(a) For purposes of this section, whenever USAID is required to afford a debtor a review within the agency, USAID shall provide the debtor with a reasonable opportunity for an oral hearing when the debtor requests reconsideration of the debt and the agency determines that the question of the indebtedness cannot be resolved by review of the documentary evidence, for example, when the validity of the debt turns on an issue of credibility or veracity.

(b) Unless otherwise required by law, an oral hearing under this section is not required to be a formal evidentiary hearing, although USAID will carefully document all significant matters discussed at the hearing.

(c) This section does not require an oral hearing with respect to debt collection systems in which a determination of indebtedness rarely involves issues of credibility or veracity and the agency has determined that review of the written record is ordinarily an adequate means to correct prior mistakes.

(d) In those cases when an oral hearing is not required by this section, USAID shall accord the debtor a “paper hearing,” that is, a determination of the request for reconsideration based upon a review of the written record.