Section 1720.8 - Issuance of the guarantee(a) The following requirements must be met by the applicant prior to the endorsement of a guarantee by the Secretary.(1) A guarantee agreement suitable in form and substance to the Secretary must be delivered.(2) Bond documents must be executed by the applicant setting forth the legal provisions relating to the guaranteed bonds, including but not limited to payment dates, interest rates, redemption features, pledged security, additional borrowing terms including an explicit agreement to make payments even if loans made using the proceeds of such bond or note is not repaid to the lender, other financial covenants, and events of default and remedies;(3) Prior to the issuance of the guarantee, the applicant must certify to the Secretary that the proceeds from the guaranteed bonds will be applied to fund new eligible loans under the RE Act, to refinance concurrent loans, or to refinance existing debt instruments of the guaranteed lender used to fund eligible loans;(4) The applicant provides a certified list of eligible loans and their outstanding balances as of the date the guarantee is to be issued;(5) Counsel to the applicant must furnish an opinion satisfactory to the Secretary as to the applicant being legally authorized to issue the guaranteed bonds and enter into the bond documents;(6) Outside legal counsel to the applicant, satisfactory to the Secretary, must furnish an opinion satisfactory to the Secretary that the Pledge Agreement creates in RUS's favor a valid perfected and enforceable security interest in the eligible securities pledged to RUS under the Pledge Agreement;(7) No material adverse change occurs between the date of the application and date of execution of the guarantee;(8) The applicant shall provide evidence of an investment grade rating from a Rating Agency for the proposed guaranteed bond without regard to the guarantee;(9) The applicant will provide evidence of a credit rating on its senior secured debt or its corporate credit rating, as applicable, without regard to the guarantee and satisfactory to the Secretary; and(10) Certification by the Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer of the applicant (or other senior management acceptable to the Secretary), acknowledging the applicant's commitment to submit to the Secretary, an annual credit assessment of the applicant by a rating agency, an annual review and certification of the security of the Government guarantee that is audited by an independent certified public accounting firm or Federal banking regulator, annual consolidated financial statements audited by an independent certified public accountant each year during which the guaranteed bonds are outstanding, and other such information requested by the Secretary.(b) The Secretary shall not issue a guarantee if the applicant is unwilling or unable to satisfy all requirements.(c) The Secretary may condition the release of funds related to a guarantee bond on the guaranteed lender's provision of additional or supplemental information related to agency underwriting, regulatory compliance, program policy objectives, or collateral valuation.69 FR 63049, Oct. 29, 2004, as amended at 75 FR 42574, July 22, 2010; 87 FR 74501, Dec. 6, 2022