7 U.S.C. § 3318
The purpose of this section is to confer upon the Secretary general authority to enter into contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements to further the research, extension, or teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences of the Department of Agriculture. This authority supplements all other laws relating to the Department of Agriculture and is not to be construed as limiting or repealing any existing authorities.
The Secretary may enter into contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements, for periods not to exceed five years, with State agricultural experiment stations, State cooperative extension services, all colleges and universities, other research or education institutions and organizations, Federal and private agencies and organizations, individuals, and any other contractor or recipient, either foreign or domestic, to further research, extension, or teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences of the Department of Agriculture.
The Secretary may vest title to expendable and nonexpendable equipment and supplies and other tangible personal property in the contractor or recipient when the contractor or recipient purchases such equipment, supplies, and property with contract, grant, or cooperative agreement funds and the Secretary deems such vesting of title a furtherance of the agricultural research, extension, or teaching objectives of the Department of Agriculture.
Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the Secretary may enter into contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements, as authorized by this section, without regard to any requirements for competition, the provisions of section 6101 of title 41, and the provisions of section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31.
7 U.S.C. § 3318
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTFor definition of "this chapter", referred to in subsec. (e), see note set out under section 3102 of this title.
CODIFICATIONIn subsec. (e), "section 6101 of title 41" substituted for "section 3709 of the Revised Statutes ( 41 U.S.C. 5 )" on authority of Pub. L. 111-350, §6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts. In subsec. (e), "section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31" substituted for reference to section 3648 of the Revised Statutes ( 31 U.S.C. 529 ) on authority of Pub. L. 97-258, §4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance.
AMENDMENTS1985-Subsecs. (b) to (e). Pub. L. 99-198 added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsecs. (b) to (d) as (c) to (e), respectively.
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATESection effective Dec. 22, 1981, see section 1801 of Pub. L. 97-98 set out as a note under section 4301 of this title.
- Department of Agriculture
- The term "Department of Agriculture" means the United States Department of Agriculture.
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States.
- State agricultural experiment stations
- The term "State agricultural experiment stations" means those institutions eligible to receive funds under the Act of March 2, 1887 (24 Stat. 440-442, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 361a-361i ).
- agricultural research
- The term "agricultural research" means research in the food and agricultural sciences.
- cooperative extension services
- The term "cooperative extension services" means the organizations established at the land-grant colleges and universities under the Smith-Lever Act of May 8, 1914 (38 Stat. 372-374, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 341-349 ), and section 209(b) of the Act of October 26, 1974 (88 Stat. 1428, as amended; D.C. Code, sec. 31-1719(b)).
- extension
- The term "extension" means the informal education programs conducted in the States in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture.