10 USC § 4143 - Research and development laboratories: contracts for services of university students

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t10/s4143"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "10 USC § 4143 - Research and development laboratories: contracts for services of university students"
title_number: 10
title_name: "ARMED FORCES"
section_number: "4143"
section_name: "Research and development laboratories: contracts for services of university students"
chapter_number: 305
chapter_name: "UNIVERSITIES"
part_number: "V"
part_name: "ACQUISITION"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 97–86, title VI, § 603(a), Dec. 1, 1981, 95 Stat. 1110, § 2360; renumbered § 4143, Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1844(b), as added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(u)(5)(B), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2154; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1843(b)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4245; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(u)(4)(A), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2153.)"
---


# § 4143. Research and development laboratories: contracts for services of university students

**(a)** Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the Secretary of Defense may procure by contract under the authority of this section the temporary or intermittent services of students at institutions of higher learning for the purpose of providing technical support at defense research and development laboratories. Such contracts may be made directly with such students or with nonprofit organizations employing such students.

**(b)** Students providing services pursuant to a contract made under subsection (a) shall be considered to be employees for the purposes of chapter 81 of title 5, relating to compensation for work injuries, and to be employees of the government for the purposes of chapter 171 of title 28, relating to tort claims. Such students who are not otherwise employed by the Federal Government shall not be considered to be Federal employees for any other purpose.

**(c)** The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section. Such regulations shall include definitions for the purposes of this section of the terms “student”, “institution of higher learning”, and “nonprofit organization”.

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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 97–86, title VI, § 603(a), Dec. 1, 1981, 95 Stat. 1110, § 2360; renumbered § 4143, Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1844(b), as added Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(u)(5)(B), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2154; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1843(b)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4245; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(u)(4)(A), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2153.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2021—, as added by , renumbered  as this section.

, which directed the renumbering of  as section 4112 instead of this section, was repealed by , effective as if included therein, so that such renumbering was no longer directed.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Amendment by  applicable as if included in the enactment of title XVIII of  as enacted, see , set out in a note preceding  and note below.

Amendment by  effective , with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see , set out as a note preceding .