 
request involves a voluminous amount of material, or searches in 
multiple locations, the Arts Endowment may provide interim responses, 
releasing the records on a rolling basis.
    (d) Grants of requests. Once the Arts Endowment determines it will 
grant a request in full or in part, it will notify the requester in 
writing. The Arts Endowment will also inform the requester of any fees 
charged under Sec.  1148.10 and will disclose the requested records to 
the requester promptly upon payment of any applicable fees. The Arts 
Endowment will inform the requester of the availability of its FOIA 
Public Liaison to offer assistance.
    (e) Adverse determinations of requests. If the Arts Endowment makes 
an adverse determination denying a request in any respect, it will 
notify the requester of that determination in writing. Adverse 
determinations, or denials of requests, include decisions that: the 
requested record is exempt, in whole or in part; the request does not 
reasonably describe the records sought; the information requested is not 
a record subject to the FOIA; the requested record does not exist, 
cannot be located, or has been destroyed; or the requested record is not 
readily reproducible in the form or format sought by the requester. 
Adverse determinations also include denials involving fees or fee waiver 
matters or denials of requests for expedited processing.
    (f) Content of denial. The denial will be signed by the Arts 
Endowment's General Counsel or designee and will include:
    (1) The name and title or position of the person responsible for the 
denial;
    (2) A brief statement of the reasons for the denial, including any 
FOIA exemption applied by the Arts Endowment in denying the request;
    (3) An estimate of the volume of any records or information 
withheld, such as the number of pages or some other reasonable form of 
estimation, although such an estimate is not required if the volume is 
otherwise indicated by deletions marked on records that are disclosed in 
part or if providing an estimate would harm an interest protected by an 
applicable exemption;
    (4) A statement that:
    (i) The denial may be appealed under Sec.  1148.8(a);

[[Page 347]]

    (ii) That the requester has 90 days to file an appeal in order for 
it to be considered timely, and that the Arts Endowment will not process 
or consider appeals that were not filed within 90 days of the receipt of 
an adverse determination; and
    (iii) A description of the appeal requirements; and
    (5) A statement notifying the requester of the assistance available 
from the Arts Endowment's FOIA Public Liaison and the dispute resolution 
services offered by OGIS.
    (g) Use of record exclusions. In the event that the Arts Endowment 
identifies records that may be subject to exclusion from the 
requirements of the FOIA pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(c), the Arts Endowment 
will confer with Department of Justice, Office of Information Policy 
(OIP), to obtain approval to apply the exclusion. The Arts Endowment, 
when invoking an exclusion will maintain an administrative record of the 
process of invocation and approval of the exclusion by OIP.



Sec.  1148.7  How does the Arts Endowment handle confidential commercial
information?

    (a) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section.
    (1) Confidential commercial information means commercial or 
financial information obtained by the Arts Endowment from a submitter 
that may be protected from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the FOIA, 5 
U.S.C. 552(b)(4).
    (2) Submitter means any person or entity, including a corporation, 
State, or foreign government, but not including another Federal 
Government entity, that provides confidential commercial information, 
either directly or indirectly to the Federal Government.
    (b) Designation of confidential commercial information. A submitter 
of confidential commercial information must use good faith efforts to 
designate by appropriate markings, at the time of submission, any 
portion of its submission that it considers to be protected from 
disclosure under Exemption 4. These designations expire 10 years after 
the date of the submission unless the submitter requests and provides 
justification for a longer designation period.
    (c) When notice to submitters is required. The following rules and 
procedures determine when the Arts Endowment will provide written notice 
to submitters of confidential commercial information that their 
information may be disclosed under FOIA.
    (1) The Arts Endowment will promptly provide written notice to the 
submitter of confidential commercial information whenever records 
containing such information are requested under the FOIA if the Arts 
Endowment determines that it may be required to disclose the records, 
provided:
    (i) The requested information has been designated in good faith by 
the submitter as information considered protected from disclosure under 
Exemption 4; or
    (ii) The Arts Endowment has a reason to believe that the requested 
information may be protected from disclosure under Exemption 4, but has 
not yet determined whether the information is protected from disclosure.
    (2) The notice will either describe the commercial information 
requested or include a copy of the requested records or portions of 
records containing the information. In cases involving a voluminous 
number of submitters, the Arts Endowment may post or publish a notice in 
a place or manner reasonably likely to inform the submitters of the 
proposed disclosure, instead of sending individual notifications.
    (d) Exceptions to submitter notice requirements. The notice 
requirements of this section do not apply if:
    (1) The Arts Endowment determines that the information is exempt 
under the FOIA, and therefore will not be disclosed;
    (2) The information has been lawfully published or has been 
officially made available to the public;
    (3) Disclosure of the information is required by a statute other 
than the FOIA or by a regulation issued in accordance with the 
requirements of Executive Order 12600 of June 23, 1987; or
    (4) The designation made by the submitter under paragraph (b) of 
this section appears obviously frivolous. In such case, the Arts 
Endowment will give the submitter written notice of

[[Page 348]]

any final decision to disclose the information within a reasonable 
number of days prior to a specified disclosure date.
    (e) Opportunity to object to disclosure. A submitter will have the 
opportunity to object to disclosure of information under FOIA.
    (1) The Arts Endowment will specify a reasonable time period within 
which the submitter must respond to the notice referenced in paragraph 
(c) of this section.
    (2) If a submitter has any objections to disclosure, it must provide 
the Arts Endowment a detailed written statement that specifies all 
grounds for withholding the particular information under any exemption 
of the FOIA. In order to rely on Exemption 4 as basis for nondisclosure, 
the submitter must explain why the information constitutes a trade 
secret or commercial or financial information that is confidential.
    (3) A submitter who fails to respond within the time period 
specified in paragraph (e)(1) of this section will be considered to have 
no objection to disclosure of the information. The Arts Endowment is not 
required to consider any information received after the date of any 
disclosure decision. Any information provided by a submitter under this 
part may itself be subject to disclosure under the FOIA.
    (f) Analysis of objections. The Arts Endowment must consider a 
submitter's objections and specific grounds for nondisclosure in 
deciding whether to disclose the requested information.
    (g) Notice of intent to disclose. Whenever the Arts Endowment 
decides to disclose information over the objection of a submitter, the 
Arts Endowment will provide the submitter written notice, which will 
include:
    (1) A statement of the reasons why each of the submitter's 
disclosure objections was not sustained;
    (2) A description of the information to be disclosed or copies of 
the records as the Arts Endowment intends to release them; and
    (3) A specified disclosure date, which will be a reasonable time 
after the notice.
    (h) Notice of FOIA lawsuit. Whenever a requester files a lawsuit 
seeking to compel the disclosure of confidential commercial information, 
the Arts Endowment will promptly notify the submitter.
    (i) Requester notification. The Arts Endowment will notify the 
requester whenever it provides the submitter with notice and an 
opportunity to object to disclosure; whenever it notifies the submitter 
of its intent to disclose the requested information; and whenever a 
submitter files a lawsuit to prevent the disclosure of the information.



Sec.  1148.8  How can I appeal a denial of my request?

    (a) Requirements for making an appeal. A requester may appeal any 
adverse determinations to the Arts Endowment's office designated to 
receive FOIA appeals (``FOIA Appeals Office''). Examples of adverse 
determinations are provided in Sec.  1148.6(e). Requesters can submit 
appeals by mail by writing to Arts Endowment Chairman, c/o Office of 
General Counsel, National Endowment for the Arts, 400 7th Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20506, or online in accordance with instructions on the 
Arts Endowment's website (https://www.arts.gov/freedom-information-act-
guide). The requester must make the appeal in writing and to be 
considered timely it must be postmarked, or in the case of electronic 
submissions, transmitted, within 90 calendar days after the date of the 
adverse determination. The appeal should clearly identify the Arts 
Endowment's determination that is being appealed and the assigned 
request number. To facilitate handling, the requester should mark both 
the appeal letter and envelope, or subject line of the electronic 
transmission, ``Freedom of Information Act Appeal.''
    (b) Adjudication of appeals. (1) The Arts Endowment's Chairperson or 
his/her designee will act on behalf of the Arts Endowment's Chief FOIA 
Officer on all appeals under this section.
    (2) An appeal ordinarily will not be adjudicated if the request 
becomes a matter of FOIA litigation.
    (c) Decisions on appeals. The Arts Endowment will provide its 
decision on an

[[Page 349]]

appeal in writing. A decision that upholds the Arts Endowment's 
determination in whole or in part will contain a statement that 
identifies the reasons for its decision, including any FOIA exemptions 
applied. The decision will provide the requester with notification of 
the statutory right to file a lawsuit and will inform the requester of 
the dispute resolution services offered by the Office of Government 
Information Services (OGIS) of the National Archives and Records 
Administration as a non-exclusive alternative to litigation. If the Arts 
Endowment's decision is remanded or modified on appeal, the Arts 
Endowment will notify the requester of that determination in writing. 
The Arts Endowment will then further process the request in accordance 
with that appeal determination and will respond directly to the 
requester.
    (d) Engaging in dispute resolution services provided by OGIS. 
Dispute resolution is a voluntary process. If the Arts Endowment agrees 
to participate in the dispute resolution services provided by OGIS, it 
will actively engage as a partner to the process in an attempt to 
resolve the dispute.
    (e) When appeal is required. Before seeking review by a court of the 
Arts Endowment's adverse determination, a requester generally must first 
submit a timely administrative appeal.
    (f) Timing of appeal. After receiving the Arts Endowment's adverse 
determination, a requester has 90 calendar days to file an appeal in 
order for it to be considered timely. The Arts Endowment will not 
process or consider appeals that were not filed within 90 calendar days 
of the date of an adverse determination.



Sec.  1148.9  What are the Arts Endowment policies regarding preservation
of records?

    The Arts Endowment will preserve all correspondence pertaining to 
the requests that it receives under this part, as well as copies of all 
requested records, until disposition or destruction is authorized 
pursuant to title 44 of the United States Code or the General Records 
Schedule 4.2 of the National Archives and Records Administration. The 
Arts Endowment will not dispose of or destroy records while they are the 
subject of a pending request, appeal, or lawsuit under the FOIA.



Sec.  1148.10  How will fees be charged?

    (a) In general. (1) The Arts Endowment will charge for processing 
requests under the FOIA in accordance with the provisions of this 
section and with the OMB Guidelines. For purposes of assessing fees, the 
FOIA establishes three categories of requesters:
    (i) Commercial use requesters;
    (ii) Non-commercial scientific or educational institutions or news 
media requesters; and
    (iii) All other requesters.
    (2) Different fees are assessed depending on the category. 
Requesters may seek a fee waiver. The Arts Endowment will consider 
requests for fee waiver in accordance with the requirements in paragraph 
(k) of this section. To resolve any fee issues that arise under this 
section, the Arts Endowment may contact a requester for additional 
information. The Arts Endowment will ensure that searches, review, and 
duplication are conducted in the most efficient and the least expensive 
manner. The Arts Endowment ordinarily will collect all applicable fees 
before sending copies of records to a requester. Requesters must pay 
fees by check or money order made payable to the Treasury of the United 
States, or by another method as determined by the Arts Endowment.
    (b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:
    (1) Commercial use request is a request that asks for information 
for a use or a purpose that furthers a commercial, trade, or profit 
interest, which can include furthering those interests through 
litigation. The Arts Endowment's decision to place a requester in the 
commercial use category will be made on a case-by-case basis based on 
the requester's intended use of the information. The Arts Endowment will 
notify requesters of their placement in this category.
    (2) Direct costs are those expenses that the Arts Endowment incurs 
in searching for and duplicating (and, in the case of commercial use 
requests, reviewing) records in order to respond to a FOIA request. For 
example, direct

[[Page 350]]

costs include the salary of the employee performing the work (i.e., the 
basic rate of pay for the employee, plus 16 percent of that rate to 
cover benefits) and the cost of operating computers and other electronic 
equipment, such as photocopiers and scanners. Direct costs do not 
include overhead expenses such as the costs of space, and of heating or 
lighting a facility.
    (3) Duplication is reproducing a copy of a record, or of the 
information contained in it, necessary to respond to a FOIA request. 
Copies can take the form of paper, audiovisual materials, or electronic 
records, among others.
    (4) Educational institution is any school that operates a program of 
scholarly research. A requester in this fee category must show that the 
request is made in connection with his or her role at the educational 
institution. The Arts Endowment may seek verification from the requester 
that the request is in furtherance of scholarly research and the Arts 
Endowment will advise requesters of their placement in this category.
    (i) Example 1. A request from a professor of architecture at a 
university for records relating to Arts Endowment grants related to 
architecture, written on letterhead of the Department of Geology, would 
be presumed to be from an educational institution.
    (ii) Example 2. A request from the same professor of architecture 
seeking translation grant information from the Arts Endowment in 
furtherance of a murder mystery he is writing would not be presumed to 
be an institutional request, regardless of whether it was written on 
institutional stationery.
    (iii) Example 3. A student who makes a request in furtherance of 
their coursework or other school-sponsored activities and provides a 
copy of a course syllabus or other reasonable documentation to indicate 
the research purpose for the request, would qualify as part of this fee 
category.
    (5) Noncommercial scientific institution is an institution that is 
not operated on a ``commercial'' basis, as defined in paragraph (b)(1) 
of this section and that is operated solely for the purpose of 
conducting scientific research the results of which are not intended to 
promote any particular product or industry. A requester in this category 
must show that the request is authorized by and is made under the 
auspices of a qualifying institution and that the records are sought to 
further scientific research and are not for a commercial use. The Arts 
Endowment will advise requesters of their placement in this category.
    (6) Representative of the news media is any person or entity that 
gathers information of potential interest to a segment of the public, 
uses its editorial skills to turn the raw materials into a distinct 
work, and distributes that work to an audience. The term ``news'' means 
information that is about current events or that would be of current 
interest to the public. Examples of news media entities include 
television or radio stations that broadcast ``news'' to the public at 
large and publishers of periodicals that disseminate ``news'' and make 
their products available through a variety of means to the general 
public, including news organizations that disseminate solely on the 
internet. A request for records supporting the news-dissemination 
function of the requester will not be considered to be for a commercial 
use. ``Freelance'' journalists who demonstrate a solid basis for 
expecting publication through a news media entity will be considered as 
a representative of the news media. A publishing contract would provide 
the clearest evidence that publication is expected; however, the Arts 
Endowment may also consider a requester's past publication record in 
making this determination. The Arts Endowment will advise requesters of 
their placement in this category.
    (7) Review is the examination of a record located in response to a 
request in order to determine whether any portion of it is exempt from 
disclosure. Review time includes processing any record for disclosure, 
such as doing all that is necessary to prepare the record for 
disclosure, including the process of redacting the record and marking 
the appropriate exemptions. Review costs are properly charged even if a 
record ultimately is not disclosed. Review

[[Page 351]]

time also includes time spent both obtaining and considering any formal 
objection to disclosure made by a confidential commercial information 
submitter under Sec.  1148.7, but it does not include time spent 
resolving general legal or policy issues regarding the application of 
exemptions.
    (8) Search is the process of looking for and retrieving records or 
information responsive to a request. Search time includes page-by-page 
or line-by-line identification of information within records and the 
reasonable efforts expended to locate and retrieve information from 
electronic records.
    (c) Charging fees. In responding to FOIA requests, the Arts 
Endowment will charge the following fees unless a waiver or reduction of 
fees has been granted under paragraph (k) of this section. Because the 
fee amounts provided in paragraphs (c)(1) through (3) of this section 
already account for the direct costs associated with a given fee type, 
the Arts Endowment will not add any additional costs to charges 
calculated under this section.
    (1) Searches. The following fee policies apply to searches:
    (i) Requests made by educational institutions, noncommercial 
scientific institutions, or representatives of the news media are not 
subject to search fees. The Arts Endowment will charge search fees for 
all other requesters, subject to the restrictions of paragraph (d) of 
this section. The Arts Endowment may properly charge for time spent 
searching even if the Arts Endowment does not locate any responsive 
records or if the Arts Endowment determines that the records are 
entirely exempt from disclosure.
    (ii) For manual searches, the fee charged will be the salary rate or 
rates of the employee or employees conducting the search. For computer 
searches, the fee charged will be the actual direct cost of providing 
the service, including the salary rate or rates of the operator(s) or 
programmer(s) conducting the search. The salary rate is calculated as 
the particular employee's basic pay plus 16.1 percent. The Arts 
Endowment may charge fees even if the documents are determined to be 
exempt from disclosure or cannot be located.
    (iii) The Arts Endowment will charge the direct costs associated 
with conducting any search that requires the creation of a new computer 
program to locate the requested records. The Arts Endowment will notify 
the requester of the costs associated with creating such a program, and 
the requester must agree to pay the associated costs before the costs 
may be incurred.
    (iv) For requests that require the retrieval of records stored by 
the Arts Endowment at a Federal records center operated by the National 
Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Arts Endowment will 
charge additional costs in accordance with the Transactional Billing 
Rate Schedule established by NARA.
    (2) Duplication. The Arts Endowment will charge duplication fees to 
all requesters, subject to the restrictions of paragraph (d) of this 
section. The Arts Endowment will honor a requester's preference for 
receiving a record in a particular form or format where the Arts 
Endowment can readily reproduce it in the form or format requested. 
Where photocopies are supplied, the Arts Endowment will provide one copy 
per request at the cost of $.10 per single sided page, and $.20 per 
double sided page. For copies of records produced on tapes, disks, or 
other media, the Arts Endowment will charge the direct costs of 
producing the copy, including operator time. Where paper documents must 
be scanned in order to comply with a requester's preference to receive 
the records in an electronic format, the requester must also pay the 
direct costs associated with scanning those materials. For other forms 
of duplication, the Arts Endowment will charge the direct costs.
    (3) Review. The Arts Endowment will charge review fees to requesters 
who make commercial use requests. Review fees will be assessed in 
connection with the initial review of the record, i.e., the review 
conducted by the Arts Endowment to determine whether an exemption 
applies to a particular record or portion of a record. No charge will be 
made for review at the administrative appeal stage of exemptions applied 
at the initial review stage. However, if a particular exemption is 
deemed to no longer apply, any costs associated with

[[Page 352]]

the Arts Endowment's re-review of the records in order to consider the 
use of other exemptions may be assessed as review fees. Review fees will 
be charged at the same rates as those charged for a search under 
paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section.
    (d) Restrictions on charging fees. The Arts Endowment will adhere to 
the following restrictions regarding fees it charges:
    (1) When the Arts Endowment determines that a requester is an 
educational institution, non-commercial scientific institution, or 
representative of the news media, and the records are not sought for 
commercial use, it will not charge search fees.
    (2) If the Arts Endowment fails to comply with the FOIA's time 
limits in which to respond to a request, it will not charge search fees, 
or, in the instances of requests from requesters described in paragraph 
(d)(1) of this section, may not charge duplication fees, except as 
described in paragraphs (d)(3) through (5) of this section.
    (3) If the Arts Endowment has determined that unusual circumstances 
as defined by the FOIA apply and the Arts Endowment provided timely 
written notice to the requester in accordance with the FOIA, a failure 
to comply with the time limit shall be excused for an additional 10 
working days.
    (4) If the Arts Endowment has determined that unusual circumstances, 
as defined by the FOIA, apply and more than 5,000 pages are necessary to 
respond to the request, the Arts Endowment may charge search fees, or, 
in the case of requesters described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, 
may charge duplication fees, if the following steps are taken:
    (i) The Arts Endowment provided timely written notice of unusual 
circumstances to the requester in accordance with the FOIA; and
    (ii) The Arts Endowment discussed with the requester via written 
mail, email, or telephone (or made not less than three good-faith 
attempts to do so) how the requester could effectively limit the scope 
of the request in accordance with 5. U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B)(ii). If this 
exception is satisfied, the Arts Endowment may charge all applicable 
fees incurred in the processing of the request.
    (5) If a court has determined that exceptional circumstances exist, 
as defined by the FOIA, a failure to comply with the time limits shall 
be excused for the length of time provided by the court order.
    (6) No search or review fees will be charged for a quarter-hour 
period unless more than half of that period is required for search or 
review.
    (7) Except for requesters seeking records for a commercial use, the 
Arts Endowment will provide without charge:
    (i) The first 100 pages of duplication (or the cost equivalent for 
other media); and
    (ii) The first two hours of search.
    (8) No fee will be charged when the total fee, after deducting the 
100 free pages (or its cost equivalent) and the first two hours of 
search, is equal to or less than $25.
    (e) Notice of anticipated fees in excess of $25.00. The following 
procedures apply when the Arts Endowment anticipates fees to be in 
excess of $25.00.
    (1) When the Arts Endowment determines or estimates that the fees to 
be assessed in accordance with this section will exceed $25.00, the Arts 
Endowment will notify the requester of the actual or estimated amount of 
the fees, including a breakdown of the fees for search, review or 
duplication, unless the requester has indicated a willingness to pay 
fees as high as those anticipated. If only a portion of the fee can be 
estimated readily, the Arts Endowment will advise the requester 
accordingly. If the request is not for noncommercial use, the notice 
will specify that the requester is entitled to the statutory 
entitlements of 100 pages of duplication at no charge and, if the 
requester is charged search fees, two hours of search time at no charge, 
and will advise the requester whether those entitlements have been 
provided.
    (2) If the Arts Endowment notifies the requester that the actual or 
estimated fees are in excess of $25.00, the request will not be 
considered received and further work will not be completed until the 
requester commits in writing to pay the actual or estimated total fee, 
or designates some amount of fees

[[Page 353]]

the requester is willing to pay, or in the case of a noncommercial use 
requester who has not yet been provided with the requester's statutory 
entitlements, designates that the requester seeks only that which can be 
provided by the statutory entitlements. The requester must provide the 
commitment or designation in writing, and must, when applicable, 
designate an exact dollar amount the requester is willing to pay. The 
Arts Endowment is not required to accept payments in installments.
    (3) If the requester has indicated a willingness to pay some 
designated amount of fees, but the Arts Endowment estimates that the 
total fee will exceed that amount, the Arts Endowment will toll the 
processing of the request when it notifies the requester of the 
estimated fees in excess of the amount the requester has indicated a 
willingness to pay. The Arts Endowment will inquire whether the 
requester wishes to revise the amount of fees the requester is willing 
to pay or modify the request. Once the requester responds, the time to 
respond will resume from where it was at the date of the notification.
    (4) The Arts Endowment will make available its FOIA Public Liaison 
or other designated FOIA contact to assist any requester in 
reformulating a request to meet the requester's needs at a lower cost.
    (f) Charges for other services. Although not required to provide 
special services, if the Arts Endowment chooses to do so as a matter of 
administrative discretion, the direct costs of providing the service 
will be charged. Examples of such services include certifying that 
records are true copies, providing multiple copies of the same document, 
or sending records by means other than first class mail.
    (g) Charging interest. The Arts Endowment may charge interest on any 
unpaid bill starting on the 31st day following the date of billing the 
requester. Interest charges will be assessed at the rate provided in 31 
U.S.C. 3717 and will accrue from the billing date until payment is 
received by the Arts Endowment. The Arts Endowment will follow the 
provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-365, 96 Stat. 
1749), as amended, and its administrative procedures, including the use 
of consumer reporting agencies, collection agencies, and offset.
    (h) Aggregating requests. When the Arts Endowment reasonably 
believes that a requester or a group of requesters acting in concert is 
attempting to divide a single request into a series of requests for the 
purpose of avoiding fees, the Arts Endowment may aggregate those 
requests and charge accordingly. The Arts Endowment may presume that 
multiple requests of this type made within a 30 calendar day period have 
been made in order to avoid fees. For requests separated by a longer 
period, the Arts Endowment will aggregate them only where there is a 
reasonable basis for determining that aggregation is warranted in view 
of all the circumstances involved. Multiple requests involving unrelated 
matters cannot be aggregated.
    (i) Advance payments. The following policies and procedures apply to 
advanced payments of fees:
    (1) For requests other than those described in paragraph (i)(2) or 
(3) of this section, the Arts Endowment will not require the requester 
to make an advance payment before work is commenced or continued on a 
request. Payment owed for work already completed (i.e., payment before 
copies are sent to a requester) is not an advance payment.
    (2) When the Arts Endowment determines or estimates that a total fee 
to be charged under this section will exceed $250.00, it may require 
that the requester make an advance payment up to the amount of the 
entire anticipated fee before beginning to process the request. The Arts 
Endowment may elect to process the request prior to collecting fees when 
it receives a satisfactory assurance of full payment from a requester 
with a history of prompt payment.
    (3) Where a requester has previously failed to pay a properly 
charged FOIA fee to any agency within 30 calendar days of the billing 
date, the Arts Endowment may require that the requester pay the full 
amount due, plus any applicable interest on that prior request, and the 
Arts Endowment may

[[Page 354]]

require that the requester make an advance payment of the full amount of 
any anticipated fee before the Arts Endowment begins to process a new 
request or continues to process a pending request or any pending appeal. 
Where the Arts Endowment has a reasonable basis to believe that a 
requester has misrepresented the requester's identity in order to avoid 
paying outstanding fees, it may require that the requester provide proof 
of identity.
    (4) In cases in which the Arts Endowment requires advance payment, 
the request will not be considered received and further work will not be 
completed until the required payment is received. If the requester does 
not pay the advance payment within 30 calendar days after the date of 
the Arts Endowment's fee determination, the request will be closed.
    (j) Other statutes specifically providing for fees. The fee schedule 
of this section does not apply to fees charged under any statute that 
specifically requires the Arts Endowment to set and collect fees for 
particular types of records. In instances where records responsive to a 
request are subject to a statutorily-based fee schedule program, the 
Arts Endowment will inform the requester of the contact information for 
that program.
    (k) Requirements for waiver or reduction of fees. The following 
policies and procedures apply to fee waivers or reductions of fees.
    (1) Requesters may seek a waiver of fees by submitting a written 
application demonstrating how disclosure of the requested information is 
in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly 
to public understanding of the operations or activities of the 
government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the 
requester.
    (2) The Arts Endowment will furnish records responsive to a request 
without charge or at a reduced rate when it determines, based on all 
available information, that the factors described in paragraphs 
(k)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section are satisfied:
    (i) Disclosure of the requested information would shed light on the 
operations or activities of the government. The subject of the request 
must concern identifiable operations or activities of the Federal 
Government with a connection that is direct and clear, not remote or 
attenuated.
    (ii) Disclosure of the requested information is likely to contribute 
significantly to public understanding of those operations or activities. 
This factor is satisfied when the following criteria are met:
    (A) Disclosure of the requested records must be meaningfully 
informative about government operations or activities. The disclosure of 
information that already is in the public domain, in either the same or 
a substantially identical form, would not be meaningfully informative if 
nothing new would be added to the public's understanding.
    (B) The disclosure must contribute to the understanding of a 
reasonably broad audience of persons interested in the subject, as 
opposed to the individual understanding of the requester. A requester's 
expertise in the subject area as well as the requester's ability and 
intention to effectively convey information to the public must be 
considered. The Arts Endowment will presume that a representative of the 
news media will satisfy this consideration.
    (iii) The disclosure must not be primarily in the commercial 
interest of the requester. To determine whether disclosure of the 
requested information is primarily in the commercial interest of the 
requester, the Arts Endowment will consider the following criteria:
    (A) The Arts Endowment will identify whether the requester has any 
commercial interest that would be furthered by the requested disclosure. 
A commercial interest includes any commercial, trade, or profit 
interest. Requesters will be given an opportunity to provide explanatory 
information regarding this consideration.
    (B) If there is an identified commercial interest, the Arts 
Endowment will determine whether that is the primary interest furthered 
by the request. A waiver or reduction of fees is justified when the 
requirements of paragraphs (k)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section are 
satisfied and any commercial interest is not the primary interest 
furthered by the request. The Arts Endowment ordinarily will presume 
that when a news

[[Page 355]]

media requester has satisfied the factors in paragraphs (k)(2)(i) and 
(ii) of this section, the request is not primarily in the commercial 
interest of the requester. Disclosure to data brokers or others who 
merely compile and market government information for direct economic 
return will not be presumed to primarily serve the public interest.
    (3) Where only some of the records to be released satisfy the 
requirements for a waiver of fees, a waiver will be granted for those 
records.
    (4) Requests for a waiver or reduction of fees should be made when 
the request is first submitted to the Arts Endowment and should address 
the criteria referenced in paragraphs (k)(1) through (3) of this 
section. A requester may submit a fee waiver request at a later time so 
long as the underlying record request is pending or on administrative 
appeal. When a requester who has committed to pay fees subsequently asks 
for a waiver of those fees and that waiver is denied, the requester must 
pay any costs incurred up to the date the fee waiver request was 
received.

[84 FR 6345, Feb. 27, 2019; 84 FR 8003, Mar. 6, 2019]



Sec.  1148.11  What other rules apply to Arts Endowment FOIA requests?

    Nothing in this part shall be construed to entitle any person, as of 
right, to any service or to the disclosure of any record to which such 
person is not entitled under the FOIA.



PART 1149_PROGRAM FRAUD CIVIL REMEDIES ACT REGULATIONS--Table of Contents



                    Subpart A_Purpose and Definitions

Sec.
1149.1 Purpose.
1149.2 Definitions.

                     Subpart B_Claims and Statements

1149.3 What is a claim?
1149.4 When is a claim made?
1149.5 What is a false claim?
1149.6 What is a statement?
1149.7 What is a false statement?

                      Subpart C_Basis for Liability

1149.8 What kind of conduct results in program fraud enforcement?
1149.9 What civil penalties and assessments may I be subjected to?

       Subpart D_Procedures Leading to the Issuance of a Complaint

1149.10 How is program fraud investigated?
1149.11 May the investigating official issue a subpoena?
1149.12 What happens if program fraud is suspected?
1149.13 When may the NEA issue a complaint?
1149.14 What is contained in a complaint?
1149.15 How will the complaint be served?
1149.16 What constitutes proof of service?

          Subpart E_Procedures Following Service of a Complaint

1149.17 How do you respond to the complaint?
1149.18 May I file a general answer?
1149.19 What happens once an answer is filed?
1149.20 What must the notice of hearing include?
1149.21 When must the ALJ serve the notice of oral hearing?
1149.22 What happens if you fail to file an answer?
1149.23 May I file a motion to reopen my case?
1149.24 What happens if my motion to reopen is denied?
1149.25 When, if ever, will time be tolled?

                      Subpart F_Hearing Procedures

1149.26 What kind of hearing is contemplated?
1149.27 What is the role of the ALJ?
1149.28 What does the ALJ have the authority to do?
1149.29 What rights do you have at the hearing?
1149.30 How are the functions of the ALJ separated from those of the 
          investigating official and the reviewing official?
1149.31 Can the reviewing official or the ALJ be disqualified?
1149.32 Do you have a right to review documents?
1149.33 What type of discovery is authorized and how is it conducted?
1149.34 How are motions for discovery handled?
1149.35 When may an ALJ grant a motion for discovery?
1149.36 How are depositions handled?
1149.37 Are witness lists and exhibits exchanged before the hearing?
1149.38 Can witnesses be subpoenaed?

[[Page 356]]

1149.39 Who pays the costs for a subpoena?
1149.40 When may I file a motion to quash a subpoena?
1149.41 Are protective orders available?
1149.42 What does a protective order protect?
1149.43 How are documents filed and served with the ALJ?
1149.44 What must documents filed with the ALJ include?
1149.45 How is time computed?
1149.46 Where is the hearing held?
1149.47 How will the hearing be conducted?
1149.48 Who has the burden of proof?
1149.49 How is evidence presented at the hearing?
1149.50 How is witness testimony presented?
1149.51 How can I exclude a witness?
1149.52 Will the hearing proceedings be recorded?
1149.53 Are ex parte communications between a party and the ALJ 
          permitted?
1149.54 Are there sanctions for misconduct?
1149.55 What happens if I fail to comply with an order?
1149.56 Are post-hearing briefs required?

                     Subpart G_Decisions and Appeals

1149.57 How is the case decided?
1149.58 When will the ALJ serve the initial decision?
1149.59 How are penalty and assessment amounts determined?
1149.60 What factors are considered in determining the amount of 
          penalties and assessments to impose?
1149.61 Can a party request reconsideration of the initial decision?
1149.62 When does the initial decision of the ALJ become final?
1149.63 What are the procedures for appealing the ALJ decision?
1149.64 What happens if an initial decision is appealed?
1149.65 Are there any limitations on the right to appeal to the 
          authority head?
1149.66 How does the authority head dispose of an appeal?
1149.67 Who represents the NEA on an appeal?
1149.68 What judicial review is available?
1149.69 Can the administrative complaint be settled voluntarily?
1149.70 How are civil penalties and assessments collected?
1149.71 Is there a right to administrative offset?
1149.72 What happens to collections?
1149.73 What if the investigation indicates criminal misconduct or a 
          violation of the False Claims Act?
1149.74 How does the NEA protect your rights?

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. App. 8G(a)(2); 20 U.S.C. 959; 28 U.S.C. 2461 
note; 31 U.S.C. 3801-3812.

    Source: 79 FR 67081, Nov. 12, 2014, unless otherwise noted.



                    Subpart A_Purpose and Definitions



Sec.  1149.1  Purpose.

    This part implements the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986, 
31 U.S.C. 3801-3812 (PFCRA). The PFCRA provides the NEA, and other 
Federal agencies, with an administrative remedy to impose civil 
penalties and assessments against you if you make or cause to be made 
false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims or written statements to the 
NEA. The PFCRA also provides due process protections to you if you are 
subject to administrative proceedings under this part.



Sec.  1149.2  Definitions.

    For the purposes of this part--
    Authority means the National Endowment for the Arts.
    Authority Head means the Chairperson/head of the National Endowment 
for the Arts or the Chairperson/authority head/s designee.
    Benefit means anything of value, including but not limited to, any 
advantage, preference, privilege, license, permit, favorable decision, 
ruling, status, or loan guarantee.
    Defendant means any person alleged in a complaint to be liable for a 
civil penalty or assessment pursuant to the PFCRA.
    Government means the United States Government.
    Group of related claims submitted at the same time means only those 
claims arising from the same transaction (such as a grant, loan, 
application, or contract) which are submitted together as part of a 
single request, demand, or submission.
    Initial decision means the written decision of the Administrative 
Law Judge (ALJ), and includes a revised initial decision issued 
following a remand or a motion for reconsideration.
    Investigating official means:
    (1) The NEA Inspector General; or
    (2) A designee of the NEA Inspector General.
    Knows or has reason to know means that a person:

[[Page 357]]

    (1) Has actual knowledge that the claim or statement is false, 
fictitious, or fraudulent; or
    (2) Acts in deliberate ignorance of the truth or falsity of the 
claim or statement; or
    (3) Acts in reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the claim 
or statement.
    Makes, whenever it appears, must include the terms presents, 
submits, and causes to be made, presented, or submitted. As the context 
requires, making or made must likewise include the corresponding forms 
of such terms.
    Person means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, 
or private organization, and includes the plural of that term.
    Representative means an attorney who is in good standing of the bar 
of any State, Territory, or possession of the United States, or of the 
District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other 
individual designated in writing by you.
    Reviewing official means the General Counsel of the NEA or the 
General Counsel's designee.



                     Subpart B_Claims and Statements



Sec.  1149.3  What is a claim?

    (a) Claim means any request, demand, or submission:
    (1) Made to the NEA for property, services, or money (including 
money representing grants, loans, insurance or benefits);
    (2) Made to a recipient of property or services from the NEA, or to 
a party to a contract with the NEA for property or services if the 
United States:
    (i) Provided such property or services;
    (ii) Provided any portion of the funds for the purchase of such 
property or services; or
    (iii) Will reimburse such recipient or party for the purchase of 
such property or services;
    (3) Made to the NEA for the payment of money (including money 
representing grants, loans, insurance, or benefits) if the United 
States:
    (i) Provided any portion of the money requested or demanded; or
    (ii) Will reimburse such recipient or party for any portion of the 
money paid on such request or demand; or
    (4) Made to the NEA which has the effect of decreasing an obligation 
to pay or account for property, services, or money.
    (b) A claim can relate to grants, loans, insurance, or other 
benefits, and includes the NEA guaranteed loans made by participating 
lenders.
    (c) Each voucher, invoice, claim form, or individual request or 
demand for property, services, or money constitutes a separate claim.



Sec.  1149.4  When is a claim made?

    A claim is made to the NEA, when such claim is actually made to:
    (a) An agent, fiscal intermediary, or other person or entity, 
including any State or political subdivision of a State, acting for or 
on behalf of the NEA; or
    (b) A recipient of property, services, or money from the Government, 
or the party to a contract with the NEA.



Sec.  1149.5  What is a false claim?

    (a) A claim submitted to the NEA is ``false'' if it:
    (1) Is false, fictitious or fraudulent;
    (2) Includes or is supported by a written statement which asserts or 
contains a material fact which is false, fictitious, or fraudulent;
    (3) Includes or is supported by a written statement which is false, 
fictitious or fraudulent because it omits a material fact that you have 
a duty to include in the statement; or
    (4) Is for payment for the provision of property or services which 
you have not provided as claimed.
    (b) [Reserved]



Sec.  1149.6  What is a statement?

    (a) A statement means any written representation, certification, 
affirmation, document, record, or accounting or bookkeeping entry made 
with respect to a claim (including relating to eligibility to make a 
claim) or to obtain the approval or payment of a claim (including 
relating to eligibility to make a claim); or with respect to (including 
relating to eligibility for) a contract, bid or proposal for a contract 
with the NEA, or a grant, loan or other

[[Page 358]]

benefit from the NEA, including applications and proposals for such 
grants, loans, or other benefits, if the United States Government 
provides any portion of the money or property under such contract or for 
such grant, loan or benefit, or if the Government will reimburse any 
party for any portion of the money or property under such contract or 
for such grant, loan, or benefit.
    (b) A statement is made, presented, or submitted to the NEA when 
such statement is actually made to an agent, fiscal intermediary, or 
other person or entity acting for or on behalf of the NEA, including any 
State or political subdivision of a State, acting for or on behalf of 
the NEA; or the recipient of property, services, or money from the 
Government; or the party to a contract with the NEA.



Sec.  1149.7  What is a false statement?

    (a) A statement submitted to the NEA is a false statement if you 
make the statement, or cause the statement to be made, while knowing or 
having reason to know that the statement:
    (1) Asserts a material fact that is false, fictitious, or 
fraudulent; or
    (2) Is false, fictitious, or fraudulent because it omits a material 
fact that you have a duty to include in the statement and contains or is 
accompanied by an express certification or affirmation of the 
truthfulness and accuracy of the contents of the statement.
    (b) Each written representation, certification, or affirmation 
constitutes a separate statement.



                      Subpart C_Basis for Liability



Sec.  1149.8  What kind of conduct results in program fraud enforcement?

    If you make false claims or false statements, you may be subject to 
civil penalties and assessments under the PFCRA.



Sec.  1149.9  What civil penalties and assessments may I be subjected to?

    (a) In addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed by 
law, the PFCRA may subject you to the following:
    (1) A civil penalty of not more than $13,507 for each false, 
fictitious or fraudulent statement or claim; and
    (2) If the NEA has made any payment, transferred property, or 
provided services in reliance on a false claim, you are also subject to 
an assessment of not more than twice the amount of the false claim. This 
assessment is in lieu of damages sustained by the NEA because of the 
false claim.
    (b) Each false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim for property, 
services, or money is subject to a civil penalty regardless of whether 
such property, services, or money is actually delivered or paid.
    (c) No proof of specific intent to defraud is required to establish 
liability under this section for either false claims or false 
statements.
    (d) [Reserved]
    (e) In any case in which it is determined that more than one person 
is liable for making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim or 
statement under this section, each such person may be held liable for a 
civil penalty and assessment under this section.
    (f) In any case in which it is determined that more than one person 
is liable for making a claim under this section on which the Government 
has made payment (including transferred property or provided services), 
an assessment may be imposed against any such person or jointly and 
severally against any combination of persons.

[79 FR 67081, Nov. 12, 2014, as amended at 86 FR 10031, Feb. 18, 2021; 
87 FR 2067, Jan. 13, 2022; 88 FR 2006, Jan. 12, 2023]



       Subpart D_Procedures Leading to the Issuance of a Complaint



Sec.  1149.10  How is program fraud investigated?

    The Inspector General, or his/her designee, is the investigating 
official responsible for investigating allegations that you have made a 
false claim or statement.



Sec.  1149.11  May the investigating official issue a subpoena?

    (a) Yes. The Inspector General has authority to issue administrative 
subpoenas for the production of records

[[Page 359]]

and documents. If an investigating official concludes that a subpoena is 
warranted, he/she may issue a subpoena.
    (1) The issued subpoena must notify you of the authority under which 
it is issued and must identify the records or documents sought;
    (2) The investigating official may designate a person to act on his 
or her behalf to receive the documents sought; and
    (3) You are required to tender to the investigating official, or the 
person designated to receive the documents, a certification that:
    (i) The documents sought have been produced;
    (ii) Such documents are not available and the reasons therefore; or
    (iii) Such documents, suitably identified, have been withheld based 
upon the assertion of an identified privilege.
    (b) Nothing in this section precludes or limits an investigating 
official's discretion to refer allegations within the Department of 
Justice for suit under the False Claims Act or other civil relief, or to 
defer or postpone a report or referral to the reviewing official to 
avoid interference with a criminal investigation or prosecution.
    (c) Nothing in this section modifies any responsibility of an 
investigating official to report violations of criminal law to the 
appropriate component of the Department of Justice.



Sec.  1149.12  What happens if program fraud is suspected?

    (a) If the investigating official concludes that an action under 
this part is warranted, the investigating official submits a report 
containing the findings and conclusions of the investigation to the 
reviewing official.
    (b) If the reviewing official determines that the report provides 
adequate evidence that you have made a false, fictitious or fraudulent 
claim or statement, the reviewing official shall transmit to the 
Attorney General written notice of an intention to refer the matter for 
adjudication, with a request for approval of such referral. This notice 
will include the reviewing official's statements concerning:
    (1) The reasons for the referral;
    (2) The claims or statements upon which liability would be based;
    (3) The evidence that supports liability;
    (4) An estimate of the amount of money or the value of property, 
services, or other benefits requested or demanded in the false claim or 
statement;
    (5) Any exculpatory or mitigating circumstances that may relate to 
the claims or statements known by the reviewing official or the 
investigating official; and
    (6) A statement that there is a reasonable prospect of collecting an 
appropriate amount of penalties and assessments.
    (c) If, at any time, the Attorney General or his or her designee 
requests in writing that this administrative process be stayed, the 
authority head must stay the process immediately. The authority head may 
order the process resumed only upon receipt of the written authorization 
of the Attorney General.



Sec.  1149.13  When may the NEA issue a complaint?

    The NEA may issue a complaint:
    (a) If the Attorney General, or his/her designee, approves the 
referral of the allegations for adjudication in a written statement; and
    (b) In a case of submission of false claims, if the amount of money 
or the value of property or services demanded or requested in a false 
claim, or a group of related claims submitted at the same time, does not 
exceed $150,000.



Sec.  1149.14  What is contained in a complaint?

    (a) A complaint is a written statement giving you notice of the 
specific allegations being referred for adjudication and of your right 
to request a hearing regarding those allegations.
    (b) The reviewing official may join in a single complaint, false 
claims or statements that are unrelated, or that were not submitted 
simultaneously, so long as each claim made does not exceed the amount 
provided in 31 U.S.C. 3803(c).
    (c) The complaint must state that the NEA seeks to impose civil 
penalties, assessments, or both, against you and will include:
    (1) The allegations of liability against you, including the 
statutory

[[Page 360]]

basis for liability, identification of the claims or statements 
involved, and the reasons liability allegedly arises from such claims or 
statements;
    (2) The maximum amount of penalties and assessments for which you 
may be held liable;
    (3) A statement that you may request a hearing by filing an answer 
and may be represented by a representative;
    (4) Instructions for filing such an answer; and
    (5) A warning that failure to file an answer within 30 days of 
service of the complaint will result in imposition of the maximum amount 
of penalties and assessments.
    (d) The reviewing official must serve you with any complaint and, if 
you request a hearing, provide a copy to the ALJ assigned to the case.



Sec.  1149.15  How will the complaint be served?

    (a) The complaint must be served on you as an individual directly, 
on a partnership through a general partner, and on corporations or on 
unincorporated associations through an executive officer or a director. 
Service may also be made on any person authorized by appointment or by 
law to receive process for you or a legal entity.
    (b) The complaint may be served either by:
    (1) Registered or certified mail; or
    (2) Personal delivery by anyone 18 years of age or older.
    (c) The date of service is the date of personal delivery or, in the 
case of service by registered or certified mail, the date of postmark.



Sec.  1149.16  What constitutes proof of service?

    (a) Proof of service is established by the following:
    (1) When service is made by registered or certified mail, the return 
postal receipt will serve as proof of service.
    (2) When service is made by personal delivery, an affidavit of the 
individual serving the complaint, or written acknowledgment of your 
receipt or of receipt by a representative, will serve as proof of 
service.
    (b) When served with the complaint, the serving party must also 
serve you with a copy of this part and 31 U.S.C. 3801-3812.



          Subpart E_Procedures Following Service of a Complaint



Sec.  1149.17  How do you respond to the complaint?

    (a) You may respond to the complaint by filing an answer with the 
reviewing official within 30 days of service of the complaint. A timely 
answer will be considered a request for an oral hearing.
    (b) In the answer, you--
    (1) Must admit or deny each of the allegations of liability 
contained in the complaint (a failure to deny an allegation is 
considered an admission);
    (2) Must state any defense on which you intend to rely;
    (3) May state any reasons why you believe the penalties, 
assessments, or both should be less than the statutory maximum; and
    (4) Must state the name, address, and telephone number of the person 
authorized by you to act as your representative, if any.



Sec.  1149.18  May I file a general answer?

    (a) If you are unable to file a timely answer which meets the 
requirements set forth in Sec.  1149.17(b), you may file with the 
reviewing official a general answer denying liability, requesting a 
hearing, and requesting an extension of time in which to file a complete 
answer. A general answer must be filed within 30 days of service of the 
complaint.
    (b) If you file a general answer requesting an extension of time, 
the reviewing official must promptly file with the ALJ the complaint, 
the general answer, and the request for an extension of time.
    (c) For good cause shown, the ALJ may grant you up to 30 additional 
days within which to file an answer meeting the requirements of 
paragraph (b) of this section. You must file the answer with the ALJ and 
serve a copy on the reviewing official.

[[Page 361]]



Sec.  1149.19  What happens once an answer is filed?

    (a) When the reviewing official receives an answer, he/she must 
simultaneously file the complaint, the answer, and a designation of the 
NEA's representative with the ALJ.
    (b) When the ALJ receives the complaint and the answer, he/she will 
promptly serve a notice of hearing upon you and the NEA representative, 
in the same manner as the complaint. At the same time, the ALJ must send 
a copy of such notice to the reviewing official or his designee.



Sec.  1149.20  What must the notice of hearing include?

    The notice must include:
    (a) The tentative time, place, and nature of the hearing;
    (b) The legal authority and jurisdiction under which the hearing is 
being held;
    (c) The matters of fact and law to be asserted;
    (d) A description of the procedures for the conduct of the hearing;
    (e) The name, address, and telephone number of your representative 
and the NEA's representative; and
    (f) Such other matters as the ALJ deems appropriate.



Sec.  1149.21  When must the ALJ serve the notice of oral hearing?

    Unless the parties agree otherwise, the ALJ must serve the notice of 
oral hearing within six years of the date on which the claim or 
statement is made.



Sec.  1149.22  What happens if you fail to file an answer?

    (a) If you do not file any answer within 30 days after service of 
the complaint, the reviewing official may refer the complaint to the 
ALJ.
    (b) Once the complaint is referred, the ALJ will promptly serve on 
you a notice that he/she will issue an initial decision.
    (c) The ALJ will assume the facts alleged in the complaint are true. 
If such facts establish liability under the statute, the ALJ will issue 
an initial decision imposing the maximum amount of penalties and 
assessments allowed under the PFCRA.
    (d) Except as otherwise provided in this section, when you fail to 
file a timely answer, you waive any right to further review of the 
penalties and assessments imposed in the initial decision. This initial 
decision will become final and binding 30 days after it is issued.



Sec.  1149.23  May I file a motion to reopen my case?

    (a) You may file a motion with the ALJ asking him/her to reopen the 
case at any time before an initial decision becomes final. The ALJ may 
only reopen a case if, in this motion, he/she determines that you set 
forth extraordinary circumstances that prevented you from filing a 
timely answer. The initial decision will be stayed until the ALJ makes a 
decision on your motion to reopen. The reviewing official may respond to 
the motion.
    (b) If the ALJ determines that you have demonstrated extraordinary 
circumstances excusing your failure to file a timely answer, the ALJ 
will withdraw the initial decision and grant you an opportunity to 
answer the complaint.
    (c) A decision by the ALJ to deny your motion to reopen a case is 
not subject to review or reconsideration.



Sec.  1149.24  What happens if my motion to reopen is denied?

    (a) You may appeal the decision denying a motion to reopen to the 
authority head by filing a notice of appeal with the authority head 
within 15 days after the ALJ denies the motion. The timely filing of a 
notice of appeal must stay the initial decision until the authority head 
decides the issue.
    (b) If you file a timely notice of appeal with the authority head, 
the ALJ must forward the record of the proceeding to the authority head.
    (c) The authority head must decide promptly, based solely on the 
record previously before the ALJ, whether extraordinary circumstances 
excuse your failure to file a timely answer.
    (d) If the authority head decides that extraordinary circumstances 
excused your failure to file a timely answer, the authority head must 
remand the case to the ALJ with instructions to grant you an opportunity 
to answer.

[[Page 362]]

    (e) If the authority head decides that your failure to file a timely 
answer is not excused, the authority head must reinstate the initial 
decision of the ALJ, which becomes final and binding upon the parties 30 
days after the authority head issues such a decision.



Sec.  1149.25  When, if ever, will time be tolled?

    Time will be tolled in the following instances:
    (a) If you are granted a 30 day extension to file your answer, the 
30 days will be tolled to the six year oral hearing limitation thereby 
providing the ALJ six years and 30 days to serve the notice of oral 
hearing as discussed in Sec.  1149.18(c);
    (b) If a notice of appeal is filed as discussed in Sec.  1149.24(a);
    (c) If a motion is filed to disqualify a reviewing official or an 
ALJ disqualifies himself/herself as discussed in Sec.  1149.31(c); or
    (d) In any other instance in which time is suspended or delayed as a 
result of an appeal, request for reconsideration, untimely filing, or 
extensions.



                      Subpart F_Hearing Procedures



Sec.  1149.26  What kind of hearing is contemplated?

    The hearing is a formal proceeding conducted by the ALJ during which 
you will have the opportunity to dispute liability, present testimony, 
and cross-examine witnesses.



Sec.  1149.27  What is the role of the ALJ?

    (a) An ALJ, who will be retained by the NEA, serves as the presiding 
officer at all hearings. ALJs are selected by the Office of Personnel 
Management. The ALJ is assigned to cases in rotation so far as 
practicable, and may not perform duties inconsistent with their duties 
and responsibilities as administrative law judges.
    (b) The ALJ must conduct a fair and impartial hearing, avoid delay, 
maintain order, and assure that a record of the proceeding is made.



Sec.  1149.28  What does the ALJ have the authority to do?

    (a) The ALJ has the authority to--
    (1) Set and change the date, time, and place of the hearing upon 
reasonable notice to the parties;
    (2) Continue or recess the hearing, in whole or in part, for a 
reasonable period of time;
    (3) Hold conferences to identify or simplify the issues or to 
consider other matters that may aid in the expeditious disposition of 
the proceeding;
    (4) Administer oaths and affirmations;
    (5) Issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses and the 
production of documents at depositions or at hearings;
    (6) Rule on motions and other procedural matters;
    (7) Regulate the scope and timing of discovery;
    (8) Regulate the course of the hearing and the conduct of 
representatives and parties;
    (9) Examine witnesses;
    (10) Receive, rule on, exclude, or limit evidence;
    (11) Upon motion of a party, take official notice of facts;
    (12) Upon motion of a party, decide cases, in whole or in part, by 
summary judgment where there is no disputed issue of material fact;
    (13) Conduct any conference, argument or hearing on motions in 
person or by telephone; and
    (14) Exercise such other authority as is necessary to carry out the 
responsibilities of the ALJ under this part.
    (b) The ALJ does not have the authority to find Federal statutes or 
regulations invalid.



Sec.  1149.29  What rights do you have at the hearing?

    Each party to the hearing has the right to:
    (a) Be represented by a representative;
    (b) Request a pre-hearing conference and participate in any 
conference held by the ALJ;
    (c) Conduct discovery;
    (d) Agree to stipulations of fact or law which will be made a part 
of the record;
    (e) Present evidence relevant to the issues at the hearing;
    (f) Present and cross-examine witnesses;

[[Page 363]]

    (g) Present arguments at the hearing as permitted by the ALJ; and
    (h) Submit written briefs and proposed findings of fact and 
conclusions of law after the hearing, as permitted by the ALJ.



Sec.  1149.30  How are the functions of the ALJ separated from those of
the investigating official and the reviewing official?

    (a) The investigating official, the reviewing official, and any 
employee or agent of the authority who takes part in investigating, 
preparing, or presenting a particular case may not, in such case or a 
factually related case:
    (1) Participate in the hearing as the ALJ;
    (2) Participate or advise in the review of the initial decision by 
the authority head; or
    (3) Make the collection of penalties and assessment.
    (b) The ALJ must not be responsible to or subject to the supervision 
or direction of the investigating official or the reviewing official.



Sec.  1149.31  Can the reviewing official or the ALJ be disqualified?

    (a) A reviewing official or an ALJ may disqualify himself or herself 
at any time.
    (b) Upon motion of any party, the reviewing official or ALJ may be 
disqualified as follows:
    (1) The motion must be supported by an affidavit containing specific 
facts establishing that personal bias or other reason for 
disqualification exists, including the time and circumstances of the 
discovery of such facts;
    (2) The motion must be filed promptly after discovery of the grounds 
for disqualification or the objection will be deemed waived; and
    (3) The party, or representative of record, must certify in writing 
that the motion is made in good faith.
    (c) Once a motion has been filed to disqualify the reviewing 
official or the ALJ, the ALJ will halt the proceedings until resolving 
the matter of disqualification. If the ALJ determines that the reviewing 
official is disqualified, the ALJ will dismiss the complaint without 
prejudice. If the ALJ disqualifies himself/herself, the case will be 
promptly reassigned to another ALJ. However, if the ALJ denies a motion 
to disqualify, the matter will be determined by the authority head only 
during his/her review of the initial decision on appeal.



Sec.  1149.32  Do you have a right to review documents?

    (a) Yes. Once the ALJ issues a hearing notice, and upon written 
request to the reviewing official, you may:
    (1) Review any relevant and material documents, transcripts, 
records, and other materials that relate to the allegations set out in 
the complaint and upon which the findings and conclusions of the 
investigating official are based, unless such documents are subject to a 
privilege under Federal law. Upon payment of fees for duplication, you 
may obtain copies of such documents; and
    (2) Obtain a copy of all exculpatory information in the possession 
of the reviewing official or investigating official relating to the 
allegations in the complaint. You may obtain exculpatory information 
even if it is contained in a document that would otherwise be 
privileged. If the document would otherwise be privileged, only that 
portion containing exculpatory information must be disclosed.
    (b) The notice sent to the Attorney General from the reviewing 
official is not discoverable under any circumstances.
    (c) If the reviewing official does not respond to your request 
within 20 days, you may file a motion to compel disclosure of the 
documents with the ALJ subject to the provisions of this section. Such a 
motion may only be filed with the ALJ following the filing of an answer.



Sec.  1149.33  What type of discovery is authorized and how is it
conducted?

    (a) The following types of discovery are authorized:
    (1) Requests for production of documents for inspection and copying;
    (2) Requests for admissions of the authenticity of any relevant 
document or of the truth of any relevant fact;
    (3) Written interrogatories; and
    (4) Depositions.

[[Page 364]]

    (b) For the purpose of this section, the term documents includes 
information, documents, reports, answers, records, accounts, papers, 
electronic data and other data and documentary evidence. Nothing 
contained herein must be interpreted to require the creation of a 
document.
    (c) Unless mutually agreed to by the parties, discovery is available 
only as ordered by the ALJ. The ALJ must regulate the timing of 
discovery.



Sec.  1149.34  How are motions for discovery handled?

    Motions for discovery must be handled according to the following:
    (a) A party seeking discovery may file a motion with the ALJ. Such a 
motion must be accompanied by a copy of the requested discovery, or in 
the case of depositions, a summary of the scope of the proposed 
deposition.
    (b) Within 10 days of service, a party may file an opposition to the 
motion and/or a motion for protective order.



Sec.  1149.35  When may an ALJ grant a motion for discovery?

    (a) The ALJ may grant a motion for discovery only if he/she finds 
that the discovery sought--
    (1) Is necessary for the expeditious, fair, and reasonable 
consideration of the issues;
    (2) Is not unduly costly or burdensome;
    (3) Will not unduly delay the proceeding; and
    (4) Does not seek privileged information.
    (b) The burden of showing that discovery should be allowed is on the 
party seeking discovery.
    (c) The ALJ may grant discovery subject to a protective order.



Sec.  1149.36  How are depositions handled?

    (a) Depositions are to be handled in the following manner:
    (1) If a motion for deposition is granted, the ALJ must issue a 
subpoena for the deponent, which may require the deponent to produce 
documents. The subpoena must specify the time and place at which the 
deposition will be held.
    (2) The party seeking to depose must serve the subpoena in the 
manner prescribed by Sec.  1149.12.
    (3) The deponent may file with the ALJ a motion to quash the 
subpoena or a motion for a protective order within 10 days of service.
    (4) The party seeking to depose must provide for the taking of a 
verbatim transcript of the deposition, which it must make available to 
all other parties for inspection and copying.
    (b) Each party must bear its own costs of discovery.



Sec.  1149.37  Are witness lists and exhibits exchanged before the hearing?

    (a) The parties must exchange witness lists and copies of proposed 
hearing exhibits at least 15 days before the hearing or at such other 
time as ordered by the ALJ. This includes copies of any written 
statements or transcripts of deposition testimony that each party 
intends to offer in lieu of live testimony.
    (b) If a party objects, the ALJ will not admit into evidence the 
testimony of any witness whose name does not appear on the witness list 
or any exhibit not provided to an opposing party in advance unless the 
ALJ finds good cause for the omission or concludes that there is no 
prejudice to the objecting party.
    (c) Documents exchanged in accordance with this section are deemed 
to be authentic for the purpose of admissibility at the hearing unless a 
party objects within the time set by the ALJ.



Sec.  1149.38  Can witnesses be subpoenaed?

    (a) A party wishing to procure the appearance and testimony of any 
individual at the hearing may request that the ALJ issue a subpoena.
    (b) A subpoena requiring the attendance and testimony of an 
individual may also require the individual to produce documents at the 
hearing.
    (c) A party seeking a subpoena must file a written request not less 
than 15 days before the date of the hearing unless otherwise allowed by 
the ALJ upon a showing of good cause. Such request must specify any 
documents to be produced, must designate the witnesses, and describe the 
address and location

[[Page 365]]

of the desired witness with sufficient particularity to permit such 
witnesses to be found.
    (d) The subpoena must specify the time and place at which the 
witness is to appear and any documents the witness is to produce.
    (e) The party seeking the subpoena must serve it in the manner 
prescribed in Sec.  1149.11. A subpoena on a party or upon an individual 
under the control of a party may be served by first class mail.



Sec.  1149.39  Who pays the costs for a subpoena?

    The party requesting a subpoena must pay the cost of the fees and 
mileage of any witness subpoenaed in the amounts that would be payable 
to a witness in a proceeding in United States District Court. A check 
for witness fees and mileage must accompany the subpoena when served, 
except that when a subpoena is issued on behalf of the NEA, a check for 
witness fees and mileage need not accompany the subpoena.



Sec.  1149.40  When may I file a motion to quash a subpoena?

    A party, entity or the person to whom the subpoena is directed, may 
file with the ALJ a motion to quash the subpoena:
    (a) Within 10 days after service; or
    (b) On or before the time specified in the subpoena for compliance 
if it is less than 10 days after service.



Sec.  1149.41  Are protective orders available?

    A party or prospective witness or deponent may file a motion for a 
protective order with respect to discovery sought by an opposing party 
or with respect to the hearing, seeking to limit the availability of an 
individual or disclosure of evidence.



Sec.  1149.42  What does a protective order protect?

    In issuing a protective order, the ALJ may make any order which 
justice requires to protect a party or person from annoyance, 
embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, including one or 
more of the following:
    (a) That the discovery not be had;
    (b) That the discovery may be had only under specified terms and 
conditions, including a designation of the time or place;
    (c) That the discovery may be had only through a different method of 
discovery than requested;
    (d) That certain matters are not inquired into, or that the scope of 
discovery is limited to certain matters;
    (e) That only those persons designated by the ALJ may be present 
during discovery;
    (f) That the contents of the discovery or evidence are sealed;
    (g) That a sealed deposition is opened only by order of the ALJ;
    (h) That a trade secret or other confidential research, development, 
commercial information, or facts pertaining to any criminal 
investigation, proceeding, or other administrative investigation not be 
disclosed or be disclosed only in a designated way; or
    (i) That the parties simultaneously file specified documents or 
information enclosed in sealed envelopes to be opened as directed by the 
ALJ.



Sec.  1149.43  How are documents filed and served with the ALJ?

    (a) Documents are considered filed when they are mailed. The date of 
mailing may be established by a certificate from the party or his/her 
representative, or by proof that the document was sent by certified or 
registered mail.
    (b) A party filing a document with the ALJ must, at the time of 
filing, serve a copy of such document on every other party. When a party 
is represented by a representative, the party's representative must be 
served in lieu of the party.
    (c) A certificate of the individual serving the document by personal 
delivery or mail and setting forth the manner of service will be proof 
of service.
    (d) Service upon any party of any document other than the complaint 
must be made by delivering a copy or by placing a copy in the United 
States mail, postage prepaid and addressed to the party's last known 
address.
    (e) If a party consents in writing, documents may be sent 
electronically. In this instance, service is complete

[[Page 366]]

upon transmission unless the serving party receives electronic 
notification that transmission of the communication was not completed.



Sec.  1149.44  What must documents filed with the ALJ include?

    (a) Documents filed with the ALJ must include:
    (1) An original; and
    (2) Two copies.
    (b) Every document filed in the proceeding must contain:
    (1) A title, for example, ``motion to quash subpoena'';
    (2) A caption setting forth the title of the action; and
    (3) The case number assigned by the ALJ.
    (c) Every document must be signed by the filer, or his/her 
representative, and contain the address or telephone number of that 
person.



Sec.  1149.45  How is time computed?

    (a) In computing any period of time under this part or in an order 
issued under it, the time begins with the day following the act, event, 
or default, and includes the last day of the period, unless it is a 
Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday observed by the Federal government, 
in which event it includes the next business day.
    (1) Time calculating example. If the ALJ denies your motion for an 
appeal on Wednesday, December 10th you have 15 days to file the notice 
of appeal. Since the 15th day falls on Christmas, a legal holiday 
observed by the Federal government, the deadline will be the next 
business day, Friday, December 26th.
    (2) [Reserved]
    (b) When the period of time allowed is less than seven days, 
intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays observed by the 
Federal government must be excluded from the computation.
    (c) Where a document has been served or issued by placing it in the 
mail, an additional five days will be added to the time permitted for 
any response.



Sec.  1149.46  Where is the hearing held?

    The ALJ may hold the hearing:
    (a) In any judicial district of the United States:
    (b) In which you reside or transact business; or
    (c) In which the claim or statement on which liability is based was 
made to the NEA; or
    (d) In such other place as agreed upon by you and the ALJ.



Sec.  1149.47  How will the hearing be conducted?

    (a) The ALJ conducts a hearing on the record in order:
    (1) To determine whether you are liable for a civil penalty, 
assessment, or both; and
    (2) If so, to determine the appropriate amount of the penalty and/or 
assessment, considering any aggravating or mitigating factors.
    (b) The hearing will be recorded and transcribed, and the transcript 
of testimony, exhibits admitted at the hearing, and all papers filed in 
the proceeding constitute the record for a decision by the ALJ.
    (c) The hearing will be open to the public unless otherwise ordered 
by the ALJ for good cause shown.



Sec.  1149.48  Who has the burden of proof?

    (a) The NEA must prove your liability and any aggravating factors by 
a preponderance of the evidence.
    (b) You must prove any affirmative defenses and any mitigating 
factors by a preponderance of the evidence.



Sec.  1149.49  How is evidence presented at the hearing?

    (a) The ALJ determines the admissibility of evidence.
    (b) Except as provided in this part, the ALJ is not bound by the 
Federal Rules of Evidence. However, the ALJ may choose to apply the 
Federal Rules of Evidence where he/she deems appropriate, for example, 
to exclude unreliable evidence.
    (c) The ALJ must exclude irrelevant and immaterial evidence.
    (d) Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative 
value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, 
confusion of the issues, or by considerations of undue delay or needless 
presentation of cumulative evidence.

[[Page 367]]

    (e) Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if it is privileged 
under Federal law.
    (f) The following evidence concerning offers of compromise or 
settlement is inadmissible when offered to prove liability for, 
invalidity of, or amount of a claim that was disputed as to validity or 
amount, or to impeach through a prior inconsistent statement or 
contradiction:
    (1) Providing, offer, or promising to provide a valuable 
consideration in compromising or attempting to compromise the claim;
    (2) Accepting, offering, or promising to accept a valuable 
consideration in compromising or attempting to compromise the claim; and
    (3) Conduct or statements made in compromise negotiations regarding 
the claim, except when offered in a criminal case and the negotiations 
related to a claim by a public office or authority in the exercise of 
regulatory, investigative, or enforcement authority.
    (g) The ALJ must permit the parties to introduce rebuttal witnesses 
and evidence.
    (h) All documents and other evidence taken for the record must be 
open to examination by all parties unless otherwise ordered by the ALJ.



Sec.  1149.50  How is witness testimony presented?

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, testimony 
at the hearing must be given orally by witnesses under oath or 
affirmation.
    (b) At the discretion of the ALJ, testimony may be admitted in the 
form of a written statement or deposition.
    (1) Any such statement must be provided to all other parties along 
with the last known address of such witness, in a manner which allows 
sufficient time for other parties to subpoena the witness for cross-
examination at the hearing.
    (2) Prior written statements of witnesses proposed to testify at the 
hearing and deposition transcripts must be exchanged.
    (c) The ALJ must exercise reasonable control over the mode and order 
of interrogating witnesses and presenting evidence so as to:
    (1) Make the interrogation and presentation effective for 
ascertaining the truth;
    (2) Avoid needless consumption of time; and
    (3) Protect witnesses from harassment and undue embarrassment.
    (d) The ALJ must permit the parties to conduct such cross 
examination as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the 
facts.
    (e) At the discretion of the ALJ, a witness may be cross examined on 
matters relevant to the proceeding without regard to the scope of his or 
her direct examination. To the extent permitted by the ALJ, cross-
examination on matters outside the scope of direct examination must be 
conducted in the manner of direct examination. Leading questions may be 
used only if the witness is a hostile witness, an adverse party, or a 
witness identified with an adverse party.



Sec.  1149.51  How can I exclude a witness?

    Upon motion of any party, the ALJ must order witnesses excluded from 
the hearing room so that they cannot hear the testimony of other 
witnesses. This rule does not authorize exclusion of--
    (a) A party who is an individual;
    (b) In the case of a party that is not an individual, an officer or 
employee of the party appearing for the entity pro se or designated by 
the party's representative; or
    (c) An individual whose presence is shown by a party to be essential 
to the presentation of its case, including an individual employed by the 
Government engaged in assisting the representative for the Government.



Sec.  1149.52  Will the hearing proceedings be recorded?

    (a) The hearing will be recorded and transcribed. Transcripts may be 
obtained after the conclusion of the hearing and at a cost no greater 
than the actual cost of duplication.
    (b) The transcript of testimony, exhibits and other evidence 
admitted at the hearing, and all papers and requests filed in the 
proceeding constitute the record for the decision by the ALJ and the 
authority head.

[[Page 368]]

    (c) The hearings will be recorded either electronically or by a 
court reporter. If the authority does not intend to arrange for a court 
reporter, you can arrange for one. If you do, you have to pay the 
reporter's appearance fees.
    (d) Upon payment of a reasonable fee, the record may be inspected 
and copied by anyone, unless otherwise ordered by the ALJ.



Sec.  1149.53  Are ex parte communications between a party and the ALJ permitted?

    Ex parte communications between a party and the ALJ are not 
permitted unless the other party consents to such a communication taking 
place. This does not prohibit a party from inquiring about the status of 
a case or asking routine questions concerning administrative functions 
or procedures.



Sec.  1149.54  Are there sanctions for misconduct?

    (a) The ALJ may sanction a person, including any party or 
representative, as outlined in Sec.  1149.55, for the following:
    (1) Failing to comply with an order, rule, or procedure governing 
the proceeding;
    (2) Failing to prosecute or defend an action; or
    (3) Engaging in other misconduct that interferes with the speedy, 
orderly, and fair conduct of a hearing.
    (b) Any sanction issued under this section must reasonably relate to 
the severity and nature of the misconduct.



Sec.  1149.55  What happens if I fail to comply with an order?

    (a) When a party fails to comply with an order, including an order 
for taking a deposition, the production of evidence within the party's 
control, or a request for admission, the ALJ may:
    (1) Draw an inference in favor of the requesting party with regard 
to the information sought;
    (2) In the case of requests for admission, deem each matter of which 
an admission is requested to be admitted;
    (3) Prohibit the party failing to comply with such order from 
introducing evidence concerning, or otherwise relying upon testimony 
relating to the information sought; and
    (4) Strike any part of the pleadings or other submissions of the 
party failing to comply with such a request.
    (b) If a party fails to prosecute or defend an action under this 
part commenced by service of a notice of hearing, the ALJ may dismiss 
the action or may issue an initial decision imposing penalties and 
assessments.
    (c) The ALJ may refuse to consider any motion, request, response, 
brief or other document which is not filed in a timely fashion.



Sec.  1149.56  Are post-hearing briefs required?

    Any party may file a post-hearing brief; but, such briefs are not 
required, unless ordered by the ALJ. The ALJ must fix the time for 
filing such briefs, not to exceed 60 days from the date the parties 
receive the transcript of the hearing or, if applicable, the stipulated 
record. Such briefs may be accompanied by proposed findings of fact and 
conclusions of law. The ALJ may permit the parties to file reply briefs.



                     Subpart G_Decisions and Appeals



Sec.  1149.57  How is the case decided?

    (a) The ALJ will issue an initial decision based only on the record. 
The record must contain findings of fact, conclusions of law, and the 
amount of any penalties and assessments imposed.
    (b) The findings of fact must include a finding on each of the 
following issues:
    (1) Whether any one or more of the claims or statements identified 
in the complaint, in whole or in part, violate this part; and
    (2) If you are liable for penalties or assessments, the appropriate 
amount of any such penalties or assessments, considering any mitigating 
or aggravating factors that are proven by a preponderance of the 
evidence during the hearing.



Sec.  1149.58  When will the ALJ serve the initial decision?

    (a) The ALJ will serve the initial decision on all parties within 90 
days after the close of the hearing, or within

[[Page 369]]

90 days after the final post-hearing brief was filed.
    (b) At the same time as the initial decision, the ALJ must serve a 
statement describing your rights if you are found liable for a civil 
penalty or assessment to file a motion for reconsideration with the ALJ 
or a notice of appeal with the authority head.
    (c) If the ALJ fails to meet the deadline contained in this section, 
he or she must notify the parties of the reason for the delay and must 
set a new deadline.
    (d) Unless the initial decision of the ALJ is timely appealed to the 
authority head, or a motion for reconsideration of the initial decision 
is timely filed, the initial decision must constitute the final decision 
of the authority head and must be final and binding on the parties 30 
days after it is issued by the ALJ.



Sec.  1149.59  How are penalty and assessment amounts determined?

    In determining an appropriate amount of civil penalties and 
assessments, the ALJ and the authority head, upon appeal, should 
evaluate any circumstances that mitigate or aggravate the violation and 
should articulate in their opinions the reasons that support the 
penalties and assessments they impose.



Sec.  1149.60  What factors are considered in determining the amount
of penalties and assessments to impose?

    (a) Although not exhaustive, the following factors are among those 
that may influence the ALJ and the authority head in determining the 
amount of penalties and assessments to impose with respect to the 
misconduct charged in the complaint:
    (1) The number of false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims or 
statements;
    (2) The time period over which such claims or statements were made;
    (3) The degree of your culpability with respect to the misconduct;
    (4) The amount of money or the value of the property, services, or 
benefit falsely claimed;
    (5) The value of the Government's actual loss as a result of the 
misconduct, including foreseeable consequential damages and the cost of 
the investigation;
    (6) The relationship of the amount imposed as civil penalties to the 
amount of the Government's loss;
    (7) The potential or actual impact of the misconduct upon national 
defense, public health or safety, or public confidence in the management 
of Government programs and operations, especially upon the public 
confidence of those intended to benefit from Government programs;
    (8) Whether you have engaged in a pattern of the same or similar 
misconduct;
    (9) Whether you attempted to conceal the misconduct;
    (10) The degree to which you have involved others in the misconduct 
or in concealing it;
    (11) Where the misconduct of employees or agents is imputed to you, 
the extent to which your practices fostered or attempted to preclude 
such misconduct;
    (12) Whether you cooperated in or obstructed an investigation of the 
misconduct;
    (13) Whether you assisted in identifying and prosecuting other 
wrongdoers;
    (14) The complexity of the program or transaction, and the degree of 
your sophistication with respect to it, including the extent of your 
prior participation in the program or in similar transactions;
    (15) Whether you have been found, in any criminal, civil, or 
administrative proceeding, to have engaged in similar misconduct or 
dealt dishonestly with the Government of the United States or a state, 
directly or indirectly; and
    (16) The need to deter you and others from engaging in the same or 
similar misconduct.
    (b) Nothing in this section must be construed to limit the ALJ or 
the authority head from considering any other factors that in any given 
case may mitigate or aggravate the offense for which penalties and 
assessments are imposed.



Sec.  1149.61  Can a party request reconsideration of the initial
decision?

    (a) Any party may file a motion for reconsideration of the initial 
decision

[[Page 370]]

with the ALJ within 20 days of receipt of the initial decision. If the 
initial decision was served by mail, there is a rebuttable presumption 
that the initial decision was received by the party 5 days from the date 
of mailing.
    (b) A motion for reconsideration shall be accompanied by a 
supporting brief and must specifically describe the issue and nature of 
each allegedly erroneous decision.
    (c) Responses to a motion for reconsideration will only be allowed 
if it is requested by the ALJ.
    (d) The ALJ will dispose of a motion for reconsideration by denying 
it or by issuing a revised initial decision.
    (e) If the ALJ issues a revised initial decision upon motion of a 
party, no further motions for reconsideration may be filed by any party.
    (f) If the ALJ issues a revised initial decision, that decision 
shall constitute the final decision of the authority head and shall be 
final and binding on the parties 30 days after it is issued, unless it 
is timely appealed to the authority head.



Sec.  1149.62  When does the initial decision of the ALJ become final?

    (a) The initial decision of the ALJ becomes the final decision of 
the NEA and binds all parties 30 days after it is issued, unless a party 
timely files a motion for reconsideration or timely appeals to the 
authority head of NEA, as set forth in Sec.  1149.64.
    (b) If the ALJ disposes of a motion for reconsideration by denying 
it or by issuing a revised initial decision, the ALJ's order on the 
motion for reconsideration becomes the final decision of NEA 30 days 
after the order is issued.



Sec.  1149.63  What are the procedures for appealing the ALJ decision?

    (a) Any defendant who submits a timely answer and is found liable 
for a civil penalty or assessment in an initial decision may appeal the 
decision to the authority head by filing a notice of appeal with the 
authority head in accordance with this section.
    (b) You may file a notice of appeal with the authority head within 
30 days following issuance of the initial decision, serving a copy of 
the notice of appeal on all parties and the ALJ. The authority head may 
extend this deadline for up to an additional 30 days if an extension 
request is filed within the initial 30-day period and shows good cause.
    (c) Your appeal will not be considered until all timely motions for 
reconsideration have been resolved.
    (d) If a timely motion for reconsideration is denied, a notice of 
appeal may be filed within 30 days following such denial or issuance of 
a revised initial decision, whichever applies.
    (e) A notice of appeal must be supported by a written brief 
specifying why the initial decision should be reversed or modified.
    (f) The NEA representative may file a brief in opposition to the 
notice of appeal within 30 days of receiving your appeal and supporting 
brief.
    (g) If you timely file a notice of appeal, and the time for filing 
reconsideration motions has expired, the ALJ will forward the record of 
the proceeding to the authority head.



Sec.  1149.64  What happens if an initial decision is appealed?

    (a) An initial decision is stayed automatically pending disposition 
of a motion for reconsideration or of an appeal to the authority head.
    (b) No administrative stay is available following a final decision 
of the authority head.



Sec.  1149.65  Are there any limitations on the right to appeal to the
authority head?

    (a) You have no right to appear personally, or through a 
representative, before the authority head.
    (b) There is no right to appeal any interlocutory ruling.
    (c) The authority head will not consider any objection or evidence 
that was not raised before the ALJ, unless you demonstrate that the 
failure to object was caused by extraordinary circumstances. If you 
demonstrate to the satisfaction of the authority head that extraordinary 
circumstances prevented the presentation of evidence at the hearing, and 
that the additional evidence is material, the authority head may remand 
the matter to the ALJ for consideration of the additional evidence.

[[Page 371]]



Sec.  1149.66  How does the authority head dispose of an appeal?

    (a) The authority head may affirm, reduce, reverse, compromise, 
remand, or settle any penalty or assessment imposed by the ALJ in the 
initial decision or reconsideration decision.
    (b) The authority head will promptly serve each party to the appeal 
and the ALJ with a copy of his or her decision. This decision must 
contain a statement describing the right of any person, against whom a 
penalty or assessment has been made, to seek judicial review.



Sec.  1149.67  Who represents the NEA on an appeal?

    The authority head will designate the NEA's representative in the 
event of an appeal.



Sec.  1149.68  What judicial review is available?

    Section 3805 of title 31, United States Code, authorizes Judicial 
review by the appropriate United States District Court of any final NEA 
decision by the authority head imposing penalties or assessments under 
this part. To obtain judicial review, you must file a petition with the 
appropriate court in a timely manner. (See paragraphs (a) through (e) of 
31 U.S.C. 3805 for a description of how judicial review is authorized.)



Sec.  1149.69  Can the administrative complaint be settled voluntarily?

    (a) Parties may make offers of compromise or settlement at any time. 
Any compromise or settlement must be in writing.
    (b) The reviewing official has the exclusive authority to compromise 
or settle the case anytime after the date on which the reviewing 
official is permitted to issue a complaint and before the ALJ issues an 
initial decision.
    (c) The authority head has exclusive authority to compromise or 
settle the case anytime after the date of the ALJ's initial decision 
until the initiation of any judicial review or any action to collect the 
penalties and assessments.
    (d) The Attorney General has exclusive authority to compromise or 
settle a case once any judicial review or any action to recover 
penalties and assessments is initiated.
    (e) The investigating official may recommend settlement terms to the 
reviewing official, the authority head, or the Attorney General, as 
appropriate.



Sec.  1149.70  How are civil penalties and assessments collected?

    (a) Civil actions to recover penalties or assessments must commence 
within 3 years after the date of a final decision determining your 
liability.
    (b) The Attorney General is responsible for judicial enforcement of 
civil penalties or assessments imposed. He/she has exclusive authority 
to compromise or settle any penalty or assessment during the pendency of 
any action to collect penalties or assessments under 31 U.S.C. 3806.
    (c) Penalties or assessments imposed by a final decision may be 
recovered in a civil action brought by the Attorney General.
    (1) The district courts of the United States have jurisdiction of 
such civil actions.
    (2) The United States Court of Federal Claims has jurisdiction of 
any civil action to recover any penalty or assessment if the cause of 
action is asserted by the government as a counterclaim in a matter 
pending in such court.
    (3) Civil actions may be joined and consolidated with or asserted as 
a counterclaim, cross-claim, or set off by the government in any other 
civil action which includes you and the government as parties.
    (4) Defenses raised at the hearing, or that could have been raised, 
may not be raised as a defense in the civil action. Determination of 
liability and of the amounts of penalties and assessments must not be 
subject to review.



Sec.  1149.71  Is there a right to administrative offset?

    The amount of any penalty or assessment which has become final, or 
for which a judgment has been entered, or any amount agreed upon in a 
compromise or settlement, may be collected by administrative offset, 
except that an administrative offset may not be made under this 
subsection against a refund of an overpayment of Federal

[[Page 372]]

taxes, then or later owing by the United States to you.



Sec.  1149.72  What happens to collections?

    All amounts collected pursuant to this part must be deposited as 
miscellaneous receipts in the Treasury of the United States.



Sec.  1149.73  What if the investigation indicates criminal misconduct
or a violation of the False Claims Act?

    (a) Investigating officials may:
    (1) Refer allegations of criminal misconduct or a violation of the 
False Claims Act directly to the Department of Justice for prosecution 
and/or civil action, as appropriate;
    (2) Defer or postpone a report or referral to the reviewing official 
to avoid interference with a criminal or civil investigation, 
prosecution or litigation; or
    (3) Issue subpoenas under any other statutory authority.
    (b) Nothing in this part limits the requirement that NEA employees 
report suspected false or fraudulent conduct, claims or statements, and 
violations of criminal law to the NEA Office of Inspector General or to 
the Attorney General.



Sec.  1149.74  How does the NEA protect your rights?

    These procedures separate the functions of the investigating 
official, reviewing official, and the ALJ, each of whom report to a 
separate organizational authority. Except for purposes of settlement, or 
as a witness or a representative in public proceedings, no investigating 
official, reviewing official, or NEA employee or agent who helps 
investigate, prepare, or present a case may (in such case, or a 
factually related case) participate in the initial decision or the 
review of the initial decision by the authority head. This separation of 
functions and organization is designed to assure the independence and 
impartiality of each government official during every stage of the 
proceeding. The representative for the NEA may be employed in the 
offices of either the investigating official or the reviewing official.



PART 1150_COLLECTION OF CLAIMS--Table of Contents



                      Subpart A_General Provisions

Sec.
1150.1 What definitions apply to the regulations in this part?
1150.2 What is the Endowment's authority to issue these regulations?
1150.3 What other regulations also apply to the Endowment's debt 
          collection efforts?
1150.4 What types of claims are excluded from these regulations?
1150.5 What notice will I be provided if I owe a debt to the Endowment?
1150.6 What opportunity do I have to obtain a review of my debt within 
          the Endowment?
1150.7 What interest, penalty charges, and administrative costs will I 
          have to pay on a debt owed to the Endowment?
1150.8 Will failure to pay my debt affect my eligibility for Endowment 
          programs?
1150.9 How can I resolve the Endowment's claim through a voluntary 
          repayment agreement?
1150.10 What is the extent of the Chairperson's authority to compromise 
          debts owed to the Endowment, or to suspend or terminate 
          collection action on such debts?
1150.11 How does subdividing or joining debts owed to the Endowment 
          affect the Chairperson's compromise, suspension, or 
          termination authority?
1150.12 How will the Endowment use credit reporting agencies to collect 
          its claims?
1150.13 How will the Endowment contract for collection services?
1150.14 When will the Endowment refer claims to the DOJ?
1150.15 Will the Endowment use a cross-servicing agreement with the 
          Treasury to collect its claims?
1150.16 May I use the Endowment's failure to comply with these 
          regulations as a defense?

                         Subpart B_Salary Offset

1150.20 What debts are included or excluded from coverage of these 
          regulations on salary offset?
1150.21 May I ask the Endowment to waive an overpayment that otherwise 
          would be collected by offsetting my salary as a Federal 
          employee?
1150.22 What are the Endowment's procedures for salary offset?
1150.23 How will the Endowment coordinate salary offsets with other 
          agencies?
1150.24 Under what conditions will the Endowment make a refund of 
          amounts collected by salary offset?

[[Page 373]]

1150.25 Will the collection of a claim by salary offset act as a waiver 
          of my rights to dispute the claimed debt?

                       Subpart C_Tax Refund Offset

1150.30 Which debts can the Endowment refer to the Treasury for 
          collection by offsetting tax refunds?
1150.31 What are the Endowment's procedures for collecting debts by tax 
          refund offset?

                     Subpart D_Administrative Offset

1150.40 Under what circumstances will the Endowment collect amounts that 
          I owe to the Endowment (or some other Federal agency) by 
          offsetting the debt against payments that the Endowment (or 
          some other Federal agency) owes me?
1150.41 How will the Endowment request that my debt to the Endowment be 
          collected by offset against some payment that another Federal 
          agency owes me?
1150.42 What procedures will the Endowment use to collect amounts I owe 
          to a Federal agency by offsetting a payment that the Endowment 
          would otherwise make to me?
1150.43 When may the Endowment make an offset in an expedited manner?
1150.44 Can a judgment I have obtained against the United States be used 
          to satisfy a debt that I owe to the Endowment?

    Authority: 31 U.S.C. 3711, 3716-3718, 3720A; 5 U.S.C. 5514.

    Source: 65 FR 37486, June 15, 2000, unless otherwise noted.



                      Subpart A_General Provisions



Sec.  1150.1  What definitions apply to the regulations in this part?

    As used in this part:
    (a) Administrative offset means the withholding of funds payable by 
the United States (including funds payable by the United States on 
behalf of a State government) to any person, or the withholding of funds 
held by the United States for any person, in order to satisfy a debt 
owed to the United States.
    (b) Agency means a department, agency, court, court administrative 
office, or instrumentality in the executive, judicial, or legislative 
branch of government, including a government corporation.
    (c) Chairperson means the Chairperson of the Endowment, or his or 
her designee.
    (d) Creditor agency means the agency to which the debt is owed.
    (e) Day means calendar day. To count days, include the last day of 
the period unless it is a Saturday, a Sunday, or a Federal legal 
holiday.
    (f) Debt and claim are deemed synonymous and interchangeable. These 
terms mean money owed by a person to the United States for any reason, 
including loans made or guaranteed by the United States, fees, leases, 
rents, royalties, services, sales of real or personal property, 
overpayments, damages, interests, penalties, fines, forfeitures, and all 
other similar sources. For the purpose of administrative offset under 31 
U.S.C. 3716 and subpart D of these regulations, the terms debt and claim 
also include money or property owed by a person to a State, the District 
of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Marina Islands, or the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico.
    (g) Debtor means a person who owes a debt. Uses of the terms ``I,'' 
``you,'' ``me,'' and similar references to the reader of the regulations 
in this part are meant to apply to debtors as defined in this paragraph 
(g).
    (h) Delinquent debt means a debt that has not been paid within the 
time limit prescribed by the Endowment.
    (i) Disposable pay means the part of an employee's pay that remains 
after deductions that are required to be withheld by law have been made.
    (j) Employee means a current employee of an agency, including a 
current member of the Armed Forces or Reserve of the Armed Forces of the 
United States.
    (k) Endowment means the National Endowment for the Arts.
    (l) Federal Claims Collection Standards means the standards 
currently published at 4 CFR Chapter II. The DOJ and the Treasury have 
proposed a revision that would move the Federal Claims Collection 
Standards to 31 CFR parts 900-904. The Endowment will amend these 
regulations, as necessary, after the revised Federal Claims Collection 
Standards have been issued as final regulations.
    (m) Paying agency means the agency that employs the individual who 
owes a

[[Page 374]]

debt to the United States. In some cases, the Endowment may be both the 
creditor agency and the paying agency.
    (n) Payroll office means the office in the paying agency that is 
primarily responsible for payroll records and the coordination of pay 
matters with the appropriate personnel office.
    (o) Person includes a natural person or persons, profit or non-
profit corporation, partnership, association, trust, estate, consortium, 
state or local government, or other entity that is capable of owing a 
debt to the United States; however, agencies of the United States are 
excluded.
    (p) Private collection contractor means a private debt collector 
under contract with an agency to collect a non-tax debt owed to the 
United States.
    (q) Salary offset means a payroll procedure to collect a debt under 
5 U.S.C. 5514 by deduction(s) at one or more officially established pay 
intervals from the current pay account of an employee, without his or 
her consent.
    (r) Tax refund offset means the reduction of a tax refund by the 
amount of a past-due legally enforceable debt owed to the Endowment or 
any other Federal agency.



Sec.  1150.2  What is the Endowment's authority to issue these
regulations?

    The Endowment is issuing the regulations in this part under 31 
U.S.C. 3711, 3716-3718, and 3720A. These sections reflect the Federal 
Claims Collection Act of 1966, as amended by the Debt Collection Act of 
1982 and the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996. The Endowment is 
also issuing the regulations in this part in conformity with the Federal 
Claims Collection Standards, which prescribe standards for the handling 
of the Federal government's claims for money or property. The Endowment 
is further issuing the regulations in this part in conformity with 5 
U.S.C. 5514 and the salary offset regulations published by the OPM at 5 
CFR part 550, subpart K.



Sec.  1150.3  What other regulations also apply to the Endowment's debt
collection efforts?

    All provisions of the Federal Claims Collection Standards also apply 
to the regulations in this part. This part supplements the Federal 
Claims Collection Standards by prescribing procedures and directives 
necessary and appropriate for operations of the Endowment.



Sec.  1150.4  What types of claims are excluded from these regulations?

    (a) The regulations in this part do not apply to any claim as to 
which there is an indication of fraud or misrepresentation, as described 
in the Federal Claims Collection Standards, unless returned to the 
Endowment by the DOJ for handling.
    (b) The regulations in this subpart, subpart B, and subpart D do not 
apply to debts arising under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as 
amended (26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301 et 
seq.); and the tariff laws of the United States.
    (c) Remedies and procedures described in this part may be authorized 
with respect to claims that are exempt from the Debt Collection Act of 
1982 and the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, to the extent that 
they are authorized under some other statute or the common law.



Sec.  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 Sec.  1150.7), including a statement that such 
assessments must be made against you unless excused in accordance with 
the

[[Page 375]]

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 Sec.  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 Sec.  1150.12), a 
collection agency (see Sec.  1150.13), or the DOJ (see Sec.  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 Sec.  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

[[Page 376]]

    (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.



Sec.  1150.6  What opportunity do I have to obtain a review of my debt
within the Endowment?

    (a) Request for review. If you desire a review within the Endowment 
concerning the existence or amount of your debt, the proposed schedule 
for offset of Federal employee salary payments, or whether the debt is 
past due or legally enforceable, you must send such a request to the 
officer or employee of the Endowment designated in the Notice (see Sec.  
1150.5(c)(4)).
    (1) Your request for review must carry your signature and fully 
identify and explain with reasonable specificity all the facts and 
evidence that support your position. Your request for review should be 
accompanied by available evidence to support your contentions.
    (2) Your request for review must be received by the designated 
officer or employee of the Endowment on or before the 60th day following 
the date of the Notice. Timely filing will stay the commencement of 
collection procedures. If you file a request for a review after the 60-
day period provided for in this section, the Endowment will accept the 
request if you can show that the delay was the result of circumstances 
beyond your control or because you did not receive notice of the filing 
deadline (unless you had actual notice of the filing deadline).
    (b) Inspection of Endowment records related to the debt. (1) In 
accordance with Sec.  1150.5, if you want to inspect or copy Endowment 
records related to the debt, you must send a letter to the Endowment 
official designated in the Notice stating your intention. Your letter 
must be received within 30 days of the date of the Notice.
    (2) In response to the timely request described in paragraph (b)(1) 
of this section, the designated Endowment official will notify you of 
the location and time when you may inspect and copy records related to 
the debt.
    (3) If personal inspection of Endowment records related to the debt 
is impractical, reasonable arrangements will be made to send you copies 
of those records.
    (c) Review official. The Chairperson shall designate an officer or 
employee of the Endowment (who was not involved in the determination of 
the debt) as the review official. When required by law or regulation, 
the Endowment may request an administrative law judge to conduct the 
review, or may obtain a review official who is an official, employee, or 
agent of the United States, but who is not under the supervision or 
control of the Chairperson. However, unless the review is conducted by 
an official or employee of the Endowment, any unresolved dispute you 
have regarding whether all or part of the debt is past due or legally 
enforceable (for purposes of collection by tax refund offset under Sec.  
1150.31) must be referred to the Chairperson for ultimate administrative 
disposition, and the Chairperson must notify you of his or her 
determination.
    (d) Review procedure. After you request a review, the review 
official will notify you of the form of the review to be provided. The 
review official shall determine whether an oral hearing is required, or 
if a review of the written record is sufficient, in accordance with the 
Federal Claims Collection Standards. In either case, the review official 
shall conduct the review in accordance with the Federal Claims 
Collection Standards. If the review will include an oral hearing, the 
notice sent to you by the review official will set forth the date, time, 
and location of the hearing.
    (e) Date of decision. The review official will issue a written 
decision, based upon either the written record or documentary evidence 
and information developed at an oral hearing, as soon as practical, but 
not later than 60 days

[[Page 377]]

after the date on which the Endowment received your request for a 
review, unless you request, and the review official grants, a delay in 
the proceedings.
    (f) Content of review decision. The review official will prepare a 
written decision that includes:
    (1) A statement of the facts presented to support the origin, 
nature, and amount of the debt;
    (2) The review official's findings, analysis, and conclusions; and
    (3) The terms of any repayment schedule, if applicable.
    (g) Interest, penalty charge, and administrative cost accrual during 
review period. Interest, penalty charges, and administrative costs 
authorized by law will continue to accrue during the review period.



Sec.  1150.7  What interest, penalty charges, and administrative costs
will I have to pay on a debt owed to the Endowment?

    (a) Interest. (1) The Endowment will assess interest on all 
delinquent debts unless prohibited by statute, regulation, or contract.
    (2) Interest begins to accrue on all debts from the date that the 
debt becomes delinquent. The Endowment will not recover interest if you 
pay the debt within 30 days of the date on which interest begins to 
accrue. The Endowment shall assess interest at the rate established 
annually by the Secretary of the Treasury under 31 U.S.C. 3717, unless a 
different rate is either necessary to protect the interests of the 
Endowment or established by a contract, repayment agreement, or statute. 
The Endowment will notify you of the basis for its finding when a 
different rate is necessary to protect the interests of the Endowment.
    (3) The Chairperson may extend the 30-day period for payment without 
interest where he or she determines that such action is in the best 
interest of the Endowment. A decision to extend or not to extend the 
payment period is final and is not subject to further review.
    (b) Penalty. The Endowment will assess a penalty charge, not to 
exceed 6 percent a year, on any portion of a debt that is delinquent for 
more than 90 days.
    (c) Administrative costs. The Endowment will assess charges to cover 
administrative costs incurred as a result of your failure to pay a debt 
before it becomes delinquent. Administrative costs include the 
additional costs incurred in processing and handling the debt because it 
became delinquent, such as costs incurred in obtaining a credit report 
or in using a private collection contractor, or service fees charged by 
a Federal agency for collection activities undertaken on behalf of the 
Endowment.
    (d) Allocation of payments. A partial or installment payment by a 
debtor will be applied first to outstanding penalty assessments, second 
to administrative costs, third to accrued interest, and fourth to the 
outstanding debt principal.
    (e) Additional authority. The Endowment may assess interest, penalty 
charges, and administrative costs on debts that are not subject to 31 
U.S.C. 3717 to the extent authorized under common law or other 
applicable statutory authority.
    (f) Waiver. (1) The Chairperson may (without regard to the amount of 
the debt) waive collection of all or part of accrued interest, penalty 
charges, or administrative costs, if he or she determines that 
collection of these charges would be against equity and good conscience 
or not in the best interest of the Endowment.
    (2) A decision to waive interest, penalty charges, or administrative 
costs may be made at any time before a debt is paid. However, where 
these charges have been collected before the waiver decision, they will 
not be refunded. The Chairperson's decision to waive or not waive 
collection of these charges is final and is not subject to further 
review.



Sec.  1150.8  Will failure to pay my debt affect my eligibility for
Endowment programs?

    In the event that you fail to pay your debt to the Endowment within 
a reasonable period of time after the date of the Notice of debt, the 
General Counsel of the Endowment shall place your name on the 
Endowment's list of debarred, suspended, and ineligible

[[Page 378]]

contractors, grantees, and other participants in programs sponsored by 
the Endowment. You will be advised of this action.



Sec.  1150.9  How can I resolve the Endowment's claim through a voluntary
repayment agreement?

    In response to a Notice of debt, you may propose to the Endowment 
that you be allowed to repay the debt through a voluntary repayment 
agreement in lieu of the Endowment taking other collection actions under 
this part.
    (a) Your request to enter into a voluntary repayment agreement must:
    (1) Be in writing;
    (2) Admit the existence of the debt; and
    (3) Either propose payment of the debt (together with interest, 
penalty charges, and administrative costs) in a lump sum, or set forth a 
proposed repayment schedule.
    (b) The Endowment will collect claims in full or one lump sum 
whenever feasible. However, if you are unable to pay your debt in one 
lump sum, the Endowment may accept payment in regular installments that 
bear a reasonable relationship to the size of the debt and your ability 
to pay.
    (c) The Endowment will consider a request to enter into a voluntary 
repayment agreement in accordance with the Federal Claims Collection 
Standards. The Chairperson may request additional information from you, 
including financial statements if you request to make payments in 
installments, in order to make a determination of whether to accept a 
voluntary repayment agreement. It is within the Chairperson's discretion 
to accept a repayment agreement instead of proceeding with other 
collection actions under this part, and to set the necessary terms of 
any voluntary repayment agreement. No repayment agreement will be 
binding on the Endowment unless it is in writing and signed by both you 
and the Chairperson. At the Endowment's option, you may be required to 
enter into a confess-judgment note or bond of indemnity with surety as 
part of an agreement to make payments in installments. Notwithstanding 
the provisions of this section, any reduction or compromise of a claim 
will be governed by 31 U.S.C. 3711.



Sec.  1150.10  What is the extent of the Chairperson's authority to 
compromise debts owed to the Endowment, or to suspend or terminate collection
action on such debts?

    (a) The Chairperson may exercise his or her authority to compromise, 
or to suspend or terminate collection action on, those debts owed to the 
Endowment and not exceeding $100,000, excluding interest, in conformity 
with the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966, as amended; the Federal 
Claims Collection Standards issued thereunder; and this part, except 
where standards are established by other statutes or authorized 
regulations issued pursuant to them.
    (b) The portion of a debt owed to the Endowment that is unrecovered 
as the result of a compromise shall be reported to the Internal Revenue 
Service (IRS) as income to the debtor.



Sec.  1150.11  How does subdividing or joining debts owed to the Endowment
affect the Chairperson's compromise, suspension, or termination authority?

    A debtor's liability arising from a particular transaction or 
contract will be considered as a single claim in determining whether the 
claim is one of not more than $100,000, excluding interest, for the 
purpose of compromise or suspension or termination of collection action. 
Such a claim may not be subdivided to avoid the monetary ceiling 
established by the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966, as amended. 
Joining two or more claims in a demand upon a debtor for payment of more 
than $100,000 does not preclude compromise or suspension or termination 
of collection action with regard to any one claim not exceeding 
$100,000, excluding interest.



Sec.  1150.12  How will the Endowment use credit reporting agencies to 
collect its claims?

    (a) The Endowment may report delinquent debts to appropriate credit 
reporting agencies by providing the following information:

[[Page 379]]

    (1) A statement that the debt is valid and overdue;
    (2) The name, address, taxpayer identification number, and any other 
information necessary to establish the identity of the debtor;
    (3) The amount, status, and history of the debt; and
    (4) The program or pertinent activity under which the debt arose.
    (b) Before disclosing debt information to a credit reporting agency, 
the Endowment will:
    (1) Take reasonable action to locate the debtor if a current address 
is not available;
    (2) Provide the notice required under Sec.  1150.5 if a current 
address is available; and
    (3) Obtain satisfactory assurances from the credit reporting agency 
that it complies with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681 et 
seq.) and other Federal laws governing the provision of credit 
information.
    (c) At the time debt information is submitted to a credit reporting 
agency, the Endowment will provide a written statement to the reporting 
agency that all required actions have been taken. In addition, the 
Endowment will, thereafter, ensure that the credit reporting agency is 
promptly informed of any substantive change in the conditions or amount 
of the debt, and promptly verify or correct information relevant to the 
debt.
    (d) If a debtor disputes the validity of the debt, the credit 
reporting agency will refer the matter to the appropriate Endowment 
official. The credit reporting agency will exclude the debt from its 
reports until the Endowment certifies in writing that the debt is valid.
    (e) The Endowment may disclose to a commercial credit bureau 
information concerning a commercial debt, including the following:
    (1) Information necessary to establish the name, address, and 
employer identification number of the commercial debtor;
    (2) The amount, status, and history of the debt; and
    (3) The program or pertinent activity under which the debt arose.



Sec.  1150.13  How will the Endowment contract for collection services?

    The Endowment will use the services of a private collection 
contractor where it determines that such use is in the best interest of 
the Endowment. When the Endowment determines that there is a need to 
contract for collection services, it will:
    (a) Retain sole authority to:
    (1) Resolve any dispute with the debtor regarding the validity of 
the debt;
    (2) Compromise the debt;
    (3) Suspend or terminate collection action;
    (4) Refer the debt to the DOJ for litigation; and
    (5) Take any other action under this part which does not result in 
full collection of the debt;
    (b) Require the contractor to comply with the Privacy Act of 1974, 
as amended, to the extent specified in 5 U.S.C. 552a(m); with the Fair 
Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 1692-1692o) and other 
applicable Federal and State laws pertaining to debt collection 
practices; and with the applicable regulations of the Endowment in this 
chapter;
    (c) Require the contractor to account accurately and fully for all 
amounts collected; and
    (d) Require the contractor to provide to the Endowment, upon 
request, all data and reports contained in its files related to its 
collection actions on a debt.



Sec.  1150.14  When will the Endowment refer claims to the DOJ?

    The Chairperson will refer to the DOJ for litigation claims on which 
aggressive collection actions have been taken but which could not be 
collected, compromised, suspended, or terminated. Referrals will be made 
as early as possible, consistent with aggressive Endowment collection 
action, and within the period for bringing a timely suit against the 
debtor.



Sec.  1150.15  Will the Endowment use a cross-servicing agreement with
the Treasury to collect its claims?

    (a) The Endowment will enter into a cross-servicing agreement that 
authorizes the Treasury to take the collection actions described in this 
part on behalf

[[Page 380]]

of the Endowment. These debt collection services will be provided to the 
Endowment in accordance with 31 U.S.C. Chapter 37.
    (b) The Endowment shall transfer to the Treasury any past due, 
legally enforceable, non-tax debt that has been delinquent for a period 
of 180 days or more so that the Secretary of the Treasury may take 
appropriate action in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3716, 5 U.S.C. 5514, the 
Federal Claims Collection Standards, 5 CFR 550.1108, and 31 CFR part 
285. The categories of debts described in 31 U.S.C. 3711(g)(2) are 
excluded from transfer under this paragraph (b).



Sec.  1150.16  May I use the Endowment's failure to comply with these
regulations as a defense?

    No. The failure of the Endowment to comply with any standard 
prescribed in the Federal Claims Collection Standards or these 
regulations shall not be available to any debtor as a defense.



                         Subpart B_Salary Offset



Sec.  1150.20  What debts are included or excluded from coverage of these
regulations on salary offset?

    (a) The regulations in this subpart provide Endowment procedures for 
the collection by salary offset of a Federal employee's pay to satisfy 
certain debts owed to the Endowment or to other Federal agencies.
    (b) The regulations in this subpart do not apply to any case where 
collection of a debt by salary offset is explicitly provided for or 
prohibited by another statute.
    (c) Nothing in the regulations in this subpart precludes the 
compromise, suspension, or termination of collection actions under the 
Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966, as amended, or the Federal Claims 
Collection Standards.
    (d) A levy pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code takes precedence 
over a salary offset under this subpart, as provided in 5 U.S.C. 
5514(d).
    (e) This subpart does not apply to any adjustment to pay arising out 
of your election of coverage or a change in coverage under a Federal 
benefits program requiring periodic deductions from pay, if the amount 
to be recovered was accumulated over four or fewer pay periods.



Sec.  1150.21  May I ask the Endowment to waive an overpayment that
otherwise would be collected by offsetting my salary as a Federal employee?

    Yes. The regulations in this subpart do not preclude you from 
requesting waiver of an overpayment under 5 U.S.C. 5584 or 8346(b), 10 
U.S.C. 2774, 32 U.S.C. 716, or other statutory provisions pertaining to 
the particular debts being collected.



Sec.  1150.22  What are the Endowment's procedures for salary offset?

    (a) The Endowment will coordinate salary deductions under this 
subpart as appropriate.
    (b) If you are an Endowment employee, the Endowment's payroll office 
will determine the amount of your disposable pay and will implement the 
salary offset.
    (c) Deductions will begin within three official pay periods 
following receipt by the Endowment's payroll office of certification of 
debt from the creditor agency.
    (d) Types of collection--(1) Lump-sum offset. If the amount of the 
debt is equal to or less than 15 percent of disposable pay, the debt 
generally will be collected through one lump-sum offset.
    (2) Installment deductions. Installment deductions will be made over 
a period not greater than the anticipated period of employment. The size 
and frequency of installment deductions will bear a reasonable relation 
to the size of the debt and your ability to pay. However, the amount 
deducted from any period will not exceed 15 percent of the disposable 
pay from which the deduction is made unless you have agreed in writing 
to the deduction of a greater amount. If possible, installment payments 
will be sufficient in size and frequency to liquidate the debt in three 
years or less.
    (3) Deductions from final check. A deduction exceeding the 15 
percent of disposable pay limitation may be made from any final salary 
payment under 31 U.S.C. 3716 and the Federal Claims Collection 
Standards, in order to liquidate the debt, whether the employee is

[[Page 381]]

being separated voluntarily or involuntarily.
    (4) Deductions from other sources. If an employee subject to salary 
offset is separated from the Endowment, and the balance of the debt 
cannot be liquidated by offset of the final salary check, then the 
Endowment may offset later payments of any kind against the balance of 
the debt, as allowed by 31 U.S.C. 3716 and the Federal Claims Collection 
Standards.
    (e) Multiple debts. In instances where two or more creditor agencies 
are seeking salary offsets, or where two or more debts are owed to a 
single creditor agency, the Endowment's payroll office may, at its 
discretion, determine whether one or more debts should be offset 
simultaneously within the 15 percent limitation.



Sec.  1150.23  How will the Endowment coordinate salary offsets with 
other agencies?

    (a) Responsibilities of the Endowment as the creditor agency. Upon 
completion of the procedures established in this subpart and pursuant to 
5 U.S.C. 5514, the Endowment must submit a claim to a paying agency.
    (1) In its claim, the Endowment must certify, in writing, the 
following:
    (i) That the employee owes the debt;
    (ii) The amount and basis of the debt;
    (iii) The date the Endowment's right to collect the debt first 
accrued; and
    (iv) That the Endowment's regulations in this subpart have been 
approved by OPM under 5 CFR part 550, subpart K.
    (2) If the collection must be made in installments, the Endowment's 
claim will also advise the paying agency of the amount or percentage of 
disposable pay to be collected in each installment. The Endowment may 
also advise the paying agency of the number of installments to be 
collected and the date of the first installment, if that date is other 
than the next officially established pay period.
    (3) The Endowment shall also include in its claim:
    (i) The employee's written consent to the salary offset;
    (ii) The employee's signed statement acknowledging receipt of the 
procedures required by 5 U.S.C. 5514; or
    (iii) Information regarding the completion of procedures required by 
5 U.S.C. 5514, including the actions taken and the dates of those 
actions.
    (4) If the employee is in the process of separating and has not 
received a final salary check or other final payment(s) from the paying 
agency, the Endowment must submit its claim to the paying agency for 
collection under 31 U.S.C. 3716. The paying agency will (under its 
regulations adopted under 5 U.S.C. 5514 and 5 CFR part 550, subpart K), 
certify the total amount of its collection on the debt and notify the 
employee and the Endowment. If the paying agency's collection does not 
fully satisfy the debt, and the paying agency is aware that the debtor 
is entitled to payments from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability 
Fund or other similar payments that may be due the debtor employee from 
other Federal government sources, then (under its regulations adopted 
under 5 U.S.C. 5514 and 5 CFR part 550, subpart K), the paying agency 
will provide written notice of the outstanding debt to the agency 
responsible for making the other payments to the debtor employee. The 
written notice will state that the employee owes a debt, the amount of 
the debt, and that the provisions of this section have been fully 
complied with. However, the Endowment must submit a properly certified 
claim under this paragraph (a)(4) to the agency responsible for making 
the payments before the collection can be made.
    (5) Separated employee. If the employee is already separated and all 
payments due from his or her former paying agency have been paid, the 
Endowment may request, unless otherwise prohibited, that money due and 
payable to the employee from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability 
Fund or other similar funds be administratively offset to collect the 
debt.
    (6) Employee transfer. When an employee transfers from one paying 
agency to another paying agency, the Endowment will not repeat the due 
process procedures described in 5 U.S.C. 5514 and this subpart to resume 
the collection. The Endowment will submit a properly certified claim to 
the new paying agency and will subsequently

[[Page 382]]

review the debt to ensure that the collection is resumed by the new 
paying agency.
    (b) Responsibilities of the Endowment as the paying agency. (1) 
Complete claim. When the Endowment receives a certified claim from a 
creditor agency (under the creditor agency's regulations adopted under 5 
U.S.C. 5514 and 5 CFR part 550, subpart K), deductions should be 
scheduled to begin within three officially established pay intervals. 
Before deductions can begin, the employee will receive a written notice 
from the Endowment including:
    (i) A statement that the Endowment has received a certified claim 
from the creditor agency;
    (ii) The amount of the claim;
    (iii) The date salary offset deductions will begin; and
    (iv) The amount of such deductions.
    (2) Incomplete claim. When the Endowment receives an incomplete 
certification of debt from a creditor agency, the Endowment will return 
the claim with a notice that the creditor agency must comply with the 
procedures required under 5 U.S.C. 5514 and 5 CFR part 550, subpart K, 
and must properly certify a claim to the Endowment before the Endowment 
will take action to collect from the employee's current pay account.
    (3) The Endowment is not authorized to review the merits of the 
creditor agency's determination with respect to the amount or validity 
of the debt certified by the creditor agency.
    (4) Employees who transfer from the Endowment to another paying 
agency. If, after the creditor agency has submitted the claim to the 
Endowment, the employee transfers from the Endowment to a different 
paying agency before the debt is collected in full, the Endowment will 
certify the total amount collected on the debt and notify the employee 
and the creditor agency in writing. The notification to the creditor 
agency will include information on the employee's transfer.



Sec.  1150.24  Under what conditions will the Endowment make a refund 
of amounts collected by salary offset?

    (a) If the Endowment is the creditor agency, it will promptly refund 
any amount deducted under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 5514, when:
    (1) The debt is waived or all or part of the funds deducted are 
otherwise found not to be owed (unless expressly prohibited by statute 
or regulation); or
    (2) An administrative or judicial order directs the Endowment to 
make a refund.
    (b) Unless required or permitted by law or contract, refunds under 
this section will not bear interest.



Sec.  1150.25  Will the collection of a claim by salary offset act as
a waiver of my rights to dispute the claimed debt?

    Your involuntary payment of all or any portion of a debt under this 
subpart will not be construed as a waiver of any rights that you may 
have under 5 U.S.C. 5514 or other provisions of a law or written 
contract, unless there are statutory or contractual provisions to the 
contrary.



                       Subpart C_Tax Refund Offset



Sec.  1150.30  Which debts can the Endowment refer to the Treasury for
collection by offsetting tax refunds?

    (a) The regulations in this subpart implement 31 U.S.C. 3720A, which 
authorizes the Treasury to reduce a tax refund by the amount of a past-
due, legally enforceable debt owed to a Federal agency.
    (b) For purposes of this section, a past-due, legally enforceable 
debt referable to the Treasury for tax refund offset is a debt that is 
owed to the Endowment and:
    (1) Is at least $25.00;
    (2) Except in the case of a judgment debt, has been delinquent for 
at least three months and will not have been delinquent more than 10 
years at the time the offset is made;
    (3) Cannot currently be collected under the salary offset provisions 
of 5 U.S.C. 5514;
    (4) Is ineligible for administrative offset under 31 U.S.C. 3716(a) 
by reason of 31 U.S.C. 3716(c)(2) or cannot be collected by 
administrative offset under 31 U.S.C. 3716(a) by the Endowment against 
amounts payable to the debtor by the Endowment;

[[Page 383]]

    (5) With respect to which the Endowment has
    (i) given the debtor at least 60 days to present evidence that all 
or part of the debt is not past due or legally enforceable,
    (ii) considered evidence presented by the debtor, and
    (iii) determined that an amount of the debt is past due and legally 
enforceable;
    (6) Has been disclosed by the Endowment to a credit reporting agency 
as authorized by 31 U.S.C. 3711(e) and Sec.  1150.12 of this part, 
unless the credit reporting agency would be prohibited from reporting 
information concerning the debt by reason of 15 U.S.C. 1681c;
    (7) With respect to which the Endowment has notified or has made a 
reasonable attempt to notify the debtor that:
    (i) The debt is past due, and
    (ii) Unless repaid within 60 days of the date of the Notice, the 
debt may be referred to the Treasury for offset against any refund of 
overpayment of tax; and
    (8) All other requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3720A and the Treasury 
regulations relating to the eligibility of a debt for tax return offset 
(31 CFR 285.2) have been satisfied.



Sec.  1150.31  What are the Endowment's procedures for collecting debts
by tax refund offset?

    (a) The Chairperson will be the point of contact with the Treasury 
for administrative matters regarding the offset program.
    (b) The Endowment will ensure that the procedures prescribed by the 
Treasury are followed in developing information about past-due debts and 
submitting the debts to the Treasury.
    (c) The Endowment will submit to the Treasury a notification of a 
taxpayer's liability for past-due legally enforceable debt. This 
notification will contain the following:
    (1) The name and taxpayer identification number of the debtor;
    (2) The amount of the past-due and legally enforceable debt;
    (3) The date on which the original debt became past due; and
    (4) A statement certifying that, with respect to each debt reported, 
all of the requirements of Sec.  1150.30(b) have been satisfied.
    (d) For purposes of this section, notice that collection of the debt 
is affected by a bankruptcy proceeding involving the debtor will bar 
referral of the debt to the Treasury.
    (e) The Endowment shall promptly notify the Treasury to correct data 
when it:
    (1) Determines that an error has been made with respect to a debt 
that has been referred;
    (2) Receives or credits a payment on the debt; or
    (3) Receives notice that the person owing the debt has filed for 
bankruptcy under Title 11 of the United States Code or has been 
adjudicated bankrupt and the debt has been discharged.
    (f) When advising debtors of an intent to refer a debt to the 
Treasury for offset, the Endowment will also advise debtors of remedial 
actions available to defer the offset or prevent it from taking place.



                     Subpart D_Administrative Offset



Sec.  1150.40  Under what circumstances will the Endowment collect amounts
that I owe to the Endowment (or some other Federal agency) by offsetting 
the debt against payments that the Endowment (or some other Federal 
agency) owes me?

    (a) The regulations in this subpart apply to the collection of any 
debts you owe to the Endowment, or to any request from another Federal 
agency that the Endowment collect a debt you owe by offsetting your debt 
against a payment the Endowment owes you. Administrative offset is 
authorized under Section 5 of the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966, 
as amended (31 U.S.C. 3716). The Endowment shall carry out 
administrative offset in accordance with the provisions of the Federal 
Claims Collection Standards; the regulations in this subpart are 
intended only to supplement the provisions of the Federal Claims 
Collection Standards.
    (b) The Chairperson, after attempting to collect a debt you owe to 
the Endowment under Section 3(a) of the Federal Claims Collection Act of 
1966, as

[[Page 384]]

amended (31 U.S.C. 3711(a)), may collect the debt by administrative 
offset, subject to the following:
    (1) The debt you owe is certain in amount; and
    (2) It is in the best interest of the Endowment to collect your debt 
by administrative offset because of the decreased costs of collection 
and acceleration in the payment of the debt.
    (c) No collection by administrative offset will be made on any debt 
that has been outstanding for more than 10 years unless facts material 
to the Endowment or a federal agency's right to collect the debt were 
not known, and reasonably could not have been known, by the official or 
officials responsible for discovering and collecting the debt.
    (d) The regulations in this subpart do not apply to:
    (1) A case in which administrative offset of the type of debt 
involved is explicitly prohibited by statute; or
    (2) Debts owed to the Endowment by Federal agencies.



Sec.  1150.41  How will the Endowment request that my debt to the
Endowment be collected by offset against some payment that another Federal
agency owes me?

    The Chairperson may request that funds due and payable to you by 
another Federal agency instead be paid to the Endowment to satisfy a 
debt you owe to the Endowment. In requesting administrative offset, the 
Endowment will certify in writing to the Federal agency that is holding 
funds for you:
    (a) That you owe the debt;
    (b) The amount and basis of the debt; and
    (c) That the Endowment has complied with the requirements of 31 
U.S.C. 3716, its own administrative offset regulations in this subpart, 
and the applicable provisions of the Federal Claims Collection Standards 
with respect to providing you with due process.



Sec.  1150.42  What procedures will the Endowment use to collect amounts
I owe to a Federal agency by offsetting a payment that the Endowment would
otherwise make to me?

    (a) Any Federal agency may request that the Endowment 
administratively offset funds due and payable to you in order to collect 
a debt you owe to that agency. The Endowment will initiate the requested 
offset only upon:
    (1) Receipt of written certification from the creditor agency 
stating:
    (i) That you owe the debt;
    (ii) The amount and basis of the debt;
    (iii) That the agency has prescribed regulations for the exercise of 
administrative offset; and
    (iv) That the agency has complied with its own administrative offset 
regulations and with the applicable provisions of the Federal Claims 
Collection Standards, including providing you with any required hearing 
or review; and
    (2) A determination by the Chairperson that offsetting funds payable 
to you by the Endowment in order to collect a debt owed by you would be 
in the best interest of the United States as determined by the facts and 
circumstances of the particular case, and that such an offset would not 
otherwise be contrary to law.
    (b) Multiple debts. In instances where two or more creditor agencies 
are seeking administrative offsets, or where two or more debts are owed 
to a single creditor agency, the Endowment may, in its discretion, 
allocate the amount it owes to you to the creditor agencies in 
accordance with the best interest of the United States as determined by 
the facts and circumstances of the particular case, paying special 
attention to applicable statutes of limitations.



Sec.  1150.43  When may the Endowment make an offset in an expedited
manner?

    The Endowment may effect an administrative offset against a payment 
to be made to you before completion of the procedures required by 
Sec. Sec.  1150.41 and 1150.42 if failure to take the offset would 
substantially jeopardize the Endowment's ability to collect the debt and 
the time before the payment is to be made does not reasonably permit the 
completion of those procedures. An expedited offset will be followed 
promptly by the completion of those procedures. Amounts recovered by 
offset, but later found not to be owed to the Endowment, will be 
promptly refunded.

[[Page 385]]



Sec.  1150.44  Can a judgment I have obtained against the United States
be used to satisfy a debt that I owe to the Endowment?

    Collection by offset against a judgment obtained by a debtor against 
the United States will be accomplished in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 
3728.



PART 1151_NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP--Table of Contents



                      Subpart A_General Provisions

Sec.
1151.1 Purpose.
1151.2 Application.
1151.3 Definitions.
1151.4 Notice.
1151.5 Inconsistent State laws and effect of employment opportunities.
1151.6-1151.10 [Reserved]

     Subpart B_Standards for Determining Who Are Handicapped Persons

1151.11 Handicapped person.
1151.12 Qualified handicapped person.
1151.13-1151.15 [Reserved]

                   Subpart C_Discrimination Prohibited

                                 General

1151.16 General prohibitions against discrimination.
1151.17 Specific discriminatory actions prohibited.
1151.18 Illustrative examples.
1151.19-1151.20 [Reserved]

                              Accessibility

1151.21 Discrimination prohibited.
1151.22 Existing facilities.
1151.23 New construction.
1151.24 Historic properties. [Reserved]
1151.25-1151.30 [Reserved]

                               Employment

1151.31 Discrimination prohibited.
1151.32 Reasonable accommodation.
1151.33 Employment criteria.
1151.34 Preemployment inquiries.
1151.35-1151.40 [Reserved]

                          Subpart D_Enforcement

1151.41 Assurances required.
1151.42 Self evaluation.
1151.43 Adoption of grievance procedures.
1151.44 Endowment enforcement and compliance procedures.
1151.45-1151.50 [Reserved]

    Authority: 29 U.S.C. 794.

    Source: 44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, unless otherwise noted.



                      Subpart A_General Provisions



Sec.  1151.1  Purpose.

    The purpose of this part is to implement section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is designed to eliminate 
discrimination on the basis of handicap in any program or activity 
receiving Federal financial assistance.



Sec.  1151.2  Application.

    This part applies to each recipient of financial assistance from the 
National Endowment for the Arts and to each program or activity that 
receives such assistance.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1151.3  Definitions.

    As used in this part, the term:
    (a) The Act means the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Public Law 93-112, 
as amended by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974, (Pub. L. 93-
516, 29 U.S.C. 706 et seq.) and the Comprehensive Rehabilitation 
Services Amendments of 1978, (Pub. L. 95-602).
    (b) Section 504 means section 504 of the Act.
    (c) Endowment means the National Endowment for the Arts.
    (d) Chairman means the Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts.
    (e) Recipient means any state or its political subdivision, any 
instrumentality of a state or its political subdivision, any public or 
private agency, institution, organization, or other entity, or any 
person to which federal financial assistance is extended directly or 
through another recipient, including any successor, assignee, or 
transferee of a recipient, but excluding the ultimate beneficiary of the 
assistance.
    (f) Federal financial assistance means any grant, loan, contract 
(other than a procurement contract or a contract of insurance or 
guaranty), or any other arrangement by which the Endowment provides or 
otherwise makes available assistance in the form of:
    (1) Funds;
    (2) Services of federal personnel; or

[[Page 386]]

    (3) Real and personal property or any interest in or use of such 
property, including:
    (i) Transfers of leases of such property for less than fair market 
value or for reduced consideration; and,
    (ii) proceeds from a subsequent transfer or lease of such property 
if the federal share of its fair market value is not returned to the 
Federal Government.
    (g) Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, 
equipment, roads, walks, parking lots, or other real or personal 
property or interest in such property.
    (h) Program or activity means all of the operations of any entity 
described in paragraphs (h)(1) through (4) of this section, any part of 
which is extended Federal financial assistance:
    (1)(i) A department, agency, special purpose district, or other 
instrumentality of a State or of a local government; or
    (ii) The entity of such State or local government that distributes 
such assistance and each such department or agency (and each other State 
or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the 
case of assistance to a State or local government;
    (2)(i) A college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or 
a public system of higher education; or
    (ii) A local educational agency (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801), 
system of vocational education, or other school system;
    (3)(i) An entire corporation, partnership, or other private 
organization, or an entire sole proprietorship--
    (A) If assistance is extended to such corporation, partnership, 
private organization, or sole proprietorship as a whole; or
    (B) Which is principally engaged in the business of providing 
education, health care, housing, social services, or parks and 
recreation; or
    (ii) The entire plant or other comparable, geographically separate 
facility to which Federal financial assistance is extended, in the case 
of any other corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole 
proprietorship; or
    (4) Any other entity which is established by two or more of the 
entities described in paragraph (h)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1151.4  Notice.

    (a) A recipient shall take appropriate initial and continuing steps 
to notify participants, beneficiaries, applicants, and employees, 
including those with impaired vision or hearing, and unions or 
professional organizations holding collective bargaining or professional 
agreements with the recipient that it does not discriminate on the basis 
of handicap in violation of section 504 and this part. The notification 
shall state, where appropriate, that the recipient does not discriminate 
in admission or access to, or employment in, its programs or activities. 
Methods of initial and continuing notification may include the posting 
of notices, publication in print, audio, and visual media, placement of 
notices in a recipient's publication, and distribution of other written 
and verbal communications.
    (b) If a recipient publishes or uses recruitment materials or 
publications containing general information that it makes available to 
participants, beneficiaries, applicants, or employees, it shall include 
in those materials or publications a statement of the policy described 
in paragraph (a) of this section. A recipient may meet the requirement 
of this paragraph either by including appropriate inserts in existing 
materials and publications or by revising and reprinting the materials 
and publications.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1151.5  Inconsistent State laws and effect of employment
opportunities.

    (a) Recipients are not excused from complying with this part as a 
result of state or local laws which limit the eligibility of handicapped 
persons to receive services or to practice a profession or occupation.
    (b) The presence of limited employment opportunities in a particular 
profession does not excuse a recipient from complying with the 
regulation. For example, a music school receiving Endowment financial 
assistance could

[[Page 387]]

not deny admission to a qualified blind applicant because a blind singer 
may experience more difficulty than a nonhandicapped singer in finding a 
job.



Sec. Sec.  1151.6-1151.10  [Reserved]



     Subpart B_Standards for Determining Who Are Handicapped Persons



Sec.  1151.11  Handicapped person.

    (a) Handicapped person means any person who has a physical or mental 
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, 
has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an 
impairment. For purposes of section 504, in connection with employment, 
this term does not include any individual who is an alcoholic or drug 
abuser whose current use of alcohol or drugs prevents such individual 
from performing the duties of the job in question or whose employment, 
by reason of such current alcohol or drug abuse, would constitute a 
direct threat to the property or safety of others.
    (b) As used in paragraph (a) of this section, the phrase:
    (1) Physical or mental impairment means:
    (i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, 
or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: 
Neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, 
including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; 
genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or
    (ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental 
retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional and mental illness, and 
specific learning disabilities. The term physical or mental impairment 
includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as 
orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, 
epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, 
diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, and drug addiction and 
alcoholism.
    (2) Major life activities means functions such as caring for one's 
self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, 
breathing, learning, and working.
    (3) Has a record of such an impairment means has a history of, or 
has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that 
substantially limits one or more major life activities.
    (4) Is regarded as having an impairment means:
    (i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially 
limit major life activities but that is treated by a recipient as 
constituting such a limitation;
    (ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits 
major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward 
such impairment;
    (iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (b)(1) of 
this section but is treated by a recipient as having such an impairment.



Sec.  1151.12  Qualified handicapped person.

    Qualified handicapped person means:
    (a) With respect to employment, a handicapped person who, with 
reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job 
in question; and
    (b) With respect to services, a handicapped person who meets the 
essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of such services.



Sec. Sec.  1151.13-1151.15  [Reserved]



                   Subpart C_Discrimination Prohibited

                                 General



Sec.  1151.16  General prohibitions against discrimination.

    (a) No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, 
be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or 
otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity 
which receives federal financial assistance.
    (b) These regulations do not prohibit the exclusion of 
nonhandicapped persons or persons with a specific type of handicap from 
aid, benefits, or services limited by Federal statute or executive

[[Page 388]]

order to handicapped persons or persons with a different type of 
handicap.
    (c) Recipients shall take appropriate steps to insure that no 
handicapped individual is denied the benefits of, excluded from 
participation in, or otherwise subjected to discrimination in any 
program or activity receiving Endowment financial assistance because of 
the absence of appropriate auxiliary aids for individuals with impaired 
sensory, manual, or speaking skills.
    (d) Recipients shall take appropriate steps to insure that 
communications with their applicants, employees, and beneficiaries are 
available to persons with impaired vision and hearing.
    (e) Recipients shall administer programs or activities in the most 
integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified handicapped 
persons.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1151.17  Specific discriminatory actions prohibited.

    (a) A recipient, in providing any aid, benefit, or service, either 
directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, shall 
not, on the basis of handicap:
    (1) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service;
    (2) Afford a qualified handicapped person an opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not 
equal to that afforded others;
    (3) Provide a qualified handicapped person with an aid, benefit, or 
service that is not as effective in affording equal opportunity to 
obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same 
level of achievement as that provided to others;
    (4) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to 
handicapped persons or to any class of handicapped persons unless such 
action is necessary to provide qualified handicapped persons with aid, 
benefits, or services that are as effective as those provided to others;
    (5) Aid or perpetuate discrimination against a qualified handicapped 
person by providing significant assistance to an agency, organization, 
or person that discriminates on the basis of handicap in providing any 
aid, benefit, or service to beneficiaries of the recipient's program or 
activity;
    (6) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or
    (7) Otherwise limit a qualified handicapped person in the enjoyment 
of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others 
receiving an aid, benefit, or service.
    (b) Despite the existence of separate or different aid, benefits, or 
services provided in accordance with this part, a recipient may not deny 
a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to participate in such 
aid, benefits, or services that are not separate or different.
    (c) A recipient may not, directly or through contractual or other 
arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration:
    (1) That have the effect of subjecting qualified handicapped persons 
to discrimination on the basis of handicap;
    (2) That have the purpose or effect of defeating or substantially 
impairing accomplishment of the objectives of the recipient's program or 
activity with respect to handicapped persons; or
    (3) That perpetuate the discrimination of another recipient if both 
recipients are subject to common administrative control or are agencies 
of the same state.
    (d) A recipient may not, in determining the site or location of a 
facility, make selections:
    (1) That have the effect of excluding handicapped persons from, 
denying them the benefits of, or otherwise subjecting them to 
discrimination under any program or activity that receives federal 
financial assistance; or
    (2) That have the purpose or effect of defeating or substantially 
impairing the accomplishment of the objectives of the program or 
activity with respect to handicapped persons.
    (e) As used in this section, the aid, benefit, or service provided 
under a program or activity receiving federal financial assistance 
includes any aid, benefit, or service provided in or through a facility 
that has been constructed, expanded, altered, leased or

[[Page 389]]

rented, or otherwise acquired, in whole or in part, with federal 
financial assistance.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1151.18  Illustrative examples.

    (a) The following examples will illustrate the application of the 
foregoing provisions to some of the activities funded by the National 
Endowment for the Arts.
    (1) A museum exhibition catalogue or small press editions supported 
by the Endowment may be made usable by the blind and the visually 
impaired through cassette tapes, records, discs, braille, readers and 
simultaneous publications;
    (2) A theatre performance supported by Federal funds may be made 
available to deaf and hearing impaired persons through the use of a sign 
language interpreter or by providing scripts in advance of the 
performance.
    (3) A performing arts organization receiving Federal funds and 
offering, for example, a specific event in an inaccessible facility may 
arrange to provide a reasonable opportunity for that specific event to 
be offered to the public at large in an alternative accessible space; 
e.g., a theatre offering four different plays a season may offer at 
least one performance of each play in an alternative accessible space.
    (4) Recipients of federal funds should make every effort to assure 
that they do not support organizations or individuals that discriminate;
    (5) A handicapped person with experience and expertise equal to 
qualification standards established by a planning or advisory board may 
not be excluded from participation on the board on the basis of 
handicap. This does not mean that every planning or advisory board 
necessarily must include a handicapped person.
    (b) Despite the existence of permissible separate or different aid, 
benefits, or services, e.g., periodic performances in alternative 
accessible spaces, a physically handicapped person who wishes to be, and 
can be, escorted to a seat, may not be denied such access to an 
otherwise inaccessible theatre.
    (c) State arts agencies are obligated to develop methods of 
administering federal funds so as to ensure that handicapped persons are 
not subjected to discrimination on the basis of handicap either by sub-
grantees or by the manner in which the funds are distributed.
    (d) In the event Endowment funds are utilized to construct, expand, 
alter, lease or rent a facility, the aid, benefits, or services provided 
in or through that facility must be conducted in accordance with these 
regulations, e.g., a museum receiving a grant to renovate an existing 
facility must assure that all museum aid, benefits, or services 
conducted in that facility are accessible to handicapped persons.
    (e) In carrying out the mandate of section 504 and these 
implementing regulations recipients should make every effort to 
administer Endowment assisted programs or activities in a setting in 
which able-bodied and disabled persons are integrated, e.g., tours made 
available to the hearing impaired should be open to the public at large 
and everyone should be permitted to enjoy the benefits of a tactile 
experience in a museum.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec. Sec.  1151.19-1151.20  [Reserved]

                              Accessibility



Sec.  1151.21  Discrimination prohibited.

    No qualified handicapped person shall, because a recipient's 
facilities are inaccessible to or unusable by handicapped persons, be 
denied the benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or otherwise 
be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity to which 
this part applies.



Sec.  1151.22  Existing facilities.

    (a) A recipient shall operate each program or activity to which this 
part applies so that when each part is viewed in its entirety it is 
readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons. This paragraph 
does not necessarily require a recipient to make each of its existing 
facilities or every part of a facility accessible to and usable by 
handicapped persons.

[[Page 390]]

    (b) A recipient may comply with the requirement f paragraph (a) of 
this section through alteration of existing facilities, the construction 
of new facilities, or any other methods that result in making its 
program or activity accessible to handicapped persons. A recipient is 
not required to make structural changes in existing facilities where 
other methods are effective in achieving compliance with paragraph (a) 
of this section. In choosing among available methods for meeting the 
requirement of paragraph (a) of this section, a recipient shall give 
priority to those methods that serve handicapped persons in the most 
integrated setting appropriate.
    (c) Time period. A recipient shall comply with the requirement of 
paragraph (a) of this section within sixty days of the effective date of 
this part except that where structural changes are necessary such 
changes shall be made as soon as possible but in no event later than 
three years after the effective date of this part.
    (d) Transition plan. In the event structural changes to facilities 
are necessary to meet the requirement of paragraph (a) of this section, 
a recipient shall develop, within one year of the effective date of this 
part, a transition plan setting forth the steps necessary to complete 
such changes. The plan shall be developed with the assistance of 
interested persons, including handicapped persons or organizations 
representing handicapped persons. Upon request, the recipient shall make 
available for public inspection a copy of the transition plan. The plan 
shall, at a minimum:
    (1) Identify physical obstacles in the recipient's facilities that 
limit the accessibility of its program or activity to handicapped 
persons;
    (2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the 
facilities accessible;
    (3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve 
full accessibility under paragraph (a) of this section and, if the time 
period of the transition plan is longer than one year, identify steps 
that will be taken during each year of the transition period; and
    (4) Indicate the person responsible for implementation of the plan.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1151.23  New construction.

    (a) Design, construction, and alteration. New facilities shall be 
designed and constructed to be readily accessible to and usable by 
handicapped persons. Alterations to existing facilities shall, to the 
maximum extent feasible, be designed and constructed to be readily 
accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.
    (b) Conformance with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards. (1) 
Effective as of January 18, 1991, design, construction, or alteration of 
buildings in conformance with sections 3-8 of the Uniform Federal 
Accessibility Standards (USAF) (appendix A to 41 CFR subpart 101-19.6) 
shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of this section with 
respect to those buildings. Departures from particular technical and 
scoping requirements of UFAS by the use of other methods are permitted 
where substantially equivalent or greater access to and usability of the 
building is provided.
    (2) For purposes of this section, section 4.1.6(1)(g) of UFAS shall 
be interpreted to exempt from the requirements of UFAS only mechanical 
rooms and other spaces that, because of their intended use, will not 
require accessibility to the public or beneficiaries or result in the 
employment or residence therein of persons with physical handicaps.
    (3) This section does not require recipients to make building 
alterations that have little likelihood of being accomplished without 
removing or altering a load-bearing structural member.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 55 FR 52138, 52142, Dec. 19, 
1990]

[[Page 391]]



Sec.  1151.24  Historic properties. [Reserved]



Sec. Sec.  1151.25-1151.30  [Reserved]

                               Employment



Sec.  1151.31  Discrimination prohibited.

    (a) No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, 
be subjected to discrimination in employment under any program or 
activity that receives federal financial assistance.
    (b) A recipient shall make all decisions concerning employment under 
any program or activity to which this part applies in a manner which 
ensures that discrimination on the basis of handicap does not occur and 
may not limit, segregate, or classify applicants or employees in any way 
that adversely affects their opportunities or status because of 
handicap.
    (c) A recipient may not participate in a contractual or other 
relationship that has the effect of subjecting qualified handicapped 
applicants or employees to discrimination prohibited by this subpart. 
The relationships referred to in this paragraph include relationships 
with employment and referral agencies, with labor unions, with 
organizations providing or administering fringe benefits to employees of 
the recipients, and with organizations providing training and 
apprenticeships.
    (d) The prohibition against discrimination in employment applies to 
the following activities:
    (1) Recruitment, advertising, and the processing of applications for 
employment;
    (2) Hiring, upgrading, promotion, award of tenure, demotion, 
transfer, layoff, termination, right of return from layoff, and 
rehiring;
    (3) Rates of pay or any other form of compensation and changes in 
compensation;
    (4) Job assignments, job classifications, organizational structures, 
position descriptions, lines of progression, and seniority lists;
    (5) Leaves of absences, sick leave, or any other leave;
    (6) Fringe benefits available by virtue of employment, whether or 
not administered by the recipient;
    (7) Selection and financial support for training, including 
apprenticeship, professional meetings, conferences, and other related 
activities, and selection for leaves of absence to pursue training;
    (8) Employer sponsored activities, including those that are social 
or recreational; and
    (9) Any other term, condition, or privilege of employment.
    (e) A recipient's obligation to comply with this subpart is not 
affected by any inconsistent term of any collective bargaining agreement 
to which it is a party.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1151.32  Reasonable accommodation.

    (a) A recipient shall make reasonable accommodation to the known 
physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified handicapped 
applicant or employee unless the recipient can demonstrate that the 
accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of its 
program or activity.
    (b) Reasonable accommodation may include:
    (1) Making facilities used by employees readily accessible to and 
usable by handicapped persons; and
    (2) Job restructuring, part-time or modified work schedules, 
acquisition, or modification of equipment or devices, such as use of 
telecommunication devices and amplifiers on telephones, the provision of 
readers or interpreters, and other similar actions.
    (c) In determining pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section whether 
an accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of a 
recipient's program or activity, factors to be considered include:
    (1) The overall size of the recipient's program or activity with 
respect to number of employees, number and type of facilities, and size 
of budget;
    (2) The type of the recipient's operation, including the composition 
and structure of the recipient's workforce; and
    (3) The nature and cost of the accommodation needed.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]

[[Page 392]]



Sec.  1151.33  Employment criteria.

    (a) A recipient may not make use of any employment test or other 
selection criterion that screens out or tends to screen out handicapped 
persons or any class of handicapped persons unless:
    (1) The test score or other selection criterion, as used by the 
recipient, is shown to be job-related for the position in question; and
    (2) Alternative job-related tests or criteria are unavailable.
    (b) A recipient shall select and administer tests concerning 
employment so as best to ensure that, when administered to an applicant 
or employee who has a handicap that impairs sensory, manual, or speaking 
skills, the test results accurately reflect the applicant's or 
employee's job skills, aptitude, or other factors relevant to adequate 
performance of the job in question.



Sec.  1151.34  Preemployment inquiries.

    A recipient may not, except as provided below, conduct a 
preemployment medical examination, make preemployment inquiry as to 
whether the applicant is a handicapped person, or inquire as to the 
nature or severity of a handicap. A recipient may, however, make 
preemployment inquiry into an applicant's ability to perform job-related 
functions.
    (a) When a recipient is taking remedial action to correct the 
effects of past discrimination, when a recipient is taking voluntary 
action to overcome the effects of conditions that resulted in limited 
participation in its federally assisted program or activity, or when a 
recipient is taking affirmative action pursuant to section 504 of the 
Act, the recipient may invite applicants for employment to indicate 
whether and to what extent they are handicapped, provided, that:
    (1) The recipient states clearly on any written questionnaire used 
for this purpose or makes clear orally if no written questionnaire is 
used that the information requested is intended for use solely in 
connection with its remedial action obligations or its voluntary or 
affirmative action efforts; and
    (2) The recipient states clearly that the information is being 
requested on a voluntary basis, that it will be kept confidential as 
provided in paragraph (c) of this section, that refusal to provide it 
will not subject the applicant or employee to any adverse treatment, and 
that it will be used only in accordance with this part.
    (b) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a recipient from 
conditioning an offer of employment on the results of a medical 
examination conducted prior to the employee's entrance on duty, 
provided, that:
    (1) All entering employees are subjected to such an examination 
regardless of handicap; and
    (2) The results of such an examination are used only in accordance 
with the requirements of this part.
    (c) Information obtained in accordance with this section as to the 
medical condition or history of the applicant shall be collected and 
maintained on separate forms that shall be accorded confidentiality as 
medical records, except that:
    (1) Supervisors and managers may be informed regarding restrictions 
on the work or duties of handicapped persons and regarding necessary 
accommodations;
    (2) First aid and safety personnel may be informed, where 
appropriate, if the condition might require emergency treatment; and
    (3) Government officials investigating compliance with the Act shall 
be provided relevant information upon request.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979; 45 FR 57129, Aug. 27, 1980]



Sec. Sec.  1151.35-1151.40  [Reserved]



                          Subpart D_Enforcement



Sec.  1151.41  Assurances required.

    (a) An applicant for federal financial assistance to which this part 
applies shall submit an assurance, on a form specified by the Chairman, 
that the program or activity will be operated in compliance with this 
part. An applicant may incorporate these assurances by reference in 
subsequent applications to the Endowment.
    (b) Duration of obligation. (1) In the case of federal financial 
assistance extended to provide personal property,

[[Page 393]]

the assurance will obligate the recipient for the period during which it 
retains ownership or possession of the property.
    (2) In all other cases the assurance will obligate the recipient for 
the period during which federal financial assistance is extended.
    (c) Covenants. Where property is purchased or improved with federal 
financial assistance, the recipient shall agree to include in any 
instrument effecting or recording any transfer of the property a 
covenant running with the property assuring nondiscrimination for the 
period during which the real property is used for a purpose for which 
the federal financial assistance is extended or for another purpose 
involving the provision of similar services or benefits.

[44 FR 22734, Apr. 17, 1979, as amended at 68 FR 51384, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1151.42  Self evaluation.

    (a) A recipient shall within six months of the effective date of 
this part:
    (1) Evaluate, with the assistance of interested persons, including 
handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, 
its current policies and practices and the effects thereof that do not 
or may not meet the requirements of this part;
    (2) Modify, after consultation with interested persons, including 
handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, 
any policies and practices that do not meet the requirements of this 
part; and
    (3) Take, after consultation with interested persons, including 
handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, 
appropriate remedial steps to eliminate the effects of any 
discrimination that resulted from adherence to these policies and 
practices.
    (4) Maintain on file, make available for public inspection, and 
provide to the Endowment upon request, for at least three years 
following completion of the self-evaluation:
    (i) A list of the interested persons consulted;
    (ii) A description of areas examined and any problems identified; 
and,
    (iii) A description of any modifications made and of any remedial 
steps taken.
    (5) The completed self-evaluation should be signed by a responsible 
official designated to coordinate the recipient's efforts in connection 
with this section.



Sec.  1151.43  Adoption of grievance procedures.

    A recipient may adopt an internal grievance procedure in order to 
provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging 
any action prohibited by this part. A responsible official should be 
designated to coordinate the recipient's efforts in connection with this 
section. Such procedures need not be established with respect to 
complaints from applicants for employment.



Sec.  1151.44  Endowment enforcement and compliance procedures.

    The procedural provisions applicable to title VI of the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964 apply to this part. These procedures are found in Sec. Sec.  
1110.8 through 1110.11 of part 1110 of this title.



Sec. Sec.  1151.45-1151.50  [Reserved]



PART 1152_INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS 
PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES--Table of Contents



Sec.
1152.1 What is the purpose of these regulations?
1152.2 What definitions apply to these regulations?
1152.3 What programs and activities of the Endowment are subject to 
          these regulations?
1152.4 What are the Chairman's general responsibilities under the Order?
1152.5 What is the Chairman's obligation with respect to Federal 
          interagency coordination?
1152.6 What procedures apply to the selection of programs and activities 
          under these regulations?
1152.7 How does the Chairman communicate with state and local officials 
          concerning the Endowment's programs and activities?
1152.8 How does the Chairman provide states with an opportunity to 
          comment on proposed Federal financial assistance?

[[Page 394]]

1152.9 How does the Chairman receive and respond to comments?
1152.10 How does the Chairman make efforts to accommodate 
          intergovernmental concerns?
1152.11 What are the Chairman's obligations in interstate situations?
1152.12 How may a state simplify, consolidate, or substitute federally 
          required state plans?
1152.13 May the Chairman waive any provision of these regulations?

    Authority: E.O. 12372, July 14, 1982 (47 FR 30959), as amended April 
8, 1983 (48 FR 15887); sec. 401 of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act 
of 1968, as amended (31 U.S.C. 6506)

    Source: 48 FR 29352, June 24, 1983, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1152.1  What is the purpose of these regulations?

    (a) The regulations in this part implement Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' issued July 14, 1982 
and amended on April 8, 1983. These regulations also implement 
applicable provisions of section 401 of the Intergovernmental 
Cooperation Act of 1968.
    (b) these regulations are intended to foster an intergovernmental 
partnership and a strengthened Federalism by relying on state processes 
and on state, areawide, regional and local coordination for review of 
proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal development.
    (c) These regulations are intended to improve the internal 
management of the Endowment, and are not intended to create any right or 
benefit enforceable at law by a party against the Endowment or its 
officers.



Sec.  1152.2  What definitions apply to these regulations?

    Chairman means the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts 
or an official or employee of the Endowment acting for the Chairman 
under a delegation of authority.
    Endowment means the National Endowment for the Arts.
    Order means Executive Order 12372, issued July 14, 1982, and amended 
April 8, 1983 and titled ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
    State means any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Trust 
Territory of the Pacific Islands.



Sec.  1152.3  What programs and activities of the Endowment are subject
to these regulations?

    The Chairman publishes in the Federal Register a list of the 
Endowment's programs and activities that are subject to these 
regulations.



Sec.  1152.4  What are the Chairman's general responsibilities under
the Order?

    (a) The Chairman provides opportunities for consultation by elected 
officials of those state and local governments that would provide the 
non-Federal funds for, or that would be directly affected by, proposed 
Federal financial assistance from the Endowment.
    (b) If a state adopts a process under the Order to review and 
coordinate proposed Federal financial assistance the Chairman, to the 
extent permitted by law:
    (1) Uses the state process to determine official views of state and 
local elected officials;
    (2) Communicates with state and local elected officials as early in 
a program planning cycle as is reasonably feasible to explain specific 
plans and actions;
    (3) Makes efforts to accommodate state and local elected officials' 
concerns with proposed Federal financial assistance that is communicated 
through the state process;
    (4) Allows the states to simplify and consolidate existing federally 
required state plan submissions;
    (5) Where state planning and budgeting systems are sufficient and 
where permitted by law, encourages the substitution of state plans for 
federally required state plans;
    (6) Seeks the coordination of views of affected state and local 
elected officials in one state with those of another state when proposed 
Federal financial assistance has an impact on interstate metropolitan 
urban centers or other interstate areas; and

[[Page 395]]

    (7) Supports state and local governments by discouraging the 
reauthorization or creation of any planning organization which is 
federally-funded, which has a limited purpose, and which is not 
adequately representative of, or accountable to, state or local elected 
officials.



Sec.  1152.5  What is the Chairman's obligation with respect to Federal
interagency coordination?

    The Chairman to the extent practicable, consults with and seeks 
advice from all other substantially affected Federal departments and 
agencies in an effort to assure full coordination between such agencies 
and the Endowment regarding programs and activities covered under these 
regulations.



Sec.  1152.6  What procedures apply to the selection of programs and
activities under these regulations?

    (a) A state may select any program or activity published in the 
Federal Register in accordance with Sec.  1152.3 of this part for 
intergovernmental review under these regulations. Each state, before 
selecting programs and activities shall consult with local elected 
officials.
    (b) Each state that adopts a process shall notify the Chairman of 
the Endowment's programs and activities selected for that process.
    (c) A state may notify the Chairman of changes in its selections at 
any time. For each change, the state shall submit to the Chairman an 
assurance that the state has consulted with elected local officials 
regarding the change. The Endowment may establish deadlines by which 
states are required to inform the Chairman of changes in their program 
selections.
    (d) The Chairman uses a state's process as soon as feasible, 
depending on individual programs and activities, after the Chairman is 
notified of its selections.



Sec.  1152.7  How does the Chairman communicate with state and local
officials concerning the Endowment's programs and activities?

    (a) [Reserved]
    (b) The Chairman provides notice to directly affected state, 
areawide, regional, and local entities in a state of proposed Federal 
financial assistance if--
    (1) The state has not adopted a process under the Order; or
    (2) The assistance or development is under program or activity not 
selected for the state process.

This notice is made by the publication in the Federal Register or other 
appropriate means which the Endowment in its discretion deems 
appropriate.



Sec.  1152.8  How does the Chairman provide states with an opportunity
to comment on proposed Federal financial assistance?

    (a) Except in unusual circumstance, the Chairman gives state 
processes or directly affected state, areawide, regional and local 
officials and entities--
    (1) [Reserved]
    (2) At least 60 days from the date established by the Chairman to 
comment on proposed Federal financial assistance.
    (b) This section also applies to comments in cases in which the 
review, coordination, and communication with the Endowment have been 
delegated.



Sec.  1152.9  How does the Chairman receive and respond to comments?

    (a) The Chairman follows the procedures in Sec.  1152.10 if:
    (1) A state office or official is designated to act as a single 
point of contact between a state process and all Federal agencies; and
    (2) That office or official transmits a state process recommendation 
for a program selected under Sec.  1152.6.
    (b)(1) The single point of contact is not obligated to transmit 
comments from state, areawide, regional or local officials and entities 
where there is no state process recommendation.
    (2) If a state process recommendation is transmitted by a single 
point of contact, all comments from state, areawide, regional, and local 
officials and entities that differ from it must also be transmitted.
    (c) If a state has not established a process, or is unable to submit 
a state process recommendation, state, areawide, regional and local 
officials and entities may submit comments to the Endowment.

[[Page 396]]

    (d) If a program or activity is not selected for a state process, 
state, areawide, regional and local officials and entities may submit 
comments to the Endowment. In addition, if a state process 
recommendation for a nonselected program or activity is transmitted to 
the Endowment by the single point of contact, the Chairman follows the 
procedure of Sec.  1152.10 of this part.
    (e) The Chairman considers comments which do not constitute a state 
process recommendation submitted under these regulations and for which 
the Chairman is not required to apply the procedures of Sec.  1152.10 of 
this part, when such comments are provided by a single point of contact 
or directly to the Endowment by a commenting party.



Sec.  1152.10  How does the Chairman make efforts to accommodate 
intergovernmental concerns?

    (a) If a state process provides a state process recommendation to 
the Endowment through its single point of contact, the Chairman either:
    (1) Accepts the recommendation;
    (2) Reaches a mutually agreeable solution with the state process; or
    (3) Provides the single point of contact with such written 
explanation of the decision, as the Chairman in his or her discretion 
deems appropriate. The Chairman may supplement the written explanation 
by also providing the explanation to the single point of contact by 
telephone other telecommunication, or other means.
    (b) In any explanation under paragraph (a)(3) of this section the 
Chairman informs the single point of contact that:
    (1) The Endowment will not implement its decision for ten days after 
the single point of contact receives the explanation; or
    (2) The Chairman has reviewed the decision and determined that, 
because of unusual circumstances, the ten-day waiting period is not 
feasible.
    (c) For purposes of computing the waiting period under paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section, a single point of contact is presumed to have 
received written notification 5 days after the date of mailing of such 
notification.



Sec.  1152.11  What are the Chairman's obligations in interstate 
situations?

    (a) The Chairman is responsible for:
    (1) Identifying proposed Gederal financial assistance that has an 
impact on interstate areas;
    (2) Notifying appropriate officials and entities in states which 
have adopted a process and which select the Endowment's program or 
activity;
    (3) Making efforts to identify and notify the affected state, 
areawide, regional, and local officials and entities in those states 
that have not adopted a process under the Order or do not select the 
Endowment's program or activity;
    (4) Responding pursuant to Sec.  1152.10 of this part if the 
Chairman receives a recommendation from a designated areawide agency 
transmitted by a single point of contact, in cases in which the review, 
coordination, and communication with the Endowment have been delegated.
    (b) The Chairman uses the procedures in Sec.  1152.10 if a state 
process provides a state process recommendation to the Endowment through 
a single point of contact.



Sec.  1152.12  How may a state simplify, consolidate, or substitute 
federally required state plans?

    (a) As used in this section:
    (1) Simplify means that a state may develop its own format, choose 
its own submission date, and select the planning period for a state 
plan.
    (2) Consolidate means that a state may meet statutory and regulatory 
requirements by combining two or more plans into one document and that 
the state can select the format, submission date, and planning period 
for the consolidated plan.
    (3) Substitute means that a state may use a plan or other document 
that it has developed for its own purposes to meet Federal requirements.
    (b) If not inconsistent with law, a state may decide to try to 
simplify, consolidate, or substitute Federally required state plans 
without prior approval by the Chairman.
    (c) The Chairman reviews each state plan that a state has 
simplified, consolidated, or substituted and accepts

[[Page 397]]

the plan only if it meets Federal requirements.



Sec.  1152.13  May the Chairman waive any provision of these regulations?

    In an emergency, the Chairman may waive any provision of these 
regulations.



PART 1153_ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN 
PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
1153.101 Purpose.
1153.102 Application.
1153.103 Definitions.
1153.104-1153.109 [Reserved]
1153.110 Self-evaluation.
1153.111 Notice.
1153.112-153.129 [Reserved]
1153.130 General prohibitions against discrimination.
1153.131-1153.139 [Reserved]
1153.140 Employment.
1153.141-1153.148 [Reserved]
1153.149 Program accessibility: Discrimination prohibited.
1153.150 Program accessibility: Existing facilities.
1153.151 Program accessibility: New construction and alterations.
1153.152-1153.159 [Reserved]
1153.160 Communications.
1153.161-1153.169 [Reserved]
1153.170 Compliance procedures.
1153.171-1153.999 [Reserved]

    Authority: 29 U.S.C. 794.

    Source: 51 FR 22895, 22896, June 23, 1986, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1153.101  Purpose.

    This part effectuates section 119 of the Rehabilitation, 
Comprehensive Services, and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 
1978, which amended section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to 
prohibit discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs or 
activities conducted by Executive agencies or the United States Postal 
Service.



Sec.  1153.102  Application.

    This part applies to all programs or activities conducted by the 
agency.



Sec.  1153.103  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part, the term--
    Assistant Attorney General means the Assistant Attorney General, 
Civil Rights Division, United States Department of Justice.
    Auxiliary aids means services or devices that enable persons with 
impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills to have an equal 
opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, programs or 
activities conducted by the agency. For example, auxiliary aids useful 
for persons with impaired vision include readers, brailled materials, 
audio recordings, telecommunications devices and other similar services 
and devices. Auxiliary aids useful for persons with impaired hearing 
include telephone handset amplifiers, telephones compatible with hearing 
aids, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDD's), interpreters, 
notetakers, written materials, and other similar services and devices.
    Complete complaint means a written statement that contains the 
complainant's name and address and describes the agency's alleged 
discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the agency of the 
nature and date of the alleged violation of section 504. It shall be 
signed by the complainant or by someone authorized to do so on his or 
her behalf. Complaints filed on behalf of classes or third parties shall 
describe or identify (by name, if possible) the alleged victims of 
discrimination.
    Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, 
equipment, roads, walks, parking lots, rolling stock or other 
conveyances, or other real or personal property.
    Handicapped person means any person who has a physical or mental 
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, 
has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an 
impairment.
    As used in this definition, the phrase:
    (1) Physical or mental impairment includes--
    (i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, 
or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: 
Neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, 
including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive;

[[Page 398]]

digestive; genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or
    (ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental 
retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and 
specific learning disabilities. The term physical or mental impairment 
includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as 
orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, 
epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, 
diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, and drug addiction and 
alocoholism.
    (2) Major life activities includes functions such as caring for 
one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, 
breathing, learning, and working.
    (3) Has a record of such an impairment means has a history of, or 
has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that 
substantially limits one or more major life activities.
    (4) Is regarded as having an impairment means--
    (i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially 
limit major life activities but is treated by the agency as constituting 
such a limitation;
    (ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits 
major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward 
such impairment; or
    (iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (1) of this 
definition but is treated by the agency as having such an impairment.
    Historic preservation programs means programs conducted by the 
agency that have preservation of historic properties as a primary 
purpose.
    Historic properties means those properties that are listed or 
eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or 
properties designated as historic under a statute of the appropriate 
State or local government body.
    Qualified handicapped person means--
    (1) With respect to preschool, elementary, or secondary education 
services provided by the agency, a handicapped person who is a member of 
a class of persons otherwise entitled by statute, regulation, or agency 
policy to receive education services from the agency.
    (2) With respect to any other agency program or activity under which 
a person is required to perform services or to achieve a level of 
accomplishment, a handicapped person who meets the essential eligibility 
requirements and who can acheive the purpose of the program or activity 
without modifications in the program or activity that the agency can 
demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in its nature;
    (3) With respect to any other program or activity, a handicapped 
person who meets the essential eligibility requirements for 
participation in, or receipt of benefits from, that program or activity; 
and
    (4) Qualified handicapped person is defined for purposes of 
employment in 29 CFR 1613.702(f), which is made applicable to this part 
by Sec.  1153.140.
    Section 504 means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
(Pub. L. 93-112, 87 Stat. 394 (29 U.S.C. 794)), as amended by the 
Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-516, 88 Stat. 1617), 
and the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental 
Disabilities Amendments of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-602, 92 Stat. 2955). As used 
in this part, section 504 applies only to programs or activities 
conducted by Executive agencies and not to federally assisted programs.
    Substantial impairment means a significant loss of the integrity of 
finished materials, design quality, or special character resulting from 
a permanent alteration.



Sec. Sec.  1153.104-1153.109  [Reserved]



Sec.  1153.110  Self-evaluation.

    (a) The agency shall, by August 24, 1987, evaluate its current 
policies and practices, and the effects thereof, that do not or may not 
meet the requirements of this part, and, to the extent modification of 
any such policies and practices is required, the agency shall proceed to 
make the necessary modifications.

[[Page 399]]

    (b) The agency shall provide an opportunity to interested persons, 
including handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped 
persons, to participate in the self-evaluation process by submitting 
comments (both oral and written).
    (c) The agency shall, until three years following the completion of 
the self-evaluation, maintain on file and make available for public 
inspection:
    (1) A description of areas examined and any problems identified, and
    (2) A description of any modifications made.



Sec.  1153.111  Notice.

    The agency shall make available to employees, applicants, 
participants, beneficiaries, and other interested persons such 
information regarding the provisions of this part and its applicability 
to the programs or activities conducted by the agency, and make such 
information available to them in such manner as the head of the agency 
finds necessary to apprise such persons of the protections against 
discrimination assured them by section 504 and this regulation.



Sec. Sec.  1153.112-1153.129  [Reserved]



Sec.  1153.130  General prohibitions against discrimination.

    (a) No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, 
be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or 
otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity 
conducted by the agency.
    (b)(1) The agency, in providing any aid, benefit, or service, may 
not, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, 
on the basis of handicap--
    (i) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service;
    (ii) Afford a qualified handicapped person an opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not 
equal to that afforded others;
    (iii) Provide a qualified handicapped person with an aid, benefit, 
or service that is not as effective in affording equal opportunity to 
obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same 
level of achievement as that provided to others;
    (iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to 
handicapped persons or to any class of handicapped persons than is 
provided to others unless such action is necessary to provide qualified 
handicapped persons with aid, benefits, or services that are as 
effective as those provided to others;
    (v) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or
    (vi) Otherwise limit a qualified handicapped person in the enjoyment 
of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others 
receiving the aid, benefit, or service.
    (2) The agency may not deny a qualified handicapped person the 
opportunity to participate in programs or activities that are not 
separate or different, despite the existence of permissibly separate or 
different programs or activities.
    (3) The agency may not, directly or through contractual or other 
arrangments, utilize criteria or methods of administration the purpose 
or effect of which would--
    (i) Subject qualified handicapped persons to discrimination on the 
basis of handicap; or
    (ii) Defeat or substantially impair accomplishment of the objectives 
of a program or activity with respect to handicapped persons.
    (4) The agency may not, in determining the site or location of a 
facility, make selections the purpose or effect of which would--
    (i) Exclude handicapped persons from, deny them the benefits of, or 
otherwise subject them to discrimination under any program or activity 
conducted by the agency; or
    (ii) Defeat or substantially impair the accomplishment of the 
objectives of a program or activity with respect to handicapped persons.
    (5) The agency, in the selection of procurement contractors, may not 
use criteria that subject qualified handicapped persons to 
discrimination on the basis of handicap.

[[Page 400]]

    (6) The agency may not administer a licensing or certification 
program in a manner that subjects qualified handicapped persons to 
discrimination on the basis of handicap, nor may the agency establish 
requirements for the programs or activities of licensees or certified 
entities that subject qualified handicapped persons to discrimination on 
the basis of handicap. However, the programs or activities of entities 
that are licensed or certified by the agency are not, themselves, 
covered by this part.
    (c) The exclusion of nonhandicapped persons from the benefits of a 
program limited by Federal statute or Executive order to handicapped 
persons or the exclusion of a specific class of handicapped persons from 
a program limited by Federal statute or Executive order to a different 
class of handicapped persons is not prohibited by this part.
    (d) The agency shall administer programs and activities in the most 
integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified handicapped 
persons.



Sec. Sec.  1153.131-1153.139  [Reserved]



Sec.  1153.140  Employment.

    No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be 
subjected to discrimination in employment under any program or activity 
conducted by the agency. The definitions, requirements, and procedures 
of section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791), as 
established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR 
part 1613, shall apply to employment in federally conducted programs or 
activities.



Sec. Sec.  1153.141-1153.148  [Reserved]



Sec.  1153.149  Program accessibility: Discrimination prohibited.

    Except as otherwise provided in Sec.  1153.150, no qualified 
handicapped person shall, because the agency's facilities are 
inaccessible to or unusable by handicapped persons, be denied the 
benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or otherwise be 
subjected to discrimination under any program or activity conducted by 
the agency.



Sec.  1153.150  Program accessibility: Existing facilities.

    (a) General. The agency shall operate each program or activity so 
that the program or activity, when viewed in its entirety, is readily 
accessible to and usable by handicapped persons. This paragraph does 
not--
    (1) Necessarily require the agency to make each of its existing 
facilities accessible to and usable by handicapped persons;
    (2) In the case of historic preservation programs, require the 
agency to take any action that would result in a substantial impairment 
of significant historic features of an historic property; or
    (3) Require the agency to take any action that it can demonstrate 
would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or 
activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. In those 
circumstances where agency personnel believe that the proposed action 
would fundamentally alter the program or activity or would result in 
undue financial and administrative burdens, the agency has the burden of 
proving that compliance with Sec.  1153.150(a) would result in such 
alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would result in such 
alteration or burdens must be made by the agency head or his or her 
designee after considering all agency resources available for use in the 
funding and operation of the conducted program or activity, and must be 
accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that 
conclusion. If an action would result in such an alteration or such 
burdens, the agency shall take any other action that would not result in 
such an alteration or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that 
handicapped persons receive the benefits and services of the program or 
activity.
    (b) Methods--(1) General. The agency may comply with the 
requirements of this section through such means as redesign of 
equipment, reassignment of services to accessible buildings, assignment 
of aides to beneficiaries, home visits, delivery of services at 
alternate accessible sites, alteration of existing facilities and 
construction of new facilities, use of accessible rolling stock,

[[Page 401]]

or any other methods that result in making its programs or activities 
readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons. The agency is 
not required to make structural changes in existing facilities where 
other methods are effective in achieving compliance with this section. 
The agency, in making alterations to existing buildings, shall meet 
accessibility requirements to the extent compelled by the Architectural 
Barriers Act of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151 through 4157), and any 
regulations implementing it. In choosing among available methods for 
meeting the requirements of this section, the agency shall give priority 
to those methods that offer programs and activities to qualified 
handicapped persons in the most integrated setting appropriate.
    (2) Historic preservation programs. In meeting the requirements of 
Sec.  1153.150(a) in historic preservation programs, the agency shall 
give priority to methods that provide physical access to handicapped 
persons. In cases where a physical alteration to an historic property is 
not required because of Sec.  1153.150(a)(2) or (a)(3), alternative 
methods of achieving program accessibility include--
    (i) Using audio-visual materials and devices to depict those 
portions of an historic property that cannot otherwise be made 
accessible;
    (ii) Assigning persons to guide handicapped persons into or through 
portions of historic properties that cannot otherwise be made 
accessible; or
    (iii) Adopting other innovative methods.
    (c) Time period for compliance. The agency shall comply with the 
obligations established under this section by October 21, 1986, except 
that where structural changes in facilities are undertaken, such changes 
shall be made by August 22, 1989, but in any event as expeditiously as 
possible.
    (d) Transition plan. In the event that structural changes to 
facilities will be undertaken to achieve program accessibility, the 
agency shall develop, by February 23, 1987, a transition plan setting 
forth the steps necessary to complete such changes. The agency shall 
provide an opportunity to interested persons, including handicapped 
persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, to 
participate in the development of the transition plan by submitting 
comments (both oral and written). A copy of the transition plan shall be 
made available for public inspection. The plan shall, at a minimum--
    (1) Identify physical obstacles in the agency's facilities that 
limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to handicapped 
persons;
    (2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the 
facilities accessible;
    (3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve 
compliance with this section and, if the time period of the transition 
plan is longer than one year, identify steps that will be taken during 
each year of the transition period; and
    (4) Indicate the official responsible for implementation of the 
plan.



Sec.  1153.151  Program accessibility: New construction and alterations.

    Each building or part of a building that is constructed or altered 
by, on behalf of, or for the use of the agency shall be designed, 
constructed, or altered so as to be readily accessible to and usable by 
handicapped persons. The definitions, requirements, and standards of the 
Architectural Barriers Act (42 U.S.C. 4151 through 4157), as established 
in 41 CFR 101-19.600 to 101-19.607, apply to buildings covered by this 
section.



Sec. Sec.  1153.152-1153.159  [Reserved]



Sec.  1153.160  Communications.

    (a) The agency shall take appropriate steps to ensure effective 
communication with applicants, participants, personnel of other Federal 
entities, and members of the public.
    (1) The agency shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids where 
necessary to afford a handicapped person an equal opportunity to 
participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a program or activity 
conducted by the agency.
    (i) In determining what type of auxiliary aid is necessary, the 
agency shall give primary consideration to the requests of the 
handicapped person.

[[Page 402]]

    (ii) The agency need not provide individually prescribed devices, 
readers for personal use or study, or other devices of a personal 
nature.
    (2) Where the agency communicates with applicants and beneficiaries 
by telephone, telecommunication devices for deaf person (TDD's) or 
equally effective telecommunication systems shall be used.
    (b) The agency shall ensure that interested persons, including 
persons with impaired vision or hearing, can obtain information as to 
the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and 
facilities.
    (c) The agency shall provide signage at a primary entrance to each 
of its inaccessible facilities, directing users to a location at which 
they can obtain information about accessible facilities. The 
international symbol for accessibility shall be used at each primary 
entrance of an accessible facility.
    (d) This section does not require the agency to take any action that 
it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the 
nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and adminstrative 
burdens. In those circumstances where agency personnel believe that the 
proposed action would fundamentally alter the program or activity or 
would result in undue financial and administrative burdens, the agency 
has the burden of proving that compliance with Sec.  1153.160 would 
result in such alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would 
result in such alteration or burdens must be made by the agency head or 
his or her designee after considering all agency resources available for 
use in the funding and operation of the conducted program or activity, 
and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for 
reaching that conclusion. If an action required to comply with this 
section would result in such an alteration or such burdens, the agency 
shall take any other action that would not result in such an alteration 
or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum 
extent possible, handicapped persons receive the benefits and services 
of the program or activity.



Sec. Sec.  1153.161-1153.169  [Reserved]



Sec.  1153.170  Compliance procedures.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this 
section applies to all allegations of discrimination on the basis of 
handicap in programs or activities conducted by the agency.
    (b) The agency shall process complaints alleging violations of 
section 504 with respect to employment according to the procedures 
established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR 
part 1613 pursuant to section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 
U.S.C. 791).
    (c) The Director, Office for Civil Rights, shall be responsible for 
coordinating implementation of this section. Complaints may be sent to 
the Office of General Counsel, National Endowment for the Arts, 1100 
Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20506.
    (d) The agency shall accept and investigate all complete complaints 
for which it has jurisdiction. All complete complaints must be filed 
within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination. The agency may 
extend this time period for good cause.
    (e) If the agency receives a complaint over which it does not have 
jurisdiction, it shall promptly notify the complainant and shall make 
reasonable efforts to refer the complaint to the appropriate government 
entity.
    (f) The agency shall notify the Architectural and Transportation 
Barriers Compliance Board upon receipt of any complaint alleging that a 
building or facility that is subject to the Architectural Barriers Act 
of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), or section 502 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 792), is not readily 
accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.
    (g) Within 180 days of the receipt of a complete complaint for which 
it has jurisdiction, the agency shall notify the complainant of the 
results of the investigation in a letter containing--
    (1) Findings of fact and conclusions of law;
    (2) A description of a remedy for each violation found; and
    (3) A notice of the right to appeal.
    (h) Appeals of the findings of fact and conclusions of law or 
remedies must be

[[Page 403]]

filed by the complainant within 90 days of receipt from the agency of 
the letter required by Sec.  1153.170(g). The agency may extend this 
time for good cause.
    (i) Timely appeals shall be accepted and processed by the head of 
the agency.
    (j) The head of the agency shall notify the complainant of the 
results of the appeal within 60 days of the receipt of the request. If 
the head of the agency determines that additional information is needed 
from the complainant, he or she shall have 60 days from the date of 
receipt of the additional information to make his or her determination 
on the appeal.
    (k) The time limits cited in paragraphs (g) and (j) of this section 
may be extended with the permission of the Assistant Attorney General.
    (l) The agency may delegate its authority for conducting complaint 
investigations to other Federal agencies, except that the authority for 
making the final determination may not be delegated to another agency.

[51 FR 22895, 22896, June 23, 1986, as amended at 51 FR 22895, June 23, 
1986]



Sec. Sec.  1153.171-1153.999  [Reserved]



PART 1156_NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF AGE--Table of Contents



                            Subpart A_General

Sec.
1156.1 Purpose.
1156.2 Application.
1156.3 Definitions.
1156.4 [Reserved]

      Subpart B_Standards for Determining Discriminatory Practices

1156.5 Purpose.
1156.6 Rules against age discrimination.
1156.7 Exceptions to the rules against age discrimination.
1156.8 Burden of proof.

           Subpart C_Responsibilities of Endowment Recipients

1156.9 [Reserved]
1156.10 General responsibilities.
1156.11 Notice to subrecipients.
1156.12 Self-evaluation.
1156.13 Information requirements.

    Subpart D_Investigation, Conciliation, and Enforcement Procedures

1156.14 Compliance reviews.
1156.15 Complaints.
1156.16 Mediation.
1156.17 Investigation.
1156.18 Prohibition against intimidation or retaliation.
1156.19 Compliance procedure.
1156.20 Alternate funds disbursal procedure.
1156.21 Exhaustion of administrative remedies.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.; 45 CFR part 90.

    Source: 63 FR 6876, Feb. 11, 1998, unless otherwise noted.



                            Subpart A_General



Sec.  1156.1  Purpose.

    The purpose of this part is to implement the Age Discrimination Act 
of 1975 (``Act''), as amended, and as required by the general age 
discrimination regulations at 45 CFR part 90. The Age Discrimination Act 
of 1975, as amended, is designed to prohibit discrimination on the basis 
of age in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance. 
The Act also permits federally assisted programs or activities, and 
recipients of Federal funds to continue to use certain age distinctions 
and factors other than age which meet the requirements of the Act and 
the regulations in this part.

[63 FR 6876, Feb. 11, 1998, as amended at 68 FR 51385, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1156.2  Application.

    (a) The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and the regulations in this 
part apply to any program or activity receiving financial assistance 
from the National Endowment for the Arts.
    (b) The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 does not apply to:
    (1) Any age distinction contained in that part of Federal, State, or 
local statute or ordinance adopted by an elected general purpose 
legislative body which:
    (i) Provides benefits or assistance to persons based on age; or
    (ii) Establishes criteria for participation in age-related terms; or
    (iii) Describes intended beneficiaries or target groups in age 
related terms.

[[Page 404]]

    (2) Any employment practice of any employer, employment agency, 
labor organization, or any labor-management joint apprenticeship 
training program, except for any program or activity receiving Federal 
financial assistance for public service employment under the Job 
Training Partnership Act (JTPA).

[63 FR 6876, Feb. 11, 1998, as amended at 68 FR 51385, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1156.3  Definitions.

    As used in the regulation in this part, the term:
    (a) Act means the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended (Title 
III of Pub. L. 94-135).
    (b) Action means any act, activity, policy, rule, standard, or 
method of administration; or the use of any policy, rule, standard, or 
method of administration.
    (c) Age means how old a person is or the number of elapsed years 
from the date of a person's birth.
    (d) Age distinction means any action using age or any age-related 
term.
    (e) Age-related term means a word or words which necessarily imply a 
particular age or range of ages (for example, ``children,'' ``adult,'' 
``older person,'' but not ``student'').
    (f) Federal financial assistance means any grant, entitlement, loan, 
cooperative agreement, contract (other than a procurement contract or a 
contract of insurance or guaranty), or any other arrangement by which 
the agency provides or otherwise makes available assistance in the form 
of:
    (1) Funds;
    (2) Services of Federal personnel; or
    (3) Real and personal property including:
    (i) Transfers or leases of property for less than fair market value 
or for reduced consideration; and
    (ii) Proceeds from a subsequent transfer or lease of property if the 
Federal share of its fair market value is not returned to the Federal 
government.
    (g) Normal operation means the operation of a program or activity 
without significant changes that would impair its ability to meet its 
objectives.
    (h) Program or activity means all of the operations of any entity 
described in paragraphs (h)(1) through (4) of this section, any part of 
which is extended Federal financial assistance:
    (1)(i) A department, agency, special purpose district, or other 
instrumentality of a State or of a local government; or
    (ii) The entity of such State or local government that distributes 
such assistance and each such department or agency (and each other State 
or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the 
case of assistance to a State or local government;
    (2)(i) A college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or 
a public system of higher education; or
    (ii) A local educational agency (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801), 
system of vocational education, or other school system;
    (3)(i) An entire corporation, partnership, or other private 
organization, or an entire sole proprietorship--
    (A) If assistance is extended to such corporation, partnership, 
private organization, or sole proprietorship as a whole; or
    (B) Which is principally engaged in the business of providing 
education, health care, housing, social services, or parks and 
recreation; or
    (ii) The entire plant or other comparable, geographically separate 
facility to which Federal financial assistance is extended, in the case 
of any other corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole 
proprietorship; or
    (4) Any other entity which is established by two or more of the 
entities described in paragraph (h)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.
    (i) Recipient means any State or its political subdivision, any 
instrumentality of a State or its political subdivision, any public or 
private agency, institution, organization, or other entity, or any 
person to which Federal financial assistance is extended, directly or 
through another recipient. Recipient includes any successor, assignee, 
or transferee, but excludes the ultimate beneficiary of the assistance.
    (j) Statutory objective means any purpose of a program or activity 
expressly stated in any Federal statute, state statute, or local statute 
or ordinance

[[Page 405]]

adopted by an elected, general purpose legislative body.
    (k) Sub-recipient means any of the entities in the definition of 
recipient to which a recipient extends or passes on Federal financial 
assistance and has all the duties of a recipient in the regulations in 
this part.
    (l) Endowment means the National Endowment for the Arts.
    (m) Chairperson means the Chairperson of the National Endowment for 
the Arts.
    (n) Secretary means the Secretary of the Department of Health and 
Human Services.
    (o) United States means the fifty States, the District of Columbia, 
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Somoa, Guam, Wake Island, the 
Canal Zone, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of 
Palau, the Northern Marianas, and the territories and possessions of the 
United States.

[63 FR 6876, Feb. 11, 1998, as amended at 68 FR 51385, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1156.4  [Reserved]



      Subpart B_Standards for Determining Discriminatory Practices



Sec.  1156.5  Purpose.

    The purpose of this subpart is to set forth the prohibitions against 
age discrimination and the exceptions to those prohibitions.



Sec.  1156.6  Rules against age discrimination.

    The rules stated in this section are limited by the exceptions 
contained in Sec.  1156.7 (b) and (c).
    (a) General rule. No person in the United States shall, on the basis 
of age, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or 
be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving 
Federal financial assistance.
    (b) Specific rules. A recipient may not, in any program or activity 
receiving Federal financial assistance, directly or through contractual, 
licensing, or other arrangements use age distinctions or take any other 
actions which have the effect, on the basis of age, of:
    (1) Excluding individuals from, denying them the benefits of, or 
subjecting them to discrimination under a program or activity receiving 
Federal financial assistance; or
    (2) Denying or limiting individuals in their opportunity to 
participate in any program or activity receiving Federal financial 
assistance.
    (c) The specific forms of age discrimination listed in paragraph (b) 
of this section do not necessarily constitute a complete list of 
discriminatory actions.



Sec.  1156.7  Exceptions to the rules against age discrimination.

    (a) Normal operation or statutory objective of any program or 
activity. A recipient is permitted to take an action otherwise 
prohibited by Sec.  1156.6 if the action reasonably takes into account 
age as a factor necessary to the normal operation or the achievement of 
any statutory objective of a program or activity, if:
    (1) Age is used as a measure or approximation of one or more other 
characteristics; and
    (2) The other characteristic(s) must be measured or approximated in 
order for the normal operation of the program or activity to continue, 
or to achieve any statutory objective of the program or activity; and
    (3) The other characteristic(s) can be reasonably measured or 
approximated by the use of age; and
    (4) The other characteristic(s) are impractical to measure directly 
on an individual basis.
    (b) Reasonable factors other than age. A recipient is permitted to 
take an action otherwise prohibited by Sec.  1156.6 which is based on a 
factor other than age, even though that action may have a 
disproportionate effect on persons of different ages. An action may be 
based on a factor other than age only if the factor bears a direct and 
substantial relationship to the normal operation of the program or 
activity or to the achievement of a statutory objective.
    (c) Remedial and affirmative action by recipients. If a recipient 
operating a program or activity which serves the elderly or children in 
addition to persons of other ages, provides special benefits to the 
elderly or to children

[[Page 406]]

the provision of those benefits shall be presumed to be voluntary 
affirmative action provided that it does not have the effect of 
excluding otherwise eligible persons from participation in the program 
or activity.

[63 FR 6876, Feb. 11, 1998, as amended at 68 FR 51385, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1156.8  Burden of proof.

    The recipient of Federal financial assistance bears the burden of 
proving that an age distinction or other action falls within the 
exceptions outlined in Sec.  1156.7.



           Subpart C_Responsibilities of Endowment Recipients



Sec.  1156.9  [Reserved]



Sec.  1156.10  General responsibilities.

    A recipient has primary responsibility to ensure that its programs 
or activities are in compliance with the Age Discrimination Act, to take 
steps to eliminate violations of the Act, and to provide notice to 
beneficiaries of its programs and activities concerning protection 
against discrimination provided by the Act and the regulations in this 
part. A recipient also has responsibility to maintain records, provide 
information, and to afford access to its records to the Endowment to the 
extent required to determine whether it is in compliance with the Act.

[63 FR 6876, Feb. 11, 1998, as amended at 68 FR 51385, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1156.11  Notice to subrecipients.

    Where a recipient passes on Federal financial assistance from the 
Endowment to subrecipients, the recipient shall provide the 
subrecipients with written notice regarding the subrecipient's 
obligations under the Act and the regulations in this part.



Sec.  1156.12  Self-evaluation.

    (a) Each recipient employing the equivalent of 15 or more full time 
employees may be required to complete a written self-evaluation, in a 
manner specified by the responsible Endowment official during the course 
of an investigation, of any age distinction imposed in its program or 
activity receiving Federal financial assistance from the Endowment to 
assess the recipient's compliance with the Act.
    (b) Each recipient shall take corrective and remedial action 
whenever a self-evaluation indicates a violation of the Act.
    (c) Each recipient shall make the self-evaluation available on 
request to the Endowment and to the public for a period of three years 
following its completion.



Sec.  1156.13  Information requirements.

    Each recipient shall:
    (a) Make available to the Endowment, upon request, information 
necessary to determine whether the recipient is complying with the 
regulations in this part.
    (b) Permit reasonable access by the Endowment to the books, accounts 
and other recipient facilities and sources of information to the extent 
necessary to determine whether the recipient is in compliance with the 
Act.



    Subpart D_Investigation, Conciliation, and Enforcement Procedures



Sec.  1156.14  Compliance reviews.

    The Endowment may conduct compliance reviews, pre-award reviews and 
other similar procedures in order to investigate and correct violations 
of the Act and regulations. The Endowment may conduct these reviews in 
the absence of a compliant against the recipient. In the event a 
compliance review or pre-award review indicates a violation of the 
regulations in this part, the Endowment will attempt to achieve 
voluntary compliance with the Act. If voluntary compliance cannot be 
achieved, enforcement efforts will proceed as described in Sec.  
1156.19.



Sec.  1156.15  Complaints.

    (a) Any person, individually or as a member of a class or on behalf 
of others, may file a complaint with the Endowment, alleging 
discrimination prohibited by the Act and the regulations in this part 
based on an action occurring on or after July 1, 1979. A complainant 
shall file a complaint within

[[Page 407]]

180 days from the date that the complainant first had knowledge of the 
alleged act of discrimination. However, for good cause, the Endowment 
may extend this time limit. The Endowment will consider the date a 
complaint is filed to be the date upon which the complaint is sufficient 
to be processed.
    (b) Complaints must include a written statement identifying the 
parties involved, describing the alleged violation, and stating the date 
on which the complainant first had knowledge of the alleged violation. 
Complaints must be signed by the complainant. The Endowment will return 
any complaint that does not contain the necessary information, that is 
not signed by the complainant, or that is not within the Endowment's 
jurisdiction for any other reason. The Endowment will provide an 
explanation for all such returned complaints.
    (c) The Endowment will attempt to facilitate the filing of 
complaints wherever possible, including taking the following measures:
    (1) Widely disseminating information regarding the obligations of 
recipients under the Act and the regulations in this part.
    (2) Notifying the complainant and the recipient of their rights and 
obligations under the complaint procedure, including the right to have a 
representative at all stages of the complaint procedure.
    (3) Notifying the complainant and the recipient (or their 
representatives) of their right to contact the Endowment for information 
and assistance regarding the complaint resolution process.



Sec.  1156.16  Mediation.

    (a) Referral of complaints for mediation. The Endowment will 
promptly refer all complaints to the agency designated by the Secretary 
of HHS to manage the mediation process that:
    (1) Fall within the jurisdiction of the regulations in this part; 
and
    (2) Contain all information necessary for further processing.
    (b) Both the complainant and the recipient shall participate in the 
mediation process to the extent necessary to reach an agreement or make 
an informal judgment that an agreement is not possible. There must be at 
least one meeting with the mediator before the Endowment will accept a 
judgment that an agreement is not possible. However, the recipient and 
the complainant need not meet with the mediator at the same time.
    (c) If the complainant and recipient reach a mutually satisfactory 
resolution of the complaint during the mediation period, they shall 
reduce the agreement to wiring. The mediator shall send a copy of the 
settlement to the Endowment. No further action shall be taken by the 
Endowment based on that complaint unless it appears that the complainant 
or the recipient has failed to comply with the agreement.
    (d) The mediator shall protect the confidentiality of all 
information obtained in the course of the mediation process. No mediator 
shall testify in any adjudicative proceeding, produce any document, or 
otherwise disclose any information obtained in the course of the 
mediation process without prior approval of the head of the mediation 
agency.
    (e) Not more than 60 days after the Endowment receives the 
complaint, the mediator shall return a still unresolved complaint to the 
Endowment for initial investigation. The mediator may return a complaint 
at any time before the end of the 60-day period if it appears that the 
complaint cannot be resolved through mediation. The mediator may extend 
this 60-day period, provided the Endowment concurs, for not more than 30 
days, if the mediator determines that resolution is likely to occur 
within such period.



Sec.  1156.17  Investigation.

    (a) Informal investigation. (1) The Endowment will investigate 
complaints that are unresolved after mediation or are reopened because 
of a violation of a mediation agreement.
    (2) As part of the initial investigation, the Endowment will use 
informal fact-finding methods, including joint or separate discussions 
with the complainant and the recipient to establish the facts, and, if 
possible, resolve the complaint to the mutual satisfaction of the 
parties. The Endowment may seek

[[Page 408]]

the assistance of any involved State agency.
    (3) The Endowment will put any agreement in writing and have it 
signed by the parties and an authorized official at the Endowment.
    (4) The settlement shall not affect the operation of any other 
enforcement effort of the Endowment, including compliance reviews and 
investigation of other complaints which may involve the recipient.
    (5) The settlement is not a finding of discrimination against a 
recipient.
    (b) Formal investigation, conciliation, and hearing. If the 
Endowment cannot resolve the complaint during the early stages of the 
investigation, it shall:
    (1) Complete the investigation of the complaint.
    (2) Attempt to achieve voluntary compliance satisfactory to the 
Endowment, if the investigation indicates a violation.
    (3) Arrange for enforcement as described in Sec.  1156.19, if 
necessary.

[63 FR 6876, Feb. 11, 1998, as amended at 68 FR 51385, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1156.18  Prohibition against intimidation or retaliation.

    A recipient may not engage in acts of intimidation or retaliation 
against any person who:
    (a) Attempts to assert a right protected by the Act; or
    (b) Cooperates in any mediation, investigation, hearing, or other 
part of the Endowment's investigation, conciliation and enforcement 
process.



Sec.  1156.19  Compliance procedure.

    (a) The Endowment may enforce the Act and the regulations in this 
part through:
    (1) Termination of a recipient's Federal financial assistance from 
the Endowment under the program or activity involved where the recipient 
has violated the Act and the regulations in this part. The determination 
of the recipient's violation may be made only after a recipient has had 
an opportunity for a hearing on the record before an administrative law 
judge. Therefore, a case which is settled in mediation, or prior to a 
hearing, will not involve termination of a recipient's Federal financial 
assistance from the Endowment unless it is reopened because of a 
violation of the agreement.
    (2) Any other means authorized by law including, but not limited to:
    (i) Referral to the Department of Justice for proceedings to enforce 
any rights of the United States or obligations of the recipient created 
by the Act or the regulations in this part.
    (ii) Use of any requirement of or referral to any Federal, State, or 
local government agency that will have the effect of correcting a 
violation of the Act or the regulations in this part.
    (b) The Endowment will limit any termination under paragraph (a)(1) 
of this section to the particular recipient and particular program or 
activity or portion thereof that the Endowment finds in violation of the 
regulations in this part. The Endowment will not base any part of a 
termination on a finding with respect to any program or activity of the 
recipient which does not receive Federal financial assistance from the 
Endowment.
    (c) The Endowment will not take action under paragraph (a) of this 
section until:
    (1) The Chairperson has advised the recipient of its failure to 
comply with the Act and the regulations in this part and has determined 
that voluntary compliance cannot be obtained.
    (2) Thirty days have elapsed after the Chairperson has sent a 
written report of the circumstances and grounds of the action to the 
committees of the Congress having legislative jurisdiction over the 
program or activity involved. The Chairperson will file a report 
whenever any action is taken under paragraph (a) of this section.
    (d) The Chairperson also may defer granting new Federal financial 
assistance from the Endowment to a recipient when a hearing under 
paragraph (a)(1) of this section is initiated.
    (1) New Federal financial assistance from the Endowment includes all 
assistance for which the Endowment requires an application or approval, 
including renewal or continuation of existing activities, or 
authorization of new activities, during the deferral period. New Federal 
financial assistance from the Endowment does not include assistance 
approved prior to the beginning of a termination hearing under

[[Page 409]]

paragraph (a)(1) of this section or increases in funding as a result of 
changed computation of formula awards.
    (2) The Endowment will not begin a deferral until the recipient has 
received a notice of an opportunity for a hearing under paragraph (a)(1) 
of this section. The Endowment will not continue a deferral for more 
than 60 days unless a hearing has begun within that time or the time for 
beginning the hearing has been extended by mutual consent of the 
recipient and the Chairperson. The Endowment will not continue a 
deferral for more than 30 days after the close of the hearing, unless 
the hearing results in a finding against the recipient. If the hearing 
results in a finding against the recipient, the Endowment must terminate 
funds.

[63 FR 6876, Feb. 11, 1998, as amended at 68 FR 51385, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1156.20  Alternate funds disbursal procedure.

    (a) When the endowment withholds funds from a recipient under the 
regulations in this part, the Chairperson may disburse the withheld 
funds directly to an alternate recipient otherwise eligible for 
Endowment support: any public or nonprofit private organization or 
agency, or State or political subdivision of the State.
    (b) The Chairperson will require any alternate recipient to 
demonstrate:
    (1) The ability to comply with the regulations in this part; and
    (2) The ability to achieve the goals of the Federal statute 
authorizing the Federal financial assistance.

[63 FR 6876, Feb. 11, 1998, as amended at 68 FR 51385, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1156.21  Exhaustion of administrative remedies.

    (a) A complainant may file a civil action following the exhaustion 
of administrative remedies under the Act. Administrative remedies are 
exhausted if:
    (1) 180 days have elapsed since the complainant filed the complaint 
and the Endowment has made no finding with regard to the complaint; or
    (2) The Endowment issues a finding in favor of the recipient.
    (b) If the Endowment fails to make a finding within 180 days or 
issues a finding in favor of the recipient, the Endowment will:
    (1) Promptly advise the complainant if either of the conditions of 
paragraph (a) of this section has been met;
    (2) Advise the complainant of his or her right to bring a civil 
action for injunctive relief that will effect the purpose of the Act;
    (3) Inform the complainant:
    (i) That the complainant may bring a civil action only in the United 
States district court for the district in which the recipient is located 
or transacts business;
    (ii) That a complainant prevailing in a civil action has the right 
to be awarded the costs of the action, including reasonable attorney's 
fees, but that the complainant must demand these costs in the complaint;
    (iii) That before commencing the action the complainant shall give 
30 days notice by registered mail to the Chairperson of the Endowment, 
the Secretary, the Attorney General of the United States, and the 
recipient;
    (iv) That the notice must state: the alleged violation of the Act; 
the relief requested; the court in which the complainant is bringing the 
action; and whether or not the attorney's fees are demanded in the event 
the complainant prevails; and
    (v) That the complainant may not bring an action if the same alleged 
violation of the Act by the same recipient is the subject of a pending 
action in any court of the United States.

                          PART 1157 [RESERVED]



PART 1158_NEW RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING--Table of Contents



                            Subpart A_General

Sec.
1158.100 Conditions on use of funds.
1158.105 Definitions.
1158.110 Certification and disclosure.

                  Subpart B_Activities by Own Employees

1158.200 Agency and legislative liaison.
1158.205 Professional and technical services.
1158.210 Reporting.

[[Page 410]]

            Subpart C_Activities by Other Than Own Employees

1158.300 Professional and technical services.

                   Subpart D_Penalties and Enforcement

1158.400 Penalties.
1158.405 Penalty procedures.
1158.410 Enforcement.

                          Subpart E_Exemptions

1158.500 Secretary of Defense.

                        Subpart F_Agency Reports

1158.600 Semi-annual compilation.
1158.605 Inspector General report.

Appendix A to Part 1158--Certification Regarding Lobbying
Appendix B to Part 1158--Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying

    Authority: 20 U.S.C. 959; 28 U.S.C. 2461; 31 U.S.C. 1352.

    Source: 55 FR 6737, 6755, Feb. 26, 1990, unless otherwise noted.

    Cross Reference: See also Office of Management and Budget notice 
published at 54 FR 52306, December 20, 1989.



                            Subpart A_General



Sec.  1158.100  Conditions on use of funds.

    (a) No appropriated funds may be expended by the recipient of a 
Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative ageement to pay any person 
for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any 
agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an 
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with any of the following 
covered Federal actions: the awarding of any Federal contract, the 
making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the 
entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, 
continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
    (b) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement shall file with that 
agency a certification, set forth in appendix A, that the person has not 
made, and will not make, any payment prohibited by paragraph (a) of this 
section.
    (c) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or a cooperative agreement shall file with that 
agency a disclosure form, set forth in appendix B, if such person has 
made or has agreed to make any payment using nonappropriated funds (to 
include profits from any covered Federal action), which would be 
prohibited under paragraph (a) of this section if paid for with 
appropriated funds.
    (d) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a commitment 
providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan shall file 
with that agency a statement, set forth in appendix A, whether that 
person has made or has agreed to make any payment to influence or 
attempt to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member 
of Congress in connection with that loan insurance or guarantee.
    (e) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a commitment 
providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan shall file 
with that agency a disclosure form, set forth in appendix B, if that 
person has made or has agreed to make any payment to influence or 
attempt to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member 
of Congress in connection with that loan insurance or guarantee.



Sec.  1158.105  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part:
    (a) Agency, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 552(f), includes Federal 
executive departments and agencies as well as independent regulatory 
commissions and Government corporations, as defined in 31 U.S.C. 
9101(1).
    (b) Covered Federal action means any of the following Federal 
actions:
    (1) The awarding of any Federal contract;
    (2) The making of any Federal grant;
    (3) The making of any Federal loan;
    (4) The entering into of any cooperative agreement; and,
    (5) The extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification 
of

[[Page 411]]

any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.

Covered Federal action does not include receiving from an agency a 
commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a 
loan. Loan guarantees and loan insurance are addressed independently 
within this part.
    (c) Federal contract means an acquisition contract awarded by an 
agency, including those subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation 
(FAR), and any other acquisition contract for real or personal property 
or services not subject to the FAR.
    (d) Federal cooperative agreement means a cooperative agreement 
entered into by an agency.
    (e) Federal grant means an award of financial assistance in the form 
of money, or property in lieu of money, by the Federal Government or a 
direct appropriation made by law to any person. The term does not 
include technical assistance which provides services instead of money, 
or other assistance in the form of revenue sharing, loans, loan 
guarantees, loan insurance, interest subsidies, insurance, or direct 
United States cash assistance to an individual.
    (f) Federal loan means a loan made by an agency. The term does not 
include loan guarantee or loan insurance.
    (g) Indian tribe and tribal organization have the meaning provided 
in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 450B). Alaskan Natives are included under the definitions 
of Indian tribes in that Act.
    (h) Influencing or attempting to influence means making, with the 
intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before an 
officer or employee or any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or 
employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in 
connection with any covered Federal action.
    (i) Loan guarantee and loan insurance means an agency's guarantee or 
insurance of a loan made by a person.
    (j) Local government means a unit of government in a State and, if 
chartered, established, or otherwise recognized by a State for the 
performance of a governmental duty, including a local public authority, 
a special district, an intrastate district, a council of governments, a 
sponsor group representative organization, and any other instrumentality 
of a local government.
    (k) Officer or employee of an agency includes the following 
individuals who are employed by an agency:
    (1) An individual who is appointed to a position in the Government 
under title 5, U.S. Code, including a position under a temporary 
appointment;
    (2) A member of the uniformed services as defined in section 101(3), 
title 37, U.S. Code;
    (3) A special Government employee as defined in section 202, title 
18, U.S. Code; and,
    (4) An individual who is a member of a Federal advisory committee, 
as defined by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, title 5, U.S. Code 
appendix 2.
    (l) Person means an individual, corporation, company, association, 
authority, firm, partnership, society, State, and local government, 
regardless of whether such entity is operated for profit or not for 
profit. This term excludes an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or any 
other Indian organization with respect to expenditures specifically 
permitted by other Federal law.
    (m) Reasonable compensation means, with respect to a regularly 
employed officer or employee of any person, compensation that is 
consistent with the normal compensation for such officer or employee for 
work that is not furnished to, not funded by, or not furnished in 
cooperation with the Federal Government.
    (n) Reasonable payment means, with respect to perfessional and other 
technical services, a payment in an amount that is consistent with the 
amount normally paid for such services in the private sector.
    (o) Recipient includes all contractors, subcontractors at any tier, 
and subgrantees at any tier of the recipient of funds received in 
connection with a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative 
agreement. The term excludes an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or 
any other Indian organization with respect to expenditures specifically 
permitted by other Federal law.

[[Page 412]]

    (p) Regularly employed means, with respect to an officer or employee 
of a person requesting or receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or 
cooperative agreement or a commitment providing for the United States to 
insure or guarantee a loan, an officer or employee who is employed by 
such person for at least 130 working days within one year immediately 
preceding the date of the submission that initiates agency consideration 
of such person for receipt of such contract, grant, loan, cooperative 
agreement, loan insurance commitment, or loan guarantee commitment. An 
officer or employee who is employed by such person for less than 130 
working days within one year immediately preceding the date of the 
submission that initiates agency consideration of such person shall be 
considered to be regularly employed as soon as he or she is employed by 
such person for 130 working days.
    (q) State means a State of the United States, the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory or possession of 
the United States, an agency or instrumentality of a State, and a multi-
State, regional, or interstate entity having governmental duties and 
powers.



Sec.  1158.110  Certification and disclosure.

    (a) Each person shall file a certification, and a disclosure form, 
if required, with each submission that initiates agency consideration of 
such person for:
    (1) Award of a Federal contract, grant, or cooperative agreement 
exceeding $100,000; or
    (2) An award of a Federal loan or a commitment providing for the 
United States to insure or guarantee a loan exceeding $150,000.
    (b) Each person shall file a certification, and a disclosure form, 
if required, upon receipt by such person of:
    (1) A Federal contract, grant, or cooperative agreement exceeding 
$100,000; or
    (2) A Federal loan or a commitment providing for the United States 
to insure or guarantee a loan exceeding $150,000,

unless such person previously filed a certification, and a disclosure 
form, if required, under paragraph (a) of this section.
    (c) Each person shall file a disclosure form at the end of each 
calendar quarter in which there occurs any event that requires 
disclosure or that materially affects the accuracy of the information 
contained in any disclosure form previously filed by such person under 
paragraph (a) or (b) of this section. An event that materially affects 
the accuracy of the information reported includes:
    (1) A cumulative increase of $25,000 or more in the amount paid or 
expected to be paid for influencing or attempting to influence a covered 
Federal action; or
    (2) A change in the person(s) or individual(s) influencing or 
attempting to influence a covered Federal action; or,
    (3) A change in the officer(s), employee(s), or Member(s) contacted 
to influence or attempt to influence a covered Federal action.
    (d) Any person who requests or receives from a person referred to in 
paragraph (a) or (b) of this section:
    (1) A subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any tier under a Federal 
contract;
    (2) A subgrant, contract, or subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any 
tier under a Federal grant;
    (3) A contract or subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any tier under a 
Federal loan exceeding $150,000; or,
    (4) A contract or subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any tier under a 
Federal cooperative agreement,

shall file a certification, and a disclosure form, if required, to the 
next tier above.
    (e) All disclosure forms, but not certifications, shall be forwarded 
from tier to tier until received by the person referred to in paragraph 
(a) or (b) of this section. That person shall forward all disclosure 
forms to the agency.
    (f) Any certification or disclosure form filed under paragraph (e) 
of this section shall be treated as a material representation of fact 
upon which all receiving tiers shall rely. All liability arising from an 
erroneous representation shall be borne solely by the tier filing that 
representation and shall not be shared by any tier to which the 
erroneous representation is forwarded. Submitting an erroneous 
certification

[[Page 413]]

or disclosure constitutes a failure to file the required certification 
or disclosure, respectively. If a person fails to file a required 
certification or disclosure, the United States may pursue all available 
remedies, including those authorized by section 1352, title 31, U.S. 
Code.
    (g) For awards and commitments in process prior to December 23, 
1989, but not made before that date, certifications shall be required at 
award or commitment, covering activities occurring between December 23, 
1989, and the date of award or commitment. However, for awards and 
commitments in process prior to the December 23, 1989 effective date of 
these provisions, but not made before December 23, 1989, disclosure 
forms shall not be required at time of award or commitment but shall be 
filed within 30 days.
    (h) No reporting is required for an activity paid for with 
appropriated funds if that activity is allowable under either subpart B 
or C.



                  Subpart B_Activities by Own Employees



Sec.  1158.200  Agency and legislative liaison.

    (a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in Sec.  
1158.100 (a), does not apply in the case of a payment of reasonable 
compensation made to an officer or employee of a person requesting or 
receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement if 
the payment is for agency and legislative liaison activities not 
directly related to a covered Federal action.
    (b) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, providing any 
information specifically requested by an agency or Congress is allowable 
at any time.
    (c) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the following 
agency and legislative liaison activities are allowable at any time only 
where they are not related to a specific solicitation for any covered 
Federal action:
    (1) Discussing with an agency (including individual demonstrations) 
the qualities and characteristics of the person's products or services, 
conditions or terms of sale, and service capabilities; and,
    (2) Technical discussions and other activities regarding the 
application or adaptation of the person's products or services for an 
agency's use.
    (d) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the following 
agencies and legislative liaison activities are allowable only where 
they are prior to formal solicitation of any covered Federal action:
    (1) Providing any information not specifically requested but 
necessary for an agency to make an informed decision about initiation of 
a covered Federal action;
    (2) Technical discussions regarding the preparation of an 
unsolicited proposal prior to its official submission; and,
    (3) Capability presentations by persons seeking awards from an 
agency pursuant to the provisions of the Small Business Act, as amended 
by Pub. L. 95-507 and other subsequent amendments.
    (e) Only those activities expressly authorized by this section are 
allowable under this section.



Sec.  1158.205  Professional and technical services.

    (a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in Sec.  
1158.100 (a), does not apply in the case of a payment of reasonable 
compensation made to an officer or employee of a person requesting or 
receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement or 
an extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of a 
Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement if payment is 
for professional or technical services rendered directly in the 
preparation, submission, or negotiation of any bid, proposal, or 
application for that Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative 
agreement or for meeting requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a 
condition for receiving that Federal contract, grant, loan, or 
cooperative agreement.
    (b) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, professional and 
technical services shall be limited to advice and

[[Page 414]]

analysis directly applying any professional or technical discipline. For 
example, drafting of a legal document accompanying a bid or proposal by 
a lawyer is allowable. Similarly, technical advice provided by an 
engineer on the performance or operational capability of a piece of 
equipment rendered directly in the negotiation of a contract is 
allowable. However, communications with the intent to influence made by 
a professional (such as a licensed lawyer) or a technical person (such 
as a licensed accountant) are not allowable under this section unless 
they provide advice and analysis directly applying their professional or 
technical expertise and unless the advice or analysis is rendered 
directly and solely in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a 
covered Federal action. Thus, for example, communications with the 
intent to influence made by a lawyer that do not provide legal advice or 
analysis directly and solely related to the legal aspects of his or her 
client's proposal, but generally advocate one proposal over another are 
not allowable under this section because the lawyer is not providing 
professional legal services. Similarly, communications with the intent 
to influence made by an engineer providing an engineering analysis prior 
to the preparation or submission of a bid or proposal are not allowable 
under this section since the engineer is providing technical services 
but not directly in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a 
covered Federal action.
    (c) Requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for 
receiving a covered Federal award include those required by law r 
regulation, or reasonably expected to be required by law or regulation, 
and any other requirements in the actual award documents.
    (d) Only those services expressly authorized by this section are 
allowable under this section.



Sec.  1158.210  Reporting.

    No reporting is required with respect to payments of reasonable 
compensation made to regularly employed officers or employees of a 
person.



            Subpart C_Activities by Other Than Own Employees



Sec.  1158.300  Professional and technical services.

    (a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in Sec.  
1158.100 (a), does not apply in the case of any reasonable payment to a 
person, other than an officer or employee of a person requesting or 
receiving a covered Federal action, if the payment is for professional 
or technical services rendered directly in the preparation, submission, 
or negotiation of any bid, proposal, or application for that Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement or for meeting 
requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for receiving 
that Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
    (b) The reporting requirements in Sec.  1158.110 (a) and (b) 
regarding filing a disclosure form by each person, if required, shall 
not apply with respect to professional or technical services rendered 
directly in the preparation, submission, or negotiation of any 
commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a 
loan.
    (c) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, professional and 
technical services shall be limited to advice and analysis directly 
applying any professional or technical discipline. For example, drafting 
or a legal document accompanying a bid or proposal by a lawyer is 
allowable. Similarly, technical advice provided by an engineer on the 
performance or operational capability of a piece of equipment rendered 
directly in the negotiation of a contract is allowable. However, 
communications with the intent to influence made by a professional (such 
as a licensed lawyer) or a technical person (such as a licensed 
accountant) are not allowable under this section unless they provide 
advice and analysis directly applying their professional or technical 
expertise and unless the advice or analysis is rendered directly and 
solely in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a covered 
Federal action. Thus, for example, communications with the intent to 
influence made by a lawyer that do not provide legal advice or analysis 
directly and solely related to the legal aspects of his or her client's

[[Page 415]]

proposal, but generally advocate one proposal over another are not 
allowable under this section because the lawyer is not providing 
professional legal services. Similarly, communications with the intent 
to influence made by an engineer providing an engineering analysis prior 
to the preparation or submission of a bid or proposal are not allowable 
under this section since the engineer is providing technical services 
but not directly in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a 
covered Federal action.
    (d) Requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for 
receiving a covered Federal award include those required by law or 
regulation, or reasonably expected to be required by law or regulation, 
and any other requirements in the actual award documents.
    (e) Persons other than officers or employees of a person requesting 
or receiving a covered Federal action include consultants and trade 
associations.
    (f) Only those services expressly authorized by this section are 
allowable under this section.



                   Subpart D_Penalties and Enforcement



Sec.  1158.400  Penalties.

    (a) Any person who makes an expenditure prohibited herein shall be 
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $23,714 and not more than 
$237,268 for each such expenditure.
    (b) Any person who fails to file or amend the disclosure form (see 
appendix B of this part) to be filed or amended if required herein, 
shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $23,714 and not 
more than $237,268 for each such failure.
    (c) A filing or amended filing on or after the date on which an 
administrative action for the imposition of a civil penalty is commenced 
does not prevent the imposition of such civil penalty for a failure 
occurring before that date. An administrative action is commenced with 
respect to a failure when an investigating official determines in 
writing to commence an investigation of an allegation of such failure.
    (d) In determining whether to impose a civil penalty, and the amount 
of any such penalty, by reason of a violation by any person, the agency 
shall consider the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the 
violation, the effect on the ability of such person to continue in 
business, any prior violations by such person, the degree of culpability 
of such person, the ability of the person to pay the penalty, and such 
other matters as may be appropriate.
    (e) First offenders under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section shall 
be subject to a civil penalty of $23,714, absent aggravating 
circumstances. Second and subsequent offenses by persons shall be 
subject to an appropriate civil penalty between $23,714 and $237,268, as 
determined by the agency head or his or her designee.
    (f) An imposition of a civil penalty under this section does not 
prevent the United States from seeking any other remedy that may apply 
to the same conduct that is the basis for the imposition of such civil 
penalty.

[55 FR 6737, 6755, Feb. 26, 1990, as amended at 82 FR 27434, June 15, 
2017; 83 FR 2073, Jan. 16, 2018; 84 FR 1404, Feb. 4, 2019; 85 FR 1760, 
Jan. 13, 2020; 86 FR 10031, Feb. 18, 2021; 87 FR 2067, Jan. 13, 2022; 88 
FR 2006, Jan. 12, 2023]



Sec.  1158.405  Penalty procedures.

    Agencies shall impose and collect civil penalties pursuant to the 
provisions of the Program Fraud and Civil Remedies Act, 31 U.S.C. 
sections 3803 (except subsection (c)), 3804, 3805, 3806, 3807, 3808, and 
3812, insofar as these provisions are not inconsistent with the 
requirements herein.



Sec.  1158.410  Enforcement.

    The head of each agency shall take such actions as are necessary to 
ensure that the provisions herein are vigorously implemented and 
enforced in that agency.



                          Subpart E_Exemptions



Sec.  1158.500  Secretary of Defense.

    (a) The Secretary of Defense may exempt, on a case-by-case basis, a 
covered Federal action from the prohibition whenever the Secretary 
determines, in writing, that such an exemption is in the national 
interest. The

[[Page 416]]

Secretary shall transmit a copy of each such written exemption to 
Congress immediately after making such a determination.
    (b) The Department of Defense may issue supplemental regulations to 
implement paragraph (a) of this section.



                        Subpart F_Agency Reports



Sec.  1158.600  Semi-annual compilation.

    (a) The head of each agency shall collect and compile the disclosure 
reports (see appendix B) and, on May 31 and November 30 of each year, 
submit to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives a report containing a compilation of the information 
contained in the disclosure reports received during the six-month period 
ending on March 31 or September 30, respectively, of that year.
    (b) The report, including the compilation, shall be available for 
public inspection 30 days after receipt of the report by the Secretary 
and the Clerk.
    (c) Information that involves intelligence matters shall be reported 
only to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, the 
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
Representatives, and the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives in accordance with procedures agreed to by 
such committees. Such information shall not be available for public 
inspection.
    (d) Information that is classified under Executive Order 12356 or 
any successor order shall be reported only to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives or the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives (whichever such committees have 
jurisdiction of matters involving such information) and to the 
Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives in accordance with procedures agreed to by such 
committees. Such information shall not be available for public 
inspection.
    (e) The first semi-annual compilation shall be submitted on May 31, 
1990, and shall contain a compilation of the disclosure reports received 
from December 23, 1989 to March 31, 1990.
    (f) Major agencies, designated by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), are required to provide machine-readable compilations to 
the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives no later than with the compilations due on May 31, 1991. 
OMB shall provide detailed specifications in a memorandum to these 
agencies.
    (g) Non-major agencies are requested to provide machine-readable 
compilations to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House 
of Representatives.
    (h) Agencies shall keep the originals of all disclosure reports in 
the official files of the agency.



Sec.  1158.605  Inspector General report.

    (a) The Inspector General, or other official as specified in 
paragraph (b) of this section, of each agency shall prepare and submit 
to Congress each year, commencing with submission of the President's 
Budget in 1991, an evaluation of the compliance of that agency with, and 
the effectiveness of, the requirements herein. The evaluation may 
include any recommended changes that may be necessary to strengthen or 
improve the requirements.
    (b) In the case of an agency that does not have an Inspector 
General, the agency official comparable to an Inspector General shall 
prepare and submit the annual report, or, if there is no such comparable 
official, the head of the agency shall prepare and submit the annual 
report.
    (c) The annual report shall be submitted at the same time the agency 
submits its annual budget justifications to Congress.
    (d) The annual report shall include the following: All alleged 
violations relating to the agency's covered Federal actions during the 
year covered by the report, the actions taken by the head of the agency 
in the year covered by the report with respect to those alleged 
violations and alleged violations in previous years, and the amounts of 
civil penalties imposed by the agency in the year covered by the report.



[[Page 417]]



     Sec. Appendix A to Part 1158--Certification Regarding Lobbying

 Certification for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements

    The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and 
belief, that:
    (1) No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by 
or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or 
attempting to influence an officer or employee of an agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member 
of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the 
making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the 
entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, 
continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
    (2) If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been 
paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to 
influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an 
officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress 
in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative 
agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, 
``Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,'' in accordance with its 
instructions.
    (3) The undersigned shall require that the language of this 
certification be included in the award documents for all subawards at 
all tiers (including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts under 
grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients 
shall certify and disclose accordingly.
    This certification is a material representation of fact upon which 
reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. 
Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or 
entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. 
Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be 
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $23,714 and not more than 
$237,268 for each such failure.

            Statement for Loan Guarantees and Loan Insurance

    The undersigned states, to the best of his or her knowledge and 
belief, that:
    If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for 
influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any 
agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an 
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this commitment 
providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the 
undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, ``Disclosure 
Form to Report Lobbying,'' in accordance with its instructions.
    Submission of this statement is a prerequisite for making or 
entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. 
Code. Any person who fails to file the required statement shall be 
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $23,714 and not more than 
$237,268 for each such failure.

[55 FR 6737, 6755, Feb. 26, 1990, as amended at 82 FR 27434, June 15, 
2017; 83 FR 2073, Jan. 16, 2018; 84 FR 1404, Feb. 4, 2019; 85 FR 1760, 
Jan. 13, 2020; 86 FR 10031, Feb. 18, 2021; 87 FR 2067, Jan. 13, 2022; 88 
FR 2006, Jan. 12, 2023]

[[Page 418]]



    Sec. Appendix B to Part 1158--Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC01JA91.010


[[Page 419]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC01JA91.011


[[Page 420]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC01JA91.012


[[Page 421]]





PART 1159_IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974--Table of Contents



Sec.
1159.1 What definitions apply to these regulations?
1159.2 What is the purpose of these regulations?
1159.3 Where should individuals send inquiries about the Endowment's 
          systems of records or implementation of the Privacy Act?
1159.4 How will the public receive notification of the Endowment's 
          systems of records?
1159.5 What government entities will the Endowment notify of proposed 
          changes to its systems of records?
1159.6 What limits exist as to the contents of the Endowment's systems 
          of records?
1159.7 Will the Endowment collect information from me for its records?
1159.8 How can I acquire access to Endowment records pertaining to me?
1159.9 What identification will I need to show when I request access to 
          Endowment records pertaining to me?
1159.10 How can I pursue amendments to or corrections of an Endowment 
          record?
1159.11 How can I appeal a refusal to amend or correct an Endowment 
          record?
1159.12 Will the Endowment charge me fees to locate, review, or copy 
          records?
1159.13 In what other situations will the Endowment disclose its 
          records?
1159.14 Will the Endowment maintain a written account of disclosures 
          made from its systems of records?
1159.15 Who has the responsibility for maintaining adequate technical, 
          physical, and security safeguards to prevent unauthorized 
          disclosure or destruction of manual and automatic record 
          systems?
1159.16 Will the Endowment take steps to ensure that its employees 
          involved with its systems of records are familiar with the 
          requirements and implications of the Privacy Act?
1159.17 Which of the Endowment's systems of records are covered by 
          exemptions in the Privacy Act?
1159.18 What are the penalties for obtaining an Endowment record under 
          false pretenses?
1159.19 What restrictions exist regarding the release of mailing lists?

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a(f).

    Source: 65 FR 46371, July 28, 2000, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1159.1  What definitions apply to these regulations?

    The definitions of the Privacy Act apply to this part. In addition, 
as used in this part:
    (a) Agency means any executive department, military department, 
government corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch 
of the Federal government, including the Executive Office of the 
President or any independent regulatory agency.
    (b) Business day means a calendar day, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, 
and legal public holidays.
    (c) Chairperson means the Chairperson of the Endowment, or his or 
her designee;
    (d) Endowment means the National Endowment for the Arts;
    (e) Endowment system means a system of records maintained by the 
Endowment;
    (f) General Counsel means the General Counsel of the Endowment, or 
his or her designee.
    (g) Individual means any citizen of the United States or an alien 
lawfully admitted for permanent residence;
    (h) Maintain means to collect, use, store, or disseminate records, 
as well as any combination of these recordkeeping functions. The term 
also includes exercise of control over and, therefore, responsibility 
and accountability for, systems of records;
    (i) Privacy Act means the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 
552a);
    (j) Record means any item, collection, or grouping of information 
about an individual that is maintained by an agency and contains the 
individual's name or another identifying particular, such as a number or 
symbol assigned to the individual, or his or her fingerprint, voice 
print, or photograph. The term includes, but is not limited to, 
information regarding an individual's education, financial transactions, 
medical history, and criminal or employment history;
    (k) Routine use means, with respect to the disclosure of a record, 
the use of a record for a purpose that is compatible with the purpose 
for which it was collected;
    (l) Subject individual means the individual to whom a record 
pertains. Uses of the terms ``I'', ``you'', ``me'', and

[[Page 422]]

other references to the reader of the regulations in this part are meant 
to apply to subject individuals as defined in this paragraph (l); and
    (m) System of records means a group of records under the control of 
any agency from which information is retrieved by use of the name of the 
individual or by some number, symbol, or other identifying particular 
assigned to the individual.



Sec.  1159.2  What is the purpose of these regulations?

    The regulations in this part set forth the Endowment's procedures 
under the Privacy Act, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(f), with respect to 
systems of records maintained by the Endowment. These regulations 
establish procedures by which an individual may exercise the rights 
granted by the Privacy Act to determine whether an Endowment system 
contains a record pertaining to him or her; to gain access to such 
records; and to request correction or amendment of such records. These 
regulations also set identification requirements, prescribe fees to be 
charged for copying records, and establish exemptions from certain 
requirements of the Act for certain Endowment systems or components 
thereof.



Sec.  1159.3  Where should individuals send inquiries about the Endowment's
systems of records or implementation of the Privacy Act?

    Inquiries about the Endowment's systems of records or implementation 
of the Privacy Act should be sent to the following address: National 
Endowment for the Arts; Office of the General Counsel; 1100 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW; Room 518; Washington, DC 20506.



Sec.  1159.4  How will the public receive notification of the Endowment's
systems of records?

    (a) From time to time, the Endowment shall review its systems of 
records in the Federal Register, and publish, if necessary, any 
amendments to those systems of records. Such publication shall not be 
made for those systems of records maintained by other agencies while in 
the temporary custody of the Endowment.
    (b) At least 30 days prior to publication of information under 
paragraph (a) of this section, the Endowment shall publish in the 
Federal Register a notice of its intention to establish any new routine 
uses of any of its systems of records, thereby providing the public an 
opportunity to comment on such uses. This notice published by the 
Endowment shall contain the following:
    (1) The name of the system of records for which the routine use is 
to be established;
    (2) The authority for the system;
    (3) The purpose for which the record is to be maintained;
    (4) The proposed routine use(s);
    (5) The purpose of the routine use(s); and
    (6) The categories of recipients of such use.
    (c) Any request for additions to the routine uses of Endowment 
systems should be sent to the Office of the General Counsel (see Sec.  
1159.3 of this part).
    (d) Any individual who wishes to know whether an Endowment system 
contains a record pertaining to him or her should write to the Office of 
the General Counsel (see Sec.  1159.3 of this part). Such individuals 
may also call the Office of the General Counsel at (202) 682-5418 on 
business days, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., to schedule an 
appointment to make an inquiry in person. In either case, inquiries 
should be presented in writing and should specifically identify the 
Endowment systems involved. The Endowment will attempt to respond to an 
inquiry as to whether a record exists within 10 business days of 
receiving the inquiry.



Sec.  1159.5  What government entities will the Endowment notify of 
proposed changes to its systems of records?

    When the Endowment proposes to establish or significantly changes 
any of its systems of records, it shall provide adequate advance notice 
of such proposal to the Committee on Government Reform of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate, 
and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in order to permit an 
evaluation of the probable or potential effect of such proposal on the 
privacy or other rights

[[Page 423]]

of individuals. This report will be submitted in accordance with 
guidelines provided by the OMB.



Sec.  1159.6  What limits exist as to the contents of the Endowment's
systems of records?

    (a) The Endowment shall maintain only such information about an 
individual as is relevant and necessary to accomplish a purpose of the 
agency required by statute or by executive order of the President. In 
addition, the Endowment shall maintain all records that are used in 
making determinations about any individual with such accuracy, 
relevance, timeliness, and completeness as is reasonably necessary to 
ensure fairness to that individual in the making of any determination 
about him or her. However, the Endowment shall not be required to update 
retired records.
    (b) The Endowment shall not maintain any record about any individual 
with respect to or describing how such individual exercises rights 
guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United 
States, unless expressly authorized by statute or by the subject 
individual, or unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized 
law enforcement activity.



Sec.  1159.7  Will the Endowment collect information from me for its
records?

    The Endowment shall collect information, to the greatest extent 
practicable, directly from you when the information may result in 
adverse determinations about your rights, benefits, or privileges under 
Federal programs. In addition, the Endowment shall inform you of the 
following, either on the form it uses to collect the information or on a 
separate form that you can retain, when it asks you to supply 
information:
    (a) The statutory or executive order authority that authorizes the 
solicitation of the information;
    (b) Whether disclosure of such information is mandatory or 
voluntary;
    (c) The principal purpose(s) for which the information is intended 
to be used;
    (d) The routine uses that may be made of the information, as 
published pursuant to Sec.  1159.4 of this part; and
    (e) Any effects on you of not providing all or any part of the 
required or requested information.



Sec.  1159.8  How can I acquire access to Endowment records pertaining
to me?

    The following procedures apply to records that are contained in an 
Endowment system:
    (a) You may request review of records pertaining to you by writing 
to the Office of the General Counsel (see Sec.  1159.3 of this part). 
You may also call the Office of the General Counsel at (202) 682-5418 on 
business days, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., to schedule an 
appointment to make such a request in person. In either case, your 
request should be presented in writing and should specifically identify 
the Endowment systems involved.
    (b) Access to the record, or to any other information pertaining to 
you that is contained in the system, shall be provided if the 
identification requirements of Sec.  1159.9 of this part are satisfied 
and the record is otherwise determined to be releasable under the 
Privacy Act and these regulations. The Endowment shall provide you an 
opportunity to have a copy made of any such record about you. Only one 
copy of each requested record will be supplied, based on the fee 
schedule in Sec.  1159.12 of this part.
    (c) The Endowment will comply promptly with requests made in person 
at scheduled appointments, if the requirements of this section are met 
and the records sought are immediately available. The Endowment will 
acknowledge mailed requests, or personal requests for documents that are 
not immediately available, within 10 business days, and the information 
requested will be provided promptly thereafter.
    (d) If you make your request in person at a scheduled appointment, 
you may, upon your request, be accompanied by a person of your choice to 
review your record. The Endowment may require that you furnish a written 
statement authorizing discussion of your record in the accompanying 
person's presence. A record may be disclosed to a representative chosen 
by you upon your proper written consent.

[[Page 424]]

    (e) Medical or psychological records pertaining to you shall be 
disclosed to you unless, in the judgment of the Endowment, access to 
such records might have an adverse effect upon you. When such 
determination has been made, the Endowment may refuse to disclose such 
information directly to you. The Endowment will, however, disclose this 
information to a licensed physician designated by you in writing.



Sec.  1159.9  What identification will I need to show when I request 
access to Endowment records pertaining to me?

    The Endowment shall require reasonable identification of all 
individuals who request access to records in an Endowment system to 
ensure that they are disclosed to the proper person.
    (a) The amount of personal identification required will of necessity 
vary with the sensitivity of the record involved. In general, if you 
request disclosure in person, you shall be required to show an 
identification card, such as a driver's license, containing your 
photograph and sample signature. However, with regard to records in 
Endowment systems that contain particularly sensitive and/or detailed 
personal information, the Endowment reserves the right to require 
additional means of identification as are appropriate under the 
circumstances. These means include, but are not limited to, requiring 
you to sign a statement under oath as to your identity, acknowledging 
that you are aware of the penalties for improper disclosure under the 
provisions of the Privacy Act.
    (b) If you request disclosure by mail, the Endowment will request 
such information as may be necessary to ensure that you are properly 
identified. Authorized means to achieve this goal include, but are not 
limited to, requiring that a mail request include certification that a 
duly commissioned notary public of any State or territory (or a similar 
official, if the request is made outside of the United States) received 
an acknowledgment of identity from you.
    (c) If you are unable to provide suitable documentation or 
identification, the Endowment may require a signed, notarized statement 
asserting your identity and stipulating that you understand that 
knowingly or willfully seeking or obtaining access to records about 
another person under false pretenses is punishable by a fine of up to 
$5,000.



Sec.  1159.10  How can I pursue amendments to or corrections of an
Endowment record?

    (a) You are entitled to request amendments to or corrections of 
records pertaining to you pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act, 
including 5 U.S.C. 552a(d)(2). Such a request should be made in writing 
and addressed to the Office of the General Counsel (see Sec.  1159.3 of 
this part).
    (b) Your request for amendments or corrections should specify the 
following:
    (1) The particular record that you are seeking to amend or correct;
    (2) The Endowment system from which the record was retrieved;
    (3) The precise correction or amendment you desire, preferably in 
the form of an edited copy of the record reflecting the desired 
modification; and
    (4) Your reasons for requesting amendment or correction of the 
record.
    (c) The Endowment will acknowledge a request for amendment or 
correction of a record within 10 business days of its receipt, unless 
the request can be processed and the individual informed of the General 
Counsel's decision on the request within that 10-day period.
    (d) If after receiving and investigating your request, the General 
Counsel agrees that the record is not accurate, timely, or complete, 
based on a preponderance of the evidence, then the record will be 
corrected or amended promptly. The record will be deleted without regard 
to its accuracy, if the record is not relevant or necessary to 
accomplish the Endowment function for which the record was provided or 
is maintained. In either case, you will be informed in writing of the 
amendment, correction, or deletion. In addition, if accounting was made 
of prior disclosures of the record, all previous recipients of the 
record will be informed of the corrective action taken.
    (e) If after receiving and investigating your request, the General 
Counsel does not agree that the record

[[Page 425]]

should be amended or corrected, you will be informed promptly in writing 
of the refusal to amend or correct the record and the reason for this 
decision. You will also be informed that you may appeal this refusal in 
accordance with Sec.  1159.11 of this part.
    (f) Requests to amend or correct a record governed by the 
regulations of another agency will be forwarded to such agency for 
processing, and you will be informed in writing of this referral.



Sec.  1159.11  How can I appeal a refusal to amend or correct an
Endowment record?

    (a) You may appeal a refusal to amend or correct a record to the 
Chairperson. Such appeal must be made in writing within 10 business days 
of your receipt of the initial refusal to amend or correct your record. 
Your appeal should be sent to the Office of the General Counsel (see 
Sec.  1159.3 of this part), should indicate that it is an appeal, and 
should include the basis for the appeal.
    (b) The Chairperson will review your request to amend or correct the 
record, the General Counsel's refusal, and any other pertinent material 
relating to the appeal. No hearing will be held.
    (c) The Chairperson shall render his or her decision on your appeal 
within 30 business days of its receipt by the Endowment, unless the 
Chairperson, for good cause shown, extends the 30-day period. Should the 
Chairperson extend the appeal period, you will be informed in writing of 
the extension and the circumstances of the delay.
    (d) If the Chairperson determines that the record that is the 
subject of the appeal should be amended or corrected, the record will be 
so modified, and you will be informed in writing of the amendment or 
correction. Where an accounting was made of prior disclosures of the 
record, all previous recipients of the record will be informed of the 
corrective action taken.
    (e) If your appeal is denied, you will be informed in writing of the 
following:
    (1) The denial and the reasons for the denial;
    (2) That you may submit to the Endowment a concise statement setting 
forth the reasons for your disagreement as to the disputed record. Under 
the procedures set forth in paragraph (f) of this section, your 
statement will be disclosed whenever the disputed record is disclosed; 
and
    (3) That you may seek judicial review of the Chairperson's 
determination under 5 U.S.C. 552a(g)(1)(a).
    (f) Whenever you submit a statement of disagreement to the Endowment 
in accordance with paragraph (e)(2) of this section, the record will be 
annotated to indicate that it is disputed. In any subsequent disclosure, 
a copy of your statement of disagreement will be disclosed with the 
record. If the Endowment deems it appropriate, a concise statement of 
the Chairperson's reasons for denying your appeal may also be disclosed 
with the record. While you will have access to this statement of the 
Chairperson's reasons for denying your appeal, such statement will not 
be subject to correction or amendment. Where an accounting was made of 
prior disclosures of the record, all previous recipients of the record 
will be provided a copy of your statement of disagreement, as well as 
any statement of the Chairperson's reasons for denying your appeal.



Sec.  1159.12  Will the Endowment charge me fees to locate, review, 
or copy records?

    (a) The Endowment shall charge no fees for search time or for any 
other time expended by the Endowment to review a record. However, the 
Endowment may charge fees where you request that a copy be made of a 
record to which you have been granted access. Where a copy of the record 
must be made in order to provide access to the record (e.g., computer 
printout where no screen reading is available), the copy will be made 
available to you without cost.
    (b) Copies of records made by photocopy or similar process will be 
charged to you at the rate of $0.10 per page. Where records are not 
susceptible to photocopying (e.g., punch cards, magnetic tapes, or 
oversize materials), you will be charged actual cost as determined on a 
case-by-case basis. A copying fee totaling $3.00 or less shall be

[[Page 426]]

waived, but the copying fees for contemporaneous requests by the same 
individual shall be aggregated to determine the total fee.
    (c) Special and additional services provided at your request, such 
as certification or authentication, postal insurance, and special 
mailing arrangement costs, will be charged to you.
    (d) A copying fee shall not be charged or, alternatively, it may be 
reduced, when the General Counsel determines, based on a petition, that 
the petitioning individual is indigent and that the Endowment's 
resources permit a waiver of all or part of the fee.
    (e) All fees shall be paid before any copying request is undertaken. 
Payments shall be made by check or money order payable to the ``National 
Endowment for the Arts.''



Sec.  1159.13  In what other situations will the Endowment disclose its 
records?

    (a) The Endowment shall not disclose any record that is contained in 
a system of records to any person or to another agency, except pursuant 
to a written request by or with the prior written consent of the subject 
individual, unless disclosure of the record is:
    (1) To those officers or employees of the Endowment who maintain the 
record and who have a need for the record in the performance of their 
official duties;
    (2) Required under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 
(5 U.S.C. 552). Records required to be made available by the Freedom of 
Information Act will be released in response to a request to the 
Endowment formulated in accordance with the National Foundation on the 
Arts and the Humanities regulations published at 45 CFR part 1100;
    (3) For a routine use as published in the annual notice in the 
Federal Register;
    (4) To the Census Bureau for purposes of planning or carrying out a 
census, survey, or related activity pursuant to the provisions of Title 
13 of the United States Code;
    (5) To a recipient who has provided the Endowment with adequate 
advance written assurance that the record will be used solely as a 
statistical research or reporting record, and the record is to be 
transferred in a form that is not individually identifiable;
    (6) To the National Archives and Records Administration as a record 
that has sufficient historical or other value to warrant its continued 
preservation by the United States government, or for evaluation by the 
Archivist of the United States, or his or her designee, to determine 
whether the record has such value;
    (7) To another agency or to an instrumentality of any governmental 
jurisdiction within or under the control of the United States for a 
civil or criminal law enforcement activity, if the activity is 
authorized by law, and if the head of the agency or instrumentality has 
made a written request to the Endowment for such records specifying the 
particular portion desired and the law enforcement activity for which 
the record is sought. The Endowment may also disclose such a record to a 
law enforcement agency on its own initiative in situations in which 
criminal conduct is suspected, provided that such disclosure has been 
established as a routine use, or in situations in which the misconduct 
is directly related to the purpose for which the record is maintained;
    (8) To a person pursuant to a showing of compelling circumstances 
affecting the health or safety of an individual if, upon such 
disclosure, notification is transmitted to the last known address of 
such individual;
    (9) To either House of Congress, or, to the extent of matter within 
its jurisdiction, any committee or subcommittee thereof, any joint 
committee of Congress, or subcommittee of any such joint committee;
    (10) To the Comptroller General, or any of his or her authorized 
representatives, in the course of the performance of official duties of 
the General Accounting Office;
    (11) To a consumer reporting agency in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 
3711(e); or
    (12) Pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction. In 
the event that any record is disclosed under such compulsory legal 
process, the Endowment shall make reasonable efforts to notify the 
subject individual after the

[[Page 427]]

process becomes a matter of public record.
    (b) Before disseminating any record about any individual to any 
person other than an Endowment employee, the Endowment shall make 
reasonable efforts to ensure that such records are, or at the time they 
were collected were, accurate, complete, timely, and relevant for 
Endowment purposes. This paragraph (b) does not apply to disseminations 
made pursuant to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (5 
U.S.C. 552) and paragraph (a)(2) of this section.



Sec.  1159.14  Will the Endowment maintain a written account of 
disclosures made from its systems of records?

    (a) The Office of the General Counsel shall maintain a written log 
containing the date, nature, and purpose of each disclosure of a record 
to any person or to another agency. Such accounting shall also contain 
the name and address of the person or agency to whom each disclosure was 
made. This log need not include disclosures made to Endowment employees 
in the course of their official duties, or pursuant to the provisions of 
the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).
    (b) The Endowment shall retain the accounting of each disclosure for 
at least five years after the accounting is made or for the life of the 
record that was disclosed, whichever is longer.
    (c) The Endowment shall make the accounting of disclosures of a 
record pertaining to you available to you at your request. Such a 
request should be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in 
Sec.  1159.8 of this part. This paragraph (c) does not apply to 
disclosures made for law enforcement purposes under 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(7) 
and Sec.  1159.13(a)(7) of this part.



Sec.  1159.15  Who has the responsibility for maintaining adequate 
technical, physical, and security safeguards to prevent unauthorized
disclosure or destruction of manual and automatic record systems?

    The Deputy Chairman for Management and Budget has the responsibility 
of maintaining adequate technical, physical, and security safeguards to 
prevent unauthorized disclosure or destruction of manual and automatic 
record systems. These security safeguards shall apply to all systems in 
which identifiable personal data are processed or maintained, including 
all reports and outputs from such systems that contain identifiable 
personal information. Such safeguards must be sufficient to prevent 
negligent, accidental, or unintentional disclosure, modification or 
destruction of any personal records or data, and must furthermore 
minimize, to the extent practicable, the risk that skilled technicians 
or knowledgeable persons could improperly obtain access to modify or 
destroy such records or data and shall further insure against such 
casual entry by unskilled persons without official reasons for access to 
such records or data.
    (a) Manual systems. (1) Records contained in a system of records as 
defined herein may be used, held or stored only where facilities are 
adequate to prevent unauthorized access by persons within or outside the 
Endowment.
    (2) All records, when not under the personal control of the 
employees authorized to use the records, must be stored in a locked 
metal filing cabinet. Some systems of records are not of such 
confidential nature that their disclosure would constitute a harm to an 
individual who is the subject of such record. However, records in this 
category shall also be maintained in locked metal filing cabinets or 
maintained in a secured room with a locking door.
    (3) Access to and use of a system of records shall be permitted only 
to persons whose duties require such access within the Endowment, for 
routine uses as defined in Sec.  1159.1 as to any given system, or for 
such other uses as may be provided herein.
    (4) Other than for access within the Endowment to persons needing 
such records in the performance of their official duties or routine uses 
as defined in Sec.  1159.1, or such other uses as provided herein, 
access to records within a system of records shall be permitted only to 
the individual to whom the record pertains or upon his or her written 
request to the General Counsel.
    (5) Access to areas where a system of records is stored will be 
limited to

[[Page 428]]

those persons whose duties require work in such areas. There shall be an 
accounting of the removal of any records from such storage areas 
utilizing a written log, as directed by the Deputy Chairman for 
Management and Budget. The written log shall be maintained at all times.
    (6) The Endowment shall ensure that all persons whose duties require 
access to and use of records contained in a system of records are 
adequately trained to protect the security and privacy of such records.
    (7) The disposal and destruction of records within a system of 
records shall be in accordance with rules promulgated by the General 
Services Administration.
    (b) Automated systems. (1) Identifiable personal information may be 
processed, stored or maintained by automated data systems only where 
facilities or conditions are adequate to prevent unauthorized access to 
such systems in any form. Whenever such data, whether contained in punch 
cards, magnetic tapes or discs, are not under the personal control of an 
authorized person, such information must be stored in a locked or 
secured room, or in such other facility having greater safeguards than 
those provided for herein.
    (2) Access to and use of identifiable personal data associated with 
automated data systems shall be limited to those persons whose duties 
require such access. Proper control of personal data in any form 
associated with automated data systems shall be maintained at all times, 
including maintenance of accountability records showing disposition of 
input and output documents.
    (3) All persons whose duties require access to processing and 
maintenance of identifiable personal data and automated systems shall be 
adequately trained in the security and privacy of personal data.
    (4) The disposal and disposition of identifiable personal data and 
automated systems shall be done by shredding, burning or in the case of 
tapes or discs, degaussing, in accordance with any regulations now or 
hereafter proposed by the General Services Administration or other 
appropriate authority.



Sec.  1159.16  Will the Endowment take steps to ensure that its employees
involved with its systems of records are familiar with the requirements
and implications of the Privacy Act?

    (a) The Chairperson shall ensure that all persons involved in the 
design, development, operation or maintenance of any Endowment system 
are informed of all requirements necessary to protect the privacy of 
subject individuals. The Chairperson shall also ensure that all 
Endowment employees having access to records receive adequate training 
in their protection, and that records have adequate and proper storage 
with sufficient security to assure the privacy of such records.
    (b) All employees shall be informed of the civil remedies provided 
under 5 U.S.C. 552a(g)(1) and other implications of the Privacy Act, and 
the fact that the Endowment may be subject to civil remedies for failure 
to comply with the provisions of the Privacy Act and these regulations.



Sec.  1159.17  Which of the Endowment's systems of records are covered
by exemptions in the Privacy Act?

    (a) Pursuant to and limited by 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2), the Endowment 
system entitled ``Office of the Inspector General Investigative Files'' 
shall be exempted from the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a, except for 
subsections (b); (c)(1) and (2); (e)(4)(A) through (F); (e)(6), (7), 
(9), (10), and (11); and (i), insofar as that Endowment system contains 
information pertaining to criminal law enforcement investigations.
    (b) Pursuant to and limited by 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), the Endowment 
system entitled ``Office of the Inspector General Investigative Files'' 
shall be exempted from 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3); (d); (e)(1); (e)(4)(G), (H), 
and (I); and (f), insofar as that Endowment system consists of 
investigatory material compiled for law enforcement purposes, other than 
material within the scope of the exemption at 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2).
    (c) The Endowment system entitled ``Office of the Inspector General 
Investigative Files'' is exempt from the above-noted provisions of the 
Privacy Act because their application might

[[Page 429]]

alert investigation subjects to the existence or scope of 
investigations; lead to suppression, alteration, fabrication, or 
destruction of evidence; disclose investigative techniques or 
procedures; reduce the cooperativeness or safety of witnesses; or 
otherwise impair investigations.



Sec.  1159.18  What are the penalties for obtaining an Endowment record
under false pretenses?

    (a) Under 5 U.S.C. 552a(i)(3), any person who knowingly and 
willfully requests or obtains any record concerning an individual from 
the Endowment under false pretenses shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and 
fined not more than $5,000.
    (b) A person who falsely or fraudulently attempts to obtain records 
under the Privacy Act may also be subject to prosecution under other 
statutes, including 18 U.S.C. 494, 495, and 1001.



Sec.  1159.19  What restrictions exist regarding the release of mailing 
lists?

    The Endowment may not sell or rent an individual's name and address 
unless such action is specifically authorized by law. This section shall 
not be construed to require the withholding of names and addresses 
otherwise permitted to be made public.

[[Page 430]]



       SUBCHAPTER C_FEDERAL COUNCIL ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES





PART 1160_INDEMNITIES UNDER THE ARTS AND ARTIFACTS INDEMNITY ACT-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
1160.1 Purpose and scope.
1160.2 Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
1160.3 Definitions.
1160.4 Eligibility for international exhibitions.
1160.5 Eligibility for domestic exhibitions.
1160.6 Application for indemnification.
1160.7 Certificate of national interest.
1160.8 Indemnity agreement.
1160.9 Letter of intent.
1160.10 Loss adjustment.
1160.11 Certification of claim and amount of loss to the Congress.
1160.12 Appraisal procedures.
1160.13 Indemnification limits.

    Authority: 20 U.S.C. 971-977.

    Source: 56 FR 49848, Oct. 2, 1991, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1160.1  Purpose and scope.

    (a) This part sets forth the exhibition indemnity procedures of the 
Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities under the Arts and Artifacts 
Indemnity Act (Pub. L. 94-158) as required by section 2(a)(2) of the 
Act.
    (1) Eligible items from outside the United States while on 
exhibition in the United States or
    (2) Eligible items from the United States while on exhibition 
outside this country, preferably when they are part of an exchange of 
exhibitions.
    (b) Program guidelines and further information are available from 
the Indemnity Administrator, c/o Museum Program, National Endowment for 
the Arts, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20506.

[56 FR 49848, Oct. 2, 1991, as amended at 60 FR 42465, Aug. 16, 1995]



Sec.  1160.2  Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities

    For the purposes of this part (45 CFR part 1160) the Federal Council 
on the Arts and the Humanities shall be composed of the Chairman of the 
National Endowment for the Arts, the Chairman of the National Endowment 
for the Humanities, the Secretary of Education, the Director of the 
National Science Foundation, the Librarian of Congress, the Chairman of 
the Commission of Fine Arts, the Archivist of the United States, the 
Commissioner, Public Buildings Service, General Services Administration, 
the Administrator of the General Services Administration, the Director 
of the United States Information Agency, the Secretary of the Interior, 
the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, the Chairman 
of the National Museum Services Board, the Director of the Institute of 
Museum and Library Services, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
and the Commissioner of the Administration on Aging.



Sec.  1160.3  Definitions.

    For the purposes of this part:
    (a) Council means the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities 
as defined in Sec.  1160.2.
    (b) Letter of Intent means an agreement by the Council to provide an 
indemnity covering a future exhibition subject to compliance with all 
requirements at the date the indemnity is to be effective.
    (c) Lender means the owner of an object.
    (d) Eligible item means an object which qualifies for coverage under 
the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act.
    (e) Exhibition means a public display of an indemnified items(s) at 
one or more locations, as approved by the Council, presented by any 
person, nonprofit agency or institution, or Government, in the United 
States or elsewhere.
    (f) On Exhibition means the period of time beginning on the date an 
indemnified item leaves the place designated by the lender and ending on 
the termination date.
    (g) Indemnity Agreement means the contract between the Council and 
the indemnitee covering loss or damage to

[[Page 431]]

indemnified items under the authority of the Arts and Artifacts 
Indemnity Act.
    (h) Indemnitee means the party or parties to an indemnity agreement 
issued by the Council, to whom the promise of indemnification is made.
    (i) Participating institution(s) means the location(s) where an 
exhibition indemnified under this part will be displayed.
    (j) Termination date means the date thirty (30) calendar days after 
the date specified in the indemnity Certificate by which an indemnified 
item is to be returned to the place designated by the lender or the date 
on which the item is actually so returned, whichever date is earlier. 
(In museum terms this means wall-to-wall coverage.) After 11:59 p.m. on 
the termination date, the item is no longer covered by the indemnity 
agreement unless an extension has theretofore been requested by the 
indemnitee and granted in writing by the Council.



Sec.  1160.4  Eligibility for international exhibitions.

    An indemnity agreement for an international exhibition made under 
these regulations shall cover:
    (a) Eligible items from outside the United States while on 
exhibition in the United States;
    (b) Eligible items from the United States while on exhibition 
outside this country, preferably when they are part of an exchange of 
exhibitions; and
    (c) Eligible items from the United States while on exhibition in the 
United States, in connection with other eligible items from outside the 
United States which are integral to the exhibition as a whole.
    (d)(1) Example. An American art museum is organizing a retrospective 
exhibition which will include more than 150 works of art by 
Impressionist painter Auguste Renoir. Museums in Paris and London have 
agreed to lend 125 works of art, covering every aspect of his career, 
many of which have not been seen together since the artist's death in 
1919. The organizer is planning to include 25 masterpieces by Renoir 
from American public and private collections. The show will open in 
Chicago and travel to San Francisco and Washington.
    (2) Discussion. This example is a common application for coverage of 
both foreign- and domestic-owned objects in an international exhibition. 
The foreign-owned objects are eligible for indemnity coverage under 
paragraph (a) of this section, and the domestic-owned objects may be 
eligible for indemnity coverage under paragraph (c) of this section if 
the foreign-owned objects are integral to the purposes of the exhibition 
as a whole. In reviewing this application, the Federal Council would 
evaluate the exhibition as a whole and determine whether the loans of 
125 foreign-owned objects are integral to the educational, cultural, 
historical, or scientific significance of the exhibition on Renoir. It 
would also be necessary for the U.S. Department of State to determine 
whether or not the exhibition was in the national interest.

[73 FR 21056, Apr. 18, 2008]



Sec.  1160.5  Eligibility for domestic exhibitions.

    An indemnity agreement for a domestic exhibition made under these 
regulations shall cover eligible items from the United States while on 
Exhibition in the United States.
    (a)(1) Example 1. An American museum is undergoing renovation and 
will be closed to the public for one year. During that time, 
masterpieces from the collection will go on tour to three other museums 
in the United States. Many of these works have never been lent for 
travel, and this will be a unique and the last opportunity for museum 
visitors in other parts of the country to see them exhibited together. 
Once the new building opens, they will be permanently installed and 
dispersed throughout the museum's galleries.
    (2) Discussion. (i) This is a straightforward example of a domestic 
exhibition which would be eligible for consideration for indemnity 
coverage. Under the previous regulations, eligibility was limited to:
    (A) Exhibitions in the United States of entirely foreign-owned 
objects;
    (B) Exhibitions outside of the United States of domestic-owned 
objects; or
    (C) Exhibitions in the United States of both foreign- and domestic-
owned objects, with the foreign-owned objects

[[Page 432]]

having integral importance to the exhibition.
    (ii) In this example, the Federal Council will consider the 
educational, cultural, historical, or scientific significance of the 
proposed domestic exhibition of the domestic-owned objects. It would not 
be necessary for the U.S. Department of State to determine whether or 
not the exhibition was in the national interest.
    (b)(1) Example 2. An American museum is organizing an exhibition of 
works by 20th century American artists, which will travel to one other 
U.S. museum. There are more than 100 objects in the exhibition. The 
majority of the paintings, drawings and sculpture, valued at more than 
$500,000,000, are from galleries, museums and private collections in the 
United States. The organizing curator has selected ten works of art, 
mostly drawings and preparatory sketches relating to paintings in the 
exhibition, valued at less than $5,000,000, which will be borrowed from 
foreign lenders.
    (2) Discussion. (i) This example raises the question of whether this 
applicant should submit an application for indemnity coverage for a 
domestic exhibition or an international exhibition. If the applicant 
submitted an application for an international exhibition requesting 
coverage for only the foreign-owned objects eligible under Section 
1160.4(a), the Federal Council would evaluate whether the ten foreign-
owned objects further the exhibition's educational, cultural, 
historical, or scientific purposes. It would also be necessary for the 
U.S. Department of State to determine whether or not the exhibition was 
in the national interest. In this case, the applicant would have to 
insure the loans of the domestic-owned objects by other means.
    (ii) In the case of an application for an international exhibition 
requesting coverage for both domestic-owned and foreign-owned objects 
eligible under section 1160.4(a) and (c), the Federal Council would 
evaluate the exhibition as a whole to determine if the ten foreign-owned 
objects are integral to achieving the exhibition's educational, 
cultural, historical, or scientific purposes. It would also be necessary 
for the U.S. Department of State to determine whether or not the 
exhibition was in the national interest.
    (iii) If the applicant submitted an application for a domestic 
exhibition, however, only the loans of domestic-owned objects, the 
highest valued part of the exhibition, would be eligible for coverage. 
The Federal Council would consider if the U.S. loans were of 
educational, cultural or historic interest. It would not be necessary 
for the U.S. Department of State to determine whether or not the 
exhibition was in the national interest. In this case, the applicant 
would have to insure the loans of the foreign-owned objects by other 
means.

[73 FR 21056, Apr. 18, 2008]



Sec.  1160.6  Application for indemnification.

    An applicant for an indemnity shall submit an Application for 
Indemnification, addressed to the Indemnity Administrator, National 
Endowment for the Arts, Washington, DC 20506, which shall described as 
fully as possible:
    (a) The time, place, nature and Project Director/Curator of the 
exhibition for which the indemnity is sought;
    (b) Evidence that the owner and present possessor are willing to 
lend the eligible items, and both are prepared to be bound by the terms 
of the indemnity agreement;
    (c) The total value of all items to be indemnified, including a 
description of each item to be covered by the agreement and each item's 
value;
    (d) The source of valuations of each item, plus an opinion by a 
disinterested third party of the valuations established by lenders;
    (e) The significance, and the educational, cultural, historical, or 
scientific value of the items to be indemnified, and of the exhibition 
as a whole;
    (f) Statements describing policies, procedures, techniques, and 
methods to be employed with respect to:
    (1) Packing of items at the premises of, or the place designated by 
the lender;
    (2) Shipping arrangements;
    (3) Condition reports at lender's location;
    (4) Condition reports at borrower's location;

[[Page 433]]

    (5) Condition reports upon return of items to lender's location;
    (6) Security during the exhibition and security during 
transportation, including couriers were applicable;
    (7) Maximum values to be transported in a single vehicle of 
transport.
    (g) Insurance arrangements, if any, which are proposed to cover the 
deductible amount provided by law or the excess over the amount 
indemnified;
    (h) Any loss incurred by the indemnitee or participating 
institutions during the three years prior to the Application for 
Indemnification which involved a borrowed or loaned item(s) or item(s) 
in their permanent collections where the amount of loss or damage 
exceeded $5,000. Details should include the date of loss, nature and 
cause of damage, and appraised value of the damaged items(s) both before 
and after loss;
    (i) If the application is for an exhibition of loans from the United 
States, which are being shown outside the United States, the applicant 
should describe in detail the nature of the exchange of exhibitions of 
which it is a part if any, including all circumstances surrounding the 
exhibition being shown in the United States, with particular emphasis on 
facts concerning insurance or indemnity arrangements.
    (j) Upon proper submission of the above required information an 
application will be selected or rejected for indemnification by the 
Council. The review criteria include:
    (1) Review of educational, cultural, historical, or scientific value 
as required under the provisions of the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity 
Act;
    (2) Certification by the Secretary of State or his designee that the 
international exhibition with eligible items under Sec.  1160.4 is in 
the national interest; and
    (3) Review of the availability of indemnity obligational authority 
under section 5(b) of the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act (20 U.S.C. 
974).

(Approved under OMB control number 3135-0094)

[56 FR 49848, Oct. 2, 1991; 56 FR 51842, Oct. 16, 1991. Redesignated at 
60 FR 42465, Aug. 16, 1995, and further redesignated and amended at 73 
FR 21056, Apr. 18, 2008]



Sec.  1160.7  Certificate of national interest.

    After preliminary review applications for international exhibitions 
with eligible items under Sec.  1160.4 will be submitted to the 
Secretary of State or his designee for determination of national 
interest and issuance of a Certificate of National Interest.

[56 FR 49848, Oct. 2, 1991. Redesignated at 60 FR 42465, Aug. 16, 1995, 
and further redesignated and amended at 73 FR 21056, Apr. 18, 2008]



Sec.  1160.8  Indemnity agreement.

    In cases where the requirements of Sec. Sec.  1160.4 and 1160.5 have 
been met to the satisfaction of the Council, an Indemnity Agreement 
pledging the full faith and credit of the United States for the agreed 
value of the exhibition in question may be issued to the indemnitee by 
the Council, subject to the provisions of Sec.  1160.7.

[56 FR 49848, Oct. 2, 1991. Redesignated at 60 FR 42465, Aug. 16, 1995, 
and further redesignated at 73 FR 21056, Apr. 18, 2008]



Sec.  1160.9  Letter of intent.

    In cases where an exhibition proposed for indemnification is planned 
to begin on a date more than twelve (12) months after the submission of 
the application, the Council, upon approval of such a preliminary 
application, may provide a Letter of Intent stating that it will, 
subject to the conditions set forth therein, issue an Indemnity 
Agreement prior to commencement of the exhibition. In such cases, the 
Council will examine a final application during the twelve (12) month 
period prior to the date the exhibition is to commence, and shall, upon 
being satisfied that such conditions have been fulfilled, issue an 
Indemnity Agreement.

[56 FR 49848, Oct. 2, 1991. Redesignated at 60 FR 42465, Aug. 16, 1995, 
and further redesignated at 73 FR 21056, Apr. 18, 2008]



Sec.  1160.10  Loss adjustment.

    (a) In the event of loss or damage covered by an Indemnity 
Agreement, the indemnitee without delay shall file a Notice of Loss or 
Damage with the Council and shall exercise reasonable care in order to 
minimize the amount of loss. Within a reasonable time after

[[Page 434]]

a loss has been sustained, the claimant shall file a Proof of Loss or 
Damage on forms provided by the Council. Failure to report such loss or 
damage and to file such Proof of Loss within sixty (60) days after the 
termination date as defined in Sec.  1160.3(k) shall invalidate any 
claim under the Indemnity Agreement.
    (b) In the event of total loss or destruction of an indemnified 
item, indemnification will be made on the basis of the amount specified 
in the Indemnity Agreement.
    (c) In the event of partial loss, or damage, and reduction in the 
fair market value, as a result thereof, to an indemnified item, 
indemnification will be made on the basis provided for in the Indemnity 
Agreement.
    (d) No loss or damage claim will be paid in excess of the 
Indemnification Limits specified in Sec.  1160.11.

[56 FR 49848, Oct. 2, 1991. Redesignated at 60 FR 42465, Aug. 16, 1995, 
and further redesignated at 73 FR 21056, Apr. 18, 2008]



Sec.  1160.11  Certification of claim and amount of loss to the Congress.

    Upon receipt of a claim of total loss or a claim in which the 
Council is in agreement with respect to the amount of partial loss, or 
damage and reduction in fair market value as a result thereof, the 
Council shall certify the validity of the claim and the amount of such 
loss or damage and reduction in fair market value as a result thereof, 
to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro 
tempore of the Senate.

[56 FR 49848, Oct. 2, 1991. Redesignated at 60 FR 42465, Aug. 16, 1995, 
and further redesignated at 73 FR 21056, Apr. 18, 2008]



Sec.  1160.12  Appraisal procedures.

    (a) In the event the Council and the indemnitee fail to agree on the 
amount of partial loss, or damage to, or any reduction in the fair 
market value as a result thereof, to the indemnified item(s), each shall 
select a competent appraiser(s) with evidence to be provided to show 
that the indemnitee's selection is satisfactory to the owner. The 
appraiser(s) selected by the Council and the indemnitee shall then 
select a competent and disinterested arbitrator.
    (b) After selection of an arbitrator, the appraisers shall assess 
the partial loss, or damage to, or where appropriate, any reduction in 
the fair market value of, the indemnified item(s). The appraisers' 
agreement with respect to these issues shall determine the dollar value 
of such loss or damage or repair costs, and where appropriate, such 
reduction in the fair market value. Disputes between the appraisers with 
respect to partial loss, damage repair costs, and fair market value 
reduction of any item shall be submitted to the arbitrator for 
determination. The appraisers' agreement or the arbitrator's 
determination shall be final and binding on the parties, and agreement 
on amount or such determination on amount shall be certified to the 
Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate by the 
Council.
    (c) Each appraiser shall be paid by the party selecting him or her. 
The arbitrator and all other expenses of the appraisal shall be paid by 
the parties in equal shares.

[56 FR 49848, Oct. 2, 1991. Redesignated at 60 FR 42465, Aug. 16, 1995, 
and further redesignated at 73 FR 21056, Apr. 18, 2008]



Sec.  1160.13  Indemnification limits.

    The dollar amounts of the limits described below are found in the 
guidelines referred to in Sec.  1160.1 and are based upon the statutory 
limits in the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act (20 U.S.C. 974).
    (a) There is a maximum amount of loss or damage covered in a single 
exhibition or an Indemnity Agreement.
    (b) A sliding scale deductible amount is applicable to loss or 
damage arising out of a single exhibition for which an indemnity is 
issued.
    (c) There is an aggregate amount of loss or damage covered by 
indemnity agreements at any one time.
    (d) The maximum value of eligible items carried in or upon any 
single instrumentality of transportation at any one time, is established 
by the Council.

[56 FR 49848, Oct. 2, 1991. Redesignated at 60 FR 42465, Aug. 16, 1995, 
and further redesignated at 73 FR 21056, Apr. 18, 2008]

[[Page 435]]



           SUBCHAPTER D_NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES





PART 1167_TESTIMONY AND PRODUCTION OF RECORDS--Table of Contents



Sec.
1167.1 Purpose.
1167.2 Applicability.
1167.3 Definitions.
1167.4 Testimony and production of official records and information.
1167.5 Procedure when demand is made.
1167.6 Office of Inspector General employees.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301.

    Source: 87 FR 8429, Feb. 15, 2022, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1167.1  Purpose.

    (a) This part sets forth policies and procedures to be followed when 
an employee of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) receives 
a demand to provide testimony or produce official records and 
information in connection with a legal proceeding in which the United 
States is not a party.
    (b) The provisions of this part are intended to promote economy and 
efficiency in NEH's programs and operations; minimize the possibility of 
involving NEH in controversial issues not related to its functions; 
maintain the impartiality of NEH among private litigants; and protect 
sensitive, confidential information and the agency's internal 
deliberative process.
    (c) This part does not waive the sovereign immunity of the United 
States.
    (d) This part does not create any right or benefit, substantive or 
procedural, enforceable at law by a party against the United States.
    (e) This regulation is not intended to conflict with 5 U.S.C. 
2302(b)(13).



Sec.  1167.2  Applicability.

    This part applies to demands and requests for factual or expert 
testimony or for official records or information in legal proceedings, 
except that it does not apply to:
    (a) Demands upon or requests for an NEH employee to testify as to 
facts or events that are in no way related to his or her official duties 
or to the functions of NEH;
    (b) Demands upon or requests for a former NEH employee to testify as 
to matters in which the former employee was not directly or materially 
involved while at NEH;
    (c) Requests for the release of records under the Freedom of 
Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, or the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 
552a;
    (d) Congressional demands and requests for testimony or records; and
    (e) Legal proceedings to which the United States is a party.



Sec.  1167.3  Definitions.

    The following definitions apply to this part:
    Agency or NEH means the National Endowment for the Humanities.
    Demand means a subpoena, order, or other demand of a court or other 
competent authority, issued in a legal proceeding, for the production of 
official records and information or for the testimony of an NEH 
employee.
    General Counsel means the General Counsel of the agency, or any 
person to whom the General Counsel has delegated authority under this 
part.
    Legal proceeding means any proceeding before a court of law, 
administrative board or commission, hearing officer, or other body 
conducting a legal or administrative proceeding.
    NEH employee or employee means any present or former officer or 
employee of NEH; any other individual hired through contractual 
agreement by or on behalf of NEH, or who has performed or is performing 
services under such an agreement for NEH; and any individual who served 
or is serving on an NEH advisory committee.
    Official records and information means all documents and material in 
the custody and control of NEH; relating to information in the custody 
and control of NEH; or acquired by an NEH employee in the performance of 
his or her official duties or because of his or her official status, 
while the individual was employed by or on behalf of the NEH.

[[Page 436]]

    Request means any request in connection with an ongoing or 
threatened legal proceeding, by whatever method, for the production of 
official records and information or for testimony, other than a demand.
    Testimony means any written or oral statement by a witness, and 
includes depositions, answers to interrogatories, affidavits, 
declarations, and statements at a hearing or trial.



Sec.  1167.4  Testimony and production of official records and information.

    (a) No employee may produce official records and information or 
provide any testimony in response to a demand or request unless 
authorized to do so by the General Counsel in accordance with this part.
    (b) The General Counsel, in his or her discretion, may grant an 
employee permission to testify or produce official records and 
information in response to a demand or request. In making this decision, 
the General Counsel shall consider whether:
    (1) Allowing such testimony or production of records would be 
consistent with the purposes of this part;
    (2) Allowing such testimony or production of records would be 
necessary to prevent a miscarriage of justice;
    (3) Allowing such testimony or production of records would be in the 
best interest of NEH and the United States; or
    (4) NEH has an interest in the outcome of the legal proceeding.
    (c) If authorized to testify pursuant to this part, an employee may 
testify as to facts within his or her personal knowledge or produce 
official records and information, but, unless specifically authorized to 
do so by the General Counsel, shall not:
    (1) Disclose confidential or privileged information;
    (2) Testify as to matters regarding which the General Counsel 
determines that testimony would not be in the best interest of NEH or 
the United States;
    (3) Produce official records and information regarding which the 
General Counsel determines that production would not be in the best 
interest of NEH or the United States; or
    (4) Testify as an expert or opinion witness with regard to any 
matter arising out of the employee's official duties or the functions of 
NEH. (See also 5 CFR 2635.805.)



Sec.  1167.5  Procedure when demand is made.

    (a) Whenever an employee is served with a demand to testify in his 
or her official capacity, or to produce official records and 
information, the employee shall notify the General Counsel immediately.
    (b) The General Counsel shall review the demand and, in accordance 
with the provisions of Sec.  1167.4, shall determine whether, or on what 
conditions, to authorize the employee to testify and/or produce official 
records and information.
    (c) If a demand requires a response before the General Counsel has 
made the determination referred to in paragraph (b) of this section, the 
General Counsel shall provide the court or other competent authority 
with a copy of this part, inform the court or other competent authority 
that the demand is being reviewed, and seek a stay of the demand pending 
a final determination.
    (d) If a court or other competent authority orders that an NEH 
employee comply with a demand notwithstanding a final decision by the 
General Counsel to the contrary, or at any other stage in the process, 
the General Counsel shall advise the employee on how to respond to such 
order and may arrange for legal representation of the employee.



Sec.  1167.6  Office of Inspector General employees.

    Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in Sec. Sec.  1167.1 
through 1167.5, when an employee of the agency's Office of the Inspector 
General receives a demand or request to provide testimony or produce 
official records and information, the Inspector General or his or her 
designee shall be responsible for performing the functions assigned to 
the General Counsel under this part with respect to such demand or 
request.

[[Page 437]]



PART 1168_NEW RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING--Table of Contents



                            Subpart A_General

Sec.
1168.100 Conditions on use of funds.
1168.105 Definitions.
1168.110 Certification and disclosure.

                  Subpart B_Activities by Own Employees

1168.200 Agency and legislative liaison.
1168.205 Professional and technical services.
1168.210 Reporting.

            Subpart C_Activities by Other Than Own Employees

1168.300 Professional and technical services.

                   Subpart D_Penalties and Enforcement

1168.400 Penalties.
1168.405 Penalty procedures.
1168.410 Enforcement.

                          Subpart E_Exemptions

1168.500 Secretary of Defense.

                        Subpart F_Agency Reports

1168.600 Semi-annual compilation.
1168.605 Inspector General report.

Appendix A to Part 1168--Certification Regarding Lobbying
Appendix B to Part 1168--Disclosure Form To Report Lobbying

    Authority: 20 U.S.C. 959(a)(1); 28 U.S.C. 2461 note; 31 U.S.C. 1352.

    Source: 55 FR 6737, 6755, Feb. 26, 1990, unless otherwise noted.

    Cross Reference: See also Office of Management and Budget notice 
published at 54 FR 52306, December 20, 1989.



                            Subpart A_General



Sec.  1168.100  Conditions on use of funds.

    (a) No appropriated funds may be expended by the recipient of a 
Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative ageement to pay any person 
for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any 
agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an 
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with any of the following 
covered Federal actions: the awarding of any Federal contract, the 
making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the 
entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, 
continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
    (b) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement shall file with that 
agency a certification, set forth in appendix A, that the person has not 
made, and will not make, any payment prohibited by paragraph (a) of this 
section.
    (c) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or a cooperative agreement shall file with that 
agency a disclosure form, set forth in appendix B, if such person has 
made or has agreed to make any payment using nonappropriated funds (to 
include profits from any covered Federal action), which would be 
prohibited under paragraph (a) of this section if paid for with 
appropriated funds.
    (d) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a commitment 
providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan shall file 
with that agency a statement, set forth in appendix A, whether that 
person has made or has agreed to make any payment to influence or 
attempt to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member 
of Congress in connection with that loan insurance or guarantee.
    (e) Each person who requests or receives from an agency a commitment 
providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan shall file 
with that agency a disclosure form, set forth in appendix B, if that 
person has made or has agreed to make any payment to influence or 
attempt to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member 
of Congress in connection with that loan insurance or guarantee.



Sec.  1168.105  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part:
    (a) Agency, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 552(f), includes Federal 
executive departments and agencies as well as independent regulatory 
commissions and

[[Page 438]]

Government corporations, as defined in 31 U.S.C. 9101(1).
    (b) Covered Federal action means any of the following Federal 
actions:
    (1) The awarding of any Federal contract;
    (2) The making of any Federal grant;
    (3) The making of any Federal loan;
    (4) The entering into of any cooperative agreement; and,
    (5) The extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification 
of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.

Covered Federal action does not include receiving from an agency a 
commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a 
loan. Loan guarantees and loan insurance are addressed independently 
within this part.
    (c) Federal contract means an acquisition contract awarded by an 
agency, including those subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation 
(FAR), and any other acquisition contract for real or personal property 
or services not subject to the FAR.
    (d) Federal cooperative agreement means a cooperative agreement 
entered into by an agency.
    (e) Federal grant means an award of financial assistance in the form 
of money, or property in lieu of money, by the Federal Government or a 
direct appropriation made by law to any person. The term does not 
include technical assistance which provides services instead of money, 
or other assistance in the form of revenue sharing, loans, loan 
guarantees, loan insurance, interest subsidies, insurance, or direct 
United States cash assistance to an individual.
    (f) Federal loan means a loan made by an agency. The term does not 
include loan guarantee or loan insurance.
    (g) Indian tribe and tribal organization have the meaning provided 
in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 450B). Alaskan Natives are included under the definitions 
of Indian tribes in that Act.
    (h) Influencing or attempting to influence means making, with the 
intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before an 
officer or employee or any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or 
employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in 
connection with any covered Federal action.
    (i) Loan guarantee and loan insurance means an agency's guarantee or 
insurance of a loan made by a person.
    (j) Local government means a unit of government in a State and, if 
chartered, established, or otherwise recognized by a State for the 
performance of a governmental duty, including a local public authority, 
a special district, an intrastate district, a council of governments, a 
sponsor group representative organization, and any other instrumentality 
of a local government.
    (k) Officer or employee of an agency includes the following 
individuals who are employed by an agency:
    (1) An individual who is appointed to a position in the Government 
under title 5, U.S. Code, including a position under a temporary 
appointment;
    (2) A member of the uniformed services as defined in section 101(3), 
title 37, U.S. Code;
    (3) A special Government employee as defined in section 202, title 
18, U.S. Code; and,
    (4) An individual who is a member of a Federal advisory committee, 
as defined by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, title 5, U.S. Code 
appendix 2.
    (l) Person means an individual, corporation, company, association, 
authority, firm, partnership, society, State, and local government, 
regardless of whether such entity is operated for profit or not for 
profit. This term excludes an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or any 
other Indian organization with respect to expenditures specifically 
permitted by other Federal law.
    (m) Reasonable compensation means, with respect to a regularly 
employed officer or employee of any person, compensation that is 
consistent with the normal compensation for such officer or employee for 
work that is not furnished to, not funded by, or not furnished in 
cooperation with the Federal Government.
    (n) Reasonable payment means, with respect to perfessional and other 
technical services, a payment in an amount

[[Page 439]]

that is consistent with the amount normally paid for such services in 
the private sector.
    (o) Recipient includes all contractors, subcontractors at any tier, 
and subgrantees at any tier of the recipient of funds received in 
connection with a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative 
agreement. The term excludes an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or 
any other Indian organization with respect to expenditures specifically 
permitted by other Federal law.
    (p) Regularly employed means, with respect to an officer or employee 
of a person requesting or receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or 
cooperative agreement or a commitment providing for the United States to 
insure or guarantee a loan, an officer or employee who is employed by 
such person for at least 130 working days within one year immediately 
preceding the date of the submission that initiates agency consideration 
of such person for receipt of such contract, grant, loan, cooperative 
agreement, loan insurance commitment, or loan guarantee commitment. An 
officer or employee who is employed by such person for less than 130 
working days within one year immediately preceding the date of the 
submission that initiates agency consideration of such person shall be 
considered to be regularly employed as soon as he or she is employed by 
such person for 130 working days.
    (q) State means a State of the United States, the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory or possession of 
the United States, an agency or instrumentality of a State, and a multi-
State, regional, or interstate entity having governmental duties and 
powers.



Sec.  1168.110  Certification and disclosure.

    (a) Each person shall file a certification, and a disclosure form, 
if required, with each submission that initiates agency consideration of 
such person for:
    (1) Award of a Federal contract, grant, or cooperative agreement 
exceeding $100,000; or
    (2) An award of a Federal loan or a commitment providing for the 
United States to insure or guarantee a loan exceeding $150,000.
    (b) Each person shall file a certification, and a disclosure form, 
if required, upon receipt by such person of:
    (1) A Federal contract, grant, or cooperative agreement exceeding 
$100,000; or
    (2) A Federal loan or a commitment providing for the United States 
to insure or guarantee a loan exceeding $150,000,

unless such person previously filed a certification, and a disclosure 
form, if required, under paragraph (a) of this section.
    (c) Each person shall file a disclosure form at the end of each 
calendar quarter in which there occurs any event that requires 
disclosure or that materially affects the accuracy of the information 
contained in any disclosure form previously filed by such person under 
paragraph (a) or (b) of this section. An event that materially affects 
the accuracy of the information reported includes:
    (1) A cumulative increase of $25,000 or more in the amount paid or 
expected to be paid for influencing or attempting to influence a covered 
Federal action; or
    (2) A change in the person(s) or individual(s) influencing or 
attempting to influence a covered Federal action; or,
    (3) A change in the officer(s), employee(s), or Member(s) contacted 
to influence or attempt to influence a covered Federal action.
    (d) Any person who requests or receives from a person referred to in 
paragraph (a) or (b) of this section:
    (1) A subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any tier under a Federal 
contract;
    (2) A subgrant, contract, or subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any 
tier under a Federal grant;
    (3) A contract or subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any tier under a 
Federal loan exceeding $150,000; or,
    (4) A contract or subcontract exceeding $100,000 at any tier under a 
Federal cooperative agreement,

shall file a certification, and a disclosure form, if required, to the 
next tier above.
    (e) All disclosure forms, but not certifications, shall be forwarded 
from tier to tier until received by the person referred to in paragraph 
(a) or (b) of

[[Page 440]]

this section. That person shall forward all disclosure forms to the 
agency.
    (f) Any certification or disclosure form filed under paragraph (e) 
of this section shall be treated as a material representation of fact 
upon which all receiving tiers shall rely. All liability arising from an 
erroneous representation shall be borne solely by the tier filing that 
representation and shall not be shared by any tier to which the 
erroneous representation is forwarded. Submitting an erroneous 
certification or disclosure constitutes a failure to file the required 
certification or disclosure, respectively. If a person fails to file a 
required certification or disclosure, the United States may pursue all 
available remedies, including those authorized by section 1352, title 
31, U.S. Code.
    (g) For awards and commitments in process prior to December 23, 
1989, but not made before that date, certifications shall be required at 
award or commitment, covering activities occurring between December 23, 
1989, and the date of award or commitment. However, for awards and 
commitments in process prior to the December 23, 1989 effective date of 
these provisions, but not made before December 23, 1989, disclosure 
forms shall not be required at time of award or commitment but shall be 
filed within 30 days.
    (h) No reporting is required for an activity paid for with 
appropriated funds if that activity is allowable under either subpart B 
or C.



                  Subpart B_Activities by Own Employees



Sec.  1168.200  Agency and legislative liaison.

    (a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in Sec.  
1168.100 (a), does not apply in the case of a payment of reasonable 
compensation made to an officer or employee of a person requesting or 
receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement if 
the payment is for agency and legislative liaison activities not 
directly related to a covered Federal action.
    (b) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, providing any 
information specifically requested by an agency or Congress is allowable 
at any time.
    (c) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the following 
agency and legislative liaison activities are allowable at any time only 
where they are not related to a specific solicitation for any covered 
Federal action:
    (1) Discussing with an agency (including individual demonstrations) 
the qualities and characteristics of the person's products or services, 
conditions or terms of sale, and service capabilities; and,
    (2) Technical discussions and other activities regarding the 
application or adaptation of the person's products or services for an 
agency's use.
    (d) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the following 
agencies and legislative liaison activities are allowable only where 
they are prior to formal solicitation of any covered Federal action:
    (1) Providing any information not specifically requested but 
necessary for an agency to make an informed decision about initiation of 
a covered Federal action;
    (2) Technical discussions regarding the preparation of an 
unsolicited proposal prior to its official submission; and,
    (3) Capability presentations by persons seeking awards from an 
agency pursuant to the provisions of the Small Business Act, as amended 
by Pub. L. 95-507 and other subsequent amendments.
    (e) Only those activities expressly authorized by this section are 
allowable under this section.



Sec.  1168.205  Professional and technical services.

    (a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in Sec.  
1168.100 (a), does not apply in the case of a payment of reasonable 
compensation made to an officer or employee of a person requesting or 
receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement or 
an extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of a 
Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement if payment is 
for professional or technical services rendered directly in the 
preparation, submission, or negotiation of any bid, proposal, or 
application for that Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative

[[Page 441]]

agreement or for meeting requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a 
condition for receiving that Federal contract, grant, loan, or 
cooperative agreement.
    (b) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, ``professional 
and technical services'' shall be limited to advice and analysis 
directly applying any professional or technical discipline. For example, 
drafting of a legal document accompanying a bid or proposal by a lawyer 
is allowable. Similarly, technical advice provided by an engineer on the 
performance or operational capability of a piece of equipment rendered 
directly in the negotiation of a contract is allowable. However, 
communications with the intent to influence made by a professional (such 
as a licensed lawyer) or a technical person (such as a licensed 
accountant) are not allowable under this section unless they provide 
advice and analysis directly applying their professional or technical 
expertise and unless the advice or analysis is rendered directly and 
solely in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a covered 
Federal action. Thus, for example, communications with the intent to 
influence made by a lawyer that do not provide legal advice or analysis 
directly and solely related to the legal aspects of his or her client's 
proposal, but generally advocate one proposal over another are not 
allowable under this section because the lawyer is not providing 
professional legal services. Similarly, communications with the intent 
to influence made by an engineer providing an engineering analysis prior 
to the preparation or submission of a bid or proposal are not allowable 
under this section since the engineer is providing technical services 
but not directly in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a 
covered Federal action.
    (c) Requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for 
receiving a covered Federal award include those required by law or 
regulation, or reasonably expected to be required by law or regulation, 
and any other requirements in the actual award documents.
    (d) Only those services expressly authorized by this section are 
allowable under this section.



Sec.  1168.210  Reporting.

    No reporting is required with respect to payments of reasonable 
compensation made to regularly employed officers or employees of a 
person.



            Subpart C_Activities by Other Than Own Employees



Sec.  1168.300  Professional and technical services.

    (a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in Sec.  
1168.100 (a), does not apply in the case of any reasonable payment to a 
person, other than an officer or employee of a person requesting or 
receiving a covered Federal action, if the payment is for professional 
or technical services rendered directly in the preparation, submission, 
or negotiation of any bid, proposal, or application for that Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement or for meeting 
requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for receiving 
that Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
    (b) The reporting requirements in Sec.  1168.110 (a) and (b) 
regarding filing a disclosure form by each person, if required, shall 
not apply with respect to professional or technical services rendered 
directly in the preparation, submission, or negotiation of any 
commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a 
loan.
    (c) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, ``professional 
and technical services'' shall be limited to advice and analysis 
directly applying any professional or technical discipline. For example, 
drafting or a legal document accompanying a bid or proposal by a lawyer 
is allowable. Similarly, technical advice provided by an engineer on the 
performance or operational capability of a piece of equipment rendered 
directly in the negotiation of a contract is allowable. However, 
communications with the intent to influence made by a professional (such 
as a licensed lawyer) or a technical person (such as a licensed 
accountant) are not allowable under this section unless

[[Page 442]]

they provide advice and analysis directly applying their professional or 
technical expertise and unless the advice or analysis is rendered 
directly and solely in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a 
covered Federal action. Thus, for example, communications with the 
intent to influence made by a lawyer that do not provide legal advice or 
analysis directly and solely related to the legal aspects of his or her 
client's proposal, but generally advocate one proposal over another are 
not allowable under this section because the lawyer is not providing 
professional legal services. Similarly, communications with the intent 
to influence made by an engineer providing an engineering analysis prior 
to the preparation or submission of a bid or proposal are not allowable 
under this section since the engineer is providing technical services 
but not directly in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a 
covered Federal action.
    (d) Requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for 
receiving a covered Federal award include those required by law or 
regulation, or reasonably expected to be required by law or regulation, 
and any other requirements in the actual award documents.
    (e) Persons other than officers or employees of a person requesting 
or receiving a covered Federal action include consultants and trade 
associations.
    (f) Only those services expressly authorized by this section are 
allowable under this section.



                   Subpart D_Penalties and Enforcement



Sec.  1168.400  Penalties.

    (a) Any person who makes an expenditure prohibited herein shall be 
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than 
$100,000 for each such expenditure.
    (b) Any person who fails to file or amend the disclosure form (see 
appendix B) to be filed or amended if required herein, shall be subject 
to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 
for each such failure.
    (c) A filing or amended filing on or after the date on which an 
administrative action for the imposition of a civil penalty is commenced 
does not prevent the imposition of such civil penalty for a failure 
occurring before that date. An administrative action is commenced with 
respect to a failure when an investigating official determines in 
writing to commence an investigation of an allegation of such failure.
    (d) In determining whether to impose a civil penalty, and the amount 
of any such penalty, by reason of a violation by any person, the agency 
shall consider the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the 
violation, the effect on the ability of such person to continue in 
business, any prior violations by such person, the degree of culpability 
of such person, the ability of the person to pay the penalty, and such 
other matters as may be appropriate.
    (e) First offenders under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section shall 
be subject to a civil penalty of $10,000, absent aggravating 
circumstances. Second and subsequent offenses by persons shall be 
subject to an appropriate civil penalty between $10,000 and $100,000, as 
determined by the agency head or his or her designee.
    (f) An imposition of a civil penalty under this section does not 
prevent the United States from seeking any other remedy that may apply 
to the same conduct that is the basis for the imposition of such civil 
penalty.
    (g)(1) The penalty amounts provided in table 1 to this paragraph (g) 
apply to violations of this section that occurred prior to December 31, 
2023, with each row listing the penalty amounts for violations that 
occurred in a particular time frame.
    (2) For violations of this section that occur on or after January 1, 
2024, the maximum penalty range which may be assessed under this section 
is the larger of:
    (i) The amount for the previous calendar year; or
    (ii) An amount adjusted for inflation, calculated by multiplying the 
amount for the previous calendar year by the percentage by which the 
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Department 
of Labor

[[Page 443]]

(CPI-U) for the month of October preceding the current calendar year 
exceeds the CPI-U for the month of October of the calendar year two 
years prior to the current calendar year, adding that amount to the 
amount for the previous calendar year, and rounding the total to the 
nearest dollar.

 Table 1 to Paragraph (g)--Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustments
                for Violations Prior to December 31, 2023
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Date of violation                      Penalty range
------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 23, 1989-December 31, 2015.............         $10,000-$100,000
January 1, 2016-December 31, 2016..............           18,936-189,361
January 1, 2017-December 31, 2017..............           19,246-192,459
January 1, 2018-December 31, 2018..............           19,639-196,387
January 1, 2019-December 31, 2019..............           20,134-201,340
January 1, 2020-December 31, 2020..............           20,489-204,892
January 1, 2021-December 31, 2021..............           20,731-207,314
January 1, 2022-December 31, 2022..............           22,021-220,213
January 1, 2023-December 31, 2023..............           23,727-237,268
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (h) Notice of the maximum penalty amounts which may be assessed 
under paragraphs (a), (b), and (e) of this section for calendar years 
after 2023 (calculated using the formula in paragraph (g)(2) of this 
section) will be published by NEH in the Federal Register on an annual 
basis on or before January 15 of each calendar year.

[55 FR 6737, 6755, Feb. 26, 1990, as amended at 85 FR 22028, Apr. 21, 
2020; 88 FR 19000, Mar. 30, 2023]



Sec.  1168.405  Penalty procedures.

    Agencies shall impose and collect civil penalties pursuant to the 
provisions of the Program Fraud and Civil Remedies Act, 31 U.S.C. 
sections 3803 (except subsection (c)), 3804, 3805, 3806, 3807, 3808, and 
3812, insofar as these provisions are not inconsistent with the 
requirements herein.



Sec.  1168.410  Enforcement.

    The head of each agency shall take such actions as are necessary to 
ensure that the provisions herein are vigorously implemented and 
enforced in that agency.



                          Subpart E_Exemptions



Sec.  1168.500  Secretary of Defense.

    (a) The Secretary of Defense may exempt, on a case-by-case basis, a 
covered Federal action from the prohibition whenever the Secretary 
determines, in writing, that such an exemption is in the national 
interest. The Secretary shall transmit a copy of each such written 
exemption to Congress immediately after making such a determination.
    (b) The Department of Defense may issue supplemental regulations to 
implement paragraph (a) of this section.



                        Subpart F_Agency Reports



Sec.  1168.600  Semi-annual compilation.

    (a) The head of each agency shall collect and compile the disclosure 
reports (see appendix B) and, on May 31 and November 30 of each year, 
submit to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives a report containing a compilation of the information 
contained in the disclosure reports received during the six-month period 
ending on March 31 or September 30, respectively, of that year.
    (b) The report, including the compilation, shall be available for 
public inspection 30 days after receipt of the report by the Secretary 
and the Clerk.
    (c) Information that involves intelligence matters shall be reported 
only to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, the 
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
Representatives, and the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives in accordance with procedures agreed to by 
such committees. Such information shall not be available for public 
inspection.
    (d) Information that is classified under Executive Order 12356 or 
any successor order shall be reported only to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives or the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives (whichever such committees have 
jurisdiction of matters involving such information) and to the

[[Page 444]]

Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives in accordance with procedures agreed to by such 
committees. Such information shall not be available for public 
inspection.
    (e) The first semi-annual compilation shall be submitted on May 31, 
1990, and shall contain a compilation of the disclosure reports received 
from December 23, 1989 to March 31, 1990.
    (f) Major agencies, designated by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), are required to provide machine-readable compilations to 
the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives no later than with the compilations due on May 31, 1991. 
OMB shall provide detailed specifications in a memorandum to these 
agencies.
    (g) Non-major agencies are requested to provide machine-readable 
compilations to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House 
of Representatives.
    (h) Agencies shall keep the originals of all disclosure reports in 
the official files of the agency.



Sec.  1168.605  Inspector General report.

    (a) The Inspector General, or other official as specified in 
paragraph (b) of this section, of each agency shall prepare and submit 
to Congress each year, commencing with submission of the President's 
Budget in 1991, an evaluation of the compliance of that agency with, and 
the effectiveness of, the requirements herein. The evaluation may 
include any recommended changes that may be necessary to strengthen or 
improve the requirements.
    (b) In the case of an agency that does not have an Inspector 
General, the agency official comparable to an Inspector General shall 
prepare and submit the annual report, or, if there is no such comparable 
official, the head of the agency shall prepare and submit the annual 
report.
    (c) The annual report shall be submitted at the same time the agency 
submits its annual budget justifications to Congress.
    (d) The annual report shall include the following: All alleged 
violations relating to the agency's covered Federal actions during the 
year covered by the report, the actions taken by the head of the agency 
in the year covered by the report with respect to those alleged 
violations and alleged violations in previous years, and the amounts of 
civil penalties imposed by the agency in the year covered by the report.





     Sec. Appendix A to Part 1168--Certification Regarding Lobbying

 Certification for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements

    The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and 
belief, that:
    (1) No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by 
or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or 
attempting to influence an officer or employee of an agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member 
of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the 
making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the 
entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, 
continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal 
contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
    (2) If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been 
paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to 
influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an 
officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress 
in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative 
agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, 
``Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,'' in accordance with its 
instructions.
    (3) The undersigned shall require that the language of this 
certification be included in the award documents for all subawards at 
all tiers (including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts under 
grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients 
shall certify and disclose accordingly.
    This certification is a material representation of fact upon which 
reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. 
Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or 
entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. 
Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be 
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than 
$100,000 for each such failure.

            Statement for Loan Guarantees and Loan Insurance

    The undersigned states, to the best of his or her knowledge and 
belief, that:

[[Page 445]]

    If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for 
influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any 
agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an 
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this commitment 
providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the 
undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, ``Disclosure 
Form to Report Lobbying,'' in accordance with its instructions.
    Submission of this statement is a prerequisite for making or 
entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. 
Code. Any person who fails to file the required statement shall be 
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than 
$100,000 for each such failure.

                    Annual Adjustments for Inflation

    The penalty amounts listed in this appendix will be adjusted 
annually for inflation. NEH will publish a document in the Federal 
Register containing the new penalty amounts no later than January 15 of 
each year.

[55 FR 6737, 6755, Feb. 26, 1990, as amended at 85 FR 22028, Apr. 21, 
2020; 88 FR 19000, Mar. 30, 2023]

[[Page 446]]



    Sec. Appendix B to Part 1168--Disclosure Form To Report Lobbying
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC01JA91.013


[[Page 447]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC01JA91.014


[[Page 448]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC01JA91.015



PART 1169_PRIVACY ACT REGULATIONS--Table of Contents



Sec.
1169.1 Purpose and scope.
1169.2 Definitions.
1169.3 Inquiries about NEH's systems of records or implementation of the 
          Privacy Act.
1169.4 Procedures for determining if an individual is the subject of an 
          NEH record.

[[Page 449]]

1169.5 Procedures for acquiring access to NEH records pertaining to an 
          individual.
1169.6 Identification required when requesting access to NEH records 
          pertaining to an individual.
1169.7 Procedures for amending or correcting an individual's NEH record.
1169.8 The appeals process.
1169.9 Fees charged to locate, review, or copy records.
1169.10 NEH systems of records that are covered by exemptions under the 
          Privacy Act.
1169.11 Penalties for obtaining an NEH record under false pretenses.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a(f).

    Source: 84 FR 34789, July 19, 2019, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1169.1  Purpose and scope.

    The regulations in this part set forth NEH's procedures under the 
Privacy Act, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(f), with respect to systems of 
records maintained by NEH. These regulations establish procedures by 
which an individual may exercise the rights granted by the Privacy Act 
to determine whether an NEH system of records contains a record 
pertaining to him or her; gain access to such records; and request 
correction or amendment of such records. The regulations also set 
identification requirements; establish procedures by which an individual 
may appeal within NEH an adverse agency determination; prescribe fees 
which NEH will charge for copying records; and establish exemptions from 
certain requirements of the Privacy Act for certain NEH systems of 
records or parts thereof.



Sec.  1169.2  Definitions.

    The definitions of the Privacy Act apply to this part. In addition, 
as used in this part:
    Agency means any executive department, military department, 
Government corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch 
of the Federal government, including the Executive Office of the 
President or any independent regulatory agency.
    Business day means a calendar day, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and 
legal public holidays.
    Chairperson means the Chairperson of NEH, or his or her designee.
    General Counsel means the General Counsel of NEH, or his or her 
designee;
    Individual means any citizen of the United States or an alien 
lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
    Maintain means to collect, use, store, or disseminate records, as 
well as any combination of these recordkeeping functions. The term also 
includes exercise of control over and, therefore, responsibility and 
accountability for, systems of records.
    NEH means the National Endowment for the Humanities.
    NEH system means a system of records maintained by NEH.
    Privacy Act means the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 
552a).
    Record means any item, collection, or grouping of information about 
an individual, including, but not limited to, information regarding an 
individual's education, financial transactions, medical history, and 
criminal or employment history and that contains the individual's name 
or another identifying particular, such as a number or symbol assigned 
to the individual, or his or her fingerprints, voice print, or 
photograph.
    Routine use means, with respect to disclosure of a record, the use 
of a record for a purpose that is compatible with the purpose for which 
it was collected.
    System of records means a group of records under the control of NEH 
from which NEH retrieves information by use of an individual's name or 
by some number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to an 
individual.



Sec.  1169.3  Inquiries about NEH's systems of records or implementation
of the Privacy Act.

    Inquiries about NEH's systems of records or implementation of the 
Privacy Act should be sent by email to [email protected] or by mail to 
the following address: National Endowment for the Humanities, Office of 
the General Counsel, 400 Seventh Street SW, Room 4060, Washington, DC 
20506.



Sec.  1169.4  Procedures for determining if an individual is the subject
of an NEH record.

    (a) NEH has published notice of its systems of records in the 
Federal

[[Page 450]]

Register and also has made such information available on the privacy 
program page of the NEH website. Any individual desiring to know whether 
a specific system of records contains a record pertaining to him or her 
should address such inquiries in writing to the Office of the General 
Counsel at the email or physical address identified in Sec.  1169.3.
    (b) The written inquiry described in Sec.  1169.4(a) should refer to 
the specific system or systems of records listed in the NEH Notice of 
Systems of Records, or describe the type of record in sufficient detail 
reasonably to identify the relevant system of records.
    (c) At a minimum, the request should contain sufficient identifying 
information to allow NEH to determine if there is a record pertaining to 
the individual making the request in a particular system of records. NEH 
reserves the right to solicit from an individual submitting such inquiry 
proof of identification, depending upon the sensitivity of the request.
    (d) NEH will attempt to respond to an inquiry regarding whether a 
record exists within 10 business days of receiving the inquiry, or 10 
business days from the time any required identification is established, 
whichever is later. Such a response will contain or reference the 
procedures that the individual must follow in order to gain access to 
any such records.



Sec.  1169.5  Procedures for acquiring access to NEH records pertaining
to an individual.

    (a) An individual may request access to his or her own records 
contained within an NEH system of records by writing to the Office of 
the General Counsel at the email or physical address identified in Sec.  
1169.3. The individual making the request should include his or her full 
name, address, email address, and telephone number. The individual 
making the request should also specifically indicate whether he or she 
wishes to review such records in person.
    (b) The request for access to a record within a system of records 
should refer to the specific system or systems of records listed in the 
NEH Notice of Systems of Records within which NEH may retrieve the 
individual's records, or describe the type of record in sufficient 
detail such that NEH may reasonably identify the relevant system of 
records. The request should further state that it is made pursuant to 
the Privacy Act. In addition, the request should include any other 
information which may permit NEH to identify the record for which access 
is being requested, such as maiden name, dates of employment, etc.
    (c) Where an individual requests records pertaining to himself or 
herself, NEH will process such request under both these regulations and 
NEH's regulations implementing the Freedom of Information Act 
(``FOIA''), set forth in 45 CFR part 1171, so as to provide the greatest 
degree of lawful access.
    (d) Upon receipt of any such request, NEH will determine whether the 
records identified by the requester exist and whether they are subject 
to any exemption under Sec.  1169.10. Should NEH determine that the 
records are releasable under the Privacy Act and these regulations, and 
upon verifying the individual's identity per Sec.  1169.6, NEH will 
provide access to copies of the records by transmitting them to the 
requester at the mailing or email address provided by the requester, or 
by permitting the requester to inspect the records at NEH's offices 
should the requester ask for in-person inspection or where the requester 
is a current NEH employee.
    (e) NEH will acknowledge a request for access as soon as 
practicable, and in no event in less than 5 business days. Consistent 
with the agency's FOIA regulations, NEH will otherwise substantively 
answer a request for access in no less than 20 business days, except 
when NEH determines otherwise, in which case NEH will inform the person 
making the request of the reasons for the delay and the estimated date 
by which NEH will answer the request. When NEH can answer the request 
within 20 business days, the response shall include the following:
    (1) A statement that there is no record as requested or a statement 
that there is no such record in the systems of records maintained by 
NEH;

[[Page 451]]

    (2) A statement as to whether NEH will grant access by providing a 
copy of the record through the mail or email; or, where an individual 
requests in-person inspection, the address of the location and the date 
and time at which the record may be examined. In the event the person 
requesting access is unable to meet the specified date and time, he or 
she may make alternative arrangements with NEH;
    (3) The amount of fees charged, if any (see Sec.  1169.9);
    (4) Any documentation required by NEH to verify the identity of the 
person making the request.
    (f) NEH will provide only one copy of each requested record, based 
on the fee schedule in Sec.  1169.9.
    (g) Per 5 U.S.C. 552a(h), a parent of a minor, upon presenting 
suitable personal identification, may act on behalf of the minor to gain 
access to any record pertaining to the minor maintained by NEH in a 
system of records. A legal guardian may similarly act on behalf of an 
individual declared to be incompetent due to physical or mental 
incapacity or age by a court of competent jurisdiction, upon the 
presentation of the documents authorizing the legal guardian to so act, 
and upon suitable personal identification of the guardian.
    (h) In the event NEH gains access to a record by permitting in-
person inspection, the individual to which the record pertains may be 
accompanied by a person of his or her choice to review the record. Under 
such circumstances, NEH may require that the individual who is the 
subject of the record furnish a written statement authorizing discussion 
of the record in the accompanying person's presence.
    (i) In accordance with this provision, NEH will disclose medical or 
psychological records pertaining to an individual to whom they pertain 
unless NEH determines, in consultation with a physician, that disclosure 
of such records might adversely affect the individual to whom they 
pertain. Under these circumstances, NEH will disclose this information 
to a licensed physician designated by such individual in writing.



Sec.  1169.6  Identification required when requesting access to NEH
records pertaining to an individual.

    (a) Before granting access to personal information under the Privacy 
Act, NEH may require that the individual requesting such access provide 
reasonable proof of his or her identity.
    (b) Except in the case of NEH employees and those individuals who 
request in-person inspection, NEH generally will endeavor to provide 
access to records via mail or email. In such instances, NEH will first 
confirm that the physical and/or email addresses provided by the 
requester match those contained with the NEH system of records. 
Depending upon the sensitivity of the records requested, and whether the 
addresses match as described in the preceding sentence, NEH may also 
request that the individual verify his or her identity by providing 
certain minimum identifying data, such as date or place of birth and/or 
copies of a valid driver's license or passport. Where the information 
sought is of a particularly sensitive nature, and/or where the 
individual cannot provide minimum identifying data, NEH may require that 
the individual seeking access submit a notarized statement of identity 
or a signed statement asserting and acknowledging that knowingly or 
willfully seeking or obtaining access to records about another person 
under false pretenses may result in a fine of up to $5,000.
    (c) NEH will provide access by in-person examination to NEH 
employees as well as to individuals who specifically request disclosure 
in person. In such instances, the individual requesting disclosure may 
prove identity by producing an employee identification card, driver's 
license, or other license, permit or pass used for routine 
identification purposes. If the individual is unable to provide suitable 
documentation or identification, NEH may require that he or she 
stipulate, in writing, that knowingly or willingly seeking or obtaining 
access to records about another person under false pretenses is 
punishable by a fine of up to $5,000.
    (d) Identity verification procedures shall not:

[[Page 452]]

    (1) Be so complicated as to discourage unnecessarily individuals 
from seeking access to information about themselves;
    (2) Be required of an individual seeking access to records that 
normally would be available under FOIA (see 45 CFR part 1171);
    (3) Require, as a condition to access, the provision of a social 
security number, unless a social security number is the only means by 
which NEH may retrieve the records that are the subject of the request.
    (4) Require that the individual explain or justify his or her need 
for access to any record under this part.



Sec.  1169.7  Procedures for amending or correcting an individual's
NEH record.

    (a) Individuals are entitled to request amendments or corrections of 
records pertaining to themselves pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(d)(2). 
Normally, amendments to this part are limited to correcting factual 
matters and not matters of official judgment, such as grant proposal 
evaluations, performance ratings, promotion potential, and job 
performance appraisals. An individual seeking action under this 
provision bears the burden of demonstrating to NEH that a record should 
be amended or corrected.
    (b) Individuals may request the amendment of records pertaining to 
themselves by submitting a letter in writing to the NEH Office of the 
General Counsel at the email or physical address identified in Sec.  
1169.3. Such letter shall include the following information:
    (1) Identification of the particular record to be amended or 
corrected;
    (2) The NEH system from which the record was retrieved;
    (3) The precise correction or amendment sought, preferably in the 
form of an edited copy of the record reflecting the desired 
modification;
    (4) Reasons for requesting amendment or correction of the record, 
including copies of available documentary evidence supporting the 
request, where applicable.
    (c) NEH will acknowledge a request for amendment or correction as 
soon as practicable, and in no event less than 5 business days.
    (d) When NEH has previously verified the individual's identity 
pursuant to Sec.  1169.6(b) or Sec.  1169.6(c), it will not require 
further verification of identity so long as the request for amendment or 
correction does not suggest a need for additional verification. If NEH 
has not previously verified the individual's identity, it may require 
that the individual validate his or her identity as described in Sec.  
1169.6(b) or Sec.  1169(c).
    (e) To the extent possible, NEH will render a decision upon a 
request to amend a record no less than 20 business days after receiving 
such a request. In the event NEH cannot render a decision within that 
time frame, it will so inform the individual who made the request and 
provide an expected date for a decision. Any such decision will include 
the following information:
    (1) NEH's decision whether to grant in whole, or deny any part of, 
the request to amend or correct the record;
    (2) The reasons for the determination for any portion of the request 
which is denied;
    (3) A statement that any denial may be appealed pursuant to the 
procedures set forth in Sec.  1169.8; and
    (4) The name and address of the official to whom an individual may 
submit an appeal of denial.
    (f) NEH will forward requests to amend or correct a record governed 
by the regulations of another agency to such agency for processing, and 
inform the person who submitted such request in writing of its referral.



Sec.  1169.8  The appeals process.

    (a) An individual whose request for access to, or correction or 
amendment of, a record is initially denied by NEH and who wishes to 
appeal that denial may do so by sending a letter within 90 days of 
receipt of the initial denial to the Chairperson. If an appeal concerns 
records retrieved from the OIG's Investigative Files, the OIG will act 
on the appeal and will carry out all responsibilities with respect to 
Privacy Act appeals otherwise assigned to the Chairperson under this 
section.
    (b) The appeal letter must:
    (1) Specify the records subject to the appeal;

[[Page 453]]

    (2) Include the information specified in Sec.  1169.7(b);
    (3) Include copies of the correspondence from NEH in which it 
initially denied the request for access, or for amendment or correction; 
and
    (4) Explain why NEH's denial of access, amendment or correction was 
erroneous.
    (c) Appeals should be directed to the NEH Office of the General 
Counsel at the physical address or email address identified in Sec.  
1169.3. The Office of the General Counsel will refer the appeal letter 
to the Chairperson (or his or his or her designee), or in the case of 
records retrieved from NEH's OIG Investigative Files, will refer the 
appeal letter to the NEH OIG.
    (d) The Chairperson will review the initial request for access to, 
or amendment or correction of, the record, NEH's refusal, and any other 
pertinent material relating to the appeal. NEH will not hold a hearing 
on the appeal.
    (e) The Chairperson will render a final decision on the appeal 
within 30 business days of its receipt by NEH, unless the Chairperson, 
for good cause shown, extends the 30-day period. Should the Chairperson 
extend the 30-day period, NEH will inform the requester of the extension 
and the circumstances of the delay.
    (f) In conducting appeals under this provision, the Chairperson will 
be guided by the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(1) and (e)(5).
    (g) NEH will notify a requester, in writing, when the Chairperson 
determines to grant an appeal in whole or in part, and will grant the 
requester access to his or her record, or correct or amend the record, 
in accordance with the Chairperson's determination.
    (h) When the Chairperson determines to deny an appeal, in whole or 
in part, NEH will notify the requester in writing of the following:
    (1) The basis for the decision;
    (2) That the requester may submit to NEH a concise statement setting 
forth the reasons for disagreeing with NEH's decision.
    (3) The procedures for filing such statement of disagreement.
    (4) That, in a case where the Chairperson refuses a request to amend 
or correct a record, NEH will make such statements of disagreement 
available in subsequent disclosures of the record, together with a 
statement from NEH (if deemed appropriate) summarizing the agency's 
refusal.
    (5) The requester's right to seek judicial review under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(g)(1)(a).

[84 FR 34789, July 19, 2019, as amended at 84 FR 59314, Nov. 4, 2019]



Sec.  1169.9  Fees charged to locate, review, or copy records.

    (a) NEH will not charge fees for the search or review of requested 
records, or the amendment or correction of records.
    (b) NEH will not charge fees for providing the first copy of a 
record or any portion of a record to whom the record pertains. NEH will 
otherwise charge copying fees at the same rate, and using the same 
procedures, that NEH has established for FOIA requests.



Sec.  1169.10  NEH systems of records that are covered by exemptions
under the Privacy Act.

    (a) Pursuant to and limited by 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2), the NEH system 
entitled ``Office of the Inspector General Investigative Files'' shall 
be exempted from the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a, except for subsections 
(b); (c)(1) and (2); (e)(4)(A) through (F); (e)(6), (7), (9), (10), and 
(11); and (i), insofar as that NEH system contains information 
pertaining to criminal law enforcement investigations. NEH has 
implemented this exemption because application of these provisions of 
the Privacy Act might alert investigation subjects to the existence or 
scope of investigations; lead to suppression, alteration, fabrication, 
or destruction of evidence; disclose investigative techniques or 
procedures; reduce the cooperativeness or safety of witnesses; or 
otherwise impair investigations.
    (b) Pursuant to and limited by 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), the NEH system 
entitled ``Office of the Inspector General Investigative Files'' shall 
be exempted from 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3); (d); (e)(1); (e)(4)(G), (H), and 
(I); and (f), insofar as that NEH system consists of investigatory 
material compiled for law enforcement purposes, other than material 
within the scope of the exemption at 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2).

[[Page 454]]

    (c) Pursuant to and limited by 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(5), the NEH system 
entitled ``Grants and Cooperative Agreements: Electronic Grant 
Management System'' shall be exempted from 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3); (d); 
(e)(1); (e)(4)(G), (H), and (I); and (f), insofar as that NEH system 
consists of materials which would reveal the identity of references for 
fellowship or grant applicants.
    (d) Records on applicants for employment at NEH are covered by the 
Office of Personnel Management government-wide system notice 
``Recruiting, Examining, and Placement Records.'' These records are 
exempted as claimed in 5 CFR 297.501(b)(7).
    (e) Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(d)(5), nothing within these 
regulations shall allow an individual access to any information compiled 
in reasonable anticipation of a civil action or proceeding.
    (f) NEH may also assert exemptions for records received from another 
agency that could properly be claimed by that agency in responding to a 
request.



Sec.  1169.11  Penalties for obtaining an NEH record under false
pretenses.

    Under 5 U.S.C. 552a(i)(3), any person who knowingly and willfully 
requests or obtains any record from NEH concerning an individual under 
false pretenses shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not more than 
$5,000.



PART 1170_NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED
PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES--Table of Contents



                      Subpart A_General Provisions

Sec.
1170.1 Purpose.
1170.2 Application.
1170.3 Definitions.
1170.4 Effect of State or local law or other requirements and effect of 
          employment opportunities.
1170.5-1170.10 [Reserved]

                   Subpart B_Discrimination Prohibited

1170.11 General prohibition against discrimination.
1170.12 Discriminatory actions prohibited.
1170.13 Illustrative examples.
1170.14-1170.20 [Reserved]

                     Subpart C_Employment Practices

1170.21 Discrimination prohibited.
1170.22 Reasonable accommodation.
1170.23 Employment criteria.
1170.24 Preemployment inquiries.
1170.25-1170.30 [Reserved]

                         Subpart D_Accessibility

1170.31 Discrimination prohibited.
1170.32 Existing facilities.
1170.33 New construction.
1170.34 Historic properties. [Reserved]
1170.35-1170.40 [Reserved]

                    Subpart E_Postsecondary Education

1170.41 Application of this subpart.
1170.42 Admissions and recruitment.
1170.43 Treatment of students; general.
1170.44 Academic adjustments.
1170.45 Housing.
1170.46 Financial and employment assistance to students.
1170.47 Nonacademic services.
1170.48-1170.50 [Reserved]

                          Subpart F_Enforcement

1170.51 Assurances required.
1170.52 Remedial action, voluntary action, and self-evaluation.
1170.53 Designation of responsible employee and adoption of grievance 
          procedures.
1170.54 Notice.
1170.55 Endowment enforcement and compliance procedures.
1170.56-1170.99 [Reserved]

    Authority: 29 U.S.C. 794.

    Source: 46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, unless otherwise noted.



                      Subpart A_General Provisions



Sec.  1170.1  Purpose.

    The purpose of this part is to implement section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is designed to eliminate 
discrimination on the basis of handicap in any program or activity 
receiving Federal financial assistance.



Sec.  1170.2  Application.

    This part applies to each recipient of Federal financial assistance 
from the National Endowment for the Humanities and to each program or 
activity that receives such assistance.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]

[[Page 455]]



Sec.  1170.3  Definitions.

    As used in this part:
    (a) Section 504 means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 
Pub. L. 93-112, as amended by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974, 
Pub. L. 93-516, 29 U.S.C. 794 et seq. by the Rehabilitation, 
Comprehensive Services Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 1978, 
Pub. L. 95-602, and by the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, Pub. L. 
100-259.
    (b) The term Endowment or the term agency means the National 
Endowment for the Humanities.
    (c) The term Chairman means the Chairman of the National Endowment 
for the Humanities.
    (d) The term responsible Endowment official with respect to any 
program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance means the 
Chairman of the Endowment, the Director of the Office of Equal 
Employment Opportunity, or other Endowment official designated by the 
Chairman.
    (e) The term United States means the States of the United States, 
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American 
Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Wake Island, the Canal Zone, 
and the territories and possessions of the United States, and the term 
State means any one of the foregoing.
    (f) Federal financial assistance means any grant, loan, contract 
(other than a procurement contract or a contract of insurance or 
guaranty), or any other arrangement by which the agency provides or 
otherwise makes available assistance in the form of:
    (1) Funds;
    (2) Services of Federal personnel; or
    (3) Real and personal property or any interest in or use of such 
property, including:
    (i) Transfers or leases of such property for less than fair market 
value or for reduced consideration; and
    (ii) Proceeds from a subsequent transfer or lease of such property 
if the Federal share of its fair market value is not returned to the 
Federal government.
    (g) The term program or activity means all of the operations of any 
entity described in paragraphs (g)(1) through (4) of this section, any 
part of which is extended Federal financial assistance:
    (1)(i) A department, agency, special purpose district, or other 
instrumentality of a State or of a local government; or
    (ii) The entity of such State or local government that distributes 
such assistance and each such department or agency (and each other State 
or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the 
case of assistance to a State or local government;
    (2)(i) A college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or 
a public system of higher education; or
    (ii) A local educational agency (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801), 
system of vocational education, or other school system;
    (3)(i) An entire corporation, partnership, or other private 
organization, or an entire sole proprietorship--
    (A) If assistance is extended to such corporation, partnership, 
private organization, or sole proprietorship as a whole; or
    (B) Which is principally engaged in the business of providing 
education, health care, housing, social services, or parks and 
recreation; or
    (ii) The entire plant or other comparable, geographically separate 
facility to which Federal financial assistance is extended, in the case 
of any other corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole 
proprietorship; or
    (4) Any other entity which is established by two or more of the 
entities described in paragraph (g)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.
    (h) Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, 
equipment, roads, walks, parking lots, or other real or personal 
property or interest in such property.
    (i) Recipient means any state or its political subdivision, any 
instrumentality of a state or its political subdivision, any public or 
private agency, institution, organization, or other entity, or any 
person to which Federal financial assistance is extended directly or 
through another recipient, including any successor, assignee, or 
transferee of a recipient, but excluding the ultimate beneficiary of the 
assistance.

[[Page 456]]

    (j) Handicapped person means any person who has a physical or mental 
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, 
has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an 
impairment. For purposes of section 504, in connection with employment, 
this term does not include any individual who is an alcoholic or drug 
abuser whose current use of alcohol or drugs prevents such individual 
from performing the duties of the job in question or whose employment, 
by reason of such current alcohol or drug abuse, would constitute a 
direct threat to the property or the safety of others. As used in this 
paragraph, the phrase:
    (1) Physical or mental impairment means:
    (i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, 
or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: 
Neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, 
including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; 
genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or
    (ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental 
retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and 
specific learning disabilities. The term physical or mental impairment 
includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as 
orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, 
epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, 
diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, and drug addiction and 
alcoholism.
    (2) Major life activities means functions such as caring for one's 
self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, 
breathing, learning, and working.
    (3) Has a record of such impairment means has a history of, or has 
been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that 
substantially limits one or more major life activities.
    (4) Is regarded as having an impairment means
    (i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially 
limit major life activities but is treated by a recipient as 
constituting such a limitation;
    (ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits 
major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward 
such impairment; or
    (iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (j)(1) of 
this section but is treated by a recipient as having such an impairment.
    (k) Qualified handicapped person means:
    (1) With respect to employment, a handicapped person who, with 
reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job 
in question and
    (2) With respect to postsecondary and vocational education services, 
a handicapped person who meets the academic and technical standards 
requisite to admission or participation in the recipient's education 
program or activity;
    (3) With respect to services, a handicapped person who meets the 
essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of such services.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.4  Effect of State or local law or other requirements and
effect of employment opportunities.

    (a) The obligation to comply with this part is not obviated or 
alleviated by the existence of any state or local law or other 
requirement that, on the basis of handicap, imposes prohibitions or 
limits upon the eligibility of qualified handicapped persons to receive 
services or to practice any occupation or profession.
    (b) The obligation to comply with this part is not obviated or 
alleviated because employment opportunities in any occupation or 
profession are or may be more limited for handicapped persons than for 
nonhandicapped persons.

[[Page 457]]



Sec. Sec.  1170.5-1170.10  [Reserved]



                   Subpart B_Discrimination Prohibited



Sec.  1170.11  General prohibition against discrimination.

    No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be 
excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise 
be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that 
receives Federal financial assistance.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.12  Discriminatory actions prohibited.

    (a) A recipient, in providing any aid, benefit, or service, may not, 
directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, on 
the basis of handicap:
    (1) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service;
    (2) Afford a qualified handicapped person an opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not 
equal to that afforded others;
    (3) Provide a qualified handicapped person with an aid, benefit, or 
service that is not as effective in affording equal opportunity to 
obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same 
level of achievement as that provided to others;
    (4) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to 
handicapped persons or to any class of handicapped persons than is 
provided to others unless such action is necessary to provide qualified 
handicapped persons with aid, benefits, or services that are as 
effective as those provided to others;
    (5) Aid or perpetuate discrimination against a qualified handicapped 
person by providing significant assistance to an agency, organization, 
or person that discriminates on the basis of handicap in providing any 
aid, benefit, or service to beneficiaries of the recipient's program or 
activity;
    (6) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or
    (7) Otherwise limit a qualified handicapped person in the enjoyment 
of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others 
receiving the aid, benefit, or service.
    (b) A recipient may not deny a qualified handicapped person the 
opportunity to participate in aid, benefits, or services that are not 
separate or different, despite the existence of permissibly separate or 
different aid, benefits, or services.
    (c) A recipient may not, directly or through contractual or other 
arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration.
    (1) that have the effect of subjecting qualified handicapped persons 
to discrimination on the basis of handicap,
    (2) that have the purpose or effect of defeating or substantially 
impairing accomplishment of the objectives of the recipient's program or 
activity with respect to handicapped persons, or
    (3) that perpetuate the discrimination of another recipient if both 
recipients are subject to common administrative control or are agencies 
of the same state.
    (d) A recipient may not, in determining the site or location of a 
facility, make selections
    (1) that have the effect of excluding handicapped persons from, 
denying them the benefits of, or otherwise subjecting them to 
discrimination under any program or activity that receives Federal 
financial assistance or
    (2) that have the purpose or effect of defeating or substantially 
impairing the accomplishment of the objectives of the program or 
activity with respect to handicapped persons.
    (e) The exclusion of nonhandicapped persons from aid, benefits, or 
services limited by Federal statute or executive order to handicapped 
persons or the exclusion of a specific class of handicapped persons from 
aid, benefits, or services limited by Federal statute or executive order 
to a different class of handicapped persons is not prohibited by this 
part.
    (f) Recipients shall administer programs or activities in the most 
integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified handicapped 
persons.

[[Page 458]]

    (g) Recipients shall take appropriate steps to ensure that 
communications with their applicants, employees, and beneficiaries are 
available to persons with impaired vision and hearing.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.13  Illustrative examples.

    (a) The following examples will illustrate the application of the 
foregoing provisions to some of the activities funded by the National 
Endowment for the Humanities.
    (1) A publication or a museum catalogue supported by the Endowment 
may be made usable by the blind and the visually impaired through 
cassette tapes, records, discs, braille, readers and simultaneous 
publications.
    (2) A lecture, meeting or symposium supported by Federal funds may 
be made available to deaf and hearing impaired persons through the use 
of a sign language interpreter or by providing scripts in advance of the 
performance.
    (3) Specific aid, benefits, or services supported by Federal funds 
may be offered in an inaccessible facility provided that the same aid, 
benefit, or service is also offered to the public at large in an 
accessible space.
    (4) A qualified handicapped person is one who is able to meet all 
requirements in spite of his handicap. An educational institution is not 
required to disregard the disabilities of handicapped individuals or to 
lower or to make substantial modifications of standards to accommodate a 
handicapped person.
    (b) State humanities committees are obligated to develop methods of 
administering Federal funds so as to ensure that handicapped persons are 
not subjected to discrimination on the basis of handicap either by sub-
grantees or by the manner in which the funds are distributed.
    (c) In the event Endowment funds are utilized to construct, expand, 
alter, lease or rent a facility, the benefits of the program or activity 
provided in or through that facility must be conducted in accordance 
with these regulations, e.g., a museum receiving a grant to renovate an 
existing facility must assure that all museum aid, benefits, or services 
conducted in that facility are accessible to handicapped persons.
    (d) In carrying out the mandate of section 504 and these 
implementing regulations recipients should administer Endowment assisted 
programs or activities in the most integrated setting appropriate, e.g., 
tours made available to the hearing impaired should be open to the 
public at large and everyone should be permitted to enjoy the benefits 
of a tactile experience in a museum.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec. Sec.  1170.14-1170.20  [Reserved]



                     Subpart C_Employment Practices



Sec.  1170.21  Discrimination prohibited.

    (a) General. No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of 
handicap, be subjected to discrimination in employment under any program 
or activity that receives Federal financial assistance.
    (b) A recipient shall make all decisions concerning employment under 
any program or activity to which this part applies in a manner which 
ensures that discrimination on the basis of handicap does not occur and 
may not limit, segregate, or classify applicants or employees in any way 
that adversely affects their opportunities or status because of 
handicap.
    (c) A recipient may not participate in a contractual or other 
relationship that has the effect of subjecting qualified handicapped 
applicants or employees to discrimination prohibited by this subpart. 
The relationships referred to in this paragraph include relationships 
with employment and referral agencies, with labor unions, with 
organizations providing or administering fringe benefits to employees of 
the recipient, and with organizations providing training and 
apprenticeships.
    (d) Specific activities. The provisions of this subpart apply to:
    (1) Recruitment, advertising, and the processing of applications for 
employment;
    (2) Hiring, upgrading, promotion, award of tenure, demotion, 
transfer,

[[Page 459]]

layoff, termination, right of return from layoff and rehiring;
    (3) Rates of pay or any other form of compensation and changes in 
compensation;
    (4) Job assignments, job classifications, organizational structures, 
position descriptions, lines of progression, and seniority lists;
    (5) Leaves of absence, sick leave, or any other leave;
    (6) Fringe benefits available by virtue of employment, whether or 
not administered by the recipient;
    (7) Selection and financial support for training, including 
apprenticeship, professional meetings, conferences, and other related 
activities, and selection for leaves of absence to pursue training;
    (8) Employer sponsored activities, including those that are social 
or recreational; and
    (9) Any other term, condition, or privilege of employment.
    (e) A recipient's obligation to comply with this subpart is not 
affected by any inconsistent term of any collective bargaining agreement 
to which it is a party.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.22  Reasonable accommodation.

    (a) A recipient shall make reasonable accommodation to the known 
physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified handicapped 
applicant or employee unless the recipient can demonstrate that the 
accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of its 
program or activity.
    (b) Reasonable accommodation may include:
    (1) Making facilities used by employees readily accessible to and 
usable by handicapped persons, and
    (2) Job restructuring, part-time or modified work schedules, 
acquisition or modification of equipment or devices, the provision of 
readers or interpreters, and other similar actions.
    (c) In determining pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section whether 
an accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of a 
recipient's program or activity, factors to be considered include:
    (1) The overall size of the recipient's program or activity with 
respect to number of employees, number and type of facilities, and size 
of budget;
    (2) The type of the recipient's operation, including the composition 
and structure of the recipient's workforce; and
    (3) The nature and cost of the accommodation needed.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.23  Employment criteria.

    (a) A recipient may not make use of any employment test or other 
selection criterion that screens out or tends to screen out handicapped 
persons or any class of handicapped persons unless:
    (1) The test score or other selection criterion, as used by the 
recipient, is shown to be job-related for the position in question; and
    (2) Alternative job-related tests or criteria are unavailable.
    (b) A recipient shall select and administer tests concerning 
employment so as best to ensure that, when administered to an applicant 
or employee who has a handicap that impairs sensory, manual, or speaking 
skills, the test results accurately reflect the applicant's or 
employee's job skills, aptitude, or other factors relevant to adequate 
performance of the job in question.



Sec.  1170.24  Preemployment inquiries.

    (a) A recipient may not, except as provided below, conduct a 
preemployment medical examination, make preemployment inquiry as to 
whether the applicant is a handicapped person, or inquire as to the 
nature or severity of a handicap. A recipient may, however, make 
preemployment inquiry into an applicant's ability to perform job-related 
functions.
    (b) If a recipient is taking remedial action to correct the effects 
of past discrimination, if a recipient is taking voluntary action to 
overcome the effects of conditions that resulted in limited 
participation in its federally assisted program or activity, or if a 
recipient is taking affirmative action under section 503 of the 
Rehabilitation Act, the recipient may invite applicants for employment 
to indicate

[[Page 460]]

whether and to what extent they are handicapped, provided, that:
    (1) The recipient states clearly on any written questionnaire used 
for this purpose or makes clear orally if no written questionnaire is 
used that the information requested is intended for use solely in 
connection with its remedial action obligations or its voluntary or 
affirmative action efforts; and
    (2) The recipient states clearly that the information is being 
requested on a voluntary basis, that it will be kept confidential as 
provided in paragraph (d) of this section, that refusal to provide it 
will not subject the applicant or employee to any adverse treatment, and 
that it will be used only in accordance with this part.
    (c) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a recipient from 
conditioning an offer of employment on the results of a medical 
examination conducted prior to the employee's entrance on duty, 
provided, that:
    (1) All entering employees are subjected to such an examination 
regardless of handicap; and
    (2) The results of such an examination are used only in accordance 
with the requirements of this part.
    (d) Information obtained in accordance with this section as to the 
medical condition or history of the applicant shall be collected and 
maintained on separate forms that shall be accorded confidentiality as 
medical records, except that:
    (1) Supervisors and managers may be informed regarding restrictions 
on the work or duties of handicapped persons and regarding necessary 
accommodations;
    (2) First aid and safety personnel may be informed, where 
appropriate, if the condition might require emergency treatment; and
    (3) Government officials investigating compliance with the Act shall 
be provided relevant information upon request.



Sec. Sec.  1170.25-1170.30  [Reserved]



                         Subpart D_Accessibility



Sec.  1170.31  Discrimination prohibited.

    No qualified handicapped person shall, because recipient's 
facilities are inaccessible to or unusable by handicapped persons, be 
denied the benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or otherwise 
be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity to which 
this part applies.



Sec.  1170.32  Existing facilities.

    (a) Accessibility. A recipient shall operate each program or 
activity to which this part applies so that when each part is viewed in 
its entirety it is readily accessible to handicapped persons. This 
paragraph does not necessarily require a recipient to make each of its 
existing facilities or every part of a facility accessible to and usable 
by handicapped persons.
    (b) Methods. A recipient may comply with the requirements of 
paragraph (a) of this section through such means as redesign of 
equipment, reassignment of classes or other services to accessible 
buildings, alteration of existing facilities and construction of new 
facilities in conformance with the requirements of Sec.  1170.33, or any 
other methods that result in making its program or activity accessible 
to handicapped persons. A recipient is not required to make structural 
changes in existing facilities where other methods are effective in 
achieving compliance with paragraph (a) of this section. In choosing 
among available methods for meeting the requirement of paragraph (a) of 
this section, a recipient shall give priority to those methods that 
serve handicapped persons in the most integrated setting appropriate.
    (c) Time period. A recipient shall comply with the requirement of 
paragraph (a) of this section within sixty days of the effective date of 
this part except that where structural changes in facilities are 
necessary, such changes shall be made within three years of the 
effective date of this part, but in any event as expeditiously as 
possible.
    (d) Transition plan. In the event that structural changes to 
facilities are necessary to meet the requirement of paragraph (a) of 
this section, a recipient shall develop, within one year of the 
effective date of this part, a transition plan setting forth the steps 
necessary to complete such changes. The plan shall be developed with the 
assistance of interested persons, including

[[Page 461]]

handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons. A 
copy of the transition plan shall be made available upon request for 
public inspection. The plan shall, at a minimum:
    (1) Identify physical obstacles in the recipient's facilities that 
limit the accessibility of its program or activity to handicapped 
persons;
    (2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the 
facilities accessible;
    (3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve 
full accessibility under paragraph (a) of this section and, if the time 
period of the transition plan is longer than one year, identify the 
steps that will be taken during each year of the transition period; and
    (4) Indicate the person responsible for implementation of the plan.
    (e) Notice. The recipient shall adopt and implement procedures to 
ensure that interested persons, including persons with impaired vision 
or hearing can obtain information as to the existence and location of 
services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to and usable 
by handicapped persons.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.33  New construction.

    (a) Design, construction, and alteration. New facilities shall be 
designed and constructed to be readily accessible to and usable by 
handicapped persons. Alterations to existing facilities shall, to the 
maximum extent feasible, be designed and constructed to be readily 
accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.
    (b) Conformance with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards. (1) 
Effective as of January 18, 1991, design, construction, or alteration of 
buildings in conformance with sections 3-8 of the Uniform Federal 
Accessibility Standards (USAF) (appendix A to 41 CFR subpart 101-19.6) 
shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of this section with 
respect to those buildings. Departures from particular technical and 
scoping requirements of UFAS by the use of other methods are permitted 
where substantially equivalent or greater access to and usability of the 
building is provided.
    (2) For purposes of this section, section 4.1.6(1)(g) of UFAS shall 
be interpreted to exempt from the requirements of UFAS only mechanical 
rooms and other spaces that, because of their intended use, will not 
require accessibility to the public or beneficiaries or result in the 
employment or residence therein of persons with physical handicaps.
    (3) This section does not require recipients to make building 
alterations that have little likelihood of being accomplished without 
removing or altering a load-bearing structural member.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 55 FR 52138, 52142, Dec. 19, 
1990]



Sec.  1170.34  Historic properties. [Reserved]



Sec. Sec.  1170.35-1170.40  [Reserved]



                    Subpart E_Postsecondary Education



Sec.  1170.41  Application of this subpart.

    Subpart E applies to postsecondary education programs or activities, 
including postsecondary vocational education programs or activities, 
that receive Federal financial assistance and to recipients that 
operate, or that receive Federal financial assistance for the operation 
of, such programs or activities.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.42  Admissions and recruitment.

    (a) General. Qualified handicapped persons may not, on the basis of 
handicap, be denied admission or be subjected to discrimination in 
admission or recruitment by a recipient to which this subpart applies.
    (b) Admissions. In administering its admission policies, a recipient 
to which this subpart applies:
    (1) May not apply limitations upon the number or proportion of 
handicapped persons who may be admitted;
    (2) May not make use of any test or criterion for admission that has 
a disproportionate, adverse effect on handicapped persons or any class 
of handicapped persons unless

[[Page 462]]

    (i) The test or criterion, as used by the recipient, has been 
validated as a predictor of success in the education program or activity 
in question and
    (ii) Alternate tests or criteria that have a less disproportionate, 
adverse effect are not shown by the Chairman to be available.
    (3) Shall assure itself that:
    (i) Admissions tests are selected and administered so as best to 
ensure that, when a test is administered to an applicant who has a 
handicap that impairs sensory, manual, or speaking skills, the test 
results accurately reflect the applicant's aptitude or achievement level 
or whatever other factor the test purports to measure, rather than 
reflecting the applicant's impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills 
(except where those skills are the factors that the test purports to 
measure);
    (ii) Admissions tests that are designed for persons with impaired 
sensory, manual, or speaking skills are offered as often and in as 
timely a manner as are other admissions tests; and
    (iii) Admissions tests are administered in facilities that, on the 
whole, are accessible to handicapped persons; and
    (4) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, may not 
make preadmission inquiry as to whether an applicant for admission is a 
handicapped person but, after admission, may make inquiries on a 
confidential basis as to handicaps that may require accommodation.
    (c) Preadmission inquiry exception. When a recipient is taking 
remedial action to correct the effects of past discrimination pursuant 
to Sec.  1170.52(a) or when a recipient is taking voluntary action to 
overcome the effects of conditions that resulted in limited 
participation in its federally assisted program or activity pursuant to 
Sec.  1170.52(b), the recipient may invite applicants for admission to 
indicate whether and to what extent they are handicapped, provided, 
that:
    (1) The recipient states clearly on any written questionnaire used 
for this purpose or makes clear orally if no written questionnaire is 
used that the information requested is intended for use solely in 
connection with its remedial action obligations or its voluntary action 
efforts; and
    (2) The recipient states clearly that the information is being 
requested on a voluntary basis, that it will be kept confidential, that 
refusal to provide it will not subject the applicant to any adverse 
treatment, and that it will be used only in accordance with this part.
    (d) Validity studies. For the purpose of paragraph (b)(2) of this 
section, a recipient may base prediction equations on first year grades, 
but shall conduct periodic validity studies against the criterion of 
overall success in the education program or activity in question in 
order to monitor the general validity of the test scores.



Sec.  1170.43  Treatment of students; general.

    (a) No qualified handicapped student shall, on the basis of 
handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, 
or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any academic, 
research, occupational training, housing, health insurance, counseling, 
financial aid, physical education, athletics, recreation, 
transportation, or other postsecondary education aid, benefit, or 
service to which this subpart applies.
    (b) A recipient to which this subpart applies that considers 
participation by students in education programs or activities not 
operated wholly by the recipient as part of, or equivalent to, an 
education program or activity operated by the recipient shall assure 
itself that the other education program or activity, as a whole, 
provides an equal opportunity for the participation of qualified 
handicapped persons.
    (c) A recipient to which this subpart applies may not, on the basis 
of handicap, exclude any qualified handicapped student from any course, 
course of study, or other part of its education program or activity.
    (d) A recipient to which this subpart applies shall operate its 
program or activity in the most integrated setting appropriate.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]

[[Page 463]]



Sec.  1170.44  Academic adjustments.

    (a) Academic requirements. A recipient to which this subpart applies 
shall make such modifications to its academic requirements as are 
necessary to ensure that such requirements do not discriminate or have 
the effect of discriminating, on the basis of handicap, against a 
qualified handicapped applicant or student. Academic requirements that 
the recipient can demonstrate are essential to the instruction being 
pursued by such student or to any directly related licensing requirement 
will not be regarded as discriminatory within the meaning of this 
section. Modifications may include changes in the length of time 
permitted for the completion of degree requirements, substitution of 
specific courses required for the completion of degree requirements, and 
adaptation of the manner in which specific courses are conducted.
    (b) Other rules. A recipient to which this subpart applies may not 
impose upon handicapped students other rules, such as the prohibitation 
of tape recorders in classrooms or of dog guides in campus buildings, 
that have the effect of limiting the participation of handicapped 
students in the recipient's education program or activity.
    (c) Course examinations. In its course examinations or other 
procedures for evaluating students' academic achievement, a recipient to 
which this subpart applies shall provide such methods for evaluating the 
achievement of students who have a handicap that impairs sensory, 
manual, or speaking skills as will best ensure that the results of the 
evaluation represents the student's achievement in the course, rather 
than reflecting the student's impaired sensory, manual, or speaking 
skills (except where such skills are the factors that the test purports 
to measure).
    (d) Auxiliary aids. (1) A recipient to which this subpart applies 
shall take such steps as are necessary to ensure that no handicapped 
student is denied the benefits of, excluded from participation in, or 
otherwise subjected to discrimination because of the absence of 
educational auxiliary aids for students with impaired sensory, manual, 
or speaking skills.
    (2) Auxiliary aids may include taped texts, interpreters or other 
effective methods of making orally delivered materials available to 
students with hearing impairments, readers in libraries for students 
with visual impairments, classroom equipment adapted for use by students 
with manual impairments, and other similar services and actions. 
Recipients need not provide attendants, individually prescribed devices, 
readers for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a 
personal nature.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.45  Housing.

    (a) Housing provided by the recipient. A recipient that provides 
housing to its nonhandicapped students shall provide comparable, 
convenient, and accessible housing to handicapped students at the same 
cost as to others. At the end of the transition period provided for in 
Subpart D, such housing shall be available in sufficient quantity and 
variety so that the scope of handicapped students' choice of living 
accommodations is, as a whole, comparable to that of nonhandicapped 
students.
    (b) Other housing. A recipient that assists any agency, 
organization, or person in making housing available to any of its 
students shall take such action as may be necessary to assure itself 
that such housing is, as a whole, made available in a manner that does 
not result in discrimination on the basis of handicap.



Sec.  1170.46  Financial and employment assistance to students.

    (a) Provision of financial assistance. (1) In providing financial 
assistance to qualified handicapped persons, a recipient to which this 
subpart applies may not
    (i) On the basis of handicap, provide less assistance than is 
provided to nonhandicapped persons, limit eligibility for assistance, or 
otherwise discriminate or
    (ii) Assist any entity or person that provides assistance to any of 
the recipient's students in a manner that discriminates against 
qualified handicapped persons on the basis of handicap.

[[Page 464]]

    (2) A recipient may administer or assist in the administration of 
scholarships, fellowships, or other forms of financial assistance 
established under wills, trusts, bequests, or similar legal instruments 
that require awards to be made on the basis of factors that discriminate 
or have the effect of discriminating on the basis of handicap only if 
the overall effect of the award of scholarships, fellowships, and other 
forms of financial assistance is not discriminatory on the basis of 
handicap.
    (b) Assistance in making available outside employment. A recipient 
that assists any agency, organization, or person in providing employment 
opportunities to any of its students shall assure itself that such 
employment opportunities, as a whole, are made available in a manner 
that would not violate subpart C if they were provided by the recipient.
    (c) Employment of students by recipients. A recipient that employs 
any of its students may not do so in a manner that violates subpart C.



Sec.  1170.47  Nonacademic services.

    (a) Physical education and athletics. (1) In providing physical 
education courses and athletics and similar aid, benefits, or services 
to any of its students, a recipient to which this subpart applies may 
not discriminate on the basis of handicap. A recipient that offers 
physical education courses or that operates or sponsors intercollegiate, 
club, or intramural athletics shall provide to qualified handicapped 
students an equal opportunity for participation in these activities.
    (2) A recipient may offer to handicapped students physical education 
and athletic activities that are separate or different only if 
separation or differentiation is consistent with the requirements of 
Sec.  1170.43(d) and only if no qualified handicapped student is denied 
the opportunity to compete for teams or to participate in courses that 
are not separate or different.
    (b) Counseling and placement services. A recipient to which this 
subpart applies that provides personal, academic, or vocational 
counseling, guidance, or placement services to its students shall 
provide these services without discrimination on the basis of handicap. 
The recipient shall ensure that qualified handicapped students are not 
counseled toward more restrictive career objectives than are 
nonhandicapped students with similar interests and abilities. This 
requirement does not preclude a recipient from providing factual 
information about licensing and certification requirements that may 
present obstacles to handicapped persons in their pursuit of particular 
careers.
    (c) Social organizations. A recipient that provides significant 
assistance to fraternities, sororities, or similar organizations shall 
assure itself that the membership practices of such organizations do not 
permit discrimination otherwise prohibited by this subpart.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec. Sec.  1170.48-1170.50  [Reserved]



                          Subpart F_Enforcement



Sec.  1170.51  Assurances required.

    (a) Assurances. An applicant for Federal financial assistance to 
which this part applies shall submit an assurance, on a form specified 
by the responsible Endowment official, that the program or activity will 
be operated in compliance with this part. An applicant may incorporate 
these assurances by reference in subsequent applications to the 
Endowment.
    (b) Duration of obligation. (1) In the case of Federal financial 
assistance extended in the form of real property or to provide real 
property or structures on the property, the assurance will obligate the 
recipient or, in the case of a subsequent transfer, the transferee, for 
the period during which the real property or structures are used for the 
purpose for which Federal financial assistance is extended or for 
another purpose involving the provision of similar services or benefits.
    (2) In the case of Federal financial assistance extended to provide 
personal property, the assurance will obligate the recipient for the 
period during which it retains ownership or possession of the property.

[[Page 465]]

    (3) In all other cases the assurance will obligate the recipient for 
the period during which Federal financial assistance is extended.
    (c) Covenants. (1) Where Federal financial assistance is provided in 
the form of real property or interest in the property from the 
Endowment, the instrument effecting or recording this transfer shall 
contain a covenant running with the land to assure nondiscrimination for 
the period during which the real property is used for a purpose for 
which the Federal financial assistance is extended or for another 
purpose involving the provision of similar services or benefits.
    (2) Where no transfer of property is involved but property is 
purchased or improved with Federal financial assistance, the recipient 
shall agree to include the covenant described in paragraph (b)(2) of 
this section in the instrument effecting or recording any subsequent 
transfer of the property.
    (3) Where Federal financial assistance is provided in the form of 
real property or interest in the property from the Endowment, the 
covenant shall also include a condition coupled with a right to be 
reserved by the Endowment to revert title to the property in the event 
of a breach of the covenant. If a transferee of real property proposes 
to mortgage or to otherwise encumber the real property as security for 
financing construction of new, or improvement of existing, facilities on 
the property for the purposes for which the property was transferred, 
the responsible Endowment official may, upon request of the transferee 
and if necessary to accomplish such financing and upon such conditions 
as he or she deems appropriate, agree to forbear the exercise of such 
right to revert title for so long as the lien of such mortgage or other 
encumbrance remains effective.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.52  Remedial action, voluntary action, and self-evaluation.

    (a) Remedial action. (1) If the Chairman finds that a recipient has 
discriminated against persons on the basis of handicap in violation of 
section 504 or this part, the recipient shall take such remedial action 
as the Chairman deems necessary to overcome the effects of the 
discrimination.
    (2) Where a recipient is found to have discriminated against persons 
on the basis of handicap in violation of section 504 or this part and 
where another recipient exercises control over the recipient that has 
discriminated, the Chairman, where appropriate, may require either or 
both recipients to take remedial action.
    (3) The Chairman may, where necessary to overcome the effects of 
discrimination in violation of section 504 or this part, require a 
recipient to take remedial action:
    (i) With respect to handicapped persons who are no longer 
participants in the recipient's program or activity but who were 
participants in the program or activity when such discrimination 
occurred, or
    (ii) With respect to handicapped persons who would have been 
participants in the program or activity had the discrimination not 
occurred.
    (b) Voluntary action. A recipient may take steps, in addition to any 
action that is required by this part, to overcome the effects of 
conditions that resulted in limited participation in the recipient's 
program or activity by qualified handicapped persons.
    (c) A recipient shall within one year of the effective date of this 
part:
    (1) Evaluate, with the assistance of interested persons, including 
handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, 
its current policies and practices and the effects thereof that do not 
or may not meet the requirements of this part;
    (2) Modify, after consultation with interested persons, including 
handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, 
any policies and practices that do not meet the requirements of this 
part;
    (3) Take, after consultation with interested persons, including 
handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, 
appropriate remedial steps to eliminate the effects of any 
discrimination that resulted from adherence to these policies and 
practices.
    (4) A recipient that employs fifteen or more persons shall maintain 
on file, make available for public inspection,

[[Page 466]]

and provide to the Endowment upon request, for at least three years 
following completion of the self-evaluation:
    (i) A list of the interested persons consulted;
    (ii) A description of areas examined and any problems identified; 
and
    (iii) A description of any modifications made and of any remedial 
steps taken.
    (5) The completed self-evaluation should be signed by a responsible 
official designated to coordinate the recipient's efforts in connection 
with this section.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.53  Designation of responsible employee and adoption of grievance procedures.

    (a) Designation of responsible employee. A recipient that employs 
fifteen or more persons shall designate at least one person to 
coordinate its efforts to comply with this part.
    (b) Adoption of grievance procedures. A recipient that employs 
fifteen or more persons shall adopt grievance procedures that 
incorporate appropriate due process standards and that provide for the 
prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action 
prohibited by this part. Such procedures need not be established with 
respect to complaints from applicants for employment or from applicants 
for admission to postsecondary educational institutions.



Sec.  1170.54  Notice.

    (a) A recipient that employs fifteen or more persons shall take 
appropriate initial and continuing steps to notify participants, 
beneficiaries, applicants, and employees, including those with impaired 
vision or hearing, and unions or professional organizations holding 
collective bargaining or professional agreements with the recipient that 
it does not discriminate on the basis of handicap in violation of 
section 504 and this part. The notification shall state, where 
appropriate, that the recipient does not discriminate in admission or 
access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activities. 
The notification shall also include an identification of the responsible 
employee designated pursuant to Sec.  1170.53(a). A recipient shall make 
the initial notification required by this paragraph within 90 days of 
the effective date of this part. Methods of initial and continuing 
notification may include the posting of notices, publication in 
newspapers and magazines, placement of notices in recipients' 
publication, and distribution of memoranda or other written 
communications.
    (b) If a recipient publishes or uses recruitment materials or 
publications containing general information that it makes available to 
participants, beneficiaries, applicants, or employees, it shall include 
in those materials or publications a statement of the policy described 
in paragraph (a) of this section. A recipient may meet the requirement 
of this paragraph either by including appropriate inserts in existing 
materials and publications or by revising and reprinting the materials 
and publications.

[46 FR 55897, Nov. 12, 1981, as amended at 68 FR 51386, Aug. 26, 2003]



Sec.  1170.55  Endowment enforcement and compliance procedures.

    The procedural provisions applicable to Title VI of the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964 apply to this part. These procedures are found in Sec. Sec.  
1110.6 through 1110.11 of part 1100 of this title.



Sec. Sec.  1170.56-1170.99  [Reserved]



PART 1171_PUBLIC ACCESS TO NEH RECORDS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
1171.1 About the National Endowment for the Humanities.
1171.2 General provisions.
1171.3 Information policy.
1171.4 Public availability of records.
1171.5 Requests for records.
1171.6 Responsibilities for processing and responding to requests.
1171.7 Timing of responses to requests.
1171.8 Responses to requests.
1171.9 Confidential commercial information.
1171.10 Administrative appeals.
1171.11 Fees.
1171.12 Preservation of records.
1171.13 Other rights and services.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552; 20 U.S.C. 959; 31 U.S.C. 3717; E.O. 12600.

[[Page 467]]


    Source: 79 FR 9415, Feb. 19, 2014, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1171.1  About the National Endowment for the Humanities.

    The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was established by 
the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965, 20 
U.S.C. 951 et seq., and is an independent grant-making agency of the 
United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, 
preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH is directed 
by a Chairman and has an advisory council composed of twenty-six 
presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed members.



Sec.  1171.2  General provisions.

    This part contains the regulations the NEH follows in processing 
requests for NEH records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 
U.S.C. 552, as amended. The NEH also follows these regulations to 
process all FOIA requests made to the Federal Council on the Arts and 
the Humanities (FCAH), an organization established by the National 
Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965 for which the NEH 
provides legal counsel. These regulations should be read together with 
the FOIA and OMB's Free Guidelines, which provides additional 
information about access to NEH and FCAH records. FOIA applies to 
requests for records concerning the general activities of the government 
and of the NEH in particular. When individuals seek records about 
themselves under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, NEH processes 
those requests under both NEH's Privacy regulations at part 1115 of this 
chapter, and this part. Although requests are considered either FOIA 
requests or Privacy Act requests, agencies process requests in 
accordance with both laws, which provides the greatest degree of lawful 
access while safeguarding an individual's personal privacy.



Sec.  1171.3  Information policy.

    The NEH may provide information the agency routinely makes available 
to the public through its regular activities (for example, program 
announcements and solicitations, press releases, and summaries of 
awarded grant applications) without following this part. As a matter of 
policy, the NEH makes discretionary disclosures of records or 
information otherwise exempt under the FOIA whenever disclosure would 
not foreseeably harm an interest protected by a FOIA exemption. This 
policy, however, does not create any right enforceable in court.



Sec.  1171.4  Public availability of records.

    (a) In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2), the NEH will make the 
following records available for public inspection in an electronic 
format (unless they are published and copies are offered for sale) 
without a FOIA request:
    (1) Final opinions, including concurring and dissenting opinions, as 
well as orders made in the adjudication of cases,
    (2) Statements of policy and interpretations which have been adopted 
by the agency and are not published in the Federal Register,
    (3) Administrative staff manuals and instructions to staff that 
affect a member of the public,
    (4) Copies of all records, regardless of format, which have been 
released to any person under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3) and which because of 
their subject matter, the NEH determines have become or are likely to 
become subject to subsequent requests for substantially the same 
records, or have been requested three (3) or more times; and
    (5) A general index of the records referred to in paragraph (b) of 
this section.
    (b) The NEH will also maintain and make available for public 
inspection in an electronic format current indexes as required by 5 
U.S.C. 552(a)(2) of the FOIA. However, since the NEH has determined that 
publication and distribution of these indexes is unnecessary and 
impracticable, the NEH will provide these indexes upon request at a cost 
not to exceed the direct cost of the duplication.
    (c) NEH proactively identifies records of interest to the public, 
such as past awards, press releases, grant guidelines, and grant terms 
and conditions, and makes these records available on the NEH's Web site 
at

[[Page 468]]

www.neh.gov. In addition, copies of the NEH's policy statements, 
information about the NEH's FOIA program, sample grant narratives, and 
other frequently requested records are available in the NEH's Electronic 
Library.

[79 FR 9415, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 82 FR 45, Jan. 3, 2017]



Sec.  1171.5  Requests for records.

    (a) How to make a request. Your FOIA request need not be in any 
particular format, but it must be in writing, include your full name, 
mailing address, daytime telephone number. If you choose to submit your 
request on the NEH Web site, the request must also include your email 
address. Your request should be clearly identified as a FOIA request in 
both the text of the request and on the envelope (or on the facsimile or 
in the subject heading of an email message) and must describe the 
requested records in enough detail to enable NEH staff to locate them 
with a reasonable amount of effort. Whenever possible, your request 
should include specific information about each record sought, such as 
the date, title or name, author, recipient, and subject matter of the 
record. The NEH has no obligation to answer questions posed as FOIA 
requests or to create records to satisfy a FOIA request.
    (b) Agreement to pay fees. If you make a FOIA request, the NEH will 
consider it an agreement by you to pay all applicable fees charged under 
this part, subject to the fee limitations of Sec.  1171.11(d). When 
making a request, you may specify a willingness to pay a greater or 
lesser amount.
    (c) Where to send a request. (1) For NEH records (except NEH Office 
of the Inspector General records) and/or FCAH records, write to: The 
General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, National Endowment for 
the Humanities, 400 7th Street SW., Room 4060, Washington, DC, 20506. 
You may also send your request to the NEH General Counsel by facsimile 
at 202-606-8600, by email at [email protected], or through the NEH's 
electronic FOIA request system, which is available on the NEH Web site 
at www.neh.gov.
    (2) For NEH Office of the Inspector General records, write to: The 
Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, National Endowment 
for the Humanities, 400 7th Street SW., Room 2200, Washington, DC 20506. 
You may also send your request to the Inspector General by facsimile at 
202-606-8329 or by email at [email protected].

[79 FR 9415, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 80 FR 42066, July 16, 2015]



Sec.  1171.6  Responsibilities for processing and responding to requests.

    (a) Processing requests. The NEH Office of the General Counsel (OGC) 
is the central office for processing requests for records, except when 
it's necessary for the NEH Office of Inspector General (OIG) to process 
a request to maintain the OIG's independence or ability to carry out its 
statutorily mandated duties. If the request is for OIG records, the NEH 
will inform the requester which office will be processing the request.
    (b) Authority to grant or deny requests. The NEH General Counsel (or 
designee) is authorized to grant or deny requests for NEH records 
(excluding requests for OIG records), and/or FCAH records. The NEH 
Deputy Inspector General (or designee) is authorized to grant or deny 
requests for OIG records. The NEH General Counsel (or designee) is 
authorized to grant or deny requests on any fee matters and requests for 
expedited treatment, including OIG-related requests.
    (c) Consultations and referrals. When the NEH receives a request for 
a record in its possession, the agency will determine whether another 
Federal government agency is better able to decide whether the record 
should or should not be disclosed under the FOIA. Ordinarily, the agency 
that originated a record will be presumed to be best able to determine 
whether to disclose it.
    (1) If the NEH determines that it is the agency best able to process 
the record in response to the request, then it will do so, after 
consultation with the other agency that has a substantial interest in 
the requested records.
    (2) If the NEH determines that it is not the agency best able to 
process the record, then it will refer the record (or portion thereof) 
to the other Federal agency, but only if that agency is subject to the 
FOIA.

[[Page 469]]

    (d) Notice of referral. Whenever the NEH refers all or any part of 
the responsibility for responding to a request to another agency, the 
NEH will notify the requester of the referral, provide the name of the 
agency to which the referral was directed, and include that agency's 
FOIA contact information. NEH will notify the requester of the part of 
the request that has been referred, unless such notification would 
disclose information otherwise exempt. If notification to the requester 
about the referral would cause a harm meant to be protected against by 
the FOIA, NEH will coordinate with the agency rather than referring the 
records to it.



Sec.  1171.7  Timing of responses to requests.

    (a) In general. The NEH customarily will respond to requests 
according to their order of receipt. In determining which records are 
responsive to a request, the NEH will include only those records in its 
possession as of the date it begins its search for records. If any other 
date is used, the NEH will inform the requester of that date.
    (b) Timing for initial response. Ordinarily, the NEH will determine 
whether to grant or deny a request for records within twenty (20) days 
(weekends and Federal holidays excluded) of when the NEH receives a 
request.
    (c) Tolling of time limits. The NEH may toll the 20-day time period 
to:
    (1) Make one request for information it reasonably requests from the 
requester; or
    (2) Clarify the applicability or amount of any fees, if necessary, 
with the requester.
    (3) Under paragraphs (c)(1) or (2) of this section, the tolling 
period ends upon the NEH's receipt of the information or clarification 
from the requester.
    (d) Unusual circumstances. (1) When the NEH cannot meet the 
statutory time limits for processing a request because of unusual 
circumstances as defined in the FOIA, the NEH may extend the response 
time as follows:
    (i) If the extension will be for ten (10) or fewer working days 
(i.e., weekends and Federal holidays excluded), the NEH will notify the 
requester as soon as practicable in writing of the unusual circumstances 
and the expected response date; and
    (ii) If the extension will be for more than ten (10) working days, 
the NEH will provide the requester with an opportunity either to modify 
the request so that it may be processed within the time limit or to 
arrange an alternative time period to process the request or a modified 
request. To aid the requester, NEH shall make available its FOIA Public 
Liaison, who shall assist in the resolution of any disputes between the 
requester and the agency, and shall notify the requester of his or her 
right to seek dispute resolution services from the Office of Government 
Information Services.
    (2) If the NEH reasonably believes that multiple requests submitted 
by a requester, or a group of requesters acting in concert, constitute a 
single request that would otherwise involve unusual circumstances, and 
the requests involve clearly related matters, the NEH may aggregate the 
requests. The NEH will not aggregate multiple requests involving 
unrelated matters.
    (e) Expedited processing. (1) The NEH will process requests and 
appeals on an expedited basis whenever it determines that they involve:
    (i) Circumstances in which the lack of expedited treatment could 
reasonably be expected to pose an imminent threat to the life or 
physical safety of an individual; or
    (ii) An urgency to inform the public about actual or alleged Federal 
government activity if the expedited processing request is made by a 
person primarily engaged in disseminating information.
    (2) A requester may seek expedited processing at the time of the 
requester's initial request for records or at any later time.
    (3) To request expedited processing, a requester must submit a 
statement, certified to be true and correct to the requester's best 
knowledge and belief, explaining in detail the basis for requesting 
expedited processing.
    (4) Within ten (10) calendar days of receipt of a request for 
expedited processing, the NEH will decide whether to grant it and will 
notify the requester of the decision. If the NEH grants a request for 
expedited processing, the

[[Page 470]]

NEH will place the request in the expedited processing track and then 
process the request as soon as practicable. If the NEH denies a request 
for expedited processing, the NEH will act upon any appeal of that 
decision expeditiously.

[79 FR 9415, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 82 FR 45, Jan. 3, 2017]



Sec.  1171.8  Responses to requests.

    (a) Acknowledgment of requests. Upon receipt of a request that will 
take longer than ten (10) days to process, the NEH will send the 
requester an acknowledgment letter that assigns the request an 
individualized tracking number.
    (b) Grants of requests. If the NEH makes a determination to grant a 
request in whole or in part, it will notify the requester in writing of 
such determination and the reasons therefore, and the requester's right 
to seek assistance from NEH's FOIA Public Liaison. The NEH will inform 
the requester of any applicable fees and will disclose records to the 
requester promptly on payment of any applicable fees. The NEH will mark 
or annotate records disclosed in part to show the amount of information 
deleted pursuant to a FOIA exemption, unless doing so would harm an 
interest protected by an applicable FOIA exemption. If technically 
feasible, the NEH will also indicate, on the agency record(s) it 
provides, the location of the information deleted.
    (c) Denials of requests. If the NEH makes a determination to deny a 
request in any respect, the NEH will also notify the requester in 
writing of:
    (1) The name and title or position of the person responsible for the 
denial;
    (2) A brief statement of the reason(s) for the denial, including any 
FOIA exemption applied by the NEH in denying the request;
    (3) An estimate of the volume of records or information withheld, if 
applicable, although such an estimate is not required if the volume is 
otherwise indicated through deletion on the records disclosed in part, 
or if providing such an estimate would harm an interest protected by an 
applicable exemption;
    (4) The requester's right to seek dispute resolution services from 
NEH's FOIA Public Liaison or the Office of Government Information 
Services; and
    (5) A statement that the requester may appeal the denial under Sec.  
1171.10 and a description of the requirements to appeal.

[79 FR 9415, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 82 FR 45, Jan. 3, 2017]



Sec.  1171.9  Confidential commercial information.

    (a) In general. The NEH will not disclose confidential commercial 
information in response to a FOIA request, except as described in this 
section.
    (b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:
    (1) Confidential commercial information means commercial or 
financial information obtained by the NEH from a submitter that may be 
protected from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the FOIA.
    (2) Submitter means any person or entity from whom the NEH obtains 
confidential commercial information, directly or indirectly. The term 
includes corporations; state, local, and tribal governments; and foreign 
governments.
    (c) Designation of confidential commercial information. A submitter 
of confidential commercial information will use good-faith efforts to 
designate by appropriate markings, either at the time of submission or 
at a reasonable time thereafter, any portions of its submission that it 
considers to be protected from disclosure under Exemption 4. These 
designations will expire ten years after the date of the submission 
unless the submitter requests, and provides justification for, a longer 
designation period.
    (d) When notice to submitters is required. (1) The NEH will give 
notice to a submitter whenever:
    (i) The submitter, in good faith, has designated the requested 
information as information considered protected from disclosure under 
Exemption 4; or
    (ii) The NEH has reason to believe that the information may be 
protected from disclosure under Exemption 4.
    (2) The notice will either describe the confidential commercial 
information

[[Page 471]]

requested or include copies of the requested records or record portions 
containing the information. In cases involving a voluminous number of 
submitters, the NEH may make notice by posting or publishing the notice 
in a place reasonably likely to accomplish it.
    (e) Exceptions to submitter notice requirements. The notice 
requirements of this section will not apply if:
    (1) The NEH determines that the requested information is exempt 
under the FOIA;
    (2) The information lawfully has been published or has been 
officially made available to the public;
    (3) Disclosure of the information is required by statute (other than 
the FOIA) or by a regulation issued in accordance with the requirements 
of Executive Order 12600 of June 23, 1987; or
    (4) The designation made by the submitter under paragraph (c) of 
this section appears obviously frivolous, except that, in such a case, 
the NEH will give the submitter written notice of any final decision to 
disclose the information within a reasonable number of days prior to a 
specified disclosure date.
    (f) Opportunity to object to disclosure. (1) The NEH will specify a 
reasonable time period within which the submitter must respond to the 
notice described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section. If a submitter has 
any objection to disclosure, it must submit a detailed written statement 
to the NEH specifying all grounds for withholding any portion of the 
information under any exemption of the FOIA. If the submitter relies on 
Exemption 4 as a basis of nondisclosure, the submitter must explain why 
the information constitutes a trade secret, or commercial or financial 
information that is privileged or confidential.
    (2) The NEH will consider a submitter who fails to respond with the 
time period specified on the notice to have no objection to disclosure 
of the information. The NEH will not consider information it receives 
from a submitter after the date of any disclosure decision. Any 
information provided by a submitter under this section may itself be 
subject to disclosure under the FOIA.
    (g) Notice of intent to disclose. The NEH will consider a 
submitter's objections and specific grounds for nondisclosure in 
deciding whether to disclose confidential commercial information. 
Whenever the NEH decides to disclose confidential commercial information 
over the objection of a submitter, the NEH will provide the submitter 
written notice, which will include:
    (1) A statement of the reason(s) why each of the submitter's 
disclosure objections was not sustained;
    (2) A description of the business information to be disclosed; and
    (3) A specified disclosure date, which will be a reasonable time 
after the notice.
    (h) Notice of FOIA lawsuit. Whenever a requester files a lawsuit 
seeking to compel the disclosure of confidential commercial information, 
the NEH will promptly notify the submitter.
    (i) Requester notification. The NEH will notify the requester 
whenever the NEH provides the submitter with notice and an opportunity 
to object to disclosure; whenever the NEH notifies the submitter of its 
intent to disclose the requested information; and whenever a submitter 
files a lawsuit to prevent the disclosure of the information.



Sec.  1171.10  Administrative appeals.

    (a) You may appeal a denial of your request for NEH records (except 
NEH OIG records) and/or FCAH records to The Deputy Chairman, National 
Endowment for the Humanities, 400 7th Street SW., Room 4053, Washington, 
DC 20506. You may also send your appeal to the NEH General Counsel by 
facsimile at 202-606-8600, by email at [email protected], or through 
the NEH's electronic FOIA request system, which is available on the NEH 
Web site at www.neh.gov. For a denial of your request for OIG records, 
you may appeal by facsimile at 202-606-8329, by email at [email protected] or 
by mail to The Inspector General, National Endowment for the Humanities, 
400 7th Street SW., Room 2200, Washington, DC 20506. Your appeal must be 
in writing and received by NEH within ninety (90) days of the date of 
the letter denying your request in whole or in part. Your appeal letter 
must clearly identify the NEH decision that you are appealing

[[Page 472]]

and contain the tracking number, if assigned. You should clearly mark 
your appeal letter and envelope ``Freedom of Information Act Appeal.''
    (b) Responses to appeals. The Deputy Chairman (or designee) or the 
Inspector General (or designee) will make a written determination on 
your appeal within twenty (20) days (weekends and Federal holidays 
excluded) after the agency receives your appeal, except as provided by 
1171.7(d). If the appeal decision affirms the denial of your request, 
the NEH will notify you in writing of the reason(s) for the decision, 
including the applicable FOIA exemption(s), and inform you of the FOIA 
provisions for court review of the decision. If the denial of your 
request is reversed or modified, in whole or in part, the NEH will 
reprocess your request in accordance with that appeal decision and 
notify you of that decision in writing. A response to an appeal will 
advise the requester that the 2007 amendments to FOIA created the Office 
of Government Information Services (OGIS) to offer mediation services to 
resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies as a non-
exclusive alternative to litigation. A requester may contact OGIS in any 
of the following ways: Office of Government Information Services, 
National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road--OGIS, 
College Park, MD 20740; https://ogis.archives.gov; email: [email protected]; 
telephone: 202-741-5770; facsimile: 202-741-5769; toll-free: 1-877-684-
6448.
    (c) When appeal is required. If you wish to seek review by a court 
of any denial by the NEH, you must first submit a timely administrative 
appeal to the NEH.

[79 FR 9415, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 80 FR 42066, July 16, 2015; 82 
FR 46, Jan. 3, 2017]



Sec.  1171.11  Fees.

    (a) In general. The NEH will assess fees for processing FOIA 
requests in accordance with this section and with the Uniform Freedom of 
Information Fee Schedule and Guidelines published by the Office of 
Management and Budget at 52 FR 10012 (Mar. 27, 1987). In order to 
resolve any fee issues that arise under this section, the NEH may 
contact a requester for additional information. The NEH ordinarily will 
collect all applicable fees before sending copies of records to a 
requester. Requesters must pay fees by check or money order made payable 
to the Treasury of the United States.
    (b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:
    (1) Commercial use request means a request from or on behalf of a 
person who seeks information for a use or purpose that furthers his or 
her commercial, trade, or profit interest, which can include furthering 
those interests through litigation. When it appears that the requester 
will put the records to a commercial use, either because of the nature 
of the request itself or because the NEH has reasonable cause to doubt a 
requester's stated use, the NEH will provide the requester a reasonable 
opportunity to submit further clarification.
    (2) Direct costs means those expenses that an agency actually incurs 
in searching for and duplicating (and, in the case of commercial use 
requests, reviewing) records to respond to a FOIA request. Direct costs 
include, for example, the salary of the employee performing the work 
(the basic rate of pay for the employee, plus 16 percent of that rate to 
cover benefits) and the cost of operating duplication machinery. Not 
included in direct costs are overhead expenses such as the costs of 
space and heating or lighting of the facility in which the records are 
kept.
    (3) Duplication means the making of a copy of a record, or of the 
information contained in it, necessary to respond to a FOIA request. 
Copies can take the form of paper, microform, audiovisual materials, or 
electronic records among others.
    (4) Educational institution means any school that operates a program 
of scholarly research. A requester in this category must show that the 
request is authorized by and made under the auspices of a qualifying 
institution and that the records are not sought for a commercial use, 
but are sought to further scholarly research.
    (5) Noncommercial scientific institution means an institution that 
is not operated on a ``commercial'' basis, as defined in paragraph 
(b)(1) above, and that is operated solely for the purpose of conducting 
scientific research, the

[[Page 473]]

results of which are not intended to promote any particular product or 
industry. A requester in this category must show that the request is 
authorized by and made under the auspices of a qualifying institution 
and that the records are not sought for a commercial use or to promote 
any particular product or industry, but are sought to further scientific 
research.
    (6) Representative of the news media means any person or entity that 
gathers information of potential interest to a segment of the public, 
uses its editorial skills to turn the raw materials into a distinct 
work, and distributes that work to an audience. The term ``news'' means 
information that is about current events or that would be of current 
interest to the public. Examples of news-media entities include 
television or radio stations broadcasting to the public at large, and 
publishers of periodicals (but only if such entities qualify as 
disseminators of ``news'') who make their products available for 
purchase or by subscription or by free distribution to the general 
public. The NEH will regard ``freelance'' journalists as working for a 
news-media organization if they demonstrate a solid basis for expecting 
publication though that organization. A publication contract would 
provide the clearest evidence, but the NEH will also consider a 
requester's past publication record in making this determination.
    (7) Review means the process of examining a record located in 
response to a request in order to determine whether any portion of it is 
exempt from disclosure. Review includes processing any record for 
disclosure, such as doing all that is necessary to redact it and prepare 
it for disclosure. It also includes time spent both obtaining and 
considering any formal objection to disclosure made by a confidential 
commercial information submitter under Sec.  1171.9, but it does not 
include time spent resolving general legal or policy issues regarding 
the application of exemptions. Review costs are recoverable even if the 
NEH ultimately does not disclose a record.
    (8) Search means the process of looking for and retrieving records 
or information responsive to a request. It includes page-by-page or 
line-by-line identification of information within records and the 
reasonable efforts expended to locate and retrieve information from 
electronic records. The NEH will ensure that searches are done in the 
most efficient and least expensive manner reasonably possible.
    (c) Fee schedule. In responding to FOIA requests, the NEH will 
charge the following fees for requests, subject to paragraphs (d), (e), 
and (f) of this section:
    (1) Search. (i) The NEH will charge $4.00 for each quarter hour 
spent by clerical personnel in searching for and retrieving a requested 
record. When clerical personnel cannot perform the search and retrieval 
(e.g. identification of records within scope of request requires 
professional personnel), the NEH will charge $7.00 for each quarter hour 
of search time spent by professional personnel. Where the time of 
managerial personnel is required, the fee will be $10.00 for each 
quarter hour of time spent by those personnel. The NEH may charge for 
time spent searching even if it does not locate any responsive records 
or if it determines that the records are entirely exempt from 
disclosure.
    (ii) For computer searches of records, the NEH will charge the 
actual direct cost of conducting the search.
    (2) Duplication. The fee for a photocopy of a record on one-side of 
an 8\1/2\ x 11 inch sheet of paper is ten cents per page. For copies of 
records produced on tapes, disks, or other electronic media, the NEH 
will charge the direct costs of producing the copy, including operator 
time. For other forms of duplication, the NEH will charge the direct 
costs of that duplication. The NEH will honor a requester's preference 
for receiving a record in a particular form or format where it is 
readily reproducible by the NEH in the form or format requested.
    (3) Review. The NEH will charge review fees to requesters who make a 
commercial use request. Review fees will be charged only for the initial 
record review (i.e., the review the NEH conducted to determine whether 
an exemption applies to a particular record or record portion at the 
initial request stage). No charge will be made for review at the 
administrative appeal stage for exemptions applied at the initial

[[Page 474]]

review stage. However, if the NEH re-reviews the records for the 
applicability of other exemptions that it did not previously consider, 
then the costs for the subsequent review are assessable. Review fees 
will be charged at the same rates as those charged for a search under 
paragraph (c)(1)(i). The NEH may charge for review even if it ultimately 
decides not to disclose a record.
    (d) Limitations on charging requesters. (1) Except for requesters 
seeking records for commercial use, the NEH will provide without charge:
    (i) The first 100 pages of duplication (or the cost equivalent); and
    (ii) The first two hours of search (or the cost equivalent).
    (2) When, after first deducting the 100 pages (or its cost 
equivalent) and the first two hours of search, the total fee is $25.00 
or less for any request, the NEH will not charge a fee.
    (3) If NEH fails to comply with the FOIA's time limits in which to 
respond to a request, it may not charge search fees, or, in the 
instances of requests from requesters described in paragraphs (b)(4) 
through (6) of this section, may not charge duplication fees, except as 
described in paragraphs (d)(3)(i) through (iii) of this section.
    (i) If NEH has determined that unusual circumstances, as defined by 
the FOIA, apply and NEH has provided timely written notice to the 
requester in accordance with the FOIA, a failure to comply with the time 
limit shall be excused for an additional ten (10) working days.
    (ii) If NEH has determined that unusual circumstances, as defined by 
the FOIA, apply and more than 5,000 pages are necessary to respond to 
the request, NEH may charge search fees, or, in the case of requesters 
described in paragraphs (b)(4) through (6) of this section, may charge 
duplication fees, provided NEH provided timely written notice of unusual 
circumstances to the requester in accordance with the FOIA and NEH 
discussed with the requester via written mail, email, or telephone (or 
made not less than three good-faith attempts to do so) how the requester 
could effectively limit the scope of the request in accordance with 5 
U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B)(ii).
    (iii) If a court has determined that exceptional circumstances 
exist, as defined by the FOIA, a failure to comply with the time limits 
shall be excused for the length of time provided by the court order.
    (e) Categories of requesters. There are four categories of FOIA 
requesters: commercial use requesters; educational and non-commercial 
scientific institutions; representatives of the news media; and all 
other requesters. The NEH will assess fees for these categories of 
requesters as follows:
    (1) Commercial use requesters. The NEH will charge the full direct 
costs for searching for, reviewing, and duplicating requested records.
    (2) Educational and non-commercial scientific institution 
requesters. The NEH will charge for duplication only, excluding costs 
for the first 100 pages.
    (3) News media requesters. The NEH will charge for duplication only, 
excluding costs for the first 100 pages.
    (4) All other requesters. The NEH will charge requesters who do not 
fit into any of the categories above the full reasonable direct cost of 
searching for and reproducing records, excluding costs for the first 100 
pages and the first two hours of search time.
    (f) Requirements for fee waivers or reduction of fees. (1) The NEH 
will furnish responsive records without charge or at a reduced charge if 
it determines, based on all available information, that the requester 
has demonstrated that:
    (i) Disclosure of the requested information is in the public 
interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public 
understanding of the operations or activities of the government, and
    (ii) Disclosure of the information is not primarily in the 
commercial interest of the requester.
    (2) To determine whether the first fee requirement is met, the NEH 
will consider the following factors:
    (i) The subject of the requested records must concern identifiable 
operations or activities of the Federal government, with a connection 
that is direct and clear, not remote or attenuated.
    (ii) The disclosable portions of the requested records must be 
meaningfully

[[Page 475]]

informative about government operations or activities in order to be 
``likely to contribute'' to an increased public understanding of those 
operations or activities. Disclosure of information already in the 
public domain, in either duplicative or substantially identical form, is 
unlikely to contribute to such understanding where nothing new would be 
added to the public's understanding.
    (iii) The disclosure must contribute to the understanding of a 
reasonably broad audience of persons interested in the subject, as 
opposed to the individual understanding of the requester. A requester's 
expertise in the subject area as well as his or her ability and 
intention to effectively convey information to the public will be 
considered. It will ordinarily be presumed that a representative of the 
news media satisfies this consideration.
    (iv) The public's understanding of the subject in question must be 
enhanced by the disclosure to a significant extent. The NEH will make no 
value judgments about whether the information at issue is ``important'' 
enough to be made public.
    (3) To determine whether the second fee waiver requirement is met, 
the NEH will consider the following factors:
    (i) The NEH will identify any commercial interest of the requester, 
as defined in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, that would be furthered 
by the requested disclosure. Requesters will be given an opportunity to 
provide explanatory information regarding this consideration.
    (ii) A fee waiver or reduction is justified where the public 
interest is greater than any identified commercial interest in 
disclosure.
    (4) Where only some of the requested records satisfy the 
requirements for a fee waiver, a waiver will be granted for those 
records.
    (5) Requesters should make fee waiver or reduction requests when 
they first submit a FOIA request to the NEH. Fee waiver or reduction 
requests should address the factors listed in paragraphs (f)(2) and (3) 
of this section. Fee waiver or reduction requests may be submitted at a 
later time so long as the underlying record request is pending or on 
administrative appeal.
    (g) Notice of anticipated fees in excess of $25.00. (1) When the NEH 
determines or estimates that the fees to be charged under this section 
will exceed $25.00, it will notify the requester of the actual or 
estimated fees, unless the requester has indicated a willingness to pay 
fees as high as those anticipated. If the NEH can only readily estimate 
a portion of the fees, it will advise the requester that the estimated 
fee may be only a portion of the total fee.
    (2) The notice will offer the requester an opportunity to confer 
with NEH personnel in order to reformulate the request to meet the 
requester's needs at a lower cost and inform the requester of paragraph 
(d)(1) of this section, if applicable. A commitment by the requester to 
pay the anticipated fee must be in writing and must be received by the 
NEH within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of notification of 
the fee estimate. Until the requester agrees to pay the anticipated fee, 
the NEH will not consider the request as received by the agency and no 
further work will be done on the request. If a requester fails to 
respond within this timeframe, the NEH will administratively close the 
request.
    (h) Charges for other services. When the NEH chooses, in its sole 
discretion, to provide a requested special service (e.g. certifying that 
records are true copies or sending them by other than ordinary mail), it 
will charge the direct costs of providing the service to the requester.
    (i) Charging interest. The NEH may charge interest on any unpaid 
bill starting on the 31st day following the date of billing the 
requester. The NEH will assess interest charges at the rate provided in 
31 U.S.C. 3717 and such charges will accrue from the billing date until 
the NEH receives payment from the requester. The NEH will follow the 
provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-365, 96 Stat. 
1749), as amended, and its administrative procedures, including the use 
of consumer reporting agencies, collection agencies, and offset.
    (j) Advance payment. (1) For requests other than those described in 
paragraphs (j)(2) and (3) of this section, the

[[Page 476]]

NEH will not require the requester to make an advance payment before it 
commences or continues work on a request. Payment owed for work already 
completed (i.e., payment before copies are sent to a requester) is not 
an advance payment.
    (2) When the NEH determines or estimates that a total fee to be 
charged under this section will be more than $250.00, it may require the 
requester to make an advance payment of an amount up to the amount of 
the entire anticipated fee before beginning to process the request, 
except where it receives a satisfactory assurance of full payment from a 
requester that has a history of prompt payment.
    (3) When a requester has previously failed to pay a properly charged 
fee to the NEH within thirty (30) days of the billing date, the NEH may 
require the requester to pay the full amount due, plus any applicable 
interest, and to make an advance payment of the full amount of any 
anticipated fee, before the NEH begins to process a new request or 
continues to process a pending request from that requester.
    (4) When there is an advance payment request, the NEH will not 
consider the request as received by the agency and no further work will 
be done on the request until the required payment is received. If the 
requester fails to respond within thirty (30) calendar days after the 
date of the advance payment request, the NEH will administratively close 
the request.
    (k) Aggregating requests. When the NEH reasonably believes that a 
requester or a group of requesters acting together is attempting to 
divide a request into a series of requests for the purpose of avoiding 
fees, the NEH may aggregate those requests and charge accordingly. The 
NEH may presume that multiple requests of this type made within a 30-day 
period have been made in order to avoid fees. For requests separated by 
a longer period, the NEH will aggregate them only when there is a 
reasonable basis for determining that aggregation is warranted in view 
of all the circumstances involved. The NEH will not aggregate multiple 
requests involving unrelated matters.

[79 FR 9415, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 82 FR 46, Jan. 3, 2017]



Sec.  1171.12  Preservation of records.

    NEH will preserve all correspondence pertaining to the requests that 
it receives as well as copies of all requested records, until 
disposition or destruction is authorized by the agency's General Records 
Schedule of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) or 
other NARA-approved records schedule. Records will not be disposed of 
while they are the subject of a pending request, appeal, or lawsuit 
under the Act.



Sec.  1171.13  Other rights and services.

    Nothing in this part will be construed to entitle any person, as of 
right, to any service or to the disclosure of any record to which such 
person is not entitled under the FOIA.



PART 1172_NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF AGE IN FEDERALLY ASSISTED 
PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES--Table of Contents



                            Subpart A_General

Sec.
1172.1 Purpose.
1172.2 Application.
1172.3 Definitions.

         Subpart B_Standards for Determining Age Discrimination

1172.11 Rules against age discrimination.
1172.12 Exceptions to the rules against age discrimination.
1172.13 Burden of proof.

              Subpart C_Responsibilities of NEH Recipients

1172.21 General responsibilities.
1172.22 Notice to subrecipients.
1172.23 Self-evaluation.
1172.24 Information requirements.

    Subpart D_Investigation, Conciliation, and Enforcement Procedures

1172.31 Compliance reviews.
1172.32 Complaints.
1172.33 Mediation.
1172.34 Investigation.

[[Page 477]]

1172.35 Prohibition against intimidation or retaliation.
1172.36 Enforcement procedure.
1172.37 Hearings, decisions, post-termination proceedings.
1172.38 Remedial action by recipients.
1172.39 Alternate funds disbursal procedure.
1172.40 Exhaustion of administrative remedies.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6101-6107; 45 CFR 90.

    Source: 79 FR 26633, May 9, 2014, unless otherwise noted.



                            Subpart A_General



Sec.  1172.1  Purpose.

    The purpose of this part is to set out the National Endowment for 
the Humanities' (NEH) policies and procedures for implementing the Age 
Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq., (the Act 
or the Age Act). The Act is designed to prohibit discrimination on the 
basis of age in programs or activities receiving Federal financial 
assistance. The Act also permits federally assisted programs or 
activities, and recipients of Federal funds, to continue to use certain 
age distinctions and factors other than age which meet the requirements 
of the Act and the regulations in this part. The regulations in this 
part are based upon the general, government-wide age discrimination 
regulations issued by the United States Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) at 45 CFR part 90. Complaints of employment 
discrimination based on age may be subject to the Age Discrimination in 
Employment Act of 1967, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 621 et seq., (ADEA) and 
should be filed administratively with the Equal Employment Opportunity 
Commission (EEOC) (29 CFR part 1626).



Sec.  1172.2  Application.

    (a) The Act and the regulations in this part apply to each recipient 
and to any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the 
NEH.
    (b) The Act does not apply to:
    (1) Any age distinction contained in that part of a Federal, State 
or local statute or ordinance adopted by an elected, general purpose 
legislative body which:
    (i) Provides any benefits or assistance to persons based on age;
    (ii) Establishes criteria for participation in age-related terms; or
    (iii) Describes intended beneficiaries or target groups in age-
related terms.
    (2) Any employment practice of any employer, employment agency, 
labor organization, or with respect to any labor-management joint 
apprenticeship training program.
    (3) The rights or responsibilities of any person or party pursuant 
to the ADEA, the EEOC regulations under the ADEA, or any statements of 
policy promulgated by the EEOC under the ADEA.



Sec.  1172.3  Definitions.

    As used in this part, the term:
    Act means the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 
6101 et seq. (Pub. L. 94-135).
    Action means any act, activity, policy, rule, standard, or method of 
administration; or the use of any policy, rule, standard, or method of 
administration.
    ADEA means the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as 
amended, 29 U.S.C. 621 et seq. (Pub. L. 90-202).
    Age means how old a person is, or the number of elapsed years from 
the date of a person's birth.
    Age distinction means any action using age or an age-related term.
    Age-related term means a word or words which necessarily imply a 
particular age or range of ages (for example, children, adult, older 
persons, but not student).
    Agency means a Federal department or agency that is empowered to 
extend financial assistance.
    Chairman means the Chairman of the National Endowment for the 
Humanities.
    Federal financial assistance means any grant, entitlement, loan, 
cooperative agreement, contract (other than a procurement contract or a 
contract of insurance or guaranty), or any other arrangement by which 
NEH provides or otherwise makes available assistance in the form of:
    (1) Funds;
    (2) Services of Federal personnel; or
    (3) Real and personal property or any interest in or use of 
property, including:

[[Page 478]]

    (i) Transfers or leases of property for less than fair market value 
or for reduced consideration; and
    (ii) Proceeds from a subsequent transfer or lease of property if the 
Federal share of its fair market value is not returned to the Federal 
Government.
    Normal operation means the operation of a program or activity 
without significant changes that would impair its ability to meet its 
objectives.
    Program or activity means all of the operations of:
    (1)(i) A department, agency, special purpose district, or other 
instrumentality of a State or local government, or
    (ii) The entity of such State or local government that distributes 
Federal financial assistance and each such department or agency (and 
each other State or local government entity) to which the assistance is 
extended, in the case of assistance to a State or local government;
    (2)(i) A college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or 
a public system of higher education, or
    (ii) A local educational agency (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801), 
system of vocational education, or other school system;
    (3)(i) An entire corporation, partnership, or other private 
organization, or an entire sole proprietorship--
    (A) If assistance is extended to such corporation, partnership, 
private organization, or sole proprietorship as a whole, or
    (B) Which is principally engaged in the business of providing 
education, health care, housing, social services, or parks and 
recreation; or
    (ii) The entire plant or other comparable, geographically separate 
facility to which Federal financial assistance is extended, in the case 
of any other corporation, partnership, private organization, or sole 
proprietorship; or
    (4) Any other entity which is established by two or more of the 
entities described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this definition, any 
part of which is extended Federal financial assistance.
    Recipient means any State or its political subdivision, any 
instrumentality of a State or its political sub-division, any public or 
private agency, institution, organization, or other entity, or any 
person to which Federal financial assistance is extended, directly or 
through another recipient. Recipient includes any successor, assignee, 
or transferee, but excludes the ultimate beneficiary of the assistance.
    Secretary means the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human 
Services.
    Statutory objective means any purpose of a program or activity 
expressly stated in any Federal statute, State statute, or local statute 
or ordinance adopted by an elected, general purpose legislative body.
    Subrecipient means any of the entities in the definition of 
recipient to which a recipient extends or passes on Federal financial 
assistance. A subrecipient is generally regarded as a recipient of 
Federal financial assistance and has all the duties of a recipient in 
the regulations in this part.
    United States means the fifty states, the District of Columbia, 
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Wake Island, the 
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Northern Marianas, and the 
territories and possessions of the United States.



         Subpart B_Standards for Determining Age Discrimination



Sec.  1172.11  Rules against age discrimination.

    The rules stated in this section are limited by the exceptions 
contained in Sec.  1172.12.
    (a) General rule. No person in the United States shall, on the basis 
of age, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or 
be subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity receiving 
Federal financial assistance.
    (b) Specific rules. A recipient may not, in any program or activity 
receiving Federal financial assistance, directly or through contractual, 
licensing, or other arrangements use age distinctions or take any other 
actions which have the effect, on the basis of age, of:
    (1) Excluding individuals from, denying them the benefits of, or 
subjecting them to discrimination under, a program or activity receiving 
Federal financial assistance, or

[[Page 479]]

    (2) Denying or limiting individuals in their opportunity to 
participate in any program or activity receiving Federal financial 
assistance.
    (c) The specific forms of age discrimination listed in paragraph (b) 
of this section do not necessarily constitute a complete list of 
discriminatory actions.



Sec.  1172.12  Exceptions to the rules against age discrimination.

    (a) Normal operation or statutory objective of any program or 
activity. A recipient may take an action otherwise prohibited by Sec.  
1172.11 if the action reasonably takes into account age as a factor 
necessary to the normal operation or the achievement of any statutory 
objective of a program or activity, if:
    (1) Age is used as a measure or approximation of one or more other 
characteristics;
    (2) The other characteristic(s) must be measured or approximated in 
order for the normal operation of the program or activity to continue, 
or to achieve any statutory objective of the program or activity;
    (3) The other characteristic(s) can be reasonably measured or 
approximated by the use of age; and
    (4) The other characteristic(s) are impractical to measure directly 
on an individual basis.
    (b) Reasonable factors other than age. A recipient may take an 
action otherwise prohibited by Sec.  1172.11 which is based on a 
reasonable factor other than age, even though that action may have a 
disproportionate effect on persons of different ages. An action may be 
based on a reasonable factor other than age only if the factor bears a 
direct and substantial relationship to the normal operation of the 
program or activity or to the achievement of a statutory objective.
    (c) Affirmative action by recipient. Even in the absence of a 
finding of discrimination, a recipient may take affirmative action to 
overcome the effects or conditions that resulted in limited 
participation in the recipient's program or activity on the basis of 
age.
    (d) Special benefits for children and the elderly. If a recipient 
operating a program or activity provides special benefits to the elderly 
or to children, such use of age distinctions shall be presumed to be 
necessary to the normal operation of the program or activity, 
notwithstanding the provisions of Sec.  1172.12(a).
    (e) Age distinctions in NEH regulations. Any age distinction in a 
regulation issued by NEH is presumed to be necessary to the achievement 
of a statutory objective of the program or activity to which the 
regulation applies, notwithstanding the provisions of Sec.  1172.12(a).



Sec.  1172.13  Burden of proof.

    The recipient of Federal financial assistance bears the burden of 
proving that an age distinction or other action falls within the 
exceptions outlined in Sec.  1172.12.



              Subpart C_Responsibilities of NEH Recipients



Sec.  1172.21  General responsibilities.

    A recipient has responsibility to ensure that its programs or 
activities are in compliance with the Act and the regulations in this 
part and to take steps to eliminate violations of the Act and the 
regulations in this part. A recipient also has responsibility to 
maintain records, provide information, and afford NEH access to its 
records to the extent NEH finds necessary to determine whether the 
recipient is in compliance with the Act and the regulations in this 
part.



Sec.  1172.22  Notice to subrecipients.

    Where a recipient passes on Federal financial assistance from NEH to 
subrecipients, the recipient must provide the subrecipients with written 
notice of their obligations under the Act and the regulations in this 
part. Each recipient must also make necessary information available to 
its beneficiaries in order to inform them about the protections against 
discrimination provided by the Act and the regulations in this part.



Sec.  1172.23  Self-evaluation.

    As part of a compliance review under Sec.  1172.31 or a complaint 
investigation

[[Page 480]]

under Sec.  1172.34, NEH may require a recipient employing the 
equivalent of fifteen (15) or more full time employees to complete a 
written self-evaluation, in a manner specified by NEH, of any age 
distinction imposed in its program or activity receiving Federal 
financial assistance. A recipient must take corrective and remedial 
action whenever a self-evaluation indicates a violation of the Act, and 
the recipient must make the self-evaluation available upon request to 
NEH and to the public for a period of three (3) years following its 
completion.



Sec.  1172.24  Information requirements.

    Each recipient shall keep records containing information necessary 
for NEH to determine whether the recipient is in compliance with the Act 
and the regulations in this part, and shall provide any such records to 
NEH upon request and in the preferred format specified by NEH. Each 
recipient shall also permit reasonable access by NEH to its books, 
records, accounts, and other facilities and sources of information, to 
the extent necessary for NEH to determine whether the recipient is in 
compliance with the Act and this part.



    Subpart D_Investigation, Conciliation, and Enforcement Procedures



Sec.  1172.31  Compliance reviews.

    (a) NEH may conduct compliance reviews, pre-award reviews, and other 
similar procedures in order to investigate and correct violations of the 
Act and the regulations in this part. NEH may conduct these reviews even 
in the absence of a complaint against the recipient. Reviews may be as 
comprehensive as necessary to determine whether a recipient is in 
compliance with the Act and this part.
    (b) If a compliance review or pre-award review indicates a violation 
of the Act and the regulations in this part, NEH will attempt to contact 
the recipient and achieve the recipient's voluntary compliance. If the 
recipient does not comply voluntarily, NEH may pursue enforcement 
efforts as described in Sec.  1172.36.



Sec.  1172.32  Complaints.

    (a) Any person, individually or as a member of a class or on behalf 
of others, may file a complaint with NEH, alleging discrimination 
prohibited by the Act and the regulations in this part based on an 
action occurring on or after July 1, 1979. A complainant must file a 
complaint in writing within one hundred eighty (180) days from the date 
that the complainant first had knowledge of the alleged act of 
discrimination. However, for good cause, NEH may extend this time limit. 
NEH will consider the date a complaint is filed as the date when the 
complaint is sufficient to be processed.
    (b) Complaints must include a written and signed statement 
identifying the parties involved, describing the alleged violation, and 
stating the date on which the complainant first had knowledge of the 
alleged violation.
    (c) NEH will attempt to facilitate the filing of complaints wherever 
possible, including taking the following measures, as appropriate:
    (1) Widely disseminating information regarding the obligations of 
recipients under the Act and this part,
    (2) Permitting a complainant to add information to the complaint to 
meet the requirements of a sufficient complaint,
    (3) Notifying the complainant and the recipient (or their 
representatives) of their rights and obligations under the complaint 
procedure, including the right to have a representative at all stages of 
the complaint procedure, and/or
    (4) Notifying the complainant and the recipient (or their 
representatives) of their right to contact NEH for information and 
assistance regarding the complaint resolution process.
    (d) NEH will return any complaint that is unsigned or that is not 
within NEH's jurisdiction for any other reason, and NEH will provide an 
explanation for the return.



Sec.  1172.33  Mediation.

    (a) Referral of complaints for mediation. Unless the age distinction 
complained of is clearly within an exception, NEH will promptly refer 
all complaints that fall within the jurisdiction of the regulations in 
this part, and that contain

[[Page 481]]

all information necessary for further processing, to the Mediation 
Agency designated by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human 
Services.
    (b) Both the complainant and the recipient shall participate in the 
mediation process to the extent necessary to reach an agreement, or for 
the mediator to make an informed judgment that an agreement is 
impossible.
    (c) If the complainant and recipient reach a mutually satisfactory 
resolution of the complaint during the mediation period, the mediator 
shall prepare a mediation agreement in writing, to be signed by the 
complainant and recipient, and send a copy of the signed agreement to 
NEH. NEH will take no further action based on that complaint unless the 
complainant or the recipient has failed to comply with the agreement.
    (d) The mediator shall protect the confidentiality of all 
information obtained in the course of the mediation process, and no 
mediator shall testify in any adjudicative proceeding, produce any 
document, or otherwise disclose any information obtained in the course 
of the mediation process without prior approval of the head of the 
mediation agency.
    (e) If the complainant and recipient do not reach a mutually 
satisfactory resolution during mediation within sixty (60) days after 
NEH receives the complaint, the mediator shall return the complaint to 
NEH for investigation. The mediator may return a complaint at any time 
before the end of the sixty-day period if it appears that the complaint 
cannot be resolved through mediation or if an agreement is reached. The 
mediator may extend this sixty-day period, provided NEH concurs, for not 
more than thirty (30) days, if the mediator determines that resolution 
is likely to occur within such period.



Sec.  1172.34  Investigation.

    (a) Initial investigation. (1) NEH will investigate complaints that 
are unresolved after mediation or are reopened because of a violation of 
a mediation agreement.
    (i) As part of this initial investigation, NEH will use informal 
fact-finding methods, including joint or separate discussions with the 
complainant and the recipient to establish the facts, and, if possible, 
resolve the complaint to the mutual satisfaction of the parties. NEH may 
seek the assistance of any involved State agency.
    (ii) NEH will put any settlement agreement in writing and have it 
signed by the parties and NEH. The settlement is not a finding of 
discrimination against a recipient.
    (2) The settlement shall not affect the operation of any other 
enforcement effort of NEH, including compliance reviews and 
investigation of other complaints which may involve the recipient.
    (b) Formal investigation and finding. If NEH cannot resolve the 
complaint during the initial investigation, it will complete the 
investigation of the complaint and make a formal finding. If the formal 
investigation indicates a violation of the Act or the regulations in 
this part, NEH will attempt to achieve voluntary compliance. If NEH 
cannot obtain voluntary compliance, it will begin appropriate 
enforcement action as provided in Sec.  1172.36.



Sec.  1172.35  Prohibition against intimidation or retaliation.

    A recipient may not engage in acts of intimidation or retaliation 
against any person who attempts to assert a right protected by the Act 
or this part, or cooperates in any mediation, investigation, hearing, or 
other part of NEH's investigation, conciliation, and enforcement 
process.



Sec.  1172.36  Enforcement procedure.

    (a) NEH may enforce the Act and the regulations in this part 
through:
    (1) Termination of a recipient's Federal financial assistance under 
the program or activity involved where the recipient has violated the 
Act or the regulations in this part. Prior to such termination, a 
recipient must have the opportunity for a hearing on record before an 
administrative law judge who must determine that a violation has 
occurred. Therefore, NEH will not terminate a recipient's Federal 
financial assistance in a case that has been settled in mediation, or 
prior to a hearing,

[[Page 482]]

unless the case is reopened because of a violation of the settlement 
agreement.
    (2) Any other means authorized by law, including but not limited to:
    (i) Referral to the Department of Justice for proceedings to enforce 
any rights of the United States or obligations of the recipient created 
by the Act or the regulations in this part.
    (ii) Use of any requirement of, or referral to, any Federal, State, 
or local government agency that will have the effect of correcting a 
violation of the Act or this part.
    (b) NEH will limit any termination under Sec.  1172.36(a)(1) to the 
particular recipient and particular program or activity, or portion 
thereof, that NEH finds in violation of the Act or the regulations in 
this part. NEH will not base its decision to terminate on any findings 
with respect to any other program or activity of the recipient that does 
not receive Federal financial assistance from NEH.
    (c) NEH will not take action under Sec.  1172.36(a) until:
    (1) The Chairman has advised the recipient of its failure to comply 
with the Act or the regulations in this part, and that NEH has 
determined that voluntary compliance cannot be obtained, and
    (2) Thirty (30) days have elapsed after the Chairman has sent a 
written report of the circumstances and grounds of the action to the 
Congressional Committee(s) having legislative jurisdiction over the 
program or activity involved. The Chairman will file such report 
whenever it takes action under Sec.  1172.36(a).
    (d) NEH also may defer granting new Federal financial assistance to 
a recipient when a hearing under Sec.  1172.36(a)(1) is initiated.
    (1) New Federal financial assistance includes all assistance for 
which NEH requires an application or approval, including renewal or 
continuation of existing activities, or authorization of new activities, 
during the deferral period. New Federal financial assistance does not 
include assistance approved prior to the beginning of a termination 
hearing under Sec.  1172.36(a)(1), or increases in funding as a result 
of changed computation of formula awards.
    (2) NEH will not begin a deferral until the recipient has received a 
notice of an opportunity for a hearing under Sec.  1172.36(a)(1). NEH 
will not continue a deferral for more than sixty (60) days unless a 
hearing has begun within that time, or the time for beginning the 
hearing has been extended by mutual written consent of the recipient and 
NEH. NEH will not continue a deferral for more than thirty (30) days 
after the close of the hearing, unless the hearing results in a finding 
against the recipient.
    (3) NEH will limit any deferral to the particular recipient and 
particular program or activity, or portion thereof, that NEH finds in 
violation of the Act or the regulations in this part. NEH will not base 
the deferral decision any finding with respect to any other program or 
activity of the recipient that does not receive Federal financial 
assistance from NEH.



Sec.  1172.37  Hearings, decisions, post-termination proceedings.

    Certain NEH procedural provisions applicable to Title VI of the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964 apply to NEH enforcement of the regulations in 
this part. They are found at 45 CFR chapter XI, subchapter A, 1110.9 
through 1110.11.



Sec.  1172.38  Remedial action by recipients.

    Where NEH finds a recipient has discriminated on the basis of age, 
the recipient shall take any remedial action that NEH may require to 
overcome the effects of discrimination. If another recipient exercises 
control over the recipient that has discriminated, NEH may require both 
recipients to take remedial action.



Sec.  1172.39  Alternate funds disbursal procedure.

    When NEH withholds funds from a recipient under the regulations in 
this part, the Chairman may disburse the withheld funds directly to an 
alternate recipient otherwise eligible for NEH support. NEH will require 
any alternate recipient to demonstrate the ability to comply with the 
regulations in this part and to achieve the goals of the National 
Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965, Pub. L.

[[Page 483]]

89-209 (20 U.S.C. 951)--the Federal statute authorizing the Federal 
financial assistance.



Sec.  1172.40  Exhaustion of administrative remedies.

    (a) A complainant may file a civil action under the Act and the 
regulations in this part following the exhaustion of administrative 
remedies. Administrative remedies are exhausted if one hundred eighty 
(180) days have elapsed since the complainant filed the complaint and 
NEH has made no finding with regard to the complaint, or NEH issues any 
finding in favor of the recipient.
    (b) If either of the conditions set forth in Sec.  1172.40(a) is 
satisfied, NEH will:
    (1) Promptly advise the complainant of this fact,
    (2) Advise the complainant of his or her right, to bring a civil 
action for injunctive relief, and
    (3) Inform the complainant:
    (i) That a civil action can only be brought in a United States 
district court for the district in which the recipient is found or 
transacts business,
    (ii) That a complainant prevailing in a civil action has the right 
to be awarded the costs of the action, including reasonable attorney's 
fees, but that these costs must be demanded in the complaint,
    (iii) That before commencing the action, the complainant must give 
thirty (30) days' notice by registered mail to the Secretary, the 
Attorney General of the United States, the Chairman, and the recipient,
    (iv) That the notice must state the alleged violation of the Act, 
the relief requested, the court in which the complainant is bringing the 
action, and, whether or not attorney's fees are demanded in the event 
the complainant prevails, and
    (v) That no action may be brought if the same alleged violation of 
the Act by the same recipient is the subject of a pending action in any 
court of the United States.



PART 1173_INDEMNIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES--Table of Contents



Sec.
1173.1 Policy on employee indemnification.
1173.2 [Reserved]

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301.

    Source: 87 FR 8431, Feb. 15, 2022, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1173.1  Policy on employee indemnification.

    (a) This part explains when the National Endowment for the 
Humanities (NEH) will indemnify you, an employee or a former employee of 
NEH, against a verdict, judgment, or other monetary award that a court 
or other competent authority renders against you. When NEH indemnifies 
you against a verdict, judgment, or other monetary award, it means that 
NEH will pay the amounts that the court orders you to pay.
    (b) This part also explains when NEH will settle a claim (also 
referred to as compromising a claim) that someone brings or threatens to 
bring against you in court or before another competent authority. It is 
only in exceptional circumstances that NEH will agree to settle a claim 
before a court or other competent authority has entered a verdict, 
judgment, or monetary award against you.
    (c) In order for NEH to indemnify you or settle a claim:
    (1) The verdict, judgment, or monetary award to be paid or the claim 
to be settled must relate to something that you did (or failed to do) 
within the scope of your employment with NEH; and
    (2) The Chairperson of NEH or someone the Chairperson designates 
(the Agency Official) must determine, as a matter of discretion, that 
indemnifying you or settling the claim would be in the interest of NEH.
    (d) If you become aware that someone has made or may make a claim 
against you personally as a result of something that you did (or failed 
to do) within the scope of your employment, you must immediately notify 
the Office of the General Counsel.
    (e) To request that NEH indemnify you or settle a claim against you, 
you must submit a written request to the Office of the General Counsel. 
You

[[Page 484]]

must include a copy of the verdict, judgment, monetary award, or 
settlement proposal, as appropriate. The Office of the General Counsel 
may consult about the matter with your supervisor, other agency 
employees, and the Department of Justice.
    (f) The Agency Official may waive the requirements of paragraphs (d) 
and (e) of this section if it would be in the interest of NEH to do so.
    (g) If the Agency Official determines that NEH will indemnify you or 
settle a claim on your behalf, NEH's commitment will be subject to the 
availability of appropriated funds. The Agency Official may impose other 
conditions or limitations on the determination at his or her discretion.
    (h) If the Chairperson requests indemnification or settlement of a 
claim, the General Counsel will perform the functions assigned to the 
Chairperson under this section with respect to that request.



Sec.  1173.2  [Reserved]



PART 1174_PROGRAM FRAUD CIVIL REMEDIES ACT REGULATIONS--Table of Contents



         Subpart A_Purpose, Definitions, and Basis for Liability

Sec.
1174.1 Purpose.
1174.2 Definitions.
1174.3 Basis for civil penalties and assessments.

         Subpart B_Procedures Leading to Issuance of a Complaint

1174.4 Who investigates program fraud.
1174.5 Review of suspected program fraud by the reviewing official.
1174.6 Prerequisites for issuing a complaint.
1174.7 Contents of a complaint.
1174.8 Service of a complaint.

          Subpart C_Procedures Following Service of a Complaint

1174.9 Answer to a complaint.
1174.10 Default upon failure to file an answer.
1174.11 Referral of complaint and answer to the ALJ.

                      Subpart D_Hearing Procedures

1174.12 Notice of hearing.
1174.13 Location of the hearing.
1174.14 Parties to the hearing and their rights.
1174.15 Separation of functions.
1174.16 The ALJ's role and authority.
1174.17 Disqualification of reviewing official or ALJ.
1174.18 Parties' rights to review documents.
1174.19 Discovery.
1174.20 Discovery motions.
1174.21 Depositions.
1174.22 Exchange of witness lists, statements, and exhibits.
1174.23 Subpoenas for attendance at the hearing.
1174.24 Protective orders.
1174.25 Filing and serving documents with the ALJ.
1174.26 Computation of time.
1174.27 The hearing and the burden of proof.
1174.28 Presentation of evidence.
1174.29 Witness testimony.
1174.30 Ex parte communications.
1174.31 Sanctions for misconduct.
1174.32 Post-hearing briefs.

                     Subpart E_Decisions and Appeals

1174.33 Initial decision.
1174.34 Determining the amount of penalties and assessments.
1174.35 Reconsideration of the initial decision.
1174.36 Finalizing the initial decision.
1174.37 Procedures for appealing the ALJ's decision.
1174.38 Appeal to the authority head.
1174.39 Judicial review.
1174.40 Collection of civil penalties and assessments.
1174.41 Rights to administrative offset.
1174.42 Deposit in Treasury of the United States.
1174.43 Voluntary settlement of the administrative complaint.
1174.44 Limitations regarding criminal misconduct.

    Authority: 31 U.S.C. 3801-3812; 5 U.S.C. App. 8G(a)(2).

    Source: 86 FR 44628, Aug. 13, 2021, unless otherwise noted.



         Subpart A_Purpose, Definitions, and Basis for Liability



Sec.  1174.1  Purpose.

    This part implements the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986, 
31 U.S.C. 3801-3812 (PFCRA). The PFCRA provides the National Endowment 
for the Humanities (NEH), and other Federal agencies, with an 
administrative remedy to impose civil penalties and assessments against 
persons who make, submit, or present, or cause to be

[[Page 485]]

made, submitted or presented, false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims or 
written statements to NEH. The PFCRA also provides due process 
protections to all persons who are subject to administrative proceedings 
under this part.



Sec.  1174.2  Definitions.

    For the purposes of this part--
    ALJ means an Administrative Law Judge in the authority appointed 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3105 or detailed to the authority pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 3344.
    Authority means the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
    Authority head means the NEH Chairperson or the Chairperson's 
designee.
    Benefit means anything of value, including but not limited to any 
advantage, preference, privilege, license, permit, favorable decision, 
ruling, status or loan guarantee.
    Claim means any request, demand or submission that a person makes--
    (1) To the authority--
    (i) For property, services, or money (including money representing 
grants, loans, insurance, or benefits); or
    (ii) Which has the effect of decreasing an obligation to pay or 
account for property, services, or money; or
    (2) To a recipient of property, services, or money from the 
authority or to a party to a contract with the authority--
    (i) For property or services if the United States--
    (A) Provided such property or services;
    (B) Provided any portion of the funds for the purchase of such 
property or services; or
    (C) Will reimburse such recipient or party for the purchase of such 
property or services; or
    (ii) For the payment of money (including money representing grants, 
loans, insurance, or benefits) if the United States--
    (A) Provided any portion of the money requested or demanded; or
    (B) Will reimburse such recipient or party for any portion of the 
money paid on such request or demand.
    Complaint means the administrative complaint that the reviewing 
official serves on the defendant under Sec.  1174.8.
    Defendant means any person alleged in a complaint to be liable for a 
civil penalty or assessment pursuant to the PFCRA.
    Government means the United States Government.
    Individual means a natural person.
    Initial decision means the written decision of the ALJ under Sec.  
1174.33, and includes a revised initial decision issued following a 
remand or a motion for reconsideration.
    Knows or has reason to know means that a person, with respect to a 
claim or statement--
    (1) Has actual knowledge that the claim or statement is false, 
fictitious, or fraudulent;
    (2) Acts in deliberate ignorance of the truth or falsity of the 
claim or statement; or
    (3) Acts in reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the claim 
or statement; and no proof of specific intent to defraud is required.
    Makes shall include the terms presents, submits, and causes to be 
made, presented, or submitted. As the context requires, making or made 
shall likewise include the corresponding forms of such terms.
    Person means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, 
or private organization, and includes the plural of that term.
    Representative means an attorney who is in good standing of the bar 
of any State, Territory, or possession of the United States, or the 
District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other 
individual who the defendant designates in writing.
    Reviewing official means the NEH General Counsel or the General 
Counsel's designee.
    Statement means any representation, certification, affirmation, 
document, record, or accounting or bookkeeping entry that a person 
makes--
    (1) With respect to a claim (or eligibility to make a claim) or to 
obtain the approval or payment of a claim; or
    (2) With respect to (or with respect to eligibility for)--
    (i) A contract with, or a bid or proposal for a contract with, or
    (ii) A grant, loan, or benefit from, the authority, or any State, 
political subdivision of a State, or other party, if

[[Page 486]]

the United States Government provides any portion of the money or 
property under such contract or for such grant, loan, or benefit, or if 
the Government will reimburse such State, political subdivision, or 
party for any portion of the money or property under such contract or 
for such grant, loan, or benefit.



Sec.  1174.3  Basis for civil penalties and assessments.

    (a) Claims. (1) Any person shall be subject, in addition to any 
other remedy that may be prescribed by law, to a civil penalty of not 
more than $5,000 for each claim that person makes that the person knows 
or has reason to know--
    (i) Is false, fictitious, or fraudulent;
    (ii) Includes or is supported by any written statement which asserts 
a material fact which is false, fictitious, or fraudulent;
    (iii) Includes or is supported by any written statement that--
    (A) Omits a material fact;
    (B) Is false, fictitious, or fraudulent as a result of such 
omission; and
    (C) Is a statement in which the person making such statement has a 
duty to include such material fact; or
    (iv) Is for payment for the provision of property or services which 
the person has not provided as claimed.
    (2) Each voucher, invoice, claim form, or other individual request 
or demand for property, services, or money constitutes a separate claim.
    (3) A claim shall be considered made to the authority, recipient, or 
party when such a claim is actually made to an agent, fiscal 
intermediary, or other entity, including any State or political 
subdivision of a State, acting for or on behalf of the authority.
    (4) Each claim for property, services, or money is subject to a 
civil penalty regardless of whether such property, services, or money is 
actually delivered or paid.
    (5) If the Government has made any payment on a claim, a person 
subject to a civil penalty under paragraph (a)(1) of this section may 
also be subject to an assessment of not more than twice the amount of 
that claim or the portion thereof that violates paragraph (a)(1) of this 
section. Such assessment shall be in lieu of damages that the Government 
sustained because of such a claim.
    (b) Statements. (1) Any person shall be subject, in addition to any 
other remedy prescribed by law, to a civil penalty of not more than 
$5,000 for each written statement that person makes that the person 
knows or has reason to know--
    (i) Asserts a material fact which is false, fictitious or 
fraudulent; or
    (ii) Is false, fictitious, or fraudulent because it omits a material 
fact that the person making the statement has a duty to include in such 
a statement; and
    (iii) Contains or is accompanied by an express certification or 
affirmation of the truthfulness and accuracy of the statement's 
contents.
    (2) A person will only be subject to a civil penalty under paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section if the written statement made by the person 
contains or is accompanied by an express certification or affirmation of 
the truthfulness and accuracy of the statement's contents.
    (3) Each written representation, certification, or affirmation 
constitutes a separate statement.
    (4) A statement shall be considered made to the authority when it is 
actually made to an agent, fiscal intermediary, or other entity, 
including any State or political subdivision of a State, acting for or 
on behalf of the authority.
    (c) Proof of specific intent to defraud is not required to establish 
liability under this section.
    (d) In any case in which more than one person is liable for making a 
false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim or statement under this section, 
each person may be held liable for a civil penalty and assessment.
    (e) In any case in which more than one person is liable for making a 
claim under this section on which the Government has made payment, the 
authority may impose an assessment against any such person or jointly 
and severally against any combination of persons.
    (f) Civil monetary penalty inflation adjustments. (1) The penalty 
amounts provided in table 1 to this paragraph (f) apply to violations of 
this section that

[[Page 487]]

occurred prior to December 31, 2023, with each row listing the penalty 
amounts for violations that occurred in a particular time frame.
    (2) For claims or statements made on or after January 1, 2024, the 
maximum penalty which may be assessed under this section is the larger 
of:
    (i) The amount for the previous calendar year; or
    (ii) An amount adjusted for inflation, calculated by multiplying the 
amount for the previous calendar year by the percentage by which the 
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Department 
of Labor (CPI-U) for the month of October preceding the current calendar 
year exceeds the CPI-U for the month of October of the calendar year two 
years prior to the current calendar year, adding that amount to the 
amount for the previous calendar year, and rounding the total to the 
nearest dollar.

 Table 1 to Paragraph (f)--Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustments
                for Violations Prior to December 31, 2023
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Date of violation                         Penalty
------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 14, 2008-December 31, 2015.........................       $5,000
January 1, 2016-December 31, 2016..........................       10,781
January 1, 2017-December 31, 2017..........................       10,957
January 1, 2018-December 31, 2018..........................       11,181
January 1, 2019-December 31, 2019..........................       11,463
January 1, 2020-December 31, 2020..........................       11,665
January 1, 2021-December 31, 2021..........................       11,803
January 1, 2022-December 31, 2022..........................       12,537
January 1, 2023-December 31, 2023..........................       13,508
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (g) Notice of civil monetary penalty inflation adjustments on or 
after January 1, 2024. The authority will publish in the Federal 
Register notice of the maximum penalty amount which may be assessed 
under this section for calendar years after 2023 (calculated using the 
formula in paragraph (f)(2) of this section) on an annual basis on or 
before January 15 of each calendar year.

[86 FR 44628, Aug. 13, 2021, as amended at 88 FR 19000, Mar. 30, 2023]



         Subpart B_Procedures Leading to Issuance of a Complaint



Sec.  1174.4  Who investigates program fraud.

    The Inspector General, or his or her designee, is the investigating 
official responsible for investigating allegations that a person has 
made a false claim or statement. In this regard, the Inspector General 
has authority under the PFCRA and the Inspector General Act of 1978, 5 
U.S.C. App. 3, as amended, to issue administrative subpoenas for the 
production of records and documents.



Sec.  1174.5  Review of suspected program fraud by the reviewing official.

    (a) If the investigating official concludes that the results of his 
or her investigation warrant an action under this part, the 
investigating official shall submit to the reviewing official a report 
containing the investigation's findings and conclusions.
    (b) If the reviewing official determines that the report provides 
adequate evidence that a person made a false, fictitious or fraudulent 
claim or statement, the reviewing official shall transmit to the 
Attorney General written notice of the reviewing official's intention to 
refer the matter for adjudication, with a request for approval of such 
referral. This notice will include the reviewing official's statement 
concerning:
    (1) The reasons for the referral;
    (2) The claims or statements that form the basis for liability;
    (3) The evidence that supports liability;
    (4) An estimate of the amount of money or the value of property, 
services, or other benefits requested or demanded in the false claim or 
statement;
    (5) Any exculpatory or mitigating circumstances that may relate to 
the claims or statements that are known by the reviewing official or the 
investigating official; and
    (6) A statement that there is a reasonable prospect of collecting an 
appropriate amount of penalties and assessments.
    (c) If, at any time, the Attorney General (or designee) requests in 
writing that the authority stay this administrative process, the 
authority head must stay the process immediately. The authority head may 
resume the process only upon receipt of the Attorney General's written 
authorization.

[[Page 488]]



Sec.  1174.6  Prerequisites for issuing a complaint.

    The authority may issue a complaint only if:
    (a) The Attorney General (or designee) approves the reviewing 
official's referral of the allegations for adjudication; and
    (b) In a case of submission of false claims, if the amount of money 
or the value of property or services that a false claim (or a group of 
related claims submitted at the same time) demanded or requested does 
not exceed $150,000.



Sec.  1174.7  Contents of a complaint.

    (a) The complaint will state that the authority seeks to impose 
civil penalties, assessments, or both, against the defendant and will 
include:
    (1) The allegations of liability against the defendant and the 
statutory basis for liability, identification of the claims or 
statements involved, and the reasons liability allegedly arises from 
such claims or statements;
    (2) The maximum amount of penalties and assessments for which the 
defendant may be held liable;
    (3) A statement that the defendant may request a hearing by filing 
an answer and may be represented by a representative;
    (4) Instructions for filing such an answer; and
    (5) A warning that failure to file an answer within thirty days of 
service of the complaint will result in an imposition of the maximum 
amount of penalties and assessments.
    (b) The reviewing official must serve the complaint on the defendant 
and, if the defendant requests a hearing, provide a copy to the ALJ 
assigned to the case.



Sec.  1174.8  Service of a complaint.

    (a) The reviewing official must serve the complaint on an individual 
defendant directly, on a partnership through a general partner, and on a 
corporation or an unincorporated association through an executive 
officer or a director, except that the reviewing official may also make 
service on any person authorized by appointment or by law to receive 
process for the defendant.
    (b) The reviewing official may serve the complaint either by:
    (1) Registered or certified mail; or
    (2) Personal delivery by anyone eighteen years of age or older.
    (c) The date of service is the date of personal delivery or, in the 
case of service by registered or certified mail, the date of postmark.
    (d) When the reviewing official serves the complaint, he or she 
should also serve the defendant with a copy of this part and 31 U.S.C. 
3801-3812.



          Subpart C_Procedures Following Service of a Complaint



Sec.  1174.9  Answer to a complaint.

    (a) A defendant may file an answer with the reviewing official 
within thirty days of service of the complaint. An answer will be 
considered a request for an oral hearing.
    (b) In the answer, the defendant--
    (1) Must admit or deny each allegation of liability contained in the 
complaint (a failure to deny an allegation is considered an admission);
    (2) Must state any defense on which the defendant intends to rely;
    (3) May state any reasons why the penalties, assessments, or both 
should be less than the statutory maximum; and
    (4) Must state the name, address, and telephone number of the person 
the defendant authorized to act as the defendant's representative, if 
any.
    (c) If the defendant is unable to file a timely answer which meets 
the requirements set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, the 
defendant may file with the reviewing official a general answer denying 
liability, requesting a hearing, and requesting an extension of time in 
which to file a complete answer. The defendant must file a general 
answer within thirty days of service of the complaint.
    (d) If the defendant initially files a general answer requesting an 
extension of time, the reviewing official must promptly file with the 
ALJ the complaint, the general answer, and the request for an extension 
of time.
    (e) For good cause shown, the ALJ may grant the defendant up to 
thirty additional days within which to file an answer that meets the 
requirements of

[[Page 489]]

paragraph (b) of this section. The defendant must file such an answer 
with the ALJ and must serve a copy on the reviewing official.



Sec.  1174.10  Default upon failure to file an answer.

    (a) If the defendant does not file any answer within thirty days 
after service of the complaint, the reviewing official may refer the 
complaint to the ALJ.
    (b) Once the reviewing official refers the complaint, the ALJ will 
promptly serve on the defendant a notice that the ALJ will issue an 
initial decision.
    (c) The ALJ will assume the facts alleged in the complaint to be 
true and, if such facts establish liability under the statute, the ALJ 
will issue an initial decision imposing the maximum amount of penalties 
and assessments allowed under the PFCRA.
    (d) Except as otherwise provided in this section, when a defendant 
fails to file a timely answer, the defendant waives any right to further 
review of the penalties and assessments the ALJ may impose in the 
initial decision.
    (e) The initial decision becomes final thirty days after the ALJ 
issues it.
    (f) At any time before an initial decision becomes final, a 
defendant may file a motion with the ALJ asking that the ALJ reopen the 
case. An ALJ may only reopen a case if he or she determines that the 
defendant set forth in the motion extraordinary circumstances that 
prevented the defendant from filing a timely answer. The initial 
decision will be stayed until the ALJ decides on the motion. The 
reviewing official may respond to the motion.
    (g) If the ALJ determines that a defendant has demonstrated 
extraordinary circumstances that excuse his or her failure to file a 
timely answer, the ALJ will withdraw the initial decision and grant the 
defendant an opportunity to answer the complaint.
    (h) The ALJ's decision to deny a defendant's motion to reopen a case 
is not subject to reconsideration under Sec.  1174.35.
    (i) The defendant may appeal the ALJ's decision denying a motion to 
reopen by filing a notice of appeal with the authority head within 
fifteen days after the ALJ denies the motion. The timely filing of a 
notice of appeal shall stay the initial decision until the authority 
head decides the issue.
    (j) If the defendant files a timely notice of appeal with the 
authority head, the ALJ shall forward the record of the proceeding to 
the authority head.
    (k) The authority head shall decide expeditiously, based solely on 
the record before the ALJ, whether extraordinary circumstances excuse 
the defendant's failure to file a timely answer.
    (l) If the authority head decides that extraordinary circumstances 
excuse the defendant's failure to file a timely answer, the authority 
head shall remand the case to the ALJ with instructions to grant the 
defendant an opportunity to answer.
    (m) If the authority head decides that the circumstances do not 
excuse the defendant's failure to file a timely answer, the authority 
head shall reinstate the ALJ's initial decision, which shall become 
final and binding upon the parties thirty days after the authority head 
issues such a decision.



Sec.  1174.11  Referral of complaint and answer to the ALJ.

    When the reviewing official receives an answer, he or she must 
simultaneously file the complaint, the answer, and a designation of the 
authority's representative with the ALJ.



                      Subpart D_Hearing Procedures



Sec.  1174.12  Notice of hearing.

    (a) When the ALJ receives the complaint and the answer, the ALJ will 
promptly serve a notice of hearing upon the defendant and the 
authority's representative in the same manner as the complaint. The ALJ 
must serve the notice of oral hearing within six years of the date on 
which the claim or statement was made.
    (b) The hearing is a formal proceeding conducted by the ALJ during 
which a defendant will have the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, 
present testimony, and dispute liability.
    (c) The notice of hearing must include:
    (1) The tentative date, time, and place of the hearing;

[[Page 490]]

    (2) The legal authority and jurisdiction under which the hearing is 
being held;
    (3) The matters of fact and law to be asserted;
    (4) A description of the procedures for the conduct of the hearing;
    (5) The name, address, and telephone number of the defendant's 
representative and the representative for the authority; and
    (6) Such other matters as the ALJ deems appropriate.



Sec.  1174.13  Location of the hearing.

    (a) The ALJ shall hold the hearing:
    (1) In any judicial district of the United States in which the 
defendant resides or transacts business;
    (2) In any judicial district of the United States in which a claim 
or statement in issue was made; or
    (3) In such other place as the parties and the ALJ may agree upon.
    (b) Each party shall have the opportunity to present arguments with 
respect to the location of the hearing.
    (c) The ALJ shall decide the time and the place of the hearing.



Sec.  1174.14  Parties to the hearing and their rights.

    (a) The parties to the hearing shall be the defendant and the 
authority.
    (b) Except where the authority head designates another 
representative, the NEH General Counsel (or designee) shall represent 
the authority.
    (c) Each party has the right to:
    (1) Be represented by a representative;
    (2) Request a pre-hearing conference and participate in any 
conference held by the ALJ;
    (3) Conduct discovery;
    (4) Agree to stipulations of fact or law which will be made a part 
of the record;
    (5) Present evidence relevant to the issues at the hearing;
    (6) Present and cross-examine witnesses;
    (7) Present arguments at the hearing as permitted by the ALJ; and
    (8) Submit written briefs and proposed findings of fact and 
conclusions of law after the hearing, as permitted by the ALJ.



Sec.  1174.15  Separation of functions.

    (a) The investigating official, the reviewing official, and any 
employee or agent of the authority who takes part in investigating, 
preparing, or presenting a particular case may not, in such case or a 
factually related case:
    (1) Participate in the hearing as the ALJ;
    (2) Participate or advise in the authority head's review of the 
initial decision; or
    (3) Make the collection of penalties and assessment.
    (b) The ALJ must not be responsible to or subject to the supervision 
or direction of the investigating official or the reviewing official.



Sec.  1174.16  The ALJ's role and authority.

    (a) An ALJ serves as the presiding officer at all hearings. The 
Office of Personnel Management selects the ALJ.
    (b) The ALJ must conduct a fair and impartial hearing, avoid delay, 
maintain order, and assure that a record of the proceeding is made.
    (c) The ALJ has the authority to--
    (1) Set and change the date, time, and place of the hearing upon 
reasonable notice to the parties;
    (2) Continue or recess the hearing, in whole or in part, for a 
reasonable period of time;
    (3) Hold conferences to identify or simplify the issues or to 
consider other matters that may aid in the expeditious disposition of 
the proceeding;
    (4) Administer oaths and affirmations;
    (5) Issue subpoenas requiring witness attendance and the production 
of documents at depositions or at hearings;
    (6) Rule on motions and other procedural matters;
    (7) Regulate the scope and timing of discovery;
    (8) Regulate the course of the hearing and the conduct of 
representatives and parties;
    (9) Examine witnesses;
    (10) Receive, rule on, exclude, or limit evidence;
    (11) Upon motion of a party, take official notice of facts;
    (12) Upon motion of a party, decide cases, in whole or in part, by 
summary judgment when there is no disputed issue of material fact;

[[Page 491]]

    (13) Conduct any conference, argument or hearing on motions in 
person or by telephone; and
    (14) Exercise such other authority as is necessary to carry out the 
responsibilities of the ALJ under this part.
    (d) The ALJ does not have the authority to find Federal statutes or 
regulations invalid.



Sec.  1174.17  Disqualification of reviewing official or ALJ.

    (a) A reviewing official or an ALJ may disqualify himself or herself 
at any time.
    (b) Upon any party's motion, the reviewing official or ALJ may be 
disqualified as follows:
    (1) The party must support the motion by an affidavit containing 
specific facts establishing that personal bias or other reason for 
disqualification exists, including the time and circumstances of the 
party's discovery of such facts;
    (2) The party must file the motion promptly after discovery of the 
grounds for disqualification or the objection will be deemed waived; and
    (3) The party, or representative of record, must certify in writing 
that such party makes the motion in good faith.
    (c) Once a party has filed a motion to disqualify, the ALJ will halt 
the proceedings until he or she resolves the disqualification matter. If 
the ALJ disqualifies the reviewing official, the ALJ will dismiss the 
complaint without prejudice. If the ALJ disqualifies himself or herself, 
the authority will promptly reassign the case to another ALJ.



Sec.  1174.18  Parties' rights to review documents.

    (a) Once the ALJ issues a hearing notice pursuant to Sec.  1174.12, 
and upon written request to the reviewing official, the defendant may:
    (1) Review any relevant and material documents, transcripts, 
records, and other materials that relate to the allegations set out in 
the complaint and upon which the investigating official based his or her 
findings and conclusions, unless such documents are subject to a 
privilege under Federal law, and obtain copies of such documents upon 
payment of duplication fees; and
    (2) Obtain a copy of all exculpatory information in the reviewing 
official's or investigating official's possession that relates to the 
allegations in the complaint, even if it appears in a document that 
would otherwise be privileged. If the document would otherwise be 
privileged, the other party only must disclose the portion containing 
exculpatory information.
    (b) The notice that the reviewing official sends to the Attorney 
General, as described in Sec.  1174.5(b), is not discoverable under any 
circumstances.
    (c) If the reviewing official does not respond to the defendant's 
request within twenty days, the defendant may file with the ALJ a motion 
to compel disclosure of the documents, subject to the provisions of this 
section. The defendant may only file such a motion with the ALJ after 
filing an answer pursuant to Sec.  1174.9.



Sec.  1174.19  Discovery.

    (a) Parties may conduct the following types of discovery:
    (1) Requests for production of documents for inspection and copying;
    (2) Requests for admissions of authenticity of any relevant document 
or of the truth of any relevant fact;
    (3) Written interrogatories; and
    (4) Depositions.
    (b) For the purpose of this section, the term ``documents'' includes 
information, documents, reports, answers, records, accounts, papers, and 
other data and documentary evidence. Nothing contained herein shall be 
interpreted to require the creation of a document.
    (c) Unless the parties mutually agree to discovery, a party may 
conduct discovery only as ordered by the ALJ. The ALJ shall regulate the 
timing of discovery.
    (d) Each party shall bear its own discovery costs.



Sec.  1174.20  Discovery motions.

    (a) Any party seeking discovery may file a motion with the ALJ 
together with a copy of the requested discovery, or in the case of 
depositions, a summary of the scope of the proposed deposition.

[[Page 492]]

    (b) Within ten days of service, a party may file an opposition to 
the motion and/or a motion for protective order as provided in Sec.  
1174.24.
    (c) The ALJ may grant a motion for discovery only if he or she finds 
that the discovery sought--
    (1) Is necessary for the expeditious, fair, and reasonable 
consideration of the issues;
    (2) Is not unduly costly or burdensome;
    (3) Will not unduly delay the proceeding; and
    (4) Does not seek privileged information.
    (d) The burden of showing that the ALJ should allow discovery is on 
the party seeking discovery.
    (e) The ALJ may grant discovery subject to a protective order under 
Sec.  1174.24.



Sec.  1174.21  Depositions.

    (a) If the ALJ grants a motion for deposition, the ALJ shall issue a 
subpoena for the deponent, which may require the deponent to produce 
documents. The subpoena shall specify the time and place at which the 
deposition will take place.
    (b) The party seeking to depose shall serve the subpoena in the 
manner prescribed by Sec.  1174.8.
    (c) The deponent may file with the ALJ a motion to quash the 
subpoena or a motion for a protective order within ten days of service.
    (d) The party seeking to depose shall provide for the taking of a 
verbatim transcript of the deposition, which it shall make available to 
all other parties for inspection and copying.



Sec.  1174.22  Exchange of witness lists, statements, and exhibits.

    (a) As ordered by the ALJ, the parties must exchange witness lists 
and copies of proposed hearing exhibits, including copies of any written 
statements or transcripts of deposition testimony that each party 
intends to offer in lieu of live testimony.
    (b) If a party objects, the ALJ will not admit into evidence the 
testimony of any witness whose name does not appear on the witness list 
or any exhibit not provided to an opposing party in advance, unless the 
ALJ finds good cause for the omission or concludes that there is no 
prejudice to the objecting party.
    (c) Unless a party objects within the time set by the ALJ, documents 
exchanged in accordance with this section are deemed to be authentic for 
the purpose of admissibility at the hearing.



Sec.  1174.23  Subpoenas for attendance at the hearing.

    (a) A party wishing to procure the appearance and testimony of any 
individual at the hearing may request that the ALJ issue a subpoena.
    (b) A subpoena requiring the attendance and testimony of an 
individual may also require the individual to produce documents at the 
hearing.
    (c) A party seeking a subpoena shall file a written request no less 
than fifteen days before the hearing date unless otherwise allowed by 
the ALJ for good cause shown. Such request shall specify any documents 
to be produced, designate the witness, and describe the witness' address 
and location with sufficient particularity to permit the witness to be 
found.
    (d) The subpoena shall specify the time and place at which the 
witness is to appear and any documents the witness is to produce.
    (e) The party seeking the subpoena shall serve it in the same manner 
prescribed in Sec.  1174.8. The party seeking the subpoena may serve the 
subpoena on a party, or upon an individual under the control of a party, 
by first class mail.
    (f) The party requesting a subpoena shall pay the subpoenaed 
witness' fees and mileage in the amounts that would be payable to a 
witness in a proceeding in United States District Court. A check for 
witness fees and mileage shall accompany the subpoena when it is served, 
except that when the authority issues a subpoena, a check for witness 
fees and mileage need not accompany the subpoena.
    (g) A party, or the individual to whom the subpoena is directed, may 
file with the ALJ a motion to quash the subpoena within ten days after 
service, or on or before the time specified in the subpoena for 
compliance if it is less than ten days after service.

[[Page 493]]



Sec.  1174.24  Protective orders.

    (a) A party, prospective witness, or deponent may file a motion for 
a protective order that seeks to limit the availability or disclosure of 
evidence with respect to discovery sought by an opposing party or with 
respect to the hearing.
    (b) In issuing a protective order, the ALJ may make any order which 
justice requires to protect a party or person from annoyance, 
embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, including one or 
more of the following:
    (1) That the parties shall not have discovery;
    (2) That the parties shall have discovery only on specified terms 
and conditions;
    (3) That the parties shall have discovery only through a method of 
discovery other than requested;
    (4) That the parties shall not inquire into certain matters, or that 
the parties shall limit the scope of discovery to certain matters;
    (5) That the parties shall conduct discovery with no one present 
except persons designated by the ALJ;
    (6) That the parties shall seal the contents of the discovery;
    (7) That a sealed deposition shall be opened only by order of the 
ALJ;
    (8) That a trade secret or other confidential research, development, 
commercial information, or facts pertaining to any criminal 
investigation, proceeding, or other administrative investigation shall 
not be disclosed or shall be disclosed only in a designated way; or
    (9) That the parties shall simultaneously file specified documents 
or information enclosed in sealed envelopes to be opened as the ALJ 
directs.



Sec.  1174.25  Filing and serving documents with the ALJ.

    (a) Documents filed with the ALJ must include an original and two 
copies. Every document filed in the proceeding must contain a title 
(e.g., motion to quash subpoena), a caption setting forth the title of 
the action, and the case number assigned by the ALJ. Every document must 
be signed by the person on whose behalf the paper was filed, or by his 
or her representative.
    (b) Documents are considered filed when they are mailed. The mailing 
date may be established by a certificate from the party or its 
representative, or by proof that the document was sent by certified or 
registered mail.
    (c) A party filing a document with the ALJ must, at the time of 
filing, serve a copy of such document on every other party. When a party 
is represented by a representative, the party's representative must be 
served in lieu of the party.
    (d) A certificate from the individual serving the document 
constitutes proof of service. The certificate must set forth the manner 
in which the document was served.
    (e) Service upon any party of any document other than the complaint 
must be made by delivering a copy or by placing a copy in the United 
States mail, postage prepaid and addressed to the party's last known 
address.
    (f) If a party consents in writing, documents may be sent 
electronically. In this instance, service is complete upon transmission 
unless the serving party receives electronic notification that 
transmission of the communication was not completed.



Sec.  1174.26  Computation of time.

    (a) In computing any period of time under this part or in an order 
issued under it, the time begins with the day following the act, event, 
or default, and includes the last day of the period, unless it is a 
Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday that is observed by the Federal 
government, in which event it includes the next business day.
    (b) When the period of time allowed is less than seven days, 
intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays that are observed by 
the Federal government are excluded from the computation.
    (c) Where a document has been served or issued by placing it in the 
mail, an additional five days will be added to the time permitted for 
any response.

[[Page 494]]



Sec.  1174.27  The hearing and the burden of proof.

    (a) The ALJ conducts a hearing in order to determine whether a 
defendant is liable for a civil penalty, assessment, or both and, if so, 
the appropriate amount of the penalty and/or assessment.
    (b) The hearing will be recorded and transcribed. The transcript of 
testimony, exhibits and other evidence admitted at the hearing, and all 
papers and requests filed in the proceeding, constitute the record for 
the ALJ's and the authority head's decisions.
    (c) The hearing will be open to the public unless otherwise ordered 
by the ALJ for good cause shown.
    (d) The authority must prove a defendant's liability and any 
aggravating factors by a preponderance of the evidence.
    (e) A defendant must prove any affirmative defenses and any 
mitigating factors by a preponderance of the evidence.



Sec.  1174.28  Presentation of evidence.

    (a) The ALJ shall determine the admissibility of evidence.
    (b) Except as provided in this part, the ALJ shall not be bound by 
the Federal Rules of Evidence, but the ALJ may apply the Federal Rules 
of Evidence where he or she deems appropriate.
    (c) The ALJ shall exclude irrelevant and immaterial evidence.
    (d) The ALJ may exclude evidence, although relevant, if its 
probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair 
prejudice, confusion of the issues, or by considerations of undue delay 
or needless presentation of cumulative evidence.
    (e) The ALJ shall exclude evidence, although relevant, if it is 
privileged under Federal law.
    (f) Evidence concerning compromise or settlement offers shall be 
inadmissible to the extent provided in Rule 408 of the Federal Rules of 
Evidence.
    (g) The ALJ shall permit the parties to introduce rebuttal witnesses 
and evidence.
    (h) All documents and other evidence taken for the record must be 
open to examination by all parties unless the ALJ orders otherwise.



Sec.  1174.29  Witness testimony.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, testimony 
at the hearing shall be given orally by witnesses under oath or 
affirmation.
    (b) At the ALJ's discretion, the ALJ may admit testimony in the form 
of a written statement or deposition. The party offering such a 
statement must provide it to all other parties along with the last known 
address of the witness, in a manner which allows sufficient time for 
other parties to subpoena the witness for cross-examination at the 
hearing. The parties shall exchange deposition transcripts and prior 
written statements of witnesses proposed to testify at the hearing as 
provided in Sec.  1174.22.
    (c) The ALJ shall exercise reasonable control over the mode and 
order of interrogating witnesses and presenting evidence.
    (d) The ALJ shall permit the parties to conduct such cross-
examination as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the 
facts.
    (e) Upon any party's motion, the ALJ shall order witnesses excluded 
from the hearing room so that they cannot hear the testimony of other 
witnesses. This rule does not authorize exclusion of--
    (1) A party who is an individual;
    (2) In the case of a party that is not an individual, the party's 
officer or employee appearing for the entity pro se or designated by the 
party's representative; or
    (3) An individual whose presence a party shows to be essential to 
the presentation of its case, including an individual employed by the 
Government or engaged in assisting the Government's representative.



Sec.  1174.30  Ex parte communications.

    A party may not communicate with the ALJ ex parte unless the other 
party consents to such a communication taking place. This does not 
prohibit a party from inquiring about the status of a case or asking 
routine questions concerning administrative functions or procedures.



Sec.  1174.31  Sanctions for misconduct.

    (a) The ALJ may sanction a person, including any party or 
representative, for failing to comply with an order, or

[[Page 495]]

for engaging in other misconduct that interferes with the speedy, 
orderly, and fair conduct of a hearing.
    (b) Any such sanction shall reasonably relate to the severity and 
nature of the misconduct.
    (c) When a party fails to comply with an order, including an order 
for taking a deposition, producing evidence within the party's control, 
or responding to a request for admission, the ALJ may:
    (1) Draw an inference in favor of the requesting party with regard 
to the information sought;
    (2) In the case of requests for admission, deem each matter for 
which an admission is requested to be admitted;
    (3) Prohibit the party failing to comply with such order from 
introducing evidence concerning, or otherwise relying upon testimony 
relating to, the information sought; and
    (4) Strike any part of the pleadings or other submissions filed by 
the party failing to comply with such a request.
    (d) The ALJ may refuse to consider any motion, request, response, 
brief or other document which is not filed in a timely fashion.
    (e) If a party fails to prosecute or defend an action under this 
part that is commenced by service of a hearing notice, the ALJ may 
dismiss the action or may issue an initial decision imposing penalties 
and assessments.



Sec.  1174.32  Post-hearing briefs.

    Any party may file a post-hearing brief. Such briefs are not 
required, however, unless ordered by the ALJ. The ALJ must fix the time 
for filing such briefs, not to exceed 60 days from the date the parties 
receive the transcript of the hearing or, if applicable, the stipulated 
record. Such briefs may be accompanied by proposed findings of fact and 
conclusions of law. The ALJ may permit the parties to file reply briefs.



                     Subpart E_Decisions and Appeals



Sec.  1174.33  Initial decision.

    (a) The ALJ will issue an initial decision based only on the record. 
It will contain findings of fact, conclusions of law, and the amount of 
any penalties and assessments.
    (b) The ALJ will serve the initial decision on all parties within 
ninety days after the hearing's close or, if the ALJ permitted the 
filing of post-hearing briefs, within ninety days after the final post-
hearing brief was filed.
    (c) The findings of fact must include a finding on each of the 
following issues:
    (1) Whether any one or more of the claims or statements identified 
in the complaint violate this part; and
    (2) If the defendant is liable for penalties or assessments, the 
appropriate amount of any such penalties or assessments, considering any 
mitigating or aggravating factors.
    (d) If the defendant is liable for a civil penalty or assessment, 
the initial decision shall describe the defendant's right to file a 
motion for reconsideration with the ALJ or a notice of appeal with the 
authority head.



Sec.  1174.34  Determining the amount of penalties and assessments.

    In determining an appropriate amount of civil penalties and 
assessments, the ALJ and the authority head, upon appeal, should 
evaluate any circumstances that mitigate or aggravate the violation and 
should articulate in their opinions the reasons that support the 
penalties and assessments they impose.



Sec.  1174.35  Reconsideration of the initial decision.

    (a) Any party may file a motion with the ALJ for reconsideration of 
the initial decision within twenty days of receipt of the initial 
decision. If the initial decision was served by mail, there is a 
rebuttable presumption that the party received the initial decision five 
days from the date of mailing.
    (b) A motion for reconsideration must be accompanied by a supporting 
brief and must describe specifically each allegedly erroneous decision.
    (c) A party only may file a response to a motion for reconsideration 
upon the ALJ's request.
    (d) The ALJ will dispose of a motion for reconsideration by denying 
it or by issuing a revised initial decision.
    (e) If the ALJ issues a revised initial decision upon a party's 
motion, no

[[Page 496]]

party may file a further motion for reconsideration.



Sec.  1174.36  Finalizing the initial decision.

    (a) Thirty days after issuance, the ALJ's initial decision shall 
become the authority's final decision and shall bind all parties, unless 
any party timely files a motion for reconsideration or any defendant 
adjudged to have submitted a false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim or 
statement timely appeals to the authority head, as set forth in Sec.  
1174.37.
    (b) If the ALJ disposes of a motion for reconsideration by denying 
it or by issuing a revised initial decision, the ALJ's order on the 
motion for reconsideration shall become the authority's final decision 
thirty days after the ALJ issues the order, unless a defendant that is 
adjudged to have submitted a false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim or 
statement timely appeals to the authority head, as set forth in Sec.  
1174.37.



Sec.  1174.37  Procedures for appealing the ALJ's decision.

    (a) Any defendant who submits a timely answer and is found liable in 
an initial decision for a civil penalty or assessment may appeal the 
decision.
    (b) The defendant may file a notice of appeal with the authority 
head within thirty days following issuance of the initial decision, 
serving a copy of the notice of appeal on all parties and the ALJ. The 
authority head may extend this deadline for up to an additional thirty 
days if the defendant files an extension request within the initial 
thirty day period and shows good cause.
    (c) The authority head shall not consider a defendant's appeal until 
all timely motions for reconsideration have been resolved.
    (d) If the ALJ denies a timely motion for reconsideration, the 
defendant may file a notice of appeal within thirty days following such 
denial or issuance of a revised initial decision, whichever applies.
    (e) The defendant must support its notice of appeal with a written 
brief specifying why the authority head should reverse or modify the 
initial decision.
    (f) The authority's representative may file a brief in opposition to 
the notice of appeal within thirty days of receiving the defendant's 
appeal and supporting brief.
    (g) If a defendant timely files a notice of appeal, and the time for 
filing reconsideration motions has expired, the ALJ will forward the 
record of the proceeding to the authority head.
    (h) An initial decision is automatically stayed pending disposition 
of a motion for reconsideration or of an appeal to the authority head.
    (i) No administrative stay is available following the authority 
head's final decision.



Sec.  1174.38  Appeal to the authority head.

    (a) A defendant has no right to appear personally, or through a 
representative, before the authority head.
    (b) There is no right to appeal any interlocutory ruling.
    (c) The authority head will not consider any objection or evidence 
that was not raised before the ALJ unless the defendant demonstrates 
that extraordinary circumstances excuse the failure to object. If the 
defendant demonstrates to the authority head's satisfaction that 
extraordinary circumstances prevented the presentation of evidence at 
the hearing, and that the additional evidence is material, the authority 
head may remand the matter to the ALJ for consideration of the 
additional evidence.
    (d) The authority head may affirm, reduce, reverse, compromise, 
remand, or settle any penalty or assessment that the ALJ imposed in the 
initial decision or reconsideration decision.
    (e) The authority head will promptly serve each party to the appeal 
and the ALJ with a copy of the decision. This decision must contain a 
statement describing the right of any person, against whom a penalty or 
assessment has been made, to seek judicial review.



Sec.  1174.39  Judicial review.

    31 U.S.C. 3805 authorizes the appropriate United States District 
Court to review any final decision imposing penalties or assessments, 
and specifies the procedures for such review. To obtain judicial review, 
a defendant must file a

[[Page 497]]

petition with the appropriate court in a timely manner.



Sec.  1174.40  Collection of civil penalties and assessments.

    31 U.S.C. 3806 and 3808(b) authorize actions for collecting civil 
penalties and assessments imposed under this part and specify the 
procedures for such actions.



Sec.  1174.41  Rights to administrative offset.

    The authority may make an administrative offset under 31 U.S.C. 3716 
to collect the amount of any penalty or assessment which has become 
final, for which a judgment has been entered, or which the parties agree 
upon in a compromise or settlement. However, the authority may not make 
an administrative offset under this subsection against a Federal tax 
refund that the United States owes to the defendant then or at a later 
time.



Sec.  1174.42  Deposit in Treasury of the United States.

    The authority shall deposit all amounts collected pursuant to this 
part as miscellaneous receipts in the Treasury of the United States, 
except as provided in 31 U.S.C. 3806(g).



Sec.  1174.43  Voluntary settlement of the administrative complaint.

    (a) Parties may make offers of compromise or settlement at any time. 
Any compromise or settlement must be in writing.
    (b) The reviewing official has the exclusive authority to compromise 
or settle the case from the date on which the reviewing official is 
permitted to issue a complaint until the ALJ issues an initial decision.
    (c) The authority head has exclusive authority to compromise or 
settle the case from the date of the ALJ's initial decision until 
initiation of any judicial review or any action to collect the penalties 
and assessments.
    (d) The Attorney General has exclusive authority to compromise or 
settle the case while any judicial review or any action to recover 
penalties and assessments is pending.
    (e) The investigating official may recommend settlement terms to the 
reviewing official, the authority head, or the Attorney General, as 
appropriate.



Sec.  1174.44  Limitations regarding criminal misconduct.

    (a) Any investigating official may:
    (1) Refer allegations of criminal misconduct or a violation of the 
False Claims Act directly to the Department of Justice for prosecution 
and/or civil action, as appropriate;
    (2) Defer or postpone a report or referral to the reviewing official 
to avoid interference with a criminal investigation or prosecution; or
    (3) Issue subpoenas under any other statutory authority.
    (b) Nothing in this part limits the requirement that the authority's 
employees must report suspected violations of criminal law to the NEH 
Office of the Inspector General or to the Attorney General.



PART 1175_ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN
PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE 
HUMANITIES--Table of Contents



Sec.
1175.101 Purpose.
1175.102 Application.
1175.103 Definitions.
1175.104-1175.109 [Reserved]
1175.110 Self-evaluation.
1175.111 Notice.
1175.112-1175.129 [Reserved]
1175.130 General prohibitions against discrimination.
1175.131-1175.139 [Reserved]
1175.140 Employment.
1175.141-1175.148 [Reserved]
1175.149 Program accessibility: Discrimination prohibited.
1175.150 Program accessibility: Existing facilities.
1175.151 Program accessibility: New construction and alterations.
1175.152-1175.159 [Reserved]
1175.160 Communications.
1175.161-1175.169 [Reserved]
1175.170 Compliance procedures.
1175.171-1175.999 [Reserved]

    Authority: 29 U.S.C. 794.

    Source: 51 FR 4578, 4579, Feb. 5, 1986, unless otherwise noted.

[[Page 498]]



Sec.  1175.101  Purpose.

    This part effectuates section 119 of the Rehabilitation, 
Comprehensive Services, and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 
1978, which amended section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to 
prohibit discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs or 
activities conducted by Executive agencies or the United States Postal 
Service.



Sec.  1175.102  Application.

    This part applies to all programs or activities conducted by the 
agency.



Sec.  1175.103  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part, the term--
    Assistant Attorney General means the Assistant Attorney General, 
Civil Rights Division, United States Department of Justice.
    Auxiliary aids means services or devices that enable persons with 
impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills to have an equal 
opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, programs or 
activities conducted by the agency. For example, auxiliary aids useful 
for persons with impaired vision include readers, Brailled materials, 
audio recordings, telecommunications devices and other similar services 
and devices. Auxiliary aids useful for persons with impaired hearing 
include telephone handset amplifiers, telephones compatible with hearing 
aids, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDD's), interpreters, 
notetakers, written materials, and other similar services and devices.
    Complete complaint means a written statement that contains the 
complainant's name and address and describes the agency's alleged 
discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the agency of the 
nature and date of the alleged violation of section 504. It shall be 
signed by the complainant or by someone authorized to do so on his or 
her behalf. Complaints filed on behalf of classes or third parties shall 
describe or identify (by name, if possible) the alleged victims of 
discrimination.
    Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, 
equipment, roads, walks, parking lots, rolling stock or other 
conveyances, or other real or personal property.
    Handicapped person means any person who has a physical or mental 
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, 
has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an 
impairment.
    As used in this definition, the phrase:
    (1) Physical or mental impairment includes--
    (i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, 
or anatomical loss affecting one of more of the following body systems: 
Neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, 
including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; 
genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or
    (ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental 
retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and 
specific learning disabilities. The term physical or mental impairment 
includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as 
orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, 
epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, 
diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, and drug addition and 
alcholism.
    (2) Major life activities includes functions such as caring for 
one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, 
breathing, learning, and working.
    (3) Has a record of such an impairment means has a history of, or 
has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that 
substantially limits one or more major life activities.
    (4) Is regarded as having an impairment means--
    (i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially 
limit major life activities but is treated by the agency as constituting 
such a limitation;
    (ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits 
major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward 
such impairment; or
    (iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (1) of this 
definition but is treated by the agency as having such an impairment.
    Qualified handicapped person means--

[[Page 499]]

    (1) With respect to any agency program or activity under which a 
person is required to perform services or to achieve a level of 
accomplishment, a handicapped person who meets the essential eligibility 
requirements and who can achieve the purpose of the program or activity 
without modifications in the program or activity that the agency can 
demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in its nature; or
    (2) With respect to any other program or activity, a handicapped 
person who meets the essential eligibility requirements for 
participation in, or receipt of benefits from, that program or activity.
    (3) Qualified handicapped person is defined for purposes of 
employment in 29 CFR 1613.702(f), which is made applicable to this part 
by Sec.  1175.140.
    Section 504 means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
(Pub. L. 93-112, 87 Stat. 394 (29 U.S.C. 794)), as amended by the 
Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-516, 88 Stat. 1617), 
and the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental 
Disabilities Amendments of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-602, 92 Stat. 2955). As used 
in this part, section 504 applies only to programs or activities 
conducted by Executive agencies and not to federally assisted programs.

[51 FR 4578, 4579, Feb. 5, 1986; 51 FR 7543, Mar. 5, 1986]



Sec. Sec.  1175.104-1175.109  [Reserved]



Sec.  1175.110  Self-evaluation.

    (a) The agency shall, by April 9, 1987, evaluate its current 
policies and practices, and the effects thereof, that do not or may not 
meet the requirements of this part, and, to the extent modification of 
any such policies and practices is required, the agency shall proceed to 
make the necessary modifications.
    (b) The agency shall provide an opportunity to interested persons, 
including handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped 
persons, to participate in the self-evaluation process by submitting 
comments (both oral and written).
    (c) The agency shall, until three years following the completion of 
the self-evaluation, maintain on file and make available for public 
inspections:
    (1) A description of areas examined and any problems identified, and
    (2) A description of any modifications made.



Sec.  1175.111  Notice.

    The agency shall make available to employees, applicants, 
participants, beneficiaries, and other interested persons such 
information regarding the provisions of this part and its applicability 
to the programs or activities conducted by the agency, and make such 
information available to them in such manner as the head of the agency 
finds necessary to apprise such persons of the protections against 
discrimination assured them by section 504 and this regulation.



Sec. Sec.  1175.112-1175.129  [Reserved]



Sec.  1175.130  General prohibitions against discrimination.

    (a) No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, 
be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or 
otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity 
conducted by the agency.
    (b)(1) The agency, in providing any aid, benefit, or service, may 
not, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, 
on the basis of handicap--
    (i) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service;
    (ii) Afford a qualfied handicapped person an opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not 
equal to that afforded others;
    (iii) Provide a qualified handicapped person with an aid, benefit, 
or service that is not as effective in affording equal opportunity to 
obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same 
level of achievement as that provided to others;
    (iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to 
handicapped persons or to any class of handicapped persons than is 
provided to others unless such action is necessary to provide

[[Page 500]]

qualified handicapped persons with aid, benefits, or services that are 
as effective as those provided to others;
    (v) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or
    (vi) Otherwise limit a qualified handicapped person in the enjoyment 
of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others 
receiving the aid, benefit, or service.
    (2) The agency may not deny a qualified handicapped person the 
opportunity to participate in programs or activities that are not 
separate or different, despite the existence of permissibly separate or 
different programs or activities.
    (3) The agency may not, directly or through contractual or other 
arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration the purpose 
or effect of which would--
    (i) Subject qualified handicapped persons to discrimination on the 
basis of handicap; or
    (ii) Defeat or substantially impair accomplishment of the objectives 
of a program or activity with respect to handicapped persons.
    (4) The agency may not, in determining the site or location of a 
facility, make selections the purpose or effect of which would--
    (i) Exclude handicapped persons from, deny them the benefits of, or 
otherwise subject them to discrimination under any program or activity 
conducted by the agency; or
    (ii) Defeat or substantially impair the accomplishment of the 
objectives of a program or activity with respect to handicapped persons.
    (5) The agency, in the selection of procurement contractors, may not 
use criteria that subject qualified handicapped persons to 
discrimination on the basis of handicap.
    (c) The exclusion of nonhandicapped persons from the benefits of a 
program limited by Federal statute or Executive order to handicapped 
persons or the exclusion of a specific class of handicapped persons from 
a program limited by Federal statute or Executive order to a different 
class of handicapped persons is not prohibited by this part.
    (d) The agency shall administer programs and activities in the most 
integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified handicapped 
persons.



Sec. Sec.  1175.131-1175.139  [Reserved]



Sec.  1175.140  Employment.

    No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be 
subjected to discrimination in employment under any program or activity 
conducted by the agency. The definitions, requirements, and procedures 
of section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791), as 
established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR 
part 1613, shall apply to employment in federally conducted programs or 
activities.



Sec. Sec.  1175.141-1175.148  [Reserved]



Sec.  1175.149  Program accessibility: Discrimination prohibited.

    Except as otherwise provided in Sec.  1175.150, no qualified 
handicapped person shall, because the agency's facilities are 
inaccessible to or unusable by handicapped persons, be denied the 
benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or otherwise be 
subjected to discrimination under any program or activity conducted by 
the agency.



Sec.  1175.150  Program accessibility: Existing facilities.

    (a) General. The agency shall operate each program or activity so 
that the program or activity, when viewed in its entirety, is readily 
accessible to and usable by handicapped persons. This paragraph does 
not--
    (1) Necessarily require the agency to make each of its existing 
facilities accessible to and usable by handicapped persons; or
    (2) Require the agency to take any action that it can demonstrate 
would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or 
activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. In those 
circumstances where agency personnel believe that the proposed action 
would fundamentally alter the program or activity or would result in 
undue financial and administrative burdens, the agency has the burden of 
proving that compliance with

[[Page 501]]

Sec.  1175.150(a) would result in such alteration or burdens. The 
decision that compliance would result in such alteration or burdens must 
be made by the agency head or his or her designee after considering all 
agency resources available for use in the funding and operation of the 
conducted program or activity, and must be accompanied by a written 
statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. If an action 
would result in such an alteration or such burdens, the agency shall 
take any other action that would not result in such an alteration or 
such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that handicapped persons 
receive the benefits and services of the program or activity.
    (b) Methods. The agency may comply with the requirements of this 
section through such means as redesign of equipment, reassignment of 
services to accessible buildings, assignment of aides to beneficiaries, 
home visits, delivery of services at alternate accessible sites, 
alteration of existing facilities and construction of new facilities, 
use of accessible rolling stock, or any other methods that result in 
making its programs or activities readily accessible to and usable by 
handicapped persons. The agency is nor required to make structural 
changes in existing facilities where other methods are effective in 
achieving compliance with this section. The agency, in making 
alterations to existing buildings, shall meet accessibility requirements 
to the extent compelled by the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 4151 through 4157), and any regulations implementing 
it. In choosing among available methods for meeting the requirements of 
this section, the agency shall give priority to those methods that offer 
programs and activities to qualified handicapped persons in the most 
integrated setting appropriate.
    (c) Time period for compliance. The agency shall comply with the 
obligations established under this section by June 6, 1986, except that 
where structural changes in facilities are undertaken, such changes 
shall be made by April 7, 1989, but in any event as expeditiously as 
possible.
    (d) Transition plan. In the event that structural changes to 
facilities will be undertaken to achieve program accessibility, the 
agency shall develop, by October 7, 1986, a transition plan setting 
forth the steps necessary to complete such changes. The agency shall 
provide an opportunity to interested persons, including handicapped 
persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, to 
participate in the development of the transition plan by submitting 
comments (both oral and written). A copy of the transition plan shall be 
made available for public inspection. The plan shall, at a minimum--
    (1) Identify physical obstacles in the agency's facilities that 
limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to handicapped 
persons;
    (2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the 
facilities accessible;
    (3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve 
compliance with this section and, if the time period of the transition 
plan is longer than one year, identify steps that will be taken during 
each year of the transition period; and
    (4) Indicate the official responsible for implementation of the 
plan.

[51 FR 4578, 4579, Feb. 5, 1986; 51 FR 7543, Mar. 5, 1986]



Sec.  1175.151  Program accessibility: New construction and alterations.

    Each building or part of a building that is constructed or altered 
by, on behalf of, or for the use of the agency shall be designed, 
constructed, or altered so as to be readily accessible to and usable by 
handicapped persons. The definitions, requirements, and standards of the 
Architectural Barriers Act (42 U.S.C. 4151 through 4157), as established 
in 41 CFR 101-19.600 to 101-19.607, apply to buildings covered by this 
section.



Sec. Sec.  1175.152-1175.159  [Reserved]



Sec.  1175.160  Communications.

    (a) The agency shall take appropriate steps to ensure effective 
communication with applicants, participants, personnel of other Federal 
entities, and members of the public.

[[Page 502]]

    (1) The agency shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids where 
necessary to afford a handicapped person an equal opportunity to 
participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a program or activity 
conducted by the agency.
    (i) In determining what type of auxiliary aid is necessary, the 
agency shall give primary consideration to the requests of the 
handicapped person.
    (ii) The agency need not provide individually prescribed devices, 
readers for personal use or study, or other devices of a personal 
nature.
    (2) Where the agency communicates with applicants and beneficiaries 
by telephone, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDD's) or 
equally effective telecommunication systems shall be used.
    (b) The agency shall ensure that interested persons, including 
persons with impaired vision or hearing, can obtain information as to 
the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and 
facilities.
    (c) The agency shall provide signage at a primary entrance to each 
of its inaccessible facilities, directing users to a location at which 
they can obtain information about accessible facilities. The 
international symbol for accessibility shall be used at each primary 
entrance of an accessible facility.
    (d) This section does not require the agency to take any action that 
it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the 
nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and administrative 
burdens. In those circumstances where agency personnel believe that the 
proposed action would fundamentally alter the program or activity or 
would result in undue financial and administrative burdens, the agency 
has the burden of proving that compliance with Sec.  1175.160 would 
result in such alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would 
result in such alteration or burdens must be made by the agency head or 
his or her designee after considering all agency resources available for 
use in the funding and operation of the conducted program or activity, 
and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for 
reaching that conclusion. If an action required to comply with this 
section would result in such an alteration or such burdens, the agency 
shall take any other action that would not result in such an alteration 
or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum 
extent possible, handicapped persons receive the benefits and services 
of the program or activity.



Sec. Sec.  1175.161-1175.169  [Reserved]



Sec.  1175.170  Compliance procedures.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this 
section applies to all allegations of discrimination on the basis of 
handicap in programs or activities conducted by the agency.
    (b) The agency shall process complaints alleging violations of 
section 504 with respect to employment according to the procedures 
established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR 
part 1613 pursuant to section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 
U.S.C. 791).
    (c) The Director, Office of Equal Opportunity shall be responsible 
for coordinating implementation of this section. Complaints may be sent 
to Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, National Endowment for the 
Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Room 419, Washington, DC 
20506.
    (d) The agency shall accept and investigate all complete complaints 
for which it has jurisdiction. All complete complaints must be filed 
within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination. The agency may 
extend this time period for good cause.
    (e) If the agency receives a complaint over which it does not have 
jurisdiction, it shall promptly notify the complainant and shall make 
reasonable efforts to refer the complaint to the appropriate government 
entity.
    (f) The agency shall notify the Architectural and Transportation 
Barriers Compliance Board upon receipt of any complaint alleging that a 
building or facility that is subject to the Architectural Barriers Act 
of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151 through 4157), or section 502 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 792), is not readily 
accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.

[[Page 503]]

    (g) Within 180 days of the receipt of a complete complaint for which 
it has jurisdiction, the agency shall notify the complainant of the 
results of the investigation in a letter containing--
    (1) Findings of fact and conclusions of law;
    (2) A description of a remedy for each violation found;
    (3) A notice of the right to appeal.
    (h) Appeals of the findings of fact and conclusions of law or 
remedies must be filed by the complainant within 90 days of receipt from 
the agency of the letter required by Sec.  1175.170(g). The agency may 
extend this time for good cause.
    (i) Timely appeals shall be accepted and processed by the head of 
the agency.
    (j) The head of the agency shall notify the complainant of the 
results of the appeal within 60 days of the receipt of the request. If 
the head of the agency determines that additional information is needed 
from the complainant, he or she shall have 60 days from the date of 
receipt of the additional information to make his or her determination 
on the appeal.
    (k) The time limits cited in paragraphs (g) and (j) of this section 
may be extended with the permission of the Assistant Attorney General.
    (l) The agency may delegate its authority for conducting complaint 
investigations to other Federal agencies, except that the authority for 
making the final determination may not be delegated to another agency.

[51 FR 4578, 4579, Feb. 5, 1986, as amended at 51 FR 4578, Feb. 5, 1986]



Sec. Sec.  1175.171-1175.999  [Reserved]



PART 1176_PART-TIME CAREER EMPLOYMENT--Table of Contents



Sec.
1176.1 General.
1176.2 Definitions.
1176.3 Criteria.
1176.4 Establishing and converting part-time positions.
1176.5 Annual plan.
1176.6 Review and evaluation.
1176.7 Publicizing vacancies.
1176.8 Exceptions.
1176.9-1176.99 [Reserved]

    Authority: Federal Employees Part-Time Career Employment Act of 
1978, Pub. L. 95-437, 92 Stat. 1055, 5 U.S.C. 3401-3408.

    Source: 46 FR 35647, July 10, 1981, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1176.1  General.

    (a) Purpose. Many individuals in society possess great productive 
potential which goes unrealized because they cannot meet the 
requirements of a standard workweek. Permanent part-time employment also 
provides benefits to other individuals in a variety of ways, such as 
providing older individuals with a gradual transition into retirement, 
providing employment opportunities to handicapped individuals or others 
who require a reduced workweek, providing parents with opportunities to 
balance family responsibilities with the need for added income, and 
assisting students who must finance their own education or vocational 
training. In view of this, the National Endowment for the Humanities 
will operate a part-time career employment program, consistent with its 
responsibilities and in accordance with Public Law 95-437, the Federal 
Employees' Part-Time Career Employment Act of 1978.
    (b) Program Coordinator. The Personnel Officer is responsible for 
program operation and coordination.



Sec.  1176.2  Definitions.

    (a) Part-time employment means employment of 16 to 32 hours a week 
under a schedule consisting of an equal or varied number of hours per 
day, whether in a position which would be part-time without regard to 
the Act or one established to allow job-sharing or comparable 
arrangements, but does not include employment on a temporary or 
intermittent basis.
    (b) Career employment includes competitive and excepted service 
employees in tenure groups I and II.



Sec.  1176.3  Criteria.

    Positions becoming vacant, unless excepted as provided by Sec.  
1176.8, will be reviewed to determine the feasibility of converting them 
to part-time. Among the criteria which may be used when conducting this 
review are:
    (a) Mission requirements.

[[Page 504]]

    (b) Workload.
    (c) Employment ceilings and budgetary considerations.
    (d) Availability of qualified applicants willing to work part-time.



Sec.  1176.4  Establishing and converting part-time positions.

    Position management and other internal reviews may indicate that 
positions may be either converted from full-time or initially 
established as part-time positions. Criteria listed in Sec.  1176.3 may 
be used during these reviews. If a decision is made to convert to or to 
establish a part-time position, regular position management and 
classification procedures will be followed.



Sec.  1176.5  Annual plan.

    (a) An agencywide plan for promoting part-time employment 
opportunities will be developed annually. This plan will establish 
annual goals and set interim and final deadlines for achieving these 
goals. This plan will be applicable throughout the agency, and will be 
transmitted to the Office of Personnel Management with the required 
report to OPM on the status of the program as of September 30 of each 
year.
    (b) Beginning in FY 1981 in administering personnel ceilings, part-
time career employees shall be counted against ceiling authorizations as 
a fraction. This will be determined by dividing 40 hours into the 
average number of hours of such employee's regularly scheduled workweek.



Sec.  1176.6  Review and evaluation.

    Regular employment reports will be used to determine levels of part-
time employment. This program will also be designated an item of special 
interest to be reviewed during personnel management reviews.



Sec.  1176.7  Publicizing vacancies.

    When applicants from outside the Federal service are desired, part-
time vacanies may be publicized through various recruiting means, such 
as:
    (a) Federal Job Information Centers.
    (b) State Employment Offices.
    (c) Veterans' Administration Recruiting Bulletins.



Sec.  1176.8  Exceptions.

    (a) The Personnel Officer may except positions from inclusion in 
this program to provide fewer than 16 hours per week. This will normally 
be done in furtherance of special hiring programs such as the Stay-in-
School or Handicapped Employment Program.
    (b) On occasions when it becomes necessary to allow supervisors and 
managers to temporarily increase the hours of duty of employees above 32 
hours per week for limited and specific periods of time to meet heavy 
workloads, perform special assignments, permit employee training, etc., 
the Endowment policy is as follows:
    (1) Requests to work NEH employees on a 32 hour/week appointment 
more than 32 hours must be submitted in advance to the Personnel Office;
    (2) Justification should be concise but specific and must state the 
exact time frame for the increase in hours above 32 hours per week; and
    (3) The Program Coordinator will decide if the request meets the 
intent of the law and this agency's policy.



Sec. Sec.  1176.9-1176.99  [Reserved]



PART 1177_CLAIMS COLLECTION--Table of Contents



                      Subpart A_Scope of Standards

Sec.
1177.1 Prescription of standards.
1177.2 Definitions and construction.
1177.3 Antitrust, fraud, and tax and interagency claims excluded.
1177.4 Compromise, waiver, or disposition under other statutes not 
          precluded.
1177.5 Form of payment.
1177.6 Subdivision of claims not authorized.
1177.7 Required administrative proceedings.
1177.8 No private rights created.

     Subpart B_Standards for the Administrative Collection of Claims

1177.9 Aggressive NEH collection activity.
1177.10 Demand for payment.
1177.11 Collection by administrative offset.
1177.12 Reporting debts.
1177.13 Contracting with private collection contractors and with 
          entities that locate and recover unclaimed assets.
1177.14 Suspension or revocation of eligibility for federal financial 
          assistance.
1177.15 Liquidation of collateral.
1177.16 Collection in installments.
1177.17 Interest, penalties, and administrative costs.

[[Page 505]]

1177.18 Analysis of costs.
1177.19 Use and disclosure of mailing addresses.
1177.20 Exemptions.

            Subpart C_Standards for the Compromise of Claims

1177.21 Scope and application.
1177.22 Bases for compromise.
1177.23 Enforcement policy.
1177.24 Joint and several liability.
1177.25 Further review of compromise offers.
1177.26 Consideration of tax consequences to the Government.
1177.27 Mutual releases of the debtor and the Government.

  Subpart D_Standards for Suspending or Terminating Collection Activity

1177.28 Scope and application.
1177.29 Suspension of collection activity.
1177.30 Termination of collection activity.
1177.31 Exception to termination.
1177.32 Discharge of indebtedness; reporting requirements.

            Subpart E_Referrals to the Department of Justice

1177.33 Prompt referral.
1177.34 Claims Collection Litigation Report.
1177.35 Preservation of evidence.
1177.36 Minimum amount of referrals to the Department of Justice.

    Authority: 31 U.S.C. 3711, 3716-3719; Pub. L. 104-134; 31 CFR 900-
904.

    Source: 86 FR 66965, Nov. 24, 2021, unless otherwise noted.



                      Subpart A_Scope of Standards



Sec.  1177.1  Prescription of standards.

    (a) The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is issuing the 
regulation the regulations in this part pursuant to 31 CFR 900-904 and 
under the authority contained in 31 U.S.C. 3711(d)(2). The regulations 
in this part prescribe the standards that NEH will use in the 
administrative collection, offset, compromise, suspension, and 
termination of collection activity for civil claims for money, funds, or 
property, as defined by 31 U.S.C. 3701(b), unless specific Federal 
agency statues or regulations apply to such activities or, as provided 
for by Title 11 of the United States Code, when the claims involve 
bankruptcy. Federal agencies include agencies of the executive, 
legislative, and judicial branches of the Government, including 
Government corporations. The regulations in this part also prescribe 
standards for referring debts to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for 
litigation. Additional guidance is contained in the Office of Management 
and Budget's circular A-129 (Revised), ``Policies for Federal Credit 
Programs and Non-Tax Receivables,'' the Department of the Treasury's 
(Treasury) ``Managing Federal Receivables,'' and other publications 
concerning debt collection and debt management. These publications are 
available from the Debt Management Services, Financial Management 
Service, Department of the Treasury, 401 14th Street SW, Room 151, 
Washington, DC 20227.
    (b) Additional rules governing centralized administrative offset and 
the transfer of delinquent debts to Treasury or Treasury-designated debt 
collection centers for collection (cross-servicing) under the Debt 
Collection Improvement Act of 1996, Public Law 104-134, 110 Stat. 1321, 
1358 (April 26, 1996) (DCIA), are issued in separate regulations by 
Treasury. Rules governing the use of certain debt collection tools 
created under the DCIA, such as administrative wage garnishment, also 
are issued in separate regulations by Treasury. See generally 31 CFR 
285.
    (c) NEH is not limited to the remedies contained in this part and 
may use all authorized remedies, including alternative dispute 
resolution and arbitration, to collect civil claims, to the extent that 
such remedies are not inconsistent with the Federal Claims Collection 
Act, as amended, Public Law 89-508, 80 Stat. 308 (July 19, 1966), the 
Debt Collection Act of 1982, Public Law 97-365, 96 Stat. 1749 (October 
25, 1982), the DCIA, or other relevant statutes. The regulations in this 
part are not intended to impair NEH's common law rights to collect 
debts.
    (d) Standards and policies regarding the classification of debt for 
accounting purposes (for example, write off of uncollectible debt) are 
contained in the Office of Management and Budget's Circular A-129 
(Revised), ``Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax 
Receivables.''

[[Page 506]]



Sec.  1177.2  Definitions and construction.

    (a) For the purposes of the standards in this part, the terms 
``claim'' and ``debt'' are synonymous and interchangeable. They refer to 
an amount of money, funds, or property that an agency official has 
determined to be due the United States from any person, organization, or 
entity, except another Federal agency. For the purposes of 
administrative offset under 31 U.S.C. 3716, the terms ``claim'' and 
``debt'' include an amount of money, funds, or property owed by a person 
to a State (including past-due support being enforced by a State), the 
District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin 
Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
    (b) ``Chairperson'' means the Chairperson of NEH or the 
Chairperson's designee.
    (c) A debt is ``delinquent'' if it has not been paid by the date 
specified in the initial written demand for payment or applicable 
agreement or instrument (including a post-delinquency payment 
agreement), unless other satisfactory payment arrangements have been 
made.
    (d) Words in the plural form shall include the singular and vice 
versa, and words signifying the masculine gender shall include the 
feminine and vice versa. The terms ``includes'' and ``including'' do not 
exclude matters not listed but do include matters that are in the same 
general class.
    (e) ``Recoupment'' is a special method for adjusting debts arising 
under the same transaction or occurrence. For example, obligations 
arising under the same contract generally are subject to recoupment.
    (f) Unless otherwise stated, ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
the Treasury or the Secretary's delegate.



Sec.  1177.3  Antitrust, fraud, and tax and interagency claims excluded.

    (a) The standards in this part relating to compromise, suspension, 
and termination of collection activity do not apply to any debt based in 
whole or in part on conduct that violates the antitrust laws or to any 
debt involving fraud, the presentation of a false claim, or 
misrepresentation on the part of the debtor or any party having an 
interest in the claim. Only DOJ has the authority to compromise, 
suspend, or terminate collection activity on such claims. The standards 
in this part relating to the administrative collection of claims do 
apply, but only to the extent authorized by DOJ in a particular case. 
Upon identification of a claim based in whole or in part on conduct in 
violation of the antitrust laws or any claim involving fraud, the 
presentation of a false claim, or misrepresentation on the part of the 
debtor or any party having an interest in the claim, NEH shall promptly 
refer the case to DOJ for action. At its discretion, DOJ may return the 
claim to NEH for further handling, in accordance with the standards in 
this part.
    (b) This part does not apply to tax debts.
    (c) This part does not apply to claims between Federal agencies. NEH 
will attempt to resolve interagency claims by negotiation in accordance 
with Executive Order 12146 (3 CFR, 1979 Comp., pp. 409-412).



Sec.  1177.4  Compromise, waiver, or disposition under other statutes 
not precluded.

    Nothing in this part precludes NEH's disposition of any claim under 
statutes and implementing regulations other than 31 U.S.C. 37, 
subchapter II (Claims of the United States Government). See e.g., the 
Federal Medical Care Recovery Act, Public Law 87-693, 76 Stat. 593 
(September 25, 1962) (codified at 42 U.S.C. 2651 et seq.), and 
applicable regulations, 28 CFR 43. In such cases, the laws and 
regulations that are specifically applicable to NEH's claims collection 
activities generally take precedence over this part.



Sec.  1177.5  Form of payment.

    Debtors may pay claims in the form of money or, when a contractual 
basis exists, the Government may demand the return of specific property 
or the performance of specific services.

[[Page 507]]



Sec.  1177.6  Subdivision of claims not authorized.

    NEH will not subdivide debts in order to avoid the monetary ceiling 
established by 31 U.S.C. 3711(a)(2). NEH will consider a debtor's 
liability arising from a particular transaction or contract as a single 
debt in determining whether the debt is one of less than $100,000 
(excluding interest, penalties, and administrative costs) or such higher 
amount as the Attorney General shall from time to time prescribe for 
purposes of compromising, suspending, or terminating collection 
activity.



Sec.  1177.7  Required administrative proceedings.

    NEH is not required to omit, foreclose, or duplicate administrative 
proceedings required by contract or other laws or regulations.



Sec.  1177.8  No private rights created.

    The standards in this part do not create any right or benefit, 
substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party 
against the United States, its agencies, its officers, or any other 
person, nor shall NEH's failure to comply with any of the provisions of 
this part be available to any debtor as a defense.



     Subpart B_Standards for the Administrative Collection of Claims



Sec.  1177.9  Aggressive NEH collection activity.

    (a) NEH will aggressively collect all debts that arise out of its 
activities, or that are referred or transferred for collection services 
to NEH. NEH will promptly undertake collection activities and take 
follow-up action as necessary. Nothing in 31 CFR 900 through 904 
requires DOJ, Treasury, or other Treasury-designated debt collection 
centers to duplicate collection activities previously undertaken by NEH 
or to perform collection activities that NEH should have undertaken.
    (b) Debts that NEH refers or transfers to Treasury or Treasury-
designated debt collection centers under the authority of 31 U.S.C. 
3711(g) will be serviced, collected, or compromised, or the collection 
action will be suspended or terminated, in accordance with the statutory 
requirements and authorities applicable to the collection of such debts.
    (c) NEH will cooperate with other agencies in debt collection 
activities.
    (d) NEH will consider referring debts that are less than 180 days 
delinquent to Treasury or to Treasury-designated debt collection centers 
to accomplish efficient, cost effective debt collection. Treasury is a 
debt collection center, is authorized to designate other Federal 
agencies as debt collection centers based on their performance in 
collecting delinquent debts, and may withdraw such designations. 
Referrals to debt collection centers are at the discretion of, and for a 
time period acceptable to, the Secretary. Referrals may be for 
servicing, collection, compromise, suspension, or termination of 
collection action.
    (e) NEH will transfer to the Secretary any debt that has been 
delinquent for a period of 180 days or more so that the Secretary may 
take appropriate action to collect the debt or terminate collection 
action. See 31 CFR 285.12 (Transfer of Debts to Treasury for 
Collection). This requirement does not apply to any debt that:
    (1) Is in litigation or foreclosure;
    (2) Will be disposed of under an approved asset sale program;
    (3) Has been referred to a private collection contractor for a 
period of time acceptable to the Secretary;
    (4) Is at a debt collection center for a period of time acceptable 
to the Secretary (see paragraph (d) of this section);
    (5) Will be collected under internal offset procedures within three 
years after the debt first became delinquent; or
    (6) Is exempt from this requirement based on a determination by the 
Secretary that exemption for a certain class of debt is in the best 
interests of the United States. NEH may request that the Secretary 
exempt specific classes of debts.
    (f) Agencies operating Treasury-designated debt collection centers 
are authorized to charge a fee for services rendered regarding referred 
or transferred debts. NEH may pay the fee out

[[Page 508]]

of amounts it collects and may add the fee to the debt as an 
administrative cost (see Sec.  1177.18).

[86 FR 66965, Nov. 24, 2021; 86 FR 69586, Dec. 8, 2021]



Sec.  1177.10  Demand for payment.

    (a) NEH will promptly make a written demand, as described in 
paragraph (b) of this section, upon a debtor of the United States in 
terms that inform the debtor of the consequences of failing to cooperate 
with NEH to resolve the debt. The specific content, timing, and number 
of demand letters will depend upon the type and amount of the debt and 
the debtor's response, if any, to NEH's letters or telephone calls. 
Generally, one demand letter should suffice. In determining the timing 
of the demand letter(s), NEH will give due regard to the need to refer 
debts promptly to DOJ for litigation, in accordance with Sec.  1177.33 
or otherwise. When necessary to protect the Government's interest (for 
example, to prevent a statute of limitations from running), NEH may 
precede written demand by other appropriate actions under this part, 
including immediate referral for litigation.
    (b) Demand letters will inform the debtor of:
    (1) The basis for the indebtedness and the rights, if any, the 
debtor may have to seek review within NEH;
    (2) The applicable standards for imposing any interest, penalties, 
or administrative costs;
    (3) The date by which the debtor should make payment in order to 
avoid late charges (i.e., interest, penalties, and administrative costs) 
and enforced collection, which generally should not be more than thirty 
(30) days from the date that NEH mails or hand-delivers the demand 
letter; and
    (4) The name, address, and phone number of a contact person or 
office within NEH.
    (c) NEH will exercise care to ensure that demand letters are mailed 
or hand-delivered on the same day that they are dated. There is no 
prescribed format for demand letters. NEH will utilize demand letters 
and procedures that will lead to the earliest practicable determination 
of whether the agency can resolve the debt administratively or must 
refer it for litigation.
    (d) NEH will include in demand letters such items as the agency's 
willingness to discuss alternative methods of payment; its policies with 
respect to the use of credit bureaus, debt collection centers, and 
collection agencies; its remedies to enforce payment of the debt 
(including assessment of interest, administrative costs and penalties, 
administrative garnishment, the use of collection agencies, Federal 
salary offset, tax refund offset, administrative offset, and 
litigation); the requirement that any debt delinquent for more than 180 
days be transferred to Treasury for collection; and, depending on 
applicable statutory authority, the debtor's entitlement to 
consideration of a waiver.
    (e) NEH will respond promptly to communications from debtors, within 
thirty (30) days whenever feasible, and will advise debtors who dispute 
debts to furnish available evidence to support their contentions.
    (f) Prior to initiating the demand process, or at any time during or 
after completing the demand process, if NEH determines to pursue, or is 
required to pursue, offset, it will follow the offset procedures in 
Sec.  1177.11. The availability of funds or money for debt satisfaction 
by offset, and NEH's determination to pursue collection by offset, will 
release NEH from further compliance with paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and 
(d) of this section.
    (g) Prior to referring a debt for litigation, NEH will advise each 
person it determines to be liable for the debt that, unless the agency 
can collect the debt administratively, it may initiate litigation. This 
notification will comply with Executive Order 12988 (3 CFR, 1996 Comp., 
pp. 157-163) and may be given as part of a demand letter under paragraph 
(b) of this section or in a separate document. NEH will notify DOJ that 
it has given this notice.
    (h) When NEH learns that a bankruptcy petition has been filed with 
respect to a debtor, before proceeding with further collection action, 
the agency will immediately seek legal advice from its Office of the 
General Counsel concerning the impact of the Bankruptcy Code on any 
pending or

[[Page 509]]

contemplated collection activities. Unless NEH determines that the 
automatic stay imposed at the time of filing pursuant to 11 U.S.C. 362 
has been lifted or is no longer in effect, in most cases NEH will 
immediately stop collection activity against the debtor.
    (1) After seeking legal advice, in most cases NEH will file a proof 
of claim with the bankruptcy court or the Trustee. NEH will refer to the 
provisions of 11 U.S.C. 106 relating to the consequences on sovereign 
immunity of filing a proof of claim.
    (2) If NEH is a secured creditor, it may seek relief from the 
automatic stay regarding its security, subject to the provisions and 
requirements of 11 U.S.C. 362.
    (3) In most cases, offset is stayed by the automatic stay. However, 
NEH will seek legal advice from its Office of the General Counsel to 
determine whether it may freeze its payments to the debtor, and other 
agencies' payments that are available for offset, until it can obtain 
from the bankruptcy court relief from the automatic stay. NEH will also 
seek legal advice from its Office of the General Counsel to determine 
whether recoupment is available.



Sec.  1177.11  Collection by administrative offset.

    (a) Scope. (1) The term ``administrative offset'' has the meaning 
provided in 31 U.S.C. 3701(a)(1).
    (2) This section does not apply to:
    (i) Debts arising under the Social Security Act, except as provided 
in 42 U.S.C. 404;
    (ii) Payments made under the Social Security Act, except as provided 
for in 31 U.S.C. 3716(c) (see 31 CFR 285.4, Federal Benefit Offset);
    (iii) Debts arising under, or payments made under, the Internal 
Revenue Code (see 31 CFR 285.2, Tax Refund Offset) or the tariff laws of 
the United States;
    (iv) Offsets against Federal salaries to the extent these standards 
are inconsistent with regulations published to implement such offsets 
under 5 U.S.C. 5514 and 31 U.S.C. 3716 (see 5 CFR part 550, subpart K, 
and 31 CFR 285.7, Federal Salary Offset);
    (v) Offsets under 31 U.S.C. 3728 against a judgment that a debtor 
obtained against the United States;
    (vi) Offsets or recoupments under common law, State law, or Federal 
statutes specifically prohibiting offsets or recoupments of particular 
types of debts; or
    (vii) Offsets in the course of judicial proceedings, including 
bankruptcy.
    (3) Unless otherwise provided for by contract or law, NEH may 
collect debts or payments that are not subject to administrative offset 
under 31 U.S.C. 3716 by administrative offset under the common law or 
other applicable statutory authority.
    (4) Unless otherwise provided by law, NEH will not collect a debt by 
administrative offset under the authority of 31 U.S.C. 3716 more than 
ten (10) years after the Government's right to collect the debt first 
accrued, unless facts material to the Government's right to collect the 
debt were not known and could not reasonably have been known by the 
Government official or officials who were charged with the 
responsibility to discover and collect such debts. This limitation does 
not apply to debts reduced to a judgment.
    (5) In bankruptcy cases, NEH will seek legal advice from its Office 
of the General Counsel concerning the impact of the Bankruptcy Code, 
particularly 11 U.S.C. 106, 362, and 553, on pending or contemplated 
collections by offset.
    (b) Mandatory centralized administrative offset. (1) NEH is required 
to refer past due, legally enforceable nontax debts which are over 180 
days delinquent to the Secretary for collection by centralized 
administrative offset. NEH may also refer debts which are less than 180 
days delinquent to the Secretary for this purpose. See paragraph (b)(5) 
of this section for debt certification requirements.
    (2) The names and taxpayer identifying numbers (TINs) of debtors who 
owe debts which NEH referred to the Secretary as described in paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section will be compared to the names and TINs on 
payments to be made by Federal disbursing officials. Federal disbursing 
officials include disbursing officials of Treasury, the Department of 
Defense, the United States Postal Service, other Government 
corporations, and United States disbursing officials designated by the 
Secretary. When a debtor's name and

[[Page 510]]

TIN match a payee's name and TIN and all other requirements for offset 
have been met, the payment will be offset to satisfy the debt.
    (3) Federal disbursing officials will notify the debtor/payee in 
writing that an offset has occurred to satisfy, in part or in full, a 
past due, legally enforceable delinquent debt. The notice will include a 
description of the type and amount of the payment from which the offset 
was taken, the amount of offset that was taken, the identity of the 
creditor agency requesting the offset, and a contact point within the 
creditor agency who will respond to questions regarding the offset.
    (4) NEH will initiate offsets only after:
    (i) Sending the debtor written notice of the type and amount of the 
debt, NEH's intention to use administrative offset to collect the debt, 
and an explanation of the debtor's rights under 31 U.S.C. 3716; and
    (ii) Giving the debtor the opportunity:
    (A) To inspect and copy NEH records related to the debt;
    (B) For a review within NEH of its determination of indebtedness; 
and
    (C) To make a written agreement to repay the debt.
    (5) NEH may omit the procedures set forth in paragraph (b)(4) of 
this section when:
    (i) The offset is in the nature of a recoupment;
    (ii) The debt arises under a contract as set forth in Cecile 
Industries, Inc. v. Cheney, 995 F.2d 1052 (Fed. Cir. 1993) (notice and 
other procedural protections set forth in 31 U.S.C. 3716(a) do not 
supplant or restrict established procedures for contractual offsets 
accommodated by the Contracts Disputes Act); or
    (iii) In the case of non-centralized administrative offsets 
conducted under paragraph (c) of this section, NEH first learns of the 
amount owed by the debtor when there is insufficient time before payment 
would be made to the debtor/payee to allow for prior notice and an 
opportunity for review. When NEH omits prior notice and an opportunity 
for review, it will give the debtor such notice and an opportunity for 
review as soon as practicable, and it will promptly refund any money 
which it ultimately finds the debtor did not owe to the Government.
    (6) When an agency has previously given a debtor any of the required 
notice and review opportunities with respect to a particular debt (see 
e.g., Sec.  1177.10), NEH need not duplicate such notice and review 
opportunities before initiating administrative offset.
    (7) When referring delinquent debts to the Secretary, NEH will 
certify, in a form acceptable to the Secretary, that:
    (i) The debt(s) is (are) past due and legally enforceable; and
    (ii) NEH has complied with all due process requirements under 31 
U.S.C. 3716(a) and paragraphs (b)(4), (b)(5), and (b)(6) of this 
section.
    (8) Payments that are prohibited by law from being offset are exempt 
from centralized administrative offset. The Secretary will exempt 
payments under means-tested programs from centralized administrative 
offset when the head of the payment certifying or authorizing agency 
requests in writing that the Secretary do so. Also, the Secretary may 
exempt other classes of payments from centralized offset upon the head 
of the payment certifying or authorizing agency's written request.
    (9) NEH may offset benefit payments made under the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 301, et seq.), part B of the Black Lung Benefits Act (30 
U.S.C. 921, et seq.), and any law administered by the Railroad 
Retirement Board (other than tier two (2) benefits), only in accordance 
with Treasury regulations, issued in consultation with the Social 
Security Administration, the Railroad Retirement Board, and the Office 
of Management and Budget. See 31 CFR 285.4.
    (10) In accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3716(f), the Secretary may waive 
the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988's provisions 
concerning matching agreements and post-match notification and 
verification (5 U.S.C. 552a(o) and (p)) for centralized administrative 
offset upon receipt of a certification from NEH, as the creditor agency, 
that it has met the due process requirements enumerated in 31 U.S.C. 
3716(a). NEH's certification in accordance with paragraph (b)(7) of this 
section will satisfy this requirement. If the Secretary grants such a 
waiver,

[[Page 511]]

only Treasury's Data Integrity Board is required to oversee any matching 
activities, in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3716(g). This waiver authority 
does not apply to offsets conducted under paragraphs (c) and (d) of this 
section.
    (c) Non-centralized administrative offset. (1) Generally, NEH will 
conduct non-centralized administrative offsets at its discretion on an 
ad hoc case-by-case basis, internally or in cooperation with the agency 
certifying or authorizing payments to the debtor. Unless otherwise 
prohibited by law, when centralized administrative offset is not 
available or appropriate, NEH may collect past due, legally enforceable 
non-tax delinquent debts through non-centralized administrative offset. 
In these cases, a creditor agency may make a request directly to a 
payment authorizing agency to offset a payment due a debtor in order to 
collect a delinquent debt. For example, it may be appropriate for a 
creditor agency to request that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
offset a Federal employee's lump sum payment upon leaving Government 
service in order to satisfy an unpaid advance.
    (2) Before requesting that a payment authorizing agency conduct a 
non-centralized administrative offset, NEH will provide:
    (i) The debtor with due process as set forth in paragraphs (b)(4) 
through (6) of this section; and
    (ii) The payment authorizing agency with written certification that 
the debtor owes past due, legally enforceable delinquent debt in the 
amount stated, and that NEH has fully complied with its regulations 
concerning administrative offset.
    (3) Payment authorizing agencies will comply with offset requests by 
creditor agencies to collect debts owed to the United States, unless the 
offset would not be in the best interests of the United States with 
respect to the authorizing agency's program, or would otherwise be 
contrary to law. NEH will make appropriate use of other agencies' 
cooperative efforts in effecting collection by administrative offset.
    (4) When collecting multiple debts by non-centralized administrative 
offset, NEH will apply the recovered amounts to those debts in 
accordance with the best interests of the United States, as determined 
by the facts and circumstances of the specific case, particularly the 
applicable statute of limitations.
    (d) Requests to OPM to offset a debtor's anticipated or future 
benefit payments under the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund. 
Upon providing OPM written certification that a debtor has been afforded 
the procedures provided in paragraphs (b)(4) through (6) of this 
section, NEH may request that OPM offset a debtor's anticipated or 
future benefit payments under the Civil Service Retirement and 
Disability Fund (Fund) in accordance with regulations codified at 5 CFR 
831.1801-831.1808. Upon receipt of such a request, OPM will identify and 
``flag'' a debtor's account in anticipation of the time when the debtor 
requests, or becomes eligible to receive, payments from the Fund. This 
will satisfy any requirement that NEH initiate offset prior to the 
expiration of the time limitations referenced in paragraph (a)(4) of 
this section.
    (e) Review Requirements. (1) For purposes of this section, whenever 
NEH is required to afford a debtor a review, it will provide the debtor 
with a reasonable opportunity for an oral hearing when the debtor 
requests reconsideration of the debt and NEH determines that the 
question of indebtedness cannot be resolved by reviewing the documentary 
evidence; for example, when the validity of the debt turns on an issue 
of credibility or veracity.
    (2) Unless otherwise required by law, an oral hearing under this 
section is not required to be a formal evidentiary hearing, although NEH 
will carefully document all significant matters discussed at the 
hearing.
    (3) This section does not require an oral hearing with respect to 
debt collection systems in which a determination of indebtedness rarely 
involves issues of credibility or veracity and NEH has determined that 
the review of the written record is ordinarily an adequate means to 
correct prior mistakes.
    (4) In those cases when an oral hearing is not required by this 
section, NEH will accord the debtor a ``paper hearing;'' that is, a 
determination of

[[Page 512]]

the request for reconsideration based upon a review of the written 
record.



Sec.  1177.12  Reporting debts.

    (a) NEH procedures for reporting delinquent debts to credit bureaus 
and other automated databases will comply with the Bankruptcy Code and 
the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, as amended. The provisions of 
the Privacy Act do not apply to credit bureaus.
    (b) NEH procedures for reporting delinquent consumer debts to credit 
bureaus will be consistent with the due process and other requirements 
contained in 31 U.S.C. 3711(e). When an agency has given a debtor any of 
the required notice and review opportunities with respect to a 
particular debt, NEH need not duplicate such notice and review 
opportunities before reporting that delinquent consumer debt to credit 
bureaus.
    (c) NEH will report delinquent debts to the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development's Credit Alert Interactive Voice Response System 
(CAIVRS). NEH will contact the Director of Information Resources 
Management Policy and Management Division, Office of Information 
Technology, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street 
SW, Washington, DC 20410 for information about the CAIVRS program.



Sec.  1177.13  Contracting with private collection contractors and with
entities that locate and recover unclaimed assets.

    (a) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section, NEH 
may contract with private collection contractors, as defined in 31 
U.S.C. 3701(f), to recover delinquent debts, provided that:
    (1) NEH retains the authority to resolve disputes, compromise debts, 
suspend or terminate collection activity, and refer debts for 
litigation;
    (2) The private collection contractor is not allowed to offer the 
debtor, as an incentive for payment, the opportunity to pay the debt 
less the private collection contractor's fee unless NEH has granted such 
authority prior to the offer;
    (3) The contract provides that the private collection contractor is 
subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, to the extent specified in 5 U.S.C. 
552a(m), and to applicable Federal and state laws and regulations 
pertaining to debt collection practices, including but not limited to 
the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. 1692; and
    (4) The private collection contractor is required to account for all 
amounts collected.
    (b) NEH will use government-wide debt collection contracts to obtain 
debt collection services provided by private contractors. However, NEH 
may refer debts to private collection contractors pursuant to a contract 
with the private collection contractor only if such debts are not 
subject to the requirement to transfer debts to Treasury for collection. 
See 31 U.S.C. 3711(g); 31 CFR 285.12(e).
    (c) NEH may fund private collection contractor contracts in 
accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3718(d), or as otherwise permitted by law.
    (d) NEH may enter into contracts for locating and recovering United 
States assets, such as unclaimed assets. NEH will establish procedures 
that are acceptable to the Secretary before entering into contracts to 
recover United States assets held by a state government or a financial 
institution.
    (e) NEH may enter into contracts for debtor asset and income search 
reports. In accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3718(d), such contracts may 
provide that the fee a contractor charges NEH for such services may be 
payable from the amounts recovered, unless otherwise prohibited by 
statute.



Sec.  1177.14  Suspension or revocation of eligibility for federal 
financial assistance.

    (a) Unless waived by the Chairperson (or the Chairperson's 
designee), NEH will not extend financial assistance, which includes 
grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, loans, loan guarantees, or 
loan insurance to any person delinquent on a nontax debt owed to a 
Federal agency. NEH may extend credit after the delinquency has

[[Page 513]]

been resolved. The Secretary may exempt classes of debts from this 
prohibition and has prescribed standards defining when a ``delinquency'' 
is ``resolved'' for purposes of this prohibition. See 31 CFR 285.13 
(Barring Delinquent Debtors from Obtaining Federal Loans or Loan 
Insurance or Guarantees).
    (b) In non-bankruptcy cases, when NEH is seeking the collection of 
statutory penalties, forfeitures, or other types of claims, it will 
consider suspending or revoking a debtor's licenses, permits, grants, 
cooperative agreements, contracts, or other privileges for inexcusable 
or willful failure to pay such a debt in accordance with NEH's 
regulations or governing procedures. In its written demand for payment, 
NEH will advise the debtor of the agency's ability to suspend or revoke 
licenses, permits, grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or other 
privileges. In instances where NEH is making, guaranteeing, insuring, 
acquiring, or participating in grants, cooperative agreements, 
contracts, or loans, it will consider suspending or disqualifying any 
lender, contractor, grantee, partner, counterparty, broker, or 
participant from doing further business with NEH or engaging in 
programs, agreements, or activities that are sponsored, co-sponsored or 
otherwise supported by NEH if such lender, contractor, grantee, partner, 
counterparty, broker, or participant fails to pay its debts to the 
Government within a reasonable time or if such lender, contractor, 
grantee, partner, counterparty, broker, or participant has been 
suspended, debarred, or disqualified from participation in a program, 
agreement, or activity by another Federal agency. NEH will report to 
Treasury the failure of any surety to honor its obligations in 
accordance with 31 U.S.C. 9305. The Treasury will forward to all 
interested agencies a notification that a surety's certificate of 
authority to do business with the Government has been revoked by 
Treasury.
    (c) NEH will also extend the suspension or revocation of licenses, 
permits, grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or other privileges 
to Federal programs, agreements, or activities that are administered by 
the states or other third parties on behalf of the Federal Government, 
to the extent that they affect the Federal Government's ability to 
collect money or funds owed by debtors. Therefore, states or other third 
parties that manage Federal programs, agreements, or activities, 
pursuant to NEH approval, should ensure that appropriate steps are taken 
to safeguard against issuing licenses, permits, grants, cooperative 
agreements, contracts, or other privileges to debtors who fail to pay 
their debts to the Federal Government.
    (d) In bankruptcy cases, before advising the debtor of its intention 
to suspend or revoke licenses, permits, grants, cooperative agreements, 
contracts, or other privileges, NEH will seek legal advice from its 
Office of the General Counsel concerning the impact of the Bankruptcy 
Code, particularly 11 U.S.C. 362 and 525, which may restrict such 
action.



Sec.  1177.15  Liquidation of collateral.

    (a) NEH will liquidate security or collateral through the exercise 
of a power of sale in the security instrument or a nonjudicial 
foreclosure, and apply the proceeds to the applicable debt(s), if the 
debtor fails to pay the debt(s) within a reasonable time after demand 
and if such action is in the best interest of the United States. 
Collection from other sources, including liquidation of security or 
collateral, is not a prerequisite to requiring payment by a surety, 
insurer, or guarantor unless such action is expressly required by 
statute or contract.
    (b) When NEH learns that a bankruptcy petition has been filed with 
respect to a debtor, the agency will seek legal advice from its Office 
of the General Counsel concerning the impact of the Bankruptcy Code, 
including but not limited to 11 U.S.C. 362, to determine the 
applicability of the automatic stay and the procedures for obtaining 
relief from such stay prior to proceeding under paragraph (a) of this 
section.



Sec.  1177.16  Collection in installments.

    (a) Whenever feasible, NEH will collect the total amount of a debt 
in one lump sum. If a debtor is financially unable to pay a debt in one 
lump sum, NEH may accept payment in regular

[[Page 514]]

installments. NEH will obtain financial statements from debtors who 
represent that they are unable to pay in one lump sum and independently 
verify such representations whenever possible (see Sec.  1177.22(g) of 
this part). If NEH agrees to accept payments in regular installments, it 
will obtain a legally enforceable written agreement from the debtor that 
specifies all of the terms of the arrangement and that contains a 
provision accelerating the debt in the event of default.
    (b) The size and frequency of installment payments will bear a 
reasonable relation to the size of the debt and the debtor's ability to 
pay. If possible, the installment payments should be sufficient in size 
and frequency to liquidate the debt in three years or less.
    (c) NEH will obtain security for deferred payments, in appropriate 
cases. NEH may accept installment payments notwithstanding the debtor's 
refusal to execute a written agreement or to give security, at the 
agency's option.



Sec.  1177.17  Interest, penalties, and administrative costs.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (g), (h), and (i) of this 
section, NEH will charge interest, penalties, and administrative costs 
on debts owed to the United States pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3717. NEH will 
mail or hand-deliver a written notice to the debtor, at the debtor's 
most recent address available to NEH, explaining the agency's 
requirements concerning these charges, except where these requirements 
are included in a contractual or repayment agreement. These charges 
shall continue to accrue until the debt is paid in full or otherwise 
resolved through compromise, termination, or waiver of the charges.
    (b) NEH will charge interest on debts owed the United States as 
follows:
    (1) Interest will accrue from the date of delinquency, or as 
otherwise provided by law.
    (2) Unless otherwise established in a grant, cooperate agreement, 
contract, repayment agreement, or by statute, the rate of interest that 
NEH charges will be the rate that the Secretary establishes annually in 
accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3717. Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3717, NEH may 
charge a higher rate of interest if it reasonably determines that a 
higher rate is necessary to protect the rights of the United States. NEH 
will document the reason(s) for its determination that the higher rate 
is necessary.
    (3) The rate of interest that NEH initially charges will remain 
fixed for the duration of the indebtedness. When a debtor defaults on a 
repayment agreement and seeks to enter into a new agreement, NEH may 
require payment of interest at a new rate that reflects the Treasury's 
value of funds at the time the new agreement is executed. NEH will not 
compound interest; that is, it will not charge interest on interest, 
penalties, or administrative costs required by this section. If, 
however, a debtor defaults on a previous repayment agreement, NEH will 
add to the principal under the new repayment agreement any charges that 
accrued but which NEH did not collect under the defaulted agreement.
    (c) NEH will assess administrative costs it incurred for processing 
and handling delinquent debts. NEH will base its calculation of 
administrative costs on the actual costs it incurred or upon its 
estimated costs.
    (d) Unless otherwise established in a contract, repayment agreement, 
or by statute, NEH will charge a penalty, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 
3717(e)(2), not to exceed six (6) percent a year on the amount due on a 
debt that is delinquent for more than ninety (90) days. This charge 
shall accrue from the date of delinquency.
    (e) NEH may increase an ``administrative debt'' by the cost-of-
living adjustment in lieu of charging interest and penalties under this 
section. ``Administrative debt'' includes but is not limited to a debt 
based on fines, penalties, and overpayments, but does not include a debt 
based on the extension of Government credit, such as those arising from 
loans and loan guaranties. The cost-of-living adjustment is the 
percentage by which the Consumer Price Index for the month of June of 
the calendar year preceding the adjustment exceeds the Consumer Price

[[Page 515]]

Index for the month of June of the calendar year in which the debt was 
determined or last adjusted. NEH will annually compute increases to 
administrative debts. NEH will use this alternative only when there is a 
legitimate reason to do so, such as when calculating interest and 
penalties on a debt would be extremely difficult because of the debt's 
age.
    (f) When a debtor pays a debt in partial or installment payments, 
the Government will first apply the amount it receives to any 
contingency fees added to the debt, second to outstanding penalties, 
third to administrative costs other than contingency fees, fourth to 
interest, and last to principal. For purposes of this paragraph (f), 
``contingency fees'' are administrative costs resulting from fees paid 
by a Federal agency to other Federal agencies or private collection 
contractors for collection services rendered when the fees are paid from 
the amounts collected from a debtor.
    (g) NEH will waive the collection of interest and administrative 
costs imposed pursuant to this section on the portion of the debt that 
the debtor pays within thirty (30) days after the date on which interest 
began to accrue. NEH may extend this thirty-day period on a case-by-case 
basis. In addition, NEH may waive interest, penalties, and 
administrative costs charged under this section, in whole or in part, 
without regard to the amount of the debt, either under the criteria set 
forth in these standards for the compromise of debts, or if NEH 
determines that collection of these charges is against equity and good 
conscience or is not in the best interest of the United States.
    (h) NEH will not suspend the assessment of interest, penalties, and 
administrative costs during the administrative review of a debt, except 
for periods during which it has suspended collection activity under 
Sec.  1177.29 of this part.
    (i) NEH is authorized to impose interest and related charges on 
debts not subject to 31 U.S.C. 3717, in accordance with the common law.



Sec.  1177.18  Analysis of costs.

    NEH will periodically compare costs incurred and amounts collected. 
NEH will use data on costs and corresponding recovery rates for debts of 
different types and in various dollar ranges to compare the cost 
effectiveness of alternative collection techniques, establish guidelines 
with respect to points at which costs of further collection efforts are 
likely to exceed recoveries, assist in evaluating compromise offers, and 
establish minimum debt amounts below which collection efforts need not 
be taken.



Sec.  1177.19  Use and disclosure of mailing addresses.

    (a) When attempting to locate a debtor in order to collect or 
compromise a debt under this part or other authority, NEH may send a 
request to the Secretary to obtain a debtor's mailing address from the 
Internal Revenue Service's records.
    (b) NEH is authorized to use mailing addresses it obtained under 
paragraph (a) of this section to enforce collection of a delinquent debt 
and may disclose such mailing addresses to other agencies and to 
collection agencies for collection purposes.



Sec.  1177.20  Exemptions.

    (a) The preceding sections of this part, to the extent that they 
reflect remedies or procedures prescribed by the Debt Collection Act of 
1982 and the DCIA, such as administrative offset, use of credit bureaus, 
contracting for collection agencies, and interest and related charges, 
do not apply to debts arising under, or payments made under, the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 1, et seq.); the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301, et seq.), except to the extent 
provided under 42 U.S.C. 404 and 31 U.S.C. 3716(copyright); or the 
tariff laws of the United States. These remedies and procedures, 
however, may be authorized with respect to debts that are exempt from 
the Debt Collection Act of 1982 and the DCIA, to the extent that they 
are authorized under some other statute or the common law.
    (b) NEH does not construe this section as prohibiting its use of 
these authorities or requirements when collecting debts owed by persons 
employed by agencies administering the

[[Page 516]]

laws cited in paragraph (a) of this section, unless the debt arose under 
those laws.



            Subpart C_Standards for the Compromise of Claims



Sec.  1177.21  Scope and application.

    (a) The standards set forth in this subpart apply to the compromise 
of debts pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3711. NEH may exercise such compromise 
authority for debts that arise out of its activities, or that are 
referred or transferred to it for collection services, when the amount 
of the debt then due, exclusive of interest, penalties, and 
administrative costs, does not exceed $100,000 or any higher amount 
authorized by the Attorney General. The Chairperson may designate 
officials within NEH to exercise the authorities in this section.
    (b) Unless otherwise provided by law, when the principal balance of 
a debt, exclusive of interest, penalties, and administrative costs, 
exceeds $100,000 or any higher amount authorized by the Attorney 
General, the authority to accept the compromise rests with DOJ. NEH will 
evaluate the compromise offer, using the factors set forth in this 
subpart. If NEH finds that an offer to compromise a debt in excess of 
$100,000 is acceptable, it will refer the debt to the Civil Division or 
other appropriate litigating division in DOJ using a Claims Collection 
Litigation Report (CCLR). NEH may obtain the CCLR from DOJ's National 
Central Intake Facility. The referral will include appropriate financial 
information and a recommendation for the acceptance of the compromise 
offer. DOJ approval is not required if NEH rejects a compromise offer.



Sec.  1177.22  Bases for compromise.

    (a) NEH may compromise a debt if the Government cannot collect the 
full amount because:
    (1) The debtor is unable to pay the full amount in a reasonable 
time, as verified through credit reports or other financial information;
    (2) The Government is unable to collect the debt in full by enforced 
collection proceedings within a reasonable time;
    (3) The cost of collecting the debt does not justify the enforced 
collection of the full amount; or
    (4) There is significant doubt concerning the Government's ability 
to prove its case in court.
    (b) NEH will consider the following relevant factors when 
determining the debtor's inability to pay:
    (1) The debtor's age and health;
    (2) The debtor's present and potential income;
    (3) The debtor's inheritance prospects;
    (4) The possibility that the debtor has concealed or improperly 
transferred assets; and
    (5) The availability of assets or income that may be realized by 
enforced collection proceedings.
    (c) NEH will verify the debtor's claim of inability to pay by using 
a credit report and other financial information as provided in paragraph 
(g) of this section. NEH will consider the applicable exemptions 
available to the debtor under state and Federal law in determining the 
Government's ability to enforce collection. NEH also may consider 
uncertainty as to the price that collateral or other property will bring 
at a forced sale in determining the Government's ability to enforce 
collection. A compromise that NEH effects under this section will be for 
an amount that bears a reasonable relation to the amount that can be 
recovered by enforced collection procedures, with regard to the 
exemptions available to the debtor and the time that collection will 
take.
    (d) If there is significant doubt concerning the Government's 
ability to prove its case in court for the full amount claimed, either 
because of the legal issues involved or because of a bona fide dispute 
as to the facts, then the amount that NEH accepts in compromise of such 
cases should fairly reflect the probabilities of successful prosecution 
to judgment, with due regard given to the availability of witnesses and 
other evidentiary support for the Government's claim. In determining the 
litigative risks involved, NEH will consider the probable amount of 
court costs and attorney fees pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice 
Act, 28 U.S.C. 2412, that may be imposed

[[Page 517]]

against the Government if it is unsuccessful in litigation.
    (e) NEH may compromise a debt if the cost of collecting the debt 
does not justify the enforced collection of the full amount. The amount 
NEH accepts in compromise in such cases may reflect an appropriate 
discount for the administrative and litigative costs of collection, with 
consideration given to the time it will take to effect collection. 
Collection costs may be a substantial factor in the settlement of small 
debts. In determining whether the cost of collecting justifies enforced 
collection of the full amount, NEH will consider whether continued 
collection of the debt, regardless of cost, is necessary to further an 
enforcement principle, such as the Government's willingness to pursue 
aggressively defaulting and uncooperative debtors.
    (f) NEH generally will not accept compromises payable in 
installments. This is not an advantageous form of compromise in terms of 
time and administrative expense. If, however, payment of a compromise in 
installments is necessary, NEH will obtain a legally enforceable written 
agreement providing that, in the event of default, the debtor's full 
original principal balance prior to compromise, less sums paid thereon, 
will be reinstated. Whenever possible, NEH also will obtain security for 
repayment in the manner set forth in subpart B of this part.
    (g) To assess the merits of a compromise offer based in whole or in 
part on the debtor's inability to pay the full amount of a debt within a 
reasonable time, NEH will obtain a current financial statement from the 
debtor, executed under penalty of perjury, showing the debtor's assets, 
liabilities, income, and expenses. NEH also may obtain credit reports or 
other financial information to assess compromise offers. NEH may use its 
own financial information form or may request suitable forms from DOJ or 
the local United States Attorney's Office.



Sec.  1177.23  Enforcement policy.

    Pursuant to this subpart, NEH may compromise statutory penalties, 
forfeitures, or claims that it established as an aid to enforcement and 
to compel compliance, if NEH's enforcement policy in terms of deterrence 
and securing compliance, present and future, will be adequately served 
by the agency's acceptance of the compromise offer.



Sec.  1177.24  Joint and several liability.

    (a) When two or more debtors are jointly and severally liable, NEH 
will pursue collection activity against all debtors, as appropriate. NEH 
will not attempt to allocate the burden of payment between the debtors 
but will proceed to liquidate the indebtedness as quickly as possible.
    (b) NEH will ensure that a compromise agreement with one debtor does 
not release the agency's claim against the remaining debtors. The amount 
of a compromise with one debtor will not be considered a precedent or 
binding in determining the amount that will be required from other 
debtors jointly and severally liable on the claim.

[86 FR 66965, Nov. 24, 2021; 86 FR 69586, Dec. 8, 2021]



Sec.  1177.25  Further review of compromise offers.

    If NEH is uncertain whether to accept a firm, written, substantive 
compromise offer on a debt that is within the agency's delegated 
compromise authority, it may refer the offer to the Civil Division or 
other appropriate litigating division in DOJ, using a CCLR accompanied 
by supporting data and particulars concerning the debt. DOJ may act upon 
such an offer or return it to NEH with instructions or advice.



Sec.  1177.26  Consideration of tax consequences to the Government.

    In negotiating a compromise, NEH will consider the tax consequences 
to the Government. In particular, NEH will consider requiring a waiver 
of the debtor's tax-loss-carry-forward and tax-loss-carry-back rights. 
For information on discharge of indebtedness reporting requirements, see 
Sec.  1177.32.



Sec.  1177.27  Mutual releases of the debtor and the Government.

    In all appropriate instances, NEH will implement acceptable 
compromises by means of a mutual release, in which the debtor is 
released from

[[Page 518]]

further non-tax liability on the compromised debt in consideration of 
payment in full of the compromise amount and the Government and its 
officials, past and present, are released and discharged from any and 
all of the debtor's claims and causes of action arising from the same 
transaction. In the event NEH does not execute a mutual release when it 
compromises a debt, unless prohibited by law, the debtor is still deemed 
to have waived any and all claims and causes of action against the 
Government and its officials related to the transaction that gave rise 
to the compromised debt.



  Subpart D_Standards for Suspending or Terminating Collection Activity



Sec.  1177.28  Scope and application.

    (a) The standards set forth in this subpart apply to the suspension 
or termination of collection activity, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3711, on 
debts that do not exceed $100,000, or such other amount as the Attorney 
General may direct, exclusive of interest, penalties, and administrative 
costs, after deducting the amount of partial payments or collections, if 
any. Prior to referring a debt to DOJ for litigation, NEH may suspend or 
terminate collection under this subpart with respect to debts that arise 
out of its activities, or that are referred or transferred to it for 
collection services.
    (b) If, after deducting the amount of any partial payments or 
collections, the principal amount of a debt exceeds $100,000, or such 
other amount as the Attorney General may direct, exclusive of interest, 
penalties, and administrative costs, the authority to suspend or 
terminate rests solely with DOJ. If NEH believes that suspension or 
termination of any debt in excess of $100,000 may be appropriate, it 
will refer the debt to the Civil Division or other appropriate 
litigating division in DOJ, using the CCLR. The referral will specify 
the reasons for NEH's recommendation. If, prior to referral to the DOJ, 
NEH determines that a debt is plainly erroneous or clearly without legal 
merit, NEH may terminate collection activity without obtaining DOJ 
concurrence, regardless of the amount involved.



Sec.  1177.29  Suspension of collection activity.

    (a) NEH may suspend collection activity on a debt when:
    (1) NEH cannot locate the debtor;
    (2) NEH expects the debtor's financial condition to improve; or
    (3) The debtor has requested a waiver or review of the debt.
    (b) NEH may suspend collection activity on a debt when, based on the 
debtor's current financial condition, the debtor's future prospects 
justify retention of the debt for periodic review and collection 
activity and:
    (1) The applicable statute of limitations has not expired; or
    (2) Future collection can be effected by administrative offset, 
notwithstanding the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations 
for litigation of claims, with due regard to the ten-year limitation for 
administrative offset prescribed by 31 U.S.C. 3716(e)(1); or
    (3) The debtor agrees to pay interest on the amount of the debt on 
which collection will be suspended, and such suspension is likely to 
enhance the debtor's ability to pay the full amount of the debt with 
interest at a later date.
    (c)(1) NEH will suspend collection activity during the time required 
to consider the debtor's request for waiver or administrative review of 
the debt, if the statute under which the debtor makes the request 
prohibits NEH from collecting the debt during that time.
    (2) If the statute under which the debtor makes the request does not 
prohibit collection activity pending consideration of the debtor's 
request, NEH may use discretion, on a case-by-case basis, to suspend 
collection. Further, NEH ordinarily will suspend collection action upon 
a request for waiver or review if a statute or regulation prohibits NEH 
from issuing a refund of amounts it collected prior to considering the 
debtor's request. However, NEH should not suspend collection when it 
determines that the request for waiver or review is frivolous or was 
made primarily to delay collection.
    (d) If NEH learns that a bankruptcy petition has been filed with 
respect to

[[Page 519]]

a debtor, in most cases it must suspend the collection activity on that 
debtor's debt, pursuant to the provisions of 11 U.S.C. 362, 1201, and 
1301, unless NEH can clearly establish that the automatic stay has been 
lifted or is no longer in effect. NEH will immediately seek legal advice 
from its Office of the General Counsel and, if legally permitted, take 
the necessary legal steps to ensure that the agency does not pay any 
funds or money to the debtor until it obtains relief from the automatic 
stay.



Sec.  1177.30  Termination of collection activity.

    (a) NEH may terminate collection activity when:
    (1) NEH is unable to collect any substantial amount through its own 
efforts or through the efforts of others;
    (2) NEH is unable to locate the debtor;
    (3) NEH anticipates that the costs of collection will exceed the 
amount recoverable;
    (4) The debt is legally without merit or enforcement of the debt is 
barred by any applicable statute of limitations;
    (5) NEH cannot substantiate the debt; or
    (6) The debt against the debtor has been discharged in bankruptcy.
    (b) Before terminating collection activity, NEH will have pursued 
all appropriate means of collection and determined, based upon the 
results of the collection activity, that the debt is uncollectible. 
Terminating collection activity ceases active collection of the debt but 
does not preclude NEH from retaining a record of the account for 
purposes of:
    (1) Selling the debt, if the Secretary determines that such sale is 
in the best interests of the United States;
    (2) Pursuing collection at a subsequent date in the event there is a 
change in the debtor's status or a new collection tool becomes 
available;
    (3) Offsetting against future income or assets not available at the 
time the agency terminated collection activity; or
    (4) Screening future applicants for prior indebtedness.
    (c) Generally, NEH will terminate collection activity on a debt that 
has been discharged in bankruptcy, regardless of the amount. NEH may 
continue collection activity, however, subject to the provisions of the 
Bankruptcy Code, for any payments provided under a plan of 
reorganization. Offset and recoupment rights may survive the discharge 
of the debtor in bankruptcy and, under some circumstances, claims also 
may survive the discharge. For example, if NEH is a known creditor of 
the debtor, its claims may survive a discharge if it did not receive 
formal notice of the proceedings. NEH will seek legal advice from its 
Office of the General Counsel if it believes it has claims or offsets 
that may survive the discharge of a debtor.



Sec.  1177.31  Exception to termination.

    When a significant enforcement policy is involved, or recovery of a 
judgment is a prerequisite to the imposition of administrative 
sanctions, NEH may refer debts for litigation even though termination of 
collection activity may otherwise be appropriate.



Sec.  1177.32  Discharge of indebtedness; reporting requirements.

    (a) Before discharging a delinquent debt (also referred to as a 
close out of the debt), NEH will take all appropriate steps to collect 
the debt in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3711(g), including, as applicable, 
administrative offset; tax refund offset; Federal salary offset; 
referral to Treasury, Treasury-designated debt collection centers, or 
private collection contractors; credit bureau reporting; wage 
garnishment; litigation; and foreclosure. Discharge of indebtedness is 
distinct from termination or suspension of collection activity under 
this subpart and is governed by the Internal Revenue Code. When NEH 
suspends or terminates collection action on a debt, the debt remains 
delinquent and NEH may pursue further collection action at a later date, 
in accordance with the standards set forth in this part. When NEH 
discharges a debt in full or in part, further collection action is 
prohibited. Therefore, NEH will make the determination that collection 
action is no longer warranted before discharging a debt. NEH must also 
terminate debt

[[Page 520]]

collection action before discharging a debt.
    (b) Section 3711(i), title 31, United States Code, requires NEH to 
sell a delinquent nontax debt upon termination of collection action if 
the Secretary determines such a sale is in the best interests of the 
United States. Since the discharge of a debt precludes any further 
collection action (including the sale of a delinquent debt), NEH may not 
discharge a debt until it meets the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3711(i).
    (c) Upon discharge of an indebtedness, NEH must report the discharge 
to the IRS in accordance with the requirements of 26 U.S.C. 6050P and 26 
CFR 1.6050P-1. NEH may request Treasury or Treasury-designated debt 
collection centers to file such a discharge report to the IRS on NEH's 
behalf.
    (d) When discharging a debt, NEH must request that litigation 
counsel release any liens of record securing the debt.



            Subpart E_Referrals to the Department of Justice



Sec.  1177.33  Prompt referral.

    (a) NEH will promptly refer to DOJ for litigation any debts on which 
it has taken aggressive collection activity in accordance with subpart B 
of this part and that it cannot compromise, or on which it cannot 
suspend or terminate collection activity, in accordance with subparts C 
and D of this part. NEH may refer those debts arising out of its 
activities, or that were referred or transferred to it for collection 
services. NEH will refer debts for which the principal amount is over 
$1,000,000, or such other amount as the Attorney General my direct, 
exclusive of interest and penalties, to the Civil Division or other 
division responsible for litigating such debts at DOJ, Washington, DC. 
NEH will refer debts for which the principal amount is $1,000,000 or 
less, or such other amount as the Attorney General may direct, exclusive 
of interest or penalties, to DOJ's Nationwide Central Intake Facility as 
required by the CCLR instructions. NEH will refer debts as early as 
possible, consistent with aggressive agency collection activity and the 
standards contained in this part, and, in any event, well within the 
period for initiating timely lawsuits against the debtors. NEH will make 
every effort to refer delinquent debts to DOJ for litigation within one 
year of the date that such debts last became delinquent.
    (b) DOJ has exclusive jurisdiction over the debts NEH refers to it, 
pursuant to this section. As the referring agency, NEH will immediately 
terminate its administrative debt collection activities at the time it 
refers the debt to the DOJ. NEH will advise DOJ of the collection 
activities it has utilized to date, and their result. NEH will refrain 
from having any contact with the debtor and shall direct all debtor 
inquiries concerning the debt to DOJ. NEH will immediately notify DOJ of 
any payments it credited to the debtor's account after it referred a 
debt under this section. DOJ will notify NEH, in a timely manner, of any 
payments it receives from the debtor.



Sec.  1177.34  Claims Collection Litigation Report.

    (a) Unless excepted by DOJ, NEH will complete the CCLR (see Sec.  
1177.21(b)), accompanied by a signed Certificate of Indebtedness, to 
refer all administratively uncollectible claims to DOJ for litigation. 
As a referring agency, NEH will complete all sections of the CCLR that 
are appropriate to each claim, as required by the CCLR instructions, and 
furnish such other information as may be required in specific cases.
    (b) NEH will indicate clearly on the CCLR the actions it wishes DOJ 
to take with respect to the referred claim. The CCLR permits NEH to 
indicate specifically any of a number of litigative activities which DOJ 
may pursue, including enforced collection, judgment lien only, renew 
judgment lien only, renew judgment lien and enforce collection, program 
enforcement, foreclosure only, and foreclosure and efficiency judgment.
    (c) NEH also will use the CCLR to refer claims to DOJ to obtain 
approval of any proposals to compromise the claims or to suspend or 
terminate NEH collection activity.



Sec.  1177.35  Preservation of evidence.

    When NEH refers claims to DOJ, it will take care to preserve all 
files and

[[Page 521]]

records that DOJ may need to prove its claims in court. NEH ordinarily 
will include certified copies of the documents that form the basis for 
its claims in the packages it creates to refer its claims to DOJ for 
litigation. NEH will provide originals of such documents immediately 
upon DOJ's request.



Sec.  1177.36  Minimum amount of referrals to the Department of Justice.

    (a) NEH will not refer to DOJ for litigation any claims of less than 
$2,500, exclusive of interest, penalties, and administrative costs, or 
such other amount as the Attorney General shall from time to time 
prescribe. DOJ will promptly notify NEH if the Attorney General changes 
this minimum amount.
    (b) NEH will not refer claims of less than the minimum amount 
unless:
    (1) Litigation to collect such smaller claims is important to ensure 
compliance with NEH's policies or programs;
    (2) NEH is referring the claim solely for the purpose of securing a 
judgment against the debtor, which will be filed as a lien against the 
debtor's property pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 3201 and returned to NEH for 
enforcement; or
    (3) The debtor has the clear ability to pay the claim and the 
Government can effectively enforce payment, with due regard for the 
exemptions available to the debtor under state and Federal law and the 
judicial remedies available to the Government.
    (c) NEH will consult with the Executive Office for United States 
Attorneys' Financial Litigation Staff at the DOJ prior to referring 
claims valued at less than the minimum amount.



PART 1178_USE OF PENALTY MAIL IN THE LOCATION AND RECOVERY OF MISSING
CHILDREN--Table of Contents



Sec.
1178.1 Purpose and scope.
1178.2 Withdrawal of information.

    Authority: 39 U.S.C. 3220.



Sec.  1178.1  Purpose and scope.

    (a) The Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities 
(NEH) may direct the agency to use penalty mail to assist in the 
location and recovery of missing children. When determined to be 
appropriate and cost-effective, the National Endowment for the 
Humanities may print, insert or use any other effective method to affix 
pictures and biographical data relating to missing children on NEH mail. 
The contact person for matters related to the implementation of this 
part is Tracy J. Joselson, Esq. Office of the General Counsel, National 
Endowment for the Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, 
DC 20506, (202) 786-0322.
    (b) The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will be 
the exclusive source from which the National Endowment for the 
Humanities will obtain photographic and biographical information for 
dissemination to the public.
    (c) It is estimated that the National Endowment for the Humanities 
will incur no additional costs to implement this program during its 
initial year. This estimate is based on a review of Endowment mailings 
that would maximize dissemination of this information.

[51 FR 20974, June 10, 1986]



Sec.  1178.2  Withdrawal of information.

    The National Endowment for the Humanities will withdraw or exhaust 
the supply of all materials bearing the photograph and biographical 
information of a missing child within a three month period from the date 
the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children receives notice 
that the child has been recovered or that the parents or guardian of the 
child have revoked permission to use the information. The National 
Center for Missing and Exploited Children will be responsible for 
immediately notifying the agency contact, in writing, of the need to 
withdraw or remove this material.

[51 FR 20974, June 10, 1986]



PART 1179_SALARY OFFSET--Table of Contents



Sec.
1179.1 Purpose and scope.
1179.2 Definitions.
1179.3 Applicability.
1179.4 Notice requirements.
1179.5 Hearing.
1179.6 Written decision.

[[Page 522]]

1179.7 Coordinating offset with another Federal agency.
1179.8 Procedures for salary offset.
1179.9 Refunds.
1179.10 Statute of limitations.
1179.11 Non-waiver of rights.
1179.12 Interest, penalties, and administrative costs.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5514, E.O. 11809 (redesignated E.O. 12107), and 
5 CFR part 550, subpart K.

    Source: 52 FR 28472, July 30, 1987, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1179.1  Purpose and scope.

    (a) This regulation provides procedures for the collection by 
administrative offset of a Federal employee's salary without his/her 
consent to satisfy certain debts owed to the Federal government. These 
regulations apply to all Federal employees who owe debts to the National 
Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and to current employees of the 
National Endowment for the Humanities who owe debts to other Federal 
agencies. This regulation does not apply when the employee consents to 
recovery from his/her current pay account.
    (b) This regulation does not apply to debts or claims arising under:
    (1) The Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, 26 U.S.C. 1 et 
seq;
    (2) The Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 301 et seq;
    (3) The tariff laws of the United States; or
    (4) Any case where a collection of a debt by salary offset is 
explicitly provided for or prohibited by another statute.
    (c) This regulation does not apply to any adjustment to pay arising 
out of an employee's selection of coverage or a change in coverage under 
a Federal benefits program requiring periodic deductions from pay if the 
amount to be recovered was accumulated over four pay periods or less.
    (d) This regulation does not preclude the compromise, suspension, or 
termination of collection action where appropriate under the standards 
implementing the Federal Claims Collection Act 31 U.S.C. 3711 et seq. 4 
CFR parts 101 through 105 45 CFR part 1177.
    (e) This regulation does not preclude an employee from requesting 
waiver of an overpayment under 5 U.S.C. 5584, 10 U.S.C. 2774 or 32 
U.S.C. 716 or in any way questioning the amount or validity of the debt 
by submitting a subsequent claim to the General Accounting Office. This 
regulation does not preclude an employee from requesting a waiver 
pursuant to other statutory provisions applicable to the particular debt 
being collected.
    (f) Matters not addressed in these regulations should be reviewed in 
accordance with the Federal Claims Collection Standards at 4 CFR 101.1 
et seq.



Sec.  1179.2  Definitions.

    For the purposes of the part the following definitions will apply:
    Agency means an executive agency as is defined at 5 U.S.C. 105 
including the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Postal Commission, a 
military department as defined at 5 U.S.C. 102, an agency or court in 
the judicial branch, an agency of the legislative branch including the 
U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and other independent 
establishments that are entities of the Federal government.
    Chairperson means the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the 
Humanities or the Chairperson's designee.
    Creditor agency means the agency to which the debt is owed.
    Debt means an amount owed to the United States from sources which 
include loans insured or guaranteed by the United States and all other 
amounts due the United States from fees, leases, rents, royalties, 
services, sales or real or personal property, overpayments, penalties, 
damages, interests, fines, forfeitures, (except those arising under the 
Uniform Code of Military Justice) and all other similar sources.
    Disposable pay means the amount that remains from an employee's 
Federal pay after required deductions for social security, Federal, 
state or local income tax, health insurance premiums, retirement 
contributions, life insurance premiums, Federal employment taxes, and 
any other deductions that are required to be withheld by law.
    Hearing official means an individual responsible for conducting any 
hearing with respect to the existence or

[[Page 523]]

amount of a debt claimed, and who renders a decision on the basis of 
such hearing. A hearing official may not be under the supervision or 
control of the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
    Paying Agency means the agency that employes the individual who owes 
the debt and authorizes the payment of his/her current pay.
    Salary offset means an administrative offset to collect a debt 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5514 by deduction(s) at one or more officially 
established pay intervals from the current pay account of an employee 
without his/her consent.



Sec.  1179.3  Applicability.

    (a) These regulations are to be followed when:
    (1) The National Endowment for the Humanities is owed a debt by an 
individual currently employed by another Federal agency;
    (2) The National Endowment for the Humanities is owed a debt by an 
individual who is a current employee of the National Endowment for the 
Humanities; or
    (3) The National Endowment for the Humanities employs an individual 
who owes a debt to another Federal agency.



Sec.  1179.4  Notice requirements.

    (a) Deductions shall not be made unless the employee is provided 
with written notice signed by the Chairperson of the debt at least 30 
days before salary offset commences.
    (b) The written notice shall contain:
    (1) A statement that the debt is owed and an explanation of its 
nature, and amount;
    (2) The agency's intention to collect the debt by deducting from the 
employee's current disposable pay account;
    (3) The amount, frequency proposed beginning date, and duration of 
the intended deduction(s);
    (4) An explanation of interest, penalties, and administrative 
charges, including a statement that such charges will be assessed unless 
excused in accordance with the Federal Claims Collections Standards at 4 
CFR 101.1 et seq.;
    (5) The employee's right to inspect, request, or receive a copy of 
government records relating to the debt;
    (6) The opportunity to establish a written schedule for the 
voluntary repayment of the debt;
    (7) The right to a hearing conducted by an impartial hearing 
official;
    (8) The methods and time period for petitioning for hearings;
    (9) A statement that the timely filing of a petition for a hearing 
will stay the commencement of collection proceedings;
    (10) A statement that a final decision on the hearing will be issued 
not later than 60 days after the filing of the petition requesting the 
hearing unless the employee requests and the hearing official grants a 
delay in the proceedings;
    (11) A statement that knowingly false or frivolous statements, 
representations, or evidence may subject the employee to appropriate 
disciplinary procedures;
    (12) A statement of other rights and remedies available to the 
employee under statutes or regulations governing the program for which 
the collection is being made; and
    (13) Unless there are contractual or statutory provisions to the 
contrary, a statement that amounts paid on or deducted for the debt 
which are later waived or found not owed to the United States will be 
prompty refunded to the employee.



Sec.  1179.5  Hearing.

    (a) Request for hearing. (1) An employee must file a petition for a 
hearing in accordance with the instructions outlined in the agency's 
notice to offset. (2) A hearing may be requested by filing a written 
petition addressed to the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the 
Humanities stating why the employee disputes the existence or amount of 
the debt. The petition for a hearing must be received by the Chairperson 
no later than fifteen (15) calendar days after the date of the notice to 
offset unless the employee can show good cause for failing to meet the 
deadline date.
    (b) Hearing procedures. (1) The hearing will be presided over by an 
impartial hearing official. (2) The hearing shall conform to procedures 
contained in the Federal Claims Collection Standards 4 CFR 102.3(c). The 
burden

[[Page 524]]

shall be on the employee to demonstrate that the existence or the amount 
of the debt is in error.



Sec.  1179.6  Written decision.

    (a) The hearing official shall issue a written opinion no later than 
60 days after the hearing.
    (b) The written opinion will include: a statement of the facts 
presented to demonstrate the nature and origin of the alleged debt; the 
hearing official's analysis, findings and conclusions; the amount and 
validity of the debt, and the repayment schedule.



Sec.  1179.7  Coordinating offset with another Federal agency.

    (a) The Endowment as the creditor agency. (1) When the Chairperson 
determines that an employee of a Federal agency owes a delinquent debt 
to the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Chairperson shall as 
appropriate:
    (i) Arrange for a hearing upon the proper petitioning by the 
employee;
    (ii) Certify in writing that the employee owes the debt, the amount 
and basis of the debt, the date on which payment is due, the date the 
Government's right to collect the debt accrued, and that Endowment 
regulations for salary offset have been approved by the Office of 
Personnel Management;
    (iii) If collection must be made in installments, the Chairperson 
must advise the paying agency of the amount or percentage of disposable 
pay to be collected in each installment;
    (iv) Advise the paying agency of the actions taken under 5 U.S.C. 
5514(b) and provide the dates on which action was taken unless the 
employee has consented to salary offset in writing or signed a statement 
acknowledging receipt of procedures required by law. The written consent 
or acknowledgment must be sent to the paying agency;
    (v) If the employee is in the process of separating, the Endowment 
must submit its debt claim to the paying agency as provided in this 
part. The paying agency must certify any amounts already collected, 
notify the employee, and send a copy of the certification and notice of 
the employee's separation to the creditor agency. If the paying agency 
is aware that the employee is entitled to Civil Service Retirement and 
Disability Fund or similar payments, it must certify to the agency 
responsible for making such payments the amount of the debt and that the 
provisions of this part have been followed; and
    (vi) If the employee has already separated and all payments due from 
the paying agency have been paid, the Chairperson may request unless 
otherwise prohibited, that money payable to the employee from the Civil 
Service Retirement and Disability Fund or other similar funds be 
collected by administrative offset.
    (b) The Endowment as the paying agency. (1) Upon receipt of a 
properly certified debt claim from another agency, deductions will be 
scheduled to begin at the next established pay interval. The employee 
must receive written notice that the National Endowment for the 
Humanities has received a certified debt claim from the creditor agency, 
the amount of the debt, the date salary offset will begin, and the 
amount of the deduction(s). The National Endowment for the Humanities 
shall not review the merits of the creditor agency's determination of 
the validity or the amount of the certified claim.
    (2) If the employee transfers to another agency after the creditor 
agency has submitted its debt claim to the National Endowment for the 
Humanities and before the debt is collected completely, the National 
Endowment for the Humanities must certify the total amount collected. 
One copy of the certification must be furnished to the employee. A copy 
must be furnished the creditor agency with notice of the employee's 
transfer.



Sec.  1179.8  Procedures for salary offset.

    (a) Deductions to liquidate an employee's debt will be by the method 
and in the amount stated in the Chairperson's notice of intention to 
offset as provided in Sec.  1179.4. Debts will be collected in one lump 
sum where possible. If the employee is financially unable to pay in one 
lump sum, collection must be made in installments.

[[Page 525]]

    (b) Debts will be collected by deduction at officially established 
pay intervals from an employee's current pay account unless alternative 
arrangements for repayment are made.
    (c) Installment deductions will be made over a period not greater 
than the anticipated period of employment. The size of installment 
deductions must bear a reasonable relationship to the size of the debt 
and the employee's ability to pay. The deduction for the pay intervals 
for any period must not exceed 15% of disposable pay unless the employee 
has agreed in writing to a deduction of a greater amount.
    (d) Unliquidated debts may be offset against any financial payment 
due to a separated employee including but not limited to final salary 
payment or leave in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3716.



Sec.  1179.9  Refunds.

    (a) The National Endowment for the Humanities will refund promptly 
any amounts deducted to satisfy debts owed to the NEH when the debt is 
waived, found not owed to the NEH, or when directed by an administrative 
or judicial order.
    (b) The creditor agency will promptly return any amounts deducted by 
NEH to satisfy debts owed to the creditor agency when the debt is 
waived, found not owed, or when directed by an administrative or 
judicial order.
    (c) Unless required by law, refunds under this section shall not 
bear interest.



Sec.  1179.10  Statute of limitations.

    If a debt has been outstanding for more than 10 years after the 
agency's right to collect the debt first accrued, the agency may not 
collect by salary offset unless facts material to the Government's right 
to collect were not known and could not reasonably have been known by 
the official or officials who were charged with the responsibility for 
discovery and collection of such debts.



Sec.  1179.11  Non-waiver of rights.

    An employee's involuntary payment of all or any part of a debt 
collected under these regulations will not be construed as a waiver of 
any rights that employee may have under 5 U.S.C. 5514 or any other 
provision of contract law unless there are statutes or contract(s) to 
the contrary.



Sec.  1179.12  Interest, penalties, and administrative costs.

    Charges may be assessed for interest, penalties, and administrative 
costs in accordance with the Federal Claims Collection Standards, 4 CFR 
102.13.

[[Page 526]]



          SUBCHAPTER E_INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES



                          PART 1180 [RESERVED]



PART 1181_ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN
PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY
SERVICES--Table of Contents



Sec.
1181.101 Purpose.
1181.102 Application.
1181.103 Definitions.
1181.104-1181.109 [Reserved]
1181.110 Self-evaluation.
1181.111 Notice.
1181.112-1181.129 [Reserved]
1181.130 General prohibitions against discrimination.
1181.131-1181.139 [Reserved]
1181.140 Employment.
1181.141-1181.148 [Reserved]
1181.149 Program accessibility: Discrimination prohibited.
1181.150 Program accessibility: Existing facilities.
1181.151 Program accessibility: New construction and alterations.
1181.152-1175.159 [Reserved]
1181.160 Communications.
1181.161-1181.169 [Reserved]
1181.170 Compliance procedures.
1181.171-1181.999 [Reserved]

    Authority: 29 U.S.C. 794.

    Source: 51 FR 4578, 4579, Feb. 5, 1986, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1181.101  Purpose.

    This part effectuates section 119 of the Rehabilitation, 
Comprehensive Services, and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 
1978, which amended section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to 
prohibit discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs or 
activities conducted by Executive agencies or the United States Postal 
Service.



Sec.  1181.102  Application.

    This part applies to all programs or activities conducted by the 
agency.



Sec.  1181.103  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part, the term--
    Assistant Attorney General means the Assistant Attorney General, 
Civil Rights Division, United States Department of Justice.
    Auxiliary aids means services or devices that enable persons with 
impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills to have an equal 
opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, programs or 
activities conducted by the agency. For example, auxiliary aids useful 
for persons with impaired vision include readers, Brailled materials, 
audio recordings, telecommunications devices and other similar services 
and devices. Auxiliary aids useful for persons with impaired hearing 
include telephone handset amplifiers, telephones compatible with hearing 
aids, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDD's), interpreters, 
notetakers, written materials, and other similar services and devices.
    Complete complaint means a written statement that contains the 
complainant's name and address and describes the agency's alleged 
discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the agency of the 
nature and date of the alleged violation of section 504. It shall be 
signed by the complainant or by someone authorized to do so on his or 
her behalf. Complaints filed on behalf of classes or third parties shall 
describe or identify (by name, if possible) the alleged victims of 
discrimination.
    Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, 
equipment, roads, walks, parking lots, rolling stock or other 
conveyances, or other real or personal property.
    Handicapped person means any person who has a physical or mental 
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, 
has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an 
impairment.
    As used in this definition, the phrase:
    (1) Physical or mental impairment includes--
    (i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, 
or anatomical loss affecting one of more of the following body systems: 
Neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense

[[Page 527]]

organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; 
reproductive; digestive; genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and 
endocrine; or
    (ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental 
retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and 
specific learning disabilities. The term physical or mental impairment 
includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as 
orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, 
epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, 
diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, and drug addition and 
alcholism.
    (2) Major life activities includes functions such as caring for 
one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, 
breathing, learning, and working.
    (3) Has a record of such an impairment means has a history of, or 
has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that 
substantially limits one or more major life activities.
    (4) Is regarded as having an impairment means--
    (i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially 
limit major life activities but is treated by the agency as constituting 
such a limitation;
    (ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits 
major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward 
such impairment; or
    (iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (1) of this 
definition but is treated by the agency as having such an impairment.
    Qualified handicapped person means--
    (1) With respect to any agency program or activity under which a 
person is required to perform services or to achieve a level of 
accomplishment, a handicapped person who meets the essential eligibility 
requirements and who can achieve the purpose of the program or activity 
without modifications in the program or activity that the agency can 
demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in its nature; or
    (2) With respect to any other program or activity, a handicapped 
person who meets the essential eligibility requirements for 
participation in, or receipt of benefits from, that program or activity.
    (3) Qualified handicapped person is defined for purposes of 
employment in 29 CFR 1613.702(f), which is made applicable to this part 
by Sec.  1181.140.
    Section 504 means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
(Pub. L. 93-112, 87 Stat. 394 (29 U.S.C. 794)), as amended by the 
Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-516, 88 Stat. 1617), 
and the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental 
Disabilities Amendments of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-602, 92 Stat. 2955). As used 
in this part, section 504 applies only to programs or activities 
conducted by Executive agencies and not to federally assisted programs.

[51 FR 4578, 4579, Feb. 5, 1986; 51 FR 7543, Mar. 5, 1986]



Sec. Sec.  1181.104-1181.109  [Reserved]



Sec.  1181.110  Self-evaluation.

    (a) The agency shall, by April 9, 1987, evaluate its current 
policies and practices, and the effects thereof, that do not or may not 
meet the requirements of this part, and, to the extent modification of 
any such policies and practices is required, the agency shall proceed to 
make the necessary modifications.
    (b) The agency shall provide an opportunity to interested persons, 
including handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped 
persons, to participate in the self-evaluation process by submitting 
comments (both oral and written).
    (c) The agency shall, until three years following the completion of 
the self-evaluation, maintain on file and make available for public 
inspections:
    (1) A description of areas examined and any problems identified, and
    (2) A description of any modifications made.



Sec.  1181.111  Notice.

    The agency shall make available to employees, applicants, 
participants, beneficiaries, and other interested persons such 
information regarding the provisions of this part and its applicability 
to the programs or activities

[[Page 528]]

conducted by the agency, and make such information available to them in 
such manner as the head of the agency finds necessary to apprise such 
persons of the protections against discrimination assured them by 
section 504 and this regulation.



Sec. Sec.  1181.112-1181.129  [Reserved]



Sec.  1181.130  General prohibitions against discrimination.

    (a) No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, 
be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or 
otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity 
conducted by the agency.
    (b)(1) The agency, in providing any aid, benefit, or service, may 
not, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, 
on the basis of handicap--
    (i) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service;
    (ii) Afford a qualfied handicapped person an opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not 
equal to that afforded others;
    (iii) Provide a qualified handicapped person with an aid, benefit, 
or service that is not as effective in affording equal opportunity to 
obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same 
level of achievement as that provided to others;
    (iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to 
handicapped persons or to any class of handicapped persons than is 
provided to others unless such action is necessary to provide qualified 
handicapped persons with aid, benefits, or services that are as 
effective as those provided to others;
    (v) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or
    (vi) Otherwise limit a qualified handicapped person in the enjoyment 
of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others 
receiving the aid, benefit, or service.
    (2) The agency may not deny a qualified handicapped person the 
opportunity to participate in programs or activities that are not 
separate or different, despite the existence of permissibly separate or 
different programs or activities.
    (3) The agency may not, directly or through contractual or other 
arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration the purpose 
or effect of which would--
    (i) Subject qualified handicapped persons to discrimination on the 
basis of handicap; or
    (ii) Defeat or substantially impair accomplishment of the objectives 
of a program or activity with respect to handicapped persons.
    (4) The agency may not, in determining the site or location of a 
facility, make selections the purpose or effect of which would--
    (i) Exclude handicapped persons from, deny them the benefits of, or 
otherwise subject them to discrimination under any program or activity 
conducted by the agency; or
    (ii) Defeat or substantially impair the accomplishment of the 
objectives of a program or activity with respect to handicapped persons.
    (5) The agency, in the selection of procurement contractors, may not 
use criteria that subject qualified handicapped persons to 
discrimination on the basis of handicap.
    (c) The exclusion of nonhandicapped persons from the benefits of a 
program limited by Federal statute or Executive order to handicapped 
persons or the exclusion of a specific class of handicapped persons from 
a program limited by Federal statute or Executive order to a different 
class of handicapped persons is not prohibited by this part.
    (d) The agency shall administer programs and activities in the most 
integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified handicapped 
persons.



Sec. Sec.  1181.131-1181.139  [Reserved]



Sec.  1181.140  Employment.

    No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be 
subjected to discrimination in employment under any program or activity 
conducted by the agency. The definitions, requirements, and procedures 
of

[[Page 529]]

section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791), as 
established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR 
part 1613, shall apply to employment in federally conducted programs or 
activities.



Sec. Sec.  1181.141-1181.148  [Reserved]



Sec.  1181.149  Program accessibility: Discrimination prohibited.

    Except as otherwise provided in Sec.  1181.150, no qualified 
handicapped person shall, because the agency's facilities are 
inaccessible to or unusable by handicapped persons, be denied the 
benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or otherwise be 
subjected to discrimination under any program or activity conducted by 
the agency.



Sec.  1181.150  Program accessibility: Existing facilities.

    (a) General. The agency shall operate each program or activity so 
that the program or activity, when viewed in its entirety, is readily 
accessible to and usable by handicapped persons. This paragraph does 
not--
    (1) Necessarily require the agency to make each of its existing 
facilities accessible to and usable by handicapped persons; or
    (2) Require the agency to take any action that it can demonstrate 
would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or 
activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. In those 
circumstances where agency personnel believe that the proposed action 
would fundamentally alter the program or activity or would result in 
undue financial and administrative burdens, the agency has the burden of 
proving that compliance with Sec.  1181.150(a) would result in such 
alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would result in such 
alteration or burdens must be made by the agency head or his or her 
designee after considering all agency resources available for use in the 
funding and operation of the conducted program or activity, and must be 
accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that 
conclusion. If an action would result in such an alteration or such 
burdens, the agency shall take any other action that would not result in 
such an alteration or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that 
handicapped persons receive the benefits and services of the program or 
activity.
    (b) Methods. The agency may comply with the requirements of this 
section through such means as redesign of equipment, reassignment of 
services to accessible buildings, assignment of aides to beneficiaries, 
home visits, delivery of services at alternate accessible sites, 
alteration of existing facilities and construction of new facilities, 
use of accessible rolling stock, or any other methods that result in 
making its programs or activities readily accessible to and usable by 
handicapped persons. The agency is nor required to make structural 
changes in existing facilities where other methods are effective in 
achieving compliance with this section. The agency, in making 
alterations to existing buildings, shall meet accessibility requirements 
to the extent compelled by the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), and any regulations implementing it. In 
choosing among available methods for meeting the requirements of this 
section, the agency shall give priority to those methods that offer 
programs and activities to qualified handicapped persons in the most 
integrated setting appropriate.
    (c) Time period for compliance. The agency shall comply with the 
obligations established under this section by June 6, 1986, except that 
where structural changes in facilities are undertaken, such changes 
shall be made by April 7, 1989, but in any event as expeditiously as 
possible.
    (d) Transition plan. In the event that structural changes to 
facilities will be undertaken to achieve program accessibility, the 
agency shall develop, by October 7, 1986, a transition plan setting 
forth the steps necessary to complete such changes. The agency shall 
provide an opportunity to interested persons, including handicapped 
persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, to 
participate in the development of the transition plan by submitting 
comments (both oral and written). A copy of the transition plan

[[Page 530]]

shall be made available for public inspection. The plan shall, at a 
minimum--
    (1) Identify physical obstacles in the agency's facilities that 
limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to handicapped 
persons;
    (2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the 
facilities accessible;
    (3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve 
compliance with this section and, if the time period of the transition 
plan is longer than one year, identify steps that will be taken during 
each year of the transition period; and
    (4) Indicate the official responsible for implementation of the 
plan.

[51 FR 4578, 4579, Feb. 5, 1986; 51 FR 7543, Mar. 5, 1986]



Sec.  1181.151  Program accessibility: New construction and alterations.

    Each building or part of a building that is constructed or altered 
by, on behalf of, or for the use of the agency shall be designed, 
constructed, or altered so as to be readily accessible to and usable by 
handicapped persons. The definitions, requirements, and standards of the 
Architectural Barriers Act (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), as established in 41 
CFR 101-19.600 to 101-19.607, apply to buildings covered by this 
section.



Sec. Sec.  1181.152-1181.159  [Reserved]



Sec.  1181.160  Communications.

    (a) The agency shall take appropriate steps to ensure effective 
communication with applicants, participants, personnel of other Federal 
entities, and members of the public.
    (1) The agency shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids where 
necessary to afford a handicapped person an equal opportunity to 
participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a program or activity 
conducted by the agency.
    (i) In determining what type of auxiliary aid is necessary, the 
agency shall give primary consideration to the requests of the 
handicapped person.
    (ii) The agency need not provide individually prescribed devices, 
readers for personal use or study, or other devices of a personal 
nature.
    (2) Where the agency communicates with applicants and beneficiaries 
by telephone, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDD's) or 
equally effective telecommunication systems shall be used.
    (b) The agency shall ensure that interested persons, including 
persons with impaired vision or hearing, can obtain information as to 
the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and 
facilities.
    (c) The agency shall provide signage at a primary entrance to each 
of its inaccessible facilities, directing users to a location at which 
they can obtain information about accessible facilities. The 
international symbol for accessibility shall be used at each primary 
entrance of an accessible facility.
    (d) This section does not require the agency to take any action that 
it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the 
nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and administrative 
burdens. In those circumstances where agency personnel believe that the 
proposed action would fundamentally alter the program or activity or 
would result in undue financial and administrative burdens, the agency 
has the burden of proving that compliance with Sec.  1181.160 would 
result in such alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would 
result in such alteration or burdens must be made by the agency head or 
his or her designee after considering all agency resources available for 
use in the funding and operation of the conducted program or activity, 
and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for 
reaching that conclusion. If an action required to comply with this 
section would result in such an alteration or such burdens, the agency 
shall take any other action that would not result in such an alteration 
or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum 
extent possible, handicapped persons receive the benefits and services 
of the program or activity.



Sec. Sec.  1181.161-1181.169  [Reserved]



Sec.  1181.170  Compliance procedures.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this 
section applies

[[Page 531]]

to all allegations of discrimination on the basis of handicap in 
programs or activities conducted by the agency.
    (b) The agency shall process complaints alleging violations of 
section 504 with respect to employment according to the procedures 
established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR 
part 1613 pursuant to section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 
U.S.C. 791).
    (c) The Director shall be responsible for coordinating 
implementation of this section. Complaints may be sent to Director, 
Institute of Museum and Library Services, 955 L'Enfant Plaza North SW, 
Suite 4000, Washington, DC, 20024-2135.
    (d) The agency shall accept and investigate all complete complaints 
for which it has jurisdiction. All complete complaints must be filed 
within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination. The agency may 
extend this time period for good cause.
    (e) If the agency receives a complaint over which it does not have 
jurisdiction, it shall promptly notify the complainant and shall make 
reasonable efforts to refer the complaint to the appropriate government 
entity.
    (f) The agency shall notify the Architectural and Transportation 
Barriers Compliance Board upon receipt of any complaint alleging that a 
building or facility that is subject to the Architectural Barriers Act 
of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), or section 502 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 792), is not readily 
accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.
    (g) Within 180 days of the receipt of a complete complaint for which 
it has jurisdiction, the agency shall notify the complainant of the 
results of the investigation in a letter containing--
    (1) Findings of fact and conclusions of law;
    (2) A description of a remedy for each violation found;
    (3) A notice of the right to appeal.
    (h) Appeals of the findings of fact and conclusions of law or 
remedies must be filed by the complainant within 90 days of receipt from 
the agency of the letter required by Sec.  1181.170(g). The agency may 
extend this time for good cause.
    (i) Timely appeals shall be accepted and processed by the head of 
the agency.
    (j) The head of the agency shall notify the complainant of the 
results of the appeal within 60 days of the receipt of the request. If 
the head of the agency determines that additional information is needed 
from the complainant, he or she shall have 60 days from the date of 
receipt of the additional information to make his or her determination 
on the appeal.
    (k) The time limits cited in paragraphs (g) and (j) of this section 
may be extended with the permission of the Assistant Attorney General.
    (l) The agency may delegate its authority for conducting complaint 
investigations to other Federal agencies, except that the authority for 
making the final determination may not be delegated to another agency.

[51 FR 4578, 4579, Feb. 5, 1986, as amended at 51 FR 4578, Feb. 5, 1986; 
84 FR 22945, May 21, 2019]



Sec. Sec.  1181.171-1181.999  [Reserved]



PART 1182_IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974--Table of Contents



Sec.
1182.1 Purpose and scope of these regulations.
1182.2 Definitions.
1182.3 Inquiries about the Institute's systems of records or 
          implementation of the Privacy Act.
1182.4 Procedures for notifying the public of the Institute's systems of 
          records.
1182.5 Procedures for notifying government entities of the Institute's 
          proposed changes to its systems of records.
1182.6 Limits that exist as to the contents of the Institute's systems 
          of records.
1182.7 Institute procedures for collecting information from individuals 
          for its records.
1182.8 Procedures for acquiring access to Institute records pertaining 
          to an individual.
1182.9 Identification required when requesting access to Institute 
          records pertaining to an individual.
1182.10 Procedures for amending or correcting an individual's Institute 
          record.
1182.11 Procedures for appealing a refusal to amend or correct an 
          Institute record.
1182.12 Fees charged to locate, review, or copy records.

[[Page 532]]

1182.13 Policies and procedures for Institute disclosure of its records.
1182.14 Procedures for maintaining accounts of disclosures made by the 
          Institute from its systems of records.
1182.15 Institute responsibility for maintaining adequate technical, 
          physical, and security safeguards to prevent unauthorized 
          disclosure or destruction of manual and automatic record 
          systems.
1182.16 Procedures to ensure that Institute employees involved with its 
          systems of records are familiar with the requirements of the 
          Privacy Act.
1182.17 Institute systems of records that are covered by exemptions in 
          the Privacy Act.
1182.18 Penalties for obtaining an Institute record under false 
          pretenses.
1182.19 Restrictions that exist regarding the release of mailing lists.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a(f).

    Source: 71 FR 6375, Feb. 8, 2006, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1182.1  Purpose and scope of these regulations.

    The regulations in this part set forth the Institute's procedures 
under the Privacy Act, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(f), with respect to 
systems of records maintained by the Institute. These regulations 
establish procedures by which an individual may exercise the rights 
granted by the Privacy Act to determine whether an Institute system 
contains a record pertaining to him or her; to gain access to such 
records; and to request correction or amendment of such records. These 
regulations also set identification requirements, prescribe fees to be 
charged for copying records, and establish exemptions from certain 
requirements of the Act for certain Institute systems or components 
thereof:



Sec.  1182.2  Definitions.

    The definitions of the Privacy Act apply to this part. In addition, 
as used in this part:
    (a) Agency means any executive department, military department, 
government corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch 
of the Federal government, including the Executive Office of the 
President or any independent regulatory agency.
    (b) Business day means a calendar day, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, 
and legal public holidays.
    (c) Director means the Director of the Institute, or his or her 
designee;
    (d) General Counsel means the General Counsel of the Institute, or 
his or her designee.
    (e) Individual means any citizen of the United States or an alien 
lawfully admitted for permanent residence;
    (f) Institute means the Institute of Museum and Library Services;
    (g) Institute system means a system of records maintained by the 
Institute;
    (h) Maintain means to collect, use, store, or disseminate records, 
as well as any combination of these recordkeeping functions. The term 
also includes exercise of control over and, therefore, responsibility 
and accountability for, systems of records;
    (i) Privacy Act or Act means the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 
U.S.C. 552a);
    (j) Record means any item, collection, or grouping of information 
about an individual that is maintained by an agency and contains the 
individual's name or another identifying particular, such as a number or 
symbol assigned to the individual, or his or her fingerprint, voice 
print, or photograph. The term includes, but is not limited to, 
information regarding an individual's education, financial transactions, 
medical history, and criminal or employment history;
    (k) Routine use means, with respect to the disclosure of a record, 
the use of a record for a purpose that is compatible with the purpose 
for which it was collected;
    (l) Subject individual means the individual to whom a record 
pertains. Uses of the terms ``I'', ``you'', ``me'', and other references 
to the reader of the regulations in this part are meant to apply to 
subject individuals as defined in this paragraph (l); and
    (m) System of records means a group of records under the control of 
any agency from which information is retrieved by use of the name of the 
individual or by some number, symbol, or other identifying particular 
assigned to the individual.

[[Page 533]]



Sec.  1182.3  Inquiries about the Institute's systems of records or 
implementation of the Privacy Act.

    Inquiries about the Institute's systems of records or implementation 
of the Privacy Act should be sent to the following address: Institute of 
Museum and Library Services; Office of the General Counsel, 955 L'Enfant 
Plaza North SW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20024-2135.

[84 FR 22945, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1182.4  Procedures for notifying the public of the Institute's 
systems of records.

    (a) From time to time, the Institute shall review its systems of 
records in the Federal Register, and publish, if necessary, any 
amendments to those systems of records. Such publication shall not be 
made for those systems of records maintained by other agencies while in 
the temporary custody of the Institute.
    (b) At least 30 days prior to publication of information under 
paragraph (a) of this section, the Institute shall publish in the 
Federal Register a notice of its intention to establish any new routine 
uses of any of its systems of records, thereby providing the public an 
opportunity to comment on such uses. This notice published by the 
Institute shall contain the following:
    (1) The name of the system of records for which the routine use is 
to be established;
    (2) The authority for the system;
    (3) The purpose for which the record is to be maintained;
    (4) The proposed routine use(s);
    (5) The purpose of the routine use(s); and
    (6) The categories of recipients of such use.
    (c) Any request for additions to the routine uses of Institute 
systems should be sent to the Office of the General Counsel (see Sec.  
1182.3).
    (d) Any individual who wishes to know whether an Institute system 
contains a record pertaining to him or her should write to the Office of 
the General Counsel (see Sec.  1182.3). Such individuals may also call 
the Office of the General Counsel at (202) 653-4787 on business days, 
between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., to schedule an appointment to 
make an inquiry in person. Inquiries should be presented in writing and 
should specifically identify the Institute systems involved. The 
Institute will attempt to respond to an inquiry regarding whether a 
record exists within 10 business days of receiving the inquiry.



Sec.  1182.5  Procedures for notifying government entities of the 
Institute's proposed changes to its systems of records.

    When the Institute proposes to establish or significantly change any 
of its systems of records, it shall provide adequate advance notice of 
such proposal to the United States House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, the United States Senate Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), in order to permit an evaluation of the probable or 
potential effect of such proposal on the privacy or other rights of 
individuals. This report will be submitted in accordance with guidelines 
provided by the OMB.

[71 FR 6375, Feb. 8, 2006, as amended at 84 FR 22945, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1182.6  Limits that exist as to the contents of the Institute's
systems of records.

    (a) The Institute shall maintain only such information about an 
individual as is relevant and necessary to accomplish a purpose of the 
agency required by statute or by executive order of the President. In 
addition, the Institute shall maintain all records that are used in 
making determinations about any individual with such accuracy, 
relevance, timeliness, and completeness as is reasonably necessary to 
ensure fairness to that individual in the making of any determination 
about him or her. However, the Institute shall not be required to update 
retired records.
    (b) The Institute shall not maintain any record about any individual 
with respect to or describing how such individual exercises rights 
guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United 
States, unless expressly authorized by statute or by the subject 
individual, or unless pertinent

[[Page 534]]

to and within the scope of an authorized law enforcement activity.



Sec.  1182.7  Institute procedures for collecting information from
individuals for its records.

    The Institute shall collect information, to the greatest extent 
practicable, directly from you when the information may result in 
adverse determinations about your rights, benefits, or privileges under 
Federal programs. In addition, the Institute shall inform you of the 
following, either on the form it uses to collect the information or on a 
separate form that you can retain, when it asks you to supply 
information:
    (a) The statutory or executive order authority that authorizes the 
solicitation of the information;
    (b) Whether disclosure of such information is mandatory or 
voluntary;
    (c) The principal purpose(s) for which the information is intended 
to be used;
    (d) The routine uses that may be made of the information, as 
published pursuant to Sec.  1182.4; and
    (e) Any effects on you of not providing all or any part of the 
required or requested information.



Sec.  1182.8  Procedures for acquiring access to Institute records
pertaining to an individual.

    The following procedures apply to records that are contained in an 
Institute system:
    (a) You may request review of records pertaining to you by writing 
to the Office of the General Counsel (see Sec.  1182.3). You also may 
call the Office of the General Counsel at (202) 653-4787 on business 
days, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., to schedule an appointment 
to make such a request in person. A request for records should be 
presented in writing and should identify specifically the Institute 
systems involved.
    (b) Access to the record, or to any other information pertaining to 
you that is contained in the system shall be provided if the 
identification requirements of Sec.  1182.9 are satisfied and the record 
is determined otherwise to be releasable under the Privacy Act and these 
regulations. The Institute shall provide you an opportunity to have a 
copy made of any such record about you. Only one copy of each requested 
record will be supplied, based on the fee schedule in Sec.  1182.12.
    (c) The Institute will comply promptly with requests made in person 
at scheduled appointments, if the requirements of this section are met 
and the records sought are immediately available. The institute will 
acknowledge, within 10 business days, mailed requests or personal 
requests for documents that are not immediately available, and the 
information requested will be provided promptly thereafter.
    (d) If you make your request in person at a scheduled appointment, 
you may, upon your request, be accompanied by a person of your choice to 
review your record. The Institute may require that you furnish a written 
statement authorizing discussion of your record in the accompanying 
person's presence. A record may be disclosed to a representative chosen 
by you upon your proper written consent.
    (e) Medical or psychological records pertaining to you shall be 
disclosed to you unless, in the judgment of the Institute, access to 
such records might have an adverse effect upon you. When such a 
determination has been made, the Institute may refuse to disclose such 
information directly to you. The Institute will, however, disclose this 
information to a licensed physician designated by you in writing.



Sec.  1182.9  Identification required when requesting access to Institute
records pertaining to an individual.

    The Institute shall require reasonable identification of all 
individuals who request access to records in an Institute system to 
ensure that they are disclosed to the proper person.
    (a) The amount of personal identification required will of necessity 
vary with the sensitivity of the record involved. In general, if you 
request disclosure in person, you shall be required to show an 
identification card, such as a driver's license, containing your 
photograph and sample signature. However, with regard to records in 
Institute systems that contain particularly sensitive and/or detailed 
personal information, the Institute reserves the right to require 
additional means of

[[Page 535]]

identification as are appropriate under the circumstances. These means 
include, but are not limited to, requiring you to sign a statement under 
oath as to your identity, acknowledging that you are aware of the 
penalties for improper disclosure under the provisions of the Privacy 
Act.
    (b) If you request disclosure by mail, the Institute will request 
such information as may be necessary to ensure that you are properly 
identified. Authorized means to achieve this goal include, but are not 
limited to, requiring that a mail request include certification that a 
duly commissioned notary public of any State or territory (or a similar 
official, if the request is made outside of the United States) received 
an acknowledgment of identity from you.
    (c) If you are unable to provide suitable documentation or 
identification, the Institute may require a signed, notarized statement 
asserting your identity and stipulating that you understand that 
knowingly or willfully seeking or obtaining access to records about 
another person under false pretenses is punishable by a fine of up to 
$5,000.



Sec.  1182.10  Procedures for amending or correcting an individual's 
Institute record.

    (a) You are entitled to request amendments to or corrections of 
records pertaining to you pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act, 
including 5 U.S.C. 552a(d)(2). Such a request should be made in writing 
and addressed to the Office of the General Counsel (see Sec.  1182.3).
    (b) Your request for amendments or corrections should specify the 
following:
    (1) The particular record that you are seeking to amend or correct;
    (2) The Institute system from which the record was retrieved;
    (3) The precise correction or amendment you desire, preferably in 
the form of an edited copy of the record reflecting the desired 
modification; and
    (4) Your reasons for requesting amendment or correction of the 
record.
    (c) The Institute will acknowledge a request for amendment or 
correction of a record within 10 business days of its receipt, unless 
the request can be processed and the individual informed of the General 
Counsel's decision on the request within that 10-day period.
    (d) If after receiving and investigating your request, the General 
Counsel agrees that the record is not accurate, timely, or complete, 
based on a preponderance of the evidence, then the record will be 
corrected or amended promptly. The record will be deleted without regard 
to its accuracy, if the record is not relevant or necessary to 
accomplish the Institute function for which the record was provided or 
is maintained. In either case, you will be informed in writing of the 
amendment, correction, or deletion. In addition, if accounting was made 
of prior disclosures of the record, all previous recipients of the 
record will be informed of the corrective action taken.
    (e) If after receiving and investigating your request, the General 
Counsel does not agree that the record should be amended or corrected, 
you will be informed promptly in writing of the refusal to amend or 
correct the record and the reason for this decision. You also will be 
informed that you may appeal this refusal in accordance with Sec.  
1182.11.
    (f) Requests to amend or correct a record governed by the 
regulations of another agency will be forwarded to such agency for 
processing, and you will be informed in writing of this referral.



Sec.  1182.11  Procedures for appealing a refusal to amend or correct
an Institute record.

    (a) You may appeal a refusal to amend or correct a record to the 
Director. Such appeal must be made in writing within 10 business days of 
your receipt of the initial refusal to amend or correct your record. 
Your appeal should be sent to the Office of the General Counsel (see 
Sec.  1182.3), should indicate that it is an appeal, and should include 
the basis for the appeal.
    (b) The Director will review your request to amend or correct the 
record, the General Counsel's refusal, and any other pertinent material 
relating to the appeal. No hearing will be held.
    (c) The Director shall render his or her decision on your appeal 
within 30

[[Page 536]]

business days of its receipt by the Institute, unless the Director, for 
good cause shown, extends the 30-day period. Should the Director extend 
the appeal period, you will be informed in writing of the extension and 
the circumstances of the delay.
    (d) If the Director determines that the record that is the subject 
of the appeal should be amended or corrected, the record will be so 
modified, and you will be informed in writing of the amendment or 
correction. Where an accounting was made of prior disclosures of the 
record, all previous recipients of the record will be informed of the 
corrective action taken.
    (e) If your appeal is denied, you will be informed in writing of the 
following:
    (1) The denial and the reasons for the denial;
    (2) That you may submit to the Institute a concise statement setting 
forth the reasons for your disagreement as to the disputed record. Under 
the procedures set forth in paragraph (f) of this section, your 
statement will be disclosed whenever the disputed record is disclosed; 
and
    (3) That you may seek judicial review of the Director's 
determination under 5 U.S.C. 552a(g)(1)(a).
    (f) Whenever you submit a statement of disagreement to the Institute 
in accordance with paragraph (e)(2) of this section, the record will be 
annotated to indicate that it is disputed. In any subsequent disclosure, 
a copy of your statement of disagreement will be disclosed with the 
record. If the Institute deems it appropriate, a concise statement of 
the Director's reasons for denying our appeal also may be disclosed with 
the record. While you will have access to this statement of the 
Director's reasons for denying your appeal, such statement will not be 
subject to correction or amendment. Where an accounting was made of 
prior disclosures of the record, all previous recipients of the record 
will be provided a copy of your statement of disagreement, as well as 
any statement of the Director's reasons for denying your appeal.



Sec.  1182.12  Fees charged to locate, review, or copy records.

    (a) The Institute shall charge no fees for search time or for any 
other time expended by the Institute to review a record. However, the 
Institute may charge fees where you request that a copy be made of a 
record to which you have been granted access. Where a copy of the record 
must be made in order to provide access to the record (e.g., computer 
printout where no screen reading is available), the copy will be made 
available to you without cost.
    (b) Copies of records made by photocopy or similar process will be 
charged to you at the rate of $0.10 per page. Where records are not 
susceptible to photocopying (e.g., punch cards, magnetic tapes, or 
oversize materials), you will be charged actual cost as determined on a 
case-by-case basis. A copying fee totaling $3.00 or less shall be 
waived, but the copying fees for contemporaneous requests by the same 
individual shall be aggregated to determine the total fee.
    (c) Special and additional services provided at your request, such 
as certification or authentication, postal insurance, and special 
mailing arrangement costs, will be charged to you.
    (d) A copying fee shall not be charged or, alternatively, it may be 
reduced, when the General Counsel determines, based on a petition, that 
the petitioning individual is indigent and that the Institute's 
resources permit a waiver of all or part of the fee.
    (e) All fees shall be paid before any copying request is undertaken. 
Payments shall be made by check or money order payable to the 
``Institute of Museum and Library Services.''



Sec.  1182.13  Policies and procedures for Institute disclosure of its 
records.

    (a) The Institute will not disclose any record that is contained in 
a system of records to any person or to another agency, except pursuant 
to a written request by or with the prior written consent of the subject 
individual, unless disclosure of the record is:
    (1) To those officers or employees of the Institute who maintain the 
record and who have a need for the record in the performance of their 
official duties;
    (2) Required under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 
(5 U.S.C. 552). Records required to be

[[Page 537]]

made available by the Freedom of Information Act will be released in 
response to a request to the Institute formulated in accordance with the 
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities regulations published 
at 45 CFR part 1184;
    (3) For a routine use as published in the annual notice in the 
Federal Register;
    (4) To the Census Bureau for purpose of planning or carrying out a 
census; survey, or related activity pursuant to the provisions of Title 
13 of the United States Code;
    (5) To a recipient who has provided the Institute with adequate 
advance written assurance that the record will be used solely as a 
statistical research or reporting record, and the record is to be 
transferred in a form that is not individually identifiable;
    (6) To the National Archives and Records Administration as a record 
that has sufficient historical or other value to warrant its continued 
preservation by the United States government, or for evaluation by the 
Archivist of the United States, or his or her designee, to determine 
whether the record has such value;
    (7) To another agency or to an instrumentality of any governmental 
jurisdiction within or under the control of the United States for a 
civil or criminal law enforcement activity, if the activity is 
authorized by law, and if the head of the agency or instrumentality has 
made a written request to the Institute for such records specifying the 
particular portion desired and the law enforcement activity for which 
the record is sought. The Institute also may disclose such a record to a 
law enforcement agency on its own initiative in situations in which 
criminal conduct is suspected, provided that such disclosure has been 
established as a routine use, or in situations in which the misconduct 
is directly related to the purpose for which the record is maintained;
    (8) To a person pursuant to a showing of compelling circumstances 
affecting the health or safety of an individual if, upon such 
disclosure, notification is transmitted to the last known address of 
such individual;
    (9) To either House of Congress, or, to the extent of matter within 
its jurisdictions, any committee or subcommittee thereof, any joint 
committee of Congress, or subcommittee of any such joint committee;
    (10) To the Comptroller General, or any of his or her authorized 
representatives, in the course of the performance of official duties of 
the General Accounting Office;
    (11) To a consumer reporting agency in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 
3711(e); or
    (12) Pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction. In 
the event that any record is disclosed under such compulsory legal 
process, the Institute shall make reasonable efforts to notify the 
subject individual after the process becomes a matter of public record.
    (b) Before disseminating any record about any individual to any 
person other than an Institute employee, the Institute shall make 
reasonable efforts to ensure that such records are, or at the time they 
were collected were, accurate, complete, timely, and relevant for 
Institute purposes. This paragraph (b) does not apply to dissemination 
made pursuant to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (5 
U.S.C. 552) and paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

[71 FR 6375, Feb. 8, 2006, as amended at 84 FR 22945, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1182.14  Procedures for maintaining accounts of disclosures made 
by the Institute from its systems of records.

    (a) The Office of the General Counsel shall maintain a log 
containing the date, nature, and purpose of each disclosure of a record 
to any person or to another agency. Such accounting also shall contain 
the name and address of the person or agency to whom each disclosure was 
made. This log need not include disclosures made to Institute employees 
in the course of their official duties, or pursuant to the provisions of 
the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).
    (b) The Institute shall retain the accounting of each disclosure for 
at least five years after the accounting is made or for the life of the 
record that was disclosed, whichever is longer.

[[Page 538]]

    (c) The Institute shall make the accounting of disclosures of a 
record pertaining to you available to you at your request. Such a 
request should be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in 
Sec.  1182.8. This paragraph (c) does not apply to disclosures made for 
law enforcement purposes under 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(7) and Sec.  
1182.13(a)(7).



Sec.  1182.15  Institute responsibility for maintaining adequate technical,
physical, and security safeguards to prevent unauthorized disclosure or
destruction of manual and automatic record systems.

    The Chief Information Officer has the responsibility of maintaining 
adequate technical, physical, and security safeguards to prevent 
unauthorized disclosure or destruction of manual and automatic record 
systems. These security safeguards shall apply to all systems in which 
identifiable personal data are processed or maintained, including all 
reports and outputs from such systems that contain identifiable personal 
information. Such safeguards must be sufficient to prevent negligent, 
accidental, or unintentional disclosure, modification or destruction of 
any personal records or data, and must furthermore minimize, to the 
extent practicable, the risk that skilled technicians or knowledgeable 
persons could improperly obtain access to modify or destroy such records 
or data and shall further insure against such casual entry by unskilled 
persons without official reasons for access to such records or data.
    (a) Manual systems. (1) Records contained in a system of records as 
defined in this part may be used, held, or stored only where facilities 
are adequate to prevent unauthorized access by persons within or outside 
the Institute.
    (2) All records, when not under the personal control of the 
employees authorized to use the records, must be stored in a locked 
filing cabinet. Some systems of records are not of such confidential 
nature that their disclosure would constitute a harm to an individual 
who is the subject of such record. However, records in this category 
also shall be maintained in locked filing cabinets or maintained in a 
secured room with a locking door.
    (3) Access to and use of a system of records shall be permitted only 
to persons whose duties require such access within the Institute, for 
routine uses as defined in Sec.  1182.2 as to any given system, or for 
such other uses as may be provided in this part.
    (4) Other than for access within the Institute to persons needing 
such records in the performance of their official duties or routine uses 
as defined in Sec.  1182.1, or such other uses as provided in this part, 
access to records within a system of records shall be permitted only to 
the individual to whom the record pertains or upon his or her written 
request to the General Counsel.
    (5) Access to areas where a system of records is stored will be 
limited to those persons whose duties require work in such areas. There 
shall be an accounting of the removal of any records from such storage 
areas utilizing a log, as directed by the Chief Information Officer. The 
log shall be maintained at all times.
    (6) The Institute shall ensure that all persons whose duties require 
access to and use of records contained in a system of records are 
adequately trained to protect the security and privacy of such records.
    (7) The disposal and destruction of records within a system of 
records shall be in accordance with rules promulgated by the General 
Services Administration.
    (b) Automated systems. (1) Identifiable personal information may be 
processed, stored, or maintained by automated data systems only where 
facilities or conditions are adequate to prevent unauthorized access to 
such systems in any form. Whenever such data, whether contained in punch 
cards, magnetic tapes, or discs, are not under the personal control of 
an authorized person, such information must be stored in a locked or 
secured room, or in such other facility having greater safeguards than 
those provided for in this part.
    (2) Access to and use of identifiable personal data associated with 
automated data systems shall be limited to those persons whose duties 
require such access. Proper control of personal

[[Page 539]]

data in any form associated with automated data systems shall be 
maintained at all times, including maintenance of accountability records 
showing disposition of input and output documents.
    (3) All persons whose duties require access to processing and 
maintenance of identifiable personal data and automated systems shall be 
adequately trained in the security and privacy of personal data.
    (4) The disposal and disposition of identifiable personal data and 
automated systems shall be done by shredding, burning, or, in the case 
of tapes or discs, degaussing, in accordance with regulations of the 
General Services Administration or other appropriate authority.

[71 FR 6375, Feb. 8, 2006, as amended at 84 FR 22945, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1182.16  Procedures to ensure that Institute employees involved with
its systems of records are familiar with the requirements of the Privacy Act.

    (a) The Director shall ensure that all persons involved in the 
design, development, operation, or maintenance of any Institute system 
are informed of all requirements necessary to protect the privacy of 
subject individuals. The Director also shall ensure that all Institute 
employees having access to records receive adequate training in their 
protection, and that records have adequate and proper storage with 
sufficient security to assure the privacy of such records.
    (b) All employees shall be informed of the civil remedies provided 
under 5 U.S.C. 552a(g)(1) and other implications of the Privacy Act, and 
the fact that the Institute may be subject to civil remedies for failure 
to comply with the provisions of the Privacy Act and the regulations in 
this part.



Sec.  1182.17  Institute systems of records that are covered by exemptions
in the Privacy Act.

    (a) Pursuant to and limited by 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2), the Institute 
system entitled ``Office of the Inspector General Investigative Files'' 
shall be exempted from the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a, except for 
subsections (b); (c)(1) and (2); (e)(4)(A) through (F); (e)(6), (7), 
(9), (10), and (11); and (i), insofar as that Institute system contains 
information pertaining to criminal law enforcement investigations.
    (b) Pursuant to and limited by 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), the Institute 
system entitled ``Office of the Inspector General Investigative Files'' 
shall be exempted from 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3); (d); (e)(1); (e)(4)(G), (H), 
and (I); and (f), insofar as that Institute system consists of 
investigatory material compiled for law enforcement purposes, other than 
material within the scope of the exemption at 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2).
    (c) The Institute system entitled ``Office of the Inspector General 
Investigative Files'' is exempt from the provisions of the Privacy Act 
noted in this section because their application might alert 
investigation subjects to the existence or scope of investigations; lead 
to suppression, alteration, fabrication, or destruction of evidence; 
disclose investigative techniques or procedures; reduce the 
cooperativeness or safety of witnesses; or otherwise impair 
investigations.



Sec.  1182.18  Penalties for obtaining an Institute record under false
pretenses.

    (a) Under 5 U.S.C. 552a(i)(3), any person who knowingly and 
willfully requests or obtains any record from the Institute concerning 
an individual under false pretenses shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and 
fined not more than $5,000.
    (b) A person who falsely or fraudulently attempts to obtain records 
under the Privacy Act also may be subject to prosecution under other 
statutes, including 18 U.S.C. 494, 495, and 1001.



Sec.  1182.19  Restrictions that exist regarding the release of mailing 
lists.

    The Institute may not sell or rent an individual's name and address 
unless such action specifically is authorized by law. This section shall 
not be construed to require the withholding of names and addresses 
otherwise permitted to be made public.

                          PART 1183 [RESERVED]

[[Page 540]]



PART 1184_IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT-
-Table of Contents



Sec.
1184.1 What are the purpose and scope of this part?
1184.2 What are IMLS's general policies with respect to FOIA?
1184.3 How do I request records?
1184.4 When will I receive a response to my request?
1184.5 How will my request be processed?
1184.6 How can I appeal a denial of my request?
1184.7 How will fees be charged?
1184.8 How can I address concerns regarding my request?
1184.9 What are IMLS' policies regarding disclosure of confidential 
          business information?
1184.10 Disclaimer.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552.

    Source: 79 FR 9423, Feb. 19, 2014, unless otherwise noted.



Sec.  1184.1  What are the purpose and scope of this part?

    (a) This part describe how the Institute of Museum and Library 
Services (IMLS) processes requests for records under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552 as amended. The regulations in this 
part apply only to records that are both:
    (1) Created or obtained by IMLS; and
    (2) Under the agency's control at the time of the FOIA request.
    (b) The rules in this part should be read in conjunction with the 
text of the FOIA and the Uniform Freedom of Information Fee Act Schedule 
and Guidelines published by the Office of Management and Budget (the 
``OMB Guidelines''). Requests made by individuals for records about 
themselves under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, are processed 
under 45 CFR part 1182 as well as under this part.

[84 FR 22945, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1184.2  What are IMLS's general policies with respect to FOIA?

    (a) Presumption of openness. IMLS administers the FOIA with a 
presumption of openness. Under this presumption, IMLS makes 
discretionary disclosures of records whenever such disclosure would not 
foreseeably harm an interest protected by a FOIA exemption or otherwise 
be prohibited by law.
    (b) Records available at the IMLS FOIA Electronic Reading Room. IMLS 
makes records available on its website Reading Room in accordance with 5 
U.S.C. 552(a)(2), as amended, as well as other records that have been 
requested three or more times or that, because of the nature of their 
subject matter, are likely to be the subject of FOIA requests. IMLS 
establishes categories of records that can be disclosed regularly and 
proactively identifies and discloses additional records of interest to 
the public. To save time and money, and maximize efficiency, IMLS 
strongly urges individuals who seek information from IMLS to review 
documents available at the IMLS FOIA Electronic Reading Room before 
submitting a FOIA request.
    (c) Definitions. For purposes of this part, IMLS adopts all of the 
terms defined in the Freedom of Information Act, and the OMB Guidelines, 
unless otherwise defined in this part.
    (1) Commercial use request. A request by or on behalf of anyone who 
seeks information for a use or purpose that furthers his or her 
commercial, trade, or profit interests, which can include furthering 
those interests through litigation.
    (2) Direct costs. Those expenses that IMLS actually incurs in 
searching for and duplicating (and, in the case of commercial use 
requests, reviewing) records in order to respond to a FOIA request. 
Direct costs include, for example, the salary of the employee performing 
the work (the basic rate of pay for the employee, plus 16.1 percent of 
that rate to cover benefits) and the cost of operating duplication 
machinery. Not included in direct costs are overhead expenses such as 
the costs of space and heating or lighting of the facility in which the 
records are kept.
    (3) Duplication. The making of a copy of a record, or of the 
information contained in it, necessary to respond to a FOIA request. 
Copies can take the form of paper, audiovisual materials, or electronic 
records (for example, magnetic tape or disk), among others.
    (4) Educational institution. Any school that operates a program of 
scholarly research. A requester in this category

[[Page 541]]

must show that the request is authorized by, and is made under the 
auspices of, a qualifying institution and that the records are not 
sought for a commercial use, but rather are sought to further scholarly 
research.
    (5) Fee waiver. The waiver or reduction of processing fees if a 
requester can demonstrate that certain statutory standards are satisfied 
including that the information is in the public interest and is not 
requested for a commercial interest.
    (6) FOIA Public Liaison. An IMLS official who is responsible for 
assisting in reducing delays, increasing transparency and understanding 
of the status of FOIA requests, and assisting in the resolution of 
disputes.
    (7) Non-commercial scientific institution. An institution that is 
not operated on a ``commercial'' basis, as defined in paragraph (c)(1) 
of this section, and that is operated solely for the purpose of 
conducting scientific research the results of which are not intended to 
promote any particular product or industry. A requester in this category 
must show that the request is authorized by and is made under the 
auspices of a qualifying institution and that the records are sought to 
further scientific research and not for a commercial use.
    (8) Representative of the news media. Representative of the news 
media is any person or entity that gathers information of potential 
interest to a segment of the public, uses its editorial skills to turn 
the raw materials into a distinct work, and distributes that work to an 
audience. The term ``news'' means information that is about current 
events or that would be of current interest to the public. Examples of 
news media entities include television or radio stations that broadcast 
``news'' to the public at large and publishers of periodicals that 
disseminate ``news'' and make their products available through a variety 
of means to the general public, including news organizations that 
disseminate solely on the internet. A request for records supporting the 
news-dissemination function of the requester will not be considered to 
be for a commercial use. ``Freelance'' journalists who demonstrate a 
solid basis for expecting publication through a news media entity will 
be considered as a representative of the news media. A publishing 
contract would provide the clearest evidence that publication is 
expected; however, agencies can also consider a requester's past 
publication record in making this determination. Agencies will advise 
requesters of their placement in this category.
    (9) Requester Category. One of the three categories that IMLS places 
requesters in for the purpose of determining whether a requester will be 
charged fees for search, review and duplication, and include commercial 
requesters; non-commercial scientific or educational institutions or 
news media requesters, and all other requesters.
    (10) Review. The examination of a record located in response to a 
request to determine whether any portion of it is exempt from 
disclosure. Review time includes all of the processing that is necessary 
to prepare any record for disclosure, including, as applicable, 
redacting portions of the record and marking the appropriate exemptions. 
Review costs are properly charged even if a record ultimately is not 
disclosed. Review time also includes time spent both obtaining and 
considering any formal objection to disclosure made by a confidential 
business information submitter under Sec.  1184.9 but it does not 
include time spent resolving general legal or policy issues regarding 
the applicability of exemptions.
    (11) Search. The process of looking for and retrieving records or 
information responsive to a FOIA request. Search time includes page-by-
page or line-by-line identification of information within records; and 
the reasonable efforts expended to locate and retrieve information from 
both hard copy and electronic records.
    (12) Working day. A regular Federal work day constitutes a working 
day. It does not include Saturdays, Sundays, or Federal holidays.

[79 FR 9423, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 84 FR 22945, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1184.3  How do I request records?

    (a) Where to send a request. You may make a FOIA request for IMLS 
records by completing the online prompts in the FOIA Online Portal via 
FOIA.gov

[[Page 542]]

or via https://www.imls.gov/about/foia-request/form or by sending an 
email to [email protected] or by submitting a request in writing via regular 
U.S. Mail addressed directly to the FOIA Public Liaison, Institute of 
Museum and Library Services, 955 L'Enfant Plaza North SW, Suite 4000, 
Washington, DC 20024-2135. Requests may also be sent in writing via 
facsimile to the FOIA Officer at (202) 653-4625.
    (b) Form of request. Your FOIA request need not be in any particular 
format, but it must be in writing, include your name and mailing 
address, and should be clearly identified as a Freedom of Information 
Act or ``FOIA'' request. You must describe the records you seek with 
sufficient specificity to enable the agency to identify and locate the 
records, including, if possible, dates, subjects, titles, or authors of 
the records requested. Before submitting a request, you may contact 
IMLS's FOIA contact or FOIA Officer to discuss the records you seek and 
to receive assistance in describing the records. If upon receiving your 
request IMLS determines that it does not reasonably describe the 
requested records, IMLS will advise you what additional information is 
required to perfect your request, or why your request is otherwise 
insufficient. You should also indicate if you have a preferred form or 
format in which you would like to receive the requested records.
    (c) Electronic format records. IMLS will provide the responsive 
records in the form or format you request if the records are readily 
reproducible by IMLS in that form or format. IMLS will make reasonable 
efforts to maintain its records in forms or formats that are 
reproducible for the purpose of disclosure. IMLS may disclose records in 
electronic format if the records can be downloaded or transferred intact 
through electronic media currently in use by the agency. In responding 
to a request for records, IMLS will make reasonable efforts to search 
for the records in electronic form or format, except where such efforts 
would significantly interfere with the operation of the agency's 
automated information system(s).
    (d) Date of receipt. IMLS considers a request that complies with 
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section to be a perfected request. The 
agency considers a request to be received on the date that the request 
is perfected.

[79 FR 9423, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 84 FR 22946, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1184.4  When will I receive a response to my request?

    (a) Responses within 20 working days. IMLS will ordinarily grant, 
partially grant, or deny your request for records within 20 working days 
after receiving a perfected request.
    (b) Extensions of response time in ``unusual circumstances''. (1) 
Where the time limits for processing a request cannot be met because of 
``unusual circumstances,'' as defined in the FOIA, the FOIA Officer will 
notify you as soon as practicable in writing of the unusual 
circumstances and may extend the response period for up to ten (10) 
working days.
    (2) Where the extension is for more than ten (10) working days, the 
FOIA Officer will provide you with an opportunity either to modify the 
request so that it may be processed within the time limits or to arrange 
an agreed upon alternative time period for processing the request or a 
modified request.
    (c) Expedited processing. (1) IMLS must process requests and appeals 
on an expedited basis whenever it is determined that they involve:
    (i) Circumstances in which the lack of expedited processing could 
reasonably be expected to pose an imminent threat to the life or 
physical safety of an individual; or
    (ii) An urgency to inform the public about an actual or alleged 
Federal Government activity, if made by a person who is primarily 
engaged in disseminating information.
    (2) A request for expedited processing may be made at any time. When 
making a request for expedited processing of an administrative appeal, 
the request should be submitted as required by Sec.  1184.6.
    (3) A requester who seeks expedited processing must submit a 
statement, certified to be true and correct, explaining in detail the 
basis for making the request for expedited processing. For example, 
under paragraph (c)(1)(ii)

[[Page 543]]

of this section, a requester who is not a full-time member of the news 
media must establish that the requester is a person whose primary 
professional activity or occupation is information dissemination, though 
it need not be the requester's sole occupation. Such a requester also 
must establish a particular urgency to inform the public about the 
government activity involved in the request--one that extends beyond the 
public's right to know about government activity generally. The 
existence of numerous articles published on a given subject can be 
helpful in establishing the requirement that there be an ``urgency to 
inform'' the public on the topic. As a matter of administrative 
discretion, IMLS may waive the formal certification requirement.
    (4) IMLS must notify the requester within 10 calendar days of the 
receipt of a request for expedited processing of its decision whether to 
grant or deny expedited processing. If expedited processing is granted, 
the request must be given priority, placed in the processing track for 
expedited requests, and must be processed as soon as practicable. If a 
request for expedited processing is denied, IMLS must act on any appeal 
of that decision expeditiously.

[79 FR 9423, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 84 FR 22946, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1184.5  How will my request be processed?

    (a) Acknowledgment of requests. IMLS will assign a tracking number 
to your request and will, as soon as practicable, advise you in writing 
of this tracking number, and, as appropriate, a brief description of the 
request, and relevant IMLS contact information, including the name and 
contact information of the FOIA Public Liaison.
    (b) Clarifications. If there is any uncertainty, IMLS will attempt 
to communicate with you to clarify the scope of your request.
    (c) Estimated dates of completion and interim responses. Upon 
request, IMLS will provide an estimated date by which the agency expects 
to provide a response to the requester. If a request involves a 
voluminous amount of material, or searches in multiple locations, IMLS 
may provide interim responses, releasing the records on a rolling basis.
    (d) Referrals of requests. Whenever IMLS refers all or any part of 
the responsibility for responding to a request to another agency, IMLS 
will notify you of the name of the agency to which the request has been 
referred.
    (e) Grants of requests. When responsive records are located, IMLS 
will apply a presumption of disclosure and openness. If IMLS decides to 
grant your request in whole or in part, the agency will notify you in 
writing. The notice will include any applicable fee and the agency will 
disclose records to you promptly upon payment of applicable fees. IMLS 
will mark or annotate any records disclosed in part to show the amount, 
the location, and the FOIA exemptions under which the redaction is made, 
unless doing so would harm an interest protected by an applicable 
exemption.
    (f) Denials of requests. Denials of your FOIA request, either whole 
or in part, will be made in writing by the FOIA Public Liaison. IMLS 
will inform you of the reasons for the denial, including any FOIA 
exemption(s) applied by the agency in denying the request, and notify 
you of your right to appeal the determination as described in Sec.  
1184.6. IMLS will, as appropriate, provide a brief description of the 
information being withheld. In addition, IMLS will provide information 
about the mediation services provided by the Office of Government 
Information Services of the National Archives and Records 
Administration.

[79 FR 9423, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 84 FR 22946, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1184.6  How can I appeal a denial of my request?

    (a) Submission of an appeal. If your FOIA request has been denied in 
whole or in part, or if the agency has not found any records in response 
to your request, you may file an appeal no later than ninety (90) 
calendar days following the date of the notification of denial. Your 
appeal must include a description of the initial request, the reason for 
the appeal, and why you believe the agency's response was incorrect. 
Your appeal must be in writing, signed, and filed with the IMLS 
Director, c/o

[[Page 544]]

Office of the General Counsel, 955 L'Enfant Plaza North SW, Suite 4000, 
Washington, DC 20024-2135. Appeals may also be sent via email to 
[email protected], or via facsimile to (202) 653-4625.
    (b) Decisions on appeal. The Director of IMLS will make a 
determination with respect to your appeal within twenty (20) working 
days after the agency has received the appeal, except as provided in 
Sec.  1184.4(b). If the decision on appeal is favorable to you, the 
Director of IMLS will take action to assure prompt dispatch of the 
records to you. If the decision on appeal is adverse to you, in whole or 
in part, you will be informed by the Director of IMLS of the reasons for 
the decision and of the provisions for judicial review set forth in the 
FOIA. As appropriate, IMLS will advise you in a response to an appeal 
that the 2007 FOIA amendments created the Office of Government 
Information Services to offer mediation services to resolve disputes 
between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies as a non-exclusive 
alternative to litigation.

[79 FR 9423, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 84 FR 22946, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1184.7  How will fees be charged?

    (a) In general. IMLS will use the most efficient and least costly 
methods to comply with FOIA requests. IMLS will charge fees to recover 
all allowable direct costs incurred, and may charge fees for searching 
for and reviewing requested records even if the records are determined 
to be exempt from disclosure or cannot be located. IMLS will charge fees 
in accordance with the category of the FOIA requester.
    (1) Commercial use requests. IMLS will assess charges to recover the 
full direct cost of searching for, reviewing and duplicating the 
requested records. IMLS may recover the cost of searching for and 
reviewing records even if there is ultimately no disclosure.
    (2) Requests from educational and non-commercial scientific 
institutions. IMLS will charge for duplication costs.
    (3) Requests by representatives of the news media. IMLS will charge 
for duplication costs.
    (4) All other requests. IMLS will assess charges to recover the full 
direct cost for searching for and duplicating the requested records.
    (5) Status of Requester. IMLS' decision regarding the categorization 
of a requester will be made on a case-by-case basis based upon the 
requester's intended use of the requested records.
    (b) General fee schedule. The following fees will be charged in 
accordance with paragraph (a) of this section.
    (1) Manual search fee. The fee charged will be the salary rate(s) 
(i.e., basic pay plus 16.1 percent) of the employee(s) conducting the 
search.
    (2) Computer search fee. The fee charged will be the actual direct 
cost of providing the service including the cost of operating the 
central processing unit for the operating time that is directly 
attributed to searching for records responsive to a request and the 
operator/programmer salary apportionable to the search.
    (3) Review fee. The fee charged will equal the salary rate(s) (i.e., 
basic pay plus 16.1 percent) of the employee(s) conducting the review.
    (4) Duplication fee. Copies of records photocopied on an 8\1/2\ x 11 
inch sheet of paper will be provided at $.10 per page. For duplication 
of other materials, the charge will be the direct cost of duplication.
    (c) Restrictions on charging fees. (1) Except for records provided 
in response to a commercial use request, the first 100 pages of 
duplication and the first two (2) hours of search time will be provided 
at no charge.
    (2) Fees will not be charged to any requester, including commercial 
use requesters, if the total amount calculated under this section is 
less than $25.
    (d) Fees likely to exceed $25. If the total fee charges are likely 
to exceed $25, IMLS will notify you of the estimated amount of the 
charges, including a breakdown of the fees for search, review and/or 
duplication, unless you have indicated in advance that you are willing 
to pay higher fees and will offer you an opportunity to confer with the 
FOIA Public Liaison to revise the request to meet your needs at a lower 
cost.
    (e) Waiver or reduction of fees. (1) IMLS will disclose records 
without charge or at a reduced charge if the

[[Page 545]]

agency determines that disclosure of the information is in the public 
interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public 
understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is 
not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester.
    (2) IMLS will use the following factors to determine whether a fee 
will be waived or reduced:
    (i) The subject of the request. Whether the subject of the requested 
records concerns the ``operations or activities of the government'';
    (ii) The informative value of the information to be disclosed. 
Whether the disclosure is ``likely to contribute'' to an understanding 
of government operations or activities;
    (iii) The contribution to an understanding of the subject by the 
general public likely to result from disclosure. Whether disclosure of 
the requested information will contribute to ``public understanding'';
    (iv) The significance of the contribution to public understanding. 
Whether disclosure is likely to contribute ``significantly'' to public 
understanding of government operations or activities;
    (v) The existence and magnitude of a commercial interest. Whether 
you have a commercial interest that would be furthered by the 
disclosure; and if so
    (vi) The primary interest in disclosure. Whether the magnitude of 
your commercial interest is sufficiently large in comparison with the 
public interest in disclosure, that disclosure is primarily in the your 
commercial interest.
    (f) Assessment and collection of fees. (1) If you fail to pay your 
bill within thirty (30) days, interest will accrue from the date the 
bill was mailed, and will be assessed at the rate prescribed in 31 
U.S.C. 3717.
    (2) If IMLS reasonably believes that you are attempting to divide a 
request into a series of requests to avoid the assessment of fees, the 
agency may aggregate such requests and charge accordingly.
    (3) Advance payment. (i) Advance payment of fees will generally not 
be required. IMLS may request an advance payment of the fee, however, 
if:
    (A) The charges are likely to exceed $250; or
    (B) You have failed previously to pay a fee in a timely fashion.
    (ii) When IMLS requests an advance payment, the time limits 
described in section (a)(6) of the FOIA will begin only after IMLS has 
received advanced full payment in full.
    (g) Failure to comply. In the absence of unusual or exceptional 
circumstances, IMLS will not assess fees if the agency fails to comply 
with any time limit set forth in this part, unless the agency has 
determined that unusual circumstances apply and more than 5,000 pages 
are necessary to respond to the request.
    (h) Waivers. IMLS may waive fees in other circumstances solely at 
its discretion, consistent with 5 U.S.C. 552.

[79 FR 9423, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 84 FR 22946, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1184.8  How can I address concerns regarding my request?

    (a) FOIA Public Liaison. If you have questions or concerns regarding 
your request, your first point of contact should be the FOIA Public 
Liaison, who is responsible for reducing delays, increasing transparency 
and understanding of the status of requests, and assisting in the 
resolution of disputes.
    (b) Additional resource. The National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA), Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) 
offers non-compulsory, non-binding mediation services to help resolve 
FOIA disputes. If you seek information regarding OGIS and/or the 
services it offers, please contact OGIS directly at Office of Government 
Information Services, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 
Adelphi Road-OGIS, College Park, MD 20740-6001, Email: [email protected], 
Phone: (202) 741-5770 or toll free (877) 684-6448, Fax: (202) 741-5769. 
This information is provided as a public service only. By providing this 
information, IMLS does not commit to refer disputes to OGIS, or to defer 
to OGIS' mediation decision in particular cases.

[79 FR 9423, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 84 FR 22947, May 21, 2019]

[[Page 546]]



Sec.  1184.9  What are IMLS' policies regarding disclosure of confidential
business information?

    (a) In general. Confidential business information obtained by IMLS 
from a submitter will be disclosed under FOIA only under this section.
    (b) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following 
definitions apply:
    (1) Confidential business information. Commercial or financial 
information obtained by IMLS from a submitter that may be protected from 
disclosure under Exemption 4 of FOIA.
    (2) Submitter. Any person or entity from whom IMLS obtains 
confidential business information, directly or indirectly. The term 
includes corporations; state, local, and tribal governments; and foreign 
governments.
    (c) Designation of confidential business information. A submitter of 
confidential business information will use good-faith efforts to 
designate, either at the time of submission or at a reasonable time 
thereafter, any portions of its submission that it considers to be 
protected from disclosure under Exemption 4. These designations will 
expire ten years after the date of the submission unless the submitter 
requests, and provides justification for, a longer designation period.
    (d) Notice to submitters. When required under paragraph (e) of this 
section, subject to the exceptions in paragraph (h) of this section, 
IMLS will provide a submitter with prompt written notice of a FOIA 
request or administrative appeal that seeks its confidential business 
information, in order to give the submitter an opportunity to object to 
disclosure of any specified portion of that information. The notice will 
either describe the confidential business information requested or 
include copies of the requested records or record portions containing 
the information. When notification of a voluminous number of submitters 
is required, notification may be made by posting or publishing the 
notice in a place reasonably likely to accomplish it.
    (e) Where notice is required. IMLS will give notice to a submitter 
wherever:
    (1) The information has been designated in good faith by the 
submitter as information considered protected from disclosure under 
Exemption 4; or
    (2) IMLS has reason to believe that the information may be protected 
from disclosure under Exemption 4.
    (f) Opportunity to object to disclosure. IMLS will allow a submitter 
a reasonable time to respond to the notice described in paragraph (d) of 
this section and will specify that time period within the notice. If a 
submitter has any objection to disclosure, it must submit a detailed 
written statement to IMLS. The statement must specify all grounds for 
withholding any portion of the information under any exemption of FOIA 
and, in the case of Exemption 4, it must show why the information is a 
trade secret or commercial or financial information that is privileged 
or confidential. If a submitter fails to respond to the notice within 
the time specified, the submitter will be considered to have no 
objection to disclosure of the information. Information provided by the 
submitter that is not received by IMLS until after the agency's 
disclosure decision has been made will not be considered by IMLS. 
Information provided by a submitter under this paragraph may itself be 
subject to disclosure under FOIA.
    (g) Notice of intent to disclose. IMLS will consider a submitter's 
objections and specific grounds for nondisclosure in deciding whether to 
disclose confidential business information. If IMLS decides to disclose 
confidential business information over the objection of a submitter, 
IMLS will give the submitter written notice, which will include:
    (1) A statement of the reason(s) why each of the submitter's 
disclosure objections was not sustained;
    (2) A description of the confidential business information to be 
disclosed; and
    (3) A specified disclosure date, which will be a reasonable time 
subsequent to the notice.
    (h) Exceptions to notice requirements. The notice requirements of 
paragraphs (d) and (g) of this section will not apply if:
    (1) IMLS determines that the information should not be disclosed;

[[Page 547]]

    (2) The information lawfully has been published or has been 
officially made available to the public;
    (3) Disclosure of the information is required by statute (other than 
FOIA) or by a regulation issued in accordance with the requirements of 
Executive Order 12600; or
    (4) The designation made by the submitter under paragraph (c) of 
this section appears obviously frivolous--except that, in such a case, 
IMLS will, within a reasonable time prior to a specified disclosure 
date, give the submitter written notice of any final decision to 
disclose the information.
    (i) Notice of FOIA lawsuit. If a requester files a lawsuit seeking 
to compel the disclosure of confidential business information, IMLS will 
promptly notify the submitter of the filing of the lawsuit.
    (j) Corresponding notice to requesters. If IMLS provides a submitter 
with notice and an opportunity to object to disclosure under paragraph 
(d) of this section, IMLS will also notify the requester(s). If IMLS 
notifies a submitter of its intent to disclose requested information 
under paragraph (g) of this section, IMLS will also notify the 
requester(s). If a submitter files a lawsuit seeking to prevent the 
disclosure of confidential business information, IMLS will notify the 
requester(s) of the filing of the lawsuit.

[79 FR 9423, Feb. 19, 2014, as amended at 84 FR 22947, May 21, 2019]



Sec.  1184.10  Disclaimer.

    Nothing in the regulations in this part will be construed to entitle 
any person, as a right, to any service or to the disclosure of any 
record to which such person is not entitled under FOIA.

                       PARTS 1185	1199 [RESERVED]

[[Page 549]]



                              FINDING AIDS




  --------------------------------------------------------------------

  A list of CFR titles, subtitles, chapters, subchapters and parts and 
an alphabetical list of agencies publishing in the CFR are included in 
the CFR Index and Finding Aids volume to the Code of Federal Regulations 
which is published separately and revised annually.

  Table of CFR Titles and Chapters
  Alphabetical List of Agencies Appearing in the CFR
  List of CFR Sections Affected

[[Page 551]]



                    Table of CFR Titles and Chapters




                     (Revised as of October 1, 2023)

                      Title 1--General Provisions

         I  Administrative Committee of the Federal Register 
                (Parts 1--49)
        II  Office of the Federal Register (Parts 50--299)
       III  Administrative Conference of the United States (Parts 
                300--399)
        IV  Miscellaneous Agencies (Parts 400--599)
        VI  National Capital Planning Commission (Parts 600--699)

                    Title 2--Grants and Agreements

            Subtitle A--Office of Management and Budget Guidance 
                for Grants and Agreements
         I  Office of Management and Budget Governmentwide 
                Guidance for Grants and Agreements (Parts 2--199)
        II  Office of Management and Budget Guidance (Parts 200--
                299)
            Subtitle B--Federal Agency Regulations for Grants and 
                Agreements
       III  Department of Health and Human Services (Parts 300--
                399)
        IV  Department of Agriculture (Parts 400--499)
        VI  Department of State (Parts 600--699)
       VII  Agency for International Development (Parts 700--799)
      VIII  Department of Veterans Affairs (Parts 800--899)
        IX  Department of Energy (Parts 900--999)
         X  Department of the Treasury (Parts 1000--1099)
        XI  Department of Defense (Parts 1100--1199)
       XII  Department of Transportation (Parts 1200--1299)
      XIII  Department of Commerce (Parts 1300--1399)
       XIV  Department of the Interior (Parts 1400--1499)
        XV  Environmental Protection Agency (Parts 1500--1599)
     XVIII  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Parts 
                1800--1899)
        XX  United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Parts 
                2000--2099)
      XXII  Corporation for National and Community Service (Parts 
                2200--2299)
     XXIII  Social Security Administration (Parts 2300--2399)
      XXIV  Department of Housing and Urban Development (Parts 
                2400--2499)
       XXV  National Science Foundation (Parts 2500--2599)
      XXVI  National Archives and Records Administration (Parts 
                2600--2699)

[[Page 552]]

     XXVII  Small Business Administration (Parts 2700--2799)
    XXVIII  Department of Justice (Parts 2800--2899)
      XXIX  Department of Labor (Parts 2900--2999)
       XXX  Department of Homeland Security (Parts 3000--3099)
      XXXI  Institute of Museum and Library Services (Parts 3100--
                3199)
     XXXII  National Endowment for the Arts (Parts 3200--3299)
    XXXIII  National Endowment for the Humanities (Parts 3300--
                3399)
     XXXIV  Department of Education (Parts 3400--3499)
      XXXV  Export-Import Bank of the United States (Parts 3500--
                3599)
     XXXVI  Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive 
                Office of the President (Parts 3600--3699)
    XXXVII  Peace Corps (Parts 3700--3799)
     LVIII  Election Assistance Commission (Parts 5800--5899)
       LIX  Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Parts 5900--
                5999)
        LX  Federal Communications Commission (Parts 6000--6099)

                        Title 3--The President

         I  Executive Office of the President (Parts 100--199)

                           Title 4--Accounts

         I  Government Accountability Office (Parts 1--199)

                   Title 5--Administrative Personnel

         I  Office of Personnel Management (Parts 1--1199)
        II  Merit Systems Protection Board (Parts 1200--1299)
       III  Office of Management and Budget (Parts 1300--1399)
        IV  Office of Personnel Management and Office of the 
                Director of National Intelligence (Parts 1400--
                1499)
         V  The International Organizations Employees Loyalty 
                Board (Parts 1500--1599)
        VI  Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (Parts 
                1600--1699)
      VIII  Office of Special Counsel (Parts 1800--1899)
        IX  Appalachian Regional Commission (Parts 1900--1999)
        XI  Armed Forces Retirement Home (Parts 2100--2199)
       XIV  Federal Labor Relations Authority, General Counsel of 
                the Federal Labor Relations Authority and Federal 
                Service Impasses Panel (Parts 2400--2499)
       XVI  Office of Government Ethics (Parts 2600--2699)
       XXI  Department of the Treasury (Parts 3100--3199)
      XXII  Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (Parts 3200--
                3299)
     XXIII  Department of Energy (Parts 3300--3399)
      XXIV  Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Parts 3400--
                3499)
       XXV  Department of the Interior (Parts 3500--3599)

[[Page 553]]

      XXVI  Department of Defense (Parts 3600--3699)
    XXVIII  Department of Justice (Parts 3800--3899)
      XXIX  Federal Communications Commission (Parts 3900--3999)
       XXX  Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation (Parts 4000--
                4099)
      XXXI  Farm Credit Administration (Parts 4100--4199)
    XXXIII  U.S. International Development Finance Corporation 
                (Parts 4300--4399)
     XXXIV  Securities and Exchange Commission (Parts 4400--4499)
      XXXV  Office of Personnel Management (Parts 4500--4599)
     XXXVI  Department of Homeland Security (Parts 4600--4699)
    XXXVII  Federal Election Commission (Parts 4700--4799)
        XL  Interstate Commerce Commission (Parts 5000--5099)
       XLI  Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Parts 5100--
                5199)
      XLII  Department of Labor (Parts 5200--5299)
     XLIII  National Science Foundation (Parts 5300--5399)
       XLV  Department of Health and Human Services (Parts 5500--
                5599)
      XLVI  Postal Rate Commission (Parts 5600--5699)
     XLVII  Federal Trade Commission (Parts 5700--5799)
    XLVIII  Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Parts 5800--5899)
      XLIX  Federal Labor Relations Authority (Parts 5900--5999)
         L  Department of Transportation (Parts 6000--6099)
       LII  Export-Import Bank of the United States (Parts 6200--
                6299)
      LIII  Department of Education (Parts 6300--6399)
       LIV  Environmental Protection Agency (Parts 6400--6499)
        LV  National Endowment for the Arts (Parts 6500--6599)
       LVI  National Endowment for the Humanities (Parts 6600--
                6699)
      LVII  General Services Administration (Parts 6700--6799)
     LVIII  Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 
                (Parts 6800--6899)
       LIX  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Parts 
                6900--6999)
        LX  United States Postal Service (Parts 7000--7099)
       LXI  National Labor Relations Board (Parts 7100--7199)
      LXII  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Parts 7200--
                7299)
     LXIII  Inter-American Foundation (Parts 7300--7399)
      LXIV  Merit Systems Protection Board (Parts 7400--7499)
       LXV  Department of Housing and Urban Development (Parts 
                7500--7599)
      LXVI  National Archives and Records Administration (Parts 
                7600--7699)
     LXVII  Institute of Museum and Library Services (Parts 7700--
                7799)
    LXVIII  Commission on Civil Rights (Parts 7800--7899)
      LXIX  Tennessee Valley Authority (Parts 7900--7999)
       LXX  Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the 
                District of Columbia (Parts 8000--8099)
      LXXI  Consumer Product Safety Commission (Parts 8100--8199)

[[Page 554]]

    LXXIII  Department of Agriculture (Parts 8300--8399)
     LXXIV  Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission 
                (Parts 8400--8499)
     LXXVI  Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (Parts 
                8600--8699)
    LXXVII  Office of Management and Budget (Parts 8700--8799)
      LXXX  Federal Housing Finance Agency (Parts 9000--9099)
   LXXXIII  Special Inspector General for Afghanistan 
                Reconstruction (Parts 9300--9399)
    LXXXIV  Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Parts 9400--
                9499)
    LXXXVI  National Credit Union Administration (Parts 9600--
                9699)
     XCVII  Department of Homeland Security Human Resources 
                Management System (Department of Homeland 
                Security--Office of Personnel Management) (Parts 
                9700--9799)
    XCVIII  Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and 
                Efficiency (Parts 9800--9899)
      XCIX  Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization 
                Commission (Parts 9900--9999)
         C  National Council on Disability (Parts 10000--10049)
        CI  National Mediation Board (Parts 10100--10199)
       CII  U.S. Office of Special Counsel (Parts 10200--10299)
       CIV  Office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement 
                Coordinator (Part 10400--10499)

                      Title 6--Domestic Security

         I  Department of Homeland Security, Office of the 
                Secretary (Parts 1--199)
         X  Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (Parts 
                1000--1099)

                         Title 7--Agriculture

            Subtitle A--Office of the Secretary of Agriculture 
                (Parts 0--26)
            Subtitle B--Regulations of the Department of 
                Agriculture
         I  Agricultural Marketing Service (Standards, 
                Inspections, Marketing Practices), Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 27--209)
        II  Food and Nutrition Service, Department of Agriculture 
                (Parts 210--299)
       III  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department 
                of Agriculture (Parts 300--399)
        IV  Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 400--499)
         V  Agricultural Research Service, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 500--599)
        VI  Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 600--699)
       VII  Farm Service Agency, Department of Agriculture (Parts 
                700--799)

[[Page 555]]

      VIII  Agricultural Marketing Service (Federal Grain 
                Inspection Service, Fair Trade Practices Program), 
                Department of Agriculture (Parts 800--899)
        IX  Agricultural Marketing Service (Marketing Agreements 
                and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), Department 
                of Agriculture (Parts 900--999)
         X  Agricultural Marketing Service (Marketing Agreements 
                and Orders; Milk), Department of Agriculture 
                (Parts 1000--1199)
        XI  Agricultural Marketing Service (Marketing Agreements 
                and Orders; Miscellaneous Commodities), Department 
                of Agriculture (Parts 1200--1299)
       XIV  Commodity Credit Corporation, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 1400--1499)
        XV  Foreign Agricultural Service, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 1500--1599)
       XVI  [Reserved]
      XVII  Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture 
                (Parts 1700--1799)
     XVIII  Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative 
                Service, Rural Utilities Service, and Farm Service 
                Agency, Department of Agriculture (Parts 1800--
                2099)
        XX  [Reserved]
       XXV  Office of Advocacy and Outreach, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 2500--2599)
      XXVI  Office of Inspector General, Department of Agriculture 
                (Parts 2600--2699)
     XXVII  Office of Information Resources Management, Department 
                of Agriculture (Parts 2700--2799)
    XXVIII  Office of Operations, Department of Agriculture (Parts 
                2800--2899)
      XXIX  Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 2900--2999)
       XXX  Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 3000--3099)
      XXXI  Office of Environmental Quality, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 3100--3199)
     XXXII  Office of Procurement and Property Management, 
                Department of Agriculture (Parts 3200--3299)
    XXXIII  Office of Transportation, Department of Agriculture 
                (Parts 3300--3399)
     XXXIV  National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Parts 
                3400--3499)
      XXXV  Rural Housing Service, Department of Agriculture 
                (Parts 3500--3599)
     XXXVI  National Agricultural Statistics Service, Department 
                of Agriculture (Parts 3600--3699)
    XXXVII  Economic Research Service, Department of Agriculture 
                (Parts 3700--3799)
   XXXVIII  World Agricultural Outlook Board, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 3800--3899)
       XLI  [Reserved]

[[Page 556]]

      XLII  Rural Business-Cooperative Service and Rural Utilities 
                Service, Department of Agriculture (Parts 4200--
                4299)
         L  Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and Rural 
                Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture 
                (Parts 5000--5099)

                    Title 8--Aliens and Nationality

         I  Department of Homeland Security (Parts 1--499)
         V  Executive Office for Immigration Review, Department of 
                Justice (Parts 1000--1399)

                 Title 9--Animals and Animal Products

         I  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department 
                of Agriculture (Parts 1--199)
        II  Agricultural Marketing Service (Fair Trade Practices 
                Program), Department of Agriculture (Parts 200--
                299)
       III  Food Safety and Inspection Service, Department of 
                Agriculture (Parts 300--599)

                           Title 10--Energy

         I  Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Parts 0--199)
        II  Department of Energy (Parts 200--699)
       III  Department of Energy (Parts 700--999)
         X  Department of Energy (General Provisions) (Parts 
                1000--1099)
      XIII  Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board (Parts 1300--
                1399)
      XVII  Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Parts 1700--
                1799)
     XVIII  Northeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste 
                Commission (Parts 1800--1899)

                      Title 11--Federal Elections

         I  Federal Election Commission (Parts 1--9099)
        II  Election Assistance Commission (Parts 9400--9499)

                      Title 12--Banks and Banking

         I  Comptroller of the Currency, Department of the 
                Treasury (Parts 1--199)
        II  Federal Reserve System (Parts 200--299)
       III  Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (Parts 300--399)
        IV  Export-Import Bank of the United States (Parts 400--
                499)
         V  [Reserved]
        VI  Farm Credit Administration (Parts 600--699)
       VII  National Credit Union Administration (Parts 700--799)
      VIII  Federal Financing Bank (Parts 800--899)
        IX  (Parts 900--999) [Reserved]

[[Page 557]]

         X  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Parts 1000--
                1099)
        XI  Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council 
                (Parts 1100--1199)
       XII  Federal Housing Finance Agency (Parts 1200--1299)
      XIII  Financial Stability Oversight Council (Parts 1300--
                1399)
       XIV  Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation (Parts 1400--
                1499)
        XV  Department of the Treasury (Parts 1500--1599)
       XVI  Office of Financial Research, Department of the 
                Treasury (Parts 1600--1699)
      XVII  Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, 
                Department of Housing and Urban Development (Parts 
                1700--1799)
     XVIII  Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, 
                Department of the Treasury (Parts 1800--1899)

               Title 13--Business Credit and Assistance

         I  Small Business Administration (Parts 1--199)
       III  Economic Development Administration, Department of 
                Commerce (Parts 300--399)
        IV  Emergency Steel Guarantee Loan Board (Parts 400--499)
         V  Emergency Oil and Gas Guaranteed Loan Board (Parts 
                500--599)

                    Title 14--Aeronautics and Space

         I  Federal Aviation Administration, Department of 
                Transportation (Parts 1--199)
        II  Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation 
                (Aviation Proceedings) (Parts 200--399)
       III  Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation 
                Administration, Department of Transportation 
                (Parts 400--1199)
         V  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Parts 
                1200--1299)
        VI  Air Transportation System Stabilization (Parts 1300--
                1399)

                 Title 15--Commerce and Foreign Trade

            Subtitle A--Office of the Secretary of Commerce (Parts 
                0--29)
            Subtitle B--Regulations Relating to Commerce and 
                Foreign Trade
         I  Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce (Parts 
                30--199)
        II  National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
                Department of Commerce (Parts 200--299)
       III  International Trade Administration, Department of 
                Commerce (Parts 300--399)
        IV  Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Department of Commerce 
                (Parts 400--499)
       VII  Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of 
                Commerce (Parts 700--799)

[[Page 558]]

      VIII  Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce 
                (Parts 800--899)
        IX  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
                Department of Commerce (Parts 900--999)
        XI  National Technical Information Service, Department of 
                Commerce (Parts 1100--1199)
      XIII  East-West Foreign Trade Board (Parts 1300--1399)
       XIV  Minority Business Development Agency (Parts 1400--
                1499)
        XV  Office of the Under-Secretary for Economic Affairs, 
                Department of Commerce (Parts 1500--1599)
            Subtitle C--Regulations Relating to Foreign Trade 
                Agreements
        XX  Office of the United States Trade Representative 
                (Parts 2000--2099)
            Subtitle D--Regulations Relating to Telecommunications 
                and Information
     XXIII  National Telecommunications and Information 
                Administration, Department of Commerce (Parts 
                2300--2399) [Reserved]

                    Title 16--Commercial Practices

         I  Federal Trade Commission (Parts 0--999)
        II  Consumer Product Safety Commission (Parts 1000--1799)

             Title 17--Commodity and Securities Exchanges

         I  Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Parts 1--199)
        II  Securities and Exchange Commission (Parts 200--399)
        IV  Department of the Treasury (Parts 400--499)

          Title 18--Conservation of Power and Water Resources

         I  Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of 
                Energy (Parts 1--399)
       III  Delaware River Basin Commission (Parts 400--499)
        VI  Water Resources Council (Parts 700--799)
      VIII  Susquehanna River Basin Commission (Parts 800--899)
      XIII  Tennessee Valley Authority (Parts 1300--1399)

                       Title 19--Customs Duties

         I  U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of 
                Homeland Security; Department of the Treasury 
                (Parts 0--199)
        II  United States International Trade Commission (Parts 
                200--299)
       III  International Trade Administration, Department of 
                Commerce (Parts 300--399)
        IV  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department 
                of Homeland Security (Parts 400--599) [Reserved]

[[Page 559]]

                     Title 20--Employees' Benefits

         I  Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Department 
                of Labor (Parts 1--199)
        II  Railroad Retirement Board (Parts 200--399)
       III  Social Security Administration (Parts 400--499)
        IV  Employees' Compensation Appeals Board, Department of 
                Labor (Parts 500--599)
         V  Employment and Training Administration, Department of 
                Labor (Parts 600--699)
        VI  Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Department 
                of Labor (Parts 700--799)
       VII  Benefits Review Board, Department of Labor (Parts 
                800--899)
      VIII  Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries (Parts 
                900--999)
        IX  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' 
                Employment and Training Service, Department of 
                Labor (Parts 1000--1099)

                       Title 21--Food and Drugs

         I  Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and 
                Human Services (Parts 1--1299)
        II  Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice 
                (Parts 1300--1399)
       III  Office of National Drug Control Policy (Parts 1400--
                1499)

                      Title 22--Foreign Relations

         I  Department of State (Parts 1--199)
        II  Agency for International Development (Parts 200--299)
       III  Peace Corps (Parts 300--399)
        IV  International Joint Commission, United States and 
                Canada (Parts 400--499)
         V  United States Agency for Global Media (Parts 500--599)
       VII  U.S. International Development Finance Corporation 
                (Parts 700--799)
        IX  Foreign Service Grievance Board (Parts 900--999)
         X  Inter-American Foundation (Parts 1000--1099)
        XI  International Boundary and Water Commission, United 
                States and Mexico, United States Section (Parts 
                1100--1199)
       XII  United States International Development Cooperation 
                Agency (Parts 1200--1299)
      XIII  Millennium Challenge Corporation (Parts 1300--1399)
       XIV  Foreign Service Labor Relations Board; Federal Labor 
                Relations Authority; General Counsel of the 
                Federal Labor Relations Authority; and the Foreign 
                Service Impasse Disputes Panel (Parts 1400--1499)
        XV  African Development Foundation (Parts 1500--1599)
       XVI  Japan-United States Friendship Commission (Parts 
                1600--1699)
      XVII  United States Institute of Peace (Parts 1700--1799)

[[Page 560]]

                          Title 23--Highways

         I  Federal Highway Administration, Department of 
                Transportation (Parts 1--999)
        II  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and 
                Federal Highway Administration, Department of 
                Transportation (Parts 1200--1299)
       III  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
                Department of Transportation (Parts 1300--1399)

                Title 24--Housing and Urban Development

            Subtitle A--Office of the Secretary, Department of 
                Housing and Urban Development (Parts 0--99)
            Subtitle B--Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban 
                Development
         I  Office of Assistant Secretary for Equal Opportunity, 
                Department of Housing and Urban Development (Parts 
                100--199)
        II  Office of Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal 
                Housing Commissioner, Department of Housing and 
                Urban Development (Parts 200--299)
       III  Government National Mortgage Association, Department 
                of Housing and Urban Development (Parts 300--399)
        IV  Office of Housing and Office of Multifamily Housing 
                Assistance Restructuring, Department of Housing 
                and Urban Development (Parts 400--499)
         V  Office of Assistant Secretary for Community Planning 
                and Development, Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development (Parts 500--599)
        VI  Office of Assistant Secretary for Community Planning 
                and Development, Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development (Parts 600--699) [Reserved]
       VII  Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and 
                Urban Development (Housing Assistance Programs and 
                Public and Indian Housing Programs) (Parts 700--
                799)
      VIII  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal 
                Housing Commissioner, Department of Housing and 
                Urban Development (Section 8 Housing Assistance 
                Programs, Section 202 Direct Loan Program, Section 
                202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program and 
                Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons With 
                Disabilities Program) (Parts 800--899)
        IX  Office of Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
                Housing, Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development (Parts 900--1699)
         X  Office of Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal 
                Housing Commissioner, Department of Housing and 
                Urban Development (Interstate Land Sales 
                Registration Program) (Parts 1700--1799) 
                [Reserved]
       XII  Office of Inspector General, Department of Housing and 
                Urban Development (Parts 2000--2099)
        XV  Emergency Mortgage Insurance and Loan Programs, 
                Department of Housing and Urban Development (Parts 
                2700--2799) [Reserved]

[[Page 561]]

        XX  Office of Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal 
                Housing Commissioner, Department of Housing and 
                Urban Development (Parts 3200--3899)
      XXIV  Board of Directors of the HOPE for Homeowners Program 
                (Parts 4000--4099) [Reserved]
       XXV  Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (Parts 4100--
                4199)

                           Title 25--Indians

         I  Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior 
                (Parts 1--299)
        II  Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Department of the 
                Interior (Parts 300--399)
       III  National Indian Gaming Commission, Department of the 
                Interior (Parts 500--599)
        IV  Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation (Parts 
                700--899)
         V  Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, 
                and Indian Health Service, Department of Health 
                and Human Services (Part 900--999)
        VI  Office of the Assistant Secretary, Indian Affairs, 
                Department of the Interior (Parts 1000--1199)
       VII  Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, 
                Department of the Interior (Parts 1200--1299)

                      Title 26--Internal Revenue

         I  Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury 
                (Parts 1--End)

           Title 27--Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms

         I  Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Department 
                of the Treasury (Parts 1--399)
        II  Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 
                Department of Justice (Parts 400--799)

                   Title 28--Judicial Administration

         I  Department of Justice (Parts 0--299)
       III  Federal Prison Industries, Inc., Department of Justice 
                (Parts 300--399)
         V  Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice (Parts 500--
                599)
        VI  Offices of Independent Counsel, Department of Justice 
                (Parts 600--699)
       VII  Office of Independent Counsel (Parts 700--799)
      VIII  Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the 
                District of Columbia (Parts 800--899)
        IX  National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact Council 
                (Parts 900--999)

[[Page 562]]

        XI  Department of Justice and Department of State (Parts 
                1100--1199)

                            Title 29--Labor

            Subtitle A--Office of the Secretary of Labor (Parts 
                0--99)
            Subtitle B--Regulations Relating to Labor
         I  National Labor Relations Board (Parts 100--199)
        II  Office of Labor-Management Standards, Department of 
                Labor (Parts 200--299)
       III  National Railroad Adjustment Board (Parts 300--399)
        IV  Office of Labor-Management Standards, Department of 
                Labor (Parts 400--499)
         V  Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor (Parts 
                500--899)
        IX  Construction Industry Collective Bargaining Commission 
                (Parts 900--999)
         X  National Mediation Board (Parts 1200--1299)
       XII  Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (Parts 
                1400--1499)
       XIV  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Parts 1600--
                1699)
      XVII  Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 
                Department of Labor (Parts 1900--1999)
        XX  Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission 
                (Parts 2200--2499)
       XXV  Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department 
                of Labor (Parts 2500--2599)
     XXVII  Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission 
                (Parts 2700--2799)
        XL  Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (Parts 4000--
                4999)

                      Title 30--Mineral Resources

         I  Mine Safety and Health Administration, Department of 
                Labor (Parts 1--199)
        II  Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, 
                Department of the Interior (Parts 200--299)
        IV  Geological Survey, Department of the Interior (Parts 
                400--499)
         V  Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Department of the 
                Interior (Parts 500--599)
       VII  Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 
                Department of the Interior (Parts 700--999)
       XII  Office of Natural Resources Revenue, Department of the 
                Interior (Parts 1200--1299)

                 Title 31--Money and Finance: Treasury

            Subtitle A--Office of the Secretary of the Treasury 
                (Parts 0--50)
            Subtitle B--Regulations Relating to Money and Finance

[[Page 563]]

         I  Monetary Offices, Department of the Treasury (Parts 
                51--199)
        II  Fiscal Service, Department of the Treasury (Parts 
                200--399)
        IV  Secret Service, Department of the Treasury (Parts 
                400--499)
         V  Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of the 
                Treasury (Parts 500--599)
        VI  Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Department of the 
                Treasury (Parts 600--699)
       VII  Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Department of 
                the Treasury (Parts 700--799)
      VIII  Office of Investment Security, Department of the 
                Treasury (Parts 800--899)
        IX  Federal Claims Collection Standards (Department of the 
                Treasury--Department of Justice) (Parts 900--999)
         X  Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Department of 
                the Treasury (Parts 1000--1099)

                      Title 32--National Defense

            Subtitle A--Department of Defense
         I  Office of the Secretary of Defense (Parts 1--399)
         V  Department of the Army (Parts 400--699)
        VI  Department of the Navy (Parts 700--799)
       VII  Department of the Air Force (Parts 800--1099)
            Subtitle B--Other Regulations Relating to National 
                Defense
       XII  Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency (Parts 
                1200--1299)
       XVI  Selective Service System (Parts 1600--1699)
      XVII  Office of the Director of National Intelligence (Parts 
                1700--1799)
     XVIII  National Counterintelligence Center (Parts 1800--1899)
       XIX  Central Intelligence Agency (Parts 1900--1999)
        XX  Information Security Oversight Office, National 
                Archives and Records Administration (Parts 2000--
                2099)
       XXI  National Security Council (Parts 2100--2199)
      XXIV  Office of Science and Technology Policy (Parts 2400--
                2499)
     XXVII  Office for Micronesian Status Negotiations (Parts 
                2700--2799)
    XXVIII  Office of the Vice President of the United States 
                (Parts 2800--2899)

               Title 33--Navigation and Navigable Waters

         I  Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security (Parts 
                1--199)
        II  Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army, Department 
                of Defense (Parts 200--399)
        IV  Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development 
                Corporation, Department of Transportation (Parts 
                400--499)

[[Page 564]]

                          Title 34--Education

            Subtitle A--Office of the Secretary, Department of 
                Education (Parts 1--99)
            Subtitle B--Regulations of the Offices of the 
                Department of Education
         I  Office for Civil Rights, Department of Education 
                (Parts 100--199)
        II  Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 
                Department of Education (Parts 200--299)
       III  Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative 
                Services, Department of Education (Parts 300--399)
        IV  Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, 
                Department of Education (Parts 400--499)
         V  Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages 
                Affairs, Department of Education (Parts 500--599) 
                [Reserved]
        VI  Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of 
                Education (Parts 600--699)
       VII  Office of Educational Research and Improvement, 
                Department of Education (Parts 700--799) 
                [Reserved]
            Subtitle C--Regulations Relating to Education
        XI  [Reserved]
       XII  National Council on Disability (Parts 1200--1299)

                          Title 35 [Reserved]

             Title 36--Parks, Forests, and Public Property

         I  National Park Service, Department of the Interior 
                (Parts 1--199)
        II  Forest Service, Department of Agriculture (Parts 200--
                299)
       III  Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army (Parts 
                300--399)
        IV  American Battle Monuments Commission (Parts 400--499)
         V  Smithsonian Institution (Parts 500--599)
        VI  [Reserved]
       VII  Library of Congress (Parts 700--799)
      VIII  Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (Parts 800--
                899)
        IX  Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation (Parts 
                900--999)
         X  Presidio Trust (Parts 1000--1099)
        XI  Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance 
                Board (Parts 1100--1199)
       XII  National Archives and Records Administration (Parts 
                1200--1299)
        XV  Oklahoma City National Memorial Trust (Parts 1500--
                1599)
       XVI  Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National 
                Environmental Policy Foundation (Parts 1600--1699)

             Title 37--Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights

         I  United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department 
                of Commerce (Parts 1--199)
        II  U.S. Copyright Office, Library of Congress (Parts 
                200--299)

[[Page 565]]

       III  Copyright Royalty Board, Library of Congress (Parts 
                300--399)
        IV  National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
                Department of Commerce (Parts 400--599)

           Title 38--Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief

         I  Department of Veterans Affairs (Parts 0--199)
        II  Armed Forces Retirement Home (Parts 200--299)

                       Title 39--Postal Service

         I  United States Postal Service (Parts 1--999)
       III  Postal Regulatory Commission (Parts 3000--3099)

                  Title 40--Protection of Environment

         I  Environmental Protection Agency (Parts 1--1099)
        IV  Environmental Protection Agency and Department of 
                Justice (Parts 1400--1499)
         V  Council on Environmental Quality (Parts 1500--1599)
        VI  Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (Parts 
                1600--1699)
       VII  Environmental Protection Agency and Department of 
                Defense; Uniform National Discharge Standards for 
                Vessels of the Armed Forces (Parts 1700--1799)
      VIII  Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Parts 1800--
                1899)
        IX  Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Part 
                1900)

          Title 41--Public Contracts and Property Management

            Subtitle A--Federal Procurement Regulations System 
                [Note]
            Subtitle B--Other Provisions Relating to Public 
                Contracts
        50  Public Contracts, Department of Labor (Parts 50-1--50-
                999)
        51  Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or 
                Severely Disabled (Parts 51-1--51-99)
        60  Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Equal 
                Employment Opportunity, Department of Labor (Parts 
                60-1--60-999)
        61  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' 
                Employment and Training Service, Department of 
                Labor (Parts 61-1--61-999)
   62--100  [Reserved]
            Subtitle C--Federal Property Management Regulations 
                System
       101  Federal Property Management Regulations (Parts 101-1--
                101-99)
       102  Federal Management Regulation (Parts 102-1--102-299)
  103--104  (Parts 103-001--104-099) [Reserved]
       105  General Services Administration (Parts 105-1--105-999)

[[Page 566]]

       109  Department of Energy Property Management Regulations 
                (Parts 109-1--109-99)
       114  Department of the Interior (Parts 114-1--114-99)
       115  Environmental Protection Agency (Parts 115-1--115-99)
       128  Department of Justice (Parts 128-1--128-99)
  129--200  [Reserved]
            Subtitle D--Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security
       201  Federal Acquisition Security Council (Parts 201-1--
                201-99)
            Subtitle E [Reserved]
            Subtitle F--Federal Travel Regulation System
       300  General (Parts 300-1--300-99)
       301  Temporary Duty (TDY) Travel Allowances (Parts 301-1--
                301-99)
       302  Relocation Allowances (Parts 302-1--302-99)
       303  Payment of Expenses Connected with the Death of 
                Certain Employees (Part 303-1--303-99)
       304  Payment of Travel Expenses from a Non-Federal Source 
                (Parts 304-1--304-99)

                        Title 42--Public Health

         I  Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human 
                Services (Parts 1--199)
   II--III  [Reserved]
        IV  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department 
                of Health and Human Services (Parts 400--699)
         V  Office of Inspector General-Health Care, Department of 
                Health and Human Services (Parts 1000--1099)

                   Title 43--Public Lands: Interior

            Subtitle A--Office of the Secretary of the Interior 
                (Parts 1--199)
            Subtitle B--Regulations Relating to Public Lands
         I  Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior 
                (Parts 400--999)
        II  Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior 
                (Parts 1000--9999)
       III  Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation 
                Commission (Parts 10000--10099)

             Title 44--Emergency Management and Assistance

         I  Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of 
                Homeland Security (Parts 0--399)
        IV  Department of Commerce and Department of 
                Transportation (Parts 400--499)

[[Page 567]]

                       Title 45--Public Welfare

            Subtitle A--Department of Health and Human Services 
                (Parts 1--199)
            Subtitle B--Regulations Relating to Public Welfare
        II  Office of Family Assistance (Assistance Programs), 
                Administration for Children and Families, 
                Department of Health and Human Services (Parts 
                200--299)
       III  Office of Child Support Enforcement (Child Support 
                Enforcement Program), Administration for Children 
                and Families, Department of Health and Human 
                Services (Parts 300--399)
        IV  Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for 
                Children and Families, Department of Health and 
                Human Services (Parts 400--499)
         V  Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United 
                States, Department of Justice (Parts 500--599)
        VI  National Science Foundation (Parts 600--699)
       VII  Commission on Civil Rights (Parts 700--799)
      VIII  Office of Personnel Management (Parts 800--899)
        IX  Denali Commission (Parts 900--999)
         X  Office of Community Services, Administration for 
                Children and Families, Department of Health and 
                Human Services (Parts 1000--1099)
        XI  National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities 
                (Parts 1100--1199)
       XII  Corporation for National and Community Service (Parts 
                1200--1299)
      XIII  Administration for Children and Families, Department 
                of Health and Human Services (Parts 1300--1399)
       XVI  Legal Services Corporation (Parts 1600--1699)
      XVII  National Commission on Libraries and Information 
                Science (Parts 1700--1799)
     XVIII  Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation (Parts 1800--
                1899)
       XXI  Commission of Fine Arts (Parts 2100--2199)
     XXIII  Arctic Research Commission (Parts 2300--2399)
      XXIV  James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation (Parts 
                2400--2499)
       XXV  Corporation for National and Community Service (Parts 
                2500--2599)

                          Title 46--Shipping

         I  Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security (Parts 
                1--199)
        II  Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation 
                (Parts 200--399)
       III  Coast Guard (Great Lakes Pilotage), Department of 
                Homeland Security (Parts 400--499)
        IV  Federal Maritime Commission (Parts 500--599)

[[Page 568]]

                      Title 47--Telecommunication

         I  Federal Communications Commission (Parts 0--199)
        II  Office of Science and Technology Policy and National 
                Security Council (Parts 200--299)
       III  National Telecommunications and Information 
                Administration, Department of Commerce (Parts 
                300--399)
        IV  National Telecommunications and Information 
                Administration, Department of Commerce, and 
                National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
                Department of Transportation (Parts 400--499)
         V  The First Responder Network Authority (Parts 500--599)

           Title 48--Federal Acquisition Regulations System

         1  Federal Acquisition Regulation (Parts 1--99)
         2  Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Department of 
                Defense (Parts 200--299)
         3  Department of Health and Human Services (Parts 300--
                399)
         4  Department of Agriculture (Parts 400--499)
         5  General Services Administration (Parts 500--599)
         6  Department of State (Parts 600--699)
         7  Agency for International Development (Parts 700--799)
         8  Department of Veterans Affairs (Parts 800--899)
         9  Department of Energy (Parts 900--999)
        10  Department of the Treasury (Parts 1000--1099)
        12  Department of Transportation (Parts 1200--1299)
        13  Department of Commerce (Parts 1300--1399)
        14  Department of the Interior (Parts 1400--1499)
        15  Environmental Protection Agency (Parts 1500--1599)
        16  Office of Personnel Management, Federal Employees 
                Health Benefits Acquisition Regulation (Parts 
                1600--1699)
        17  Office of Personnel Management (Parts 1700--1799)
        18  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Parts 
                1800--1899)
        19  Broadcasting Board of Governors (Parts 1900--1999)
        20  Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Parts 2000--2099)
        21  Office of Personnel Management, Federal Employees 
                Group Life Insurance Federal Acquisition 
                Regulation (Parts 2100--2199)
        23  Social Security Administration (Parts 2300--2399)
        24  Department of Housing and Urban Development (Parts 
                2400--2499)
        25  National Science Foundation (Parts 2500--2599)
        28  Department of Justice (Parts 2800--2899)
        29  Department of Labor (Parts 2900--2999)
        30  Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security 
                Acquisition Regulation (HSAR) (Parts 3000--3099)
        34  Department of Education Acquisition Regulation (Parts 
                3400--3499)

[[Page 569]]

        51  Department of the Army Acquisition Regulations (Parts 
                5100--5199) [Reserved]
        52  Department of the Navy Acquisition Regulations (Parts 
                5200--5299)
        53  Department of the Air Force Federal Acquisition 
                Regulation Supplement (Parts 5300--5399) 
                [Reserved]
        54  Defense Logistics Agency, Department of Defense (Parts 
                5400--5499)
        57  African Development Foundation (Parts 5700--5799)
        61  Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, General Services 
                Administration (Parts 6100--6199)
        99  Cost Accounting Standards Board, Office of Federal 
                Procurement Policy, Office of Management and 
                Budget (Parts 9900--9999)

                       Title 49--Transportation

            Subtitle A--Office of the Secretary of Transportation 
                (Parts 1--99)
            Subtitle B--Other Regulations Relating to 
                Transportation
         I  Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 
                Administration, Department of Transportation 
                (Parts 100--199)
        II  Federal Railroad Administration, Department of 
                Transportation (Parts 200--299)
       III  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 
                Department of Transportation (Parts 300--399)
        IV  Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security (Parts 
                400--499)
         V  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
                Department of Transportation (Parts 500--599)
        VI  Federal Transit Administration, Department of 
                Transportation (Parts 600--699)
       VII  National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK) 
                (Parts 700--799)
      VIII  National Transportation Safety Board (Parts 800--999)
         X  Surface Transportation Board (Parts 1000--1399)
        XI  Research and Innovative Technology Administration, 
                Department of Transportation (Parts 1400--1499) 
                [Reserved]
       XII  Transportation Security Administration, Department of 
                Homeland Security (Parts 1500--1699)

                   Title 50--Wildlife and Fisheries

         I  United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of 
                the Interior (Parts 1--199)
        II  National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic 
                and Atmospheric Administration, Department of 
                Commerce (Parts 200--299)
       III  International Fishing and Related Activities (Parts 
                300--399)

[[Page 570]]

        IV  Joint Regulations (United States Fish and Wildlife 
                Service, Department of the Interior and National 
                Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration, Department of 
                Commerce); Endangered Species Committee 
                Regulations (Parts 400--499)
         V  Marine Mammal Commission (Parts 500--599)
        VI  Fishery Conservation and Management, National Oceanic 
                and Atmospheric Administration, Department of 
                Commerce (Parts 600--699)

[[Page 571]]





           Alphabetical List of Agencies Appearing in the CFR




                     (Revised as of October 1, 2023)

                                                  CFR Title, Subtitle or 
                     Agency                               Chapter

Administrative Conference of the United States    1, III
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation         36, VIII
Advocacy and Outreach, Office of                  7, XXV
Afghanistan Reconstruction, Special Inspector     5, LXXXIII
     General for
African Development Foundation                    22, XV
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 57
Agency for International Development              2, VII; 22, II
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 7
Agricultural Marketing Service                    7, I, VIII, IX, X, XI; 9, 
                                                  II
Agricultural Research Service                     7, V
Agriculture, Department of                        2, IV; 5, LXXIII
  Advocacy and Outreach, Office of                7, XXV
  Agricultural Marketing Service                  7, I, VIII, IX, X, XI; 9, 
                                                  II
  Agricultural Research Service                   7, V
  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service      7, III; 9, I
  Chief Financial Officer, Office of              7, XXX
  Commodity Credit Corporation                    7, XIV
  Economic Research Service                       7, XXXVII
  Energy Policy and New Uses, Office of           2, IX; 7, XXIX
  Environmental Quality, Office of                7, XXXI
  Farm Service Agency                             7, VII, XVIII
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 4
  Federal Crop Insurance Corporation              7, IV
  Food and Nutrition Service                      7, II
  Food Safety and Inspection Service              9, III
  Foreign Agricultural Service                    7, XV
  Forest Service                                  36, II
  Information Resources Management, Office of     7, XXVII
  Inspector General, Office of                    7, XXVI
  National Agricultural Library                   7, XLI
  National Agricultural Statistics Service        7, XXXVI
  National Institute of Food and Agriculture      7, XXXIV
  Natural Resources Conservation Service          7, VI
  Operations, Office of                           7, XXVIII
  Procurement and Property Management, Office of  7, XXXII
  Rural Business-Cooperative Service              7, XVIII, XLII
  Rural Development Administration                7, XLII
  Rural Housing Service                           7, XVIII, XXXV
  Rural Utilities Service                         7, XVII, XVIII, XLII
  Secretary of Agriculture, Office of             7, Subtitle A
  Transportation, Office of                       7, XXXIII
  World Agricultural Outlook Board                7, XXXVIII
Air Force, Department of                          32, VII
  Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement       48, 53
Air Transportation Stabilization Board            14, VI
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau          27, I
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives,       27, II
     Bureau of
AMTRAK                                            49, VII
American Battle Monuments Commission              36, IV
American Indians, Office of the Special Trustee   25, VII
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service        7, III; 9, I
Appalachian Regional Commission                   5, IX
Architectural and Transportation Barriers         36, XI
   Compliance Board
[[Page 572]]

Arctic Research Commission                        45, XXIII
Armed Forces Retirement Home                      5, XI; 38, II
Army, Department of                               32, V
  Engineers, Corps of                             33, II; 36, III
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 51
Benefits Review Board                             20, VII
Bilingual Education and Minority Languages        34, V
     Affairs, Office of
Blind or Severely Disabled, Committee for         41, 51
     Purchase from People Who Are
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 19
Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Office    34, IV
     of
Census Bureau                                     15, I
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services          42, IV
Central Intelligence Agency                       32, XIX
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board    40, VI
Chief Financial Officer, Office of                7, XXX
Child Support Enforcement, Office of              45, III
Children and Families, Administration for         45, II, III, IV, X, XIII
Civil Rights, Commission on                       5, LXVIII; 45, VII
Civil Rights, Office for                          34, I
Coast Guard                                       33, I; 46, I; 49, IV
Coast Guard (Great Lakes Pilotage)                46, III
Commerce, Department of                           2, XIII; 44, IV; 50, VI
  Census Bureau                                   15, I
  Economic Affairs, Office of the Under-          15, XV
       Secretary for
  Economic Analysis, Bureau of                    15, VIII
  Economic Development Administration             13, III
  Emergency Management and Assistance             44, IV
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 13
  Foreign-Trade Zones Board                       15, IV
  Industry and Security, Bureau of                15, VII
  International Trade Administration              15, III; 19, III
  National Institute of Standards and Technology  15, II; 37, IV
  National Marine Fisheries Service               50, II, IV
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric                15, IX; 50, II, III, IV, 
       Administration                             VI
  National Technical Information Service          15, XI
  National Telecommunications and Information     15, XXIII; 47, III, IV
       Administration
  National Weather Service                        15, IX
  Patent and Trademark Office, United States      37, I
  Secretary of Commerce, Office of                15, Subtitle A
Commercial Space Transportation                   14, III
Commodity Credit Corporation                      7, XIV
Commodity Futures Trading Commission              5, XLI; 17, I
Community Planning and Development, Office of     24, V, VI
     Assistant Secretary for
Community Services, Office of                     45, X
Comptroller of the Currency                       12, I
Construction Industry Collective Bargaining       29, IX
     Commission
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau              5, LXXXIV; 12, X
Consumer Product Safety Commission                5, LXXI; 16, II
Copyright Royalty Board                           37, III
Corporation for National and Community Service    2, XXII; 45, XII, XXV
Cost Accounting Standards Board                   48, 99
Council on Environmental Quality                  40, V
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity    5, XCVIII
     and Efficiency
Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency    5, LXX; 28, VIII
     for the District of Columbia
Customs and Border Protection                     19, I
Defense, Department of                            2, XI; 5, XXVI; 32, 
                                                  Subtitle A; 40, VII
  Advanced Research Projects Agency               32, I
  Air Force Department                            32, VII
  Army Department                                 32, V; 33, II; 36, III; 
                                                  48, 51
  Defense Acquisition Regulations System          48, 2
  Defense Intelligence Agency                     32, I

[[Page 573]]

  Defense Logistics Agency                        32, I, XII; 48, 54
  Engineers, Corps of                             33, II; 36, III
  National Imagery and Mapping Agency             32, I
  Navy, Department of                             32, VI; 48, 52
  Secretary of Defense, Office of                 2, XI; 32, I
Defense Contract Audit Agency                     32, I
Defense Intelligence Agency                       32, I
Defense Logistics Agency                          32, XII; 48, 54
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board           10, XVII
Delaware River Basin Commission                   18, III
Denali Commission                                 45, IX
Disability, National Council on                   5, C; 34, XII
District of Columbia, Court Services and          5, LXX; 28, VIII
     Offender Supervision Agency for the
Drug Enforcement Administration                   21, II
East-West Foreign Trade Board                     15, XIII
Economic Affairs, Office of the Under-Secretary   15, XV
     for
Economic Analysis, Bureau of                      15, VIII
Economic Development Administration               13, III
Economic Research Service                         7, XXXVII
Education, Department of                          2, XXXIV; 5, LIII
  Bilingual Education and Minority Languages      34, V
       Affairs, Office of
  Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Office  34, IV
       of
  Civil Rights, Office for                        34, I
  Educational Research and Improvement, Office    34, VII
       of
  Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of   34, II
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 34
  Postsecondary Education, Office of              34, VI
  Secretary of Education, Office of               34, Subtitle A
  Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,  34, III
       Office of
Educational Research and Improvement, Office of   34, VII
Election Assistance Commission                    2, LVIII; 11, II
Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of     34, II
Emergency Oil and Gas Guaranteed Loan Board       13, V
Emergency Steel Guarantee Loan Board              13, IV
Employee Benefits Security Administration         29, XXV
Employees' Compensation Appeals Board             20, IV
Employees Loyalty Board                           5, V
Employment and Training Administration            20, V
Employment Policy, National Commission for        1, IV
Employment Standards Administration               20, VI
Endangered Species Committee                      50, IV
Energy, Department of                             2, IX; 5, XXIII; 10, II, 
                                                  III, X
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 9
  Federal Energy Regulatory Commission            5, XXIV; 18, I
  Property Management Regulations                 41, 109
Energy, Office of                                 7, XXIX
Engineers, Corps of                               33, II; 36, III
Engraving and Printing, Bureau of                 31, VI
Environmental Protection Agency                   2, XV; 5, LIV; 40, I, IV, 
                                                  VII
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 15
  Property Management Regulations                 41, 115
Environmental Quality, Office of                  7, XXXI
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission           5, LXII; 29, XIV
Equal Opportunity, Office of Assistant Secretary  24, I
     for
Executive Office of the President                 3, I
  Environmental Quality, Council on               40, V
  Management and Budget, Office of                2, Subtitle A; 5, III, 
                                                  LXXVII; 14, VI; 48, 99
  National Drug Control Policy, Office of         2, XXXVI; 21, III
  National Security Council                       32, XXI; 47, II
  Presidential Documents                          3
  Science and Technology Policy, Office of        32, XXIV; 47, II
  Trade Representative, Office of the United      15, XX
     States
[[Page 574]]

Export-Import Bank of the United States           2, XXXV; 5, LII; 12, IV
Family Assistance, Office of                      45, II
Farm Credit Administration                        5, XXXI; 12, VI
Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation          5, XXX; 12, XIV
Farm Service Agency                               7, VII, XVIII
Federal Acquisition Regulation                    48, 1
Federal Acquisition Security Council              41, 201
Federal Aviation Administration                   14, I
  Commercial Space Transportation                 14, III
Federal Claims Collection Standards               31, IX
Federal Communications Commission                 2, LX; 5, XXIX; 47, I
Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Office of   41, 60
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation                7, IV
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation             5, XXII; 12, III
Federal Election Commission                       5, XXXVII; 11, I
Federal Emergency Management Agency               44, I
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Federal    48, 21
     Acquisition Regulation
Federal Employees Health Benefits Acquisition     48, 16
     Regulation
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission              5, XXIV; 18, I
Federal Financial Institutions Examination        12, XI
     Council
Federal Financing Bank                            12, VIII
Federal Highway Administration                    23, I, II
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation            1, IV
Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight Office       12, XVII
Federal Housing Finance Agency                    5, LXXX; 12, XII
Federal Labor Relations Authority                 5, XIV, XLIX; 22, XIV
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center           31, VII
Federal Management Regulation                     41, 102
Federal Maritime Commission                       46, IV
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service        29, XII
Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission  5, LXXIV; 29, XXVII
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration       49, III
Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council   40, IX
Federal Prison Industries, Inc.                   28, III
Federal Procurement Policy Office                 48, 99
Federal Property Management Regulations           41, 101
Federal Railroad Administration                   49, II
Federal Register, Administrative Committee of     1, I
Federal Register, Office of                       1, II
Federal Reserve System                            12, II
  Board of Governors                              5, LVIII
Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board        5, VI, LXXVI
Federal Service Impasses Panel                    5, XIV
Federal Trade Commission                          5, XLVII; 16, I
Federal Transit Administration                    49, VI
Federal Travel Regulation System                  41, Subtitle F
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network              31, X
Financial Research Office                         12, XVI
Financial Stability Oversight Council             12, XIII
Fine Arts, Commission of                          45, XXI
Fiscal Service                                    31, II
Fish and Wildlife Service, United States          50, I, IV
Food and Drug Administration                      21, I
Food and Nutrition Service                        7, II
Food Safety and Inspection Service                9, III
Foreign Agricultural Service                      7, XV
Foreign Assets Control, Office of                 31, V
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the       45, V
     United States
Foreign Service Grievance Board                   22, IX
Foreign Service Impasse Disputes Panel            22, XIV
Foreign Service Labor Relations Board             22, XIV
Foreign-Trade Zones Board                         15, IV
Forest Service                                    36, II
General Services Administration                   5, LVII; 41, 105
  Contract Appeals, Board of                      48, 61
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 5

[[Page 575]]

  Federal Management Regulation                   41, 102
  Federal Property Management Regulations         41, 101
  Federal Travel Regulation System                41, Subtitle F
  General                                         41, 300
  Payment From a Non-Federal Source for Travel    41, 304
       Expenses
  Payment of Expenses Connected With the Death    41, 303
       of Certain Employees
  Relocation Allowances                           41, 302
  Temporary Duty (TDY) Travel Allowances          41, 301
Geological Survey                                 30, IV
Government Accountability Office                  4, I
Government Ethics, Office of                      5, XVI
Government National Mortgage Association          24, III
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards          7, VIII; 9, II
     Administration
Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development       33, IV
     Corporation
Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council          2, LIX; 40, VIII
Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation            45, XVIII
Health and Human Services, Department of          2, III; 5, XLV; 45, 
                                                  Subtitle A
  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services        42, IV
  Child Support Enforcement, Office of            45, III
  Children and Families, Administration for       45, II, III, IV, X, XIII
  Community Services, Office of                   45, X
  Family Assistance, Office of                    45, II
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 3
  Food and Drug Administration                    21, I
  Indian Health Service                           25, V
  Inspector General (Health Care), Office of      42, V
  Public Health Service                           42, I
  Refugee Resettlement, Office of                 45, IV
Homeland Security, Department of                  2, XXX; 5, XXXVI; 6, I; 8, 
                                                  I
  Coast Guard                                     33, I; 46, I; 49, IV
  Coast Guard (Great Lakes Pilotage)              46, III
  Customs and Border Protection                   19, I
  Federal Emergency Management Agency             44, I
  Human Resources Management and Labor Relations  5, XCVII
       Systems
  Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau      19, IV
  Transportation Security Administration          49, XII
HOPE for Homeowners Program, Board of Directors   24, XXIV
     of
Housing and Urban Development, Department of      2, XXIV; 5, LXV; 24, 
                                                  Subtitle B
  Community Planning and Development, Office of   24, V, VI
       Assistant Secretary for
  Equal Opportunity, Office of Assistant          24, I
       Secretary for
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 24
  Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, Office    12, XVII
       of
  Government National Mortgage Association        24, III
  Housing--Federal Housing Commissioner, Office   24, II, VIII, X, XX
       of Assistant Secretary for
  Housing, Office of, and Multifamily Housing     24, IV
       Assistance Restructuring, Office of
  Inspector General, Office of                    24, XII
  Public and Indian Housing, Office of Assistant  24, IX
       Secretary for
  Secretary, Office of                            24, Subtitle A, VII
Housing--Federal Housing Commissioner, Office of  24, II, VIII, X, XX
     Assistant Secretary for
Housing, Office of, and Multifamily Housing       24, IV
     Assistance Restructuring, Office of
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau        19, IV
Immigration Review, Executive Office for          8, V
Independent Counsel, Office of                    28, VII
Independent Counsel, Offices of                   28, VI
Indian Affairs, Bureau of                         25, I, V
Indian Affairs, Office of the Assistant           25, VI
     Secretary
Indian Arts and Crafts Board                      25, II

[[Page 576]]

Indian Health Service                             25, V
Industry and Security, Bureau of                  15, VII
Information Resources Management, Office of       7, XXVII
Information Security Oversight Office, National   32, XX
     Archives and Records Administration
Inspector General
  Agriculture Department                          7, XXVI
  Health and Human Services Department            42, V
  Housing and Urban Development Department        24, XII, XV
Institute of Peace, United States                 22, XVII
Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator,    5, CIV
     Office of
Inter-American Foundation                         5, LXIII; 22, X
Interior, Department of                           2, XIV
  American Indians, Office of the Special         25, VII
       Trustee
  Endangered Species Committee                    50, IV
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 14
  Federal Property Management Regulations System  41, 114
  Fish and Wildlife Service, United States        50, I, IV
  Geological Survey                               30, IV
  Indian Affairs, Bureau of                       25, I, V
  Indian Affairs, Office of the Assistant         25, VI
       Secretary
  Indian Arts and Crafts Board                    25, II
  Land Management, Bureau of                      43, II
  National Indian Gaming Commission               25, III
  National Park Service                           36, I
  Natural Resource Revenue, Office of             30, XII
  Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of              30, V
  Reclamation, Bureau of                          43, I
  Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Bureau    30, II
       of
  Secretary of the Interior, Office of            2, XIV; 43, Subtitle A
  Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement,     30, VII
       Office of
Internal Revenue Service                          26, I
International Boundary and Water Commission,      22, XI
     United States and Mexico, United States 
     Section
International Development, United States Agency   22, II
     for
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 7
International Development Cooperation Agency,     22, XII
     United States
International Development Finance Corporation,    5, XXXIII; 22, VII
     U.S.
International Joint Commission, United States     22, IV
     and Canada
International Organizations Employees Loyalty     5, V
     Board
International Trade Administration                15, III; 19, III
International Trade Commission, United States     19, II
Interstate Commerce Commission                    5, XL
Investment Security, Office of                    31, VIII
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation      45, XXIV
Japan-United States Friendship Commission         22, XVI
Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries       20, VIII
Justice, Department of                            2, XXVIII; 5, XXVIII; 28, 
                                                  I, XI; 40, IV
  Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives,     27, II
       Bureau of
  Drug Enforcement Administration                 21, II
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 28
  Federal Claims Collection Standards             31, IX
  Federal Prison Industries, Inc.                 28, III
  Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the     45, V
       United States
  Immigration Review, Executive Office for        8, V
  Independent Counsel, Offices of                 28, VI
  Prisons, Bureau of                              28, V
  Property Management Regulations                 41, 128
Labor, Department of                              2, XXIX; 5, XLII
  Benefits Review Board                           20, VII
  Employee Benefits Security Administration       29, XXV
  Employees' Compensation Appeals Board           20, IV
  Employment and Training Administration          20, V
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 29

[[Page 577]]

  Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Office    41, 60
       of
  Federal Procurement Regulations System          41, 50
  Labor-Management Standards, Office of           29, II, IV
  Mine Safety and Health Administration           30, I
  Occupational Safety and Health Administration   29, XVII
  Public Contracts                                41, 50
  Secretary of Labor, Office of                   29, Subtitle A
  Veterans' Employment and Training Service,      41, 61; 20, IX
       Office of the Assistant Secretary for
  Wage and Hour Division                          29, V
  Workers' Compensation Programs, Office of       20, I, VI
Labor-Management Standards, Office of             29, II, IV
Land Management, Bureau of                        43, II
Legal Services Corporation                        45, XVI
Libraries and Information Science, National       45, XVII
     Commission on
Library of Congress                               36, VII
  Copyright Royalty Board                         37, III
  U.S. Copyright Office                           37, II
Management and Budget, Office of                  5, III, LXXVII; 14, VI; 
                                                  48, 99
Marine Mammal Commission                          50, V
Maritime Administration                           46, II
Merit Systems Protection Board                    5, II, LXIV
Micronesian Status Negotiations, Office for       32, XXVII
Military Compensation and Retirement              5, XCIX
     Modernization Commission
Millennium Challenge Corporation                  22, XIII
Mine Safety and Health Administration             30, I
Minority Business Development Agency              15, XIV
Miscellaneous Agencies                            1, IV
Monetary Offices                                  31, I
Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in     36, XVI
     National Environmental Policy Foundation
Museum and Library Services, Institute of         2, XXXI
National Aeronautics and Space Administration     2, XVIII; 5, LIX; 14, V
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 18
National Agricultural Library                     7, XLI
National Agricultural Statistics Service          7, XXXVI
National and Community Service, Corporation for   2, XXII; 45, XII, XXV
National Archives and Records Administration      2, XXVI; 5, LXVI; 36, XII
  Information Security Oversight Office           32, XX
National Capital Planning Commission              1, IV, VI
National Counterintelligence Center               32, XVIII
National Credit Union Administration              5, LXXXVI; 12, VII
National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact     28, IX
     Council
National Drug Control Policy, Office of           2, XXXVI; 21, III
National Endowment for the Arts                   2, XXXII
National Endowment for the Humanities             2, XXXIII
National Foundation on the Arts and the           45, XI
     Humanities
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency           32, I
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration    23, II, III; 47, VI; 49, V
National Imagery and Mapping Agency               32, I
National Indian Gaming Commission                 25, III
National Institute of Food and Agriculture        7, XXXIV
National Institute of Standards and Technology    15, II; 37, IV
National Intelligence, Office of Director of      5, IV; 32, XVII
National Labor Relations Board                    5, LXI; 29, I
National Marine Fisheries Service                 50, II, IV
National Mediation Board                          5, CI; 29, X
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration   15, IX; 50, II, III, IV, 
                                                  VI
National Park Service                             36, I
National Railroad Adjustment Board                29, III
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK)  49, VII
National Science Foundation                       2, XXV; 5, XLIII; 45, VI
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 25
National Security Council                         32, XXI; 47, II

[[Page 578]]

National Technical Information Service            15, XI
National Telecommunications and Information       15, XXIII; 47, III, IV, V
     Administration
National Transportation Safety Board              49, VIII
Natural Resource Revenue, Office of               30, XII
Natural Resources Conservation Service            7, VI
Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation, Office of      25, IV
Navy, Department of                               32, VI
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 52
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation             24, XXV
Northeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste  10, XVIII
     Commission
Nuclear Regulatory Commission                     2, XX; 5, XLVIII; 10, I
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 20
Occupational Safety and Health Administration     29, XVII
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission  29, XX
Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of                30, V
Oklahoma City National Memorial Trust             36, XV
Operations Office                                 7, XXVIII
Patent and Trademark Office, United States        37, I
Payment From a Non-Federal Source for Travel      41, 304
     Expenses
Payment of Expenses Connected With the Death of   41, 303
     Certain Employees
Peace Corps                                       2, XXXVII; 22, III
Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation       36, IX
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation              29, XL
Personnel Management, Office of                   5, I, IV, XXXV; 45, VIII
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 17
  Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Federal  48, 21
       Acquisition Regulation
  Federal Employees Health Benefits Acquisition   48, 16
       Regulation
  Human Resources Management and Labor Relations  5, XCVII
       Systems, Department of Homeland Security
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety           49, I
     Administration
Postal Regulatory Commission                      5, XLVI; 39, III
Postal Service, United States                     5, LX; 39, I
Postsecondary Education, Office of                34, VI
President's Commission on White House             1, IV
     Fellowships
Presidential Documents                            3
Presidio Trust                                    36, X
Prisons, Bureau of                                28, V
Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board       6, X
Procurement and Property Management, Office of    7, XXXII
Public and Indian Housing, Office of Assistant    24, IX
     Secretary for
Public Contracts, Department of Labor             41, 50
Public Health Service                             42, I
Railroad Retirement Board                         20, II
Reclamation, Bureau of                            43, I
Refugee Resettlement, Office of                   45, IV
Relocation Allowances                             41, 302
Research and Innovative Technology                49, XI
     Administration
Rural Business-Cooperative Service                7, XVIII, XLII, L
Rural Development Administration                  7, XLII
Rural Housing Service                             7, XVIII, XXXV, L
Rural Utilities Service                           7, XVII, XVIII, XLII, L
Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Bureau of   30, II
Science and Technology Policy, Office of          32, XXIV; 47, II
Secret Service                                    31, IV
Securities and Exchange Commission                5, XXXIV; 17, II
Selective Service System                          32, XVI
Small Business Administration                     2, XXVII; 13, I
Smithsonian Institution                           36, V
Social Security Administration                    2, XXIII; 20, III; 48, 23
Soldiers' and Airmen's Home, United States        5, XI
Special Counsel, Office of                        5, VIII
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,    34, III
     Office of
State, Department of                              2, VI; 22, I; 28, XI

[[Page 579]]

  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 6
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement,       30, VII
     Office of
Surface Transportation Board                      49, X
Susquehanna River Basin Commission                18, VIII
Tennessee Valley Authority                        5, LXIX; 18, XIII
Trade Representative, United States, Office of    15, XX
Transportation, Department of                     2, XII; 5, L
  Commercial Space Transportation                 14, III
  Emergency Management and Assistance             44, IV
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 12
  Federal Aviation Administration                 14, I
  Federal Highway Administration                  23, I, II
  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration     49, III
  Federal Railroad Administration                 49, II
  Federal Transit Administration                  49, VI
  Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development     33, IV
       Corporation
  Maritime Administration                         46, II
  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration  23, II, III; 47, IV; 49, V
  Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety         49, I
       Administration
  Secretary of Transportation, Office of          14, II; 49, Subtitle A
  Transportation Statistics Bureau                49, XI
Transportation, Office of                         7, XXXIII
Transportation Security Administration            49, XII
Transportation Statistics Bureau                  49, XI
Travel Allowances, Temporary Duty (TDY)           41, 301
Treasury, Department of the                       2, X; 5, XXI; 12, XV; 17, 
                                                  IV; 31, IX
  Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau        27, I
  Community Development Financial Institutions    12, XVIII
       Fund
  Comptroller of the Currency                     12, I
  Customs and Border Protection                   19, I
  Engraving and Printing, Bureau of               31, VI
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 10
  Federal Claims Collection Standards             31, IX
  Federal Law Enforcement Training Center         31, VII
  Financial Crimes Enforcement Network            31, X
  Fiscal Service                                  31, II
  Foreign Assets Control, Office of               31, V
  Internal Revenue Service                        26, I
  Investment Security, Office of                  31, VIII
  Monetary Offices                                31, I
  Secret Service                                  31, IV
  Secretary of the Treasury, Office of            31, Subtitle A
Truman, Harry S. Scholarship Foundation           45, XVIII
United States Agency for Global Media             22, V
United States and Canada, International Joint     22, IV
     Commission
United States and Mexico, International Boundary  22, XI
     and Water Commission, United States Section
U.S. Copyright Office                             37, II
U.S. Office of Special Counsel                    5, CII
Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation      43, III
     Commission
Veterans Affairs, Department of                   2, VIII; 38, I
  Federal Acquisition Regulation                  48, 8
Veterans' Employment and Training Service,        41, 61; 20, IX
     Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Vice President of the United States, Office of    32, XXVIII
Wage and Hour Division                            29, V
Water Resources Council                           18, VI
Workers' Compensation Programs, Office of         20, I, VII
World Agricultural Outlook Board                  7, XXXVIII

[[Page 581]]



List of CFR Sections Affected



All changes in this volume of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) that 
were made by documents published in the Federal Register since January 
1, 2018 are enumerated in the following list. Entries indicate the 
nature of the changes effected. Page numbers refer to Federal Register 
pages. The user should consult the entries for chapters, parts and 
subparts as well as sections for revisions.
For changes to this volume of the CFR prior to this listing, consult the 
annual edition of the monthly List of CFR Sections Affected (LSA). The 
LSA is available at www.govinfo.gov. For changes to this volume of the 
CFR prior to 2001, see the ``List of CFR Sections Affected, 1949-1963, 
1964-1972, 1973-1985, and 1986-2000'' published in 11 separate volumes. 
The ``List of CFR Sections Affected 1986-2000'' is available at 
www.govinfo.gov.




                                  2018

45 CFR
                                                                   83 FR
                                                                    Page
Subtitle B
Chapter VI
690 Regulation at 82 FR 7273 eff. date delayed to 7-19-18...........2885
690.101 (l)(3) and (4) revised; interim.............................2894
    (l)(1) heading and (5) added; (l)(2), (3), and (4) revised.....28519
Chapter XI
1149.9 (a)(1) revised...............................................2073
1158.400 (a), (b), and (e) revised..................................2073
1158 Appendix A amended.............................................2073
........................................................................
........................................................................

                                  2019

45 CFR
                                                                   84 FR
                                                                    Page
Chapter VI
670.29 Revised.....................................................16792
Chapter XI
1115 Removed.......................................................66320
1148 Added..........................................................6345
1148.10 Second (a)(1)(ii) redesignated as (a)(1)(iii)...............8003
1149.9 (a)(1) revised...............................................1404
1158.400 (a), (b), and (e) amended..................................1404
1158 Appendix A amended.............................................1404
1169 Added.........................................................34789
1169.8 Correction: second (b) through (g) redesignated as (c) 
        through (h)................................................59314
1181.170 (c) amended...............................................22945
1182.3 Revised.....................................................22945
1182.5 Amended.....................................................22945
1182.13 (a) introductory text and (2) amended......................22945
1182.15 (a)(3) amended.............................................22945
1182.16 Heading revised............................................22945
1184.1 Revised.....................................................22945
1184.2 (a), (b), (c) introductory text, (8), (10), and (12) 
        revised; (c)(11) amended...................................22945
1184.3 (a) and (b) revised.........................................22946
1184.4 (c) added...................................................22946
1184.5 (c), (d), and (e) redesignated as (d), (e), and (f); new 
        (c) added; new (f) amended.................................22946
1184.6 (a) revised; (b) amended....................................22946
1184.7 (f)(3)(ii) and (g) revised..................................22946
1184.8 (b) amended.................................................22947
1184.9 (b)(2) amended..............................................22947
........................................................................
........................................................................

[[Page 582]]

                                  2020

45 CFR
                                                                   85 FR
                                                                    Page
Chapter X
1050.3 (h) amended.................................................82148
Chapter XI
1149.9 (a)(1) revised...............................................1760
1157 Added; interim................................................53187
1158.400 (a), (b), and (e) amended..................................1760
1158 Appendix A amended.............................................1760
1168 Authority citation revised....................................22028
1168.400 (a), (b), and (e) amended; (g) added; interim.............22028
1168.400 Regulation at 85 FR 22028 confirmed.......................35567
1168 Appendix A amended; interim...................................22028
1168 Regulation at 85 FR 22028 confirmed...........................35567
1173 Added.........................................................56526
........................................................................
........................................................................

                                  2021

45 CFR
                                                                   86 FR
                                                                    Page
Chapter VI
670 Technical correction....................................54111, 54396
670.2 (a) and (d) revised..........................................27986
670.3 Revised......................................................27986
670.4 (a), (d), and (e) revised....................................27987
670.6 Revised......................................................27987
670.8 Revised......................................................27987
670.11 (a)(2) and (5) revised......................................27987
670.17 Revised.....................................................27987
670.21 Amended.....................................................27988
670.22 Added.......................................................27988
670.23 Introductory text and (c) revised...........................27988
670.25 Heading revised.............................................27988
670.29 (c) amended.................................................27990
670.31 Revised.....................................................27988
670.32 Revised.....................................................27988
670.33 Introductory text revised...................................27988
670.34 (a) introductory text revised...............................27988
670.36 Revised.....................................................27988
670.37 Revised.....................................................27988
670.38 Revised.....................................................27988
670.39 Added.......................................................27988
Chapter X
1010 Added..........................................................5762
1010 Regulation at 86 FR 5762 eff. date delayed to 3-22-22.........15404
Chapter XI
1149.9 (a)(1) revised..............................................10031
1157 Removed.......................................................58809
1158.400 (a), (b), and (e) amended.................................10031
1158 Appendix A amended............................................10031
1173 Removed.......................................................26184
1174 Added.........................................................44628
1177 Revised.......................................................66965
1177.9 Correction: Second (e) redesignated as (f)..................69586
1177.24 Correction: (a) and (b) amended............................69586
........................................................................
........................................................................

                                  2022

45 CFR
                                                                   87 FR
                                                                    Page
Chapter VI
613 Authority citation revised.....................................64168
613.1 Amended......................................................64169
613.7 Added........................................................64169
Chapter X
1010 Regulation at 86 FR 5762 eff. date further delayed to 9-22-22
                                                                   12399
1010 Regulation at 86 FR 5762 withdrawn............................32246
Chapter XI
1149.9 (a)(1) amended...............................................2067
1158.400 Nomenclature change; (a), (b), and (e) amended.............2067
1158 Appendix A amended.............................................2067
1167 Added..........................................................8429
1170 Interpretation................................................36224
1173 Added..........................................................8431
........................................................................
........................................................................

                                  2023

  (Regulations published from January 1, 2023, through October 1, 2023)

45 CFR
                                                                   88 FR
                                                                    Page
Chapter VI
620 Added..........................................................50050
Chapter XI
1110 Policy statement..............................................53810
1149.9 (a)(1) amended...............................................2006
1158.400 (a), (b), and (e) amended..................................2006
1158 Appendix A amended.............................................2006

[[Page 583]]

1168.400 (a), (b), and (e) amended; (g) revised; (h) added.........19000
1168 Appendix A amended............................................19000
1174.3 (a)(1) introductory text and (b)(1) introductory text 
        amended; (f) revised; (g) added............................19000


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