(a) This part is subdivided into ten subparts. Each subpart contains information related to a broad topic or specific audience with special responsibilities, as shown in the following table:

(b) The following table shows which subparts may be of special interest to you, depending on who you are:

(a) This part uses a “plain language” format to make it easier for the general public and business community to use. The section headings and text, often in the form of questions and answers, must be read together.

(b) Pronouns used within this part, such as “I” and “you,” change from subpart to subpart depending on the audience being addressed. The pronoun “we” always is the [Agency noun].

(c) The “Covered Transactions” chart in the appendix to this part shows the levels or “tiers” at which the [Agency noun] enforces an exclusion under this part.

This part uses terms throughout the text that have special meaning. Those terms are defined in Subpart I of this part. For example, three important terms are—

(a) Exclusion or excluded, which refers only to discretionary actions taken by a suspending or debarring official under this part or the Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR part 9, subpart 9.4);

(b) Disqualification or disqualified, which refers to prohibitions under specific statutes, executive orders (other than Executive Order 12549 and Executive Order 12689), or other authorities. Disqualifications frequently are not subject to the discretion of an agency official, may have a different scope than exclusions, or have special conditions that apply to the disqualification; and

(c) Ineligibility or ineligible, which generally refers to a person who is either excluded or disqualified.

This part adopts a governmentwide system of debarment and suspension for [Agency adjective] nonprocurement activities. It also provides for reciprocal exclusion of persons who have been excluded under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and provides for the consolidated listing of all persons who are excluded, or disqualified by statute, executive order, or other legal authority. Start Printed Page 3274This part satisfies the requirements in section 3 of Executive Order 12549, “Debarment and Suspension” (3 CFR 1986 Comp., p. 189), Executive Order 12689, “Debarment and Suspension” ( 3 CFR 1989 Comp., p. 235) and 31 U.S.C. 6101 note (Section 2455, Public Law 103-355, 108 Stat. 3327).

Portions of this part (see table at § _.25(b)) apply to you if you are a(n):

(a) Participant or principal in a covered transaction;

(b) Respondent (a person against whom the [Agency noun] has initiated a debarment or suspension action);

(c) [Agency adjective] debarring or suspending official; or

(d) [Agency adjective] official who is authorized to enter into covered transactions with non-Federal parties.

(a) To protect the public interest, the Federal Government ensures the integrity of Federal programs by conducting business only with responsible persons.

(b) A Federal agency uses the nonprocurement debarment and suspension system to exclude persons from Federal programs persons who are not presently responsible.

(c) An exclusion is a serious action that a Federal agency may take only to protect the public interest. A Federal agency may not exclude a person or commodity for the purposes of punishment.

With the exceptions stated in §§ _.120, _.315, and _.420, a person who is excluded by the [Agency noun] or any other Federal agency may not:

(a) Be a participant in a(n) [Agency adjective] transaction that is a covered transaction under Subpart B of this part;

(b) Be a participant in a transaction of any other Federal agency that is a covered transaction under that agency's regulation for debarment and suspension; or

(c) Act as a principal of a person participating in one of those covered transactions.

(a) The [Agency head or designee] may grant an exception permitting an excluded person to participate in a particular covered transaction. If the [Agency head or designee] grants an exception, the exception must be in writing and state the reason(s) for deviating from the governmentwide policy in Executive Order 12549.

(b) An exception granted by one agency for an excluded person does not extend to the covered transactions of another agency.

If any Federal agency excludes a person under its nonprocurement common rule on or after August 25, 1995, the excluded person is also ineligible to participate in Federal procurement transactions under the FAR. Therefore, an exclusion under this part has reciprocal effect in Federal procurement transactions.

If any Federal agency excludes a person under the FAR on or after August 25, 1995, the excluded person is also ineligible to participate in nonprocurement covered transactions under this part. Therefore, an exclusion under the FAR has reciprocal effect in Federal nonprocurement transactions.

Given a cause that justifies an exclusion under this part, we may exclude any person who has participated, is currently participating, or may reasonably be expected to participate in a covered transaction.

Check the Governmentwide List of Parties Excluded or Disqualified from Federal Procurement and Nonprocurement Programs (List) to determine whether a person is excluded. The General Services Administration (GSA) maintains the List and makes it available, as detailed in Subpart E of this part. When a Federal agency takes an action to exclude a person under the nonprocurement or procurement debarment and suspension system, the agency sends information about the excluded person to the GSA for inclusion on the List.

Except if provided for in Subpart J of this part, this part—

(a) Addresses disqualified persons only to—

(1) Provide for their inclusion on the List; and

(2) State responsibilities of Federal agencies and participants to check for disqualified persons before entering into covered transactions.

(b) Does not specify the—

(1) [Agency adjective] transactions for which a disqualified person is ineligible. Those transactions vary on a case-by-case basis, because they depend on the language of the specific statute, Executive order, or regulation that caused the disqualification;

(2) Entities to which the disqualification applies; or

(3) Process that the agency uses to disqualify a person. Unlike exclusion, disqualification is frequently not a discretionary action that a Federal agency takes.

A covered transaction is a nonprocurement or procurement transaction that is subject to the prohibitions of this part. It may be a transaction at—

(a) The primary tier, between a Federal agency and a person (see appendix to this part); or

(b) A lower tier, between a participant in a covered transaction and another person.

The importance of a covered transaction depends upon who you are.

(a) As a participant in the transaction, you have the responsibilities laid out in Subpart C of this part. Those include responsibilities to the person or Federal agency at the next higher tier from whom you received the transaction, if any. They also include responsibilities if you subsequently enter into other covered transactions with persons at the next lower tier.

(b) As a Federal official who enters into a primary tier transaction, you have the responsibilities laid out in subpart D of this part.

(c) As an excluded person, you may not be a participant or principal in the transaction unless—

(1) The person who entered into the transaction with you allows you to continue your involvement in a transaction that predates your exclusion, as permitted under § _.305 or § _.415; or

(2) A(n) [Agency adjective] official obtains an exception from the [Agency head or designee] to allow you to be Start Printed Page 3275involved in the transaction, as permitted under § _.120.

All nonprocurement transactions, as defined in § _.970, are covered transactions unless listed in § _.215. (See appendix to this part.)

The following types of nonprocurement transactions are not covered transactions:

(a) A direct award to—

(1) A foreign government or foreign governmental entity;

(2) A public international organization;

(3) An entity owned (in whole or in part) or controlled by a foreign government; or

(4) Any other entity consisting wholly or partially of one or more foreign governments or foreign governmental entities.

(b) A benefit to an individual as a personal entitlement without regard to the individual's present responsibility (but benefits received in an individual's business capacity are not excepted). For example, if a person receives social security benefits under the Supplemental Security Income provisions of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1301 et seq., those benefits are not covered transactions and, therefore, are not affected if the person is excluded.

(c) Federal employment.

(d) A transaction that the [Agency noun] needs to respond to a national or agency-recognized emergency or disaster.

(e) A permit, license, certificate, or similar instrument issued as a means to regulate public health, safety, or the environment, unless the [Agency noun] specifically designates it to be a covered transaction.

(f) An incidental benefit that results from ordinary governmental operations.

(g) Any other transaction if the application of an exclusion to the transaction is prohibited by law.

Covered transactions under this part do not include any procurement contracts awarded directly by a Federal agency (those transactions are covered under the Federal Acquisition Regulation), but they do include some procurement contracts awarded by non-Federal participants in nonprocurement covered transactions (see appendix to this part). Specifically, a contract for goods or services is a covered transaction if any of the following applies:

(a) The contract is awarded by a participant in a nonprocurement transaction that is covered under § _.210, and the amount of the contract is expected to equal or exceed $25,000.

(b) The contract requires the consent of a(n) [Agency adjective] official. In that case, the contract, regardless of the amount, always is a covered transaction, and it does not matter who awarded it. For example, it could be a subcontract awarded by a contractor at a tier below a nonprocurement transaction, as shown in the appendix to this part.

(c) The contract is for federally-required audit services.

As a participant in a transaction, you will know that it is a covered transaction because the agency regulations governing the transaction, the appropriate agency official, or participant at the next higher tier who enters into the transaction with you, will tell you that you must comply with applicable portions of this part.

(a) You as a participant may not enter into a covered transaction with an excluded person, unless the [Agency noun] grants an exception under § _.120.

(b) You may not enter into any transaction with a person who is disqualified from that transaction, unless you have obtained an exception under the disqualifying statute, Executive order, or regulation.

(a) You as a participant may continue covered transactions with an excluded person if the transactions were in existence when the agency excluded the person. However, you are not required to continue the transactions, and you may consider termination. You should make a decision about whether to terminate and the type of termination action, if any, only after a thorough review to ensure that the action is proper and appropriate.

(b) You may not renew or extend covered transactions (other than no-cost time extensions) with any excluded person, unless the [Agency noun] grants an exception under § _.120.

(a) You as a participant may continue to use the services of an excluded person as a principal under a covered transaction if you were using the services of that person in the transaction before the person was excluded. However, you are not required to continue using that person's services as a principal.

(b) You may not begin to use the services of an excluded person as a principal under a covered transaction unless the [Agency noun] grants an exception under § _.120.

Yes, you as a participant are responsible for determining whether any principal of your covered transactions is excluded or disqualified from participating in the transaction.

You may decide the method and frequency by which you do so. You may, but you are not required to, check the governmentwide List.

If as a participant you knowingly do business with an excluded person, we may disallow costs, annul or terminate the transaction, issue a stop work order, debar or suspend you, or take other remedies as appropriate.

Before entering into a covered transaction with a participant at the next lower tier, you must require that participant to:

(a) Comply with this subpart as a condition of participation in the transaction. You may do so using any method(s), unless § _.430 requires you to use specific methods.

(b) Pass the requirement to comply with this subpart to each person with whom the participant enters into a covered transaction at the next lower tier.

Disclosing Information—Primary Tier Participants

Before you enter into a covered transaction at the primary tier, you as the participant must notify the [Agency Start Printed Page 3276adjective] office that is entering into the transaction with you, if you know that you or any of the principals for that covered transaction:

(a) Are presently excluded or disqualified;

(b) Have been convicted within the preceding three years of any of the offenses listed in § _.800(a) or had a civil judgment rendered against you for one of those offenses within that time period;

(c) Are presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, state or local) with commission of any of the offenses listed in § _.800(a); or

(d) Have had one or more public transactions (Federal, state, or local) terminated within the preceding three years for cause or default.

As a primary tier participant, your disclosure of unfavorable information about yourself or a principal under § _.330 will not necessarily cause us to deny your participation in the covered transaction. We will consider the information when we determine whether to enter into the covered transaction. We also will consider any additional information or explanation that you elect to submit with the disclosed information.

If we later determine that you failed to disclose information under § _.330 that you knew at the time you entered into the covered transaction, we may

(a) Terminate the transaction for material failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the transaction; or

(b) Pursue any other available remedies, including suspension and debarment.

At any time after you enter into a covered transaction, you must give immediate written notice to the [Agency adjective] office with which you entered into the transaction if you learn either that—

(a) You failed to disclose information earlier, as required by § _.330; or

(b) Due to changed circumstances, you or any of the principals for the transaction now meet any of the criteria in § _.330.

Disclosing Information—Lower Tier Participants

Before you enter into a covered transaction with a person at the next higher tier, you as a lower tier participant must notify that person if you know that you or any of the principals are presently excluded or disqualified.

If we later determine that you failed to tell the person at the higher tier that you were excluded or disqualified at the time you entered into the covered transaction with that person, we may pursue any available remedies, including suspension and debarment.

At any time after you enter into a lower tier covered transaction with a person at a higher tier, you must provide immediate written notice to that person if you learn either that—

(a) You failed to disclose information earlier, as required by § _.350; or

(b) Due to changed circumstances, you or any of the principals for the transaction now meet any of the criteria in § _.350.

(a) You as an agency official may not enter into a covered transaction with an excluded person unless you obtain an exception under § _.120.

(b) You may not enter into any transaction with a person who is disqualified from that transaction, unless you obtain a waiver or exception under the statute, Executive order, or regulation that is the basis for the person's disqualification.

As an agency official, you may not enter into a covered transaction with a participant if you know that a principal of the transaction is excluded, unless you obtain an exception under § _.120.

After entering into a covered transaction with a participant, you as an agency official may not approve a participant's use of an excluded person as a principal under that transaction, unless you obtain an exception under § _.120.

(a) You as an agency official may continue covered transactions with an excluded person, or under which an excluded person is a principal, if the transactions were in existence when the person was excluded. You are not required to continue the transactions, however, and you may consider termination. You should make a decision about whether to terminate and the type of termination action, if any, only after a thorough review to ensure that the action is proper.

(b) You may not renew or extend covered transactions (other than no-cost time extensions) with any excluded person, or under which an excluded person is a principal, unless you obtain an exception under § _.120.

If a transaction at a lower tier is subject to your approval, you as an agency official may not approve—

(a) A covered transaction with a person who is currently excluded, unless you obtain an exception under § _.120; or

(b) A transaction with a person who is disqualified from that transaction, unless you obtain a waiver or exception under the statute, Executive order, or regulation that is the basis for the person's disqualification.

As an agency official, you must check to see if a person is excluded or disqualified before you—

(a) Enter into a primary tier covered transaction;

(b) Approve a principal in a primary tier covered transaction;

(c) Approve a lower tier participant if agency approval of the lower tier participant is required; or

(d) Approve a principal in connection with a lower tier transaction if agency approval of the principal is required.

You check to see if a person is excluded or disqualified in two ways:

(a) You as an agency official must check the governmentwide List when you take any action listed in § _.425. Start Printed Page 3277

(b) You must review information that a participant gives you, as required by § _.330, about its status or the status of the principals of a transaction.

You as an agency official must require each participant in a primary tier covered transaction to—

(a) Comply with subpart C of this part as a condition of participation in the transaction; and

(b) Communicate the requirement to comply with Subpart C of this part to persons at the next lower tier with whom the primary tier participant enters into covered transactions.

If a participant knowingly does business with an excluded or disqualified person, you as an agency official may refer the matter for suspension and debarment consideration.

You may also disallow costs, annul or terminate the transaction, issue a stop work order, or take any other appropriate remedy.

If you as an agency official determine that a participant failed to disclose information, as required by § _.330, at the time it entered into a covered transaction with you, you may—

(a) Terminate the transaction for material failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the transaction; or

(b) Pursue any other available remedies, including suspension and debarment.

If you as an agency official determine that a lower tier participant failed to disclose information, as required by § _.350, at the time it entered into a covered transaction with a participant at the next higher tier, you may pursue any remedies available to you, including the initiation of a suspension or debarment action.

The List is a widely available source of the most current information about persons who are excluded or disqualified from covered transactions.

(a) Federal agency officials use the List to determine whether to enter into a transaction with a person, as required under § _.410.

(b) Participants also may, but are not required to, use the List to determine if—

(1) Principals of their transactions are excluded or disqualified, as required under § _.315; or

(2) Persons with whom they are entering into covered transactions at the next lower tier are excluded or disqualified.

(c) The List is available to the general public.

In accordance with the OMB guidelines, the General Services Administration (GSA) compiles, maintains and distributes the List.

(a) At a minimum, the List indicates—

(1) The full name (where available) and address of each excluded and disqualified person, in alphabetical order, with cross references if more than one name is involved in a single action;

(2) The type of action;

(3) The cause for the action;

(4) The scope of the action;

(5) Any termination date for the action;

(6) The agency and name and telephone number of the agency point of contact for the action; and

(7) The Contractor and Government Establishment (CAGE) code or other similar code approved by the GSA, of the excluded or disqualified person, if available.

(b)(1) The database for the electronic version of the List includes a field for the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) (the social security number (SSN) for an individual) of an excluded or disqualified person.

(2) GSA discloses the SSN of an individual to verify the identity of an individual, only if permitted under the Privacy Act of 1974 and, if appropriate, the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, as codified in 5 U.S.C. 552a.

Federal officials who take actions to exclude persons under this part or officials who are responsible for identifying disqualified persons must provide current information about those persons to the GSA. They must give the GSA—

(a) Information required by § _.515(a);

(b) The Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) of the excluded or disqualified person, including the social security number (SSN) for an individual, if the number is available and may be disclosed under law;

(c) Information about an excluded or disqualified person within five working days, unless the GSA agrees to an alternative schedule, after—

(1) Taking an exclusion action;

(2) Modifying or rescinding an exclusion action;

(3) Finding that a person is disqualified; or

(4) Finding that there has been a change in the status of a person who is listed as disqualified.

If you have questions about a listed person, ask the Federal agency that took the action placing the person's name on the List.

You can get the information contained on the List in two ways.

(a) You may subscribe to a printed version which you may obtain by purchasing a yearly subscription. A Federal agency may subscribe through its printing and distribution office. The public may obtain a subscription from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, or by calling the Government Printing Office Inquiry and Order Desk at (202) 783-3238.

(b) You may access the List through the Internet, currently at http://epls.arnet.gov.

When we receive information from any source concerning a cause for suspension or debarment, we will promptly report and investigate it. We refer the question of whether to suspend or debar you to our suspending or debarring official for consideration, if appropriate.

Suspension differs from debarment in that:

In deciding whether to suspend or debar you, we handle the actions as informally as practicable, consistent with principles of fundamental fairness.

(a) For suspension actions, we use the procedures in this subpart and Subpart G of this part.

(b) For debarment actions, we use the procedures in this subpart and Subpart H of this part.

The suspending or debarring official sends a written notice to you, your identified counsel, your agent for service of process, or any of your partners, officers, directors, owners, or joint venturers to the last known street address, facsimile number, or e-mail address. The notice is effective if sent to any of these persons.

Yes, when more than one Federal agency has an interest in a suspension or debarment, the agencies may consider designating one agency as the lead agency for making the decision. Agencies are encouraged to establish methods and procedures for coordinating their suspension and debarment actions.

If you are suspended or debarred, the suspension or debarment is effective as follows:

(a) Your suspension or debarment constitutes suspension or debarment of all of your divisions and other organizational elements from all covered transactions, unless the suspension or debarment decision is limited—

(1) By its terms to one or more specifically identified individuals, divisions, or other organizational elements; or

(2) To specific types of transactions.

(b) Any affiliate of a participant may be included in a suspension or debarment action if the suspending or debarring official—

(1) Officially names the affiliate in the notice; and

(2) Gives the affiliate an opportunity to contest the action.

For purposes of determining the scope of your suspension or debarment, we may impute conduct as follows:

(a) Conduct imputed to participant. We may impute the fraudulent, criminal, or other seriously improper conduct of any officer, director, shareholder, partner, employee, or other individual associated with a participant to the participant when the conduct occurred in connection with the individual's performance of duties for or on behalf of the participant, or with the participant's knowledge, approval or acquiescence. The participant's acceptance of the benefits derived from the conduct is evidence of knowledge, approval or acquiescence.

(b) Conduct imputed to individuals associated with participant. We may impute the fraudulent, criminal, or other seriously improper conduct of a participant to any officer, director, shareholder, partner, employee, or other individual associated with the participant who participated in, knew of or had reason to know of the participant's conduct.

(c) Conduct of one participant imputed to other participants in a joint venture. We may impute the fraudulent, criminal, or other seriously improper conduct of one participant in a joint venture, grant pursuant to a joint application, or similar arrangement to other participants if the conduct occurred for or on behalf of the joint venture, grant pursuant to a joint application or similar arrangement, or with the knowledge, approval, or acquiescence of those participants. Acceptance of the benefits derived from the conduct is evidence of knowledge, approval, or acquiescence.

Settlement and Voluntary Exclusion

Yes, we may settle a debarment or suspension action at any time if it is in the best interests of the Federal Government.

Yes, if we enter into a settlement with you in which you agree to be excluded, it is called a voluntary exclusion and has governmentwide effect.

(a) Yes, we send information regarding a voluntary exclusion to the General

Services Administration for entry into the List.

(b) Also, any agency or person may contact us to find out the details of a voluntary exclusion.

Suspension is a serious action. Using the procedures of this subpart and Subpart F of this part, the suspending official may impose suspension only when that official determines that—

(a) There exists adequate evidence to suspect that a cause for debarment under § _.800 may exist; and Start Printed Page 3279

(b) Immediate action is necessary to protect the public interest.

(a) In determining the adequacy of the evidence to support the suspension, the suspending official considers how much information is available, how credible it is given the circumstances, whether or not important allegations are corroborated, and what inferences can reasonably be drawn as a result. During this assessment, the suspending official may examine the basic documents, including grants, cooperative agreements, loan authorizations, contracts, and other relevant documents.

(b) An indictment, conviction, civil judgment, or other official findings by Federal, State, or local bodies that determine factual and/or legal matters, constitutes adequate evidence for purposes of suspension actions.

(c) In deciding whether immediate action is needed to protect the public interest, the suspending official has wide discretion. For example, the suspending official may infer the necessity for immediate action to protect the public interest either from the nature of the circumstances giving rise to a cause for suspension or from potential business relationships or involvement with a program of the Federal Government.

A suspension is effective when the suspending official signs the decision to suspend.

After deciding to suspend you, the suspending official promptly sends you a Notice of Suspension advising you—

(a) That you have been suspended;

(b) That your suspension is based on—

(1) An indictment;

(2) A conviction;

(3) Other adequate evidence that you have committed irregularities which seriously reflect on the propriety of further Federal Government dealings with you; or

(4) Conduct of another person that has been imputed to you, or your affiliation with a suspended or debarred person;

(c) Of any other irregularities in terms sufficient to put you on notice without disclosing the Federal Government's evidence;

(d) Of the cause(s) upon which we relied under § _.700 for imposing suspension;

(e) That your suspension is for a temporary period pending the completion of an investigation or resulting legal or debarment proceedings;

(f) Of the applicable provisions of this subpart, Subpart F of this part, and any other [Agency adjective] procedures governing suspension decision making; and

(g) Of the governmentwide effect of your suspension from procurement and nonprocurement programs and activities.

If you as a respondent wish to contest a suspension, you or your representative must provide the suspending official with information in opposition to the suspension.

You may do this orally or in writing, but any information provided orally that you consider important must also be submitted in writing for the official record.

(a) As a respondent you or your representative must either send, or make arrangements to appear and present, the information and argument to the suspending official within 30 days after you receive the Notice of Suspension.

(b) We consider the notice to be received by you—

(1) When delivered, if we mail the notice to the last known street address, or five days after we send it if the letter is undeliverable;

(2) When sent, if we send the notice by facsimile or five days after we send it if the facsimile is undeliverable; or

(3) When delivered, if we send the notice by e-mail or five days after we send it if the e-mail is undeliverable.

(a) In addition to any information and argument in opposition, as a respondent your submission to the suspending official must identify—

(1) Specific facts that contradict the statements contained in the Notice of Suspension. A general denial is insufficient to raise a genuine dispute over facts material to the suspension;

(2) All existing, proposed, or prior exclusions under regulations implementing Executive Order 12549 and all similar actions taken by Federal, state, or local agencies, including administrative agreements that affect only those agencies;

(3) All criminal and civil proceedings not included in the Notice of Suspension that grew out of facts relevant to the cause(s) stated in the notice; and

(4) All of your affiliates.

(b) If you fail to disclose this information, or provide false information, the [Agency noun] may seek further criminal, civil or administrative action against you, as appropriate.

(a) You as a respondent will not have an additional opportunity to challenge the facts if the suspending official determines that—

(1) Your suspension is based upon an indictment, conviction, civil judgment, or other finding by a Federal, State, or local body for which an opportunity to contest the facts was provided;

(2) Your presentation in opposition contains only general denials to information contained in the Notice of Suspension;

(3) The issues raised in your presentation in opposition to the suspension are not factual in nature, or are not material to the suspending official's initial decision to suspend, or the official's decision whether to continue the suspension; or

(4) On the basis of advice from the Department of Justice, an office of the United States Attorney, a State attorney general's office, or a State or local prosecutor's office, that substantial interests of the government in pending or contemplated legal proceedings based on the same facts as the suspension would be prejudiced by conducting fact-finding.

(b) You will have an opportunity to challenge the facts if the suspending official determines that—

(1) The conditions in paragraph (a) of this section do not exist; and

(2) Your presentation in opposition raises a genuine dispute over facts material to the suspension.

(c) If you have an opportunity to challenge disputed material facts under this section, the suspending official or designee must conduct additional proceedings to resolve those facts.

(a) Suspension proceedings are conducted in a fair and informal manner. The suspending official may use flexible procedures to allow you to present matters in opposition. In so doing, the suspending official is not required to follow formal rules of evidence or procedure in creating an official record upon which the official will base a final suspension decision. Start Printed Page 3280

(b) You as a respondent or your representative must submit any documentary evidence you want the suspending official to consider. In addition, you may present witnesses and confront any person the agency presents as a witness against you.

(a) Where fact-finding is conducted, the fact-finder must prepare written findings of fact for the record.

(b) A transcribed record of fact-finding proceedings must be made, unless you as a respondent and the [Agency noun] agree to waive it in advance. If you want a copy of the transcribed record, you may purchase it.

(a) The suspending official bases the decision on all information contained in the official record. The record includes—

(1) All information in support of the suspending official's initial decision to suspend you;

(2) Any further information and argument presented in support of, or opposition to, the suspension; and

(3) Any transcribed record of fact-finding proceedings.

(b) The suspending official may refer disputed material facts to another official for findings of fact. The suspending official may reject any resulting findings, in whole or in part, only after specifically determining them to be arbitrary, capricious, or clearly erroneous.

(a) Where no additional fact-finding is conducted, the suspending official must make the decision whether to continue, modify, or terminate your suspension within 45 days of closing the official record. The official may extend that period for good cause. If fact-finding is conducted, the suspending official must make the final decision as promptly as possible after the record is closed.

(b) In any event, the suspending official must prepare a written final decision and notify you of the decision and the reasons for it. (See § _.615.)

(a) If legal or debarment proceedings are initiated at the time of, or during your suspension, the suspension may continue until the conclusion of those proceedings. However, if proceedings are not initiated, a suspension may not exceed 12 months.

(b) The suspending official may extend the 12 month limit under paragraph (a) of this section for an additional 6 months if an office of a U.S. Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Attorney, or other responsible prosecuting official requests an extension in writing. In no event may a suspension exceed 18 months without initiating proceedings under paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) The suspending official must notify the appropriate officials under paragraph

(b) of this section of an impending termination of a suspension at least 30 days before the 12 month period expires to allow the officials an opportunity to request an extension.

We may debar a person for—

(a) Conviction of or civil judgment for—

(1) Commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public or private agreement or transaction;

(2) Violation of Federal or State antitrust statutes, including those proscribing price fixing between competitors, allocation of customers between competitors, and bid rigging;

(3) Commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification, or destruction of records, making false statements, tax evasion, receiving stolen property, making false claims, or obstruction of justice; or

(4) Commission of any other offense indicating a lack of business integrity or business honesty that seriously and directly affects your present responsibility;

(b) Violation of the terms of a public agreement or transaction so serious as to affect the integrity of an agency program, such as—

(1) A willful failure to perform in accordance with the terms of one or more public agreements or transactions;

(2) A history of failure to perform or of unsatisfactory performance of one or more public agreements or transactions; or

(3) A willful violation of a statutory or regulatory provision or requirement applicable to a public agreement or transaction;

(c) Any of the following causes:

(1) A nonprocurement debarment by any Federal agency taken before October 1, 1988, or a procurement debarment by any Federal agency taken pursuant to 48 CFR part 9, subpart 9.4, before August 25, 1995;

(2) Knowingly doing business with an ineligible person, except as permitted under § _.120 or § _.305;

(3) Failure to pay a single substantial debt, or a number of outstanding debts (including disallowed costs and overpayments, but not including sums owed the Federal Government under the Internal Revenue Code) owed to any Federal agency or instrumentality, provided the debt is uncontested by the debtor or, if contested, provided that the debtor's legal and administrative remedies have been exhausted;

(4) Violation of a material provision of a voluntary exclusion agreement entered into under § _.640 or of any settlement of a debarment or suspension action; or

(5) Violation of the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (41 U.S.C. 701); or

(d) Any other cause of so serious or compelling a nature that it affects your present responsibility.

After consideration of the causes in § _.800 of this subpart, if the debarring official proposes to debar you, the official sends you a Notice of Proposed Debarment, pursuant to § _.615, advising you—

(a) That the debarring official is considering debarring you;

(b) Of the reasons for proposing to debar you in terms sufficient to put you on notice of the conduct or transactions upon which the proposed debarment is based;

(c) Of the cause(s) under § _.800 upon which the debarring official relied for proposing your debarment;

(d) Of the applicable provisions of this subpart, Subpart F of this part, and any other [Agency adjective] procedures governing debarment; and

(e) Of the governmentwide effect of a debarment from procurement and nonprocurement programs and activities.

Unlike suspension, a debarment is not effective until the debarring official issues a decision. The debarring official does not issue a decision until the respondent has had an opportunity to contest the proposed debarment.

If you as a respondent wish to contest a proposed debarment, you or your representative must provide the debarring official with information in opposition to the proposed debarment. You may do this orally or in writing, but Start Printed Page 3281any information provided orally that you consider important must also be submitted in writing for the official record.

(a) As a respondent you or your representative must either send, or make arrangements to appear and present, the information and argument to the debarring official within 30 days after you receive the Notice of Proposed Debarment.

(b) We consider the Notice of Proposed Debarment to be received by you—

(1) When delivered, if we mail the notice to the last known street address, or five days after we send it if the letter is undeliverable;

(2) When sent, if we send the notice by facsimile or five days after we send it if the facsimile is undeliverable; or

(3) When delivered, if we send the notice by e-mail or five days after we send it if the e-mail is undeliverable.

(a) In addition to any information and argument in opposition, as a respondent your submission to the debarring official must identify—

(1) Specific facts that contradict the statements contained in the Notice of Proposed Debarment. Include any information about any of the factors listed in § _.860. A general denial is insufficient to raise a genuine dispute over facts material to the debarment;

(2) All existing, proposed, or prior exclusions under regulations implementing Executive Order 12549 and all similar actions taken by Federal, State, or local agencies, including administrative agreements that affect only those agencies;

(3) All criminal and civil proceedings not included in the Notice of Proposed Debarment that grew out of facts relevant to the cause(s) stated in the notice; and

(4) All of your affiliates.

(b) If you fail to disclose this information, or provide false information, the [Agency noun] may seek further criminal, civil or administrative action against you, as appropriate.

(a) You as a respondent will not have an additional opportunity to challenge the facts if the debarring official determines that—

(1) Your debarment is based upon a conviction or civil judgment;

(2) Your presentation in opposition contains only general denials to information contained in the Notice of Proposed Debarment; or

(3) The issues raised in your presentation in opposition to the proposed debarment are not factual in nature, or are not material to the debarring official's decision whether to debar.

(b) You will have an additional opportunity to challenge the facts if the debarring official determines that—

(1) The conditions in paragraph (a) of this section do not exist; and

(2) Your presentation in opposition raises a genuine dispute over facts material to the proposed debarment.

(c) If you have an opportunity to challenge disputed material facts under this section, the debarring official or designee must conduct additional proceedings to resolve those facts.

(a) Debarment proceedings are conducted in a fair and informal manner. The debarring official may use flexible procedures to allow you as a respondent to present matters in opposition. In so doing, the debarring official is not required to follow formal rules of evidence or procedure in creating an official record upon which the official will base the decision whether to debar.

(b) You or your representative must submit any documentary evidence you want the debarring official to consider. In addition, you may present witnesses and confront any person the agency presents as a witness against you.

(a) Where fact-finding is conducted, the fact-finder must prepare written findings of fact for the record.

(b) A transcribed record of fact-finding proceedings must be made, unless you as a respondent and the [Agency noun] agree to waive it in advance. If you want a copy of the transcribed record, you may purchase it.

(a) The debarring official may debar you for any of the causes in § _.800. However, the official need not debar you even if a cause for debarment exists. The official may consider the seriousness of your acts or omissions and the mitigating or aggravating factors set forth at § _.860.

(b) The debarring official bases the decision on all information contained in the official record. The record includes—

(1) All information in support of the debarring official's proposed debarment;

(2) Any further information and argument presented in support of, or in opposition to, the proposed debarment; and

(3) Any transcribed record of fact-finding proceedings.

(c) The debarring official may refer disputed material facts to another official for findings of fact. The debarring official may reject any resultant findings, in whole or in part, only after specifically determining them to be arbitrary, capricious, or clearly erroneous.

(a) In any debarment action, we must establish the cause for debarment by a preponderance of the evidence.

(b) If the proposed debarment is based upon a conviction or civil judgment, the standard of proof is met.

(a) We have the burden to prove that a cause for debarment exists.

(b) Once a cause for debarment is established, you as a respondent have the burden of demonstrating to the satisfaction of the debarring official that you are presently responsible and that debarment is not necessary.

This section lists the mitigating and aggravating factors that the debarring official may consider in determining whether to debar you and the length of your debarment period. The debarring official may consider other factors if appropriate in light of the circumstances of a particular case. The existence or nonexistence of any factor, such as one of those set forth in this section, is not necessarily determinative of your present responsibility. In making a debarment decision, the debarring official may consider the following factors:

(a) The actual or potential harm or impact that results or may result from the wrongdoing.

(b) The frequency of incidents and/or duration of the wrongdoing.

(c) Whether there is a pattern or prior history of wrongdoing. For example, if you have been found by another Federal agency or a State agency to have engaged in wrongdoing similar to that found in the debarment action, the existence of this fact may be used by the debarring official in determining that Start Printed Page 3282you have a pattern or prior history of wrongdoing.

(d) Whether you are or have been excluded or disqualified by an agency of the Federal Government or have not been allowed to participate in State or local contracts or assistance agreements on a basis of conduct similar to one or more of the causes for debarment specified in this part.

(e) Whether you have entered into an administrative agreement with a Federal agency or a State or local government that is not governmentwide but is based on conduct similar to one or more of the causes for debarment specified in this part.

(f) Whether and to what extent you planned, initiated, or carried out the wrongdoing.

(g) Whether you have accepted responsibility for the wrongdoing and recognize the seriousness of the misconduct that led to the cause for debarment.

(h) Whether you have paid or agreed to pay all criminal, civil and administrative liabilities for the improper activity, including any investigative or administrative costs incurred by the government, and have made or agreed to make full restitution.

(i) Whether you have cooperated fully with the government agencies during the investigation and any court or administrative action. In determining the extent of cooperation, the debarring official may consider when the cooperation began and whether you disclosed all pertinent information known to you.

(j) Whether the wrongdoing was pervasive within your organization.

(k) The kind of positions held by the individuals involved in the wrongdoing.

(l) Whether your organization took appropriate corrective action or remedial measures, such as establishing ethics training and implementing programs to prevent recurrence.

(m) Whether your principals tolerated the offense.

(n) Whether you brought the activity cited as a basis for the debarment to the attention of the appropriate government agency in a timely manner.

(o) Whether you have fully investigated the circumstances surrounding the cause for debarment and, if so, made the result of the investigation available to the debarring official.

(p) Whether you had effective standards of conduct and internal control systems in place at the time the questioned conduct occurred.

(q) Whether you have taken appropriate disciplinary action against the individuals responsible for the activity which constitutes the cause for debarment.

(r) Whether you have had adequate time to eliminate the circumstances within your organization that led to the cause for the debarment.

(s) Other factors that are appropriate to the circumstances of a particular case.

(a) If the debarring official decides to debar you, your period of debarment will be based on the seriousness of the cause(s) upon which your debarment is based. Generally, debarment should not exceed three years. However, if circumstances warrant, the debarring official may impose a longer period of debarment.

(b) In determining the period of debarment, the debarring official may consider the factors in § _.860. If a suspension has preceded your debarment, the debarring official must consider the time you were suspended.

(c) If the debarment is for a violation of the provisions of the Drug-Free

Workplace Act of 1988, your period of debarment may not exceed five years.

(a) Where no additional fact-finding is conducted, the debarring official must make the decision whether to debar you within 45 days of closing the official record. The debarring official may extend that period for good cause. If fact-finding is conducted, the debarring official must make the final decision as promptly as possible after the record is closed.

(b) The debarring official sends you written notice, pursuant to § _.615 that the official decided, either—

(1) Not to debar you; or

(2) To debar you. In this event, the notice:

(i) Refers to the Notice of Proposed Debarment;

(ii) Specifies the reasons for your debarment;

(iii) States the period of your debarment, including the effective dates; and

(iv) Advises you that your debarment is effective for covered transactions and contracts that are subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR chapter 1), throughout the executive branch of the Federal Government unless an agency head or an authorized designee grants an exception.

Yes, as a debarred person you may ask the debarring official to reconsider the debarment decision or to reduce the time period or scope of the debarment. However, you must put your request in writing and support it with documentation.

The debarring official may reduce or terminate your debarment based on—

(a) Newly discovered material evidence;

(b) A reversal of the conviction or civil judgment upon which your debarment was based;

(c) A bona fide change in ownership or management;

(d) Elimination of other causes for which the debarment was imposed; or

(e) Other reasons the debarring official finds appropriate.

(a) Yes, the debarring official may extend a debarment for an additional period, if that official determines that an extension is necessary to protect the public interest.

(b) However, the debarring official may not extend a debarment solely on the basis of the facts and circumstances upon which the initial debarment action was based.

(c) If the debarring official decides that a debarment for an additional period is necessary, the debarring official must follow the applicable procedures in this subpart, and Subpart F of this part, to extend the debarment.

Adequate evidence means information sufficient to support the reasonable belief that a particular act or omission has occurred.

Persons are affiliates of each other if, directly or indirectly, either one controls or has the power to control the other or a third person controls or has the power to control both. The ways we use to determine control include, but are not limited to—

(a) Interlocking management or ownership;

(b) Identity of interests among family members;

(c) Shared facilities and equipment;

(d) Common use of employees; or

(e) A business entity which has been organized following the exclusion of a person which has the same or similar management, ownership, or principal employees as the excluded person.

Agency means any United States executive department, military Start Printed Page 3283department, defense agency, or any other agency of the executive branch. The independent regulatory agencies are not considered “agencies” for purposes of this part.

Agent or representative means any person who acts on behalf of, or who is authorized to commit a participant in a covered transaction.

Civil judgment means the disposition of a civil action by any court of competent jurisdiction, whether by verdict, decision, settlement, stipulation, other disposition which creates a civil liability for the complained of wrongful acts, or a final determination of liability under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1988 (31 U.S.C. 3801-3812).

Conviction means a judgment or any other determination of guilt of a criminal offense by any court of competent jurisdiction, whether entered upon a verdict or plea, including a plea of nolo contendere, or any other resolution, including probation before judgment and deferred prosecution.

Debarment means an action taken by a debarring official under Subpart H of this part to exclude a person from participating in covered transactions and transactions covered under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR chapter 1). A person so excluded is debarred.

(a) Debarring official means an agency official who is authorized to impose debarment. A debarring official is either—

(1) The agency head; or

(2) An official designated by the agency head.

(b) [Reserved]

Disqualified means that a person is prohibited from participating in specified Federal procurement or nonprocurement transactions as required under a statute, Executive order (other than Executive Orders 12549 and 12689) or other authority. Examples of disqualifications include persons prohibited under—

(a) The Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 276(a));

(b) The equal employment opportunity acts and Executive orders; or

(c) The Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7606), Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1368) and Executive Order 11738 (3 CFR, 1973 Comp., p. 799).

Excluded or exclusion means—

(a) That a person or commodity is prohibited from being a participant in covered transactions, whether the person has been suspended; debarred; proposed for debarment under 48 CFR part 9, subpart 9.4; voluntarily excluded; or

(b) The act of excluding a person.

Indictment means an indictment for a criminal offense. A presentment, information, or other filing by a competent authority charging a criminal offense shall be given the same effect as an indictment.

Ineligible or ineligibility means that a person or commodity is prohibited from covered transactions because of an exclusion or disqualification.

Legal proceedings means any criminal proceeding or any civil judicial proceeding, including a proceeding under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act (31 U.S.C. 3801-3812), to which the Federal Government or a State or local government or quasi-governmental authority is a party. The term also includes appeals from those proceedings.

List of Parties Excluded or Disqualified from Federal Procurement and Nonprocurement Programs (List) means the list compiled, maintained, and distributed by the General Services Administration (GSA) containing the names and other information about persons who are ineligible.

(a) Nonprocurement transaction means any transaction, regardless of type (except procurement contracts), including, but not limited to the following:

(1) Grants.

(2) Cooperative agreements.

(3) Scholarships.

(4) Fellowships.

(5) Contracts of assistance.

(6) Loans.

(7) Loan guarantees.

(8) Subsidies.

(9) Insurances.

(10) Payments for specified uses.

(11) Donation agreements.

(b) A nonprocurement transaction at any tier does not require the transfer of Federal funds.

Notice means a written communication served in person, sent by certified mail or its equivalent, or sent electronically by e-mail or facsimile. (See § _.615.)

Participant means any person who submits a proposal for or who enters into a covered transaction, including an agent or representative of a participant.

Person means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, unit of government, or legal entity, however organized.

Preponderance of the evidence means proof by information that, compared with information opposing it, leads to the conclusion that the fact at issue is more probably true than not.

Principal means—

(a) An officer, director, owner, partner, principal investigator, or other person within a participant with management or supervisory responsibilities related to a covered transaction; or

(b) A consultant or other person, whether or not employed by the participant or paid with Federal funds, who—

(1) Is in a position to handle Federal funds;

(2) Is in a position to influence or control the use of those funds; or,

(3) Occupies a technical or professional position capable of influencing the development or outcome of an activity that affects a covered transaction.

Respondent means a person against whom an agency has initiated a debarment or suspension action.

(a) State means—

(1) Any of the States of the United States;

(2) The District of Columbia;

(3) The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;

(4) Any territory or possession of the United States; or

(5) Any agency or instrumentality of a State.

(b) For purposes of this part, State does not include institutions of higher Start Printed Page 3284education, hospitals, or units of local government.

(a) Suspending official means an agency official who is authorized to impose suspension. The suspending official is either:

(1) The agency head; or

(2) An official designated by the agency head.

(b) [Reserved]

Suspension is an action taken by a suspending official under subpart G of this part that immediately prohibits a person from participating in covered transactions and transactions covered under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR chapter 1) for a temporary period, pending completion of an agency investigation and any judicial or administrative proceedings that may ensue. A person so excluded is suspended.

(a) Voluntary exclusion means a person's agreement to be excluded under the terms of a settlement between the person and one or more agencies. Voluntary exclusion must have governmentwide effect.

(b) Voluntarily excluded means the status of a person who has agreed to a voluntary exclusion.

2. [Part/Subpart] _ is added to read as follows:

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.

(a) Portions of this part apply to you if you are either

(1) A recipient of an assistance award from the [Agency noun]; or

(2) A(n) [Agency adjective] awarding official. (See definitions of award and recipient in §§ _.605 and _.660, respectively.)

(b) The following table shows the subparts that apply to you:

This part does not apply to any award that the [Agency head 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.

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 § _.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).

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 is 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 §§ _.205 through _.220); and

(2) Take actions concerning employees who are convicted of violating drug statutes in the workplace (see § _.225).

(b) Second, you must identify all known workplaces under your Federal awards (see § _.230).

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.

You must require that a copy of the statement described in § _.205 be given to each employee who will be engaged in the performance of any Federal award.

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.

If you are a new recipient that does not already have a policy statement as Start Printed Page 3287described in § _.205 and an ongoing awareness program as described in § _.215, you must publish the statement and establish the program by the time given in the following table:

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 § _.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.

(a) You must identify all known workplaces under each [Agency adjective] award. A failure to do so is a violation of your drug-free workplace requirements. You may identify the workplaces—

(1) To the [Agency adjective] 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 [Agency adjective] 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 [Agency adjective] 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 [Agency adjective] awarding official.

As a condition of receiving a(n) [Agency adjective] 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 [Agency adjective] awarding official or other designee for each award that you currently have, unless § _.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.

As a(n) [Agency adjective] 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.

A recipient other than an individual is in violation of the requirements of this part if the [Agency head 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.

An individual recipient is in violation of the requirements of this part if the [Agency head 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.

If a recipient is determined to have violated this part, as described in § _.500 or § _.505, the [Agency noun] may take one or more of the following actions—

(a) Suspension of payments under the award;

(b) Suspension or termination of the award; and Start Printed Page 3288

(c) Suspension or debarment of the recipient under [CFR citation for the Federal agency's regulations implementing Executive Order 12549 and Executive Order 12689], for a period not to exceed five years.

The [Agency head] 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 if the [Agency head] determines that such a waiver would be in the public interest. This exception authority cannot be delegated to any other official.

Award means an award of financial assistance by the [Agency noun] 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 [Agency-specific CFR citation] 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).

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.

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.

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 § _.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.

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

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.

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.

(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 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).

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.

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.

Individual means a natural person.

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.

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.

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 Start Printed Page 3289is a distinct and separate action from suspension of an award or suspension of payments under an award.

Adoption of Proposed Common Rules

The adoption of the proposed common rules by the participating agencies, as modified by agency-specific text is set forth below:

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 970

RIN 3206-AJ31

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J. David Cope, Debarring Official, Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415, e-mail debar@opm.gov, fax (202) 606-2153.

ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Personnel Management adopted the Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension Common Rule on May 17, 1993, following the text of the governmentwide rule as published on May 26, 1988 (53 FR 19160). OPM did not adopt subpart F of the common rule, pertaining to requirements for drug-free workplace (grants), because the agency did not issue assistance awards, grants, or other forms of financial or nonfinancial assistance that would be covered by those provisions. For the same reasons, OPM is not adopting the separate regulatory part on drug-free workplace requirements that has been developed as part of this governmentwide regulatory package.

To communicate the requirement, you must include a term or condition in the transaction requiring the participants' compliance with subpart C of this part and requiring them to include a similar term or condition in lower-tier covered transactions.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

7 CFR Parts 3017 and 3021

RIN 0505-AA11

ADDRESSES: Comments on the Department of Agriculture's additional provisions should be addressed to Patricia E. Healy, Acting Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 143-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerald Miske, Fiscal Policy Division, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, 202-720-1553.

ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is publishing these proposed rules in order to update these two regulations, and to maintain governmentwide uniformity in grants management policy that is a primary objective of Pub. L. 106-107, “The Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999.”

The requirements for maintaining a drug-free workplace are being removed as a subpart in the current debarment and suspension common rule, and re-codified as a separate part 3021.

The appendix that is referenced in § 3017.50 contains a model for covered transactions that would be accurate for all USDA agencies if USDA had not added certain exclusions in §§ 3017.215 and 3017.220. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify that the appendix contains a general model that will vary for certain categories of transactions in accordance with the exclusions from covered transactions in §§ 3017.215 and 3017.220.

USDA has limited covered transactions under its current debarment and suspension regulation (7 CFR part 3017) to primary tier transactions for all of its export and foreign assistance programs. USDA proposes to retain this limited coverage for most of its export and foreign assistance programs but to expand the coverage slightly for certain market development and foreign assistance programs. The coverage would be expanded to include: (1) Any lower tiers non procurement transaction between a nonprofit trade association or state regional group and a U.S. entity under the Market Excess Program; and (2) any procurement contract for ocean transportation under USDA's foreign assistance programs. The types of lower Start Printed Page 3291tier transactions that would be covered would be those in which the Department of Agriculture would be making an identifiable payment, directly or indirectly, to the participant in the specific lower tier transaction. In accordance with §§ 3017.215 (i) and 3017.220 (d), these two types of transactions would be the only lower tier nonprocurement or procurement transactions in USDA's export and foreign assistance programs that would be covered transactions under this regulation.

USDA has identified in § 3017.215 certain nonprocurement transactions that will not be covered by this regulation.

Under § 3017.220, USDA has included certain procurement contracts as covered transactions when the contract is for the procurement of ocean transportation in connection with USDA's export and foreign assistance programs.

In order to communicate requirements to lower-tier covered transactions, USDA has added § 3017.440 requiring USDA agencies to include a term in each agreement for participants' compliance with Subpart C.

In §§ 3017.755 (a) and 3017.870 (a) USDA has added the requirement that the record remain open for a full 30 days after the respondent receives the notice of suspension or debarment even if a submission in opposition is made before the 30 days expire. This requirement was included in order to make the timing of these actions clear.

USDA does not have a centralized appeal process and therefore has retained in § 3017.765 the appeal process established in the current USDA regulation on debarment.

(c) * * * The “Covered Transactions” chart in the appendix to this part shows the general model for the levels or “tiers” at which the Department of Agriculture enforces an exclusion under this part. However, the chart in the appendix shows only the general model and the model will vary for certain categories of transactions in accordance with the exclusions from covered transactions in §§ 3017.215 and 3017.220.

4. Section 3017.215 is further amended by adding paragraphs (h) through (p) to read as follows:

(h) An entitlement or mandatory award required by a statue, including a lower tier entitlement or mandatory award that is required by a statute.

(i) With respect to the Department of Agriculture's export and foreign assistance programs, any transaction below the primary tier covered transaction other than a nonprocurement transaction under the Start Printed Page 3293Market Access Program between a nonprofit trade association or state regional group and a U.S. entity, as defined in part 1485 of this title.

(j) Any transaction under the Department of Agriculture's conservation programs, warehouse licensing programs, or programs that provide statutory entitlements and make available loans to individuals and entities in their capacity as producers of agricultural commodities.

(k) The export or substitution of Federal timber governed by the Forest Resources Conservation and Shortage Relief Act of 1990, 16 U.S.C. 620 et seq. (The “Export Act”), which provides separate statutory authority to debar.

(l) The receipt of licenses, permits, certificates, and indemnification under regulatory programs conducted in the interest of public health and safety, and animal and plant health and safety.

(m) The receipt of official grading and inspection services, animal damage control services, public health and safety inspection services, and animal and plant health and safety inspection services.

(n) If the person is a State or local government, the provision of official grading and inspection services, animal damage control services, animal and plant health and safety inspection services.

(o) The receipt of licenses, permit, or certificates under regulatory programs conducted in the interest of ensuring fair trade practices.

(p) Permits, licenses, exchanges and other acquisitions of real property, rights of way, and easements under natural resource management programs.

5. Section 3017.220 is amended by adding paragraph (d) to read as follows:

(d) The contract is for the procurement of ocean transportation in connection with the Department of Agriculture's foreign assistance programs. With respect to the Department of Agriculture's export and foreign assistance programs, such contracts are the only procurement contracts included as covered transactions, not withstanding the provisions in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section.

6. Section 3017.440 is added to read as follows:

To communicate the requirement, you must include a term or condition in the transaction requiring the participants' compliance with Subpart C of this part and requiring them to include similar term or condition in lower-tier covered transactions.

7. Section 3017.755 is further amended by adding a sentence at the end of paragraph (a) to read as follows:

(a) * * * However, the record will remain open for the full 30 days, as called for in § 3017.725, even when you make a submission before the 30 days expire.

8. Section 3017.765 is added to subpart G to read as follows:

(a) An appeal may be filled only after the respondent has exhausted the option to contest the suspension in § 3017.720. The appeal must be filed within 30 days of receiving the decision required § 3017.755 and it must specify the basis of the appeal. The respondent must file the appeal in writing to the Hearing Clerk in the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington, DC 20250. The decision of a suspending official under § 3017.700 may be vacated by the assigned appeals officer only if the officer determines that the decision is:

(1) Not in accordance with law;

(2) Not based on the applicable standard of evidence; or

(3) Arbitrary and capricious and an abuse of discretion.

(b) The appeals officer will base the decision solely on the administrative record.

(c) Within 90 days of the date the appeal is filed with USDA's OALJ Hearing Clerk, the appeals officer will notify, in writing, the respondent(s) and the suspending official, who took the action being appealed, of the decision.

(d) The appeals officer's decision is final and it not appealable within USDA.

9. Section 3017.800 is further amended by adding paragraph (e) to read as follows:

(e) Notwithstanding paragraph (c) (1) of this section, within the Department of Agriculture a nonprocurement debarment by any Federal agency taken before March 1, 1989.

10. Section 3017.870 is further amended by adding a sentence to the end of paragraph (a) to read as follows:

(a) * * * However, the record will remain open for the full 30 days, as called for in § 3017.820, even when you make a submission before the 30 days expire.

11. Section 3017.890 is added to subpart H to read as follows:

(a) An appeal may be filed only after the respondent has exhausted the option to contest the debarment in § 3017.815. The appeal must be filed within 30 days of receiving the decision required § 3017.870 and it must specify the basis of the appeal. The respondent must file the appeal in writing to the Hearing Clerk in the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington, DC 20250. The decision of a debarring official under § 3017.800 may be vacated by the assigned appeals officer only if the officer determines that the decision is:

(1) Not in accordance with law;

(2) Not based on the applicable standard of evidence; or

(3) Arbitrary and capricious and an abuse of discretion.

(b) The appeals officer will base the decision solely on the administrative record.

(c) Within 90 days of the date the appeal is filed with USDA's OALJ Hearing

Clerk, the appeals officer will notify, in writing, the respondent(s) and the debarring official, who took the action being appealed, of the decision.

(d) The appeals officer's decision is final and it not appealable within USDA.

12. Section 3017.935 is further amended by adding paragraph (b) to read as follows:

(b) Within USDA, the Secretary has designated the Administrators of program agencies to be the debarring official, i.e. Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. Further, the Secretary authorizes these officials to delegate any and all functions except for making the final decision. Final decision includes the decision to initiate, maintain, or continue a debarment.

13. Section 3017.1010 is further amended by adding paragraph (b) to read as follows:

(b) Within USDA, the Secretary has designated the Administrators of program agencies to be the suspending official, i.e. Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. Further, the Secretary authorizes these officials to delegate any and all functions except for making the final decision. Final decision includes the decision to initiate, maintain, or continue a suspension.

14. Part 3021 is added to read as set forth in instruction 2 at the end of the common preamble.