Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Agriculture may enter into cost-reimbursable agreements with State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities without regard to any requirement for competition, for the acquisition of goods or services, including personal services, to carry out agricultural research, extension, or teaching activities of mutual interest. Reimbursable costs under such agreements shall include the actual direct costs of performance, as mutually agreed on by the parties, and the indirect costs of performance, not exceeding 10 percent of the direct cost.
7 U.S.C. § 3319a
EDITORIAL NOTES
AMENDMENTS1998- Pub. L. 105-185 inserted "or other colleges and universities" after "institutions" in first sentence.
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States.
- 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.