2019 US Code
Title 25 - Indians
Chapter 46 - Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance
Subchapter IV - Tribal Self-Governance-Department of the Interior
Sec. 5363 - Funding agreements

The Secretary shall negotiate and enter into an annual written funding agreement with the governing body of each participating tribal government in a manner consistent with the Federal Government's laws and trust relationship to and responsibility for the Indian people.

Each funding agreement shall—

Each funding agreement negotiated pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section may, in accordance to such additional terms as the parties deem appropriate, also include other programs, services, functions, and activities, or portions thereof, administered by the Secretary of the Interior which are of special geographic, historical, or cultural significance to the participating Indian tribe requesting a compact.

Funding agreements negotiated between the Secretary and an Indian tribe shall include provisions—

(1) Regarding construction programs or projects, the Secretary and Indian tribes may negotiate for the inclusion of specific provisions of division B (except sections 1123, 2303, 2304, and 2313) of subtitle I of title 41 and Federal acquisition regulations in any funding agreement entered into under this chapter. Absent a negotiated agreement, such provisions and regulatory requirements shall not apply.

(2) In all construction projects performed pursuant to this subchapter, the Secretary shall ensure that proper health and safety standards are provided for in the funding agreements.

Not later than 90 days before the proposed effective date of an agreement entered into under this section, the Secretary shall submit a copy of such agreement to—

(1) At the request of the governing body of the tribe and under the terms of an agreement entered into under this section, the Secretary shall provide funding to the tribe to carry out the agreement.

(2) The funding agreements authorized by this subchapter and title III of this Act shall provide for advance payments to the tribes in the form of annual or semi-annual installments at the discretion of the tribes.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4) of this subsection and paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall provide funds to the tribe under an agreement under this subchapter for programs, services, functions, and activities, or portions thereof, in an amount equal to the amount that the tribe would have been eligible to receive under contracts and grants under this chapter, including amounts for direct program and contract support costs and, in addition, any funds that are specifically or functionally related to the provision by the Secretary of services and benefits to the tribe or its members, without regard to the organization level within the Department where such functions are carried out.

(4) Funds for trust services to individual Indians shall be available under an agreement entered into under this section only to the extent that the same services that would have been provided by the Secretary are provided to individual Indians by the tribe.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), for the purposes of section 5331 of this title, the term "contract" shall include agreements entered into under this subchapter.

(2) For the period that an agreement entered into under this subchapter is in effect, the provisions of section 81 of this title, section 5123 of this title, and the Act of July 3, 1952 (25 U.S.C. 82a), shall not apply to attorney and other professional contracts by Indian tribal governments participating in Self-Governance under this subchapter.

(1) Except as otherwise provided by law, the Secretary shall interpret each Federal law and regulation in a manner that will facilitate—

(2)(A) A tribe may submit a written request for a waiver to the Secretary identifying the regulation sought to be waived and the basis for the request.

(B) Not later than 60 days after receipt by the Secretary of a written request by a tribe to waive application of a Federal regulation for an agreement entered into under this section, the Secretary shall either approve or deny the requested waiver in writing to the tribe. A denial may be made only upon a specific finding by the Secretary that identified language in the regulation may not be waived because such waiver is prohibited by Federal law. The Secretary's decision shall be final for the Department.

All funds provided under funding agreements entered into pursuant to this chapter, and all funds provided under contracts or grants made pursuant to this chapter, shall be treated as non-Federal funds for purposes of meeting matching requirements under any other Federal law.

Nothing in this section is intended or shall be construed to expand or alter existing statutory authorities in the Secretary so as to authorize the Secretary to enter into any agreement under subsection (b)(2) of this section and section 5365(c)(1) of this title with respect to functions that are inherently Federal or where the statute establishing the existing program does not authorize the type of participation sought by the tribe: Provided, however an Indian tribe or tribes need not be identified in the authorizing statute in order for a program or element of a program to be included in a compact under subsection (b)(2) of this section.

At the option of a participating tribe or tribes, any or all provisions of subchapter I of this chapter shall be made part of an agreement entered into under title III of this Act or this subchapter. The Secretary is obligated to include such provisions at the option of the participating tribe or tribes. If such provision is incorporated it shall have the same force and effect as if set out in full in title III or this subchapter.

(Pub. L. 93–638, title IV, §403, as added Pub. L. 103–413, title II, §204, Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4272; amended Pub. L. 104–109, §19, Feb. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 766; Pub. L. 105–244, title IX, §901(d), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1828; Pub. L. 106–568, title VIII, §812(b), Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 2917; Pub. L. 110–315, title IX, §941(k)(2)(H), Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3467.)

Act of April 16, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 452 et seq.), referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(A), is act Apr. 16, 1934, ch. 147, 48 Stat. 596, popularly known as the Johnson-O'Malley Act, which was classified generally to section 452 et seq. of this title prior to editorial reclassification as section 5342 et seq. of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5301 of this title and Tables.

The Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978, referred to in subsec. (b)(4)(A), is Pub. L. 95–471, Oct. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 1325, which is classified principally to chapter 20 (§1801 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1801 of this title and Tables.

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (e)(1), (g)(3), and (j), was in the original "this Act", meaning Pub. L. 93–638, Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2203, known as the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5301 of this title and Tables.

Title III of this Act, referred to in subsecs. (g)(2) and (l), is title III of Pub. L. 93–638, as added by Pub. L. 100–472, title II, §209, Oct. 5, 1988, 102 Stat. 2296, which was set out as a note under former section 450f of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 106–260, §10, Aug. 18, 2000, 114 Stat. 734.

The Act of July 3, 1952, referred to in subsec. (h)(2), is act July 3, 1952, ch. 549, 66 Stat. 323, which enacted section 82a of this title and provisions set out as a note under section 82a of this title.

Subchapter I of this chapter, referred to in subsec. (l), was in the original "title I of this Act", meaning title I of Pub. L. 93–638, known as the Indian Self-Determination Act, which is classified principally to subchapter I (§5321 et seq.) of this chapter. For complete classification of title I to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5301 of this title and Tables.

Section was formerly classified to section 458cc of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

In subsec. (e)(1), "division B (except sections 1123, 2303, 2304, and 2313) of subtitle I of title 41" substituted for "the Office of Federal Procurement and Policy Act" on authority of Pub. L. 111–350, §6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts.

2008—Subsec. (b)(4)(A). Pub. L. 110–315 substituted "the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978" for "the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978".

2000—Subsec. (h)(2). Pub. L. 106–568 struck out "and" before "section 5123 of this title" and substituted "and the Act of July 3, 1952 (25 U.S.C. 82a), shall not apply" for "shall not apply".

1998—Subsec. (b)(4)(A). Pub. L. 105–244 substituted "Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978" for "Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978".

1996—Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 104–109 added subsec. (l).

Amendment by Pub. L. 105–244 effective Oct. 1, 1998, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 105–244, see section 3 of Pub. L. 105–244, set out as a note under section 1001 of Title 20, Education.

¹ See References in Text note below.