1. (a) The Secretary, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, may enter into cooperative agreements with eligible entities to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
2. (b) Under any such cooperative agreement, the eligible entity shall agree to sponsor programs to furnish procurement technical assistance to business entities and the Secretary shall agree to defray not more than one-half of the eligible entity’s cost of furnishing such assistance under such programs, except that in the case of a program sponsored by such an entity that provides services solely in a distressed area, the Secretary may agree to furnish more than one-half, but not more than three-fourths, of such cost with respect to such program.
3. (c) In entering into cooperative agreements under subsection (a), the Secretary shall assure that at least one procurement technical assistance program is carried out in each Department of Defense contract administration services district during each fiscal year.
4. (d) In conducting a competition for the award of a cooperative agreement under subsection (a), and in determining the level of funding to provide under an agreement under subsection (b), the Secretary shall give significant weight to successful past performance of eligible entities under a cooperative agreement under this section.

(Added Pub. L. 98–525, title XII, § 1241(a)(1), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2605; amended Pub. L. 99–145, title IX, § 919(a), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 692; Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(c) [title X, § 956(b)], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–82, 1783–174, and Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(c) [title X, § 956(b)], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–82, 3341–174; Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title IX, formerly title IV, § 956(b), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3954, renumbered title IX, Pub. L. 100–26, § 3(5), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 273, and amended Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XII, § 1233(b), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1161; Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title VIII, § 802(a)(1), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2081; Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title VIII, § 814, Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2610.)

Codification Pub. L. 99–591 is a corrected version of Pub. L. 99–500.

Amendments 2002—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107–314 added subsec. (d).

1998—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–261 substituted “district” for “region”.

1987—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–180 made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 99–500, Pub. L. 99–591, and Pub. L. 99–661. See 1986 Amendment note below.

1986—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–500, Pub. L. 99–591, and Pub. L. 99–661, as amended by Pub. L. 100–180, amended subsec. (b) identically, inserting “sponsor programs to” after first reference to “agree to”, “under such programs” after “such assistance”, and “with respect to such program” after “such cost” and substituting “a program sponsored by such an entity that provides services solely in a distressed area” for “an eligible entity that is a distressed entity”.

1985—Pub. L. 99–145 amended section generally, substituting “, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, may enter” for “may, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, enter” in subsec. (a), adding subsec. (b), and redesignating former subsec. (b) as (c).

Effective Date of 1987 Amendment Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XII, § 1233(c)(2), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1161, provided that:

“The amendment made by subsection (b) [amending Public Laws 99–500, 99–591, and 99–661 which amended this section] shall apply as if included in the enactment of Public Laws 99–500, 99–591, and 99–661.”

Effective Date of 1985 Amendment Amendment by Pub. L. 99–145 effective Oct. 1, 1985, see section 919(d) of Pub. L. 99–145, set out as a note under section 2411 of this title.