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Section 1123.
National Sea Grant College Program
(a) Program maintenance
The Secretary shall maintain within the Administration a
program to be known as the national sea grant college program. The national
sea grant college program shall be administered by a national sea grant
office within the Administration.
(b) Program elements
The national sea grant college program shall consist of
the financial assistance and other activities authorized in this subchapter,
and shall provide support for the following elements -
(1) sea grant programs which comprise a national sea grant
college program network, including international projects conducted within
such programs;
(2) administration of the national sea grant college program
and this subchapter by the national sea grant office, the Administration,
and the panel;
(3) the fellowship program under section 1127 of this title;
and
(4) any national strategic investments in fields relating
to
ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources developed with the approval
of the panel, the sea grant colleges, and the sea grant institutes.
(c) Responsibilities of Secretary
(1) The Secretary, in consultation with the panel, sea grant
colleges, and sea grant institutes, shall develop a long-range strategic
plan which establishes priorities for the national sea grant college program
and which provides an appropriately balanced response to local, regional,
and national needs.
(2) Within 6 months of March 6, 1998, the Secretary, in
consultation with the panel, sea grant colleges, and sea grant institutes,
shall establish guidelines related to the activities and responsibilities
of sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes. Such guidelines shall
include requirements for the conduct of merit review by the sea grant
colleges and sea grant institutes of proposals for grants and contracts
to be awarded under section 1124 of this title, providing, at a minimum,
for standardized documentation of such proposals and peer review of all
research projects.
(3) The Secretary shall by regulation prescribe the
qualifications required for designation of sea grant colleges and sea
grant institutes under section 1126 of this title.
(4) To carry out the provisions of this subchapter, the
Secretary may -
(A) appoint, assign the duties, transfer, and fix the
compensation of such personnel as may be necessary, in accordance with
civil service laws;
(B) make appointments with respect to temporary and intermittent
services to the extent authorized by section 3109 of title 5;
(C) publish or arrange for the publication of, and otherwise
disseminate, in cooperation with other offices and programs in the Administration
and without regard to section 501 of title 44, any information of research,
educational, training or other value in fields related to ocean, coastal,
or Great Lakes resources;
(D) enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, and
other transactions without regard to section 5 of title 41;
(E) notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, accept donations
and voluntary and uncompensated services;
(F) accept funds from other Federal departments and agencies,
including agencies within the Administration, to pay for and add to
grants made and contracts entered into by the Secretary; and
(G) promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary
and appropriate.
(d) Director of National Sea Grant College Program
(1) The Secretary shall appoint, as the Director of the
National Sea Grant College Program, a qualified individual who has appropriate
administrative experience and knowledge or expertise in fields related
to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. The Director shall be appointed
and compensated, without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing
appointments in the competitive service, at a rate payable under section
5376 of title 5.
(2) Subject to the supervision of the Secretary, the Director
shall administer the national sea grant college program and oversee the
operation of the national sea grant office. In addition to any other duty
prescribed by law or assigned by the Secretary, the Director shall -
(A) facilitate and coordinate the development of a long-range
strategic plan under subsection (c)(1) of this section;
(B) advise the Secretary with respect to the expertise
and capabilities which are available within or through the national
sea grant college program and encourage the use of such expertise and
capabilities, on a cooperative or other basis, by other offices and
activities within the Administration, and other Federal departments
and agencies;
(C) advise the Secretary on the designation of sea grant
colleges and sea grant institutes, and, if appropriate, on the termination
or suspension of any such designation; and
(D) encourage the establishment and growth of sea grant
programs, and cooperation and coordination with other Federal activities
in fields related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources.
(3) With respect to sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes,
the Director shall -
(A) evaluate the programs of sea grant colleges and sea
grant institutes, using the priorities, guidelines, and qualifications
established by the Secretary;
(B) subject to the availability of appropriations, allocate
funding among sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes so as to -
(i) promote healthy competition
among sea grant colleges an institutes;
(ii) encourage successful implementation
of sea grant programs; and
(iii) to the maximum extent
consistent with other provisions of this subchapter, provide a stable
base of funding for sea grant colleges and institutes; and
(C) ensure compliance with the guidelines for merit review
under subsection (c)(2) of this section.
Section 1124. Program or Projects
Grants and contacts
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