(a) A bi-annual Vendor Agreement is required to be implemented by the Subrecipient and shall contain assurances as to fair billing practices, delivery procedures, and pricing procedures for business transactions involving CEAP beneficiaries. The Subrecipient must use the Department's current Vendor Agreement template. These agreements are subject to monitoring procedures performed by the Department staff.
(b) Subrecipient shall maintain proof of payment to Subcontractors and vendors as required by Chapter 1, Subchapter D of this title (relating to Uniform Guidance for Recipients of Federal and State Funds).
(c) Subrecipient shall notify each participating Household of the amount of assistance to be paid on its behalf. Subrecipient shall document this notification.
(d) Subrecipients shall use the Vendor Payment method for CEAP components. Subrecipient shall not make cash payments directly to eligible Household for any of the CEAP components.
(e) Payments to vendors for which a valid Vendor Agreement is not in place may be subject to disallowed costs unless prior written approval is obtained from the Department.
(f) A Vendor Refund is program income and must be reimbursed to the Subrecipient, and not the customer. When a Vendor Refund is issued, Subrecipient shall determine which TDHCA Contract the payment(s) was charged to, the Household associated to the payment, and if the Contract remains open.
  (1) If the Contract remains open, Subrecipient must enter the amount into the Contract System in the appropriate budget line item into the adjustment column in the next monthly report, and make the appropriate note in the system. This will credit back the Vendor Refund for the Subrecipient to expend on eligible expenses.
  (2) If the Contract is closed, Subrecipient must return the Vendor Refund to the Department within ten calendar days of receipt. The payment must contain the Contract number and appropriate budget line item associated with the refund.

Source Note: The provisions of this §6.312 adopted to be effective December 2, 2021, 46 TexReg 8012; amended to be effective January 1, 2023, 47 TexReg 8529