13 C.F.R. Subpart B—Certification of Firms
Title 13 - Business Credit and Assistance
(a) EDA may certify a Firm as eligible to apply for Adjustment Assistance under Section 251(c) of the Trade Act if it determines that the petition for certification meets one of the requirements set forth in paragraph (b) of this section. In order to be certified, a Firm must meet all of the criteria listed under any one of the three (3) requirements in paragraph (b) of this section. (b)(1) Twelve-month (12) decline. Based upon a comparison of the most recent twelve-month (12) period for which data are available and the immediately preceding twelve-month (12) period: (i) A Significant Number or Proportion of Workers in the Firm has undergone Total or Partial Separation or a Threat of Total or Partial Separation; (ii) Either sales or production of the Firm has Decreased Absolutely; or sales or production, or both, of any article that accounted for not less than twenty-five (25) percent of the total production or sales of the Firm during the twelve-month (12) period preceding the most recent twelve-month (12) period for which data are available have Decreased Absolutely; and (iii) An Increase in Imports has occurred; or (2) Interim sales or production decline. Based upon an interim sales or production decline: (i) Sales or production has Decreased Absolutely for, at minimum, the most recent six-month (6) period during the most recent twelve-month (12) period for which data are available as compared to the same six-month (6) period during the immediately preceding twelve-month (12) period; (ii) During the same base and comparative period of time as sales or production has Decreased Absolutely, a Significant Number or Proportion of Workers in such Firm has undergone Total or Partial Separation or a Threat of Total or Partial Separation; and (iii) During the same base and comparative period of time as sales or production has Decreased Absolutely, an Increase in Imports has occurred; or (3) Interim employment decline. Based upon an interim employment decline: (i) A Significant Number or Proportion of Workers in such Firm has undergone Total or Partial Separation or a Threat of Total or Partial Separation during, at a minimum, the most recent six-month (6) period during the most recent twelve-month (12) period for which data are available as compared to the same six-month (6) period during the immediately preceding twelve-month (12) period; and (ii) Either sales or production of the Firm has Decreased Absolutely during the twelve-month (12) period preceding the most recent twelve-month (12) period for which data are available; and (iii) An Increase in Imports has occurred. (a) Firms shall consult with a TAAC for guidance and assistance in the preparation of their petitions for certification. (b) A Firm seeking certification shall complete a petition (OMB Control No. 0610–0091) in the form prescribed by EDA with the following information about such Firm: (1) Identification and description of the Firm, including legal form of organization, economic history, major ownership interests, officers, directors, management, parent company, Subsidiaries or Affiliates, and production and sales facilities; (2) Description of goods and services produced and sold; (3) Description of imported Directly Competitive or Like Articles with those produced; (4) Data on its sales, production and employment for the two most recent years; (5) Copies of its audited financial statements, or if not available, unaudited financial statements, copies of its SEC Form 10–K annual reports, and federal income tax returns for the two (2) most recent years; (6) Copies of unemployment insurance reports for the two (2) most recent years; (7) Information concerning its major customers and their purchases (or its bids, if there are no major customers); and (8) Such other information as EDA considers material. (c) EDA shall determine whether the petition has been properly prepared and can be accepted. Promptly thereafter, EDA shall notify the petitioner that the petition has been accepted or advise the TAAC that the petition has not been accepted, but may be resubmitted at any time without prejudice when the specified deficiencies have been corrected. Any resubmission will be treated as a new petition. (d) EDA will publish a notice of acceptance of a petition in the (e) EDA will initiate an investigation to determine whether the petitioner meets the requirements set forth in Section 251(c) of the Trade Act and §315.7. (f) A petitioner may withdraw a petition for certification if EDA receives a request for withdrawal before it makes a certification determination or denial. A Firm may submit a new petition at any time thereafter in accordance with the requirements of this section and §315.7. (g) Following acceptance of a petition, EDA will: (1) Make a determination based on the Record as soon as possible after the petitioning Firm or TAAC has submitted all material. In no event may the determination period exceed sixty (60) days from the date on which EDA accepted the petition; and (2) Either certify the petitioner as eligible to apply for Adjustment Assistance or deny the petition. In either event, EDA shall promptly give written notice of action to the petitioner. Any written notice to the petitioner or any parties as specified in §315.10(d) of a denial of a petition shall specify the reason(s) for the denial. A petitioner shall not be entitled to resubmit a petition within one (1) year from the date of denial, provided, EDA may waive the one-year (1) limitation for good cause. EDA will hold a public hearing on an accepted petition if the petitioner, or any person, organization, or group found by EDA to have a Substantial Interest in the proceedings, submits a request for a hearing no later than ten (10) days after the date of publication of the Notice of Acceptance in the (a) The petitioner and other interested Persons shall have an opportunity to be present, to produce evidence and to be heard; (b) A request for public hearing must be delivered by hand or by registered mail to EDA. A request by a Person other than the petitioner shall contain: (1) The name, address and telephone number of the Person requesting the hearing; and (2) A complete statement of the relationship of the Person requesting the hearing to the petitioner and the subject matter of the petition, and a statement of the nature of its interest in the proceedings. (c) If EDA determines that the requesting party does not have a Substantial Interest in the proceedings, a written notice of denial shall be sent to the requesting party. The notice shall specify the reasons for the denial; (d) EDA shall publish a notice of a public hearing in the (e) EDA shall appoint a presiding officer for the hearing who shall respond to all procedural questions. A Firm may fail to obtain benefits of certification, regardless of whether its certification is terminated, for any of the following reasons: (a) Failure to submit an acceptable Adjustment Proposal within two (2) years after date of certification. While approval of an Adjustment Proposal may occur after the expiration of such two-year (2) period, a Firm must submit an acceptable Adjustment Proposal before such expiration; (b) Failure to submit documentation necessary to start implementation or modify its request for Adjustment Assistance consistent with its Adjustment Proposal within six (6) months after approval of the Adjustment Proposal, where two (2) years have elapsed since the date of certification. If the Firm anticipates needing a longer period to submit documentation, it should indicate the longer period in its Adjustment Proposal. If the Firm is unable to submit its documentation within the allowed time, it should notify EDA in writing of the reasons for the delay and submit a new schedule. EDA has the discretion to accept or refuse a new schedule; (c) EDA has denied the Firm's request for Adjustment Assistance, the time period allowed for the submission of any documentation in support of such request has expired, and two (2) years have elapsed since the date of certification; or (d) Failure to diligently pursue an approved Adjustment Proposal where two (2) years have elapsed since the date of certification. (a) Any petitioner may appeal in writing to EDA from a denial of certification, provided that EDA receives the appeal by personal delivery or by registered mail within sixty (60) days from the date of notice of denial under §315.8(g). The appeal must state the grounds on which the appeal is based, including a concise statement of the supporting facts and applicable law. The decision of EDA on the appeal shall be the final determination within the Department. In the absence of an appeal by the petitioner under this paragraph, the determination under §315.8(g) shall be final. (b) A Firm, its representative or any other interested domestic party aggrieved by a final determination under paragraph (a) of this section may, within sixty (60) days after notice of such determination, begin a civil action in the United States Court of International Trade for review of such determination, in accordance with Section 284 of the Trade Act. (c) Whenever EDA determines that a Certified Firm no longer requires Adjustment Assistance or for other good cause, EDA will terminate the certification and promptly publish notice of such termination in the (d) EDA shall immediately notify the petitioner and shall state the reasons for any termination.
Title 13: Business Credit and Assistance
PART 315—TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR FIRMS
Subpart B—Certification of Firms
§ 315.7 Certification requirements.
§ 315.8 Processing petitions for certification.
§ 315.9 Hearings.
§ 315.10 Loss of certification benefits.
§ 315.11 Appeals, final determinations and termination of certification.
