General for COVID Recovery Funds shall be considered to be an office described in section 6(f)(3) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) and shall be exempt from an initial determination by the Attorney General under section 6(f)(2) of that Act. (e) Personnel, facilities, and other resources (1) Appointment of officers and employees The Special Inspector General may select, appoint, and employ such officers and employees as may be necessary for carrying out the duties of the Special Inspector General, subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title, relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates. (2) Experts and consultants The Special Inspector General may obtain services as authorized under section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, at daily rates not to exceed the equivalent rate prescribed for grade GS–15 of the General Schedule by section 5332 of that title. (3) Contracts The Special Inspector General may enter into contracts and other arrangements for audits, studies, analyses, and other services with public agencies and with private persons and make such payments as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the Inspector General. (4) Requests for information (A) In general Upon request of the Special Inspector General for information or assistance from any department, agency, or other entity of the Federal Government, the head of that department, agency, or entity shall, to the extent practicable and not in contravention of any existing law, furnish that information or assistance to the Special Inspector General, or an authorized designee. (B) Refusal to provide requested information Whenever information or assistance requested by the Special Inspector General is, in the judgment of the Special Inspector General, unreasonably refused or not provided, the Special Inspector General shall report the circumstances to the appropriate