(a) Definitions. As used in this part:

(1) Contact point means the individual designated to receive referrals from the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, as provided for in this section, by the Federal investigative agency, United States Attorney's Office, or forfeiting agency specified in Fiscal Service Form 1522.

(2) Forfeiting agency means the federal law enforcement agency responsible for the forfeiture.

(3) Forfeiture—(i) Administrative forfeiture means the process by which property may be forfeited by a Federal agency rather than through judicial proceedings.

(ii) Judicial forfeiture means either a civil or a criminal proceeding in a United States District Court that may result in a final judgment and order of forfeiture.

(4) Fiscal Service Form 1522 means the written notification of the forfeiture provided by the forfeiting agency to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service on a Fiscal Service Form 1522 Special Form of Request for Payment of United States Savings and Retirement Securities Where Use of a Detached Request Is Authorized. Fiscal Service Form 1522 must specify: the contact point; the issue date of each bond; the serial number for each bond; the date of forfeiture; the forfeiture fund to which payment is to be made; and be signed by an individual authorized by the forfeiting agency. The forfeited bonds and the completed Fiscal Service Form 1522 are to be mailed to the Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Parkersburg, WV 26106-1328.

(b) Forfeiture of bond. (1) Upon receipt and review of the Fiscal Service Form 1522, as described in (a)(4) above, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service will make payment to the forfeiture fund specified on the form.

(2) The Bureau of the Fiscal Service will record the forfeiture, the forfeiture fund into which the proceeds were paid, the contact point, and any related information.

(3) The Bureau of the Fiscal Service will rely exclusively upon the information provided by the Federal agency in the Fiscal Service Form 1522 and will not make any independent evaluation of the validity of the forfeiture order, the request for payment, or the authority of the individual signing the request for payment.

(4) The amount paid is limited to the redemption value of the savings bonds as of the date of forfeiture specified in the Fiscal Service Form 1522.

(c) Inquiry from previous owner. (1) Upon payment made pursuant to (b), all inquiries from the previous owner, including requests for payment, reissue, or applications for relief, related to forfeited savings bonds will be referred by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service to the contact point named in the Fiscal Service Form 1522.

(2) The Bureau of the Fiscal Service will notify the submitter of the inquiry of the referral to the contact point.

(3) The Bureau of the Fiscal Service will not investigate the inquiry and will defer to the forfeiting agency's determination of the appropriate course of action, including settlement where appropriate. Any settlement will be paid from the forfeiture fund into which the proceeds were deposited.