This edition will remain on the COD Web site until a new edition is posted.

We will notify schools via a COD Web Message when a new edition has been posted.

COD Processing Update

November 28, 2011
NEWS/UPDATES New Valid Value for Ability to Benefit Test Code Field Implemented November 22, 2011 (11/28/11) As explained in a October 14, 2011 Electronic Announcement, Federal Student Aid implemented a new valid value to the Ability to Benefit Test Code field. The COD System will now accept the new code "11" for SABE = Spanish Assessment of Basic Education. The valid date range for the completion date for this assessment is November 1, 2002 to Present. The new code will be accepted for all award types for the 2011-2012 Award Year and forward. Direct Loan Processing Information No Pennies in Direct Loan Disbursements, Disbursement Adjustments, or Refunds of Cash (11/22/11) An Electronic Announcement was released to schools from the COD School Relations Center on November 21, 2011 and is posted on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site. In this announcement, Federal Student Aid reminds schools that Direct Loan disbursements, disbursement adjustments, and refunds of cash should be reported or submitted in whole dollar amounts only. If you would like to be added to or removed from the Direct Loan Electronic Announcement distribution list, please submit an e-mail to CODSupport@acs-inc.com with the subject line of DL Electronic Announcement Distribution. COD School Testing for The 2012-2013 Award Year (11/21/11) The Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) School Relations Center will conduct Common Record Manual Verification and Structured Application Testing for the 2012-2013 Award Year from January 3, 2012 through October 31, 2012. Optional Unstructured Testing will be available April 2, 2012 through December 3, 2012. The purpose of COD School Testing is to provide schools, third party servicers, and software vendors an opportunity to test Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH Grant), and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) business processes and system software with the COD System prior to the transmission and processing of actual production data using COD Common Record XML Schema Version 3.0e. It also allows schools, third party servicers, and software providers the opportunity to make corrections or enhancements to software applications and processes prior to sending data to the live production environment. All entities that wish to participate in COD School Testing must submit the COD School Testing 2012-2013 Sign-Up Document to the COD School Relations Center. Schools, third party servicers, and software vendors can submit the sign-up document beginning Tuesday, January 3, 2012. For additional information, refer to the November 18, 2011 Electronic Announcement posted on the IFAP Web site. Direct Loan Processing Information New Street Address for Mailing Paper Master Promissory Notes and Endorser Addenda (11/15/11) An Electronic Announcement was released to schools from the COD School Relations Center today and will be posted on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site. This announcement provides information regarding the new street address for sending paper Master Promissory Notes (MPNs) and Endorser Addenda to the Department of Education (the Department) via express or overnight delivery. If you would like to be added to or removed from the Direct Loan Electronic Announcement distribution list, please submit an e-mail to CODSupport@acs-inc.com with the subject line of DL Electronic Announcement Distribution.
Contact Information: If you have questions, contact the COD School Relations Center at 800/474-7268 for Grants or 800/848-0978 for Direct Loans. You may also email CODSupport@acs-inc.com.

This edition will remain on the COD Web site until a new edition is posted. We will notify schools via a COD Web Message when a new edition has been posted.

CURRENT ISSUES
DIRECT LOANS

Direct PLUS Loan Responses Issue (11/16/11) Federal Student Aid has identified an issue in which Direct PLUS Loan Request Acknowledgements (Message Class: CRSP) are not being generated in certain situations. Specifically, the CRSP files are not being sent when a borrower submits a Direct PLUS Loan Request via the StudentLoans.gov Web site and there is no corresponding Direct PLUS Loan award on the COD System, and one of the following is true: A pending credit decision is resolved and processed. An appeal to an adverse credit decision is received and approved.

Federal Student Aid is currently researching the cause of this issue and is working to fix this issue as soon as possible. In the meantime, a school can contact the COD School Relations Center to receive an updated CRSP file. We apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused schools. If you have any questions, contact the COD School Relations Center.

GRANTS There are no Grant specific issues to report at this time.

Contact Information: If you have questions, contact the COD School Relations Center at 800/474-7268 for Grants or 800/848-0978 for Direct Loans. You may also email CODSupport@acs-inc.com.