(a) This subpart establishes RUS polices and procedures for the preservation of records of telecommunications borrowers.

(b) The regulations prescribed in this part apply to all books of account, contracts, records, memoranda, documents, papers, and correspondence prepared by or on behalf of the borrower as well as those which come into its possession in connection with the acquisition of property by purchase, consolidation, merger, etc.

(c) The regulations prescribed in this part shall not be construed as excusing compliance with any other lawful requirements for the preservation of records.

Each borrower shall designate one or more officials to supervise the preservation of its records.

(a) Each borrower shall maintain a master index of records. The master index shall identify the records retained, the related retention period, and the locations where the records are maintained. The master index shall be subject to review by RUS and RUS shall reserve the right to add records, or lengthen retention periods upon finding that retention periods may be insufficient for its purposes.

(b) At each office where records are kept or stored the borrower shall arrange, file, and index the records currently at that site so that they may be readily identified and made available to representatives of RUS.

Each RUS borrower has the flexibility to select its own storage media subject to the following conditions:

(a) The storage media must have a life expectancy at least equal to the applicable retention period provided for in the master index of records, unless there is quality transfer from one media to another with no loss of data. Each transfer of data from one media to another must be verified for accuracy and documented.

(b) Each borrower is required to implement internal control procedures that assure the reliability of, and ready access to, data stored on machine-readable media. Internal control procedures must be documented by a responsible supervisory official.

(c) The records shall be indexed and retained in such a manner that they are easily accessible.

(d) The borrower shall have the hardware and software available to locate, identify, and reproduce the records in readable form without loss of clarity.

(e) At the expiration of the retention period, the borrower may use any appropriate method to destroy records.

(f) When any records are lost or destroyed before the expiration of the retention period set forth in the master index, a certified statement shall be added to the master index listing, as far as may be determined, the records lost or destroyed and describing the circumstances of the premature loss or destruction.

(a) Except as provided for in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section, record retention shall be consistent with Prudent Utility Practice. Prudent Utility Practice shall mean any of the practices, methods, and acts which, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, in light of the facts, including but not limited to, the practices, methods, and acts engaged in or approved by a significant portion of the telecommunications industry prior thereto, known at the time the decision was made, would have been expected to accomplish the desired result consistent with cost effectiveness, reliability, safety, and expeditiousness. It is recognized that Prudent Utility Practice is not intended to be limited to optimum practice, method, or act to the exclusion of all others, but rather is a spectrum of possible practices, methods, or acts which could have been expected to accomplish the desired result at the lowest reasonable cost consistent with cost effectiveness, reliability, safety, and expedition.

(b) Records supporting construction financed by RUS shall be retained until audited and approved by RUS.

(c) Records related to plant in service must be retained until the facilities are permanently removed from utility service, all removal and restoration activities are completed, and all costs are retired from the accounting records unless accounting adjustments resulting from reclassification and original costs studies have been approved by RUS or other regulatory body having jurisdiction.

(d) Life and mortality study data for depreciation purposes must be retained for 25 years or for 10 years after plant is retired whichever is longer.