---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1501a"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1501a"
heading: "Public-private partnerships; other forms of support"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1501a"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 76 — Missing Persons"
---

# §1501a. Public-private partnerships; other forms of support

- (a) **Public-private Partnerships.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense may enter into arrangements known as public-private partnerships with appropriate entities outside the Government for the purposes of facilitating the activities of the designated [Defense Agency](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-11). The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may only partner with foreign governments or foreign entities with the concurrence of the Secretary of State. Any such arrangement shall be entered into in accordance with authorities provided under this section or any other authority otherwise available to the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3). Regulations prescribed under [subsection (f)(1)](#f-1) shall include provisions for the establishment and implementation of such partnerships. An employee of an entity outside the Government that has entered into a public-private partnership, cooperative agreement, or a grant arrangement with, or in direct support of, the designated [Defense Agency](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-11) under this section shall be considered to be an employee of the Federal Government by reason of participation in such partnership, cooperative agreement, or grant, only for the purposes of [section 552a of title 5](/usc/5/552a.md) (relating to maintenance of [records](/usc/10/801.md?p=14) on individuals).
- (b) **Acceptance of Voluntary Personal Services.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense may accept voluntary services to facilitate accounting for [missing persons](/usc/10/1513.md?p=1) in the same manner as the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) may accept such services under [section 1588(a)(9) of this title](/usc/10/1588.md?p=a-9).
- (c) **Cooperative Agreements and Grants.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense may enter into a cooperative agreement with, or make a grant to, a private entity for purposes related to support of the activities of the designated [Defense Agency](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-11).
  - (2) **Inapplicability of certain contract requirements.—** Notwithstanding [section 3201(e) of this title](/usc/10/3201.md?p=e), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may enter such cooperative agreements or grants on a sole-source basis pursuant to [section 3204(a)(5) of this title](/usc/10/3204.md?p=a-5).
- (d) **Use of Department of Defense Personal Property.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may allow a private entity to use, at no cost, personal property of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense to assist the entity in supporting the activities of the designated [Defense Agency](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-11).
- (e) **Acceptance of Gifts.—**
  - (1) **Authority to accept.—** Subject to [subsection (f)(2)](#f-2), the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may accept, hold, administer, spend, and use any gift of personal property, money, or services made on the condition that the gift be used for the purpose of facilitating accounting for [missing persons](/usc/10/1513.md?p=1) pursuant to [section 1501(a)(2)(C) of this title](/usc/10/1501.md?p=a-2-C).
  - (2) **Gift funds.—** Gifts and bequests of money accepted under this subsection shall be deposited in the Treasury in the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense General Gift Fund.
  - (3) **Use of gifts.—** Personal property and money accepted under this subsection may be used by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3), and services accepted under this subsection may be performed, without further specific authorization in law.
  - (4) **Expenses of transfer.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) all necessary expenses in connection with the conveyance or transfer of a gift accepted under this subsection.
  - (5) **Expenses of care.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) may [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) all reasonable and necessary expenses in connection with the care of a gift accepted under this subsection.
- (f) **Regulations.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall prescribe regulations to implement this section.
  - (2) **Limitation.—** Such regulations shall provide that acceptance of a gift (including a gift of services) or use of a gift under this section may not occur if the nature or circumstances of the acceptance or use would compromise the integrity, or the appearance of integrity, of any [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense or any individual involved in such [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1).
- (g) **Definitions.—** In this section:
  - (1) **Cooperative agreement.—** The term “cooperative agreement” means an authorized cooperative agreement as described in [section 6305 of title 31](/usc/31/6305.md).
  - (2) **Grant.—** The term “grant” means an authorized grant as described in [section 6304 of title 31](/usc/31/6304.md).
  - (3) **Gift.—** The term “gift” [includes](/usc/10/101.md?p=g-4) a devise or bequest.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title IX, § 916(b), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3477; amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, § 523, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1756; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1883(b)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4294.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2021—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “3201(e) of this title” for “2304(k) of this title” and “3204(a)(5) of this title” for “2304(c)(5) of this title”.

2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–232, § 523(a), (c), substituted “subsection (f)(1)” for “subsection (e)(1)” and inserted at end “An employee of an entity outside the Government that has entered into a public-private partnership, cooperative agreement, or a grant arrangement with, or in direct support of, the designated Defense Agency under this section shall be considered to be an employee of the Federal Government by reason of participation in such partnership, cooperative agreement, or grant, only for the purposes of section 552a of title 5 (relating to maintenance of records on individuals).”

Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 115–232, § 523(b)(1), (2), added subsec. (e) and redesignated former subsec. (e) as (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (g).

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 115–232, § 523(b)(1), (3), redesignated subsec. (f) as (g) and added par. (3).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.