(a) Method of review and review timeframe.

(1) Applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.

(2) The National Coordinator is permitted up to 30 days from receipt to review an application that is submitted for the first time.

(b) Application deficiencies.

(1) If the National Coordinator identifies an area in an application that requires the applicant to clarify a statement or correct an error or omission, the National Coordinator may contact the applicant to make such clarification or correction without issuing a deficiency notice. If the National Coordinator has not received the requested information after five days, the National Coordinator may issue a deficiency notice to the applicant.

(2) If the National Coordinator determines that deficiencies in the application exist, the National Coordinator will issue a deficiency notice to the applicant and return the application. The deficiency notice will identify the areas of the application that require additional information or correction.

(c) Revised application.

(1) An applicant is permitted to submit a revised application in response to a deficiency notice. An applicant may request from the National Coordinator an extension for good cause of the 15-day period provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section to submit a revised application.

(2) In order for an applicant to continue to be considered for ONC-ACB or ONC-ATL status, the applicant's revised application must address the specified deficiencies and be received by the National Coordinator within 15 days of the applicant's receipt of the deficiency notice, unless the National Coordinator grants an applicant's request for an extension of the 15-day period based on a finding of good cause. If a good cause extension is granted, then the revised application must be received by the end of the extension period.

(3) The National Coordinator is permitted up to 15 days to review a revised application once it has been received and may request clarification of statements and the correction of errors or omissions in a revised application during this time period.

(4) If the National Coordinator determines that a revised application still contains deficiencies, the applicant will be issued a denial notice indicating that the applicant cannot reapply for ONC-ACB or ONC-ATL status for a period of six months from the date of the denial notice. An applicant may request reconsideration of this decision in accordance with §170.535.

(d) Satisfactory application.

(1) An application will be deemed satisfactory if it meets all the application requirements, as determined by the National Coordinator.

(2) The National Coordinator will notify the applicant's authorized representative of its satisfactory application and its successful achievement of ONC-ACB or ONC-ATL status.

(3) Once notified by the National Coordinator of its successful achievement of ONC-ACB or ONC-ATL status, the applicant may represent itself as an ONC-ACB or ONC-ATL (as applicable) and begin certifying or testing (as applicable) health information technology consistent with its authorization.

[76 FR 1325, Dec. 7, 2011, as amended at 81 FR 72465, Oct. 19, 2016]