Title 7
SECTION 3.44
3.44 Centralized administrative offset.
§ 3.44 Centralized administrative offset.(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, after the notice and review opportunity requirements of § 3.41 are met, an agency will refer debts which are over 120 days delinquent to Fiscal Service for collection through centralized administrative TOP 61 days after the date of the Notice of Intent to Collect by Administrative Offset provided in accordance with § 3.41. If the debtor requests review under subpart F of this part, referral of the debt must occur within 30 days of the final decision upholding the agency decision to offset the debt if the debt is more than 120 days delinquent.
(2) For FSA FLP and Rural Development debt:
(i) The delinquent loan servicing procedures and timeframes required by the ConAct will be followed; and.
(ii) Offsets will not occur during any moratorium required by the ConAct.
(b) After the notice and review opportunity requirements of § 3.41 are met, and administrative review under subpart F of this part is not sought or is unsuccessful on the part of the debtor, an agency may refer a debt that is less than 120 days delinquent.
(c) Agencies will refer debts to Treasury for collection in accordance with Treasury procedures specified in 31 CFR 285.5.
(d) The agencies will ensure that:
(1) The names and TINs of debtors who owe debts referred to Treasury under 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 disbursing officials of the United States designated by Treasury. When the name and TIN of a debtor match the name and TIN of a payee and all other requirements for offset have been met, the payment authorizing agency must offset a payment to satisfy the debt.
(2) Any USDA official serving as a Federal disbursing official for purposes of effecting centralized administrative offset under this section, or Fiscal Service on behalf of the disbursing official, must notify a debtor or payee in writing that an offset has occurred to satisfy, in part or in full, a past due, legally enforceable delinquent debt. The notice must include the information specified in paragraph (d)(4) of this section.
(3) As described in 31 CFR 285.5(g)(1) and (2), any USDA official serving as a Federal disbursing official for purposes of centralized administrative offset under this section, or Fiscal Service on behalf of the disbursing official, will furnish a warning notice to a payee or debtor prior to beginning offset of recurring payments. Such warning notice will include the information specified in paragraph (d)(4) of this section.
(4) 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.
(5) The priorities for collecting multiple payments owed by a payee or debtor will be those specified in 31 CFR 285.5(f)(3).