Part 518 - Conservation Program
Subpart K - Contract Administration
Section MT518.106 - Quality Assurance

A. Quality Assurance

General guidance is available to assist in CSP contract review in the National Programs Manual Conservation Program Contracting Manual, 440-CPM-512.55.

(1) The Montana CSP Quality Assurance process is as follows:

PRE-CONTRACTING REVIEWS:

• With the self-assessment eligibility process, national CSP policy only requires field visits to verify self-assessment information for applications with questionable information or situations.
   
• Montana policy will allow for additional field visits to verify self – assessment information prior to contracting at the discretion of the Area Contracting Officer.

POST-CONTRACTING REVIEWS:

• Annual review – all CSP contracts will receive an annual review (440-CPM-518.105B and 512.55). This annual review does not require a field visit. Typically the annual review is conducted as a precursor to the annual payment.
  • Any contract not found to be implementing practices on schedule will require a written status review (NRCS-CPA-13 generated from Protracts).
  • Any contract that is not following the Benchmark Inventory conservation practices will be terminated with consideration for liquidated damages.
     
• A field visit is required to certify any new practices and/or enhancements that have been completed prior to payment.
   
• Montana NRCS is committed to assuring that all CSP contracts are active, in compliance, and all scheduled practices and/or enhancements are achieving the desired resource benefits. Every existing CSP contract will receive at least one quality review conducted in the field during the life of the contract. Contracts that have less than 5 years remaining will be done prior to the contracts expiration.
   
• Area offices will ensure that a random selection of a MINIMUM of 20 percent of all CSP contracts receive a field review annually. These reviews should be done as soon as practicable to allow for concerns to be recognized and cleared up prior to making payments. All findings will be documented in the file as per policy.
   
• National policy exists in 440-CPM- 512.55 (D) to address Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher / Beginning Farmer or Rancher (LRFR/BRFR) certifications. The selection of these reviews will continue to be generated from the State Office. These reviews are intended to ONLY certify eligibility and do not require a field or contract review.

(440-V-CPM, Amendment MT2, May 2008)

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