16 USC 557a – Field season contracts; authority to make prior to appropriation
The Secretary of Agriculture is hereafter authorized, in connection with the administration of the national forests, to enter into contracts for the procurement of services, materials, and supplies for the ensuing fiscal year, prior to the passage of an appropriation therefor: Provided, That such contracts shall aliquot the cost for such service by fiscal years and shall not be binding on the United States as to that part for the ensuing year unless and until an appropriation applicable to the payment thereof is made: And provided further, That all such contracts shall by their terms provide that the obligation of the United States is contingent upon the passage of an applicable appropriation and that no payment thereunder will be made until such appropriation becomes available for expenditure.
Terms Used In 16 USC 557a
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.