(a) No former officer or employee of the Administration, after his or her employment with the Administration has ceased, shall act as agent or attorney for anyone other than the United States in connection with any particular matter in which a specific party or parties are involved and in which the United States is a party or has a direct and substantial interest and in which the former officer or employee participated personally and substantially as an officer or employee of the Maritime Administration through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or otherwise while so employed by the Maritime Administration.

(b) No former officer or employee of the Administration shall practice, appear, or represent anyone, directly or indirectly, other than the United States, before the Administration in any matter for a period of 1 year subsequent to the termination of his or her employment with the Administration in connection with any proceeding, application, request for a ruling or other determination, contract, claim, controversy, or other particular matter involving a specific party or parties in which the United States is a party or directly and substantially interested and which was under his or her official responsibility as an officer or employee of the Administration at any time during the last year of his or her service.

(c) Any person in doubt as to the applicability of paragraph (a) or (b) of this § 201.26 to a particular case or to the postemployment activities of a former officer or employee of the Administration may address an application to the Administration for the Administration's consent to appear, stating his former connection with the Administration or predecessor agency, identifying the matter in which he or she desires to appear and describe in detail his or her participation in or responsibility for the particular matter and the specific party or parties involved and the extent, if any, in which the former officer or employee had participated while employed by the Administration. The applicant shall be promptly advised as to his or her privilege to appear in the particular matter. Separate consents to appear must be obtained in each particular matter.