§491 Establishment and Development of Land-based Air Warning and Control Installations and Facilities; Extent of Appropriation; Procurement of Communication Services

Summary

The Secretary of the Air Force can build and run land-based air warning and control sites inside and outside the continental United States to meet air defense needs. He can construct temporary or permanent public works like buildings, utilities, and access roads, and handle the needed planning and administration without following the normal federal rules in 31 U.S.C. 3324(a) and (b). No more than $85,500,000 may be spent on such construction. The Secretary can buy communication services for the semiautomatic ground environment system. No service contract can run longer than 10 years from when service first starts. If contracts are ended, the government’s total possible payout for those terminations cannot be more than $222,000,000. The Government Accountability Office may inspect carrier records for audit. The Air Force should use local phone companies, rural telephone cooperatives, public utilities, and rural electric cooperatives whenever possible. Negotiations and representation with carriers must follow the rules in sections 501–505 of title 40.