Publication Date: 02-26-2003
Author: General Manager: FSA Schools Channel
Summary: Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Full Participant Set Up in COD for 2003-2004 Award Year
Posted on 02-26-2003
TO: All Destination Points
FROM: U.S. Department of Education
RE: Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Full Participant Set Up in COD for 2003-2004 Award Year
Summary
This message provides important instructions on how to become a Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Full Participants for the 2003-2004 Award Year.�
As a reminder, a Full Participant school submits data using the COD Common Record in XML format. As a Full Participant you will also be able to:
o Send a "common" XML record that allows for fewer transmissions and eliminates scheduling problems,
o Use a flexible record format to send required data only, and
o Use the same process to report changes in both Pell and Direct Loans.
In the 2004-2005 Award Year, all schools participating in either the Direct Loan or the Pell program will be required to become Full Participants and to submit the XML/Common Record format to COD. If you intend to use the Pell and/or Direct Loan modules of EDExpress software in 2003-2004, see the special information below about becoming a Full Participant.
What is the consequence of not signing up to become a Full Participant for the 2003-2004 Award Year?
If you submit Pell Grant and/or Direct Loan records using the COD Common Record in XML format and COD has not been set up by the COD School Relations staff to accept your records in that format, they will reject.
If you plan to submit Pell and/or Direct Loan records in flat-file legacy formats, no action is necessary. Except for EDExpress users of the Pell and Direct Loan module, Full Participant status remains optional in the 2003-2004 year as it was in 2002-2003
Once COD has accepted Pell and/or Direct Loan records for 2003-2004, you may not switch formats.
How do I sign up my school to become a Full Participant for the 2003-2004 Award Year?
Schools must send a Full Participant Request Letter, printed on school or corporate letterhead, to the COD School Relations Center. In order to set up your school as a Full Participant and process your records correctly, the Request Letter must contain the following information:
1. School Information
School Name, Address, OPE ID#, and DL G/E code (if applicable).
2. Full Participant Status
Program(s) for which your school intends to transmit data to COD as a Full Participant. (E.g. Pell Grant Program and/or Direct Loan Program).
Pell Grant Program Full Participants: If you intend to transmit data to COD as a Full Participant in the Pell Grant Program, you must also include the following information:
1. Software Products -- List the software product(s) used to transmit data to COD.
2. Contact Information for Financial Aid Director -- Provide the name, email address, and phone number of your school's Financial Aid Director.
Note: COD School Relations will send important information and updates regarding processing as a full participant to this contact. It will NOT be used to update the COD web site. If this contact information is incorrect on the COD web site and you wish to have it updated, you must update the information with the US Department of Education's Postsecondary Education Participants System Information Gateway (PEPS) by contacting 877/366-3338. Once the information is updated, it will reflect the correct information on the COD System.
3. Contact Information by Program -- Provide the name, email address and phone number of the primary contact for the Pell Grant Program. If this is the same individual as the Financial Aid Director, please indicate this.
Note: COD School Relations will send important information and updates regarding processing as a full participant to this contact. It will NOT be used to update the COD web site. If this contact information is incorrect on the COD web site, call the COD Customer Service Center at 800/4PGrant and ask your Customer Service Representative to update this information.
Direct Loan Program Full Participants: If you intend to transmit data to COD as a Full Participant in the Direct Loan Program, you also must include the following information:
1. Data Source -- Indicate the school/organization name, OPE ID#, and DL G/E code (if applicable) of the school/organization that transmits your data to COD. This organization is the SAIG Destination point. It can be either a school or a third party servicer.
2. Reporting School -- Indicate whether your campus/location reports its own data to COD or uses another campus/location to report data on its behalf. This is the DL Code included in the Direct Loan Header record.
3. Attended School -- List any additional schools or locations, their OPE ID, and Direct Loan G/E Code (if applicable) for whom your campus/location reports data to COD. These are the DL Codes included in the individual detail records.
4. Software Product(s) -- For campus/location from above, list the software product(s) used to transmit data to COD.
5. Contact Information for Financial Aid Director -- Provide the name, email address and phone number of your school's Financial Aid Director.
Note: COD School Relations will send important information and updates regarding processing as a full participant to this contact. It will NOT be used to update the COD web site. If this contact information is incorrect on the COD web site and you wish to have it updated, you must update the information with the US Department of Education's Postsecondary Education Participants System Information Gateway (PEPS) by contacting 877/366-3338. Once the information is updated, it will reflect the correct information on the COD System.
6. Contact Information by Program -- Provide the name, email address and phone number of the primary contact for the Direct Loan program.
Note: COD School Relations will send important information and updates regarding processing as a full participant to this contact. It will NOT be used to update the COD web site. If this contact information is incorrect on the COD web site and you wish to have it updated, call the COD School Relations Center at 800/848-0978 and ask your Customer Service Representative to update this information.
Where do I send my Full Participant Request Letter?
Print the Full Participant Request Letters on school or corporate letterhead and mail or fax them to::
U.S. Department of Education
COD School Relations Center
Attn: Full Participant
P.O. Box 9003
Niagara Falls, NY 14302
Fax #: 877/623-5082
You must notify the COD School Relations Center of your intent to become a Full Participant for the 2003-2004 Award Year. We are encouraging schools to do so as soon as possible.
What if I signed up to be a Full Participant at the 2002 EAC or via phone?
If you signed up to be a 2003-2004 COD Full Participant at the EAC conferences or by contacting the COD School Relations Center, you do not need to send a Full Participant Request Letter. The COD School Relations Center will send a confirmation email to schools that have already signed up as a 2003-2004 Full Participant.
What if our school uses EDExpress?
If your school uses 2003-2004 EDExpress v9.1 software for Pell or Direct Loan processing, you will, by design, be submitting records in the XML format to COD. For your records to be processed correctly, you must notify the COD School Relations Center. Because many schools download EDExpress products but do not necessarily use the Pell and Direct Loan modules, we are unable to identify automatically that you will be sending your records in the XML format. Please contact the COD School Relations Center as soon as possible, to let us know, by program, that you will be using EDExpress for either Pell and/or Direct Loan and therefore will be a Full Participant. If your school has not already contacted COD School Relations Center to sign up as a Full Participant, you must complete the Full Participant Request letter described above and mail or fax it to the COD School Relations Center. For information on EDExpress, contact CPS/WAN Customer Service at 800/330-5947, or email cpswan@ncs.com.
What if my school uses vendor software or a third party servicer?
If you use vendor software or a third party servicer to submit data to COD, you should contact your provider for a status update on processing the XML/Common Record. If you plan to use an XML Common Record compatible product or servicer, you must complete the Full Participant Request Letter described above and mail or fax it to the COD School Relations Center.
What if I have more questions?
If you have any questions regarding this message or COD in general, please contact the COD School Relations Center at (800) 4PGRANT for Pell Grants and (800) 848-0978 for Direct Loans. Staff is available Monday through Friday, from 8a.m. - 8p.m. Eastern Time. When prompted, enter your Pell Grant or Direct Loan School Code and you will automatically be routed to your Primary CSR's team, where you can ask for your Primary CSR. Schools may also submit questions to CODSupport@acs-inc.com at any time.