FEDERAL · 41 U.S.C. · Chapter 63
Authorization requirement
41 U.S.C. § 6301
Title41 — Public Contracts
Chapter63 — GENERAL CONTRACT PROVISIONS
This text of 41 U.S.C. § 6301 (Authorization requirement) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.
Bluebook
41 U.S.C. § 6301.
Text
(a)In General.—A contract or purchase on behalf of the Federal Government shall not be made unless the contract or purchase is authorized by law or is under an appropriation adequate to its fulfillment.
(b)Exception.—
(1)Definition.—In this subsection, the term "defined Secretary" means—
(A)the Secretary of Defense; or
(B)the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy.
(2)In general.—Subsection (a) does not apply to a contract or purchase made by a defined Secretary for clothing, subsistence, forage, fuel, quarters, transportation, or medical and hospital supplies.
(3)Current year limitation.—A contract or purchase made by a defined Secretary under this subsection may not exceed the necessities of the
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Related
Partridge v. Black Rock LLC
(S.D. New York, 2025)
Source Credit
History
(Pub. L. 111–350, §3, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3803; Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, §903(a)(4), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3010.)
Editorial Notes
Amendment Not Shown in Text
Subsecs. (a) and (b) of this section are derived from section 11 of former Title 41, Public Contracts, which was amended by Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, §903(a)(4), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3010, prior to being repealed and reenacted as subsecs. (a) and (b) of this section by Pub. L. 111–350, §§3, 7(b), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3677, 3855. For applicability of that amendment to this section, see section 6(a) of Pub. L. 111–350, set out as a Transitional and Savings Provisions note preceding section 101 of this title. Section 903 of Pub. L. 111–281 provided that, effective with the enactment of Pub. L. 109–241, section 902(c) of Pub. L. 109–241, which amended section 3732 of the Revised Statutes, is amended by inserting in the directory language, "of the United States" after "Revised Statutes", resulting in no change in text.
In subsection (b)(1)(A), the words "Secretary of Defense" are substituted for "Department of Defense" because of 10:113.
In subsection (b)(1)(B), the words "Secretary of Homeland Security" are substituted for "Department of Homeland Security" because of section 102(a)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 112(a)(2)).
Subsecs. (a) and (b) of this section are derived from section 11 of former Title 41, Public Contracts, which was amended by Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, §903(a)(4), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3010, prior to being repealed and reenacted as subsecs. (a) and (b) of this section by Pub. L. 111–350, §§3, 7(b), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3677, 3855. For applicability of that amendment to this section, see section 6(a) of Pub. L. 111–350, set out as a Transitional and Savings Provisions note preceding section 101 of this title. Section 903 of Pub. L. 111–281 provided that, effective with the enactment of Pub. L. 109–241, section 902(c) of Pub. L. 109–241, which amended section 3732 of the Revised Statutes, is amended by inserting in the directory language, "of the United States" after "Revised Statutes", resulting in no change in text.
In subsection (b)(1)(A), the words "Secretary of Defense" are substituted for "Department of Defense" because of 10:113.
In subsection (b)(1)(B), the words "Secretary of Homeland Security" are substituted for "Department of Homeland Security" because of section 102(a)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 112(a)(2)).
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Bluebook (online)
41 U.S.C. § 6301, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/usc/41/6301.