§4141. Award of grants and contracts to colleges and universities: requirement of competition

(a) The Secretary of Defense may not make a grant or award a contract to a college or university for the performance of research and development, or for the construction of any research or other facility, unless-

(1) in the case of a grant, the grant is made using competitive procedures; and

(2) in the case of a contract, the contract is awarded in accordance with section 3204 of this title (other than pursuant to subsection (a)(5) of that section).

(b)(1) A provision of law may not be construed as modifying or superseding the provisions of subsection (a), or as requiring funds to be made available by the Secretary of Defense to a particular college or university by grant or contract, unless that provision of law-

(A) specifically refers to this section;

(B) specifically states that such provision of law modifies or supersedes the provisions of this section; and

(C) specifically identifies the particular college or university involved and states that the grant to be made or the contract to be awarded, as the case may be, pursuant to such provision of law is being made or awarded in contravention of subsection (a).

(2) A grant may not be made, or a contract awarded, pursuant to a provision of law that authorizes or requires the making of the grant, or the awarding of the contract, in a manner that is inconsistent with subsection (a) until-

(A) the Secretary of Defense submits to Congress a notice in writing of the intent to make the grant or award the contract; and

(B) a period of 180 days has elapsed after the date on which the notice is received by Congress.

(Added Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title II, §220(a), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 1940 , §2361; amended Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title II, §252(a), (b)(1), (c)(1), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1404 , 1405; Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XIII, §1311(4), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1669 ; Pub. L. 103–35, title II, §201(g)(5), May 31, 1993, 107 Stat. 100 ; Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title VIII, §821(b), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1704 ; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title VIII, §813, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2816 ; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title II, §264, title XV, §1502(a)(1), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 237 , 502; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title II, §265, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2466 ; renumbered §4141, Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §1844(b), as added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, §1701(u)(5)(B), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2154 ; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §§1841(c), 1883(b)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4243 , 4294; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, §1701(u)(2)(D), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2151 ; Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title XVII, §1701(a)(38), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2205 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2024-Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 118–159 substituted "section 3204" for "section 2304" and "subsection (a)(5)" for "subsection (c)(5)".

2021-Pub. L. 116–283, §1844(b), as added by Pub. L. 117–81, §1701(u)(5)(B), renumbered section 2361 of this title as this section.

Pub. L. 116–283, §1841(c), which directed the renumbering of section 2361 of this title as section 4015 instead of this section, was amended generally by Pub. L. 117–81, §1701(u)(2)(D), effective as if included therein, so that such renumbering was no longer directed.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 116–283, §1883(b)(2), which directed that each reference in the text of title 10 to a section that was redesignated by title XVIII of Pub. L. 116–283, as such section was in effect before the redesignation, be amended by striking such reference and inserting a reference to the appropriate redesignated section, was not executed with respect to "section 2304", which was redesignated as multiple sections.

1996-Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–201 struck out subsec. (c) which read as follows:

"(1) The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives an annual report on the use of competitive procedures for the award of research and development contracts, and the award of construction contracts, to colleges and universities. Each such report shall include-

"(A) a list of each college and university that, during the period covered by the report, received more than $1,000,000 in such contracts through the use of procedures other than competitive procedures; and

"(B) the cumulative amount of such contracts received during that period by each such college and university.

"(2) Each report under paragraph (1) shall cover the preceding fiscal year and shall be submitted not later than February 1 of the fiscal year after the fiscal year covered by the report."

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 104–106, §1502(a)(1), substituted "Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives" for "Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives".

Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 104–106, §264, substituted "preceding fiscal year" for "preceding calendar year" and "the fiscal year after the fiscal year" for "the year after the year".

1994-Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–337 added subsec. (c).

1993-Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 103–35 substituted "inconsistent" for "inconsisent".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–160 struck out subsec. (c) which read as follows:

"(1) The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives an annual report on the use of competitive procedures for the award of research and development contracts, and the award of construction contracts, to colleges and universities. Each such report shall include-

"(A) a list of each college and university that, during the period covered by the report, received more than $1,000,000 in such contracts through the use of procedures other than competitive procedures; and

"(B) the cumulative amount of such contracts received during that period by each such college and university.

"(2) The reports under paragraph (1) shall cover the preceding calendar year and shall be submitted not later than February 1 of the year after the year covered by the report.

"(3) A report is not required under paragraph (1) for any period beginning after December 31, 1993."

1990-Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 101–510, §1311(4)(A), substituted "an annual report" for "a semiannual report" in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 101–510, §1311(4)(B), substituted "the preceding calendar year and shall be submitted not later than February 1 of the year after the year covered by the report" for "the six-month periods ending on June 30 and December 31 of each year. Each such report shall be submitted within 30 days after the end of the period covered by the report".

1989-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–189, §252(a), substituted "unless-" for "unless" and pars. (1) and (2) for "the grant or contract is made or awarded using competitive procedures."

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–189, §252(b)(1), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: "A provision of law enacted after the date of the enactment of this section may not be construed as modifying or superseding the provisions of subsection (a) unless that provision of law specifically refers to this section and specifically states that such provision of law modifies or supersedes the provisions of this section."

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–189, §252(c)(1), added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 117–81 applicable as if included in the enactment of title XVIII of Pub. L. 116–283 as enacted, see section 1701(a)(2) of Pub. L. 117–81, set out in a note preceding section 3001 of this title and note below.

Amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date of 1993 Amendment

Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title VIII, §821(b), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1704 , provided that the amendment made by that section is effective Feb. 1, 1994.

Effective Date of 1989 Amendment

Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title II, §252(b)(2), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1405 , provided that: "Subsection (b) of section 2361 of title 10, United States Code [now 10 U.S.C. 4141(b)], as amended by paragraph (1), applies with respect to any provision of law enacted after September 30, 1989."

Effective Date

Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title II, §220(c), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 1941 , provided that: "The limitation specified in section 2361(a) of title 10, United States Code [now 10 U.S.C. 4141(a)] (as added by subsection (a)), on the authority of the Secretary of Defense to make grants and award contracts shall take effect on October 1, 1989."

National Security and Defense Artificial Intelligence Institute

Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title II, §224, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 782 , provided that:

"(a) In General.-The Secretary of Defense may establish one or more National Security and Defense Artificial Intelligence Institutes (referred to in this section as 'Institutes') at eligible host institutions.

"(b) Institute Described.-A National Security and Defense Artificial Intelligence Institute referred to in subsection (a) is an artificial intelligence research institute that-

"(1) is focused on a cross-cutting challenge or foundational science for artificial intelligence systems in the national security and defense sector;

"(2) establishes partnerships among public and private organizations, including, as appropriate, Federal agencies, institutions of higher education, including community colleges, nonprofit research organizations, Federal laboratories, State, local, and Tribal governments, and industry, including the Defense Industrial Base and startup companies;

"(3) has the potential to create an innovation ecosystem, or enhance existing ecosystems, to translate Institute research into applications and products used to enhance national security and defense capabilities;

"(4) supports interdisciplinary research and development across multiple institutions of higher education and organizations; and

"(5) supports workforce development in artificial intelligence related disciplines in the United States.

"(c) Financial Assistance Authorized.-

"(1) In general.-The Secretary of Defense may award financial assistance to an eligible host institution, or consortia thereof, to establish and support one or more Institutes.

"(2) Use of funds.-Financial assistance awarded under paragraph (1) may be used by an Institute for-

"(A) managing and making available to researchers accessible, curated, standardized, secure, and privacy protected data sets from the public and private sectors for the purposes of training and testing artificial intelligence systems and for research using artificial intelligence systems with regard to national security and defense;

"(B) developing and managing testbeds for artificial intelligence systems, including sector-specific test beds, designed to enable users to evaluate artificial intelligence systems prior to deployment;

"(C) conducting research and education activities involving artificial intelligence systems to solve challenges with national security implications;

"(D) providing or brokering access to computing resources, networking, and data facilities for artificial intelligence research and development relevant to the Institute's research goals;

"(E) providing technical assistance to users, including software engineering support, for artificial intelligence research and development relevant to the Institute's research goals;

"(F) engaging in outreach and engagement to broaden participation in artificial intelligence research and the artificial intelligence workforce; and

"(G) such other activities as may determined by the Secretary of Defense.

"(3) Duration.-Financial assistance under paragraph (1) shall be awarded for a five-year period, and may be renewed for not more than one additional five-year period.

"(4) Application for financial assistance.-An eligible host institution or consortia thereof seeking financial assistance under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary of Defense an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

"(5) Competitive, merit review.-In awarding financial assistance under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall use a competitive, merit-based review process.

"(6) Collaboration.-In awarding financial assistance under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense may collaborate with other departments and agencies of the Federal Government with missions that relate to or have the potential to be affected by the national security implications of artificial intelligence systems.

"(7) Limitation.-No financial assistance authorized in this section shall be awarded to an entity outside of the United States. All recipients of financial assistance under this section, including subgrantees, shall be based in the United States and shall meet such other eligibility criteria as may be established by the Secretary of Defense.

"(d) Definition.-In this section, the term 'eligible host institution' means-

"(1) an institution of higher education (as defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) in the United States that conducts research sponsored by the Department of Defense; or

"(2) a senior military college (as defined in section 2111a(f) of title 10, United States Code)."