Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 104 Part 5.djvu/436

 104 STAT. 3758 PUBLIC LAW 101-624—NOV. 28, 1990 culture under the general supervision and policy control of the Secretary. (b) FUNCTIONS.—The Center shall have the authority to— (1) make grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements and contracts with, eligible applicants for research, development, and demonstration projects in accordance with section 1660; (2) make loans and interest subsidy payments and invest venture capital in accordance with section 1661; (3) collect and disseminate information about State, regional, and local commercialization projects; (4) search for new nonfood, nonfeed products that may be produced from agricultural commodities and for processes to produce such products; (5) administer, maintain, and dispense funds from the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Revolving Fund to facilitate the conduct of activities under this subtitle; and (6) engage in other activities incident to carrying out its functions. (c) DIRECTOR. — The Center shall be headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by the Board and approved by the Secretary of Agriculture. The Director shall receive basic pay at the rate provided for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code. The Director shall be appointed for a term of five years, subject to removal by the Board before the end of that term. (d) RESPONSIBIUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR. — Subject to the general supervision of the Board, the Director shall be responsible for the overall management of the Center and the implementation of general policies respecting the management and operation of programs and activities of the Center. In carrying out such responsibilities on behalf of the Center, the Director shall— (1) provide for appropriate peer review of— (A) applications for grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements submitted under section 1660 and applications for financial assistance submitted under section 1661; (B) the conduct of research for which assistance is provided by the Center; and (C) research findings or reports resulting from grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements administered by the Center as the Board determines necessary; (2) require, where appropriate, licensing and patent agreements, copyright fees, royalties, or other fee arrangements on the sales of products, new uses, applications technologies, or processes developed through assistance provided through a grant made, contract or cooperative agreement entered into, or other assistance provided, under this subtitle. (3) take appropriate action to ensure that all channels for the dissemination and exchange of agricultural products and processes research are maintained between the Center and other agricultural, scientific, and business entities; and (e) STAFF.—Upon the request of the Director, the Secretary may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of the Etepartment of Agriculture to assist the Director in carrying out the duties of the Director.

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