[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 41, Volume 3] [Revised as of July 1, 2003] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 41CFR105-55.006] [Page 395-396] TITLE 41--PUBLIC CONTRACTS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 105--GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION PART 105-55--COLLECTION OF CLAIMS OWED THE UNITED STATES--Table of Contents Sec. 105-55.006 Responsibility for collection. (a) Heads of Central Office Services and Staff Offices and Regional Administrators must initiate actions on claims arising from their program operations and immediately notify the appropriate Regional Finance Division. A claim will be recorded and controlled by the Regional Finance Division upon receipt of documentation from a competent authority establishing the amount due. (b) The collection of claims under the control of Regional Finance Divisions will be aggressively pursued in accordance with the provisions of part 102 of the Federal Claims Collection Standards (4 CFR part 102). Whenever feasible, debts owed to the United States, together with interest, administrative charges and penalty charges, should be collected in full in one lump sum. If the debtor requests installment payments, the Regional Finance Divisions shall be responsible for determining the financial hardship of debtors and when appropriate shall arrange installment payment schedules. Claims which cannot be collected either directly or by administrative offset shall either be [[Page 396]] written off as administratively uncollectible in accordance with authority delegated to the Director, Office of Finance and the Directors, Regional Finance Divisions, or referred to the appropriate Assistant General Counsel or Regional Counsel for further consideration. (c) The General Counsel, delegated officials in the Office of General Counsel, and each Regional Counsel may compromise or suspend or terminate the collection of, referred claims under $20,000, exclusive of interest, penalties and administrative charges under the Act and the Federal Claims Collection Standards 4 CFR parts 103 and 104. (d) The Office of General Counsel officials listed in paragraph (c) of this section have the responsibility for referring to the Department of Justice all claims over $20,000 exclusive of interest, penalties and administrative charges which cannot be compromised, suspended or terminated in accordance with the Federal Claims Collection Act and the Federal Claims Collections Standards. Referrals to the Department of Justice shall be made in accordance with 4 CFR part 105 of the Federal Claims Collections Standards.