• assisting the TCP coordinator and his/her assistants in securing verified specimens from a variety of sources, including their own collections or from material supplied by the TCP.
• collaborating with other taxonomic experts, where required, to verify the identification of all specimens submitted to the TCP coordinator.
• providing counsel to the TCP coordinator, his/her assistants, and/or members of the Taxonomic Certification Committee (TCC) in their professional conduct and administration of the TCP; this assistance shall be provided directly to the TCP coordinator, his/her assistants, and/or current TCC members so that actual or perceived conflicts of interest are avoided.

All applicants who are chosen to serve as taxonomic/systematic experts to the North American Benthological Society Taxonomic Certification Program are encouraged to establish and maintain their membership in the Society.

Experts appointed by SFS are recognized as leaders in the field and meet a set of criteria for recognition as a taxonomic expert as defined by the SFSTCC, Taxonomic Certification Committee. Once appointed as a Taxonomic Expert the appointment shall remain valid for a period of 5 years, after which re-application will be required.