If an applicant reports an address change after payment authorization, the CAO must change the address and find out whether the applicant also has changed vendors or whether the applicant is eligible for a direct payment.
If a household changes vendors, the CAO must confirm the change and, if warranted by CAO policy, contact the Vendor Unit in Harrisburg to request that a second pay be sent to the correct vendor.
If the client becomes eligible for a direct payment as a result of the address or vendor change, the vendor code is left blank on FM. Second pays cannot be issued with this vendor code.
Vendors should contact the Vendor Unit in Harrisburg for any of the following reasons:
The vendor has been notified that customers are eligible for benefits but the benefit checks have not arrived.
The vendor has questions about benefit checks (such as benefit checks that do not apply to any of their customers).
The vendor has any other issues concerning LIHEAP.
If an applicant or vendor says a payment has not been received within 10 to 15 days, the CAO or the Vendor Unit must investigate the claim. The Vendor Unit handles all vendor issues, and the CAO handles all direct payment issues with the help of the Operations Support Unit in Harrisburg.
Reissued July 15, 2016, replacing September 26, 2011