The administration shall have, in addition to any other powers conferred by this chapter, the following powers:

(1) To have a seal and alter the same at pleasure;

(2) To acquire by purchase, lease, or otherwise and to hold, lease, and dispose of, in any manner, real and personal property of every kind and character for its corporate purposes;

(3) To appoint, upon the recommendations of its chief executive officer, such additional officers, agents, and employees as may, in its judgment, be necessary to carry on the business of the administration; to fix the compensation for such officers and employees; and to promote and discharge the same. However, all legal services for the administration shall be rendered by the Attorney General and his staff and no fee shall be paid to any attorney or law firm for legal services. The administration shall be authorized to pay such fees, stamps, and licenses and any court costs that may be incurred by virtue of the powers granted in this Code section;

(4) To have the same powers and authority possessed by the Department of Corrections in connection with the manufacture and sale of products;

(5) To utilize any and all inmates who may be made available for its corporate purposes by the Department of Corrections. The administration shall not be required to make any payment to the Department of Corrections for the use of such labor and shall not compensate inmates employed in any industry or performing services at any correctional institution;

(6) To retain its earnings for expenditure upon any lawful purpose of the administration;

(6.1) To conduct vocational training of inmates without regard to their industrial or other assignment;

(6.2) To construct, erect, install, equip, repair, replace, maintain, and operate facilities of every character, consistent with its purposes; provided, however, that the Department of Corrections may not contract with the administration to transfer to it any capital outlay appropriations unless the appropriation was by line item expressly designating such a purpose; provided, further, the warehouse, the construction of which commenced in DeKalb County in 1988 by the administration, and all other facilities of the administration presently completed are ratified and approved;

(7) To turn any surplus over to the state treasury in the event that the administration shall accumulate a surplus in excess of the amount necessary for the efficient operation of the programs authorized by this chapter, except that an amount not to exceed 20 percent of that part of such surplus earnings as may be attributable to the production or services effort of any given production or other facility operated by or under the jurisdiction or supervision of the administration shall be creditable to the operating budget of the state operated penal institution upon which the production facility or services activity was based;

(8) To borrow money and to pledge any or all property owned by the administration as security therefor;

(9) To receive from any source, including, but not limited to, the state, municipalities and political subdivisions of the state, and the federal government, gifts and grants for its corporate purposes;

(10) To hold, use, administer, and expend such sum or sums as may be appropriated by authority of the General Assembly or the Office of Planning and Budget for any of the purposes of the administration;

(11) To provide training facilities for the prerelease rehabilitation and education of inmates confined in the state penal system; and

(12) To contract with any department, agency, or instrumentality of the state and any political subdivision thereof for the furnishing of any service which the Department of Corrections may provide.