PUBLIC LAW 105-185^JUNE 23, 1998 112 STAT. 565 (e) SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS.— (1) SMALLER INSTITUTIONS.— The Secretary may award grants under this section in a manner that ensures that the faculty of small and mid-sized institutions that have not previously been successful in obtaining competitive grants under subsection (b) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)) receive a portion of the grants under this section. (2) PRIORITIES.— In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall provide a higher priority to— (A) a project that is multistate, multi-institutional, or multidisciplinary; or (B) a project that integrates agricultural research, extension, and education. (f) ADMINISTRATION.— (1) IN GENERAL.—In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall— (A) seek and accept proposals for grants; (B) determine the relevance and merit of proposals through a system of peer review in accordance with section 103; (C) award grants on the basis of merit, quality, and relevance to advancing the purposes and priority mission areas established under subsection (c); and (D) solicit and consider input from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education in accordance with section 102(b). (2) COMPETITIVE BASIS. —^A grant under this section shall be awarded on a competitive basis. (3) TERM.— ^A grant under this section shall have a term that does not exceed 5 years. (4) MATCHING FUNDS.— As a condition of making a grant under this section, the Secretary shall require the funding of the grant be matched with equal matching funds from a non-Federal source if the grant is— (A) for applied research that is commodity-specific; and (B) not of national scope. (5) DELEGATION. —The Secretary shall administer this section through the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service of the Department. The Secretary may establish 1 or more institutes to carry out all or part of the activities authorized under this section, (6) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS. —Funds for grants under this section shall be available to the Secretary for obligation for a 2-year period. (7) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.— The Secretary may use not more than 4 percent of the funds made available for grants under this section for administrative costs incurred by the Secretary in carrying out this section. (8) BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES. — Funds made available for grants under this section shall not be used for the construction of a new building or facility or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an existing building or facility (including site grading and improvement and architect fees).
�
