For the purposes of this chapter the Secretary of State is authorized to supervise, preserve, maintain, operate, and, when deemed necessary, to insure the Foreign Service properties in foreign countries and the other properties acquired in accordance with the provisions of this chapter; to rent and insure objects of art; to collect information and formulate plans; and, without regard to civil service and classification laws, to obtain architectural and other expert technical services as may be necessary and pay therefor the scale of professional fees as established by local authority, law or custom, and to make expenditures without regard to section 295a of this title requiring purchase of articles manufactured in the United States.