(a) Written notice. OPM shall inform a provider of his proposed debarment by written notice sent not less than 30 days prior to the proposed effective date.

(b) Contents of the notice. The notice shall contain information indicating the:

(1) Effective date of the debarment;

(2) Minimum length of the debarment;

(3) Basis for the debarment;

(4) Provisions of law and regulation authorizing the debarment;

(5) Effect of the debarment;

(6) Provider's right to contest the debarment to the debarring official;

(7) Provider's right to request OPM to reduce the length of debarment, if it exceeds the minimum period required by law or this subpart; and

(8) Procedures the provider shall be required to follow to apply for reinstatement at the end of his period of debarment, and to seek a waiver of the debarment on the basis that he is the sole health care provider or the sole source of essential specialized services in a community.

(c) Methods of sending notice. OPM shall send the notice of proposed debarment and the final decision notice (if a contest is filed) to the provider's last known address by first class mail, or, at OPM's option, by express delivery service.

(d) Delivery to attorney, agent, or representatives.

(1) If OPM proposes to debar an individual health care provider, it may send the notice of proposed debarment directly to the provider or to any other person designated by the provider to act as a representative in debarment proceedings.

(2) In the case of a health care provider that is an entity, OPM shall deem notice sent to any owner, partner, director, officer, registered agent for service of process, attorney, or managing employee as constituting notice to the entity.

(e) Presumed timeframes for receipt of notice. OPM computes timeframes associated with the delivery notices described in paragraph (c) of this section so that:

(1) When OPM sends notice by a method that provides a confirmation of receipt, OPM deems that the provider received the notice at the time indicated in the confirmation; and

(2) When OPM sends notice by a method that does not provide a confirmation of receipt, OPM deems that the provider received the notice 5 business days after it was sent.

(f) Procedures if notice cannot be delivered.

(1) If OPM learns that a notice was undeliverable as addressed or routed, OPM shall make reasonable efforts to obtain a current and accurate address, and to resend the notice to that address, or it shall use alternative methods of sending the notice, in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.

(2) If a notice cannot be delivered after reasonable followup efforts as described in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, OPM shall presume that the provider received notice 5 days after the latest date on which a notice was sent.

(g) Use of electronic means to transmit notice. [Reserved]