Distribution: AMS & APHIS Originating Office: MRP ITD 

United States Department of Agriculture

Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Agricultural Marketing Service

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Mission Area Directive MRP 5000.3 06/07/2022

 

Government Furnished Equipment for Telework and Remote Employees

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................ 1

2. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS AND REPLACEMENT HIGHLIGHTS .............................. 1

3. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................. 2

4. AUTHORITIES AND REFERENCES ............................................................................... 2

5. SCOPE ................................................................................................................................. 2

6. ACRONYMS ....................................................................................................................... 2

7. POLICY .............................................................................................................................. 3

8. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................... 4

9. PROCEDURES.................................................................................................................... 6

10. RECORDS MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................. 7

11. INQUIRIES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ......................................................... 7

1. PURPOSE 

 

This Directive establishes Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) policy for the 

issuing and control of government furnished equipment (GFE) for telework and remote 

employees. This policy also includes government furnished information technology (IT); 

and it ensures MRP complies with Federal Property Management Regulations to protect 

against the fraud, waste, and abuse of Federal equipment. 

2. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS AND REPLACEMENT HIGHLIGHTS 

 

a. All MRP organizations must ensure compliance with the provisions of this 

regulation. 

b. This Directive is in force until canceled or superseded. 
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c. All equipment must be managed in accordance with the MRP Property Manual. 

3. BACKGROUND 

a. In November of 2021, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published 

final regulations that provided: 

 

• Federal agencies guidance on developing telework arrangements laws, 

agency roles and responsibilities and guidance to develop agency 

telework policies. 

• Technical guidance on remote work: A review of implications, 

considerations, and strategies for the appropriate use of remote work 

arrangements was completed by the supervisors in coordination with 

Human Resources (HR) guidance. 

b. On March 15, 2020, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provided 

guidance to: 

• Maximize the use of teleworking 

• Promote social distancing

• Decrease and slow the spread of COVID-19 

4. AUTHORITIES AND REFERENCES 

 

a. OPM 2021 Guide to Telework and Remote Work in the Federal Government 

2021 Guide to Telework and Remote Work in the Federal Government 

b. Manager and Employee Telework Flexibilities Related to COVID-19 While 

Continuing USDA’s Services to the American People USDA All Employees 

Expanded Telework Guidance

c. USDA DR Subject Telework and Remote Work Program. DR4080-811-002, 

Telework and Remote Work Programs (usda.gov)

d. MRP Personal Property Manual. 

5. SCOPE 

a. This Directive applies to MRP programs and employees. 

6. ACRONYMS

AAMD – Acquisition and Asset Management Division 
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APHIS – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

AMS – Agricultural Marketing Service 

APO – Accountable Property Officer

CEC – Client Experience Center

CSSD – Cyber Security Services Directorate

GFE – Government Furnished Equipment 

IT – Information Technology 

MRP – Marketing and Regulatory Programs 

PMO – Property Management Officer 

USDA – United States Department of Agriculture

7. POLICY 

 

MRP policy is to: 

a. Comply with all Federal and Departmental rules, regulations, and policies 

governing GFE category rating.

b. Provide each employee with a standard computer package as approved by the 

Department and provided as part of a standard issue workstation, including but 

not limited to: 

• One Laptop or Desktop Computer

• Docking Station 

• Mouse 

• Keyboard 

• Power Supplies 

c. Make Optional Equipment available to all telework and remote duty station 

employees upon request including but not limited to: 

• One Monitor 

• Headset and/or Speaker

• Webcam

• Additional Docking Station 

d. Make approval only available with approval by the Deputy Administrator, or their 

delegate, and which requires a business justification based upon the employee’s 

duties as noted on his/her position description, including but not limited to: 

• Printer

• Second Monitor 

• Other devices above the standard and optional equipment (e.g., cell 

phone, tablet, etc.) 
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e. Consider this package to be GFE issued to each employee and that it can be in the 

employee’s regular office/workspace or at a telework/remote location.

f. Seek replacement equipment should any of the previously listed equipment be 

inoperative or missing. 

g. Consider it standard practice that employees will not be issued duplicate sets of 

GFE to include IT equipment for multiple locations. For exceptions, see the

Acquiring Non-Standard, Duplicate, or Ergonomic GFE section of this document. 

h. Have telework and remote employees provide all other equipment and furnishings 

such as a desk, bulletin board, and a bookcase. 

i. Have a signed Hand Receipt for all GFE assigned to a core telework/remote 

employee site.

j. Have the Accounting Property Officer (APO) maintain official records of Hand 

Receipts and send copies to the employee.

k. Have the APO maintain a spreadsheet of all GFE and supporting documentation 

such as hand receipts to ensure adequate tracking and accountability. 

l. Have the APO review, at least annually, all telework and remote duty station 

agreements, assigned GFE, or whenever a change of property occurs. 

8. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

 

The implementation of the policy and procedures as established by this directive requires 

the responsibilities of the following individuals and/or groups: 

Supervisor /APO responsibilities

The Supervisor/APO will: 

a. Ensure the telework or remote location has the minimum safety and security 

requirements as outlined in the telework agreement.

b. Ensure the employee is issued GFE required by their position. 

c. Ensure employees who took furniture (e.g., chair, adjustable stand-up desk 

attachments, etc.) home during maximum telework understand the equipment is 

considered “grandfathered,” and employees may only retain that equipment until 

the time at which they separate from MRP. 
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• Programs will maintain a detailed list of this offsite inventory which 

will be maintained by their APO. 

• Duplicate items (special desks, chairs, etc.) will not be provided for 

telework employees for use in the office setting. Employees who took 

furniture home and will be teleworking, may not request additional 

similar furniture for use in the office.

d. Approve the use of program funds for the qualified purchase of Reasonable 

Accommodations or ergonomic requirements. 

e. Ensure employees who work from home adopt all digital work processes that 

minimize the need for printing and scanning. 

f. Verify the employee completed the Rules of Behavior for Government Furnished 

Mobile Devices and place the verification in the employee file. 

Employee responsibilities

The Employee will: 

g. Comply with telework/remote duty agreements and ensure GFE is safe and secure 

from damage, loss, or theft. 

h. Ensure there is adequate power and internet connectivity to support work activity. 

i. Report loss, damage, or theft of GFE immediately to the Supervisor/APO via the 

AD-112 Form. 

j. Refrain from attaching any personal printers and/or scanners to GFE 

(laptops/tablets).

k. Comply with Rules of Behavior for Government Furnished Mobile Devices. 

Employees are liable for any injury or safety issues incurred related to setting up 

their workspace while working from the telework/remote site.
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9. PROCEDURES 

Supervisors will perform the following procedures to ensure necessary GFE is provided 

based on work requirements. 

Acquisition:

a. GFE for telework/remote offices will be acquired through the employee’s respective 

Program APO, with the request fulfilled through the Client Experience Center’s 

(CEC’s) Digital Workplace. 

b. Any requests for additional/duplicate equipment will follow the guidance delineated 

by the Reasonable Accommodation Program per MRP 4300.2. 

c. Programs will use program funds to purchase equipment (and duplicate equipment). 

d. Any ergonomic equipment requirements should be routed through the Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Ergonomics Program. 

Disposal of excess GFE: 

e. Excess, inoperative or outdated GFE shall be returned to the Supervisor/APO. When 

returned, it will be annotated, dated, and initialed on the hand receipt. 

• If the returned property is deemed reusable, the Supervisor/APO will 

report it to the AAMD Property Manager using SF-120 Report of Excess 

Property. 

• If the returned property is not reusable, the Supervisor/APO will report it 

to the AAMD Property Manager using AD-112 Report of Unserviceable, 

Lost, Stolen, Damaged or Destroyed Property. 

f. The AAMD Property Manager can help guide the Supervisor/APO on reusability by 

considering the property’s: 

• Estimated commercial value. 

• Health, safety, or security factors. 

• Cost of handling and estimated small lot sales proceeds. 

• Applicability to any regulation or policy. 

• Estimated cost of repair. 

Questions regarding GFE or personal property, will be directed to MRPBS AAMD 

Property at AAMD.Personal.Property.Services@usda.gov 
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Printer Guidance Remote and Telework Employees:

g. Can print from home ONLY if they have a GFE printer and have a signed letter of 

agreement with MRP-IT’s Cyber Security Services Directorate (CSSD). Letters of 

agreement can be accessed here and will be filled out, signed, and sent to 

mrprcbranch@usda.gov . 

h. Must agree and understand they are responsible and liable for any information they 

print at home and must secure documents in a locked file drawer. 

i. Must submit an exemption request if they believe they have an official use-case 

qualifying them for a print from home exemption using their personal printer. 

Requests should be sent to MRP-IT CSSD at mrprcbranch@usda.gov. Their use-case 

will be reviewed based on MRP-IT and Department cybersecurity guidelines. 

10. RECORDS MANAGEMENT 

 

Federal records created by this Directive must be maintained in accordance with the 

established General Records Schedule (GRS), AMS and APHIS Records Management 

Handbooks (when applicable), and the OPM Delegated Examining Handbook (Appendix

C). If employees are named in an active litigation hold, Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA) request, and/or other action, those records, regardless of media, must be 

preserved and maintained in their native format until otherwise notified by your Agency 

Records Officer and/or the Office of General Counsel. 

 

a. MRP-IT, Information Management Branch (MRP-IT, IMB) is the official 

recordkeeper of this Directive which is to be preserved permanently, per 

Paperwork and Data Management (PDM) 4-1. 

b. MRP-AAMD, Personal Property Branch is the official recordkeeper of 

accountable personal property records and policy related to property management. 

11. INQUIRIES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

a. This Directive can be accessed online via the AMS or APHIS Issuance Web page. 

b. Requests for policy interpretations should be directed to Acquisition and Asset 

Management Personal Property at AAMD.Personal.Property.Services@usda.gov. 

c. Requests for IT information may be made to MRP-ITD-Customer-RelationshipBranch@usda.gov. 
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___/s/___________________________________________________

Robert J. Huttenlocker

Deputy Administrator

Marketing and Regulatory Programs Business Services

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service