Federal

Financial

Management

System

Requirements

JFMIP-SR-00-4

October 2000

Property

Management

Systems

Requirements
What is JFMIP?

The Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP) is a joint undertaking of the U.S. Department of

the Treasury, the General Accounting Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Personnel

Management, working in cooperation with each other and other agencies to improve financial managemen t

practices in Government. The Program was given statutory authorization in the Budget and Accounting

Procedures Act of 1950 (31 USC 65 as amended). Leadership and program guidance are provided by the four

Principals of the JFMIP – Comptroller General of the United States, Secretary of the Treasury, and the Directors of 

the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Personnel Management. Each Principal designates a

representative to serve on the JFMIP Steering Committee, which is responsible for the general direc tion of the

Program. The JFMIP Executive Director and a program agency representative (who serves for 2 years) are also on

the Steering Committee.

The Program promotes strategies and guides financial management improvement across Government, revi ews and

coordinates central agencies’ activities and policy promulgations, and acts as a catalyst and clearinghouse for sharing 

and disseminating information about good financial management practices. This information sharing is done

through conferences and other educational events, newsletters, meetings with interagency groups and agency

personnel, and through FinanceNet, an electronic clearinghouse on the Internet.

The JFMIP has worked on interagency projects that developed a financial systems framework and financial systems

requirements. For the future, JFMIP plans to assist Federal agencies in improving their financial systems through

its Program Management Office. The Office will work on revising the Federal Government’s requirements

definition, testing, and acquisition processes. The first target of opportunity is core financial systems. The

objectives of the Office are to develop systems requirements, communicate and explain Federal and agency needs,

provide agencies and vendors information to improve financial systems, ensure that products meet relevant systems

requirements, and simplify the procurement process.

For information on JFMIP, call (202) 219-0526, or visit the JFMIP website, www.JFMIP.gov.
Foreword

This Property Management Systems Requirements document is one of a series of functional systems requirements

documents published by the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP) on Federal financial

management system requirements. It reflects both functional and financial systems requirements associated with

property management systems.

Preparation of this document addresses the goal of the President’s Council on Management Improvemen t (PCMI)

and the JFMIP to improve the efficiency and quality of financial management in the Federal Government. This

document also addresses the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act of 1990, the Government Management Reform

Act (GMRA) of 1994, and the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act (FFMIA) of 1996 which strongly

reaffirmed the need for the Federal Government to provide financial systems that facilitate the eff ective

management of Government programs and services and the proper stewardship of public resources.

The requirements in this document address requirements for property management systems. Agencies must use

these functional requirements in planning their property management systems improvement projects, and may

develop additional technical and functional systems requirements as needed to support unique mission

responsibilities. Agencies must also develop strategies for interfacing or integrating property management systems

with their Core Financial System and other applicable systems.

This document acknowledges that property management system functionality does not necessarily reside in a single

software application or functional system. In fact, property information may reside in or may be calculated in a

number of applications or systems. The property management systems described in this document may be

comprised of all these applications and/or systems, their interfaces, and the processes required to manage property.

We thank the agency officials and others in the financial, oversight, property management, and information

technology communities who contributed to this document. We value their assistance and support. With

continuing support such as theirs, we can confidently face the financial management challenges of the next century.

Karen Cleary Aldrman

Executive Director
Table Of Contents 

Foreword

Illustrations

Acronyms

Introduction ............................................ 1

Federal Financial Management Framework ............................. 2

Integrated Financial Management Systems ............................. 4

Agency Financial Management Systems Architecture ........................ 6

Property Management System Overview .............................. 8

Introduction to Functional Requirements............................. 12

General Requirements ....................................... 12

Specific Categories ...................................... 13

Information Technology ................................... 13

Government Property in the Custody of Others ....................... 13

National Defense PP&E ................................... 13

Acquiring/Receiving Property ................................... 14

Managing and Accounting for Property .............................. 16

Interface Requirements ...................................... 20

Appendix A: Property Types and Their Reporting Requirements ................. 21

Appendix B: References...................................... 22

Appendix C: Glossary ....................................... 29

Appendix D: Contributors .................................... 35

Illustrations

1. Financial System Improvement Projects ............................. 3

2. Integrated Model for Federal Information Systems ....................... 5

3. Agency Systems Architecture .................................. 6

4. Property Management System and System Interfaces...................... 20

5. Flowchart for Types of Property and Their Reporting Requirements .............. 21
Acronyms 

CFO Chief Financial Officer

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

DOD Department of Defense

FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation

FASA Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act

FASAB Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board

FFMIA Federal Financial Management Improvement Act

FFMSR Federal Financial Management Systems Requirements

FPMR Federal Property Management Regulation

GAAP Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

GAO General Accounting Office

GMRA Government Management Reform Act

GPRA Government Performance and Results Act

GSA General Services Administration

ITMRA Information Technology Management Reform Act

JFMIP Joint Financial Management Improvement Program

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

OMB Office of Management and Budget

PCMI President’s Council on Management Improvement

PP&E Property, Plant and Equipment

SFFAS Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards

SGL Standard General Ledger

USC United States Code
Introduction

The Federal Government recognizes the importance of using state-of-the-art financial systems to support

Government operations and to provide quality and timely financial and related information to program and

financial managers. Congress enacted the CFO Act of 1990, GMRA, and FFMIA of 1996 to improve financial

management, assign clearer responsibility for leadership to senior officials, and require new financial organizations,

enhanced financial systems, and audited financial reporting.

Improving Federal financial management systems is critical for financial and program managers. The

improvements provide better information for decision-making, and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of

services provided by the Federal Government. Proper financial management and reliable financial systems must

provide for:

Accountability. Inform taxpayers, agency personnel, and the Congress, in terms they can readily

understand, on how the Nation’s tax dollars are being spent, and that Federal assets are being protected.

Efficiency and Effectiveness. Provide efficient and effective service to the Federal agency’s internal and

external customers (e.g. general public, contractors, partnerships, state and local Governments, other

Federal agencies/organizations, the military, and foreign governments).

Better Decision-Making. Provide to agency heads, program managers, and the Congress timely reports

linking financial execution and program results. 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-127, “Financial Management Systems”, sets forth general

policies for Federal financial management systems. Each agency is required to develop and maintain a single,

integrated financial management system. To support this objective, each agency must have an ongoing financial

systems improvement planning process and periodic reviews of financial system capabilities. In addition, each

agency must maintain financial management systems that comply with the requirements of the Federal accounting

standards established by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) in its Statements of Federal

Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) and with the requirements of OMB’s Form and Content of Agency

Financial Statements.

System requirements for common systems have been prepared under JFMIP direction as a series of publications

entitled Federal Financial Management System Requirements (FFMSR). The FFMIA statute codified the FFMSR

as key benchmarks that agency systems must meet to be substantially in compliance with system requirements

provisions under FFMIA. The Property Management Systems Requirements document has been prepared as a

continuation of the FFMSR series that began with the Core Financial Systems Requirements document in January

1988.

This document is intended for financial system analysts, systems accountants, systems developers, property

managers, program managers, and others who design, develop, implement, operate, and maintain or audit financial

management systems.

Property Management Systems Requirements 1
Federal Financial Management Framework

This document provides functional requirements for property management systems that will assist financial

managers, property managers, and others in controlling and accounting for Federal property as defined in

Government-wide and agency-specific statutes, regulations, and guidelines. This document is one component of a

broad program to improve Federal financial management. This program involves establishing uniform requirements for

financial information, financial systems, reporting, and financial organizations. Appendix B conta ins a

comprehensive listing of relevant Government-wide accounting standards, laws, regulations and other mandates.

As shown in Illustration 1, Financial Systems Improvement Projects, establishing uniform requirements is only part 

of the process of improving financial management systems and information. Improvements can be achieved

through the selection, development, and/or purchase of applications that meet approved functional requirements

and technical and data management specifications. Agencies must continue to improve their financial systems and

implement new requirements as they are issued so that continuing efforts to standardize and upgrade data and reporting

requirements, in accordance with OMB’s Government-wide five year financial management plan, will be successful.

Well-defined and effective Government-wide functional requirements assist agencies in developing strong systems

and information by eliminating duplicate work among agencies and providing a common framework so that

outside vendors can more economically provide systems software. Development of Government-wide functional

requirements for each application is a critical effort that will affect internally developed systems and the evaluation

and selection of commercially available systems. In support of this vision, the Federal Government must establish

Government-wide financial management systems and compatible agency systems, with standardized information

and electronic data exchange, to support program delivery, safeguard assets, and manage taxpayer dollars.

Each agency should integrate its unique requirements with these Government-wide standard requirements to

provide a uniform basis for the standardization of financial management systems as required by the CFO Act of

1990, FFMIA of 1996, and other statutes.

Financial management systems in the Federal Government must be designed to support the vision articulated by

the Government’s financial management community. This vision requires financial management systems to support 

the partnership between program and financial managers and to assure the integrity of information for

decision-making and measuring performance. This includes the ability to:

• collect accurate, timely, complete, reliable, and consistent information;

• provide for adequate agency management reporting;

• support Government-wide and agency-wide policy decision-making;

• support the preparation and execution of agency budgets;

• facilitate the preparation of financial statements and other financial reports in accordance with Federal

accounting and reporting standards;

• provide information to central agencies for budgeting, analysis, and Government-wide reporting, including

consolidated financial statements; and

• provide a complete audit trail to facilitate audits.

It is critical that financial management systems support the agency’s mission and programs, including changes to

them, and that financial management systems plans are incorporated into the agency’s plans for information

technology infrastructure and information systems as a whole. Further, systems design efforts should include an

analysis of how systems improvements, new technology supporting financial management systems, and

modifications to existing work processes can together enhance agency operations and improve program and

financial management. Reassessing information and processing needs and redesigning processes, procedures, and

policies are essential steps to meeting user needs.

2 Property Management Systems Requirements
Property Management Systems Requirements 3

 Federal Financial Management Framework

Financial System Improvement Projects

Agency Implementation

! Adaptation

! Procedures

! Training

! Documentation

! Conversion

! Maintenance

Subject of 

this report

! Additional 

 Agency 

 Functional 

 Requirements

! Additional 

 Agency 

 Technical 

 Requirements

! Integration 

 Strategy

! Software/ 

 Hardware 

 Evaluation

! Software 

 Selection

Standards/

Requirements

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

 Standard Reporting 

Requirements

 U.S. Government Standard 

General Ledger

 Core Financial System 

Requirements

 Human Resources & 

Payroll Systems 

Requirements

 Travel System 

Requirements

 Seized Property and 

Forfeited Assets Systems 

Requirements

 Direct Loan System 

Requirements

 Guaranteed Loan System 

Requirements

 Inventory System 

Requirements

Managerial Cost 

Accounting 

 Property Management 

System Requirements

 Other Standards

System Requirements for 

Illustration 1
Integrated Financial Management Systems

Financial management systems must be designed with effective and efficient interrelationships between software,

hardware, personnel, procedures, controls, and data contained within the systems. To be integrated, financial

management systems must have, as a minimum, the following four characteristics:

(1) Standard data classifications (definitions and formats) established and used for recording financial events;

(2) Common processes used for processing similar kinds of transactions;

(3) Internal controls over data entry, transaction processing, and reporting applied consistently; and

(4) A design that eliminates unnecessary duplication of transaction entry.

The financial management systems policy described in OMB Circular A-127 “Financial Management Systems”

requires that each agency establishes and maintains a single integrated financial management system. Without a

single, integrated financial management system to ensure timely and accurate financial data, poor policy decisions

may occur, due to inaccurate or untimely information. Managers are less likely to be able to repo rt accurately to

the President, the Congress, and the public on Government operations in a timely manner. Scarce resources are

more likely to be directed toward the collection of information rather than to delivery of the intended programs. 

And, modifications to financial management systems necessary to keep pace with rapidly changing user

requirements cannot be coordinated and managed properly. The basic requirements for a single, integrated

financial management system are outlined in OMB Circular A-127.

Having a single, integrated financial management system does not necessarily mean having only one software

application within each agency covering all financial management systems needs. Rather, a single, integrated

financial management system is a unified set of financial systems and the financial portions of mix ed systems

encompassing the software, hardware, personnel, processes (manual and automated), procedures, controls, and data 

necessary to carry out financial management functions, manage financial operations of the agency, and report on

the agency’s financial status to central agencies, Congress, and the public.

Unified means that systems are planned and managed together, operated in an integrated fashion, and linked

together electronically in an efficient and effective manner to provide agency-wide financial system support

necessary to carry out the agency’s mission and support the agency’s financial management needs.

Integration means that the user is able to have one view into systems such that, at whatever level the individual is

using the system, he or she can obtain the information needed efficiently and effectively through electronic means. 

However, it does not mean that all information is physically located in the same database.

Interfaces, where one system feeds data to another system following normal business/ transaction cy cles, such as

depreciation charges recorded in general ledger control accounts at specific time intervals, may be acceptable as long 

as the supporting detail is maintained and accessible to managers. In such cases, interface linkages must be

electronic unless the number of transactions is so small that it is not cost-beneficial to automate the interface. Easy

reconciliations between systems, where interface linkages are appropriate, must be maintained to ensure data

accuracy.

4 Property Management Systems Requirements
To develop any integrated information system, it is critical that systems analysts and systems accountants identify:

• scope of the functions to be supported (processes),

• how data quality will be assured (data stewardship),

• information to be processed (management information),

• how systems fit together to support the functions (systems architecture), and

• safeguards needed to ensure the integrity of operations and data (internal control).

All of these pieces must be brought together in a model such as the one shown in Illustration 2. These pieces must

work together to form an efficient integrated information system. A change to any part of the model will require

determination of the implications on other parts of the model. For example, a new reporting requir ement may

require changes throughout the entire model.

Property Management Systems Requirements 5

Integrated Financial Management Systems

Integrated Model for Federal Information Systems

Illustration 2
Agency Financial Management Systems Architecture 

Agency financial management systems are information systems that track financial events and summarize

information to support the mission of an agency, provide for adequate management reporting, support agency-level 

policy decisions necessary to carry out fiduciary responsibilities, and support the preparation of auditable financial

statements.

Agency financial management systems fall into four categories:

(1) Core financial systems;

(2) Other financial and mixed systems, including property management systems;

(3) Shared systems; and

(4) Departmental executive information systems (systems to provide management information to all levels of

management).

These systems must be linked together electronically to be effective and efficient. Summary data transfers must be

provided from agency systems to central systems to permit summaries of management information and a gency

financial performance information on a Government-wide basis.

Subject to Government-wide policies, the physical configuration of financial management systems, including issues

of centralized or decentralized activities, processing routines, data, and organizations, is best left to the

determination of the agency, which can determine the optimal manner in which to support the agency mission. 

The physical design of the system, however, should consider the agency’s organizational philosophy, the technical

6 Property Management Systems Requirements

Illustration 3

Agency Systems Architecture
capabilities available, and the most appropriate manner to achieve the necessary single, integrated financial

management system for the agency.

The systems architecture shown in Illustration 3 provides a logical perspective identifying the relationships of

various systems types. Although this does not necessarily represent the physical design of the system, it does

identify the systems types generally needed to support program delivery/financing and financial event processing for 

effective and efficient program execution.

Agency Financial Management Systems Architecture

Property Management Systems Requirements 7
Property Management Systems Overview

This chapter provides an overview of property management systems functional requirements, explains certain

property management system requirements, describes the types of property covered under this document, and

outlines the components of a property management system.

Government Property Systems Background

The U.S. Government is the world’s largest and most complex enterprise. Currently, Federal agencies control

hundreds of billions of dollars in property, plant, and equipment (PP&E). PP&E consists of tangible assets,

including land, that have an estimated useful life of 2 years or more, are not intended for sale in the ordinary course

of operations, and have been acquired or constructed with the intention of being used, or being ava ilable for use by

the entity. PP&E includes, but is not limited to, office equipment, computer hardware/software, buildings, land,

museum collections, and national defense PP&E. All of these items are controlled and accounted for in many

different agency systems. This document is intended to establish basic capabilities that property management

systems must have to support controlling and accounting for Federal property and to comply with applicable laws

and regulations. It does not provide basic capabilities for all property management functions.

Issuance of Government property management systems functional requirements promotes a common

understanding among private and public sector financial managers and property managers regarding property

management systems capabilities. The functional requirements provide benchmarks for agency compliance under

FFMIA and serve as a tool for oversight agencies to evaluate property management systems. The functional

requirements help justify agency system improvements or replacements and help organize the private sector market

by communicating mandatory capabilities that commercial software must be able to provide to Federal agencies, as

well as identifying value-added features desired by Federal agencies.

Government property management systems, as components of the JFMIP Agency Systems Architecture (see

Illustration 3), are relied upon to feed data to other financial management systems, including the Core Financial

Systems which produce data needed for agency consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, Government

property management systems must capture data to meet Federal statutes, regulations and standards governing

property management and reporting property assets on agency financial statements. Federal Government property

management systems must provide consistent, standardized information for program managers, financial managers, 

agency executives, and oversight organizations. All property management systems that are being designed and

implemented or in current use must operate in accordance with laws, regulations, and judicial decisions.

This document identifies functional requirements for Federal agency property management systems. Although the

document may be used when developing new property management systems or improving/evaluating current

systems, the document does not provide a specific model for such systems. Functional requirements not mandated

by law, regulation, directive, or judicial decision should be incorporated in these systems if cost-effective and in the

Government’s best interest. 

Property management systems functions in this document are designated as mandatory or value-added. Definitions 

for these two categories of systems functions are:

Mandatory – Mandatory requirements describe what the system must do and consist of the minimum

acceptable functionality necessary to establish a system, and are based on Federal laws, regulations,

directives, or judicial decisions. Mandatory requirements are those against which agency heads evaluate

their systems to determine substantial compliance with systems requirements under the FFMIA. These

requirements apply to existing systems in operation and new systems planned or under development. 

8 Property Management Systems Requirements
Value-added – Value-added requirements describe features or characteristics and may consist of any

combination of the following: (1) using state-of-the-art technology, (2) employing the preferred or best

business practices, or (3) meeting the special management needs of an individual agency. Value-added,

optional, and other similar terminology may be used to describe this category of requirements. Agencies

should consider value-added features when judging systems options. The need for these value-added

features in agency systems is left to the discretion of each agency head. This document does not list all

value-added requirements. 

Within this document, mandatory property management systems requirements are indicated by the word “must”;

value-added systems requirements are identified by use of the words “may” or “should”. Requirements are

mandatory if they are necessary for compliance with statutes and regulations affecting property man agement,

compliance with the FFMIA and OMB Circular A-127, and proper stewardship of assets. However, not al l

mandatory requirements in this document are germane to assessing compliance with OMB Circular A-127 and the

FFMIA. These requirements are identified by the parenthetical remarks “property management only.”

Federal agency property management systems are critical for establishing financial accounting and maintaining

physical accountability over property. Such systems assist property managers in managing their property in

accordance with missions and roles established by Congress. The property accountability requirements outlined in

this document support management and administrative activities associated with property.

In a property management system, property is categorized as:

(1) Property Capitalized and Recorded in Property Management Systems. These are individual property

items, items acquired separately but consolidated to represent one item, or items purchased in bulk, whose

acquisition or fair market values meet agency-established capitalization thresholds. Such items are recorded and 

maintained in agency property management systems to maintain physical accountability over the property.

(2) Property Expensed and Recorded in Property Management Systems. These include heritage assets,

stewardship land, and national defense PP&E that are expensed when acquired. This category also includes

sensitive or controlled property that is expensed when acquired (the cost is below agency capitaliz ation

threshold) and that agencies choose to record and maintain in property management systems for accountability

and management purposes. Agencies determine which sensitive or controlled items are appropriate for

inclusion in their property management systems.

(3) Property Acquired at No Cost and Recorded in Property Management Systems. Accountable property

such as heritage assets, stewardship land, and other property acquired at no cost to the Government either from 

donation or other means must be maintained in property management systems for accountability and/or

management purposes.

The document identifies managers as both users and beneficiaries of the system. Each agency will define the level

of management involved in each area discussed to ensure adequate internal controls are implemented and

maintained. 

The property management system maintains information on property from the time the Government takes title to

or possession of property through disposal and maintains a complete history of modifications and improvements to

property. The systems requirements in this document are described in three sections. These sections categorize

requirements as common requirements or requirements relating to specific functions. The sections associated with

property management systems are:

General Requirements. These identify mandatory and value-added system functionality that are common

for all property management functions. In addition, there are functional requirements that apply to

specific categories of property.

Property Management Systems Requirements 9

Property Management System Overview
Acquiring/Receiving Property. This function addresses initial physical control when property is delivered or

real property is placed in service. Property is recognized as accountable when title passes to the entity

obtaining the property or when goods are delivered. Property may be purchased, leased, loaned, granted,

transferred, constructed, or donated. The property management system may obtain information from the

acquisition system when property is ordered. The property management system records receipt of

property and the results of an initial physical inspection regarding the condition of property, whether from 

vendor, donated, transferred, or gained through discovery.

Managing and Accounting for Property. The Managing Property function captures and provides data to

assist property managers and officials in managing property. Examples of property management

responsibilities and activities supported by property management systems include recording the results of

inventories, and monitoring maintenance requirements, utilization, overhaul, retirement, transfer, or

disposal of property. 

The Accounting for Property function pertains to recording the acquisition cost of the property, or net

book value/fair market value for donated or transferred items. For capitalized property, the function

records the acquisition cost, net book value or fair market value of donated or transferred assets, the

property’s useful life, salvage value, and depreciation/amortization method. In addition to the initial

value, it also records all capitalizable improvements. Upon disposal, or when identified for disposal and

no longer in use, the function identifies the property record as a disposal and no longer includes the value

of the asset and its associated accumulated depreciation/amortization in calculating the gross and net book

value of property. This function calculates depreciation/amortization on property, captures deferred

maintenance, condition, and clean-up cost information and provides this information to the Core

Financial System.1

Federal agencies may maintain the property management system in various integrated data system configurations,

media, or formats. Accordingly, these requirements do not mandate a single property management system software 

application. The property management system(s) must be subsidiary to the general ledger. The property

management system must be able to serve the needs of different communities of users. Finally, the property

management system handles all property except the following (applicable JFMIP requirements documents

indicated):

• Seized Property and Forfeited Assets (Seized Property and Forfeited Assets System Requirements)

• Work in Process (Managerial Cost Accounting System Requirements)

• Property Acquired as a Result of Credit Operations (Direct Loan System Requirements and Guaranteed

Loan System Requirements)

To facilitate the accounting and financial reporting requirements, property management systems should categorize

property in classifications that facilitate Government-wide and agency-specific financial reporting and management

reporting. At a minimum, property management systems should distinguish among categories of property

established in SFFAS Nos. 6, 10, 11 and 16. These categories are general PP&E, heritage assets, stewardship land,

and national defense PP&E. In addition to the SFFAS No. 6 categorization, the property management system

should support agency-specific categorization and sub-categorization. For example, some agencies may have

sub-categories for laboratory equipment, warehouses, and office buildings.2

10 Property Management Systems Requirements

Property Management System Overview

1 Financial data originating from the Property system, e.g., depreciation or transferred property must be posted 

at the SGL transaction level in the Core Financial System.

2 Categories of property should be established to facilitate reconciliation to the control accounts in the agency’s

general ledger.
When developing or modifying property management systems, agencies must recognize that a given type of

property may be classified in more than one of the four SFFAS property categories. For example, land may,

depending upon its primary use and how it was acquired, be categorized as general PP&E, stewardship land, or

heritage assets.3

Illustration 5, Flowchart for Types of Property and Their Reporting Requirements, at Appendix A provides an

example of a logical progression for classifying property according to Federal accounting standards, recording it

correctly in property management systems, and reporting it correctly on agency financial statements. The flowchart 

depicts the process for classifying and recording property when initially acquired, transferred, donated, loaned or

leased.4 It is important to note that some agencies may have property items that were acquired long ago, but not

recorded in a property management system. In such cases, agencies can still follow the process shown in the

flowchart to analyze previously acquired property for recording in a property management system. 

Property Management Systems Requirements 11

Property Management System Overview

3 Land is only included in general PP&E if it is acquired for use with another item of general PP&E (e.g., a

building) and it has an identifiable acquisition cost.

4 The flowchart is based on guidance found in SFFAS Nos. 6, 8, 10, 11, and 16. It is not a substitute for the

guidance in these standards. In addition, standards evolve over time. The illustration is correct as of issuance

but may become stale due to future changes in the standards.
Introduction to Functional Requirements

Agency property management systems assist managers in collecting and maintaining information for financial

reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and managing the various types of

property. Additionally, they should assist managers in ensuring that assets are safeguarded against improper use or

disposition.

The requirements that follow provide a description of the major information and processing capabilities for

property management systems. The following basic requirements have been identified by General Requirements,

Specific Categories, and property management functional area. These functional capabilities should be integrated

with agency unique requirements in a manner that best supports the agency’s programs, operations, technical

environment, and management philosophy. 

General Requirements

Mandatory:

The property management system must support the following common requirements for all property mana gement

functions: 

• Record beginning balances, acquisitions, withdrawals, and calculate ending balances expressed in values and

physical units, except for heritage assets and stewardship land for which all end of period balances are

expressed in physical units only.

• Capture the condition of the asset for heritage assets, stewardship land, national defense PP&E, and general

PP&E for which a condition assessment survey was performed.

• Provide edits (controls) to prevent duplication and reduce the likelihood of creating erroneous property

documents/records to ensure the integrity of data recorded in the system.

• Permit only authorized users to enter, modify, or otherwise alter property records. 

• Provide an audit trail for entries to a property record, including the identification of the individual(s)

entering or approving the information and/or data.

• Identify the type of transaction affecting the property item, e.g., initial acquisition, change in location, and

disposal.

• Incorporate adequate security features that prevent unauthorized access to the property system by

unauthorized individuals.

• Enable the transfer of responsibility for property from one authorized manager to another authorized

manager.

• Capture real property information for GSA’s Worldwide Inventory system as directed in Federal Property

Management Regulation (FPMR) 102-84. (property management only).

• Produce reports in accordance with user defined criteria. Such reports may:

• Provide property information to allow appropriate users to conduct an inventory of current holdings or

any subset of those holdings at any time.

• Allow a user to access both summary data and more detailed data.

• Capture the fact that an environmental or hazardous substance is located on or contained within a property

item in accordance with 41 CFR 101-42.202.

• Distinguish between capitalized property and expensed property tracked in the property management system.

12 Property Management Systems Requirements
Value-Added:

The property management system may:

• Capture and prioritize the estimated cost of repairs.

• Accumulate data from multiple appropriations.

• Provide for on-line search capability based on user-defined parameters.

• Provide the capability for agency property management systems to interface on-line or through Internet with

other property management systems external to the agency to facilitate identification, location, or transfer of

property Federal Government-wide.

Specific Categories

Certain categories of property may require special treatment. This section addresses Information Technology,

Government Property in the Custody of Others, and National Defense PP&E.

Information Technology

For purposes of this document, the term “information technology” includes computers, peripheral equipment,

software (as defined in SFFAS 10, Accounting for Internal Use Software) and firmware. Because information

technology assets are personal property, property management systems may already capture the data required to

account for these assets. However, property management systems should also capture information essential to

ensuring that software and software licenses are controlled and information driven by contractual licenses and

agreements with software developers, vendors, or software licensers.

Government Property in the Custody of Others

 The requirements in this document apply only to Government property management systems, and do not apply to

contractor or grant recipient property systems. Agencies must adhere to the policy and procedures of FAR Part 45

and agency supplements for property in the hands of contractors and for grantees follow the standards set-forth in

applicable OMB circulars. Non-Federal entities participating in a cooperative research and development agreement

or an “other transaction” provide the agency sufficient information to enable the agency to satisfy its internal

property accountability and financial reporting requirements as described in this document. 

National Defense PP&E

National Defense PP&E assets have the same characteristics as general PP&E but, for reasons explained in the

accounting literature, differ from general PP&E in accounting treatment. National Defense PP&E assets are

expensed (versus capitalized) and are reported as stewardship property. 

Property Management Systems Requirements 13

Introduction to Functional Requirements
Acquiring/Receiving Property

This function addresses assumption of initial physical control when property is delivered or real property is placed

in service. Property is recognized as accountable when title passes to the entity obtaining the property or when

goods are delivered. Property may be purchased, leased, loaned, granted, transferred, constructed, or donated. The 

property management system may obtain information from the acquisition system when property is orde red. The

property management system records receipt of property and the results of an initial physical inspe ction regarding

the condition of property, whether donated, transferred, or gained through discovery. Upon receipt of property, it

captures confirmation information about physical receipt and forwards the information to the acquisition system

and the Core Financial System.5

This section describes functional requirements for recording information relative to the acquisition and receipt of

property. 

Mandatory:

The property management system must:

• Create a skeletal property record or other mechanism for capturing information on property in-transit from

the providing entity (e.g., vendor, donator, loaner, grantor, etc.). The skeletal property record or other

mechanism is required only for property for which the Government has taken title. For example, the skeletal

property record or other mechanism may identify the following on newly acquired property:

• Name and address of the shipper/vendor;

• Estimated date of delivery;

• Shipping address (“ship to” address);

• Item identification (e.g., nomenclature, quantity, description, year of manufacture, make/model/serial

number, Federal stock classification or national stock number);

• Requisition information (e.g., contract/purchase order, or other requisition document number; name

and address of requisitioning organization); and

• Order Date.

• Complete the skeletal property record, or create a property record for items with no skeletal prope rty record,

upon assuming possession of the item, placing the real property asset in service, or initiation of real estate

instrument/grant.

• Capture the method of acquiring each property item or bulk property items (e.g., direct purchase, completed 

work-in-process, capital lease, donation, non-reciprocal transfer or reciprocal transfer), and the date of

acquisition. 

• Capture quantity, date of physical receipt or date real property is available for use or placed into service, and

condition of item received when a condition assessment was made. 

• Forward physical receipt information, including quantity and date of physical receipt, to the acquisition

system and Core Financial System.6

14 Property Management Systems Requirements

5 The property management system should be capable of interfacing with other financial and/or mixed systems. 

However, interface requirements and systems architecture necessary to meet management and reporting

requirements are determined by each agency. See the Interface Requirements section for more information.

6 The property management system should be capable of interfacing with other financial and/or mixed systems. 

However, interface requirements and systems architecture necessary to meet management and reporting

requirements are determined by each agency. See the Interface Requirements section for more information.
Value Added :

The property management system may:

• Interface electronically with GSA’s Worldwide Inventory.

• Provide information on the status of upgrades and overhauls to property.

• Aggregate relatively homogenous assets into asset pools. All assets in the asset pools have the same estimated 

useful life and the acquisition cost of each item in the asset pool would be the average cost of all items in the

pool. However, each item in the asset pool must have a separate property record and a separate

agency-unique identification number.

• Capture warranty/guarantee information, including terms and period of coverage.

Property Management Systems Requirements 15

Acquiring/Receiving Property
Managing and Accounting for Property:

This section addresses requirements for managing and accounting for property. 

Requirements for managing property address capturing and providing data to assist property managers and officials 

in managing property. Examples of property management responsibilities and activities supported by property

management systems include monitoring maintenance, utilization, overhaul, retirement, transfer, or disposal of

property. 

Requirements for accounting for property pertain to recording the acquisition cost of property, or net book value

or fair market value for donated or transferred items. For capitalized property, the function records the acquisition

cost or net book value or fair market value of donated or transferred assets, the property’s useful life, salvage value,

and depreciation/amortization method. In addition to the initial value, it also records all capitalizable

improvements. Upon disposal, or when identified for disposal and no longer in use, the function identifies the

property record as a disposal and no longer includes the value of the asset, all associated capitalized improvements,

and the associated accumulated depreciation/amortization in calculating the gross and net book value of property. 

The accounting for property function calculates depreciation/ amortization for in-service property and captures

deferred maintenance, condition, and cleanup cost information. Information on deferred maintenance, condition,

and clean-up costs may be estimated or captured in other systems and subsequently provided to the Core Financial

System.

Mandatory:

The property management system must:

Acquisition of Property; Changes in Asset Values

For capitalized property and stewardship assets:

• Classify PP&E by asset type (e.g., general, heritage, stewardship land, and national defense).

• Distinguish between heritage assets and multi-use heritage assets.

• Capture changes in quantities, including unit of measure, where applicable, for beginning balance

adjustments, additions, and deletions, and compute ending balances by asset category. 

• Provide an audit trail for all adjustments to quantities and units.

• Capture the acquisition cost of an asset and any changes in the valuation, where applicable for reporting

purposes.

For capitalized property only:

• Capture the estimated value of donated assets.

• Provide an audit trail for all adjustments to property values.

• Classify PP&E according to the Standard General Ledger Accounts (e.g., buildings, land, equipment, assets

under capital lease, software).

• Generate data for the journal entries necessary for recording changes in the valuation including any associated 

gains or losses.

16 Property Management Systems Requirements
Depreciation, Amortization, or Depletion of Capitalized Assets. 

• Capture the estimated useful life, depreciation/amortization/depletion method, and salvage/residual value for

each asset or group of assets, when applicable.

• Calculate depreciation/amortization/depletion based on a management prescribed method (e.g., straight line,

physical usage) and the net book value of capitalized assets.

• Accumulate amortization, depletion, and depreciation expense. 

• Provide an audit trail for amortization, depletion, and depreciation expense. 

• Allow authorized users system access to change the estimated useful life of an asset, the depreciation method,

and estimated salvage value, and make adjustments to PP&E asset and contra-asset accounts on an exception

basis.

Transfer, Disposal or Retirement of Assets 

• Identify excess property or property held for disposal/retirement.

• Transfer property record data to the property disposal organization or receiving entity.7 Capture date of

transfer, transferring entity, and recipient organization (disposal organization or recipient entity).

• Capture all essential information related to excess property and disposal as required by Federal Management

Regulation (FMR) 102-36 for applicable agencies.

• Capture type of disposal action (e.g., retirement, exchange, sale, donation, etc.), final disposition, and date of 

disposal.

• Capture property retirement or disposal status.

• Capture deletions.

• Calculate gain or loss at time of disposal or retirement, sale, exchange, donation.

• Transfer the asset’s acquisition cost, accumulated depreciation/amortization, and the amount of gain or loss

to the Core Financial System at the time of asset transfer, disposal, or retirement.

• Maintain an audit trail of transfer, disposal, and retirement actions.

Deferred Maintenance and Condition 

The requirement to capture deferred maintenance and condition information on appropriate assets does not affect

management’s discretion with respect to: (1) establishing criteria for determining whether there is deferred

maintenance and condition assessment/reporting, (2) the methodology used to determine the amount of deferred

maintenance and assess condition8, or (3) the specific system(s) used to develop or track deferred maintenance and

condition information.

• Capture management’s estimate of deferred maintenance. This may be accomplished through a process or

system other than in a property system.

Property Management Systems Requirements 17

Managing and Accounting for Property

7 The property management system should be capable of interfacing with other financial and/or mixed systems. 

However, interface requirements and systems architecture necessary to meet management and reporting

requirements are determined by each agency. See the Interface Requirements section for more information.

8 In accordance with SFFAS No. 14, either life cycle costing, condition assessment or similar methods may

serve as the basis for the estimates.
• Capture management’s assessment of property condition. This may be accomplished through a process or

system other than in a property system.

• Capture the fact that an environmental or hazardous substance is located on or contained within a property

item in accordance with 41 CFR 101-42.202.

Clean-up Costs

The universe of clean-up costs is diverse and thus systems may differ. SFFAS No. 5, Accounting for Liabilities of

the Federal Government, SFFAS No. 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment, and Technical Release 2,

Environmental Liabilities Guidance provide guidance on accounting for clean-up costs. In some cases, liabilities for 

clean-up costs may be associated with a specific item of PP&E and in other cases the liability may be estimated for a 

universe of PP&E. Management should determine the most appropriate method(s) given the circumstances within

their organization.

• Capture the total estimated clean-up cost when the item is placed in service if the PP&E meets the criteria

established in paragraph 88 of SFFAS No. 6. This may be accomplished through a process or system other

than in a property system.

• Capture environmental liabilities associated with PP&E when an event has occurred and the liability is

probable and estimable (see Technical Release 2). This may be accomplished through a process or system

other than in a property system.

• For general PP&E, calculate the annual amortization of estimated material, clean-up costs, and the

unamortized balance. 

Property Accountability

Property accountability is the physical control over fixed and moveable assets of the Federal Government. Physical

control is a critical property management function exercised in concert with acquiring, maintaining, and disposing

of property. Physical accountability begins when the property is received, real property is available for use or placed 

into service, or when ownership passes to the Government.

The property management system must:

• Capture property identification number, which may be the item’s serial number.

• Capture location.

• Capture an item’s current ownership status (e.g., owned by the Government, leased to the Government

under a capital lease, leased to the Government under an operating lease, loaned to the Government).

• Capture the current user (e.g., the agency, contractor, grantee, etc.).

• Capture an item’s current use status whether in-use, in storage, in-transit, etc.

• Capture identity of property custodian and/or the accountable organization.

• Capture in-transit information to establish/maintain accountability and control over Government property. 

(e.g., name and address of the shipper/vendor, estimated date of delivery, shipping address, item

identification, and source information).

18 Property Management Systems Requirements

Managing and Accounting for Property
Value Added :

The property management system may:

Property Record Maintenance

• Provide capability to electronically transfer property records between interfacing systems for the gaining and

losing property custodians within the agency.

• Provide analytic tools to support analysis and evaluation of annual maintenance status, needs, and costs for

effective program planning and budgeting.

• Capture property maintenance, upgrade, and overhaul schedules.

• Capture actual maintenance, upgrade, and overhaul data.

• Capture space utilization information.

• Support the use of bar code scanners.

• Record the stratification of critical and non-critical maintenance.

• Record detailed information regarding known flood hazard or flooding of real property.

Acquisition of Property; Changes in Asset Values

• Calculate and allocate interest expense for lease payments and apply the balance to reduce capital lease

liability.

• Identify the type of cost recorded (e.g., acquisition cost, estimated fair market value, revaluation, present

value).

• Capture the acquisition cost of individual items acquired through bulk purchase, when required by a gency

policy.

• Capture the cost of capitalizable improvements separate from the original cost, the estimated change in asset’s 

life as a result of the improvement, and the date of improvement.

Depreciation, Amortization, or Depletion of Capitalized Assets

• Calculate depreciation on asset pools.

• Separately calculate depreciation on capital improvements.

Deferred Maintenance and Condition

• Provide the capability to forecast or schedule maintenance requirements for future periods.

Transfer, Disposal, or Retirement of Assets

• Capture estimated cost to demolish property, or otherwise dispose of property.

Property Management Systems Requirements 19

Managing and Accounting for Property
Interface Requirements

This chapter provides information on input and output interfaces with the property management system. Interface

requirements and systems architecture necessary to meet management and reporting requirements are determined

by each agency. However, all systems, modules, or applications that capture, use, and pass on information should

be linked. The property management system, to include subsystems that capture or generate property management 

information, should be capable of interfacing with other financial and mixed systems. The property management

system should be able to process transactions from other systems and record and track such transactions and related

information to provide the basis for central control. It is also probable that, where interfaces exist, there will be

two-way interfaces associated between systems. If the property management system relies upon a subsystem for

information or data, such as work-in-process, there should also exist a two-way interface, whereby the property

management system could provide information to the subsystem involved.

Analysts, designers, etc. should consult the JFMIP Framework for Federal Financial Management Systems document

for guidance on integration or interface issues, e.g., data stewardship, internal controls, and security. Illustration 4

shows what constitutes the property management system and its interfaces with other financial management and

mixed systems.

System interfaces may be manual or automated. However, the goal of all system interfaces is to:

• Promote a single point of entry to populate the property management database and all databases with which

the property management system interfaces at the same time.

• Ensure that audit trails of all system transactions are captured.

• Facilitate ease of reconciliation between systems to ensure data accuracy.

20 Property Management Systems Requirements

Property

Data

Managing and Accounting

for Property

Specific

Requirements

General

Requirements

Acquirin g

Prop erty

Acquisition

System

Core Financial

System

Cost Accounting

Syst em

Seized Property &

Forfeite dAssets

System

Direct Loans

System

Guaranteed

Loan Systems

Property Mangement System and System Interfaces

Illustration 4
Appendix A: Types of Property and Their Reporting Requirements

Property Management Systems Requirements 21
Appendix B: References

Introductory Note:

The following list cites Government-wide accounting standards, proposed amendments to the standards, laws,

regulations, and other mandates that pertain to General Property, Plant and Equipment, including National

Defense PP&E and stewardship land and heritage assets. Also cited are draft issue papers prepared by a

stewardship guidance work group commissioned by the Auditing and Accounting Policy Committee of the Federal

Accounting Standards Advisory Board to develop guidance for implementing the standards for reporting and

auditing stewardship land and heritage assets. These items were reviewed to identify property mana gement systems 

requirements for stewardship land and heritage assets. 

Some laws and regulations pertaining to stewardship land and heritage assets apply only to certain agencies. 

Because they do not have Government-wide applicability, these agency-specific laws and regulations are not

included in the list below. However, agencies should ensure that their property management systems perform the

functions necessary to comply with any applicable agency-specific laws and regulations.

Although they are not all listed here, laws and regulations that apply to the broad categories of real and personal

property usually apply to stewardship land and heritage assets. This is because stewardship land and heritage assets

are a subset of personal property and/or real property. 

Accounting Standards and Concepts

Statements of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS), Concepts (SFFAC), and Technical Release with

applicable issuance dates:

SFFAC 1, Objectives of Federal Financial Reporting, 9/93

SFFAS 3, Accounting for Inventory and Related Property, 10/93

SFFAS 5, Accounting for Liabilities of the Federal Government, 9/95

SFFAS 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment, 6/96

SFFAS 8, Supplementary Stewardship Reporting, 6/96

SFFAS 10, Accounting for Internal Use Software, 6/98

SFFAS 11, Amendments to Accounting for Property, Plant and Equipment – Definitional Changes, 10/98

SFFAS 14, Amendments to Deferred Maintenance Reporting, 04/99

SFFAS 16, Amendments to Accounting for Property, Plant and Equipment, Measurement and Reporting for Multi-Use

Heritage Assets, 07/99

Technical Release 2, Environmental Liability Guidance, 03/98

Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) Overview of Federal Accounting Concepts & Standards, 12/96

JFMIP Documents

JFMIP, FFMSR-7 Inventory System Requirements, 6/95

JFMIP, FFMSR-8, Managerial Cost Accounting System Requirements, 04/97

JFMIP, JFMIP-SR-99-8 Direct Loan System Requirements, 6/99

22 Property Management Systems Requirements
JFMIP, JFMIP-SR-99-14 Seized Property and Forfeited Assets Systems Requirements, 12/99

JFMIP, JFMIP-SR-00-01 Guaranteed Loan System Requirements, 3/00

Laws- General PP&E

Accounting Standardization Act of 1995

Chief Financial Officers Act (CFO) Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-576)

Computer Security Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-235)

Energy Policy Act of 1992

Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA) of 1994 (Public Law 103-355)

Federal Financial Management Improvement Act (FFMIA) of 1996

Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA) of 1982

Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended

Government Management Reform Act (GMRA) of 1994

Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-62)

Information Technology Management Reform Act (Clinger/Cohen Act) (Division E of Public Law 104-106)

Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-66)

Paperwork Reduction Reauthorization Act of 1986 (Public Law 104-13)

Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980

Laws-Stewardship Land

Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (16 USC 3101 et. seq.)

California Desert Protection Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-433)

Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988 (116 USC 4301 et. seq.)

Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 1982 (16 USC 3501 et. .seq.)

Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act of 1990 (16 USC 3951-3956)

Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 USC 1451 et. seq.)

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund

Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (42 USC 9601-9673)

Desert Land Act of 1877 (43 USC 321-323)

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 USC 1531-1544)

Engle Act of February 28, 1958 (43 USC 156)

Estuary Protection Act of 1970 (16 USC 1221-1226)

Federal Land Exchange Facilitation Act of 1988 (43 USC 1716)

Property Management Systems Requirements 23

Appendix B: References
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 USC 1701 et. seq.)

Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 USC 1601 et. seq.)

General Mining Law of 1872, as amended (30 USC 22 et. seq.)

Land and Water Conservation Act of 1965, as amended (16 USC 460 et. seq.)

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 USC 1361-1421h)

Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, (33 USC 1401 et. Seq.)

Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (30 USC 181, et. seq.)

Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947 (30 USC 351-359)

Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970 (30 USC 21a and 30 USC 1601et. seq.)

Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960 (16 USC 528 et. seq.)

National Dam Inspection Act of 1972 (33 USC 467)

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 USC 4321 et. seq.)

National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 (16 USC 1242-1243)

National Trails System Act of 1968, as amended (16 USC 1241-1249)

North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-233)

Oregon and California (O&C) Act of 1937 (43 USC 1181a et. seq.)

Public Rangeland Improvement Act of 1978 (43 USC 1901 et. seq.)

Recreation and Public Purposes Act of 1926, as amended (43 USC 869)

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as amended by the Federal Facility Compliance Act of 1992 (4 2 USC

6901-6992)

Sikes Act of 1974, as amended (16 USC 670 et. seq.)

Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977 (16 USC 2001)

Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-263)

Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 (43 USC 315, 316)

Urban Property Protection and Reinsurance Act of 1968 (12 USC 1749 et. .seq.)

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, as amended (16 USC 1271 et. seq.)

Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971, as amended by the Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978 (16

USC 1331-1340)

Wilderness Act of 1964 (16 USC 1131 et. seq.)

Laws: Heritage Assets

Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-298; 43 USC 2101-2106)

American Antiquities Act of 1906 (16 USC 431-433)

American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 (42 USC 1996 and 1996a)

24 Property Management Systems Requirements

Appendix B: References
Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, as amended (16 USC 470aa-mm)

Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940 (16 USC 668-668d)

The Copyright Act of 1976 (17 USC 101 et. seq. [1988 & Supp. V 1993])

Disposal of Records (44 USC 3301 et seq.)

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 USC 1531-1543)

Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended (40 USC 483 [b])

Federal Records Act of 1950, as amended (Records Management by Federal Agencies, 44 USC 3101 et. seq.)

Freedom of Information Act of 1982 (5 USC 552) 

Historic Sites, Buildings, Objects, and Antiquities Act of 1935 (16 USC 461-467)

Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Qualified Conservation Contributions) (26 USC 170[h])

Internal Revenue Code of 1990 (Rehabilitation Credit) (26 USC 47)

Lacey Act of 1900 (18 USC 43-44)

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 USC 1361-1407)

Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (16 USC 703-711)

Mining in the National Parks Act of 1976 (Section 9) (16 USC 1908) 

Museum Properties Management Act of 1955 (16 USC 18)

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 USC 4321)

National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16 USC 470-470t, 110)

National Park Service Organic Act of August 25, 1916 (16 USC 1-4, 22, 43)

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (25 USC 3001-3013)

Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 USC 1332 ) 

Preservation, Arrangement, Duplication, Exhibition of Records (44 USC 2109)

Privacy Act of 1974 (5 USC 552a)

Public Buildings Cooperative Use Act of 1976 (40 USC 601a)

Recreation and Public Purposes Act of 1926 (43 USC 869)

Reservoir Salvage Act of 1960, as amended by the Archeological and Historic Preservation Act (16 USC 469-469c)

Theft of Government Property (18 USC 641)

1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of

Ownership of Cultural Property (19 USC 2601)

1983 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

US Codes

16 USC Chapter 1A, “Historic Sites, Buildings, Objects, and Antiquities”

18 USC 641 (Establishes criminal penalties for converting Government property to private use or gain.)

Property Management Systems Requirements 25

Appendix B: References
31 USC 3512 (Requires the head of each executive agency to establish and maintain systems of accounting and internal

control designed to provide effective control over, and accountability for, all assets for which the agency is responsible.)

31 USC 3531 (Provides that the head of the agency shall charge a person entrusted with public property for the loss of

the property when it is determined that it is the person’s fault that the property is lost.)

31 USC 3711 (Requires that the head of an agency or his designee try to collect money or property due the United States 

Government.)

40 USC Chapters 10 and 20, Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. 

Executive Orders

Executive Order 12999, “Educational Technology: Ensuring Opportunity for All Children in the Next Century”

Executive Order 13011, “Federal Information Technology”

Executive Order 13031, “Federal Alternative Fueled Vehicle Leadership”

Executive Order 13123, “Greening the Government Through Efficient Energy Management”

Executive Orders-Stewardship Land

Executive Order 12548 (establishes fees for grazing domestic livestock on public rangeland)

Executive Order 12962, “Recreational Fishing”, June 7, 1995

Executive Orders-Heritage Assets

Executive Order 11593 “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” (1971)

Executive Order 13006 “Locating Federal Facilities On Historic Properties In Our Nation’s Central Cities” (1996) 

Executive Order 13007 “Indian Sacred Sites” (1996) 

Government Accounting Office (GAO) Documents

GAO Policies & Procedures Manual for Guidance of Federal Agencies, Title 2

OMB Documents

OMB Bulletin No. 97-01, “Form and Content of Agency Financial Statements”

OMB Circular No. 11, “Planning, Budgeting, and Acquisition of Capital Assets (Part 3) Supplement to Part 3, Capital

Programming Guide”

OMB Circular No. 102, “Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments”

OMB Circular No. 109, “Policies for Acquiring Major Systems”

OMB Circular No. 110, “Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and other Agreements with Institutions of

Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Non-Profit Organizations”

26 Property Management Systems Requirements

Appendix B: References
OMB Circular No. 123, “Management Accountability and Control”

OMB Circular No. 127, “Financial Management Systems”

OMB Circular No. 130, “Management of Federal Information Resources”

OMB Memorandum M-97-02 “Funding Information Systems Investments”

Codes of Federal Regulations (CFRs)

41 CFR 101, “Public Contracts and Property Management”

48 CFR, “Federal Acquisition Regulations System”

CFR’s Regarding Heritage Assets

Certifications Pursuant to the Tax Reform Act of 1976 (36 CFR 67.2)

Curation of Federally-Owned and Administered Archeological Collections (36 CFR 79)

Disposition of Federal Records (36 CFR 1228)

Federal Records; General (36 CFR 1220)

Freedom of Information Act Regulations (36 CFR 810)

Historic Preservation Requirements of the Urban Development Action Grant Program (36 CFR 801)

National Historic Landmarks Program (36 CFR 65)

National Register of Historic Places (36 CFR 60) and Determinations of Eligibility for Inclusion in the National Register 

(36 CFR 63)

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act: Final Rule (43 CFR 10)

Preservation of American Antiquities (43 CFR 3)

Procedures for State, Tribal, and Local Government Historic Preservation Programs (36 CFR 61)

Protection of Archeological Resources (43 CFR 7)

Protection of Historic and Cultural Properties (36 CFR 800)

Research Specimens (36 CFR 2.5)

Other Applicable Standards, Guidelines, and Regulations

Federal Acquisition Regulation

Federal Property Management Regulation

Guidelines for Federal Agency Responsibilities, Under Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act 

Preparation of Environmental Impact Statements: Guidelines (40 CFR 1500)

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Architectural and Engineering Documentation

The Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards (48 CFR 22716, Sept. 1983) 

Property Management Systems Requirements 27

Appendix B: References
The Secretary of the Interior’s Proposed Historic Preservation Professional Qualification Standards

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (36 CFR 67) 

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (36 CFR 68)

28 Property Management Systems Requirements

Appendix B: References
Appendix C: Glossary

Accountability The obligation of an individual to keep records of property, documents, or funds. Accountability is a

responsibility officially assigned to a specific person that may not be delegated.

Accountable property

Non-expendable personal property that is sensitive or that has an acquisition cost above an agency-defined 

dollar value threshold, has a useful life of one year or more, and must be accounted for throughout its

useful life.

Accumulated depreciation, amortization, or depletion

The total depreciation, amortization, or depletion recorded on an asset since placed in service.

Acquisition Acquisition of property means to procure, purchase, or obtain in any manner, including transfer,

acquisition from excess, lease or loan for a period of 60 or more consecutive days, donation or forfeiture,

manufacture, or production at government-owned plants or facilities.

Acquisition cost Cost to the Government of putting the property into use when the property is originally acquired. It

includes all costs incurred to bring the item to a form and location suitable for its intended use. For

additional clarification and examples, refer to SSFAS 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment,

and SSFAS 10, Accounting for Internal Use Software. 

Amortization The periodic recognition of the consumption (expense) of an intangible asset.

Asset Tangible or intangible items owned by the Federal Government that would have probable economic

benefits that can be controlled or obtained by a Federal Government entity.

Asset category Assets are sorted into groups, which are used to more clearly understand the purpose and functions of an

agency, and where its resources are being applied. 

Asset pool Similar assets that singly may not represent a significant or material amount are grouped into an asset

pool and capitalized as a single asset.

Asset type The categories of PP&E as defined in SSFAS 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment.

Bar code A series of short black lines of varied thickness usually accompanied by alphanumeric digits. A laser

reader or scanner can translate the bar codes with the corresponding alphanumeric digits that are used to

uniquely identify a property item. This property identification number is used as the basis for the

inventory. 

Bulk property items Items acquired by the bulk purchase method.

Bulk purchase A single acquisition of many separate items that if purchased individually would not be significant or

material; however is significant when purchased as a single acquisition.

Capital improvements

An enhancement that increases the future service potential of the asset and should be capitalized.

Capital lease Lease that transfers substantially all the benefits and risks of ownership to the lessee. See SFFAS 5 and 6

for the criteria used to identify capital leases.

Capitalize To record and carry forward into one or more future periods any expenditure the benefits from which will 

then be realized.

Capitalized property Non-expendable property (excluding stewardship property, plant and equipment) with a useful life of 2

years or more and an acquisition cost above a predetermined dollar value threshold.

Property Management Systems Requirements 29
Central Systems Central systems collect and maintain financial and related performance measurement data needed for

Government-wide reporting and analysis, budget execution analysis, production of consolidated financial

statements, program monitoring, and Government- wide decision-making support.

Clean-up costs Costs of removing, containing, and/or disposing of (1) hazardous waste from property, or (2) material

and/or property that consists of hazardous waste at permanent or temporary closure or shutdown of

associated PP&E. Clean-up may include, but is not limited to, decontamination, decommissioning, site

restoration, site monitoring, closure, and post-closure costs.

Condition The physical state of an asset. The condition of an asset is based on an evaluation of the physica l

status/state of an asset, its ability to perform as planned, and its continued usefulness. 

Construction Erection or assembly of a new facility; the addition, expansion, extension, alteration, conversion, or

replacement of an existing facility. Includes equipment installed and made a part of such facilities, and

related engineering and design efforts, site preparation, excavation, filling and landscaping, or other land

improvements.

Contra-asset account An account that is used solely to record and accumulate reductions in the balance of its related account. A 

contra-account balance is subtracted from the balance of the related account (like depreciation).

Conversion Permanent change in the functional use of all or part of a building or structure. The building or structure

description is changed to reflect the conversion.

Current use status An indication in the property management system which tells a user whether an item of accountable

property is currently in-use by the Government, in storage pending use, in storage pending disposal , on

loan, in-use by a contractor (Government-furnished equipment), or other similar situations which affect

the financial treatment of the asset.

Deferred maintenance

Maintenance that was not performed when it should have been or was scheduled to be and which,

therefore, is put off or delayed for a future period.

Depletion The allocation of the cost (using up) of natural resources, which is systematically expensed over time.

Depreciation The allocation of the cost of an asset over a period of time for accounting and tax purposes. Also, a

decline in the value of property due to general wear and tear or obsolescence.

Disposal Any authorized method of permanently divesting of the control of and responsibility for property.

Excess property Any property under the control of a Federal agency, which the head of the agency determines is not

required for the needs and discharge of the responsibilities of the agency.

Expendable property

Property with a normal life expectancy of less than 2 years. It is normally consumed in the normal course

of its use.

Expense To record and charge costs to the operating budget during the current period. Includes depreciation for

the current period or the total costs for low-value, short-lived assets.

Expensed property Non-expendable and expendable property with an acquisition cost below a predetermined dollar value

threshold.

Facility Building, structure, utility system, or land.

Fair market value The price that property would sell for on the open market. It is the price that would be agreed on

between a willing buyer and a willing seller, with neither being required to act, and both having

reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts.

30 Property Management Systems Requirements

Appendix C: Glossary
Financial management system

The financial systems and the financial portions of mixed systems necessary to support financial

management.

Financial system An information system comprised of one or more applications used for collecting, processing,

maintaining, transmitting, and reporting data about financial events; supporting financial planning or

budgeting activities; accumulating and reporting cost information; or supporting financial statement

preparation.

Firmware Computer software that has been permanently installed (“hard-wired”) into a computer hardware. 

General property, plant, and equipment

Any property, plant, and equipment used in providing goods or services. General PP&E typically has one 

or more of the following characteristics:

• it could be used for alternative purposes but is used to produce goods, services;

• it is used in business-type activities, or

• it is used by entities in activities whose costs can be compared to those of other entities perform ing 

similar activities.

Government-furnished property (GFP)

Government property that a contracting officer authorizes a contractor to use for performance of a

Government contract.

GSA Worldwide Inventory

GSA-maintained information system that captures data on real property owned and leased by the Feder al

Government.

Hazardous material/waste

Solid, liquid, or gaseous waste, or combination of these wastes, which because of its quantity,

concentration or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics may cause or significantly contribute to

an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating illness or pose a substantial

present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored,

transported, disposed of, or otherwise managed.

Heritage assets Property, plant, and equipment that are unique for one or more of the following reasons: historical or

natural significance; cultural, educational, or artistic (e.g., aesthetic) importance; or significant

architectural characteristics.

In-transit Concept of property that has been acquired and shipped, but which has not arrived at its destination. 

Information system The organized collection, processing, transmission, and dissemination of information in accordance with

defined procedures, whether automated or manual. Information systems include non-financial, financial

and mixed systems.

Information technology

Any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, that is used in the automatic

acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange,

transmission, or reception of data or information by the executive agency. The term “information

technology” includes computers, ancillary equipment, software, and firmware.

Internal use software

Software that is purchased off-the-shelf, internally developed, or contractor-developed solely to m eet the

entity’s internal needs.

Journal entry An item in double-entry bookkeeping that records financial events for posting to the General Ledger. 

Property Management Systems Requirements 31

Appendix C: Glossary
Land Land is the solid part of the surface of the earth. Excluded from the definition of land are the natural

resources (depletable resources such as mineral deposits and petroleum; renewable resources such as

timber, and the outer-continental shelf resources related to land). Land comprises the whole or part of an 

area in which the Federal Government has all rights, title and interest. Includes land acquired by

purchase, condemnation, donation, or transfer. Includes reclaimed or accredited lands if title is vested in

the Federal Government and such lands are under custody and accountability of the Federal agency.

Land rights Interests and privileges held by the entity in land owned by others, such as leaseholds, easements, water

and water power rights, diversion rights, rights-of-way, and other land interests in land.

Lease An agreement conveying the right to use property, plant, or equipment for a stated period of time.

Maintenance The act of keeping assets in useable condition. It includes preventative maintenance, normal repairs,

replacement of parts and structural components, and other activities needed to preserve the asset so that it 

provides acceptable services and achieves its expected life. Maintenance excludes activities aimed at

expanding the capacity of an asset or otherwise upgrading it to serve different needs than, or significantly

greater than, those originally intended.

Mixed system Any information system that supports both the financial and non-financial functions of the Federal

Government or components thereof.

Multi-use heritage assets

Heritage assets whose predominant use is general Government operations. A heritage asset used to serve

two purposes—a heritage function and Government operation—shall be considered a multi-use heritage

asset if the predominant use of the asset is in general Government operations.

National defense PP&E

(1) The PP&E components of weapons systems and support PP&E owned by the Department of Defense 

or its component entities for use in the performance of military missions, and (2) vessels held in a

preservation status by the Maritime Administration’s National Defense Reserve Fleet.

Net book value The net amount at which an asset or a liability is carried on the books of account. Net book value is the

acquisition cost of the asset less its accumulated depreciation.

Non-expendable personal property

Personal property with a normal life expectancy that exceeds 2 years, has a continuous use as a

self-contained unit, and does not lose its identity or is destroyed when put into use.

Operating lease An agreement conveying the right to use property for a limited time in exchange for periodic rental

payments.

Personal property Property that is not classified as either real property or Federal Government records and includes all

equipment, materials, and supplies.

Property Anything that may be legally owned. Property includes real and personal property.

Property, plant, and equipment

Tangible assets, including land that meet the following criteria:

• they have estimated useful lives of 2 years or more;

• they are not intended for sale in the ordinary course of operations; and

• they have been acquired or constructed with the intention of being used, or being available for use

by the entity. 

Property, plant, and equipment also includes:

32 Property Management Systems Requirements

Appendix C: Glossary
• assets acquired through capital leases, including leasehold improvements;

• property owned by the reporting entity in the hands of others;

• land rights.

Property, plant, and equipment excludes items (1) held in anticipation of physical consumption such as

operating materials and supplies, and (2) in which the Federal Government has a reversionary interest.

Property accountability

Property accountability includes responsibilities for such tasks as tracking the movement of assets,

recording changes in physical condition, and verification of physical counts. Property managers exercise

this responsibility and maintain proper control over an organization’s assets through record keeping,

effective policies and procedures, and appropriate security controls

Property Accountability Officer

The designated official responsible for the effective administration and maintenance of the property

control and accountability system within an area of accountability. This person reports to the Property

Management Officer.

Property Custodian An individual designated in writing and located at the field operating unit level having physical custody

and control over property. The Property Custodian or his/her designee is responsible for keeping the

property records for his/her area of responsibility, taking and maintaining inventories, informing the

property office of all new items of accountable property acquired as well as old items of accountable

property excessed and removed. The Property Custodian may report to a Property Accountability Offic er

or to the Property Management Officer depending upon the size of the agency.

Property management

All functions necessary for the proper determination of need, source, acquisition, receipt, accountability,

utilization, maintenance, rehabilitation, storage, distribution, and disposal of property.

Property Management Officer

An individual formally appointed by the head of an agency or an operating unit within an agency to serve

as a focal point for property management with the responsibility and authority to account for the effective 

control, acquisition, use, and disposal of property for that operating unit.

Real estate Land and interests therein, leaseholds, buildings, improvements, and appurtenances thereto. It also

includes piers, docks, warehouses, rights-of-way, and easements, whether temporary or permanent, and

improvements permanently attached to and ordinarily considered real estate. It does not include

machinery, equipment, or tools, which have been affixed to, or which may be removed without

destroying the usefulness of the structure.

Real estate instrument

Lease, license, permit or similar document authorizing the use or possession of real property controlled by 

one Federal agency to another Federal, state, or local Government agency or private organization for a

designated period of time.

Real property Land and improvements to land, buildings, and facilities, including improvements and additions thereto,

and utility systems. It includes equipment affixed and built into the facility as an integral part of the

facility (such as heating systems), but not movable equipment (such as plant equipment). In many

instances this term is synonymous with real estate.

Recognize To determine the amount, timing classification, and other conditions precedent to the acceptance and

entry of a transaction. Hence, to give expression on the books of account.

Reconciliation The process of getting individual records contained in the property management system fully consistent

with the actual status of the property item including the item’s physical location, actual acquisition cost,

etc.

Property Management Systems Requirements 33

Appendix C: Glossary
Record To give expression to a transaction on (or in) the books of account; to enter.

Responsibility The obligation of an individual to ensure Government property and funds entrusted to his or her

possession, command, or supervision are properly used and cared for and that proper custody,

safekeeping, and final disposal are provided.

Salvage An item of property, which has parts that are usable or which can be recycled. The item as a whole is in

such poor shape that its repair is not practical but its total destruction is not warranted.

Salvage Value The amount to which an asset must be written down or depreciated during its useful life.

Sensitive property Non-expendable personal property, as determined by each individual agency, that is potentially dangerous 

to the public safety or security if stolen, lost, or misplaced, or that must be subject to exceptional physical

security, protection, control, and accountability such as classified property, weapons, ammunition,

explosives, controlled substances, radioactive materials, hazardous materials or wastes, or preciou s metals.

Skeletal property record

Basic information recorded at the time the Government takes title to property.

Software The application and operating system programs, procedures, rules, and any associated documentation

pertaining to the operation of a computer system.

Source document The specific mechanism used which obligates the Government to an expenditure of funds. In addition to

bilateral instruments (e.g., contracts and contract modification), a source document may be a task/delivery 

order issued under a contract or basic ordering agreement, purchase order, purchase card order, or any

other mutual binding legal mechanism obligating the seller to furnish the supplies or services and the

buyer to pay for them.

Stewardship The Federal Government’s responsibility for the general welfare of the nation and its resources in perpetuity.

Stewardship land Land owned by the Federal Government and not acquired for or in connection with other PP&E.

Structure Real property facility that is classified as other than land, a building, or utility system. 

Surplus property Property no longer required by Federal agencies, as determined by GSA. GSA will either donate the

property to state agencies or sell the property outright.

System Two or more individual items (equipment components) that are part of a self-contained group, that are

joined physically, electronically, or electromechanically, programmed or designed specially to rely on each

other, and cannot function independently if separated, and cannot be easily disconnected and reconfigured 

to function with or within another unit or “system”.

Threshold The dollar amount above which items must be accounted for in the property management system.

Upgrades Additions to or replacement parts within an existing piece of equipment. These will improve or add to its 

functioning over and above its capability as originally configured. Alternatively or as an addition al

consequence, the function or the useful life of the original unit is extended. The item being purc hased is

not an accountable piece of property in and of itself; that is, it will not function on its own without being

installed with the original main unit.

Useful life The normal operating life (of an asset) in terms of utility to the owner.

Utilization The documented use of material or an asset in the business process compared to the planned use. 

Valuation The act of estimating the value or worth.

Work-In-Process PP&E under construction or development.

34 Property Management Systems Requirements

Appendix C: Glossary
Appendix D: Contributors

Joint Financial Management Improvement Program

(JFMIP) Steering Committee

Donald V. Hammond, Chair, Department of the

Treasury

Karen Cleary Alderman, Executive Director, JFMIP

Sheila Conley, Office of Management and Budget

William B. Early, General Services Administration

J. Gilbert Seaux, Office of Personnel Management

Jeffrey C. Steinhoff, U.S. General Accounting Office

Joint Financial Management Improvement Program

Karen Cleary Alderman, Executive Director

Mary Chase (Women’s Executive Leadership Program

participant from General Services Administration)

Susan Kaufman (Women’s Executive Leadership

Program participant from the Defense Logistics Agency)

Carla Kohler (CFO Fellow from the Defense Finance

and Accounting Service- Kansas City Center)

Dennis Mitchell

Dorothy Sugiyama (Defense Leadership and

Management Program participant from Department of

Army)

Property Management Systems Steering Committee

Frank Sullivan, Chair, Department of Veterans Affairs

Karen Cleary Alderman, Joint Financial Management

Improvement Program 

Wendolyn M. Comes, Federal Accounting Standards

Advisory Board

Irwin T. David, National Weather Service 

F. Jay Lane, Department of Defense 

De Ritchie, Department of Defense

Phillip Smith, National Aeronautics and Space

Administration

Steve Varholy, National Aeronautics and Space

Administration

Marty Wagner, General Services Administration

Property Management Systems Requirements 35

Chief Financial Officers Council, Financial Systems Committee

R. Schuyler Lesher, Chair, Department of the Interior

Office of Management and Budget

Jean Holcomb

Sandra R. Swab

Property Management Systems Requirements Project Team

Department of Defense (Sponsoring Agency)

Dave Oliver, Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense

(Acquisition & Technology) (Project Sponsor)

Stan Azebu (Team Leader)

Robert Donatuti

Mike Burke

Angelena Moy

Ron Smith

Eva Daniel

Anissa Nash-Brooks

Gerald Thomas

Elvon Lloyd

James H. Fleischman 

James F. Friel

Tyler Apffel

David Vincent

John Richards

U.S. Agency for International Development

Thomas Mundell

Department of Agriculture

Rico Clarke

Charles Swinton

Kathy Fay

Department of the Army

Irma Davis

Julie Jones-Conte

Jerry Zekert

Department of Commerce

Brian Mason

Bajinder Paul

Nancy Walters

Department of Health and Human Services

Waldo Nelson
36 Property Management Systems Requirements

Appendix E: Contributors

Department of the Interior

Debra Lange

Jacque Medina

Ronald C. Wilson

Jim Crews

Department of Justice

Janet Dobbs

Department of the Treasury

David Baker

Department of Veterans Affairs

Linnie Baker

Sandra Miller-Hawkins

Leo Glynn

Environmental Protection Agency

Pamela Doucoure

Anthony Borda

Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board

Andrea Palmer

Federal Emergency Management Agency

James H. Lemly, Jr.

U.S. General Accounting Office

Lisa Jacobson

Mark P. Connelly

Janett Smith

Miguel Lujan

William F. Wright

Kristi Karls

General Services Administration

Sherry Conner

Carol Anadale

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Billie Wilchek

Private Sector Council

Edwin W. Bennett

John Greaney

Erica Prentice

Smithsonian Institution

William G. Tompkins

MTL Services International, Inc.

Orfeo “Chuck” Trombetta, Jr.

KPMG LLP

Norwood Jackson

KPMG Consulting

Alison Reilly

James Kearney
Requests for Publications

JFMIP documents may be accessed electronically onFinanceNetInternetsite:

http://www.financenet.gov/fed/jfmip/jfmip.htm

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