--- kind: "section" citation: "7 U.S.C. § 3318" title: "7" title_heading: "Agriculture" number: "3318" heading: "Contract, grant, and cooperative agreement authorities" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/3318" units: - "Chapter 64 — Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching" - "Subchapter X — Funding and Miscellaneous Provisions" --- # §3318. Contract, grant, and cooperative agreement authorities - (a) **Purposes, nature and construction—** The purpose of this section is to confer upon the [Secretary](/usc/7/3103.md?p=15) general authority to enter into contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements to further the research, [extension](/usc/7/3103.md?p=8), or [teaching](/usc/7/3103.md?p=20) programs in the [food and agricultural sciences](/usc/7/3103.md?p=9) of the [Department of Agriculture](/usc/7/3103.md?p=7). This authority supplements all other laws relating to the [Department of Agriculture](/usc/7/3103.md?p=7) and is not to be construed as limiting or repealing any existing authorities. - (b) **Authority of Secretary; legal effect of agreement; participation by other Federal agencies—** - (1) Notwithstanding [chapter 63](/usc/31/chstV/ch63.md) of title 31, the [Secretary](/usc/7/3103.md?p=15) may use a cooperative agreement as the legal instrument reflecting a relationship between the [Secretary](/usc/7/3103.md?p=15) and a [State](/usc/7/3103.md?p=16) cooperative institution, State [department of agriculture](/usc/7/3103.md?p=7), [college](/usc/7/3103.md?p=4-A), [university](/usc/7/3103.md?p=4-A), other research or educational institution or organization, Federal or private agency or organization, individual, or any other party, if the [Secretary](/usc/7/3103.md?p=15) determines that— - (A) the objectives of the agreement will serve a mutual interest of the parties to the agreement in [agricultural research](/usc/7/3103.md?p=2), [extension](/usc/7/3103.md?p=8), and [teaching](/usc/7/3103.md?p=20) activities, including statistical reporting; and - (B) all parties will contribute resources to the accomplishment of those objectives. - (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any Federal agency may participate in any such cooperative agreement by contributing funds through the appropriate agency of the [Department of Agriculture](/usc/7/3103.md?p=7) or otherwise if it is mutually agreed that the objectives of the agreement will further the authorized programs of the contributing agency. - (c) **Duration and eligibility—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/3103.md?p=15) may enter into contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements, for periods not to exceed five years, with [State agricultural experiment stations](/usc/7/3103.md?p=17), [State](/usc/7/3103.md?p=16) [cooperative extension services](/usc/7/3103.md?p=6), all [colleges](/usc/7/3103.md?p=4-A) and [universities](/usc/7/3103.md?p=4-A), other research or [education](/usc/7/3103.md?p=20) institutions and organizations, Federal and private agencies and organizations, individuals, and any other contractor or recipient, either foreign or domestic, to further research, [extension](/usc/7/3103.md?p=8), or [teaching](/usc/7/3103.md?p=20) programs in the [food and agricultural sciences](/usc/7/3103.md?p=9) of the [Department of Agriculture](/usc/7/3103.md?p=7). - (d) **Vesting of title—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/3103.md?p=15) may vest title to expendable and nonexpendable equipment and supplies and other tangible personal property in the contractor or recipient when the contractor or recipient purchases such equipment, supplies, and property with contract, grant, or cooperative agreement funds and the [Secretary](/usc/7/3103.md?p=15) deems such vesting of title a furtherance of the [agricultural research](/usc/7/3103.md?p=2), [extension](/usc/7/3103.md?p=8), or [teaching](/usc/7/3103.md?p=20) objectives of the [Department of Agriculture](/usc/7/3103.md?p=7). - (e) **Applicable requirements—** Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the [Secretary](/usc/7/3103.md?p=15) may enter into contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements, as authorized by this section, without regard to any requirements for competition, the provisions of [section 6101 of title 41](/usc/41/6101.md), and the provisions of [section 3324(a)](/usc/7/3324.md?p=a) and (b) of title 31. ## Source credit (Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, § 1472, as added Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, § 1439(a), Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1315; amended Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, § 1424, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1552.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text For definition of “this chapter”, referred to in subsec. (e), see note set out under section 3102 of this title. ### Codification In subsec. (e), “section 6101 of title 41” substituted for “section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5)” on authority of Pub. L. 111–350, § 6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts. In subsec. (e), “section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31” substituted for reference to section 3648 of the 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. ### Amendments 1985—Subsecs. (b) to (e). Pub. L. 99–198 added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsecs. (b) to (d) as (c) to (e), respectively. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Effective Date Section effective Dec. 22, 1981, see section 1801 of Pub. L. 97–98, set out as a note under section 4301 of this title.