### §290aa–3. Peer review

#### (a) In general

The Secretary, after consultation with the Assistant Secretary, shall require appropriate peer review of grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to be administered through the agency which exceed the simple acquisition threshold as defined in section 134 of title 41.

#### (b) Members

The members of any peer review group established under subsection (a) shall be individuals who by virtue of their training or experience are eminently qualified to perform the review functions of the group. Not more than one-fourth of the members of any such peer review group shall be officers or employees of the United States. In the case of any such peer review group that is reviewing a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract related to mental illness treatment, not less than half of the members of such peer review group shall be licensed and experienced professionals in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of, or recovery from, mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders and have a medical degree, a doctoral degree in psychology, or an advanced degree in nursing or social work from an accredited program, and the Secretary, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary, shall, to the extent possible, ensure such peer review groups include broad geographic representation, including both urban and rural representatives.

#### (c) Advisory council review

If the direct cost of a grant or cooperative agreement (described in subsection (a)) exceeds the simple acquisition threshold as defined by section 134 of title 41, the Secretary may make such a grant or cooperative agreement only if such grant or cooperative agreement is recommended—

(1) after peer review required under subsection (a); and

(2) by the appropriate advisory council.

#### (d) Conditions

The Secretary may establish limited exceptions to the limitations contained in this section regarding participation of Federal employees and advisory council approval. The circumstances under which the Secretary may make such an exception shall be made public.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title V, §504, formerly §506, as added Pub. L. 98–24, §2(b)(7), Apr. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 178; amended Pub. L. 99–158, §3(c), Nov. 20, 1985, 99 Stat. 879; renumbered §507 and amended Pub. L. 99–570, title IV, §§4004(a), 4007, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–109, 3207–115; renumbered §504 and amended Pub. L. 102–321, title I, §104, July 10, 1992, 106 Stat. 333; Pub. L. 102–352, §2(a)(7), Aug. 26, 1992, 106 Stat. 938; Pub. L. 105–392, title IV, §412, Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3590; Pub. L. 106–310, div. B, title XXXIV, §3401(b), Oct. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 1218; Pub. L. 114–255, div. B, title VI, §§6001(c)(2), 6009, Dec. 13, 2016, 130 Stat. 1203, 1215.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Codification

In subsecs. (a) and (c), "section 134 of title 41" substituted for "section 4(11) of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act" on authority of Pub. L. 111–350, §6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts.

Section was formerly classified to section 290aa–5 of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 102–321.

#### Prior Provisions

A prior section 290aa–3, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title V, §504, formerly title IV, §455, as added May 14, 1974, Pub. L. 93–282, title II, §202, 88 Stat. 135; amended Oct. 7, 1980, Pub. L. 96–398, title III, §325, title IV, §401(a), title VIII, §804(a), 94 Stat. 1596, 1597, 1608; Aug. 13, 1981, Pub. L. 97–35, title IX, §902(g)(1), 95 Stat. 560; renumbered title V, §504, Apr. 26, 1983, Pub. L. 98–24, §2(b)(6), 97 Stat. 177; Oct. 19, 1984, Pub. L. 98–509, title II, §§203, 204, 98 Stat. 2360, 2361; Oct. 7, 1985, Pub. L. 99–117, §11(b), 99 Stat. 495; Oct. 27, 1986, Pub. L. 99–570, title IV, §§4011(a), 4012, 4013, 4021(a), (b)(1), 100 Stat. 3207–115, 3207–116, 3207–124; Nov. 14, 1986, Pub. L. 99–660, title V, §504, 100 Stat. 3797; Nov. 18, 1988, Pub. L. 100–690, title II, §2057(1), (2), 102 Stat. 4211, related to National Institute of Mental Health, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–321, title I, §101(b), July 10, 1992, 106 Stat. 331. See section 285p of this title.

A prior section 504 of act July 1, 1944, which was classified to section 222 of this title, was renumbered section 2104 of act July 1, 1944, by Pub. L. 98–24 and transferred to section 300aa–3 of this title, renumbered section 2304 of act July 1, 1944, by Pub. L. 99–660 and transferred to section 300cc–3 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 98–621, §10(s), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3381.

#### Amendments

2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–255, §6001(c)(2), substituted "Assistant Secretary" for "Administrator".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–255, §6009, inserted at end: "In the case of any such peer review group that is reviewing a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract related to mental illness treatment, not less than half of the members of such peer review group shall be licensed and experienced professionals in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of, or recovery from, mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders and have a medical degree, a doctoral degree in psychology, or an advanced degree in nursing or social work from an accredited program, and the Secretary, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary, shall, to the extent possible, ensure such peer review groups include broad geographic representation, including both urban and rural representatives."

2000—Pub. L. 106–310 reenacted section catchline without change and amended text generally, substituting, in subsec. (a), provisions requiring, after consultation with the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, appropriate peer review of grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to be administered through the agency that exceed the simple acquisition threshold as defined in section 403 of title 41 for provisions requiring such peer review after consultation with the Directors of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, and the Center for Mental Health Services, in subsec. (b), provisions relating to members of peer groups qualified to perform review functions under subsec. (a) for similar provisions in former subsec. (b) but which included reference to regulatory establishment of such groups, in subsec. (c), provisions relating to advisory council review for provisions relating to requirements and specification of regulations promulgated under subsec. (a), and in subsec. (d), provisions relating to Secretary's authority to establish exceptions to the limitations in section regarding participation of Federal employees and advisory council approval for provisions relating to recommendations.

1998—Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 105–392 substituted "or cooperative agreement" for "cooperative agreement, or contract" wherever appearing in introductory provisions.

1992—Pub. L. 102–352 struck out "by regulation" after "Center for Mental Health Services, shall" in subsec. (a).

Pub. L. 102–321 amended section generally, substituting provisions relating to peer review of grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts administered through the Centers for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse Prevention, and Mental Health Services for provisions relating to peer review of biomedical and behavioral research and development grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts administered through the National Institutes of Mental Health, Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and Drug Abuse.

1986—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–570, §4007, inserted "applications made for" before "grants, cooperative" in introductory text.

1985—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 99–158 added subsec. (e).

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date of 1992 Amendments

Amendment by Pub. L. 102–352 effective immediately upon effectuation of amendment made by Pub. L. 102–321, see section 3(1) of Pub. L. 102–352, set out as a note under section 285n of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 102–321 effective Oct. 1, 1992, with provision for programs providing financial assistance, see section 801(c), (d) of Pub. L. 102–321, set out as a note under section 236 of this title.