§ 1738.252 - Construction.

§ 1738.252 Construction.

(a) Construction paid for with broadband loan or loan/grant combination funds must comply with 7 CFR part parts 1787, 1788, the environmental review requirements in accordance with 7 CFR part and 1970, RUS Bulletin 1738-2the RUS Broadband Construction Procedures located at https://reconnect.usda.gov, and any other guidance from the Agency.

(b) Once the Agency has extended a loan or loan/grant combination offer, the applicantApplicant, at its own risk, may start construction that is included in the loan application on an interim financing basis. For this construction to be eligible for reimbursement with loan or loan/grant combination funds, all construction procedures contained in this part must be followed. Note, however, that the Agency's extension of a loan or loan/grant combination offer is not a guarantee that a loan or loan/grant combination will be made, unless and until a loan contract has been entered into between the applicant Applicant and RUS.

(c) The All Awardees must complete build-out must be complete within three 5 years and 4 months from the date of the loan contractthat funds have been made available. Build-out is considered complete when the network design has been fully implemented, the service operations and management systems infrastructure is operational, and the borrower awardee is ready to support the activation and commissioning of individual customers to the new system.

[80 FR 45402, July 30, 2015, as amended at 81 FR 11027, Mar. 2, 2016