7 U.S.C. § 390a : US Code - Section 390A: Review process

Search 7 U.S.C. § 390a : US Code - Section 390A: Review process

(a) Submission to Secretary
Each proposal for an agricultural research facility shall be
submitted to the Secretary for review. The Secretary shall review
the proposals in the order in which the proposals are received.
(b) Application process
In consultation with the congressional agriculture committees,
the Secretary shall establish an application process for the
submission of proposals for agricultural research facilities.
(c) Criteria for approval
(1) Determination by Secretary
With respect to each proposal for an agricultural research
facility submitted under subsection (a) of this section, the
Secretary shall determine whether the proposal meets the criteria
set forth in paragraph (2).
(2) Criteria
A proposal for an agricultural research facility shall meet the
following criteria:
(A) Non-Federal share
The proposal shall certify the availability of at least a 50
percent non-Federal share of the cost of the facility. The non-
Federal share shall be paid in cash and may include funding
from private sources or from units of State or local
government.
(B) Nonduplication of facilities
The proposal shall demonstrate how the agricultural research
facility would be complementary to, and not duplicative of,
facilities of colleges, universities, and nonprofit
institutions, and facilities of the Agricultural Research
Service, within the State and region.
(C) National research priorities
The proposal shall demonstrate how the agricultural research
facility would serve - 
(i) 1 or more of the national research policies and
priorities set forth in section 3101 of this title; and
(ii) national or multistate needs.
(D) Long-term support
The proposal shall demonstrate that the recipient college,
university, or nonprofit institution has the ability and
commitment to support the long-term, ongoing operating costs of
- 
(i) the agricultural research facility after the facility
is completed; and
(ii) each program to be based at the facility.
(d) Evaluation of proposals
Not later than 90 days after receiving a proposal under
subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall - 
(1) evaluate and assess the merits of the proposal, including
the extent to which the proposal meets the criteria set forth in
subsection (c) of this section; and
(2) report to the congressional agriculture committees on the
results of the evaluation and assessment.
(e) National or multistate needs served by ARS facilities
The Secretary shall ensure that each research activity conducted
by a facility of the Agricultural Research Service serves a
national or multistate need.