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The Secretary shall require, to the greatest extent feasible, the employment of new and improved technologies, methods, and materials in housing construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance under programs administered by him with a view to reducing costs, and shall encourage and promote the acceptance and application of such advanced technology, methods, and materials by all segments of the housing industry, communities, industries engaged in urban development activities, and the general public. To the extent feasible, in connection with the construction, major rehabilitation, or maintenance of any housing assisted under section 1701z–1 of this title, the Secretary shall assure that there is no restraint by contract, building code, zoning ordinance, or practice against the employment of new or improved technologies, techniques, materials, and methods or of preassembled products which may reduce the cost or improve the quality of such construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance, and therefore stimulate expanded production of housing, except where such restraint is necessary to insure safe and healthful working and living conditions.

To encourage large-scale experimentation in the use of new technologies, methods, and materials, with a view toward the ultimate mass production of housing and related facilities, the Secretary shall wherever feasible conduct programs under section 1701z–1 of this title in which qualified organizations, public and private, will submit plans for development and production of housing and related facilities using such new advances on Federal land which has been made available or acquired by the Secretary for the purpose of this subsection or on other land where

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary is authorized, in connection with projects under this title [12 U.S.C. 1701z–1 et seq.], to acquire, use and dispose of any land and other property required for the project as he deems necessary. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, any land which is excess property within the meaning of such Act and which is determined by the Secretary to be suitable in furtherance of the purposes of subsection (b) of this section may be transferred to the Secretary upon his request.

In order to effectively carry out his activities under section 1701z–1 of this title, the Secretary is authorized to provide such advice and technical assistance as may be required and to pay for the cost of writing and publishing reports on activities and undertakings financed under section 1701z–1 of this title, as well as reports on similar activities and undertakings, not so financed, which are of significant value in furthering the purposes of that section. He may disseminate (without regard to the provisions of section 3204 of title 39 or section 4154 of such title with respect to any period before the effective date of such section 3204 as provided in section 15(a) of the Postal Reorganization Act) any reports, data, or information acquired or held under this title [12 U.S.C. 1701z–1 et seq.], including related data and information otherwise available to the Secretary through the operation of the programs and activities of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, in such form as he determines to be most useful to departments, establishments, and agencies of Federal, State, and local governments, to industry, and to the general public.

The Secretary is authorized to carry out the functions authorized in section 1701z–1 of this title either directly or, without regard to section 5 of title 41, by contract or by grant. Advance and progress payment may be made under such contracts or grants without regard to the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of section 3324 of title 31 and such contracts or grants may be made for work to continue for not more than four years from the date thereof.

In carrying out activities under section 1701z–1 of this title, the Secretary shall utilize to the fullest extent feasible the available facilities of other Federal departments and agencies, and shall consult with, and make recommendations to, such departments and agencies. The Secretary may enter into working agreements with such departments and agencies and contract or make grants on their behalf or have such departments and agencies contract or make grants on his behalf and such departments and agencies are hereby authorized to execute such contracts and grants. The Secretary is authorized to make or accept reimbursement for the cost of such activities. The Secretary is further authorized to undertake activities under this title [12 U.S.C. 1701z–1 et seq.] under cooperative agreements with industry and labor, agencies of State or local governments, educational institutions, and other organizations. He may enter into contracts with and receive funds from such agencies, institutions, and organizations, and may exercise any of the other powers vested in him by section 1701c (c) of this title.

The Secretary is authorized to request and receive such information or data as he deems appropriate from private individuals and organizations, and from public agencies. Any such information or data shall be used only for the purposes for which it is supplied, and no publication shall be made by the Secretary whereby the information or data furnished by any particular person or establishment can be identified, except with the consent of such person or establishment.