54 U.S.C. § 101920 — Contracting for services

(a) Contracting Authorized. (1) To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary^* must contract with private companies to help manage parts of the Service's concession program that are suitable for non-federal workers to handle. This must include: health and safety inspections; quality control of concession operations and facilities; strategic capital planning for concession facilities; and analysis of rates and charges to the public. (2) The Secretary may also contract for help with: preparing the financial parts of concession contract prospectuses; developing guidelines for a System^*-wide capital improvement and maintenance program covering concession-occupied facilities; and making recommendations to the Director^* about conducting annual audits of how concession fees are spent.

(b) Other Management Elements. Taking the Advisory Board's recommendations into account, the Secretary must consider contracting out other parts of the concessions management program as appropriate.

(c) Authority of Secretary Not Diminished. None of this reduces the Secretary's governmental responsibility and authority to administer concession contracts and activities under this subchapter and several other cited provisions (section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and sections 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101). The Secretary keeps the final say on any decision or contract approval involving the management of the Service's concessions program.