n-01-60.pdf

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Part IV – Items of General Interest
Voluntary Closing Agreement Program for Tax-exempt Bonds
Notice 2001-60
SECTION 1. PURPOSE
This Notice provides information about a voluntary closing agreement program
for tax-exempt bonds (“TEB VCAP”). In particular, the Notice sets forth procedures
whereby issuers of tax-exempt bonds can resolve violations of the Internal Revenue
Code through closing agreements with the Internal Revenue Service. The Tax Exempt
Bonds Outreach, Planning and Review (“TEB OPR”) function of Tax Exempt and
Government Entities (TE/GE) is developing new outreach and education initiatives to
insure compliance by issuers of tax-exempt bonds with applicable provisions of the
Code. TEB VCAP is part of the TEB OPR outreach and education initiatives and
provides appropriate remedies when issuers voluntarily come forward and express a
desire to resolve violations of the Code. TEB VCAP is intended to encourage issuers
and conduit borrowers to exercise due diligence in complying with the Code and to
provide a vehicle to correct violations of the Code. It is the continuing policy of the
Internal Revenue Service to attempt to resolve violations of the Code without taxing
bondholders. TEB VCAP reflects this policy.
The Service anticipates that more detailed procedures about the program will be
provided as the program is refined and comments are received. For example,
standardized closing agreement terms and amounts may be specified for particular
violations. Accordingly, this Notice requests comments on TEB VCAP as well as

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comments on how the Service can expand its efforts to encourage compliance with the
Code.
SECTION 2. BACKGROUND
Gross income does not include interest on any state or local bond that meets the
requirements of section 103 and related provisions of the Code. Under certain
circumstances, an issuer may take remedial action under provisions such as sections
1.141-12, 1.142-2, 1.144-2, 1.145-2, and 1.147-2 of the Income Tax Regulations in
order to cure a violation of the Code and to prevent interest on a bond from becoming
includible in gross income.
The Service has previously provided formal tax-exempt bond closing agreement
programs such as the program described in Rev. Proc. 97-15, 1997-1 C.B. 635.
Violations of section 103 and related provisions of the Code that cannot be remediated
under existing remedial action provisions or other tax-exempt bond closing agreement
programs contained in regulations or other published guidance may be resolved by
entering into a closing agreement under TEB VCAP.
Section 7121 of the Code and the regulations thereunder authorize the
Commissioner to enter into written closing agreements with any person in connection
with the tax liability of such person (or of the person or estate for whom he acts).
Section 301.7121-1 of the Income Tax Regulations provides, in part, that a closing
agreement may be entered into in any case in which there appears to be an advantage
in having the case permanently and conclusively closed, or if good and sufficient
reasons are shown by the taxpayer for desiring a closing agreement and it is

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determined by the Commissioner that the United States will sustain no disadvantage
through consummation of such an agreement.
SECTION 3. SCOPE OF TEB VCAP
Under TEB VCAP, an issuer or its authorized representative may request a
closing agreement with respect to violations of section 103 and related provisions of the
Code. TEB VCAP is not available when:
(a) Absent extraordinary circumstances, the violation can be remediated under
existing remedial action provisions or tax-exempt bond closing agreement
programs contained in regulations or other published guidance.
(b) The bond issue is under examination. A bond issue is generally treated as
under examination on the date a letter opening an examination on the bond issue
is sent.
(c) The tax-exempt status of the bonds is at issue in any court proceeding or is
being considered by the IRS Office of Appeals.
(d) The Service determines that the violation was due to willful neglect.
SECTION 4. PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING A CLOSING AGREEMENT UNDER
TEB VCAP
(a) Information Required in Requests. An issuer or its authorized representative
requesting a closing agreement must submit the following information relating to
the issue:
(i) A statement, or statements, under penalty of perjury, certifying:
a. A description of the violation, including its nature, when it occurred and
the events surrounding it, and a statement about when and how the issuer
discovered the violation;

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b. The procedures and policies which will be instituted to assure future
compliance with the Code;
c. That the bond issue is not under examination;
d. That the tax-exempt status of the bond issue is not at issue in any court
proceeding and is not being considered by the IRS Office of Appeals;
e. That, on the issue date, the issuer reasonably expected to comply with
section 103 and related provisions of the Code;
f. That the violation was not due to willful neglect;
g. That the request for a closing agreement was promptly undertaken
upon discovery of the violation by the issuer or the conduit borrower; and
h. That the payment of the closing agreement amount, if any, will not be
made with proceeds of bonds described in section 103(a).
(ii) A statement setting forth proposed closing agreement terms based on the
model closing agreement language contained in IRM 7.6.2 and, if
applicable, a computation of the proposed closing agreement amount.
(iii) The name and phone number of a person to contact for additional
information.
(b) Additional Information for Requests. Additional information may be required
depending on the facts and circumstances.
(c) Penalty of Perjury Statement. The following declaration, signed by the party
making the submission, must accompany a TEB VCAP submission and any
factual information submitted after the original submission or any change in the
submission at a later time: “Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have

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examined this submission, including accompanying documents and statements,
and to the best of my knowledge and belief, the submission contains all the
relevant facts relating to the request, and such facts are true, correct, and
complete.”
(d)Anonymous Closing Agreement Requests. An issuer or its authorized
representative may initiate discussions regarding the appropriate terms of a
closing agreement on an anonymous basis. An anonymous request may be
made on behalf of a group of similarly situated issuers, but the execution of the
closing agreement and all terms therein must be consistent with section 7121 of
the Code. Until the name of the bond issue is disclosed to the Service, a request
for a closing agreement under TEB VCAP will not prevent the Service from
beginning an examination of the bond issue. An issue for which a request has
been submitted under this paragraph (d) that has been placed under examination
prior to the date the issue is identified to the Service will no longer be eligible for
TEB VCAP.
(e)TEB VCAP Mailing Address. TEB VCAP submissions should be mailed to:
Internal Revenue Service
Attn: T:GE:TEB:O, Rm. 5T2
1111 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20224
SECTION 5. CLOSING AGREEMENT TERMS
Closing agreements under TEB VCAP will generally follow the model closing
agreement in IRM 7.6.2. Specific closing agreement terms will depend on the facts and
circumstances of the case, including the degree of diligence exercised by the issuer and
any conduit borrower. Any standardized closing agreement terms that are developed

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for TEB VCAP will be set forth in the Internal Revenue Manual and/or other published
guidance.
SECTION 6. EFFECT OF CLOSING AGREEMENT EXECUTED UNDER TEB VCAP
The closing agreement will protect bondholders from including in their gross
income any interest on the bonds during a period specified in the agreement for any
violation described in the agreement. A closing agreement executed under section
7121 of the Code shall be final and conclusive except that 1) the matter it relates to may
be reopened in the event of fraud, malfeasance, or misrepresentation of a material fact,
2) it is subject to the sections of the Code that expressly provide that effect be given to
their provisions (including any stated exception for section 7122 of the Code)
notwithstanding any other law or rule of law, and 3) it is subject to any law, enacted after
the date of the agreement, that applies to a tax period ending after the date of the
agreement covered by the agreement.
SECTION 7. REQUESTS FOR COMMENTS
We anticipate that TEB VCAP will be expanded and refined over time based on
experience and public comment. The Service welcomes comments regarding the
format and operation of TEB VCAP. The Service requests comments on the existing
remedial action provisions and existing closing agreement programs and procedures
contained in regulations and other published guidance. The Service welcomes
suggestions with regard to the general framework of closing agreement terms including
whether standardized closing agreement terms and amounts should be specified for
particular violations. The Service also requests comments regarding whether any of the
provisions of the model closing agreement set forth in IRM 7.6.2 should be changed.

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Comments should be submitted in writing within six months from the date this
Notice appears in the Internal Revenue Bulletin. Comments should be sent to the
following address:
Internal Revenue Service
1111 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20224
Attn: Susan D. Ruth T:GE:TEB:O, Rm. 5T2.
Comments may also be sent electronically via the Internet by selecting the “Tax
Regs” option on the IRS Home Page, by submitting comments directly to the IRS
Internet site at http://www.irs.gov/prod/tax_regs/comments.html, or by e-mailing them to
notice.comments@m1.irs.counsel.gov.
SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE
TEB VCAP is effective immediately.
SECTION 9. DRAFTING INFORMATION
The principal author of this Notice is Cliff Gannett of Tax Exempt Bonds
Outreach, Planning and Review of the Office of the Director, Tax Exempt Bonds, Tax
Exempt/Government Entities. For further information regarding this Notice, contact Mr.
Gannett at (202) 283-2999 (not a toll-free call).