(a) Except as otherwise prohibited by law, any public or private nonprofit institution of higher education may apply for an award under this part.

(b) Awardee institutions may carry out portions of the research or training components of an award through contracts with appropriate organizations, including:

(1) Generators of hazardous wastes;

(2) Persons involved in the detection, assessment, evaluation, and treatment of hazardous substances;

(3) Owners and operators of facilities at which hazardous substances are located; and

(4) State and local governments.