(a) Designating an official with equivalent authority. The State Director (or Administrator, under §1900.253(e) of this subpart or this paragraph) designates a nonrelated or nonassociated Rural Development official authorized to conduct the activity under program regulations, established delegation of authority and approval authority under subpart A of part 1901 of this chapter, and whose duty station is most convenient to the recipient and to the security property. A type and/or amount of assistance processed or serviced by a County Supervisor or at a County Office should be assigned only to another County Supervisor or County Office. A type and/or amount of assistance processed or serviced by a District Director or at a District Office should be assigned only to another District Director or District Office.

(b) County Committee. For processing or servicing decisions to be made by a County Committee, if the recipient is a member, a different County Committee is designated. If the recipient is related to or associated with the member, notwithstanding the provisions of §1900.151(a)(3) of this subpart, the State Director may permit the decision to be made by the local committee, if the related/associated member abstains.

(c) [Reserved]

[58 FR 224, Jan. 5, 1993, as amended at 80 FR 9868, Feb. 24, 2015]