1210.22—Payment.

(a) Payment methods shall minimize the time elapsing between the transfer of funds from the United States Treasury and the issuance or redemption of checks, warrants, or payment by other means by the recipients. Payment methods of State agencies or instrumentalities shall be consistent with Treasury-State CMIA agreements or default procedures codified at 31 CFR Part 205.

(b) Recipients will be paid in advance, provided they maintain or demonstrate the willingness to maintain written procedures that minimize the time elapsing between the transfer of funds and disbursement by the recipient, and financial management systems that meet the standards for fund control and accountability as established in § 1210.21. Cash advances to a recipient organization shall be limited to the minimum amounts needed and be timed to be in accordance with the actual, immediate cash requirements of the recipient organization in carrying out the purpose of the approved program or project. The timing and amount of cash advances shall be as close as is administratively feasible to the actual disbursements by the recipient organization for direct program or project costs and the proportionate share of any allowable indirect costs.

(c) Whenever possible, advances shall be consolidated to cover anticipated cash needs for all awards made by the NHPRC to the recipient.

(1) Advance payment mechanisms include, but are not limited to, Treasury check and electronic funds transfer.

(2) Advance payment mechanisms are subject to 31 CFR Part 205.

(3) Recipients can submit requests for advances and reimbursements at least monthly when a predetermined schedule of electronic funds transfer is not used.

(d) Requests for Treasury check advance payment shall be submitted on SF-270, “Request for Advance or Reimbursement,” or other forms as may be authorized by OMB. This form is not to be used when Treasury check advance payments are made to the recipient automatically through the use of a predetermined payment schedule or if precluded by special NHPRC instructions for electronic funds transfer.

(e) Reimbursement is the preferred method when the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section cannot be met.

(1) When the reimbursement method is used, the NHPRC shall make payment within 30 days after receipt of the billing, unless the billing is improper.

(2) Recipients can submit a request for reimbursement at least monthly when a predetermined schedule of electronic funds transfer is not used.

(f) If a recipient cannot meet the criteria for advance payments and the NHPRC has determined that reimbursement is not feasible because the recipient lacks sufficient working capital, the NHPRC may provide cash on a working capital advance basis. Under this procedure, the NHPRC shall advance cash to the recipient to cover its estimated disbursement needs for an initial period generally geared to the awardee's disbursing cycle. Thereafter, the NHPRC shall reimburse the recipient for its actual cash disbursements. The working capital advance method of payment shall not be used for recipients unwilling or unable to provide timely advances to their subrecipient to meet the subrecipient's actual cash disbursements.

(g) To the extent available, recipients shall disburse funds available from repayments to and interest earned on a revolving fund, program income, rebates, refunds, contract settlements, audit recoveries and interest earned on such funds before requesting additional cash payments.

(h) Unless otherwise required by statute, the NHPRC shall not withhold payments for proper charges made by recipients at any time during the project period unless paragraph (h)(1) or (2) of this section apply.

(1) A recipient has failed to comply with the project objectives, the terms and conditions of the award, or NHPRC reporting requirements.

(2) The recipient or subrecipient is delinquent in a debt to the United States as defined in OMB Circular A-129, “Managing Federal Credit Programs.” Under such conditions, the NHPRC may, upon reasonable notice, inform the recipient that payments shall not be made for obligations incurred after a specified date until the conditions are corrected or the indebtedness to the Federal Government is liquidated.

(i) Standards governing the use of banks and other institutions as depositories of funds advanced under awards are as follows.

(1) Except for situations described in paragraph (i)(2) of this section, the NHPRC shall not require separate depository accounts for funds provided to a recipient or establish any eligibility requirements for depositories for funds provided to a recipient. However, recipients must be able to account for the receipt, obligation and expenditure of funds.

(2) Advances of NHPRC funds shall be deposited and maintained in insured accounts whenever possible.

(j) Consistent with the national goal of expanding the opportunities for women-owned and minority-owned business enterprises, recipients shall be encouraged to use women-owned and minority-owned banks (a bank which is owned at least 50 percent by women or minority group members).

(k) Recipients shall maintain advances of NHPRC funds in interest bearing accounts, unless paragraphs (k)(1), (2) or (3) of this section apply.

(1) The recipient receives less than $120,000 in Federal awards per year.

(2) The best reasonably available interest bearing account would not be expected to earn interest in excess of $250 per year on Federal cash balances.

(3) The depository would require an average or minimum balance so high that it would not be feasible within the expected Federal and non-Federal cash resources.

(l) In keeping with Electronic Funds Transfer rules ( 31 CFR Part 206 ), interest earned should be remitted annually to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Payment Management System through an electronic medium such as the FEDWIRE Deposit system. Recipients which do not have this capability should use a check and mail it to the Payment Management System, P.O. Box 6021, Rockville, MD 20852. Interest amounts up to $250 per year may be retained by the recipient for administrative expense. State universities and hospitals shall comply with CMIA, as it pertains to interest. If an entity subject to CMIA uses its own funds to pay pre-award costs for discretionary awards without prior written approval from the NHPRC, it waives its right to recover the interest under CMIA.

(m) Except as noted elsewhere in this part, only the SF-270, Request for Advance or Reimbursement, shall be authorized for the recipients in requesting advances and reimbursements. The NHPRC requires an original and two copies of this form.