Publication Date: March 4, 2008 Author: William Leith, Acting General Manager, Application, Operations and Delivery Services, Federal Student Aid Summary: COD System Implementation for 2008-2009 Award Year Posted on 03-04-2008 During the period March 14-16, 2008, we plan to implement additional Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System functionality that supports the processing of Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant), Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant), and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) awards for the 2008-2009 Award Year. Note: This implementation will not include functionality needed to support recent regulatory changes related to late disbursements and loan period/academic year length. This implementation also will not include functionality needed to support the processing of Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant awards for 2008-2009 and subsequent award years. The new grant program was established by the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (the CCRAA), Pub. L. 110-84, and is effective July 1, 2008. We plan to implement COD System functionality to support the regulatory changes and the processing of TEACH Grant awards in June 2008. We will communicate the details related to the June 2008 implementation, as well as all necessary operational implementation guidance, through Electronic Announcements on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site. In this announcement, we provide the following important information related to the implementation:
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we complete this important activity. Important Reminders All schools must send and receive 2008-2009 origination and disbursement data for the ACG, National SMART Grant, Pell Grant, and Direct Loan programs to the COD System using the Extensible Markup Language (XML) Common Record.
Prior to submitting 2008-2009 records to the COD System, a school should ensure that its software/system is ready to process 2008-2009 records using the XML Common Record.
If a school uses a third party software provider, it should check with the provider regarding the availability of the provider’s 2008-2009 software release. Note for EDExpress Users: The 2008-2009 EDExpress for Windows, Release 2.0 is scheduled to be available on March 31, 2008. Release 2.0 will add Pell Grant and Direct Loan functionality for the 2008-2009 award cycle. The Pell module will include 2008-2009 origination and disbursement functionality for the ACG and the National SMART Grant programs. Release 2.0 will not include functionality needed to support recent regulatory changes related to late disbursements and loan period/academic year length or the processing of TEACH Grant awards. We plan to implement the necessary functionality shortly after the COD System implementation in June 2008. We will communicate the details related to Release 2.0 and all subsequent releases in forthcoming Electronic Announcements on the IFAP Web site. Beginning March 16, 2008, the following will be in place:
With the implementation of the COD System for the 2008-2009 Award Year, a school’s selected report format will default to the format specified in the 2008-2009 COD Technical Reference and not to the school’s current report options. Beginning March 16, 2008, COD Web site School User Levels 3-5 and Third Party Servicer User Levels 3-5 will be able to reset their schools’ report options by accessing the Report Selection screen.
2008-2009 Grant Authorization and Disbursement Processing Information Information for Pell Grant Program Beginning March 16, 2008, the COD System will accept origination and anticipated disbursement records for 2008-2009 Pell Grant awards. As explained below, until May 19, 2008, the Disbursement Release Indicator (DRI) value in these records must equal “False” in order to be accepted by the COD System. Note: Dear Colleague Letter P-08-01 provided the Payment and Disbursement Schedules for determining Pell Grant awards for the 2008-2009 Award Year. As explained in Dear Colleague Letter P-07-02, the CCRAA repealed the “tuition sensitivity” award rule. As a result, the “Alternate” Payment and Disbursement Schedules have been eliminated and all 2008-2009 Pell Grant awards will be based on the one set of Payment and Disbursement schedules attached to Dear Colleague Letter P-08-01. Initial Pell Grant Authorizations for the 2008-2009 Award Year for schools receiving Pell Grant funds under the advanced funding method will be determined in May 2008. Initial Current Funding Levels (CFLs) will be established in the COD System at that time, and an Electronic Statement of Account (ESOA) containing this information will be sent to each school’s Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) mailbox.
The COD System will accept actual disbursement records (DRI value equals “True”) for 2008-2009 Pell Grant awards beginning May 19, 2008.
Note: In March 2008, we will update the 2008-2009 COD Technical Reference to reflect this date. A school will be able to view and draw down 2008-2009 Pell Grant funds in G5 (formerly GAPS) as follows:
Information for ACG and National SMART Grant Programs Beginning March 16, 2008, the COD System will accept origination and anticipated disbursement records for 2008-2009 ACG and National SMART Grant awards. As explained below, until May 19, 2008, the DRI value in these records must equal “False” in order to be accepted by the COD System. Unlike the Pell Grant Program, there will be no Initial Authorizations for the ACG and National SMART Grant programs for the 2008-2009 Award Year. Schools will receive a CFL under one or both of these programs based on the accepted and posted actual disbursement records that they submit to the COD System. A new ESOA will be sent to a school’s SAIG mailbox each time its ACG or National SMART Grant CFL amount changes. The COD System will accept actual disbursement records (DRI value equals “True”) for 2008-2009 ACG and National SMART Grant awards beginning May 19, 2008.
Note: In March 2008, we will update the 2008-2009 COD Technical Reference to reflect this date. After the COD System accepts and posts actual disbursement records, but no earlier than July 1, 2008, a school will be able to view and draw down 2008-2009 ACG and National SMART Grant funds in G5. 2008-2009 Direct Loan Disbursement Processing Information Beginning March 16, 2008, the COD System will accept origination and disbursement records for 2008-2009 Direct Loan awards. Direct Loan funding will also be available through G5. COD Batch Processing Suspension and Web Site Outage Information In order to install the system changes that will allow the COD System to receive and process 2008-2009 records—
Additionally, for Direct Loan participants—
In Volume I, Section 2 of the 2008-2009 COD Technical Reference, we provide an overview of the enhancements and modifications being made to the COD System for the 2008-2009 Award Year. We have also provided enhancement and modification information in conference presentations during summer and fall 2007 and in communications posted on the IFAP Web site. We highlight the previously provided information in the attachment to this announcement titled “COD System Processing Function Enhancements and Modifications for 2008-2009.” Contact Information If you have any questions about this announcement, contact the COD School Relations Center at 800/474-7268 for Grants or 800/848-0978 for Direct Loans. You may also e-mail CODSupport@acs-inc.com. Attachments/Enclosures: |