Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

​Information for LIHEAP Vendors

LIHEAP Vendor Helpline:
877-537-9517

LIHEAP Customer Helpline:
866-857-7095

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Vendor Helpline is available Monday – Friday, 8 am - 4 pm.  The Vendor helpline helps heating providers resolve LIHEAP-related issues. LIHEAP Vendors may also send a fax (717-231-5516) or email RA-LIHEAPVendors@pa.gov

Becoming a LIHEAP Vendor in PA

Any business that provides a home-heating product or supplies heat/energy to residential households in Pennsylvania may ask to become a participating LIHEAP vendor by reviewing and committing to comply with the conditions of the LIHEAP Vendor Agreement.  New vendors must complete and submit a LIHEAP Vendor Agreement Signature Form (HSEA 34 NS) , along with proof of their company's Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN).

The Prospective Vendor Letter provides information about the current LIHEAP heating season. When a Signature Form/FEIN are received, the Vendor Unit reviews the information and, when approved, the vendor will receive a LIHEAP Vendor Welcome Letter that will include a 13-digit LIHEAP vendor number. 

LIHEAP Vendor Agreements are typically renewed every two years.

Participating LIHEAP Vendors must review and follow the basic instructions, LIHEAP policies and procedures provided in the Vendor Guidelines.  LIHEAP consists of 2 components:

  • Cash Component: Eligible LIHEAP households receive one cash grant. The amount of the cash grant varies and is based on fuel type, household size, and income. No action is needed to receive funds from the cash component.
  • Crisis Component: County assistance office (CAO) representatives contact participating vendors throughout the heating season to authorize a LIHEAP Crisis grant for customers:
    • who are within 15 days of being without fuel or
    • whose utility service has been shut off or about to be shut off.

When LIHEAP Crisis is authorized, a payment is not received until the vendor enters the delivery or termination information in the LIHEAP Crisis claim processing system, known as PROMISe™, and also validates the heating emergency by submitting a metered trip ticket or proof of utility termination. 

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)

By opting for EFT, LIHEAP payments will be deposited directly into a vendor’s bank account instead of sent by check from the PA Treasury in Harrisburg.  This option eliminates mail time and prevents loss.  A participating LIHEAP vendor may choose direct deposit by completing an EFT application form.

The EFT form is user-friendly to allow typing on the form.  Save and return the form with a copy of a voided check by fax to 717-231-5516, by email at 
RA-LIHEAPVendors@pa.gov or by mail to:

LIHEAP Vendor Unit
P.O. Box 2675
Harrisburg, PA 17105

LIHEAP Documents for Providers

2023-2024 Program Information

General Information

User-Friendly Forms (Complete then print)

 

LIHEAP Vendor HelpLine

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Vendor HelpLine is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to answer questions and resolve vendor-related issues. Please refer customers with LIHEAP questions to the LIHEAP Customer Helpline at 866-857-7095.

LIHEAP Vendor Phone

Call 1-877-537-9517

LIHEAP Vendor Email

Email RA-LIHEAPVendors@pa.gov

LIHEAP Vendor Fax

Fax 717-231-5516

LIHEAP Payment Voucher (Remittance Advice)

The LIHEAP payment voucher, also known as the remittance advice (RA), is a weekly report that lists the customers who have been approved for a LIHEAP payment associating a specific Treasury Pay Date with a particular week of application processing.  On the LIHEAP Voucher, every customer is identified with an individual number (INDIV #).  It is important to record this individual number with your customer accounting system so it can be provided on the LIHEAP Refund Form if/when you need to return LIHEAP funds to the Commonwealth of PA.

All LIHEAP vendors can access vouchers in PROMISe™ a week before the Treasury Pay Date. In addition to posting vouchers in PROMISe™, vendors may opt to receive vouchers sent through the US mail. Vendors who have a static IP address may choose to receive vouchers electronically via the secure Commonwealth website (SeGov-MOVEiT). The SeGov training powerpoint and SeGov User Manual provide additional information. 

 LIHEAP Voucher # Date Vouchers are available in PROMISe Treasury Pay Date 
419040017/8/20247/17/2024
419040027/15/20247/24/2024
419040037/22/20247/31/2024
419040047/29/20248/7/2024
419040058/5/20248/14/2024
419040068/12/20248/21/2024
419040078/19/20248/28/2024
419040088/26/20249/4/2024
419040099/2/20249/11/2024
419040109/9/20249/18/2024
419040119/16/20249/25/2024
419040129/23/202410/2/2024
419040139/30/202410/9/2024
4190401410/7/202410/16/2024
4190401510/14/202410/23/2024
4190401610/21/202410/30/2024
4190401710/28/202411/6/2024
4190401811/4/202411/13/2024
4190401911/11/202411/20/2024
4190402011/18/202411/27/2024
4190402111/25/202412/4/2024
4190402212/2/202412/11/2024
4190402312/9/202412/18/2024
4190402412/16/202412/26/2024
4190402512/23/20251/2/2025
4190402612/30/20251/8/2025
419040271/6/20251/15/2025
419040281/13/20251/22/2025
419040291/20/20251/29/2025
419040301/27/20252/5/2025
419040312/3/20252/12/2025
419040322/10/20252/19/2025
419040332/17/20252/26/2025
419040342/24/20253/5/2025
419040353/3/20253/12/2025
419040363/10/20253/19/2025
419040373/17/20253/26/2025
419040383/24/20254/2/2025
419040393/31/20254/9/2025
419040404/7/20254/16/2025
419040414/14/20254/23/2025
419040424/21/20254/30/2025
419040434/28/20255/7/2025
419040445/5/20255/14/2025
419040455/12/20255/21/2025
419040465/19/20255/28/2025
419040475/26/20256/4/2025
419040486/2/20256/11/2025
419040496/9/20256/18/2025
419040506/16/20256/25/2025
419040516/23/20257/2/2025
419040526/30/20257/9/2025

Returning LIHEAP Funds

** LIHEAP funds should never be sent to another vendor or customer. ** 

There are many circumstances in which a LIHEAP vendor may receive funds that must be returned to DHS. Some examples are:

  • The customer moves to a location the vendor does not serve.
  • Customer dies.
  • The customer requests a vendor change.
  • LIHEAP funds were sent to the wrong vendor.
  • Vendor no longer participates with LIHEAP and the customer still has LIHEAP credit on their account.
  • The extended time frame for delivery of fuel/utility ends:

As indicated in the 2023 LIHEAP Vendor Agreement (Condition 7 (solid/liquid fuel) and Condition 8 (utility), LIHEAP funds are available for use by a customer during a two-year period.  This includes the LIHEAP season it was received (based on federal fiscal year 10/1-9/30) and the season immediately following. All LIHEAP funds that have not been expended on or before June 30 of that 2nd season must be returned (refunded) to DHS by July 31 of that year.

Requests for LIHEAP funds to be returned to the commonwealth are sometimes initiated by a call or email from the LIHEAP Vendor Unit.  A dunning letter sent via US mail confirms the request for refund. A refund form is located on the reverse side of the dunning letter.  Refunds can also be self-initiated by the vendor using a LIHEAP Program Refund Form.

When received, DHS will process vendor refunds and apply LIHEAP credits in the DHS accounting system and redistribute funds, as appropriate.

Refund forms and a check payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania should be sent to:

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
DHS — LIHEAP Refunds
P.O. Box 2675
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675

Expedited Recoupment accelerates the repayment process, reduces paperwork and mailing costs, and minimizes the need to send a refund check to DHS through the mail. As an Expedited Recoupment participant, vendors still receive a call from the Vendor Unit to discuss the need for each repayment, and vendors can advise the Vendor Unit if funds are available or if some/all funds have already used for a delivery or as payment on the utility bill.  If credits exist, you will receive only one Expedited Recoupment Letter, confirming the customer's name(s), amount to be refunded and the date/voucher number of the scheduled recoupment. Receiving one Expedited Recoupment Letter followed by automated recoupment replaces the threedunningletter process and eliminates the need for you to repay LIHEAP funds by sending a paper check. Complete and return the Expedited Recoupment Agreement to the LIHEAP Vendor Unit if you are interested in enrolling in this program.

Direct Questions about this process to the LIHEAP Vendor Helpline: 1-877-537-9517

Processing LIHEAP Crisis Claims in PROMISe™

To receive payment for Crisis authorizations, LIHEAP Crisis Claims must be entered in the Provider Reimbursement and Operations Management System (PROMISe™), a secure data entry portal that initiates and validates Crisis submissions and sends them to Pennsylvania's Treasury Department for payment. The website address for PROMISe™ is LIHEAP.dpw.state.pa.us

Every vendor must establish a primary PROMISe™ user who will then set up a password. Additional users may be added for the purpose of data entry or to view vouchers on PROMISe™. Each service location and user have a separate log on and password. For help with password resets, call 1-800-248-2152.

Vendors should review the Crisis 101 PowerPoint, as it provides information about data entry, including screenshots.

When a customer is eligible for LIHEAP Crisis, a Crisis authorization number (Auth #) will be initiated by the CAO. The Auth # conveys to PROMISe™ through an overnight batch process, and the vendor will see the Crisis Auth # on their Worklist in PROMISe™.  The Worklist contains Crisis authorizations and claims that have been submitted but are not yet paid. See the Worklist Desk Guide for details.  

Data entry in PROMISe™ is required to initiate the payment process. Proof of the delivery (fuel) or shutoff notification (utility) must be uploaded to PROMISe™ or submitted by fax or US Mail. When the data entry and the documentation match, the Crisis claim will be paid.  When they don’t match, the claim is rejected until acceptable documentation is provided by the vendor.  Rejected claims are identified on the vendor’s Worklist.

NOTE: Per the LIHEAP Vendor Agreement, participating LIHEAP vendors must process LIHEAP Crisis claims within 30 days.

LIHEAP Cash grants from the current season should only be deducted from a Crisis claim if the Cash grant was received on or before the date of the Crisis pledge.

See Tips for Submitting Crisis Claims Desk Guide for important information on how to submit claims and prevent payment rejections.

Options to submit documentation:

  1. Upload: The most efficient way to submit documentation is by scanning and then uploading documents in a PDF format. Scan and store documentation to your computer or flash drive, then upload it directly to PROMISe™ in conjunction with data entry.
  2. Fax or email: Using either of these methods requires the vendor to print the Crisis Cover Sheet that becomes available during data entry in PROMISe™. The cover sheet is placed on top of the documentation (delivery ticket/termination notice). Write the Attachment Control Number (ACN) or Crisis Authorization Number on the attachment.  Never include your company's fax cover sheet when faxing LIHEAP Cover sheets/documentation.

Important:  

  • PROMISe™ is available 24 hours a day. Use MicroSoft Edge to submit claims in the PROMISe™ system.  PROMISe™ may not be compatible with an Apple product or by using Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.|

  • Send documentation using only ONE method. If documentation was uploaded to PROMISe™, do not also submit it by fax or mail. Resubmissions cause processing delays.

  • Direct questions about access to PROMISe™ to: 800-248-2152.

Call the LIHEAP Vendor Helpline at 877-537-9517 if you have questions about processing a LIHEAP Crisis claim.   

Additional information about LIHEAP.