(a) Land users may arrange to apply the planned land uses and conservation treatment specified in the contract by one or more of the following methods:

(1) By performing the required treatment with his own labor and equipment.

(2) By hiring a qualified contractor to install the required treatment.

(3) By requesting NRCS to award and administer a contract to perform the required treatment in accordance with 41 CFR chapters I and IV.

(b) State conservationists are to develop criteria specifying the conditions for which NRCS will award and administer a contract. Criteria will consider: Type of equipment required, type and amount of conservation treatment required, costs of the required reclamation, needs of the land user, and the applicable cost-share rate. If the Federal share is less than 100 percent, a land user must put up his estimated share of the cost before NRCS awards the contract.