[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 6]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR652.21]

[Page 459-460]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
   CHAPTER VI--NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 652--TECHNICAL SERVICE PROVIDER ASSISTANCE--Table of Contents
 
                        Subpart B--Certification
 
Sec. 652.21  Certification criteria and requirements.


    (a) To qualify for certification an individual must:
    (1) Have the technical training, education, or experience to perform 
the level of technical assistance for which certification is sought;
    (2) Meet any applicable licensing or similar qualification standards 
established by State law;
    (3) Demonstrate, through documentation of training or experience, 
familiarity with NRCS guidelines, criteria, standards, and 
specifications as set forth in the applicable NRCS manuals, handbooks, 
field office technical guides, and supplements thereto for the planning 
and applying of specific conservation practices and management systems 
for which certification is sought; and
    (4) Not be decertified in any State under subpart C of this part at 
the time of application for certification.
    (b) To qualify for certification an entity or public agency must 
have a certified individual providing, in accordance with this part, 
technical services on its behalf.
    (c) A technical service provider, as part of the certification by 
NRCS, must enter into a Certification Agreement with NRCS specifying the 
terms and conditions of the certification, including adherence to the 
requirements of this part, and acknowledging that failure to meet these 
requirements may result in ineligibility to receive payments from the 
Department, either directly or through the program participant, for the 
technical services provided or may result in decertification.
    (d) NRCS certification shall be in effect for three years unless the 
technical service provider is decertified in accordance with subpart C 
of this part. NRCS certifications expire at the end of three years 
unless they are renewed in accordance with Sec. 652.25.
    (e) NRCS may, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 9701, establish and collect fees 
for the certification of technical service providers.

[[Page 460]]

    (f) An individual, private-sector entity, or public agency is 
conditionally certified provided they had entered into a contract, 
cooperative agreement, or contribution agreement with the Department 
prior to November 21, 2002 to provide technical services and they submit 
an Application for Certification by March 1, 2003. An individual, 
private-sector entity, or public agency with conditional certification 
status under this paragraph may continue to provide technical services 
in accordance with the terms and conditions of the above-described 
contract, cooperative agreement, or contribution agreement. Conditional 
certification shall expire either by the date NRCS and the individual, 
private-sector entity, or public agency enter into a Certification 
Agreement, as described in Sec. 652.22(c)(1) or September 30, 2003, 
whichever is earlier.
    (g) An individual is conditionally certified if the individual was 
certified under NRCS policy in effect prior to November 21, 2002 and 
submits an Application for Certification by March 1, 2003. An individual 
with conditional certification status under this paragraph may continue 
to provide technical services to the Department and to program 
participants in accordance with the above-described prior certification. 
Conditional certification shall expire either by the date NRCS and the 
individual enter into a Certification Agreement, as described in 
Sec. 652.22(c)(1) or September 30, 2003, whichever is earlier.