7 CFR § 1738.254 - Accounting, reporting, and monitoring requirements.

§ 1738.254 Accounting, reporting, and monitoring requirements.

(a) Awardees must adopt a system of accounts for maintaining financial records acceptable to the Agency, as described in 7 CFR part 1770, subpart B.

(b) Awardees will be required to prepare audits as follows:

(1) If the awardee is a for-profit entity, an electric or telecommunications cooperative, or any other entity not covered by the definition of “non-Federal entity” in 2 CFR 200.1, the awardee shall provide an independent audit report in accordance with 7 CFR part 1773 and the award agreement. The certified public accountant (CPA) conducting the annual audit is selected by the awardee and must be approved by RUS as set forth in 7 CFR 1773.5.

(2) If the awardee is a non-Federal entity, as defined in 2 CFR 200.1, the awardee shall provide an audit in accordance with subpart F of 2 CFR part 200.

(c) Loan and loan/grant combination Awardees must submit to RUS 30 calendar days after the end of each calendar year quarter, balance sheets, income statements, statements of cash flow, rate package summaries, and the number of customers subscribing to broadband service from the Awardee utilizing RUS' online reporting system. These reports must be submitted throughout the loan amortization period.

(d) Loan and loan/grant combination Awardees must submit annually updated service area maps through the RUS mapping tool showing the areas where construction has been completed and premises are receiving service until the entire proposed funded service area can receive service at the broadband lending speed. At the end of the project, Awardees must submit a service area map indicating that all construction has been completed as proposed in the application. If parts of the proposed funded service area have not been constructed, RUS may require a portion of the Award to be rescinded and/or paid back.

(e) Loan and loan/grant combination Awardees must comply with all reasonable Agency requests to support ongoing monitoring efforts. The Awardee shall afford RUS, through its representatives, reasonable opportunity, at all times during business hours and upon prior notice, to have access to and the right to inspect the broadband system, and any other property encumbered by the mortgage or security agreement, and any or all books, records, accounts, invoices, contracts, leases, payrolls, timesheets, cancelled checks, statements, and other documents, electronic or paper of every kind belonging to or in the possession of the Awardee or in any way pertaining to its property or business, including its subsidiaries, if any, and to make copies or extracts therefore.

(f) Awardee records shall be retained and preserved in accordance with the provisions of 7 CFR part 1770, subpart A.

[85 FR 14398, Mar. 12, 2020, as amended at 88 FR 7561, Feb. 6, 2023]