PUBLIC LAW 105-244—OCT. 7, 1998 112 STAT. 1757 for Year 2000 compliance via end-to-end testing, and submit a report describing the parameters and results of such tests to the Comptroller General not later than March 31, 1999; "(4) ensure that the Inspector General of the Department (or an external, independent entity selected by the Inspector General) performs and publishes a risk assessment of the systems and hardware under the Department's management, that has been reviewed by an independent entity, and make such assessment publicly available not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998; "(5) not later than June 30, 1999, ensure that the Inspector General (or an external, independent entity selected by the Inspector General) conducts a review of the Department's Year 2000 compliance for the processing, delivery, and administration of grant, loan, and work assistance, and submits a report reflecting the results of that review to the Chairperson of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate and the Chairperson of the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives; "(6) develop a contingency plan to ensure the programs under this title will continue to run uninterrupted in the event of widespread disruptions in the flow of accurate computerized data, which contingency plan shall include a prioritization of mission critical systems and strategies to allow data partners to transfer data through alternate means; and "(7) alert Congress at the earliest possible time if mission critical deadlines will not be met. "(b) POSTPONEMENT AUTHORITY FOR THE YEAR 2000. — "(1) PURPOSE. —It is the purpose of this subsection to provide the Secretary with the flexibility necessary to^ "(A) ensure that the resources and capabilities of institutions, lenders, and guaranty agencies are not overburdened by the combination of student aid processing and delivery requirements added or modifled by the amendments made by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 and by the changes required to ensure that the systems of the institutions, lenders and guaranty agencies are Year 2000 compliant; and "(B) avoid the disruption of grant, loan, or work assistance funds awarded to students because of Year 2000 compliance problems at a substantial number of institutions, lenders, and guaranty agencies. "(2) AUTHORITY TO POSTPONE. — The Secretary may postpone, for a period of time described in paragraph (3), the implementation of any requirements under part B, D, E, or G that are added or modified by the amendments made by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 related to the processing or delivery of grant, loan, and work assistance (which shall not include the determination of need for such assistance) provided under this title, if the Secretary— "(A) determines that— "(i) implementation of such requirements would require extensive changes to the existing systems of institutions, lenders, or guaranty agencies; and "(ii) postponement is necessary to avoid jeopardizing the ability of a substantial number of institutions, Publication. Public information. Deadline. Deadline. Reports.
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