Contractor Certification Mike Cox State Conservation Engineer

1. Contractor Certification Mike Cox State Conservation Engineer

2. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) • Signed March 2007 Between INLICA and IN NRCS • Provides the opportunity for check-out by certified contractors for the following practices: • Grassed Waterways • Grade Stabilization Structures (Rock Chute) • Pipelines • Subsurface Drainage/Underground Outlet • Water & Sediment Control Basins (WASCOB’s) • Structures for Water Table Control • Encourage more contractors to become certified and provide their own construction check-out for certain conservation practices.

4. Engineering Practice Workload by CIT

5. INLICA Responsibilities • Implement a Conservation Contractor Certification Program • Promote and provide annual training to contractors • Establish and maintain a registry of certified contractors • Meet at least annually with NRCS to evaluate the implementation of the program • Remove individuals from the registry for the following reasons: • Do not attend required annual training • Are found to be providing substandard documentation • Don’t submit construction documentation for a period of three (3) years to NRCS

6. NRCS Responsibilities • Assist INLICA in the development of training and documentation materials and training • Review documentation provided for certification • Conduct annual quality assurance (QA) on layout, installation, and check-out which are done by certified contractors • Provide notification to contractors when field checks during QA reveal a deficiency in layout, installation, and/or construction check-out • Meet at least annually with INLICA to evaluate the implementation of the program • Pursue options for landowner or contractor reimbursement for check-out services by Certified Contractors

7. Certification Process • Attend INLICA/NRCS training • Submit two (2) sets of documentation (survey notes) for each practice type to NRCS • NRCS will confirm the accuracy of the documentation • INLICA will issue a Certification Letter to the contractor which lists the specific practices for which the contractor is Certified • The contractor will be added to the Registry kept by INLICA

8. Quality Assurance • A minimum of 5% of the conservation practices installed and checked by any contractor will be spot checked by NRCS each year. • If two (2) or more instances of inadequate documentation are noted in any one year, NRCS may not renew the certification. • The contractor’s certification will not be renewed if they have not submitted check-out documentation for the previous three (3) years.

9. Questions • Liability • If a contractor installs the practice according to the engineering plans from NRCS they should not have any more liability than any other project. • Contractor Falsifies Checkout • If the project fails that is not installed according to the plans or is found not to meet NRCS standards, then NRCS will hold the contractor liable and ask them to repair or change at the contractors expense.

10. Questions • Notification for Layout • Contact the Conservation Implementation Team (CIT) personnel and give them at least 2 to 3 days notice when a layout is needed. • Changes During Construction • Can’t be made outside of construction tolerances unless approved and documented by NRCS personnel.

11. Questions • INLICA Member to Participate • You do not have to be a member of INLICA to participate in the Contractor Certification Training and Program.

12. NRCS Helping People Help the Land