Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 60 Part 1.djvu/836

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79TH CONG. , 2n SESS.-CH. 744-AUG. 2,1946 head of any department or his duly authorized representative may exchange or sell similar items and apply the exchange allowances or proceeds of sales in such cases in whole or in part payment therefor: Provided, That any transaction carried out under the authority of this Evidence of trans- section shall be evidenced in writing. ction. SEC. 9. (a) Section 3709 of the Revised Statutes of the United 41U. S . C. . States is hereby amended to read as follows: "Unless otherwise provided in the appropriation concerned or other Advertising. law, purchases and contracts for supplies or services for the Govern- ment may be made or entered into only after advertising a sufficient time previously for proposals, except (1) when the amount involved in Purchases, etc., e- any one case does not exceed $100, (2) when the public exigencies cepted. require the immediate delivery of the articles or performance of the service, (3) when only one source of supply is available and the Gov- ernment purchasing or contracting officer shall so certify, or (4) when the services are required to be performed by the contractor in person and are (A) of a technical and professional nature or (B) under Government supervision and paid for on a time basis. Except (1) as authorized by section 29 of the Surplus Property Act of 1944 (50 U. S. C. App. 1638), (2) when otherwise authorized by law, or (3) 5stat.71. when the reasonable value involved in any one case does not exceed $100, sales and contracts of sale by the Government shall be governed by the requirements of this section for advertising." (b) Exemptions from section 3709, Revised Statutes, in other law Reeal. in amounts of $100 or less are hereby repealed. (c) In the case of wholly owned Government corporations, this oWhornmet owned section shall apply to their administrative transactions only. tions. SEO. 10. Whenever a department is authorized by law to hold hear- rFee and mileage ings and to subpena witnesses for appearance at said hearings, wit- nesses summoned to and attending such hearings shall be entitled to the same fees and mileage, or expenses in the case of Government officers and employees, as provided by law for witnesses attending in the United States courts. SEC. 11. The first sentence of section 3648 of the Revised Statutes v 3 1U sotC., s8pp. (31 U. S . C . 529) is hereby amended to read as follows: "No advance of public money shall be made in any case unless Advances. authorized by the appropriation concerned or other law." SEC. 12. The head of any department may delegate to subordinate thoeiaton of au. officials (1) the power vested in him by law to take final action on matters pertaining to the employment, direction, and general admin- istration of personnel under his department; (2) the authority vested in him by section 3683 of the Revised Statutes (31 U. S . C. 675) to direct the purchase of articles from contingent funds; and (3) the authority vested in him by section 3828, Revised Statutes (44 U. S . C . 324), to authorize the publication of advertisements, notices or pro- posals. SEC. 13. Appropriations available for the procurement of supplies ,e ,, othptiand and material or equipment shall be available for the purchase and maintenance of special clothing and equipment for the protection of personnel in the performance of their assigned tasks. SEC. 14. The head of each department is authorized, under such rules tAod sI r and regulations as the President may prescribe, to pay cash awards to civilian officers and employees (or to their estates) who make meritori- ous suggestions which will result in improvement or economy in the operations of his department and which have been adopted for use and to incur necessary expenses for the honorary recognition of excep- tional or meritorious service: Provided,That no award shall be paid to any officer or employee for any suggestion which represents a part of the normal requirements of the duties of his position. With the exception of the War and Navy Departments, the amount of any one 60 STAT.] 809