(a) Reconsideration. Prior to submitting an appeal in accordance with § 746.204, the petitioner may in its sole discretion make a written request to the appropriate program office to reconsider the initial agency determination.

(b) Deadline to file. A request for reconsideration must be sent to the appropriate program office within 30 calendar days of the date of the initial agency determination. A petitioner who does not file a request for reconsideration in a timely manner is considered to have waived the right to request reconsideration.

(c) Special rule regarding change in officials. Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, a request for reconsideration of an initial agency determination disapproving an individual serving as a director, committee member or senior executive officer pursuant to § 701.14 of this chapter must be sent to the appropriate program office within 15 calendar days of the date of the initial agency determination.

(d) Content of request. Any request for reconsideration must include:

(1) A statement of the facts on which the request for reconsideration is based;

(2) A statement of the basis for the initial agency determination to which the petitioner objects and the alleged error in such determination; and

(3) Any other support or evidence relied upon by the petitioner which was not previously provided to the appropriate program office.

(e) Determination of program office. The appropriate program office will review its initial agency determination and reconsider the position initially taken in the light of the arguments and additional materials provided in the request for reconsideration. Within 30 calendar days of its receipt of a request for reconsideration, the appropriate program office shall issue its determination either affirming in whole or in part the initial agency determination or rejecting it.

(f) Notice of determination. The appropriate program office shall provide its decision concerning the reconsideration request to the petitioner in writing, stating the reasons for the decision. The decision shall be treated as an initial agency determination for purposes of § 746.204(a).

(1) In addition to a written statement of reasons for the decision, the appropriate program office shall provide the petitioner with written notice of the right to appeal the decision, in whole or in part, to the Board in accordance with the procedures set forth in § 746.204.

(2) For creditor claims brought pursuant to sec. 207 of the Federal Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1787), the appropriate program office shall provide the petitioner with written notice of the right, in the alternative to filing an appeal with the Board, to file suit or continue an action commenced before the appointment of the liquidating agent in the district or territorial court of the United States for the district within which the credit union's principal place of business was located or the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. For such claims, the 60-day period for filing a lawsuit in United States district court provided in 12 U.S.C. 1787(b)(6) shall be tolled from the date of the petitioner's request for reconsideration to the date of a determination pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section.

(3) Upon a showing of extenuating circumstances, as determined by the program office in its reasonable judgment, a petitioner may be allowed to submit a second reconsideration request before filing an appeal with the Board. In such cases, the deadline for filing an appeal with the Board shall begin to run from the earlier of the date of the decision of the program office regarding the second reconsideration request or thirty calendar days from the date the second reconsideration request was accepted by the program office.

(g) Failure to make a determination. Failure by the appropriate program office to issue a decision within the timeframe specified in paragraph (e) of this section shall be an affirmation of the original initial agency determination and shall be treated as an initial agency determination for purposes of § 746.204(a).

(h) Burden of proof. The burden of proof to lead the appropriate program office to modify or reverse an initial agency determination shall rest solely upon the petitioner.