(a) Authority of debarring official. The debarring official has discretionary authority to impose penalties and assessments in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 8902a and this subpart.

(b) Factors to be considered. In deciding whether to impose penalties and assessments against a provider that has committed one of the violations identified in §890.1061, OPM must consider:

(1) The number and frequency of the provider's violations;

(2) The period of time over which the violations were committed;

(3) The provider's culpability for the specific conduct underlying the violations;

(4) The nature of any claims involved in the violations and the circumstances under which the claims were presented to FEHBP carriers;

(5) The provider's history of prior offenses or improper conduct, including any actions that could have constituted a basis for a suspension, debarment, penalty, or assessment by any Federal or State agency, whether or not any sanction was actually imposed;

(6) The monetary amount of any damages, losses, and costs, as described in §890.1064(c), attributable to the provider's violations; and

(7) Such other factors as justice may require.

(c) Additional factors when penalty or assessment is based on provisions of §890.1061(b) or (c). In the case of violations involving false or misleading statements or the failure to provide claims-related information, OPM must also consider:

(1) The nature and circumstances of the provider's failure to properly report information; and

(2) The materiality and significance of the false statements or misrepresentations the provider made or caused to be made, or the information that the provider knowingly did not report.