[Federal Register: April 17, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 75)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 20799-20804]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17ap08-10]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
41 CFR Part 102-38
[FMR Amendment 2008-05; FMR Case 2007-102-2; Docket FMR-2008-0001;
Sequence 2]
RIN 3090-AI33
Federal Management Regulation; FMR Case 2007-102-2, Sale of
Personal Property-Federal Asset Sales (eFAS) Sales Centers
AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, General Services
Administration (GSA).
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The General Services Administration is amending the Federal
Management Regulation (FMR) by adding provisions for the sale of
personal property through Federal Asset Sales (eFAS) Sales Centers.
DATES: Effective Date: This rule is effective on April 17, 2008.
Compliance Date: For agencies already tasked by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to meet e-Government milestones related to
this eFAS initiative, you must comply by April 17, 2008.
All other agencies must comply with the e-Government milestones
identified in section 102-38.360 by July 17, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Holcombe, Office of
Governmentwide Policy, Personal Property Management Policy, at (202)
501-3828, or e-mail at robert.holcombe@gsa.gov for clarification of
content. For information pertaining to status or publication schedules,
contact the Regulatory Secretariat, Room 4035, GS Building, Washington,
DC 20405, (202) 501-4755. Please cite FMR Amendment 2008-05, FMR Case
2007-102-2.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
A proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on April 3,
2007 (72 FR 15854) soliciting comments on proposed changes to 41 CFR
part 102-38. Nineteen individuals, agencies, or entities provided
comments. Many of those providing comments had multiple statements,
questions, or concerns. After reviewing the comments, and recognizing
that the milestones listed in Subpart H were inconsistent with the eFAS
e-Government milestones, that section is being revised to refer to the
eFAS initiative milestones, which have been developed between the
Office of Management and Budget, the eFAS Planning Office, and agency
representatives over the past year. These milestones are available to
the public via GSA's Web site at http://www.gsa.gov/govsalesmilestones.
The second major change from the proposed rule is to address
comments from the public that there is a perception that this e-
Government initiative will make agencies choose less effective sales
solutions in order to migrate to an approved Sales Center (SC). Section
102-38.360 is rewritten to further emphasize that agencies should
identify sales solutions which are more effective than those solutions
offered by approved Sales Centers by submitting a waiver to the eFAS
Planning Office. GSA foresees granting temporary waivers for agencies
to use these more effective solutions until either the sales solutions
are approved as Sales Centers, or the agency migrates to an approved
Sales Center as quickly as practicable. It is not the intent of the
eFAS initiative nor this regulation to make agencies migrate away from
effective sales solutions. The intent is to identify the best sales
solutions for Federal assets, and to make these assets visible to the
[[Page 20800]]
public so that prospective purchasers can find and buy Federal assets
for sale through one centralized Internet portal.
To clarify, the FMR has provisions for granting deviations to
regulations; however, this regulation will allow for waivers outside
the deviation process in FMR 102-2.60 through 102-2.110. Waivers will
be approved by the eFAS Planning Office upon presentation of a business
case showing that complying with an eFAS milestone is either
impracticable or inefficient.
This final rule recognizes different migration dates for agencies
previously tasked to comply with OMB e-Government milestones related to
this eFAS initiative and all other agencies. For agencies not tasked by
OMB to meet e-Government milestones related to this eFAS initiative,
the agencies' current sales solution(s) are considered approved eFAS
Sales Center(s) until the ``Compliance Date'' of this final rule.
The following is a summary of comments on the proposed rule, and
how they are addressed in this final rule.
Comment 1. One specific comment questioned the need to have ``a
duly authorized agency official'' sell Federal personal property
assets. Several other comments alluded to this sales function when
comparing Federal and commercial sales.
Response: Federal asset sales policies have always required a
Government representative approving each sale. This is to protect the
Government's interest and because the transfer of title to personal
property is an inherently governmental function. There are three main
reasons for this requirement: The Federal official approving the sale
is (a) obligating the Government to a course of action (committing the
expenditure of resources) for every sale; (b) obligating the Government
to the sales contract, including addressing sales disputes should
issues arise, and the transfer of title to the personal property sold;
and (c) verifying that the winning bidder(s) are not excluded from
engaging in business with the Federal Government. Finally, most of
these sales-related functions are within the realm of activities which
are ``inherently governmental'' according to Office of Federal
Procurement Policy (OFPP) Letter 92-1.
There was no change made to this final rule as a result of this
comment.
Comment 2. Eleven comments specifically addressed the concern that
the Government was competing with the private sector in the sale of
Federal assets, and/or that the Government was impacting commercial
sales or sales solutions. Other comments alluded to this concern.
Response: As mentioned in Comment 1., the sale of Federal assets
cannot be compared to commercial sales in every aspect. In addition,
under eFAS, private sector entities are the sales mechanism for many
sales currently conducted by the eFAS-approved SCs. Finally, and
perhaps most importantly, agencies that currently use or that are able
to identify private sector entities which can demonstrate a more
effective sales solution than the eFAS-approved SCs are invited and
encouraged to submit a waiver request so that, if the waiver is
approved, that agency and other agencies, in the future, may utilize
the services of these private sector sales solutions and be better
stewards of the Government's interests. GSA plans to approve waivers
where there is a business case showing when an eFAS milestone is either
impracticable or inefficient. The waiver process is discussed under
Comment 5. For background: GSA is not able to identify all activities
selling Federal personal property; therefore, GSA is not able to
identify those sales activities which are more effective than the
approved SCs. All agencies were asked to nominate effective sales
solutions for consideration as SCs in 2005. This request for SC
nominations was repeated in 2006. Only the eFAS-approved SCs were
nominated by agencies as effective providers of sales solutions. No bid
by an agency to become an SC using their current or proposed sales
solution(s) was refused, regardless of whether the solution utilized
private sector support, governmental support, or a mix of private and
governmental activities. There was no change made in this final rule as
a result of these comments.
Comment 3. Related to Comment 2., there were two comments
requesting that only private sector entities sell Federal assets.
Response: As in the response to Comment 2., there is no barrier to
private sector participation in the sales of Federal personal property.
Many private sector entities already participate with the eFAS-approved
SCs, and agencies are invited to identify new solutions which are more
effective than those approved by the eFAS initiative. See the waiver
process comments in Comment 5. There was no change made to this final
rule as a result of these comments.
Comment 4. Nine comments expressed concern that this final rule
will increase the cost of Government sales; either because the SCs will
charge higher prices because they are not as cost-effective as private
sector sellers, or because they are not incentivized to maximize
profits.
Response: Many private sector entities already participate with the
eFAS-approved SCs, and agencies are invited to identify new solutions
which are more effective than those approved by the eFAS initiative.
See the waiver process comments in Comment 5. There was no change made
to the final rule as a result of these comments.
Comment 5. Six comments related to the FMR deviation or waiver
process, either suggesting that Federal agencies be able to opt out of
the provisions of this final rule or stating that the process of
obtaining a waiver to the provisions of this final rule was not
provided.
Response: The eFAS initiative is established to utilize and
leverage the services of the best sellers of Federal assets. It would
be contrary to the eFAS initiative to allow agencies to choose sales
solutions that are less effective sellers than those identified by the
selling agencies or the eFAS Executive Steering Committee (ESC). The
general provisions for requesting a deviation to the regulation remain
in section 102-38.30. However, for waivers to the eFAS milestones (such
as migrating to an ESC-approved SC), the agency must request a waiver
in accordance with section 102-38.360. Waivers will be approved by the
eFAS Planning Office upon presentation of a business case showing that
complying with an eFAS milestone is either impracticable or
inefficient.
In summary, for this final rule, there is a waiver process for the
eFAS milestones (following policy in section 102-38.360) and a
deviation process to the regulation that is for other than eFAS
milestones (following policy in section 102-38.30). Section 102-38.360
was modified to address eFAS Planning Office waivers to the eFAS
milestones.
Comment 6. Two comments suggested that the process for an agency to
become an eFAS-approved SC was not identified.
Response: The process for an agency to become an eFAS-approved SC
is identified in section 102-38.35 under the definition of a ``Sales
Center.'' There was no change made to the final rule as a result of
these comments.
Comment 7. One comment suggested that all new SCs be approved by
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Response: OMB has approved all SCs and will approve the designation
of any future SCs. There was no change made to this final rule as a
result of this comment.
Comment 8. One comment suggested that all SCs sit on a board which
[[Page 20801]]
governs the eFAS process, and each SC have an equal vote.
Response: All agencies identified as Business Reference Model
agencies by OMB are invited to participate in the eFAS ESC. The voting
members were identified by OMB at the beginning of the eFAS initiative
and include SC agencies and non-SC agencies. The input of the non-SC
agencies is important to obtain the perspective of the customer
agencies. There was no change made to this final rule as a result of
this comment.
Comment 9. Three responses contend that the proposed rule is in
violation of Executive Order 12866 as it will harm many small
businesses.
Response: Executive Order 12866 specifically excludes a regulation
limited to rules governing agency management practices (such as this)
from the definition of a significant regulatory action (section 3(d)).
There was no change made to this final rule as a result of these
comments.
Comment 10. One question asked if GSA will be the only seller of
surplus property held by the State Agencies for Surplus Property
(SASPs) which is not donated.
Response: As the undonated property held by the SASPs is still
Federal property, it would fall under the rules of this final rule and
must be sold through an SC such as GSA, if not disposed of in
accordance with FMR 102-37.305. There was no change made to this final
rule as a result of this comment.
Comment 11. Two comments had a concern that the Government is
inappropriately using private sector business models or will violate
patent laws by using Government developed systems.
Response: The Government must ensure that it does not violate
protected processes or tools. There was no change made to this final
rule as a result of these comments.
Comment 12. One comment had a concern that the Government will have
to invest in the development of an SC.
Response: The SCs were nominated, approved, and selected because
they have already shown expertise in selling Federal assets and have a
plan to be able to absorb an increase in sales volume if more assets
are sold through the SC. This increase in SC capacity will not be
funded by the Government. There was no change made to this final rule
as a result of this comment.
Comment 13. One comment expressed a concern that only GSA
determines who sells property under the eFAS initiative.
Response: As indicated under Comment 7., OMB makes the final
decision as to which agencies become SCs, and therefore who sells
Federal property. Prior to OMB review, the eFAS ESC reviews and
approves the recommendations of the ESC selection panel. GSA has only
one vote on the eFAS ESC. There was no change made to this final rule
as a result of this comment.
Comment 14. One comment had a concern that the eFAS activity is not
transparent and in accordance with principles of the Federal
Acquisition Regulation.
Response: This is not an acquisition for sales services--the eFAS
initiative involves the selection of agencies to sell property
belonging to the holding agency (and possibly that of other agencies).
Nevertheless, the process of approving and selecting SCs and making
significant decisions is transparent to the representatives on the eFAS
ESC, and those who represent the interests of all the agencies selling
assets. Finally, major decisions are fully explained and documented to
OMB. There was no change made to this final rule as a result of this
comment.
Comment 15. Two comments had a concern that this would violate OMB
Circular A-76 as the Circular states that a competition should be
performed before Government personnel perform an activity performed by
the private sector.
Response: As explained under Comment 1., these functions are
clearly within the scope of activities which are ``inherently
governmental'' according to OFPP Letter 92-1, and, as such, do not need
to be competed with commercial activities. There was no change made to
this final rule as a result of these comments.
Comment 16. One comment suggested that the proposed rule violates
40 U.S.C. 573 in that ``the statute does not permit GSA to retain
charges for running a Web site or collecting information not part of
the sales process.''
Response: Administering the GovSales sales Web site is a cost
associated with sales of property which GSA is allowed to do under 40
U.S.C. 573. The retention of proceeds cited in the proposed FMR 102-
38.295(a) is what all agencies (not just GSA) can retain to mitigate
costs in accordance with 40 U.S.C. 571. There was no change made to
this final rule as a result of this comment.
Comment 17. One comment observed that the vendor has attempted to
update pricing with GSA for years with no progress.
Response: GSA's contract pricing was not addressed in the proposed
rule, and is not addressed in the final rule. The comment likely refers
to a vendor's pricing on the GSA schedules. The rates charged by any
eFAS SC to sell assets for another agency is established by an
agreement between the eFAS SC and the holding agency. There was no
change made to this final rule as a result of this comment.
Comment 18. One comment asked ``How will sales work for a private
citizen that does not have access to the internet?''
Response: In addition to online sales, there will continue to be
offline sales. Also, with the continuing spread of technology, more
people will have access to the Internet through their community, work,
or friends/family. There was no change made to this final rule as a
result of this comment.
Comment 19. One comment expressed the expectation that GSA will
keep costs to the absolute minimum since agencies no longer have
approved SC options.
Response: GSA agrees with this comment. The eFAS initiative and GSA
will continually seek to find ways to ensure that GSA rates (as well as
the rates charged by all eFAS SCs) are competitive. Also, agencies that
find a sales process that provides a better value should make that
known to the eFAS Planning Office. There was no change made to this
final rule as a result of this comment.
Comment 20. One comment suggested that Real Property sales should
be left to local brokers.
Response: The proposed rule and this final rule only address sales
of Federal personal property. There was no change made to this final
rule as a result of this comment.
Comment 21. One question asked if this final rule would increase
the amount of property returned by an SC to the agency because the
property could not be sold or the sale was not conducted because it was
not feasible.
Response: The eFAS initiative does not foresee any degradation of
SC service as a result of this final rule. To the contrary, through
agencies identifying and using more effective sales solutions, the
initiative expects that service and effectiveness will improve over
time. There was no change made to this final rule as a result of this
comment.
The following comments were accepted and are incorporated in this
final rule.
Comment 22. One comment was that the policy should be clearer
regarding what agencies should do with property that is scrap, or
property that the SCs
[[Page 20802]]
could not sell, or that was otherwise eligible for disposal under the
abandonment/destruction authorities of section 102-36.305 and following
subparts.
Response: Agreed. Provisions have been added to this final rule to
address these situations (sections 102-38.365 and 102-38.370).
Comment 23. Three comments observed that this final rule could not
supersede their agency's authority given to them by another law.
Response: Agreed. It will be clear in section 102-38.20 that
agencies with sales authorities outside title 40 of the United States
Code are exempt from following this final rule.
B. Executive Order 12866
The General Services Administration (GSA) has determined that this
final rule is not a significant regulatory action for the purposes of
Executive Order 12866.
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
This final rule is not required to be published in the Federal
Register for comment. Therefore, the Regulatory Flexibility Act does
not apply.
D. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to
the FMR do not impose information collection requirements that require
the approval of the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C.
3501, et seq.
E. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act
This final rule is exempt from Congressional review under 5 U.S.C.
801 since it relates solely to agency management and personnel.
List of Subjects in 41 CFR Parts 102-38
Government property management, Surplus Government property.
Dated: January 10, 2008.
Lurita Doan,
Administrator of General Services.
Editorial Note: This document was received at the Office of the
Federal Register on April 14, 2008.
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For the reasons set forth in the preamble, GSA amends 41 CFR part 102-
38 as set forth below:
PART 102-38--SALE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY
0
1. The authority citation for part 102-38 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 40 U.S.C. 545 and 40 U.S.C. 121(c).
0
2. Revise Sec. 102-38.20 to read as follows:
Sec. 102-38.20 Must an executive agency follow the regulations of
this part when selling all personal property?
Generally, yes, an executive agency must follow the regulations of
this part when selling all personal property; however--
(a) Materials acquired for the national stockpile or supplemental
stockpile, or materials or equipment acquired under section 303 of the
Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2093) are
excepted from this part;
(b) The Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation, has
jurisdiction over the disposal of vessels of 1,500 gross tons or more
and determined by the Secretary to be merchant vessels or capable of
conversion to merchant use;
(c) Sales made by the Secretary of Defense pursuant to 10 U.S.C.
2576 (Sale of Surplus Military Equipment to State and Local Law
Enforcement and Firefighting Agencies) are exempt from these
provisions;
(d) Foreign excess personal property is exempt from these
provisions; and
(e) Agency sales procedures which are mandated or authorized under
laws other than Title 40 United States Code are exempt from this part.
Sec. 102-38.25 [Amended]
0
3. Amend Sec. 102-38.25 by removing the words ``holding agency'' and
adding the words ``Sales Center'' in its place.
0
4. Revise Sec. 102-38.30 to read as follows:
Sec. 102-38.30 How does an executive agency request a deviation from
the provisions of this part?
Refer to Sec. Sec. 102-2.60 through 102-2.110 of this chapter for
information on how to obtain a deviation from this part. However,
waivers which are distinct from the standard deviation process and
specific to the requirements of the Federal Asset Sales (eFAS)
initiative milestones (see Subpart H of this part) are addressed in
Sec. 102-38.360.
0
5. Amend Sec. 102-38.35 by alphabetically adding the definitions
``Federal Asset Sales (eFAS)'', ``Federal Asset Sales Planning Office
(eFAS Planning Office)'', ``Holding Agency'', ``Migration Plan'', and
``Sales Center (SC)'' to read as follows:
Sec. 102-38.35 What definitions apply to this part?
* * * * *
Federal Asset Sales (eFAS) refers to the e-Government initiative to
improve the way the Federal Government manages and sells its real and
personal property assets. Under this initiative, only an agency
designated as a Sales Center (SC) may sell Federal property, unless a
waiver has been granted by the eFAS Planning Office in accordance with
Sec. 102-38.360. The eFAS initiative is governed and given direction
by the eFAS Executive Steering Committee (ESC), with GSA as the
managing partner agency.
Federal Asset Sales Planning Office (eFAS Planning Office) refers
to the office within GSA assigned responsibility for managing the eFAS
initiative.
Holding Agency refers to the agency in possession of personal
property eligible for sale under this part.
* * * * *
Migration Plan refers to the document a holding agency prepares to
summarize its choice of SC(s) and its plan for migrating agency sales
to the SC(s). The format for this document is determined by the eFAS
ESC.
* * * * *
Sales Center (SC) means an agency that has been nominated,
designated, and approved by the eFAS ESC and the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) as an official sales solution for Federal property.
The criteria for becoming an SC, the selection process, and the ongoing
SC requirements for posting property for sale to the eFAS portal and
reporting sales activity and performance data are established by the
eFAS ESC and can be obtained from the eFAS Planning Office at GSA. The
eFAS Planning Office may be contacted via e-mail at
FASPlanningOffice@gsa.gov. SCs may utilize (and should consider)
private sector entities as well as Government activities and are
expected to provide exemplary asset management solutions in one or more
of the following areas: on-line sales; off-line sales; and sales-
related value added services. SCs will enter into agreements with
holding agencies to sell property belonging to these holding agencies.
A holding agency may employ the services of multiple SCs to maximize
efficiencies.
* * * * *
0
6. Revise Sec. 102-38.40 to read as follows:
Sec. 102-38.40 Who may sell personal property?
An executive agency may sell personal property (including on behalf
of another agency when so requested) only if it is a designated Sales
Center (SC), or if the agency has received a waiver from the eFAS
Planning Office. An SC may engage contractor support to
[[Page 20803]]
sell personal property. Only a duly authorized agency official may
execute the sale award documents and bind the United States.
0
7. Amend Sec. 102-38.45 by revising the heading and introductory
paragraph to read as follows:
Sec. 102-38.45 What are an executive agency's responsibilities in
selling personal property?
An executive agency's responsibilities in selling personal property
are to--
* * * * *
0
8. Amend Sec. 102-38.50 by revising the heading and introductory
paragraph to read as follows:
Sec. 102-38.50 What must we do when an executive agency suspects
violations of 40 U.S.C. 559, fraud, bribery, or criminal collusion in
connection with the disposal of personal property?
If an executive agency suspects violations of 40 U.S.C. 559, fraud,
bribery, or criminal collusion in connection with the disposal of
personal property, the agency must--
* * * * *
0
9. Revise Sec. 102-38.60 to read as follows:
Sec. 102-38.60 Who is responsible for the costs of care and handling
of the personal property before it is sold?
The holding agency is responsible for the care and handling costs
of the personal property until it is removed by the buyer, the buyer's
designee, or an SC. The holding agency may request the SC to perform
care and handling services in accordance with their agreement. When
specified in the terms and conditions of sale, the SC may charge the
buyer costs for storage when the buyer is delinquent in removing the
property. The amount so charged may only be retained by the holding
agency performing the care and handling in accordance with Sec. 102-
38.295.
Sec. 102-38.65 [Amended]
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10. Amend Sec. 102-38.65 in the heading, by removing the words ``we
are'' and adding the words ``we are or the holding agency is'' in its
place; and in the second sentence by adding the words ``or the holding
agency'' after the word ``you''.
Sec. 102-38.70 [Amended]
0
11. Amend Sec. 102-38.70 in the heading, by removing the word ``we''
and adding the words ``the holding agency'' in its place; and in
paragraph (a), by removing the word ``you'' and adding the words ``the
holding agency'' in its place.
0
12. Amend Sec. 102-38.75 by revising the introductory text to
paragraph (a), and paragraph (a)(12) to read as follows:
Sec. 102-38.75 How may we sell personal property?
(a) You will sell personal property upon such terms and conditions
as the head of your agency or designee deems proper to promote the
fairness, openness, and timeliness necessary for the sale to be
conducted in a manner most advantageous to the Government. When you are
selling property on behalf of another agency, you must consult with the
holding agency to determine any special or unique sales terms and
conditions. You must also document the required terms and conditions of
each sale, including, but not limited to, the following terms and
conditions, as applicable:
* * * * *
(12) Requirements to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
41 CFR Part 101-42 contains useful guidance addressing many of these
requirements. You should also contact your agency's Office of General
Counsel or environmental office to identify applicable Federal, State,
or local environmental laws and regulations.
* * * * *
0
13. Revise Sec. 102-38.120 to read as follows:
Sec. 102-38.120 When may we conduct negotiated sales of personal
property at fixed prices (fixed price sale)?
You may conduct negotiated sales of personal property at fixed
prices (fixed price sale) under this section when:
(a) The items are authorized to be sold at fixed price by the
Administrator of General Services, as reflected in GSA Bulletin FMR B-
10 (located at http://www.gsa.gov/fmrbulletin). You may also contact
the GSA Office of Travel, Transportation, and Asset Management (MT) at
the address listed in Sec. 102-38.115 to determine which items are on
this list of authorized items;
(b) The head of your agency, or designee, determines in writing
that such sales serve the best interest of the Government. When you are
selling property on behalf of a holding agency, you must consult with
the holding agency in determining whether a fixed price sale meets this
criterion; and
(c) You must publicize such sales to the extent consistent with the
value and nature of the property involved, and the prices established
must reflect the estimated fair market value of the property. Property
is sold on a first-come, first-served basis. You or the holding agency
may also establish additional terms and conditions that must be met by
the successful purchaser in accordance with Sec. 102-38.75.
0
14. Revise Sec. 102-38.295 to read as follows:
Sec. 102-38.295 May we retain sales proceeds?
(a) You may retain that portion of the sales proceeds, in
accordance with your agreement with the holding agency, equal to your
direct costs and reasonably related indirect costs (including your
share of the Governmentwide costs to support the eFAS Internet portal
and Governmentwide reporting requirements) incurred in selling personal
property.
(b) A holding agency may retain that portion of the sales proceeds
equal to its costs of care and handling directly related to the sale of
personal property by the SC (e.g., shipment to the SC, storage pending
sale, and inspection by prospective buyers).
(c) After accounting for amounts retained under paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this section, as applicable, a holding agency may retain the
balance of proceeds from the sale of its agency's personal property
when--
(1) It has the statutory authority to retain all proceeds from
sales of personal property;
(2) The property sold was acquired with non-appropriated funds as
defined in Sec. 102-36.40 of this subchapter B;
(3) The property sold was surplus Government property that was in
the custody of a contractor or subcontractor, and the contract or
subcontract provisions authorize the proceeds of sale to be credited to
the price or cost of the contract or subcontract;
(4) The property was sold to obtain replacement property under the
exchange/sale authority pursuant to part 102-39 of this subchapter B;
or
(5) The property sold was related to waste prevention and recycling
programs, under the authority of Section 607 of Public Law 107-67
(Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act,
1999, Pub. L. 107-67, 115 Stat. 514). Consult your General Counsel or
Chief Financial Officer for guidance on use of this authority.
0
15. Amend Sec. 102-38.300 by revising the section heading to read as
follows:
Sec. 102-38.300 What happens to sales proceeds that neither we nor
the holding agency are authorized to retain, or that are unused?
* * * * *
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16. Add Subpart H, consisting of Sec. Sec. 102-38.360, 102-38.365, and
102-38.370 to read as follows:
[[Page 20804]]
Subpart H--Implementation of the Federal Asset Sales Program
Sec. 102-38.360 What must an executive agency do to implement the
eFAS program?
(a) An executive agency must review the effectiveness of all sales
solutions, and compare them to the effectiveness (e.g., cost, level of
service, and value added services) of the eFAS SCs. Agencies should
give full consideration to sales solutions utilizing private sector
entities, including small businesses, that are more effective than the
solutions provided by any eFAS-approved SC. If the agency decides that
there are more effective sales solutions than those solutions offered
by the eFAS SCs, the agency must request a waiver from the milestones
using the procedures and forms provided by the eFAS Planning Office.
Waivers will be approved by the eFAS Planning Office upon presentation
of a business case showing that complying with an eFAS milestone is
either impracticable or inefficient. Waiver approval will be
coordinated with GSA's Office of Travel, Transportation, and Asset
Management. Contact the eFAS Planning Office at
FASPlanningOffice@gsa.gov to obtain these procedures and forms.
(b) An approved waiver for meeting one of the eFAS milestones does
not automatically waive all milestone requirements. For example, if an
agency receives a waiver to the migration milestone, the agency must
still (1) post asset information on the eFAS Web site and (2) provide
post-sales data to the eFAS Planning Office in accordance with the
content and format requirements developed by the eFAS ESC, unless
waivers to these milestones are also requested and approved. Waivers to
the eFAS milestones will not be permanent. Upon expiration of the
waiver to the migration milestone, an agency must either migrate to an
approved SC, or serve as a fully functioning SC, as soon as
practicable. See the definition of a ``Sales Center'' at Sec. 102-
38.35 for an overview of how agency sales solutions become SCs.
(c) An agency which receives a waiver from the eFAS milestones must
comply with subparts A through G of this part as if it were an SC.
(d) An executive agency must comply with all eFAS milestones
approved by OMB including those regarding the completion of an agency-
wide sales migration plan, the reporting of pre- and post-sales data,
and the migration to approved SCs unless a waiver has been submitted by
the agency and approved by the eFAS Planning Office. The eFAS
milestones are available for viewing at http://www.gsa.gov/
govsalesmilestones.
Sec. 102-38.365 Is a holding agency required to report property in
``scrap'' condition to its selected SC?
No. Property which has no value except for its basic material
content (scrap material) may be disposed of by the holding agency by
sale or as otherwise provided in Sec. 102-38.70. However, the holding
agency should consult the SC(s) selected by the holding agency as to
the feasibility of selling the scrap material. Agencies selling scrap
property under authority of this subpart are still required to report
sales metrics in accordance with eFAS ESC-approved format and content.
Sec. 102-38.370 What does a holding agency do with property which
cannot be sold by its SC?
All reasonable efforts must be afforded the SC to sell the
property. If the property remains unsold after the time frame agreed to
between the SC and the holding agency, the holding agency may dispose
of the property by sale or as otherwise provided in Sec. 102-38.70.
The lack of public interest in buying the property is evidence that the
sales proceeds would be minimal. Agencies selling property under
authority of this subpart are still required to report sales metrics in
accordance with eFAS ESC-approved format and content.
[FR Doc. E8-8314 Filed 4-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-14-P