7 CFR § 1.304 - Investigation.

(a) The investigating official may investigate allegations that a person is liable under § 1.303 of this part.

(b) If an investigating official concludes that a subpoena pursuant to the authority conferred by 31 U.S.C. 3804(a) is warranted, the investigating officer may issue a subpoena, which shall notify the person to whom it is addressed of the authority under which it is issued and shall identify the information, documents, reports, answers, records, accounts, papers, or data sought.

(c) The investigating official may designate a person to act on his behalf to receive the documents or other materials sought by a subpoena issued under paragraph (b) of this section.

(d) The person receiving such subpoena shall be required to tender to the investigating official or the person designated to receive the documents a certification that the documents or other materials sought have been produced, or that such documents or other materials are not available and the reasons therefore, or that such documents or other materials, suitably identified, have been withheld based upon the assertion of an identified privilege.

(e) Each agency shall develop criteria for determining which allegations that a person is liable under § 1.303 of this part are to be referred to the investigating official.

(f) If the investigating official concludes that an action under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act may be warranted, the investigating official shall submit a report containing findings and conclusions of such investigation to the reviewing official.

(g) Nothing in this section shall preclude or limit an investigating official's discretion to refer allegations directly to the Department of Justice for suit under the False Claims Act or other civil relief, nor preclude or limit such official's discretion to defer or postpone a report or referral to the reviewing official in order to avoid interference with a criminal investigation or prosecution.

(h) Nothing in this section modifies any responsibility of an investigating official to report violations of criminal law to the Attorney General.