(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.