Title 7AgricultureRelease 119-73

§2225c Employment contracts for services abroad

Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 55— - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE › § 2225c

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

On and after October 28, 2000, the Department of Agriculture may use its funds to hire people by contract to do work outside the United States when agencies decide it is needed. Those contracts can be made and the work done even if some U.S. contract rules that apply to work inside the United States are not followed. People hired under those contracts are not treated as U.S. Government employees for laws run by the Office of Personnel Management. They may be treated as employees under the Federal Employee Compensation Act (5 U.S.C. 8101 et seq.). Time worked under a Personal Service Agreement (PSA) can count as government service if the person later gets a permanent U.S. Government job with FAS or another agency, and the hiring agency allows it.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §2225c

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

On and after October 28, 2000, funds appropriated to the Department of Agriculture may be used to employ individuals by contract for services outside the United States as determined by the agencies to be necessary or appropriate for carrying out programs and activities abroad; and such contracts are authorized to be negotiated, the terms of the contract to be prescribed, and the work to be performed, where necessary, without regard to such statutory provisions as relate to the negotiation, making and performance of contracts and performance of work in the United States. Individuals employed by contract to perform such services outside the United States shall not by virtue of such employment be considered to be employees of the United States Government for purposes of any law administered by the Office of Personnel Management. Such individuals may be considered employees within the meaning of the Federal Employee Compensation Act, 5 U.S.C. 8101 et seq. Further, that 11 So in original. Government service credit shall be accrued for the time employed under a Personal Service Agreement (PSA) should the individual later be hired into a permanent United States Government position within FAS or another United States Government agency if the authorities of the hiring agency so permit.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Federal Employee Compensation Act, referred to in text, is act Sept. 7, 1916, ch. 458, 39 Stat. 742, which was repealed and the provisions thereof were reenacted as subchapter I (§ 8101 et seq.) of chapter 81 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Availability of Foreign Agricultural Service Funds Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(k) [title IV], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–322, 1329–350, as amended by Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(a) [title VII, § 750], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681, 2681–32, provided in part: “That funds available to the Foreign Agricultural Service under this and subsequent appropriations Acts shall be available to contract with individuals for services to be performed outside the United States as determined by the Service to be necessary or appropriate for carrying out programs and activities abroad. On or after August 1, 1998 such individuals employed by contract to perform such services shall not, by virtue of such employment, be considered to be employees of the United States Government for purposes of any law administered by the Office of Personnel Management. Such individuals may be considered employees within the meaning of the Federal Employee Compensation Act, 5 U.S.C. 8101 et seq.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 2225c

Title 7Agriculture

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73