The Secretary of Agriculture, in accordance with such regulations as he deems necessary, and when in his judgment the work to be performed will be carried out more effectively, more rapidly, or at less cost than if performed by the Department of Agriculture, may enter into contracts with such public or private organizations or individuals as he may find qualified to carry on work under this section without regard to the provisions of section 6101 of title 41, and with respect to such contracts he may make advance progress or other payments without regard to the provisions of section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31. Contracts under this section may be made for work to continue not more than four years from the date of any such contract. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 5 of the Act of June 20, 1874, as amended (31 U.S.C. 713),1 any unexpended balances of appropriations properly obligated by contracting with an organization as provided in this subsection may remain upon the books of the Treasury for not more than five fiscal years before being carried to the surplus fund and covered into the Treasury. Research authorized under this subsection shall be conducted so far as practicable at laboratories of the Department of Agriculture. Projects conducted under contract with public and private agencies shall be supplemental to and coordinated with research of these laboratories. Any contracts made pursuant to this authority shall contain requirements making the results of research and investigations available to the public through dedication, assignment to the Government, or such other means as the Secretary shall determine.
1See References in Text note below.
7 U.S.C. § 3105
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThis title, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), means title I of act June 29, 1935, ch. 338, 49 Stat. 436. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1935 Amendment note set out under section 3101 of this title and Tables.Section 5 of the Act of June 20, 1874, as amended (31 U.S.C. 713), referred to in subsec. (a), was repealed by act July 6, 1949, ch. 299, §3, 63 Stat. 407.Section 427b of this title, referred to in subsec. (c), was repealed by act Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 790, §2, 69 Stat. 674.Section 427c of this title, referred to in subsec. (d), was repealed by act Aug. 11, 1955, ch. 790, §2, 69 Stat. 674.
CODIFICATIONSection was formerly classified to section 427i of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.Section was enacted as part of act June 29, 1935, ch. 338, popularly known as the "Agricultural Research Act" and also as the "Bankhead-Jones Act", and not as part of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 which comprises this chapter.In subsec. (a), "section 6101 of title 41" substituted for "section 3709, Revised Statutes" on authority of Pub. L. 111-350, §6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts.In subsec. (a), "section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31" substituted for "section 3648, 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.
AMENDMENTS1954-Subsec. (e). Act July 23, 1954, added subsec. (e).
EXECUTIVE DOCUMENTS
TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONSFunctions of all officers, agencies, and employees of Department of Agriculture transferred, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of Agriculture by 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 2, §1, eff. June 4, 1953, 18 F.R. 3219, 67 Stat. 633, set out as a note under section 2201 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.
- extension
- The term "extension" means the informal education programs conducted in the States in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture.