Detailed Instructions for Completing TSP Profile Parts 1 and 2 Login…

Detailed Instructions for Completing TSP Profile Parts 1 and 2
Login to TechReg:

    1. Click "Login" on the TechReg home page.

    2. On the USDA eAuthentication Login screen, enter your eAuthentication User ID and
       password and click "login."

    3. An "Apply Online" page will be displayed. This page will display information from your
       USDA Service Center Information Management System (SCIMS) record. (SCIMS is a
       name and address database.) Please review your mailing address, email address, and
       telephone number for accuracy since this information becomes part of your profile and is
       used by both NRCS and conservation program participants trying to reach you. To correct
       any errors, please contact your local USDA Service Center to make changes to your
       SCIMS record.

    4. Please enter your preferred contact method ­ "Email" or "Mail."

    5. Check the "yes" block if you can speak Spanish.

    6. Indicate if you are registering as "myself (an individual)" or as an "Individual with a Public
       Agency (An Employee of a Public Agency)."

    7. Review the terms and conditions of the Certification Agreement. You must agree to the
       terms and conditions of the agreement in order to be certified. Click "agree" to move into
       Profile Part 1 of your Technical Service Provider profile. The date associated with this
       agreement is the computed date for certification expiration.


Complete Profile Part 1 (Background)
Please fill out all relevant sections of the profile in order to become a certified TSP. Inadequate
information will delay approval of your application to become a TSP.

If you have entered the system in order to create a business or public agency, and do not plan to
become a certified TSP yourself, then only fill out Section B, Associated Companies/Agencies.
The rest of the profile is not necessary.

Use the "update..." and "add..." buttons to add records. Use the "edit" button to edit previously
entered records.

Data displayed in Section A comes from SCIMS. This record was created when you received a
Level 2 eAuthentication User ID. If any of the data in Section A is incorrect, please contact the



Instructions for Profile v1.6                    1                                   August 29, 2007
Service Center office that originally created your SCIMS record to have those corrections made. If
your email or address changes after certification, you must notify the local USDA Service Center
to update this information. Failure to update this information may mean delays in recertification
and/or being dropped from the eligible TSP listing.

Steps to Complete Profile Part 1:

    1. Section A, Contact Information, will be populated with your background information
       from the SCIMS database.

    2. Complete Section B, Associated Companies/Agencies, only if the application for
       certification is for a business or public agency and only if you are the official
       representative of that business or public agency and have the authority to sign the
       Certification Agreement on behalf of that business or public agency. Official
       representatives are not required to be certified TSPs. Creation of a business or public
       agency will require that at least one individual associated with the business or public
       agency be certified as a TSP. To proceed:

                  a. Click the "Business/Agency Profile" button to access a Business/Agency
                     screen.

                  b. Click the "Add Business/Agency" button to add a business or agency.

                  c. Confirm that you are the official business/agency representative and have the
                     authority to sign the certification agreement on behalf of the business or
                     agency. NOTE: Once at least one certified individual is associated with the
                     business, a certification agreement can be electronically signed by the official
                     representative.

                  d. Enter the Business name, exactly as entered in the SCIMS database, Business
                     Type, Tax Identification Type, and Tax ID.

                  e. Click on "update employees" to associate certified TSPs with the business or
                     agency.

                  f.   Click "Sign Agreement" to electronically sign a certification agreement and
                       complete the business or agency application for certification. NOTE: Do not
                       sign the agreement at this time if you are also applying as an individual and
                       will be the only "certified TSP" associated with the business. Wait until you
                       have become certified as an individual and have updated the business's
                       certified employees ("e" above) before signing.

         The remainder of the certification application pertains to certification of an individual.

    3. Complete Section C, Relevant Accreditations/Licenses, to enter the licenses or
       certifications that are required to satisfy the criteria for certification in the categories of
       technical service you wish to provide. Include any state required licenses, license
       numbers, and expiration dates. This information is critical in order to remain on active
       status once certified. As information changes, you must return to this page to update your
       certification.




Instructions for Profile v1.6                      2                                   August 29, 2007
              Add a Certification

                  a. Click on the "Add Certification/License" button.

                  b. Select a certifying organization.

                  c. Indicate the organization type by clicking on the appropriate button.

                  d. If it is a state certification or license, select the state from the dropdown list.

                  e. Enter the license number, if applicable.

                  f.   Enter the license expiration date directly or use the popup calendar.

                  g. Click "Save."

              Edit or Delete a Certification

                  a. Click "Edit" in the row you wish to update.

                  b. Change the information as needed.

                  c. Click "Save" or "Delete."

    4. Complete Section D, Education and Training, by entering Bachelors or Graduate
       degrees, NRCS training, or other training required to satisfy the criteria for certification.

              Add Education and Training

                  a. Click the "Add Education" button.

                  b. Enter the name of the institution.

                  c. Select the area of study.

                  d. Enter the completion date directly or use the popup calendar, if completed in
                     1978 or later.

                  e. Click "Save."

              Edit or Delete Education and Training

                  a. Click "Edit" in the row you wish to update.

                  b. Change the information as needed.

                  c. Click "Save," "Delete," or "Close."

    5. Complete Section E, Relevant Work Experience, by entering information regarding your
       work experience as it relates to providing technical services.




Instructions for Profile v1.6                       3                                    August 29, 2007
              Add Relevant Work Experience

                  a. Click the "Add Work Experience" button.

                  b. Enter the completion date directly or use the popup calendar, if completed in
                     1978 or later.

                  c. Enter the description and location of the work performed in the comments box.

                  d. Enter start and end dates if applicable.

                  e. Click "Save."

              Edit or Delete Relevant Work Experience

                  a. Click "Edit" in the row you wish to update.

                  b. Change the information as needed.

                  c. Click "Save," "Delete," or "Close."

    6. Complete Section E1, Professional References, by providing at least two non-USDA
       references that can verify your experience and qualifications (this is not a recommendation
       for certification). The purpose of this section is to provide references who can verify your
       work. Always fill this section out.

         Your references should include at least one professional who can verify your experience
         and proficiency for conservation planning and/or design, layout, installation, and checkout
         of the conservation practices for the categories of technical service you wish to provide.
         Your second reference should be a customer to whom technical service has been provided.
         USDA staff cannot be used as references for this purpose. Please provide the names of the
         references, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses as available. The references
         will only be used by USDA personnel and will not be published in the résumé available
         from the TSP Locator in TechReg.

         Certification criteria for some categories require references specific to the category or
         practice you want certification in (indicated by a checked box in Section G). In such cases
         your application will not be processed if Section E1 is not completed. Additionally, NRCS
         staff will be looking at this section carefully for all categories.

    7. Complete Section F, Familiarity with NRCS Guidelines, Criteria, Standards, and
       Specifications, by entering a brief description of your familiarity with these items. If any
       of this information changes, you can return to this page to update your certification.

              Add Familiarity with NRCS Guidelines, Criteria, Standards, and Specifications

                  a. Click the "Add NRCS Familiarity" button.

                  b. Enter the completion date directly or utilize the popup calendar, if completed
                     in 1978 or later.




Instructions for Profile v1.6                     4                                 August 29, 2007
                  c. Describe your familiarity with NRCS guidelines, criteria, standards, and
                     specifications and click "Save."

    8. Complete Section F1, NRCS Conservation Planning Training Requirement.

         a. Click on the Add NRCS Training.

         b. If you have had the Conservation Planning modules or equivalent, click the box in
            front of "I have received NRCS Training Modules or equivalent" and "Save." If you
            have not had the training, register for the course through the AgLearn link provided.

    9. Complete Section F2, NRCS TSP Orientation.

         a. Click on the Add NRCS Orientation.

         b. If you have taken the Orientation course, click the box in front of "I have received
            NRCS Training Modules or equivalent" and "Save." If you have not had the training,
            register for the course through the AgLearn link provided.

    10. Click "Continue to Profile Part 2."


Complete Profile Part 2 (Technical Services)
Please fill out all relevant sections of the profile in order to become a certified TSP. Inadequate
information will delay approval of your application to become a TSP.

Steps to complete Profile Part 2:

    1. Complete Section G, Certification Categories, by selecting a state/category (or
       categories) combination and then click the "Confirm Qualifications" button to complete the
       certification criteria portion. The Update Criteria table must be filled out in this section
       before you can submit the application for review and certification.

         After signing the agreement in Section J, Section G should show a "submitted" status (as in
         submitted for review). If you miss something your application will show "incomplete" and
         you won't be allowed to sign your certification agreement. The only status you ultimately
         want to see is "submitted." This indicates your application has been submitted for review.

         Many mistakes are made in this section. Some candidates fail to select or toggle an
         "option." Others fail to check one or more "how criteria were met" boxes making the
         application "incomplete." Others fail to provide references when references are
         mandatory.

              To select a state and categories

                  a. Click "Add Category" to select a state and the technical service categories you
                     desire to provide.

                  b. Select a state from the drop-down box.



Instructions for Profile v1.6                     5                                   August 29, 2007
                  c. The Category Available section will be populated with the choices available
                     for the selected state.

                  d. Click the "Click to go to Category Detail Page" to open another page with a
                     comprehensive report of the categories and associated technical services.
                     Close this page to return to the Add Category page.

                  e. Click a category for which you desire certification and then click the >>> box
                     to move the category to the Category Selected list. (You can select more than
                     one category at a time by holding down the control key on your keyboard and
                     clicking on each category that you desire to move to the Category Selected list.
                     Then click >>> to move all of the items at once.)

                  f.   To remove items from the Category Selected list, click the items in the
                       Category Selected box, then click the > box to move
                     items to Services Selected list.

                  c. To remove items from the Services Selected list, click the selections in the
                     Services Selected box, then click the > box to move the counties to the Counties Selected list.

                  c. To remove counties from the Counties Selected list, click the selections in the
                     Services Selected box, then click the