HUD - FHA Connection B2G FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About B2G

Many common questions are asked about the FHA's Business To Government (B2G) system. This section will address many of the more common questions we receive.

How do I get access to the test area?
Send an email to sfadmin@hud.gov You will need to include contact information, a 10 digit lender ID and an overview of the type of development you will be doing (i.e. providing access for multiple lenders, automating the Insurance endorsement process for one lender, etc.)

How do I get access to production?
Our office does not provide access to the production environment. Users need to apply through the FHA Connection at Registering an FHA Connection user. Existing FHA Connection IDs will also work for all B2G functions.

Although access is provided for a single ID per requestor in the test area, each user accessing the production version of B2G must have and use their own unique user ID.

How do I send my XML document?
Your XML document must be sent as the value portion of a name/value pair within the body of the post request. This is analogous to the value of a form field in an HTML form post request. The header needs to specify application/x-www-urlformencoded and the request method must be "post." The name portion of the name/value pair is not critical, but you will need to avoid common service related names such as "request," or "XML" to prevent inadvertently using a reserved word.

How are my results returned?
The result of you XML post request is an XML document. This document is returned as the result of the HTTPS post.

What data is on the test system?
Data in the test area is a snapshot of the production data. We reload this data periodically (typically every three to four months) from the production database. You can create and edit your own cases but this data will be overwritten when the production data is copied to the test area.

What assistance should I expect from the B2G development team?
The B2G development team will assist you with understanding the methods for connecting to and running B2G functions and with the correct XML layouts. The B2G team will answer business process related questions to the best of their ability, as time allows, but the business process is complex and changes frequently. For success in this area the developer unfamiliar with FHA Insurance business rules and processes should partner with a loan officer or other mortgage specialist well versed in these areas.