authority of the director

authority of the director Sec. 402. In addition to the authority conferred upon him by other sections of this Act, the Director is authorized to— (1) appoint in accordance with the Civil Service laws such personnel as may be necessary to enable the ACTION Agency to carry out its functions, and, except as otherwise provided herein, fix the compensation of such personnel in accordance with chapter 51 of title 5, United States Code; (2) (A) employ experts and consultants or organizations thereof as authorized by section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, except that no individual may be employed under the authority of this subsection for more than one hundred days in any fiscal year; (B) compensate individuals so employed at rates not in excess of the daily equivalent of the rate payable to a GS–18 employee under section 5332 of such title, including traveltime; (C) allow such individuals, while away from their homes or regular places of business, travel expenses (including per diem in lieu of subsistence) as authorized by section 5703 of such title for persons in the Government service employed intermittently, while so employed; and (D) annually renew contracts for such employment under this clause; (3) with the approval of the President, arrange with and reimburse, the heads of other Federal agencies for the performance of any of the provisions of this Act and, as necessary or appropriate, delegate any of his functions under this Act and authorize the redelegation thereof subject to provisions to assure the maximum possible liaison between the ACTION Agency and such other agencies at all operating levels, which shall include the furnishing of complete operational information by such other agencies to the ACTION Agency and the furnishing of such information by the ACTION Agency to such other agencies; (4) with their consent, utilize the services and facilities of Federal agencies without reimbursement, and, with the consent of any State or a political subdivision of a State, accept and utilize the services and facilities of the agencies of such State or subdivision without reimbursement; (5) accept in the name of the ACTION Agency, and employ or dispose of in furtherance of the purposes of this Act, or of any title thereof, any money or property, real, personal, or mixed, tangible or intangible, received by gift, devise, bequest, or otherwise; (6) accept voluntary and uncompensated services; (7) allocate and expend, or transfer to other Federal agencies for expenditure, funds made available under this Act as he deems necessary to carry out the provisions hereof, including (without regard to the provisions of section 4774(d) of title 10, United States Code), expenditure for construction, repairs, and capital improvements; 87 Stat. 407 (8) disseminate, without regard to the provisions of section 3204 of title 39, United States Code, data and information, in such form as he shall deem appropriate to public agencies, private organizations, and the general public; (9) adopt an official seal, which shall be judicially noticed; (10) collect or compromise all obligations to or held by him and all legal or equitable rights accruing to him in connection with the payment of obligations in accordance with Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966 (31 U.S.C. 951–53); (11) expend funds made available for purposes of this Act as follows: (A) for printing and binding, in accordance with applicable law and regulations; and (B) without regard to any other law or regulation, for rent of buildings and space in buildings and for repair, alteration, and improvement of buildings and space in buildings rented by him; but the Director shall not utilize the authority contained in this subclause (B) — (i) except when necessary to obtain an item, service, or facility, which is required in the proper administration of this Act, and which otherwise could not be obtained, or could not be obtained in the quantity or quality needed, or at the time, in the form, or under the conditions in which, it is needed, and (ii) prior to having given written notification to the Administrator of General Services (if the exercise of such authority would affect an activity which otherwise would be under the jurisdiction of the General Services Administration) of his intention to exercise such authority, the item, service, or facility with respect to which such authority is proposed to be exercised, and the reasons and justifications for the exercise of such authority; (12) notwithstanding any other provision of law, make grants to or contracts with Federal or other public departments or agencies and private nonprofit organizations for the assignment or referral of volunteers under this Act (except for volunteers serving under part A of title I thereof), which may provide that the agency or organization shall pay all or a part of the costs of the program; (13) provide or arrange for educational and vocational counseling of volunteers and recent former volunteers under this Act to (A) encourage them to use in the national interest the skills and experience which they have derived from their training and service, particularly working in combating poverty as members of the helping professions, and (B) promote the development, and the placement therein of such volunteers, of appropriate opportunities for the use of such skills and experience; (14) establish such policies, standards, criteria, and procedures, prescribe such rules and regulations, enter into such contracts and agreements with public agencies and private organizations and persons, and make such payments (in lump sum or installments, and in advance or by way of reimbursement, and in the case of grants otherwise authorized under this Act, with necessary adjustments on account of overpayments and underpayments) as are necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this Act; and (15) generally perform such functions and take such steps, consistent with the purposes and provisions of this Act, as he deems necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this Act