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(a) Users of e-Manifest services that believe their invoice or charges to be in error must present their claims for fee dispute resolution informally using the process described in this section.
(b) Users asserting a billing dispute claim must first contact the system's billing representatives by phone or email at the phone number or email address provided for this purpose on the e-Manifest program's website or other customer services directory.
(1) The fee dispute claimant must provide the system's billing representatives with information identifying the claimant and the invoice(s) that are affected by the dispute, including:
(i) The claimant's name, and the facility at which the claimant is employed;
(ii) The EPA Identification Number of the affected facility;
(iii) The date, invoice number, or other information to identify the particular invoice(s) that is the subject of the dispute; and
(iv) A phone number or email address where the claimant can be contacted.
(2) The fee dispute claimant must provide the system's billing representatives with sufficient supporting information to identify the nature and amount of the fee dispute, including:
(i) If the alleged error results from the types of manifests submitted being inaccurately described in the invoice, the correct description of the manifest types that should have been billed;
(ii) If the alleged error results from the number of manifests submitted being inaccurately described in the invoice, the correct description of the number of manifests that should have been billed;
(iii) If the alleged error results from a mathematical error made in calculating the amount of the invoice, the correct fee calculations showing the corrected fee amounts; and
(iv) Any other information from the claimant that explains why the invoiced amount is in error and what the fee amount invoiced should be if corrected.
(3) EPA's system billing representatives must respond to billing dispute claims made under this section within ten days of receipt of a claim. In response to a claim, the system's billing representative will:
(i) State whether the claim is accepted or rejected, and if accepted, the response will indicate the amount of any fee adjustment that will be refunded or credited to the facility; and
(ii) If a claim is rejected, then the response shall provide a brief statement of the reasons for the rejection of the claim and advise the claimant of their right to appeal the claim to the Office Director for the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery.
(c) Fee dispute claimants that are not satisfied by the response to their claim from the system's billing representatives may appeal their claim and initial decision to the Office Director for the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery.
(1) Any appeal from the initial decision of the system's billing representatives must be taken within 10 days of the initial decision of the system's billing representatives under paragraph (b) of this section.
(2) The claimant shall provide the Office Director with the claim materials submitted to the system's billing representatives, the response provided by the system's billing representatives to the claim, and a brief written statement by the claimant explaining the nature and amount of the billing error, explaining why the claimant believes the decision by the system's billing representatives is in error, and why the claimant is entitled to the relief requested on its appeal.
(3) The Office Director shall review the record presented to him or her on an appeal under this paragraph (c), and shall determine whether the claimant is entitled to relief from the invoice alleged to be in error, and if so, shall state the amount of the recalculated invoice and the amount of the invoice to be adjusted.
(4) The decision of the Office Director on any appeal brought under this section is final and non-reviewable.
[83 FR 457, Jan. 3, 2018]