[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 7, Volume 15] [Revised as of January 1, 2005] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 7CFR3017.110] [Page 180] TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE CHAPTER XXX--OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PART 3017_GOVERNMENTWIDE DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION (NONPROCUREMENT) --Table of Contents Subpart A_General Sec. 3017.110 What is the purpose of the nonprocurement debarment and suspension system? (a) To protect the public interest, the Federal Government ensures the integrity of Federal programs by conducting business only with responsible persons. (b) A Federal agency uses the nonprocurement debarment and suspension system to exclude from Federal programs persons who are not presently responsible. (c) An exclusion is a serious action that a Federal agency may take only to protect the public interest. A Federal agency may not exclude a person or commodity for the purposes of punishment.