(a) Any individual may submit a referral to debar an individual or contractor to the SDO or to the S&D Committee. The referral for debarment shall be supported with evidence of a cause for debarment listed in FAR 9.406-2, or 809.406-2. The SDO shall forward referrals for debarment to the S&D Committee. If the referring individual is a VA employee and the referral for debarment is based on possible criminal or fraudulent activities, the VA employee shall also refer the matter to the VA Office of Inspector General.

(b) When the S&D Committee finds preponderance of the evidence for a cause for debarment, as listed in FAR 9.406-2 or 809.406-2, it shall prepare a recommendation and draft notice of proposed debarment for the SDO's consideration.

(c) VA shall send the notice of proposed debarment to the last known address of the individual or contractor, the individual or contractor's counsel, or agent for service of process, by certified mail, return receipt requested, or any other means that allows for confirmation of delivery. In the case of a contractor, VA may send the notice of proposed debarment to any partner, principal, officer, director, owner or co-owner, or joint venture. The S&D Committee concurrently shall list the appropriate parties as excluded in the SAM in accordance with FAR 9.404.

(d) If VA does not receive a reply from the contractor within 30 days after sending the notice of proposed debarment, the S&D Committee shall prepare a recommendation and refer the case to the SDO for a decision on whether or not to debar based on the information available.

(e) If VA receives a reply from the contractor within 30 days after sending the notice of proposed debarment, the S&D Committee shall consider the information in the reply before the S&D Committee makes its recommendation to the SDO.

(f) The S&D Committee, upon the request of the contractor proposed for debarment, shall, as soon as practicable, allow the contractor an opportunity to appear before the S&D Committee to present information or argument personally or through a representative. The contractor may supplement the oral presentation with written information and argument. VA shall conduct the proceeding in an informal manner and without requirement for a transcript.

(g) If the S&D Committee finds the contractor's or individual's submission in opposition to the proposed debarment raises a genuine dispute over facts material to the proposed debarment and the debarment action is not based on a conviction or civil judgment, the S&D Committee shall submit to the SDO the information establishing the dispute of material facts. If the SDO agrees there is a genuine dispute of material facts, the SDO shall refer the dispute to a designee for a resolution pursuant to 809.470, Fact-finding procedures. The S&D Committee shall provide the contractor or individual the disputed material fact(s). Decisions and determinations of VA's Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) or Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), such as status protest decisions, and size determinations of the SBA shall not be subject to dispute or fact-finding in proposed debarment actions. The S&D Committee and SDO shall accept these decisions and determinations as resolved facts.

(h) If the proposed debarment action is based on a conviction or civil judgment, or if there are no disputes over material facts, or if any disputes over material facts have been resolved pursuant to 809.470, Fact-finding procedures, the SDO shall make a decision on the basis of all information available including any written findings of fact submitted by the designated fact finder, and oral or written agreements presented or submitted to the S&D Committee by the contractor.

(i) In actions processed under FAR 9.406 where no suspension is in place and where fact finding is not required, the VA shall make the final decision on the proposed debarment within 30 working days after receipt of any information and argument submitted by the contractor, unless the SDO extends this period for a good cause.

(j) In actions processed under 809.406-270(b), the SDO notifies the individuals and/or contractors of the determination of willful and intentional misrepresentation in the notice of proposed debarment. VA shall issue the final decision, removing or upholding the determination, within 90 days after SDO's determination of willful and intentional misrepresentation.