[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 11]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1753.94]

[Page 408-409]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
    CHAPTER XVII--RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 1753--TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES--Table of Contents
 
              Subpart J--Construction Certification Program
 
Sec. 1753.94  Procedures.

    (a) Certification borrowers shall appoint three certification 
officials. These appointments shall be subject to RUS approval.
    (1) The ``Certifying Officer'' shall be an officer or employee of 
the borrower who is authorized to execute binding agreements. This 
officer shall sign all contracts, amendments, closeout documents and the 
certification on RUS Form 158, Certification of Contract or Force 
Account Proposal Approval, and RUS Form 159, Summary of Completed 
Construction.
    (2) The ``Construction Certifier'' shall be an experienced telephone 
engineer who is either licensed in the state where the inspection will 
be performed, or is a borrower's staff engineer who meets the 
requirements of the ``employee in charge'' of force account engineering 
as described in subpart B of this part. RUS may determine that it will 
accept the certification only for matters within the staff engineer's 
area of specialization. In such cases the position of ``Construction 
Certifier'' shall be filled by more than one engineer. This official is 
responsible for certifying that the construction complies with all 
technical and code requirements.
    (3) The ``Certification Coordinator'' shall administer the 
certification program and serve as the official point of contact for 
RUS. The certifying officer or construction certifier may also serve as 
the certification coordinator.
    (b) Certification borrowers, shall submit and obtain RUS approval of 
a work plan before construction and related engineering begin.
    (1) The work plan shall provide a description of the proposed 
construction and methods of purchasing in such detail as to enable RUS 
to monitor the

[[Page 409]]

construction program to ensure to its satisfaction that loan purposes 
are accomplished in an organized construction program.
    (2) The work plan shall include the following:
    (i) The names and qualifications of the proposed certification 
officials defined in Sec. 1753.94(a).
    (ii) A listing of the proposed work projects to accomplish the loan 
purposes showing the estimated cost, method of performing the 
construction, and the proposed commencement and completion dates for 
each work project. The proposed work projects shall be summarized on RUS 
Form 157, Construction Work Plan and Cost Distribution, or a form 
providing essentially the same information.
    (iii) The proposed source of funds for meeting cost overruns if the 
total estimated cost of work projects exceeds the loan budget.
    (iv) A statement signed by the borrower's certification officials 
and the GFR that the work plan is accurate and complete.
    (c) Under the certification program, the borrower shall follow all 
standard RUS postloan engineering and construction procedures except 
that the approvals shown in Sec. 1753.93(a) will be made by 
certification officials rather than RUS. The approvals noted in 
Sec. 1753.93(a)(1), (4) and (5) will be reported immediately to RUS 
using RUS Form 158. Approval of closeouts, Sec. 1753.93(a) (6) and (7), 
will be reported immediately on RUS Form 159.
    (d) As the construction program progresses, the certification 
borrower shall request, by letter, RUS approval of any significant 
changes in work plan schedules and budgets and in certification 
officials.