14 C.F.R. § 1261.503 Agency records inspection; hearing or review.
Title 14 - Aeronautics and Space
(a) NASA shall provide the debtor with a reasonable opportunity for an “oral hearing” when: (1) An applicable statute authorizes or requires the agency to consider waiver of the indebtedness involved, the debtor requests waiver of the indebtedness, and the waiver determination turns on an issue of credibility or veracity; or (2) The debtor requests reconsideration of the debt and the agency determines that the question of the indebtedness cannot be resolved by review of the documentary evidence, for example, when the validity of the debt turns on an issue of credibility or veracity. Unless otherwise required by law, an oral hearing under this section is not required to be a formal evidentiary-type hearing, although significant matters discussed at the hearing should be carefully documented. See 4 CFR 102.3(c)(1). Such hearing may be an informal discussion/interview with the debtor, face-to-face meeting between debtor and cognizant NASA personnel, or written formal submission by the debtor and response by the NASA cognizant personnel with an opportunity for oral presentation. The hearing will be conducted before or in the presence of an official designated by the NASA General Counsel or designee on a case-by-case basis. The decision of the reviewing/hearing official should be communicated in writing (no particular form is required) to the affected parties, and will constitute the final administrative decision of the agency. (b) Paragraph (a) of this section does not require an oral hearing with respect to debt collection systems in which determinations of indebtedness or waiver rarely involve issues of credibility or veracity and NASA has determined that review of the written record is ordinarily an adequate means to correct prior mistakes. In administering such a system, the agency is not required to sift through all of the requests received in order to accord oral hearings in those few cases which may involve issues of credibility or veracity. See 4 CFR 102.3(c)(2). (c) In those cases where an oral hearing is not required or granted, NASA will nevertheless accord the debtor a “paper hearing”—that is, the agency will make its determination on the request for waiver or reconsideration based upon a review of the available written record. See 4 CFR 102.3(c)(3). In such case, the responsible official or designee shall refer the request to the appropriate NASA legal counsel for review and determination by counsel or designee. (d) A request to inspect and/or copy the debtor's own debt records or related files, and/or for a hearing or review accompanied by a statement of the basis or grounds for such hearing or review, must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the receipt of the written notice under §1261.502(a). A reasonable time to inspect and copy records will be provided during official working hours, but not to exceed 5 business days, unless a verified statement showing good cause requires a longer period. Any suspension of collection or other charges during the period of the inspection, or hearing or review, shall comply with §§1261.412 and 1261.416. Requests for or consideration of compromising the debt must comply with §1261.414.
Title 14: Aeronautics and Space
PART 1261—PROCESSING OF MONETARY CLAIMS (GENERAL)
Subpart 1261.5—Administrative Offset of Claims
§ 1261.503 Agency records inspection; hearing or review.
