(1) The state agency is hereby authorized:

(a) To acquire from the United States under and in conformance with the provisions of section 203 (j) of the "Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949", as amended, such property, including equipment, materials, books, or other supplies under the control of any department or agency of the United States as may be usable and necessary for educational purposes, public health purposes, or civil defense, including research for any such purpose, and for such other purposes as may be authorized by federal law;

(b) To warehouse such property; and

(c) To distribute such property within the state to tax-supported medical institutions, hospitals, clinics, health centers, school systems, schools, colleges, and universities within the state, and to other nonprofit medical institutions, hospitals, clinics, health centers, schools, colleges, and universities which are exempt from taxation under section 501 (c)(3) of the federal "Internal Revenue Code of 1986", as amended, to civil defense organizations of the state, or political subdivisions and instrumentalities thereof, which are established pursuant to state law, and to such other types of institutions or activities as may become eligible under federal law to acquire such property.

(2) The state agency is authorized to receive applications from eligible institutions listed in subsection (1)(c) of this section for the acquisition of federal surplus real property, investigate the same, obtain expression of views respecting such applications from the appropriate health or educational authorities of the state, make recommendations as to the need of such applicant for the property, the merits of its proposed program of utilization, the suitability of the property for such purposes, and otherwise assist in the processing of such applications for acquisition of real and related personal property of the United States under section 203 (k) of the "Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949", as amended.

(3) For the purpose of executing its authority under this part 4, the state agency is authorized to adopt, amend, or rescind such rules and regulations and prescribe such requirements as may be deemed necessary and to take such other actions as are deemed necessary and suitable in the administration of this part 4 to assure maximum utilization by and benefit to health, educational, and civil defense institutions and organizations within the state from property distributed under this part 4.

(4) The state agency is authorized to make such certification, take such action, make such expenditures, and enter into such contracts, agreements, and undertakings for and in the name of the state (including cooperative agreements with any federal agencies providing for utilization by and exchange between them of the property, facilities, personnel, and services of each by the other with reimbursement), require such reports and make such investigations as may be required by law or regulation of the United States in connection with the disposal of real property and the receipt, warehousing, and distribution of personal property received by the state agency from the United States.

(5) The state agency is authorized to act as a clearinghouse of information for the public and private nonprofit institutions, organizations, and agencies referred to in subsection (1) of this section and other institutions eligible to acquire federal surplus real property, to locate both real and personal property available for acquisition from the United States, to ascertain the terms and conditions under which such property may be obtained, to receive requests from said institutions, organizations, and agencies, and to transmit to them all available information in reference to such property, and to aid and assist such institutions, organizations, and agencies in every way possible in the consummation of acquisitions or transactions under this part 4.

(6) The state agency, in the administration of this part 4, shall cooperate to the fullest extent consistent with the provisions of this part 4 with the department or agencies of the United States and shall file a state plan of operation, operate in accordance therewith, and take such action as may be necessary to meet the minimum standards prescribed in accordance with this part 4, and make such reports in such form and containing such information as the United States or any of its departments or agencies may from time to time require, and it shall comply with the laws of the United States and the rules and regulations of any of the departments or agencies of the United States governing the allocation, transfer, use, or accounting for property donable or donated to the state.

(7) The director of the agency shall prepare and transmit annually, in the form and manner prescribed by the heads of the principal departments pursuant to the provisions of section 24-1-136, a report accounting to the governor for the efficient discharge of all responsibilities assigned by law or directive to the agency. Publications of the agency circulated in quantity outside the executive branch shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 24-1-136.