(a) Conditional commitment letter. A successful RESP loan applicant will receive a Conditional commitment letter from the Administrator notifying the RESP applicant of the total loan amount approved by RUS; any additional controls on the its financial, investment, operational and managerial activities; acceptable security arrangements; and such other conditions deemed necessary by the Administrator to adequately secure the Government's interest, ensure repayment, and abide by the RESP requirements as outlined in this Part. This written notification is a conditional RESP loan offer.

(1) The requirements for coverage ratios will be set forth in the Conditional commitment letter.

(2) Receipt of a Conditional commitment letter from the Administrator does not authorize the RESP applicant to commence performance under the approved loan.

(b) Intent to meet conditions. The RESP applicant must acknowledge receipt of the Conditional commitment letter and notify RUS in writing within 60 days or otherwise specified in the Conditional commitment letter that it has reviewed and understood the conditions set forth in the Conditional commitment letter and that it is the intent of the RESP applicant to meet all the conditions. The RESP applicant must promptly notify RUS should circumstances or its intent of meeting the conditions change. The Administrator may consider requests to amend the conditions and amend the conditions in a subsequent Conditional commitment letter, when it advances program and policy goals and is in the best interest of the Government.

(c) Loan closing. The loan will be closed in accordance with RUS instructions.

(1) Upon receipt of the acceptance of the loan offer from the RESP applicant, RUS, working with its legal counsel, will draft the loan documents which will include the loan conditions and other applicable legal requirements.

(2) The loan documents will be forwarded to the RESP applicant by RUS for execution by the RESP applicant's signatories and returned to RUS prior to a mutually acceptable closing date. RUS reserves the right to unilaterally set a closing date to advance program and policy goals.

(3) The loan closing date will be used to determine the RESP loan maturity date which under no circumstances will exceed 20 years.

(4) An opinion of counsel is required at closing and must be in form and substance acceptable to the Administrator. A form opinion of counsel will be included in the closing instructions.

(d) Post-closing activities. All RUS requirements and conditions for lending set forth in the loan agreement must be met before the loan will be advanced. RUS will notify the RUS borrower when it is authorized to commence activities to be funded by the RESP loan.