Section 734.605  Applications for Payment

a)         An owner or operator seeking payment from the Fund must submit to the Agency an application for payment on forms prescribed and provided by the Agency and, if specified by the Agency by written notice, in an electronic format.  The owner or operator may submit an application for partial payment or final payment.  Costs for which payment is sought must be approved in a budget, provided, however, that no budget must be required for early action activities conducted pursuant to Subpart B of this Part other than free product removal activities conducted more than 45 days after confirmation of the presence of free product.

b)         A complete application for payment must consist of the following elements:

1)         A certification from a Licensed Professional Engineer or a Licensed Professional Geologist acknowledged by the owner or operator that the work performed has been in accordance with a technical plan approved by the Agency or, for early action activities, in accordance with Subpart B of this Part;

2)         A statement of the amounts approved in the corresponding budget and the amounts actually sought for payment along with a certified statement by the owner or operator that the amounts so sought have been expended in conformance with the elements of a budget approved by the Agency;

3)         A copy of the OSFM or Agency eligibility and deductibility determination;

4)         Proof that approval of the payment requested will not exceed the limitations set forth in the Act and Section 734.620 of this Part;

5)         A federal taxpayer identification number and legal status disclosure certification;

6)         Private insurance coverage form(s);

7)         A minority/women's business form;

8)         Designation of the address to which payment and notice of final action on the application for payment are to be sent;

9)         An accounting of all costs, including but not limited to, invoices, receipts, and supporting documentation showing the dates and descriptions of the work performed; and

10)         Proof of payment of subcontractor costs for which handling charges are requested.  Proof of payment may include cancelled checks, lien waivers, or affidavits from the subcontractor.

c)       The address designated on the application for payment may be changed only by subsequent notification to the Agency, on a form provided by the Agency, of a change in address.

d)       Applications for payment and change of address forms must be mailed or delivered to the address designated by the Agency.  The Agency's record of the date of receipt must be deemed conclusive unless a contrary date is proven by a dated, signed receipt from certified or registered mail.

e)       Applications for partial or final payment may be submitted no more frequently than once every 90 days.

f)       Except for applications for payment for costs of early action conducted pursuant to Subpart B of this Part, other than costs associated with free product removal activities conducted more than 45 days after confirmation of the presence of free product, in no case must the Agency review an application for payment unless there is an approved budget on file corresponding to the application for payment.

g)       In no case must the Agency authorize payment to an owner or operator in amounts greater than the amounts approved by the Agency in a corresponding budget.  Revised cost estimates or increased costs resulting from revised procedures must be submitted to the Agency for review in accordance with Subpart E of this Part using amended budgets plans as required under this Part.

h)       Applications for payment of costs associated with a Stage 1, Stage 2, or Stage 3 site investigation may not be submitted prior to the approval or modification of a site investigation plan for the next stage of the site investigation or the site investigation completion report, whichever is applicable.

i)        Applications for payment of costs associated with site investigation or corrective action that was deferred pursuant to Section 734.450 of this Part may not be submitted prior to approval or modification of the corresponding site investigation plan, site investigation completion report, or corrective action completion report.

j)        All applications for payment of corrective action costs must be submitted no later than one year after the date the Agency issues a No Further Remediation Letter pursuant to Subpart G of this Part.  For releases for which the Agency issued a No Further Remediation Letter prior to March 1, 2006, all applications for payment must be submitted no later than March 1, 2007.