(a) By Owner. When purchasing the type of materials included in the List of Materials, RUS borrowers shall purchase only materials listed in the List of Materials, or materials which have a current technical acceptance by RUS and meet the “Buy American” requirement.

(b) By Contractor. When performing work for an RUS borrower, contractors shall supply only items from the general acceptance pages of the List of Materials, or obtain the borrower's concurrence prior to purchase and use of a technically nondomestic item or any item listed on a conditional basis.

(c) Procurement of Unlisted Items. (1) The borrower shall request prior approval from RUS for use of an item that does not fall in categories established by RUS in the List of Materials for which acceptability has been established by the Technical Standards Committees.

(2) RUS will also determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether to allow use of an unlisted item in emergency situations and for experimental use or to meet a specific need. For purposes of this part 1728, an emergency shall mean a situation wherein the supply of listed material and equipment from the industry is not readily available, or the standard designs are not applicable to the borrower's specific problem under consideration.

(3) RUS will make arrangements for test or experimental use of newly developed items requiring limited trial use. RUS, working with the borrower and the manufacturer, will establish test locations for the items to facilitate installation and observation.