§1040.113. Deferral. — Inbound Citations

(a) Whenever an opportunity for hearing is required by § 1040.113, the Director, OEO, or his/her designee shall serve on the applicant or recipient, by registered, certified mail, or return receipt requested, a notice of opportunity for hearing which will:

(1) Inform the applicant or recipient of the action proposed to be taken and of his/her right within twenty (20) days of the date of the notice of opportunity for hearing, or another period which may be specified in the notice, to request a hearing;

(2) Set forth the alleged item or items of noncompliance with this part;

(3) Specify the issues;

(4) State that compliance with this part may be effected by an order providing for the termination of or refusal to grant or to continue assistance, as appropriate, under the program involved; and

(5) Provide that the applicant or recipient may file a written answer with the Director, OEO, to the notice of opportunity for hearing under oath or affirmation within twenty (20) days of its date, or another period which may be specified in the notice.

(h) Prior to and as a condition of approval, all applications for Federal financial assistance are to be reviewed by the appropriate Civil Rights Department official who is to make a written determination of the applicant's compliance with this part. The basis for such a determination is to be the submission of the assurance of compliance as specified in paragraph (a) and a review of data to be submitted by the applicant as specified by the Director. For purposes of this subsection, the appropriate departmental official at headquarters level is the Director, FAPD, Office of Equal Opportunity, and at the regional level it is to be the Civil Rights Officer delegated by the Director as having review authority for determining compliance with requirements of this part. Where a determination of compliance cannot be made from this data, DOE may require the applicant to submit necessary additional information and may take other steps necessary to make the determination of compliance. Such other steps may include, for example, communicating with local government officials or protected class organizations and field reviews. Any agreement to achieve voluntary compliance as a result of a preaward review shall be in writing. In the case of Title VI, the Director will notify the Assistant Attorney General of instances of probable noncompliance determined as the result of application reviews. The opportunity for a hearing as provided under § 1040.113 is applicable to this section.