7 C.F.R. § 17.9 – CCC payment to suppliers.

(a) General.
1. (1) The supplier shall request payment from CCC for the amount of the commodity price or the ocean freight or ocean freight differential to be financed by CCC.
2. (2) The supplier shall support such a request for payment by presenting to CCC the documents required by this section, the purchase authorization, and the IFB, unless such documents were previously submitted to CCC. Such documents, however, need not be submitted when and to the extent that the Controller determines that the intended purpose of a document is served by documents otherwise available to or under the control of CCC or by alternate documents specified in such determination.
3. (3) CCC will examine each document to ascertain that it is in accordance with this part, the purchase authorization, and the IFB. CCC will audit all the required documents to ensure accuracy, completeness, and consistency. When CCC has determined that all required documents have been submitted and that the documents are acceptable for payment, CCC will pay the supplier for the commodity price or the ocean freight or ocean freight differential to be financed by CCC which is supported by the documents.
4. (4) CCC is required to issue all payments by electronic transfer. Each supplier submitting documents to CCC for payment must provide the name of the company, the bank ABA number to which payment is to be made, the account number for the company at the bank, the company's Taxpayer Identification Number, and the type of account being used.
(b) General documentation requirements. The supplier must put the appropriate purchase authorization number on all required documents which are prepared under the supplier's control, and should arrange for the appropriate purchase authorization number to be put on all other required documents at the time of their preparation.
(c) Documents required for payment—commodity. The general provisions relating to such documents are as follows. Additional requirements for payment to commodity suppliers for
c.& f. or c.i.f. sales are contained in paragraph (c)(8) of this section.
1. (1) Supplier's certificate. A signed original of Form CCC-329 “Supplier's Certificate” from the commodity supplier covering the net invoice price for the commodity.
2. (2) Supplier's detailed invoice. Two copies of the supplier's detailed invoice showing quantity, description, contracted price, net total invoice price expressed in dollars, the amount for which financing is requested from CCC, the amount not eligible for financing by CCC, and basis of delivery of the commodity (e.g., f.o.b. vessel). In arriving at the net invoice price there shall be deducted:
  1. (i) All discounts from the supplier's contracted price through payments, credits, or other allowances made or to be made to the importer, the importer's agent or consignee;
  2. (ii) All purchasing agents' commissions;
  3. (iii) All other amounts not eligible for financing.
3. (3) Additional payment. A request for an additional payment submitted for a transaction for which all or part of the required documents have been previously submitted to CCC shall be supported by a Form CCC-329 “Supplier's Certificate” and the supplier's detailed invoice, covering the additional amount requested. The supplier's invoice must show the date, serial number and the amount of the original invoice and the basis for the additional amount claimed.
4. (4) Weight certificate. The weight certificate shall be issued by or on authority of a State or other governmental weighing department, Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade, Grain Exchange, or other independent organization or firm providing public weighing services. Such organization or firm must have:
  1. (i) Qualified, impartial, paid employees who are stationed at the port facility or, if authorized under the applicable purchase authorization, other facility where weights customarily are determined, one of whom performed the weighing covered by the certificate; or
  2. (ii) Qualified, independent, impartial, supervised, weighmasters stationed at the port facility or, if authorized under the applicable purchase authorization, other facility where weights are customarily determined, one of whom supervised the employee of such a facility in the performance of the weighing covered by the certificate.
5. (5) Federal appeal inspection. The official certificate representing the results of an appeal inspection, when included in the documents presented for payment, shall supersede any other inspection certificate required by this part, the applicable purchase authorization, the IFB or the contract.
6. (6) Form CCC-359.
  1. (i) Form FAS-359, “Declaration of Sale,” signed for the GSM, is the written document by which USDA notified the supplier that the sale was approved for financing. The supplier shall submit Form FAS-359 to CCC with the documents covering the first transaction under the contract. The unit price shown on the supplier's invoice must not exceed the approved unit price shown on the Form FAS-359.
  2. (ii) For subsequent transactions under the same contract, the supplier shall certify on the CCC copy of the detailed invoice as follows:
    I hereby certify that the applicable Form FAS-359 was submitted to CCC with documents covering Invoice No. ______ dated ________ for $______.
7. (7) Bill of lading. Four copies of the ocean bill of lading.
8. (8) C.&.f. or c.i.f. sales. In addition to the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) through (7) of this section, the following requirements apply for c.&f. or c.i.f. sales:
  1. (i) Signed original of Form CCC-106.
  2. (ii) The supplier's detailed invoice shall show a computation of the dollar amount of ocean freight differential, whenever the Form CCC-106 provides for an ocean freight differential on a cost and freight or c.i.f. sale and authorizes financing of any portion of ocean freight by CCC. In arriving at the net invoice price the supplier shall deduct the ocean freight, or portion thereof which is not being financed by CCC.
  3. (iii) One nonnegotiable copy of the insurance certificate or policy where the cost of insurance is included in the price of the commodity to be financed by CCC.
  4. (iv) A request for an additional payment shall also include a statement signed by the ship's master or owner (or agent of either of them) showing exercise of the higher-rated option, if the payment is stated to be due because of the exercise of a higher-rated option provided in an ocean freight contract.
(d) Documents required for payment—ocean freight financed separately from commodity price—(1) Supplier's certificate. A signed original of Form CCC-329, “Supplier's Certificate”, executed by the carrier or its agent, covering the dollar cost of ocean freight or ocean freight differential.
(2) Ocean bill of lading. One copy of the ocean bill of lading and, if required by the related Form CCC-106, a notice of arrival at the first port of discharge of the vessel named in the Form CCC-106. In lieu of a notice of arrival the carrier may present a waiver of the notice of arrival signed by the GSM or Controller.
(3) Invoice. One copy of the carrier's invoice which shows the total freight costs, the amount not eligible for financing by CCC, and the amount for which payment is requested from CCC. If the invoice relates to a U.S.-flag vessel, such invoice shall contain the following typed or stamped certification, executed by the supplier:
The undersigned hereby certifies that the vessel named herein and for which ocean freight is claimed, qualifies as a privately owned U.S.-flag commercial vessel within the requirements of Pub. L. 87-266 and is an eligible U.S.-flag vessel for the purposes of Pub. L. 664, 83rd Congress.
(4) Form CCC-106. Signed original of Form CCC-106.
(5) Ocean freight contract. One copy of the ocean freight contract.
(6) Higher rated option. A request for payment of any amounts claimed because of the exercise of a higher rated option following payment of a lower rated option pursuant to § 17.8(k)(1) shall be supported by the following documents:
1. (i) One copy of the carrier's invoice as described in paragraph (d)(3) of this section except for the certification required therein.
2. (ii) The Form CCC-329, “Supplier's Certificate”, for the balance claimed.
3. (iii) A statement signed by the ship's master, owner, or owner's agent, and signed laytime statements or other written concurrence of charterer or the charterer's agent showing the exercise of the higher rated option.
4. (e) Payment of freight by CCC prior to the vessel's arrival at the discharge port.
  1. (1) Upon request by the supplier, CCC may pay the ocean freight or ocean freight differential to be financed by CCC before the vessel arrives at the first port of discharge if the supplier furnishes CCC financial coverage in the form of an acceptable letter of credit from a U.S. bank.
  2. (2) The amount of security required by CCC under paragraph (e)(1) of this section may be computed by multiplying the ocean freight rate or ocean freight differential rate financed by CCC as shown on the related Form CCC-106 times either:
    1. (i) The tonnage shown on the related bill of lading, if the bill of lading is furnished to CCC; or
    2. (ii) The tonnage stated in the ocean freight contract (without tolerance).
  3. (3) On receipt of an acceptable letter of credit, the Controller will issue a waiver of the notice of arrival which is required under paragraph (d)(2) of this section.
5. (f) Advice of amount financed. CCC will forward advice of payment to the participant.