TITLE 1: GOVERNMENT
DIVISION 2: EXECUTIVE BRANCH
§ 20174. Office of Planning and Development; Powers. In the execution of its responsibilities under this article, the Office is authorized to perform the following functions: (a) Grants. To apply for and accept grants, loans, contributions, appropriations, and assistance from the federal government and from any other sources, public or private, and enter into and carry out contracts or agreements in connection therewith, and include in any contract for financial assistance with the federal laws as it may deem reasonable and appropriate and which are not inconsistent with the purposes of this article and the laws of the CNMI; (b) Contracts. To contract for any professional services if such work or services cannot satisfactorily be performed by its employees; (c) Studies. To conduct, or cause to be conducted, investigations, studies, surveys, research, and analysis relating to physical, human, social, and economic development of the CNMI and to publish the results thereof; (d) Policies. To develop and recommend policies to foster and promote the improvement of planning activity and development quality; (e) Private Services. To utilize to the fullest extent possible, the services, facilities, and information of public and private agencies and organizations and individuals in order that duplication of effort and expenses may be avoided; (f) Appraise Plans. To review, appraise, and make such use as it sees fit of all existing plans, inclusive of any plans presently being prepared; (g) Data Bank. To develop an information system and data bank for the continual collection and storage of public information needed or utilized in the development plan process; and (h) Statistics. To conduct research and to disseminate statistical findings relative to producing data needed for economic and community planning on the CNMI if necessary to supplement statistical information from the Central Statistics Division of the Department of Commerce. Source: PL 20-20 § 3 (Oct. 6, 2017), modified Commission Comment: The Commission inserted serial commas after “research” in (c), “facilities” in (e), and “appraise” in (f) pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(g). The Commission changed capitalization in the leading paragraph, (a), and (c) pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(f).