[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: 7CFR652.5]

[Page 457-458]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
   CHAPTER VI--NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 652--TECHNICAL SERVICE PROVIDER ASSISTANCE--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A--General Provisions
 
Sec. 652.5  Program participant acquisition of technical services.

    (a) Program participants may obtain technical assistance directly 
from the Department or from a certified technical service provider.
    (b) To acquire technical assistance directly from the Department, 
program participants should contact their local USDA Service Center.
    (c) To acquire technical services from a technical service provider, 
program participants must:
    (1) Comply with the program agreement when acquiring technical 
services; and

[[Page 458]]

    (2) Select a certified technical service provider from the approved 
list of technical service providers.
    (d) To obtain payment for technical services, the program 
participant must submit to the Department an invoice, supporting 
documentation, and a request for payment. The Department may pay a 
program participant for technical services provided by a technical 
service provider hired by the program participant through:
    (1) A reimbursement payment made directly to the program 
participant; or
    (2) Upon receipt of an assignment of payment from the program 
participant, a payment made directly to the technical service provider.
    (e) The Department will identify in the particular program contract 
or agreement the payment provisions for technical service providers 
hired directly by the program participant.
    (f) Unless authorized under paragraph (g) of this section, the 
program participant must enter into a program contract or agreement with 
the Department prior to acquisition of technical services by a technical 
service provider.
    (g) A program participant may be reimbursed for technical service 
provider costs incurred prior to entering into a program contract or 
agreement as long as the individual meets the eligibility requirements 
for participating in the program. These costs include program related 
activities that need to be accomplished prior to entering into a program 
contract or agreement as well as the development of a conservation plan 
that is subsequently incorporated into the program contract or 
agreement. To be reimbursed for these technical service provider costs, 
the program participant must:
    (1) Utilize the services of a certified technical service provider 
from the NRCS approved list of technical service providers; and
    (2) Provide to NRCS invoice and related documentation of the 
technical services provided.
    (h) Program participants must authorize in writing to the Department 
the disclosure of their records on file with the Department that they 
wish to make available to specific technical service providers.
    (i) Payments for technical services will only be made one time for 
the same technical service provided unless, as determined by the 
Department, the emergence of new technologies or major changes in the 
participant's farming or ranching operations necessitate the need for 
additional technical services.