Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion First Tier Participants: a. The prospective first tier participant certifies to the best of its knowledge and belief, that it and its principals: (1) Are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participating in covered transactions by any Federal department or agency; (2) Have not within a three-year period preceding this proposal been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, State or local) transaction or contract under a public transaction; violation of Federal or State antitrust statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property; (3) Are not presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, State or local) with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (a)(2) of this certification; and (4) Have not within a three-year period preceding this application/proposal had one or more public transactions (Federal, State or local) terminated for cause or default. b. Where the prospective participant is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, such prospective participant shall attach an explanation to this proposal.