§3733 Cooperative Agreement Between Department of the Interior and Indian Tribes

Summary

The head of the Department of the Interior may make cooperative agreements with Indian tribes to help run Department programs. These deals can cover three main kinds of work: job and manpower training; making and sharing agricultural education and resource planning materials; and improving land, buildings, and other work to manage or develop natural resources. The Secretary must find that the tribes will benefit before making an agreement. The Secretary may advance or reimburse money to contractors from any appropriated funds for similar work, or provide or share materials, supplies, facilities, or equipment, without regard to section 3324 of title 31. Tribes and their employees may do the work under Interior supervision in emergencies or when both sides agree, but they are not federal employees except for the purposes of sections 2671–2680 of title 28 and sections 8101–8193 of title 5. Nothing here limits other legal authority the Secretary has to make cooperative agreements.