(a) Eligibility. Except as provided in § 668.208(b), you may appeal the calculation of a cohort default rate upon which a loss of eligibility, under § 668.206, or provisional certification, under § 668.16(m), is based if—

1. (1) You dispute the accuracy of data that you previously challenged on the basis of incorrect data, under § 668.204(b); or
2. (2) A comparison of the loan record detail reports that we provide to you for the draft and official cohort default rates shows that the data have been newly included, excluded, or otherwise changed, and you dispute the accuracy of that data.

(b) Deadlines for submitting an appeal.

1. (1) You must send a request for verification of data errors to the relevant data manager, or data managers, and to us within 15 days after you receive the notice of your loss of eligibility or provisional certification. Your request must include a description of the information in the cohort default rate data that you believe is incorrect and all supporting documentation that demonstrates the error.

2. (2) Within 20 days after receiving your request for verification of data errors, the data manager must send you and us a response that—

   1. (i) Addresses each of your allegations of error; and
   2. (ii) Includes the documentation used to support the data manager's position.
3. (3) Within 15 days after receiving a guaranty agency's notice that we hold an FFELP loan about which you are inquiring, you must send us your request for verification of that loan's data errors. Your request must include a description of the information in the cohort default rate data that you believe is incorrect and all supporting documentation that demonstrates the error. We respond to your request as set forth under paragraph (b)(2) of this section.
4. (4) Within 15 days after receiving incomplete or illegible records or data, you must send a request for replacement records or clarification of data to the data manager and us.

5. (5) Within 20 days after receiving your request for replacement records or clarification of data, the data manager must—

   1. (i) Replace the missing or illegible records;
   2. (ii) Provide clarifying information; or
   3. (iii) Notify you and us that no clarifying information or additional or improved records are available.

6. (6) You must send your completed appeal to us, including all supporting documentation—

   1. (i) Within 30 days after you receive the final data manager's response to your request; or
   2. (ii) If you are also requesting a new data adjustment or filing a loan servicing appeal, by the latest of the filing dates required in paragraph (b)(6)(i) of this section or in § 668.210(b)(6)(i) or § 668.212(c)(10)(i).

(c) Determination. If we determine that incorrect data were used to calculate your cohort default rate, we recalculate your cohort default rate based on the correct data and electronically correct the rate that is publicly released.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1845-0022)

(Authority:20 U.S.C. 1082, 1085, 1094, 1099c)