45 C.F.R. § 608.3 – Administrative offset.

(a) If NSF is unable to collect a claim from a person after trying to do so in accordance with § 608.2, NSF may collect the claim by administrative offset subject to the procedures and limitations of 31 U.S.C. 3716 and the applicable provisions of the Federal Claims Collection Standards. Determinations to pursue administrative offset shall be made on a case-by-case basis taking into account the considerations specified at 31 U.S.C. 3716(b) and 4 CFR 102.3(a). Before employing administrative offset, NSF will comply with the notice, hearing, review, or other procedural requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3716(a) and 4 CFR 102.3(b) and (c). Furthermore, before an administrative offset is taken by NSF pursuant to the authority of this part 608, the matter shall be referred to the Office of General Counsel for legal review to ensure that the required procedures have been followed.
(b) When another agency requests NSF to administratively offset a claim owing to that agency, NSF will normally comply with such request if the requesting agency has provided the certification required by 4 CFR 102.3(f) and offset would not be contrary to law. Before imposing administrative offsets at the request of another agency under this part 608, the matter shall be referred to the NSF Office of General Counsel for legal review.
(c)
1. (1) In appropriate cases, NSF may request another agency to administratively setoff a claim owed to NSF. Before making the certification to the other agency required by 4 CFR 102.3(f), the matter shall be referred to the NSF Office of General Counsel for legal review.
2. (2) Unless otherwise prohibited by law, NSF may request that moneys that are due and payable to a debtor from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, the Foreign Service Retirement Fund or any other Federal retirement fund be administratively offset in reasonable amounts in order to collect in one full payment or a minimal number of payments debts owed the United States by the debtor. Such requests shall be made to the appropriate officials of the respective fund servicing agency in accordance with such regulations as may be prescribed by that agency. The requests for administrative offset will certify in writing that (i) the debtor owes the United States a debt and the amount of the debt; (ii) NSF has complied with applicable regulations and procedures; and (iii) NSF has followed the requirements of the Federal Claims Collection Standards as made applicable by this section. Once NSF decides to request offset from a Federal retirement fund, it will make the request as soon as practical after completion of the applicable procedures in order that the fund servicing agency may identify and flag the debtor's account in anticipation of the time when the debtor requests or becomes eligible to receive payments from the fund and to ensure that offset will be initiated prior to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
3. (3) If NSF collects part or all of the debt by other means before deductions are made or completed pursuant to this paragraph (c), NSF shall act promptly to modify or terminate its request for offset.
4. (4) This paragraph (c) does not require or authorize the fund servicing agency to review the merits of (i) NSF's determination with respect to the amount and validity of the debt, (ii) NSF's determination as to waiver under an applicable statute, or (iii) NSF's determination to provide or not provide an oral hearing.
(d) No collection by administrative offset shall be made on any debt that has been outstanding for more than ten years unless facts material to the Government's right to collect the debt were not known, and reasonably could not have been known, by the official or officials responsible for discovering the debt.
(e) Administrative offset under this section will not be initiated against:
1. (1) A debt in which administrative offset of the type of debt involved is explicitly provided for or prohibited by a statutes other than 31 U.S.C. 3716, including debts subject to the Salary offset procedures at 45 CFR part 607;
2. (2) Debts owed by other agencies of the United States or by any State or local Government; or
3. (3) Debts arising under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954; the Social Security Act; or the tariff laws of the United States.