§  54.627   Invoicing process and certifications.

   (a) Invoice filing deadline. Invoices must be submitted to the
   Administrator within 120 days after the later of:

   (1) The service delivery deadline, as defined in § 54.626; or

   (2) The date of a revised funding commitment letter issued pursuant to
   an approved post-commitment request made by the applicant or service
   provider or a successful appeal of a previously denied or reduced
   funding request. Before the Administrator may process and pay an
   invoice, it must receive a completed invoice from the service provider.

   (b) Invoice deadline extension. Service providers or billed entities
   may request a one-time extension of the invoicing deadline by no later
   than the deadline calculated pursuant to paragraph (a) in this section.
   The Administrator shall grant a 120-day extension of the invoice filing
   deadline, if it is timely requested.

   (c) Telecommunications Program. (1) The applicant must submit
   documentation to the Administrator confirming the service start date,
   the service end or disconnect date, or whether the service was never
   turned on.

   (2) Upon receipt of the invoice(s) and supporting documentation, the
   Administrator shall generate a Health Care Provider Support Schedule
   (HSS), which the service provider shall use to determine how much
   credit the applicant will receive for the services.

   (3) Certifications. Before the Administrator may process and pay an
   invoice, both the health care provider and the service provider must
   make the following certifications.

   (i) The health care provider must certify that:

   (A) The service has been or is being provided to the health care
   provider;

   (B) The universal service credit will be applied to the
   telecommunications service billing account of the health care provider
   or the billed entity as directed by the health care provider;

   (C) It is authorized to submit this request on behalf of the health
   care provider;

   (D) It has examined the invoice and supporting documentation and that
   to the best of its knowledge, information and belief, all statements of
   fact contained in the invoice and supporting documentation are true;

   (E) It or the consortium it represents satisfies all of the
   requirements and will abide by all of the relevant requirements,
   including all applicable Commission rules, with respect to universal
   service benefits provided under 47 U.S.C. 254; and

   (F) It understands that any letter from the Administrator that
   erroneously states that funds will be made available for the benefit of
   the applicant may be subject to rescission.

   (ii) The service provider must certify that:

   (A) The information contained in the invoice is correct and the health
   care providers and the Billed Account Numbers have been credited with
   the amounts shown under “Support Amount to be Paid by USAC;”

   (B) It has abided by all of the relevant requirements, including all
   applicable Commission rules;

   (C) It has received and reviewed the HSS, invoice form and accompanying
   documentation, and that the rates charged for the telecommunications
   services, to the best of its knowledge, information and belief, are
   accurate and comply with the Commission's rules;

   (D) It is authorized to submit the invoice;

   (E) The health care provider paid the appropriate urban rate for the
   telecommunications services;

   (F) The rural rate on the invoice does not exceed the appropriate rural
   rate determined by the Administrator;

   (G) It has charged the health care provider for only eligible services
   prior to submitting the invoice for payment and accompanying
   documentation;

   (H) It has not offered or provided a gift or any other thing of value
   to the applicant (or to the applicant's personnel, including its
   consultant) for which it will provide services; and

   (I) The consultants or third parties it has hired do not have an
   ownership interest, sales commission arrangement, or other financial
   stake in the service provider chosen to provide the requested services,
   and that they have otherwise complied with Rural Health Care Program
   rules, including the Commission's rules requiring fair and open
   competitive bidding.

   (J) As a condition of receiving support, it will provide to the health
   care providers, on a timely basis, all documents regarding supported
   equipment or services that are necessary for the health care provider
   to submit required forms or respond to Commission or Administrator
   inquiries.

   (d) Healthcare Connect Fund Program. (1) Certifications. Before the
   Administrator may process and pay an invoice, the Consortium Leader (or
   health care provider, if participating individually) and the service
   provider must make the following certifications:

   (i) The Consortium Leader or health care provider must certify that:

   (A) It is authorized to submit this request on behalf of the health
   care provider or consortium;

   (B) It has examined the invoice form and attachments and, to the best
   of its knowledge, information, and belief, all information contained on
   the invoice form and attachments are true and correct;

   (C) The health care provider or consortium members have received the
   related services, network equipment, and/or facilities itemized on the
   invoice form; and

   (D) The required 35 percent minimum contribution for each item on the
   invoice form was funded by eligible sources as defined in the
   Commission's rules and that the required contribution was remitted to
   the service provider.

   (ii) The service provider must certify that:

   (A) It has been authorized to submit this request on behalf of the
   service provider;

   (B) It has applied the amount submitted, approved, and paid by the
   Administrator to the billing account of the health care provider(s) and
   Funding Request Number (FRN)/FRN ID listed on the invoice;

   (C) It has examined the invoice form and attachments and that, to the
   best of its knowledge, information, and belief, the date, quantities,
   and costs provided in the invoice form and attachments are true and
   correct;

   (D) It has abided by all program requirements, including all applicable
   Commission rules and orders;

   (E) It has charged the health care provider for only eligible services
   prior to submitting the invoice form and accompanying documentation;

   (F) It has not offered or provided a gift or any other thing of value
   to the applicant (or to the applicant's personnel, including its
   consultant) for which it will provide services;

   (G) The consultants or third parties it has hired do not have an
   ownership interest, sales commission arrangement, or other financial
   stake in the service provider chosen to provide the requested services,
   and that they have otherwise complied with Rural Health Care Program
   rules, including the Commission's rules requiring fair and open
   competitive bidding; and

   (H) As a condition of receiving support, it will provide to the health
   care providers, on a timely basis, all documents regarding supported
   equipment, facilities, or services that are necessary for the health
   care provider to submit required forms or respond to Commission or
   Administrator inquiries.