400 Vendor Management

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
LIHEAP Policy Manual

Policy Title:

Vendor Management

Chapter:

400

Effective Date:

October 2020

Policy Number:

400

Previous Policy Number(s):

Overview and Requirements

Home Energy Suppliers are encouraged to participate in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program thereby ensuring that funds are used specifically to offset the increasing costs of home heating energy. Approximately 400 fuel vendors participate in the program each year. The Home Energy Agreement satisfies all Federal Assurances of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

To receive direct payments from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, a home energy supplier must sign a Home Energy Agreement with the Department of Human Services.

Basic Consideration

To participate in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Home Energy Supplier must ensure:

  • not to discriminate against a household receiving assistance, either in the cost of goods supplied or service provided:

  • that payments received from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will be posted timely to the customer’s account;

  • that payments will not be applied to old accounts in collection status, unless needed to re-establish services;

  • that the full amount of the benefit must be applied to the actual fuel cost; NOTE: exceptions apply to the Crisis Program as follows:

    1. benefits can be used to pay deposits and reconnect fees

    2. benefits can also be applied to the tank rental fee for gas applicants

    3. the Energy Assistance benefit cannot be paid to a company acting as a billing agent

  • Benefits posted in error must be corrected within 5 calendar days of notification by the agency or customer;

  • Agencies should communicate and encourage vendor participation in the Energy program.