(a)(1) The Secretary requires a lender and its third-party servicer administering any aspect of the FFEL programs under a contract with the lender to repay interest benefits and special allowance or other compensation received on a loan guaranteed by a guaranty agency, pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section—

(i) For any period beginning on the date of a failure by the lender or servicer, with respect to the loan, to comply with any of the requirements set forth in § 682.406(a)(1)-(a)(6), (a)(9), and (a)(12);

(ii) For any period beginning on the date of a failure by the lender or servicer, with respect to the loan, to meet a condition of guarantee coverage established by the guaranty agency, to the date, if any, on which the guaranty agency reinstated the guarantee coverage pursuant to policies and procedures established by the agency;

(iii) For any period in which the lender or servicer, with respect to the loan, violates the requirements of subpart C of this part; and

(iv) For any period beginning on the day after the Secretary's obligation to pay special allowance on the loan terminates under § 682.302(d).

(2) For purposes of this section, a lender and any applicable third-party servicer shall be considered jointly and severally liable for the repayment of any interest benefits and special allowance paid as a result of a violation of applicable requirements by the servicer in administering the lender's FFEL programs.

(3) For purposes of paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the relevant third-party servicer shall repay any outstanding liabilities under paragraph (a)(2) of this section only if—

(i) The Secretary has determined that the servicer is jointly and severally liable for the liabilities; and

(ii) (A) The lender has not repaid in full the amount of the liability within 30 days from the date the lender receives notice from the Secretary of the liability;

(B) The lender has not made other satisfactory arrangements to pay the amount of the liability within 30 days from the date the lender receives notice from the Secretary of the liability; or

(C) The Secretary is unable to collect the liability from the lender by offsetting the lender's bill to the Secretary for interest benefits or special allowance, if—

(1) The bill is submitted after the 30 day period specified in paragraph (a)(3)(ii)(A) of this section has passed; and

(2) The lender has not paid, or made satisfactory arrangements to pay, the liability.

(b)(1) The Secretary requires a guaranty agency to repay reinsurance payments received on a loan if the lender, third-party servicer, if applicable, or the agency failed to meet the requirements of § 682.406(a).

(2) The Secretary may require a guaranty agency to repay reinsurance payments received on a loan or to assign FFEL loans to the Department if the agency fails to meet the requirements of § 682.410.

(c)(1) In addition to requiring repayment of reinsurance payments pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, the Secretary may take one or more of the following remedial actions against a guaranty agency or third-party servicer administering any aspect of the FFEL programs under a contract with the guaranty agency, that makes an incomplete or incorrect statement in connection with any agreement entered into under this part or violates any applicable Federal requirement:

(i) Require the agency to return payments made by the Secretary to the agency.

(ii) Withhold payments to the agency.

(iii) Limit the terms and conditions of the agency's continued participation in the FFEL programs.

(iv) Suspend or terminate agreements with the agency.

(v) Impose a fine on the agency or servicer. For purposes of assessing a fine on a third-party servicer, a repeated mechanical systemic unintentional error shall be counted as one violation, unless the servicer has been cited for a similar violation previously and had failed to make the appropriate corrections to the system.

(vi) Require repayment from the agency and servicer pursuant to paragraph (c)(2) of this section, of interest, special allowance, and reinsurance paid on Consolidation loan amounts attributed to Consolidation loans for which the required lender verification certification is not available.

(vii) Require repayment from the agency or servicer, pursuant to paragraph (c)(2) of this section, of any related payments that the Secretary became obligated to make to others as a result of an incomplete or incorrect statement or a violation of an applicable Federal requirement.

(2) For purposes of this section, a guaranty agency and any applicable third-party servicer shall be considered jointly and severally liable for the repayment of any interest benefits, special allowance, reinsurance paid, or other compensation on Consolidation loan amounts attributed to Consolidation loans as specified in § 682.413(c)(1)(vi) as a result of a violation by the servicer administering any aspect of the FFEL programs under a contract with that guaranty agency.

(3) For purposes of paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the relevant third-party servicer shall repay any outstanding liabilities under paragraph (c)(2) of this section only if—

(i) The Secretary has determined that the servicer is jointly and severally liable for the liabilities; and

(ii) (A) The guaranty agency has not repaid in full the amount of the liability within 30 days from the date the guaranty agency receives notice from the Secretary of the liability;

(B) The guaranty agency has not made other satisfactory arrangements to pay the amount of the liability within 30 days from the date the guaranty agency receives notice from the Secretary of the liability; or

(C) The Secretary is unable to collect the liability from the guaranty agency by offsetting the guaranty agency's first reinsurance claim to the Secretary, if—

(1) The claim is submitted after the 30-day period specified in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(A) of this section has passed; and

(2) The guaranty agency has not paid, or made satisfactory arrangements to pay, the liability.

(d)(1) The Secretary follows the procedures described in 34 CFR part 668, subpart G, applicable to fine proceedings against schools, in imposing a fine against a lender, guaranty agency, or third-party servicer. References to “the institution” in those regulations shall be understood to mean the lender, guaranty agency, or third-party servicer, as applicable, for this purpose.

(2) The Secretary also follows the provisions of section 432(g) of the Act in imposing a fine against a guaranty agency or lender.

(e)(1)(i) The Secretary's decision to require repayment of funds, withhold funds, or to limit or suspend a lender, guaranty agency, or third party servicer from participation in the FFEL Program or to terminate a lender or third party from participation in the FFEL Program does not become final until the Secretary provides the lender, agency, or servicer with written notice of the intended action and an opportunity to be heard. The hearing is at a time and in a manner the Secretary determines to be appropriate to the resolution of the issues on which the lender, agency, or servicer requests the hearing.

(ii) The Secretary's decision to terminate a guaranty agency's participation in the FFEL Program after September 24, 1998 does not become final until the Secretary provides the agency with written notice of the intended action and provides an opportunity for a hearing on the record.

(2)(i) The Secretary may withhold payments from an agency or suspend an agreement with an agency prior to giving notice and an opportunity to be heard if the Secretary finds that emergency action is necessary to prevent substantial harm to Federal interests.

(ii) The Secretary follows the notice and show cause procedures described in § 682.704 applicable to emergency actions against lenders in taking an emergency action against a guaranty agency.

(3) The Secretary follows the procedures in 34 CFR 30.20-30.32 in collecting a debt by offset against payments otherwise due a guaranty agency or lender.

(f) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a)-(e) of this section, the Secretary may waive the right to require repayment of funds by a lender or agency if in the Secretary's judgment the best interests of the United States so require. The Secretary's waiver policy for violations of § 682.406(a)(3) or (a)(5) is set forth in appendix D to this part.

(g) The Secretary's final decision to require repayment of funds or to take other remedial action, other than a fine, against a lender or guaranty agency under this section is conclusive and binding on the lender or agency.

(h) In any action to require repayment of funds or to withhold funds from a guaranty agency, or to limit, suspend, or terminate a guaranty agency based on a violation of section 428(b)(3) of the Act, if the Secretary finds that the guaranty agency provided or offered the prohibited payments or activities, the Secretary applies a rebuttable presumption that the payments or activities were offered or provided to secure applications for FFEL loans or to secure FFEL loan volume. To reverse the presumption, the guaranty agency must present evidence that the activities or payments were provided for a reason unrelated to securing applications for FFEL loans or securing FFEL loan volume.