Higher Education Emergency
Relief Fund (HEERF) Improper Payments Information Form
New
collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
No
Emergency
01/13/2021
01/08/2021
Requested
Previously Approved
6 Months From Approved
5,138
0
5,138
0
0
0
Under the CARES Act’s Higher Education
Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), the Department has made over 12,000
awards to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support
emergency financial aid to students and institutional costs
associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction
due to the coronavirus. This form will be used by institutions that
have improperly drawn down funds from their award accounts to
provide the Department with information regarding funds being
returned to correct these improper payments.
Under the current
unprecedented national health emergency, Congress and the President
have come together to offer relief to those individuals and
industries affected by the COVID-19 virus under the Coronavirus
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act. Under the
CARES Act’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), the
U.S. Department of Education (the Department) has made over 12,000
awards to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support
emergency financial aid to students and institutional costs
associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction
due to the coronavirus. In the course of monitoring these grant
awards, the Department has determined that over 700 IHEs have
improperly drawn down funds from their award accounts, totaling
over $202 million in funds that must now be returned. Furthermore,
during the time that these funds have been drawn down, grantees are
earning additional interest in excess of the $500 annual cap
prescribed by 2 CFR § 200.305(b) of the Uniform Guidance. The
Department is concerned that this excess interest, without an
expeditious inventory and response by our grantees, may be
difficult to account. Therefore, in order to process the return of
these funds more efficiently and prevent any further earnings
beyond the interest cap, we are requesting emergency approval of a
short form that will allow the grantee to provide the Department
with information regarding the funds being returned.
This is a new collection, thus,
all burden is considered new.
$0
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Karen Epps 202 453-6337
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.