BULLETIN NO.: MGR-97-026

TO:       All Reinsured Companies
          All Risk Management Field Offices
          FSA Headquarters, Program Delivery and Field Operations

FROM:     Kenneth D. Ackerman
          Administrator

SUBJECT:  Guidelines for Establishing Single Delivery Transition Committees


BACKGROUND:

MGR-97-024 provided procedure relative to Secretary Glickman's decision to 
transfer all crop insurance policies with sales closing dates after June 30, 
1997, from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to approved reinsured companies.

To facilitate the transition from dual to single delivery and to assist 
private companies in identifying and serving limited resource or socially 
disadvantaged farmers, Single Delivery Transition Committees (SDT Committees) 
will be established at the national level and for all States.   Risk 
Management Agency (RMA) has consulted with the private industry and FSA to
develop guidelines under which the SDT Committees will operate.  The Deputy 
Administrator for Insurance Services will assume responsibility for 
coordinating and facilitating the work of the SDT Committees.

Exhibit 1 conveys the guidelines governing the operation of the Committees.

ACTION:

Responsible offices will take action to begin operation of the SDT Committees 
in all States.


       GUIDELINES FOR SINGLE DELIVERY TRANSITION COMMITTEES


A.   The purpose of the Single Delivery Transition Committee (SDT Committee) 
     is to:

  1. facilitate a smooth transition from dual to single delivery;

  2. track RMA Crop Insurance Help Line (RMA's 800 number) issues by jointly
     cooperating and  assisting in problem identification and resolution;

  3. lend assistance to private companies in identifying and serving 
     individual and groups of limited resource, minority, and other socially 
     disadvantaged farmers,

  4. facilitate problem resolution to assure that crop insurance is available 
     to all interested producers.

B.   Following are guidelines for the establishment of the SDT Committees and 
     their functions.

  1. A National SDT Committee will be convened to operate on the same 
     principle as the State SDT Committees.

  2. A SDT Committee is to be organized for each state.  Particular emphasis 
     will be given to the 36 States affected by the most recent transfer of 
     policies from Farm Service Agency (FSA) to private companies; however, 
     SDT Committees in all States will be concerned with identifying and 
     serving limited resource, minority, and other socially disadvantaged 
     farmers. 
  
  3. SDT Committees will be composed of representatives from the state or 
     regional National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) Loss Committee and the 
     Regional Service Office (RSO).  FSA State Offices will be invited to 
     provide assistance to SDT Committees.  Individuals representing these 
     organizations will be at the discretion of each organization.

  4. The appropriate RSO Director will be responsible for establishing each 
     STD Committee at the state level and assuring that meetings have an 
     agenda and recorded minutes.  The RSO Director may delegate this 
     responsibility.   

  5. The role and responsibility of the RSO will be that of a facilitator.  
     RSOs will act as an intermediary to resolve problems.

  6. The role and responsibility of NCIS will be to represent reinsured 
     companies and their agents selling and servicing Federal Crop Insurance 
     Corporation approved policies.  NCIS will analyze problems from the 
     perspective of the private industry and communicate with companies for 
     problem resolution.

  7. FSA representatives will analyze and help resolve any problems that are 
     referred by SDT Committees.

  8. Private companies and RMA will each assume responsibility for 
     implementation of approved procedure established within their 
     organizations.  FSA will follow established procedure for their 
     organization.

  9. The RSO Director will convene the initial meeting in each State by 
     August 1, 1997, to review the SDT Committee's purpose and objectives, 
     discuss the roles of participants, and develop a plan for future meetings 
     and problem resolution. 

 10. Any issues that are not quickly resolved at the local level will be 
     forwarded to the RMA Deputy Administrator for Insurance Services in 
     the National Office. 

 11. Regular meetings will be held each month during the 1998 Crop Year until
     August 1, 1998.  If appropriate, meetings may be conducted via telephone
     conference call, may include more than one state, and may be called on 
     an ad hoc basis if problems arise between meetings or after August 1, 
     1998.

 12. In every state, actions will be taken to identify and serve individual 
     and groups of limited resource, minority and other socially disadvantaged 
     farmers.  Local SDT Committees will inform the National SDT Committee of 
     these actions each month by forwarding such information to the RMA Deputy 
     Administrator for Insurance Services.

 13. SDT Committees will document problems, actions taken, and resolution 
     achieved, including the time taken to resolve a problem or complaint.  
     On a monthly basis a report of activities will be submitted to RMA Deputy 
     Administrator for Insurance Services.