United States Code
USC most recently checked for updates: Jan 17, 2025
The importing country or private entity that enters into an agreement under subchapter II shall acquire the agricultural commodities to be financed under subchapter II.
No purchase of agricultural commodities from private stock or purchase of ocean transportation shall be financed under subchapter II unless such purchases are made on the basis of an invitation for bid that is publicly advertised in the United States, and on the basis of bid offerings that shall conform to such invitation and be received and publicly opened in the United States. All awards in the purchase of commodities or ocean transportation financed under subchapter II shall be consistent with open, competitive, and responsive bid procedures, as determined appropriate by the Secretary. Resulting contracts may contain such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines are necessary and appropriate.
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), if it is determined appropriate, the Secretary or the Commodity Credit Corporation may serve as the purchasing or shipping agent, or both, for the importer or importing country in arranging the purchase or shipping of commodities financed under subchapter II.
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the Secretary or the Commodity Credit Corporation may award, under a competitive bidding process, contracts for establishing freight agents who shall act on behalf of the Secretary or the Corporation to handle the shipping of commodities financed under this chapter.
Freight agents employed by the Secretary or the Commodity Credit Corporation under subchapter II shall not represent any foreign government during the period of their contract with the United States Government.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary or the Commodity Credit Corporation may enter into an agreement with the importer or importing country that contains the terms and conditions that will govern the provision of purchasing or shipping agent services by the Secretary or the Corporation, including the establishment of fees for such services. Any such fees shall be fair and reasonable in relation to the services performed and shall be available as reimbursement for costs incurred in providing such services.
Commissions, fees, or other payments to any selling agent or to any agent of a purchaser shall be prohibited in the purchase of agricultural commodities that are financed under subchapter II of this chapter.
A person may not be an agent, broker, consultant, or other representative of the United States Government, an importer, or an importing country in connection with agricultural commodities provided under this chapter during a fiscal year in which such person provides or acts as an agent, broker, consultant, or other representative of a person engaged in providing ocean transportation or transportation-related services for such commodities. For the purpose of this paragraph, the term “transportation-related services” means lightening, stevedoring, bagging, or inland transportation to the destination point.
The Administrator shall transfer, arrange for the transportation, and take other steps necessary to make available agricultural commodities to be provided under subchapter III and subchapter III–A.
In the case of agricultural commodities made available for nonemergency assistance under subchapter III for least developed countries that meet the poverty and other eligibility criteria established by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for financing under the International Development Association, the Administrator may pay the transportation costs incurred in moving the agricultural commodities from designated points of entry or ports of entry abroad to storage and distribution sites and associated storage and distribution costs.
Notwithstanding chapters 1 to 11 of title 40 and division C (except sections 3302, 3307(e), 3501(b), 3509, 3906, 4710, and 4711) of subtitle I of title 41 or other similar provisions of law relating to the making or performance of Federal Government contracts, ocean transportation under subchapters III and III–A may be procured on the basis of full and open competitive procedures. Resulting contracts may contain such terms and conditions as the Administrator determines are necessary and appropriate.
Freight agents employed by the Agency for International Development under subchapters III and III–A shall not represent any foreign government during the period of their contract with the United States Government.
Funds made available for fiscal years 2001 through 2023 to carry out subchapters III and III-A may be used by the Administrator to procure, transport, and store agricultural commodities for prepositioning within the United States and in foreign countries, except that for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2013 not more than $10,000,000 of such funds and for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023 not more than $15,000,000 of such funds may be used to store agricultural commodities for prepositioning in foreign countries.
The Administrator may establish additional sites for prepositioning in foreign countries or change the location of current sites for prepositioning in foreign countries after conducting, and based on the results of, assessments of need, the availability of appropriate technology for long-term storage, feasibility, and cost.
Annual resource requests for ongoing nonemergency or ongoing multiyear agreements under subchapter III shall be finalized not later than October 1 of the fiscal year in which the agricultural commodities will be shipped under the agreement.
Not later than April 1 of each fiscal year, the Administrator and the Secretary shall jointly, or each separately, prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report regarding each program and activity carried out under this chapter by the Administrator, the Secretary, or both, as applicable, during the prior fiscal year.
