(a) NRCS may enter into an agreement, including a memorandum of understanding or other appropriate instrument, with a recommending organization that NRCS determines has an adequate accreditation program in place to train, test, and evaluate candidates for competency in a particular area or areas of technical service delivery and whose accreditation program NRCS determines meets the certification criteria as set forth for the technical services to be provided.
(b) Recommending organizations will, pursuant to an agreement entered into with NRCS:
(1) Train, test, and evaluate candidates for competency in the area of technical service delivery;
(2) Recommend to NRCS individuals who it determines meet the NRCS certification requirements of § 652.21(a) for providing specific practices or categories of technical services;
(3) Inform the recommended individuals that they must meet the requirements of this part, including entering into a Certification Agreement with NRCS, in order to provide technical services under this part;
(4) Reassess individuals that request renewal of their certification pursuant to § 652.26 through the recommendation of the organization; and
(5) Notify NRCS of any concerns or problems that may affect the organization's recommendation concerning the individual's certification, recertification, certification renewal, or technical service delivery.
(c) Pursuant to an agreement with NRCS, a recommending organization may provide to the appropriate NRCS official a current list of individuals identified by the recommending organization as meeting NRCS criteria as set forth in § 652.21(a) for specific practices or categories of technical service and recommend that the NRCS official certify these individuals as technical service providers in accordance with this part.
(d) NRCS will, within 60 days, make a determination on the recommendation for certification issued by the recommending organization. If NRCS determines that all requirements for certification are met by the recommended individual(s), NRCS will perform the actions described in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(3) of § 652.22.
(e) NRCS may terminate an agreement with a recommending organization if concerns or problems with its accreditation program, its recommendations for certification, or other requirements under the agreement arise.
(f) NRCS may also enter into an agreement with a recommending organization that NRCS determines has an adequate accreditation program to certify individuals as technical service providers for specific practices or categories of technical service in accordance with this part.
(g) After submission of an Application for Certification under § 652.21, NRCS may certify an individual that has an appropriate specialty certification, including a sustainability specialty certification, as qualified to provide technical services for a specific practice, category, or categories of technical service.
(h) NRCS will identify, on its website, which recommending organizations or specialty certifications are recognized by NRCS as meeting NRCS quality criteria for certification of individuals under this part.
[75 FR 6845, Feb. 12, 2010, as amended at 84 FR 19703, May 6, 2019]