New contracts and grants and merit-based selection procedures

Source Credit

(a) Congressional Policy.—It is the policy of Congress that—
(1) an executive agency should not be required by legislation to award—
(A) a new contract to a specific non-Federal Government entity; or
(B) a new grant for research, development, test, or evaluation to a non-Federal Government entity; and
(2) a program, project, or technology identified in legislation be procured or awarded through merit-based selection procedures.
(b) New Contract and New Grant Described.—For purposes of this section—
(1) a contract is a new contract unless the work provided for in the contract is a continuation of the work performed by the specified entity under a prior contract; and
(2) a grant is a new grant unless the work provided for in the grant is a continuation of the work performed by the specified entity under a prior grant.
(c) Requirements for Awarding New Contract or New Grant.—A provision of law may not be construed as requiring a new contract or a new grant to be awarded to a specified non-Federal Government entity unless the provision of law specifically—
(1) refers to this section;
(2) identifies the particular non-Federal Government entity involved; and
(3) states that the award to that entity is required by the provision of law in contravention of the policy set forth in subsection (a).
(d) Exception.—This section does not apply to a contract or grant that calls on the National Academy of Sciences to investigate, examine, or experiment on a subject of science or art of significance to an executive agency and to report on those matters to Congress or an agency of the Federal Government.

History

(Pub. L. 111–350, §3, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3744.)