JOINT REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS.7 USC 3319b note.

SEC. 7403. JOINT REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS. (a) Purposes.—The purposes of this section are— (1) to reduce the duplication of administrative functions relating to grant awards and administration among Federal agencies conducting similar types of research, education, and extension programs; (2) to maximize the use of peer review resources in research, education, and extension programs; and (3) to reduce the burden on potential recipients that may offer similar proposals to receive competitive grants under different Federal programs in overlapping subject areas. (b) Authority.—The National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 is amended by inserting after section 1473A (7 U.S.C. 3319a) the following: “SEC. 1473b. JOINT REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS. “(a) In General.—In carrying out any competitive agricultural research, education, or extension grant program authorized under this or any other Act, the Secretary may cooperate with 1 or more other Federal agencies (including the National Science Foundation) in issuing joint requests for proposals, awarding grants, and administering grants, for similar or related research, education, or extension projects or activities. “(b) Administration.—116 STAT. 457 “(1) Secretary.—The Secretary may delegate authority to issue requests for proposals, make grant awards, or administer grants, in whole or in part, to a cooperating Federal agency. “(2) Cooperating federal agency.—The cooperating Federal agency may delegate to the Secretary authority to issue requests for proposals, make grant awards, or administer grants, in whole or in part. “(c) Regulations.—The Secretary and a cooperating Federal agency may agree to make applicable to recipients of grants— “(1) the post-award grant administration regulations applicable to recipients of grants from the Secretary; or “(2) the post-award grant administration regulations applicable to recipients of grants from the cooperating Federal agency. “(d) Joint Peer Review Panels.—Subject to section 1413B, the Secretary and a cooperating Federal agency may establish joint peer review panels for the purpose of evaluating grant proposals.”.