NB_300_22_50 - NB 300-22-50 LTP – Guidance on resuming Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE) Parcel Contracts in ProTracts
NB 300-22-50 LTP – Guidance on resuming Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE) Parcel Contracts in ProTracts
National Bulletin: 300-22-50 Date: July 21, 2022
Subject: LTP – Guidance on resuming Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE) Parcel Contracts in ProTracts


 
 
Purpose.   To provide States with guidance on requesting ACEP-ALE parcel contract modifications or payments for enrollments managed through ProTracts.   
 
Expiration Date.   December 31, 2022 
 
Background.   In fiscal year (FY) 2020, the ACEP-ALE program agreements and parcel contracts enrollments began management through ProTracts. The contract payment functionality was released but defects were identified that has halted use through ProTracts and the parcel substitution functionality is not available at this time. This guidance provides States with the steps required to request a payment of a parcel contract outside of ProTracts or parcel substitution modification workflow when necessary due to system issues.      
 
Explanation. 

National Bulletin 300-22-21 provided a temporary process for modifications and payments for ACEP-ALE managed in ProTracts. This bulletin eliminates the required submission of ACEP-ALE ProTracts payments for Easement Programs Division review. Until further notice, requests for ACEP-ALE parcel contract modifications or payments do not have to be submitted through the Program Activity Management Solutions (PAMS) SharePoint site. Payments and modifications can resume for ACEP-ALE in ProTracts following the normal ProTracts business processes. 

Effective immediately ALL ACEP-ALE payments made in ProTracts must made in ProTracts to the dollar and dime. Payments and assignment of payments in ProTracts must always be in $0.10 increments by rounding down to the nearest $0.10. For example, if a payment is calculated as $100.59 the ProTracts amount paid must be rounded down and entered to $100.50 for the payment. This is due to functionality limitations of ProTracts not allowing ACEP-ALE payments to the penny level.  Any payments requiring cents must be done using the PAMS request method for a payment outside of ProTracts for ProTracts obligated Parcel Contracts. 

The PAMS request “ProTracts ACEP-ALE Request” can still be utilized for ACEP-ALE modifications and payments on a case-by-case basis with consultation by the Easement Programs Division. PAMS will be the method used to review and approve any payments or modifications outside of ProTracts for ProTracts obligated ACEP-ALE.   
 
Contact.   For questions related to this guidance, please contact Jerome Faulkner, National ACEP-ALE Program Manager, by email at jerome.faulkner@usda.gov.   
 
 

/s/
Clinton Evans
Acting Deputy Chief for Programs
  

 
 
 
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