The Director of Education shall furnish technical assistance either directly or through contract to any Community College requesting it. Such assistance shall be initiated within thirty (30) days of a Community College's request in writing. In any case, where the type and source of technical assistance is specified in the request, the Director, to the extent possible or feasible, shall provide the type of technical assistance through the source so specified. Technical assistance may include, but is not limited to, consulting services for the development of programs, plans, and feasibility studies and accounting, and other technical advice. In awarding of contracts for technical assistance, preference shall be given to an organization designated by the Community College to be assisted. Denials of requests for technical assistance under this section shall be made in writing and sent to the applicant within thirty (30) days of the request, together with a statement of the reason for denial. An appeal under this section may be undertaken in the same manner as in the case of negative determinations of feasibility under Sec. 41.7 of his subpart.