(a) Federal agencies are prohibited from using commercial recruiting firms and nonprofit employment services which charge fees to individuals referred to Federal positions. Federal agencies may not consider a candidate referred by a commercial recruiting firm or nonprofit employment service if the individual has paid or is expected to pay any fee to the firm or service.

(b) The prohibition in paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to registration fees paid by individuals to nonprofit employment services operated by professional organizations when the registration fee is imposed regardless of whether the registrant is referred for employment or placed.