---
kind: "section"
citation: "41 U.S.C. § 6506"
title: "41"
title_heading: "Public Contracts"
number: "6506"
heading: "Administrative provisions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/41/6506"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Other Advertising and Contract Provisions"
  - "Chapter 65 — Contracts for Materials, Supplies, Articles, and Equipment Exceeding $10,000"
---

# §6506. Administrative provisions

- (a) **In General.—** The [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3) shall administer this chapter.
- (b) **Regulations.—** The [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3) may make, amend, and rescind regulations as necessary to carry out this chapter.
- (c) **Use of Government Officers and Employees.—** The [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3) shall use Federal officers and employees and, with a State’s consent, State and local officers and employees as the [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3) finds necessary to assist in the administration of this chapter.
- (d) **Appointments.—** The [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3) shall appoint an administrative officer and attorneys, experts, and other employees from time to time as the [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3) finds necessary for the administration of this chapter. The appointments are subject to chapter 51 and subchapter III of [chapter 53](/usc/5/chptIII/sptD/ch53.md) of title 5 and other law applicable to the employment and [compensation](/usc/41/6701.md?p=1) of officers and employees of the Federal Government.
- (e) **Investigations.—** The [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3), or an authorized representative of the [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3), may make investigations and findings as provided in this chapter and may, in any part of the [United States](/usc/41/6701.md?p=4), prosecute an inquiry necessary to carry out this chapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–350, § 3, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3809.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 6506 | 41:38. | June 30, 1936, ch. 881, § 4, 49 Stat. 2038. |

In subsection (b), the word “rules” is omitted as included in “regulations”.

In subsection (c), the words “and to prescribe rules and regulations with respect thereto” are omitted as unnecessary because of subsection (b).

In subsection (d), the words “without regard to the provisions of the civil-service laws”, which appear in section 4 of the Walsh-Healey Act (June 30, 1936, ch. 881, 49 Stat. 2038), are omitted as obsolete because of Executive Order 8743, April 23, 1941 (5 U.S.C. 3301 note), issued by the President pursuant to the Act of November 26, 1940, ch. 919, title I, § 1, 54 Stat. 1211. The words “the Classification Act of 1923”, which appear in section 4 of the Walsh-Healey Act (June 30, 1936, ch. 881, 49 Stat. 2038), are considered to be a reference to the Classification Act of 1949 because of section 1106(a) of the Classification Act of 1949 (Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782, 63 Stat. 972). The words “chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5” are substituted for the reference to the Classification Act of 1949 because of section 7(b) of Public Law 89–554 (5 U.S.C. note prec. 101).