Become an NRCS Technical Service Provider Using IA Certifications

Turn your IA certification into new paid service opportunities.

Agricultural producers participating in eligible Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) can hire certified Technical Service Providers (TSP) to complete conservation planning, irrigation design, implementation oversight and practice verification. Becoming a TSP through NRCS can create more opportunities to get paid for your irrigation expertise, expand the services you provide to existing customers and connect your business with producers seeking qualified technical assistance.

Put your IA certification to work

NRCS provides several ways for applicants to demonstrate that they are qualified to perform a technical service. Learn more from NRCS here. Depending on the service, applicants may qualify through professional certification, a combination of education and experience or, in some cases, extensive relevant experience alone.

For eligible irrigation services, the following IA certifications can often make the qualification process more straightforward, providing a clear way to satisfy the NRCS professional-certification criterion and reducing the need to compile extensive documentation demonstrating education and experience:

IA certification does not automatically make someone a TSP. Applicants must still meet applicable NRCS training, work-sample, national and state requirements and receive approval for each technical service and location.

Benefits of becoming a TSP

As an NRCS-certified TSP, you can:

• Create more paid service opportunities by helping producers complete NRCS-supported conservation projects.
• Add fee-based technical services such as planning, design, implementation oversight, documentation and verification.
• Expand beyond equipment sales and installation and earn revenue from your professional expertise.
• Stay involved throughout the customer’s project, from initial planning through final verification.
• Be found by prospective customers through the NRCS Find a TSP directory.
• Use your IA certification as a more streamlined qualification option than documenting education and experience separately.

Eligible irrigation services by IA certification

A checkmark means the IA credential may be used to meet the professional-certification criterion for that technical service. It does not represent automatic TSP approval. Additional national, state and service-specific requirements may apply.

Questions?

For more information on the NRCS Technical Service Provider program, contact the IA certification team at 703.536.7080.