§257. Administrative determinations

(a) Conclusiveness; delegation of powers

Determinations and decisions provided in this Act to be made by the Administrator or other agency head shall be final. Such determinations or decisions may be made with respect to individual purchases or contracts or, except for determinations or decisions under sections 253, 253a, and 253b of this title, with respect to classes of purchases or contracts. Except as provided in section 253(d)(2) of this title, and except as provided in section 486(d) of title 40 with respect to the Administrator, the agency head is authorized to delegate his powers provided by this Act, including the making of such determinations and decisions, in his discretion and subject to his direction, to any other officer or officers or officials of the agency.

(b) Basis of determinations; finding conclusive; preservation of findings; copy

Each determination or decision required by section 254 or by section 255(d) of this title shall be based upon written findings made by the official making such determination, which findings shall be final and shall be available within the agency for a period of at least six years following the date of the determination.

(June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title III, §307, 63 Stat. 396 ; Pub. L. 85–800, §5, Aug. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 967 ; Pub. L. 89–343, §§3, 4, Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1303 ; Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VII, §2714(a)(4), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1184 ; Pub. L. 104–106, div. D, title XLIII, §4321(e)(6), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 675 ; Pub. L. 104–316, title I, §121(c), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3836 .)

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is act June 30, 1949, ch. 288, 63 Stat. 377 , as amended, known as the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 471 of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, and Tables.

Amendments

1996-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–316 struck out at end "A copy of the findings shall be submitted to the General Accounting Office with the contract."

Pub. L. 104–106 substituted "section 255(d)" for "section 255(c)".

1984-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–369, §2714(a)(4), substituted provision that determinations and decisions provided in this Act to be made by the Administrator or other agency head shall be final for provision that such determinations and decisions provided in this subchapter to be made by such official would be final, and inserted exception for determinations or decisions under sections 253, 253a, and 253b of this title, substituted "Except as provided in section 253(d)(2) of this title" for "Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section", and directed the substitution of "this Act" for "this chapter" after "powers provided by", which substitution was not capable of literal execution because the original text read "this title". Consequently, the amendment was executed by substituting "this Act" for "this title" as the probable intent of Congress.

Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 98–369, §2714(a)(4)(D)–(F), redesignated subsec. (c) as (b), struck out "paragraphs (11), (12), (13), or of section 253(c)", and struck out former subsec. (b) which related to nondelegable powers and powers delegable to certain persons.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98–369, §2714(a)(4)(G), struck out subsec. (d) which related to preservation of data relating to contracts negotiated pursuant to the former provisions of section 252(c) of this title.

1965-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–343, §3, inserted "and except as provided in section 486(d) of title 40 with respect to the Administrator".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89–343, §4, struck out provisions which made the power of Administrator to make the delegations and determinations specified in section 252(a) of this title delegable only to Deputy Administrator or to chief official of any principal organizational unit of General Services Administration.

1958-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 85–800, §5(a), (b), substituted "(12)" for "(11)", "(13)" for "(12)", and "(11)" for "(10)" and struck out "and in section 255(a) of this title" before "shall not be delegable" in first sentence.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 85–800, §5(a), (c), substituted "(11), (12), (13), or (14)" for "(10), (11), (12), or (13)", and "255(c)" for "255(a)".

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

For effective date and applicability of amendment by Pub. L. 104–106, see section 4401 of Pub. L. 104–106, set out as a note under section 251 of this title.

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–369 applicable with respect to any solicitation for bids or proposals issued after Mar. 31, 1985, see section 2751 of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as a note under section 251 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective July 1, 1949, see section 605 of act June 30, 1949, set out as a note under section 471 of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works.

Definitions

The definitions in section 472 of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, apply to this subchapter.

Cross References

Agency head, definition of, see section 259 of this title.

Determinations and decisions on armed services contracts, see section 2310 of Title 10, Armed Forces.