(a) EPA will limit its participation in the salary rate (excluding overhead) paid to individual consultants retained by recipients, and their contractors or subcontractors to the maximum daily rate for level 4 of the Executive Schedule unless a greater amount is authorized by law. (These non-Federal entities may, however, pay consultants more than this amount with non-EPA funds.) The limitation in this paragraph (a) applies to consultation services of designated individuals with specialized skills who are paid at a daily or hourly rate. This rate does not include transportation and subsistence costs for travel performed; recipients will pay these in accordance with their normal travel reimbursement practices.

(b) All contracts between recipients and subrecipients and individual consultants are subject to the procurement standards in subpart D of 2 CFR part 200. Contracts or subcontracts with multi-employee firms for consulting services are not affected by the limitation in paragraph (a) of this section provided the contractor or subcontractor rather than the recipient or subrecipient selects, directs and controls individual employees providing consulting services.

(c) Borrowers under EPA revolving loan fund capitalization grant programs are not subject to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.