Title 25 › CHAPTER 46 — INDIAN SELF-DETERMINATION AND EDUCATION ASSISTANCE › § 5304
Defines key words used in this chapter. "Construction programs" covers projects to plan, design, build, fix, improve, or expand buildings and infrastructure, like housing, detention and law enforcement facilities, water and sewer systems, roads, schools, government and health buildings, irrigation and farm work, and water conservation, flood-control, or port projects. "Contract funding base" is the starting level used to figure how much a contract needs, including all contract costs. "Direct program costs" are costs tied to a particular contract goal. "Indian" means a person who is a member of an Indian tribe. "Indian tribe" means any tribe, band, nation, or organized group (including Alaska Native villages or corporations under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act) that the United States recognizes as eligible for special programs and services for Indians. "Indirect costs" are shared costs that benefit more than one contract goal or costs that cannot be assigned to one goal without heavy effort. "Indirect cost rate" is the rate negotiated between a tribe or tribal organization and the appropriate Federal agency. "Mature contract" is a self-determination contract run continuously by a tribal organization for three or more years with no significant and material audit exceptions; upon request such a contract will be treated as mature for purposes of section 5321(a). "Secretary" means the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of the Interior, or both unless another official is named. "Self-determination contract" is a contract (or grant/cooperative agreement used under section 5308) between a tribal organization and the appropriate Secretary to run programs or services otherwise provided to tribes; such contracts are not procurement contracts and, except as stated in sections 5324(a)(3) and 5328(a)(1), are not subject to Federal procurement law. "State education agency" is the state board or agency mainly responsible for supervising public elementary and secondary schools, or a state-designated officer if none exists. "Tribal organization" is the recognized governing body of a tribe or a legally established Indian organization controlled or approved by that governing body or democratically elected by the community and including maximum Indian participation; if a contract or grant would benefit more than one tribe, each tribe must approve. "Construction contract" is a fixed-price or cost-reimbursement self-determination contract for a construction project, but it does not include contracts limited to planning and construction management, contracts for the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Housing Improvement Program or roads maintenance program administered by the Secretary of the Interior, or contracts for the health facility maintenance and improvement program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Full Legal Text
Indians, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
25 U.S.C. § 5304
Title 25, Indians
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102