(a) Eligible costs.

(1) The recipient or subrecipient may use Continuum of Care program funds to pay the costs of contributing data to the HMIS designated by the Continuum of Care, including the costs of:

(i) Purchasing or leasing computer hardware;

(ii) Purchasing software or software licenses;

(iii) Purchasing or leasing equipment, including telephones, fax machines, and furniture;

(iv) Obtaining technical support;

(v) Leasing office space;

(vi) Paying charges for electricity, gas, water, phone service, and high-speed data transmission necessary to operate or contribute data to the HMIS;

(vii) Paying salaries for operating HMIS, including:

(A) Completing data entry;

(B) Monitoring and reviewing data quality;

(C) Completing data analysis;

(D) Reporting to the HMIS Lead;

(E) Training staff on using the HMIS; and

(F) Implementing and complying with HMIS requirements;

(viii) Paying costs of staff to travel to and attend HUD-sponsored and HUD-approved training on HMIS and programs authorized by Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act;

(ix) Paying staff travel costs to conduct intake; and

(x) Paying participation fees charged by the HMIS Lead, as authorized by HUD, if the recipient or subrecipient is not the HMIS Lead.

(2) If the recipient or subrecipient is the HMIS Lead, it may also use Continuum of Care funds to pay the costs of:

(i) Hosting and maintaining HMIS software or data;

(ii) Backing up, recovering, or repairing HMIS software or data;

(iii) Upgrading, customizing, and enhancing the HMIS;

(iv) Integrating and warehousing data, including development of a data warehouse for use in aggregating data from subrecipients using multiple software systems;

(v) Administering the system;

(vi) Reporting to providers, the Continuum of Care, and HUD; and

(vii) Conducting training on using the system, including traveling to the training.

(3) If the recipient or subrecipient is a victim services provider, or a legal services provider, it may use Continuum of Care funds to establish and operate a comparable database that complies with HUD's HMIS requirements.

(b) General restrictions. Activities funded under this section must comply with the HMIS requirements.