§ 1500.13 Purpose and scope of this subpart.

(a) This section provides the process for the resolution of pre-award and post-award assistance agreement disputes as described in § 1500.14, except for: (1) Assistance agreement competition-related disputes which are covered by EPA's Grant Competition Dispute Resolution Procedures; and, (2) Any appeal process relating to an award official's determination that an entity is not qualified for award that may be developed pursuant to guidance implementing Section 872 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Pub. L. 110-417, as amended). (b) Pre-award and post-award disagreements between affected entities and EPA related to an assistance agreement should be resolved at the lowest level possible. If an agreement cannot be reached, absent any other applicable statutory or regulatory dispute provisions, affected entities must follow the dispute procedures outlined in this subpart. (c) Determinations affecting assistance agreements made under certain Agency decision-making processes are not subject to review under the procedures in this subpart or the Agency's procedures for resolving assistance agreement competition-related disputes. These determinations include, but are not limited to: (1) Decisions on requests for exceptions under § 1500.4; (2) Bid protest decisions under 2 CFR 200.318(k); (3) National Environmental Policy Act decisions under 40 CFR part 6; (4) Policy decisions of the EPA Internal Audit Dispute Resolution Process (formerly known as Audit Resolution Board); (5) Suspension and Debarment Decisions under 2 CFR parts 180 and 1532; (6) Decisions to decline to fund non-competitive applications or not to award incremental or supplemental funding based on the availability of funds or agency priorities; (7) Decisions on requests for reconsideration of specific award conditions under 2 CFR 200.208; (8) Decisions to deny requests for no-cost extensions under 2 CFR 200.308(e)(2), 40 CFR 35.114(b), and 40 CFR 35.514(b); and (9) Denials of requests for EPA approval of procurement through noncompetitive proposals under 2 CFR 200.320(c)(4).