US Codex
Pub. L.
Notes

Title II — Indian Self-Determination

116th Congress · Approved Oct 21, 2020 · 134 Stat. 857 · Lineage

TITLE II Indian Self-Determination

SEC. 201. Definitions; Reporting and Audit Requirements; Application of Provisions.

(a)
Definitions.—
(1)
In general.— Section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304) is amended by striking subsection (j) and inserting the following:

“(j) ‘self-determination contract’ means a contract entered into under title I (or a grant or cooperative agreement used under section 9) between a Tribal organization and the appropriate Secretary for the planning, conduct, and administration of programs or services that are otherwise provided to Indian Tribes and members of Indian Tribes pursuant to Federal law, subject to the condition that, except as provided in section 105(a)(3), no contract entered into under title I (or grant or cooperative agreement used under section 9) shall be—

“(1) considered to be a procurement contract; or

“(2) except as provided in section 107(a)(1), subject to any Federal procurement law (including regulations);”

(2)
Technical amendments.— Section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304), as amended by paragraph (1), is further amended—
(A)
in subsection (e), by striking “ ‘Indian tribe’ means” and inserting “ ‘Indian tribe’ or ‘Indian Tribe’ means”; and
(B)
in subsection (l), by striking “ ‘tribal organization’ means” and inserting “ ‘Tribal organization’ or ‘tribal organization’ means”.
(b)
Reporting and Audit Requirements.— Section 5 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5305) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
by striking “ after completion of the project or undertaking referred to in the preceding subsection of this section” and inserting “ after the retention period for the report that is submitted to the Secretary under subsection (a)”; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following: “ The retention period shall be defined in regulations promulgated by the Secretary pursuant to section 413.”; and
(2)
in subsection (f)(1), by inserting “ if the Indian Tribal organization expends $500,000 or more in Federal awards during such fiscal year” after “ under this Act,”.
(c)
Effective Date.— The amendment made by subsection (b)(2) shall not take effect until 14 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
(d)
Application of Other Provisions.— Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 102(c), 104, 105(a)(1), 105(f), 110, and 111 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304, 5305, 5306, 5307, 5321(c), 5323, 5324(a)(1), 5324(f), 5331, and 5332) and section 314 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1991 (Public Law 101–512; 104 Stat. 1959), apply to compacts and funding agreements entered into under title IV of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5361 et seq.).

SEC. 202. Contracts by Secretary of the Interior.

Section 102 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5321) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (c)(2), by striking “ economic enterprises” and all that follows through “ except that” and inserting “ economic enterprises (as defined in section 3 of the Indian Financing Act of 1974 (25 U.S.C. 1452)), except that”; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following:

“(f) Good Faith Requirement.—In the negotiation of contracts and funding agreements, the Secretary shall—

“(1) at all times negotiate in good faith to maximize implementation of the self-determination policy; and

“(2) carry out this Act in a manner that maximizes the policy of Tribal self-determination, in a manner consistent with—

“(A) the purposes specified in section 3; and

“(B) the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act.

“(g) Rule of Construction.—Subject to section 101(a) of the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act, each provision of this Act and each provision of a contract or funding agreement shall be liberally construed for the benefit of the Indian Tribe participating in self-determination, and any ambiguity shall be resolved in favor of the Indian Tribe.”

SEC. 203. Administrative Provisions.

Section 105 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5324) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by striking “ pursuant to” and all that follows through “ of this Act” and inserting “ pursuant to sections 102 and 103”; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following:

“(p) Interpretation by Secretary.—Except as otherwise provided by law, the Secretary shall interpret all Federal laws (including regulations) and Executive orders in a manner that facilitates, to the maximum extent practicable—

“(1) the inclusion in self-determination contracts and funding agreements of—

“(A) applicable programs, services, functions, and activities (or portions thereof); and

“(B) funds associated with those programs, services, functions, and activities;

“(2) the implementation of self-determination contracts and funding agreements; and

“(3) the achievement of Tribal health objectives.

“(q)

(1) Technical Assistance for Internal Controls.—In considering proposals for, amendments to, or in the course of, a contract under this title and compacts under titles IV and V of this Act, if the Secretary determines that the Indian Tribe lacks adequate internal controls necessary to manage the contracted program or programs, the Secretary shall, as soon as practicable, provide the necessary technical assistance to assist the Indian Tribe in developing adequate internal controls. As part of that technical assistance, the Secretary and the Tribe shall develop a plan for assessing the subsequent effectiveness of such technical assistance. The inability of the Secretary to provide technical assistance or lack of a plan under this subsection shall not result in the reassumption of an existing agreement, contract, or compact, or declination or rejection of a new agreement, contract, or compact.

“(2) The Secretary shall prepare a report to be included in the information required for the reports under sections 412(b)(2)(A) and 514(b)(2)(A). The Secretary shall include in this report, in the aggregate, a description of the internal controls that were inadequate, the technical assistance provided, and a description of Secretarial actions taken to address any remaining inadequate internal controls after the provision of technical assistance and implementation of the plan required by paragraph (1).”

SEC. 204. Contract Funding and Indirect Costs.

Section 106(a)(3) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5325(a)(3)) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (A)—
(A)
in clause (i), by striking “ , and” and inserting “ ; and”; and
(B)
in clause (ii), by striking “ expense related to the overhead incurred” and inserting “ expense incurred by the governing body of the Indian Tribe or Tribal organization and any overhead expense incurred”;
(2)
by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and
(3)
by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:

“(B) In calculating the reimbursement rate for expenses described in subparagraph (A)(ii), not less than 50 percent of the expenses described in subparagraph (A)(ii) that are incurred by the governing body of an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization relating to a Federal program, function, service, or activity carried out pursuant to the contract shall be considered to be reasonable and allowable.”

SEC. 205. Contract or Grant Specifications.

Section 108 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5329) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)(2), by inserting “ subject to subsections (a) and (b) of section 102,” before “ contain”;
(2)
in subsection (f)(2)(A)(ii) of the model agreement contained in subsection (c), by inserting “ subject to subsections (a) and (b) of section 102 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5321),” before “ such other provisions”; and
(3)
in subsection (b)(7)(C) of the model agreement contained in subsection (c), in the second sentence of the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “ one performance monitoring visit” and inserting “ two performance monitoring visits”.