§ 3315 — Auditing, Reporting, Bookkeeping, And Administrative Requirements

(a) Except as provided elsewhere in this Act or any other Act of Congress— (1) of this title; (2) the Secretary shall provide that each recipient of assistance under this chapter shall submit an annual report, at such times and on such forms as the Secretary shall prescribe, stating the accomplishments of projects (on a project-by-project basis) for which such assistance was used and accounting for the use of all such assistance. If the Secretary determines that any portion of funds made available under this chapter has been lost or applied in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter or regulations issued thereunder the recipient of such funds shall reimburse the Federal Government for the funds lost or so applied, and the Secretary shall not make available to such recipient any additional funds under this Act until the recipient has so reimbursed the Federal Government; (3) the Secretary may retain up to 4 percent of amounts made available for agricultural research, extension, and teaching assistance programs for the administration of those programs authorized under this Act or any other Act; and (4) the Secretary shall establish appropriate criteria for grant and assistance approval and necessary regulations pertaining thereto. (b) To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary, for purposes of supporting ongoing research and information dissemination activities, including supporting research and those activities through co-locating scientists and other technical personnel, sharing of laboratory and field equipment, and providing financial support, shall enter into grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other legal instruments with former Department of Agriculture agricultural research facilities. (c) The Secretary may retain, for the administration of community food projects under section 2034 of this title, 4 percent of amounts available for the projects, notwithstanding the availability of any appropriation for administrative expenses of the projects. (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law regarding a competitive research, education, or extension grant program of the Department of Agriculture, the Secretary may use grant program funds, as necessary, to supplement funds otherwise available for program administration, to pay for the costs associated with peer review of grant proposals under the program. (e) In any law relating to agricultural research, education, or extension activities administered by the Secretary, the term “in-kind support”, with regard to a requirement that the recipient of funds provided by the Secretary match all or part of the amount of the funds, means contributions such as office space, equipment, and staff support.