7 CFR § 1753.15 - General.
(a)
(1) The standard RUS loan documents contain provisions regarding engineering and architectural services performed by or for RUS telecommunications borrowers. This part implements certain of the provisions by setting forth the requirements and procedures to be followed by borrowers in selecting architects and engineers and obtaining architectural and engineering services by contract or by force account.
(2) Borrowers shall obtain architectural and engineering services only from persons or firms which are not affiliated with, and have not represented, a contractor, vendor or manufacturer who may provide labor, materials, or equipment to the borrower under any current loan.
(3) Preloan architectural and engineering services may be provided by qualified personnel on the borrower's staff or by consultants. Neither the selection of a preloan architect or engineer by a borrower, nor the contractual arrangements with them, requires RUS approval.
(4) Postloan architectural and engineering services shall be obtained by borrowers from registered architects and engineers licensed in the State in which the facilities will be located, except where RUS has approved the borrower to provide these services by the force account method. When the extent of the proposed major or minor construction is such that the postloan engineering involved is within the capabilities of employees on the borrower's staff, the borrower may request RUS approval to provide such services. This method of providing engineering services is referred to as force account engineering. Refer to § 1753.17(c).
(5)
(i) For major construction, services provided by architects and engineers not on the borrower's staff must be provided under Form 220, Architectural Service Contract, or Form 217, Postloan Engineering Service Contract—Telecommunications. These contracts require RUS approval.
(ii) For minor construction, borrowers may use the contracts in paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this section for postloan architectural or engineering services or any other form of contract, such as Form 245, Engineering Service Contract, Special Services—Telephone. RUS approval of contracts for postloan architectural or engineering services associated with minor construction, except for buildings covered in paragraph (a)(6) of this section, is not required.
(6) For buildings to be constructed with RUS funds, postloan architectural or engineering services shall be obtained if (1) the construction cost exceeds $50,000 (prefab buildings using manufacturer's specifications approved by RUS are exempt from this requirement) or (2) soil or seismic conditions require special design considerations.
(b) For the purpose of this subpart B:
(1) Contract—The services contract between the borrower and its architect or engineer.
(2) Force Account Engineering—Any preloan or postloan engineering services performed by the borrower's staff.
(3) Postloan engineering services—The design, procurement, and inspection of construction to accomplish the objectives of a loan as stated in a LD approved by RUS.
(4) Preloan engineering services—The planning and design work performed in preparing a LD. This consists of helping the borrower determine the objectives for a loan, including consideration of RUS's requirements relating to the modernization plan, selecting the most effective and efficient methods of meeting loan objectives, and preparing the LD which describes the objectives and presents the method selected to meet them.
(c) Single copies of RUS forms and publications cited in this part are available free from Administrative Services Division, Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250-1500. These forms and publications may be reproduced.
(d)
(1) All outside architects and engineers employed by RUS telephone borrowers shall have insurance coverage as required by 7 CFR part 1788.
(2) Borrowers shall ensure that their architects and engineers comply with the insurance requirements of their contracts. See 7 CFR 1788.54.
(e)
(1) Borrowers shall make prompt payments to architects and engineers as required by the contract.
(2) RUS shall not make loan funds available for late payment interest charges.