
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC3318]

 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
       CHAPTER 64--AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND TEACHING
 
           SUBCHAPTER X--FUNDING AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
 
Sec. 3318. Contract, grant, and cooperative agreement 
        authorities
        

(a) Purposes, nature and construction

    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.

(b) Authority of Secretary; legal effect of agreement; participation by 
        other Federal agencies

    (1) Notwithstanding chapter 63 of title 31, the Secretary may use a 
cooperative agreement as the legal instrument reflecting a relationship 
between the Secretary and a State cooperative institution, State 
department of agriculture, college, university, other research or 
educational institution or organization, Federal or private agency or 
organization, individual, or any other party, if the Secretary 
determines that--
        (A) the objectives of the agreement will serve a mutual interest 
    of the parties to the agreement in agricultural research, extension, 
    and teaching activities, including statistical reporting; and
        (B) all parties will contribute resources to the accomplishment 
    of those objectives.

    (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any Federal agency 
may participate in any such cooperative agreement by contributing funds 
through the appropriate agency of the Department of Agriculture or 
otherwise if it is mutually agreed that the objectives of the agreement 
will further the authorized programs of the contributing agency.

(c) Duration and eligibility

    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.

(d) Vesting of title

    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.

(e) Applicable requirements

    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 5 of title 41, and the provisions of section 
3324(a) and (b) of title 31.

(Pub. L. 95-113, title XIV, Sec. 1472, as added Pub. L. 97-98, title 
XIV, Sec. 1439(a), Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1315; amended Pub. L. 99-198, 
title XIV, Sec. 1424, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1552.)

                       References in Text

    For definition of ``this chapter'', referred to in subsec. (e), see 
note set out under section 3102 of this title.

                          Codification

    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, Sec. 4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067, 
the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance.


                               Amendments

    1985--Subsecs. (b) to (e). Pub. L. 99-198 added subsec. (b) and 
redesignated former subsecs. (b) to (d) as (c) to (e), respectively.


                             Effective Date

    Section effective Dec. 22, 1981, see section 1801 of Pub. L. 97-98, 
set out as a note under section 4301 of this title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 5924 of this title.
