`(3) The Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, notify eligible institutions, guaranty agencies, lenders, interested software providers, and, upon request, other interested parties, by December 1 prior to the start of an award year of minimal hardware and software requirements necessary to administer programs under this title.

`(4) The Secretary shall attempt to conduct training activities for financial aid administrators and others in an expeditious and timely manner prior to the start of an award year in order to ensure that all participants are informed of all administrative requirements.'.

`(2)(A) The Secretary may designate any regulatory provision that affects the programs under this title and is published in final form after November 1 as one that an entity subject to the provision may, in the entity's discretion, choose to implement prior to the effective date described in paragraph (1). The Secretary may specify in the designation when, and under what conditions, an entity may implement the provision prior to that effective date. The Secretary shall publish any designation under this subparagraph in the Federal Register.

`(B) If an entity chooses to implement a regulatory provision prior to the effective date described in paragraph (1), as permitted by subparagraph (A), the provision shall be effective with respect to that entity in accordance with the terms of the Secretary's designation.'.