National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Logistics Management Newsletter

FROM THE LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT DIVISION

FY20 | ISSUE 4 NOVEMBER 2020

Welcome. This newsletter 

is brought to you by the 

Logistics Management 

Division (LMD). Its purpose 

is to keep you abreast 

of the latest business 

practices and to share 

information about ongoing 

logistics management 

initiatives and events. It also 

introduces interim policy 

letters, which shall be 

incorporated in forthcoming 

updates of NASA 

Procedural Directives and 

Procedural Requirements.

IN THIS ISSUE

1 Hail and Farewell 5 Transportation Management Program

7 Equipment Management Program 16 Contact Us

HAIL AND FAREWELL

The Logistics Management Division celebrates personnel additions to our 

community and, with bittersweet sentiments, bids farewell to those who 

made the difference, the true pillars and experts within our logistics programs. To those we hail, welcome—you have rewarding challenges ahead; 

and to those who are departing, thank you—you will be greatly missed!

Jermaine Asbury is the new 

Headquarters Industrial Property 

Officer (IPO)

Ann Cuyler, Program 

Manager, Contract 

Property

Jermaine Asbury

Jermaine Asbury is 

originally from South 

Carolina and brings a 

wealth of expertise to 

the IPO community. “I 

am a U.S. Army brat 

and a prior U.S. Army 

myself.” said Jermaine. 

Jermaine has been working in 

logistics and property management since 1998, when he joined 

the U.S. Army as a 

Unit Supply Specialist. 

Jermaine moved to the 

DC metropolitan area 

from San Antonio, TX, 

where he worked as the 

Property Administrator 

for the Army’s Mission 

Installation Contracting 

Command at Fort Sam 

Houston. “I worked with 

contracting officers and 
2 logistics management news

contracting officer’s representatives 

to ensure contractor compliance 

with contracts and FAR [Federal 

Acquisition Regulations] requirements, as it pertains to government 

property, throughout the performance of their contract. However, 

I have been in the realm of government/industrial property since 2016 

when I first joined with [the] Defense 

Contract Management Agency 

(DCMA). I am glad to be here and 

look forward to this new adventure 

with NASA.” Jermaine, welcome to 

NASA’s logistics community. We 

look forward to working with you.

New Members in Kennedy Space 

Center (KSC) Logistics Branch

Lisa Williams, Deputy, KSC 

Logistics Branch 

KSC Logistics Welcomes 

Margarita “Maggie” 

Cunningham 

Margarita Cunningham

Margarita “Maggie” 

Cunningham is a longtime resident of Florida’s 

Space Coast. She began 

her career in public service in 2002 at NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center. 

Maggie will serve as the 

new Survey and Loan Manager 

within KSC’s Supply and Equipment 

Management Office. Prior to joining 

the Logistics Branch, she spent 

17 years supporting the Office 

the Chief financial Officer (OCFO). 

Throughout her tenure in the OCFO, 

Maggie served as an administrative 

officer responsible for a wide range 

of administrative and personnel 

functions and later served as a 

program analyst supporting KSC’s 

business development activities and other reimbursable and 

partnership agreements. 

KSC Logistics Welcomes 

New Transportation Officer

Melissa Coleman

Lieutenant Colonel 

(retired) Melissa 

Coleman is originally 

from Grand Rapids, 

MI. She graduated and 

was commissioned in 

the spring of 1998 from 

Michigan State University 

as a Transportation 

Corps officer. 

Her first duty assignment was in 

Fort Lewis, WA, as a 

platoon leader in charge 

of 50 soldiers, followed 

by an assignment as 

an executive officer for 

a company of nearly 

200 soldiers. 

Melissa also served for 

1 year in South Korea, 

followed by an assignment at Fort Bragg, NC. 

While at Fort Bragg, she 

was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 

two times, totaling nearly 3 years 

of deployment due to a surge and 

extension. Following her assignment 

at Fort Bragg, she was stationed at 

Fort Leavenworth, KS, as part of a 

program that trained units to deploy. 

Melissa’s next assignment brought 

her to Fort Drum, NY, from where 

she deployed to Afghanistan in 

support of Operation Enduring 

Freedom. She was responsible for 

all Army transportation assets in the 

country. Next she was assigned at 

the Defense Logistics 

Agency, where she was 

responsible for developing a deployment 

training model for over 

200 Reserves, which 

included all branches of 

the military. 

She finished her Active 

Duty Army career at 

East Carolina University, 

serving as the Professor 

of Military Science running the Reserve Officer Training 

Program. Her schools include 

the Command and General Staff 

College out of Fort Leavenworth, 

KS, and Airborne School. Melissa 

holds two master’s degrees, one 

in higher education and human 

development from the University of 

Louisville and the other a master of 

business administration from the 

University of Phoenix. Melissa is 

married to Jennifer Brodie, and they 

have one son, Brodie.

New Contractor Support at KSC 

Property Management Office 

KSC welcomes Debra King, a 

contractor with Apache Logical, 

supporting the Property Management 

office as an internal controls analyst 

Debra was born in Oklahoma City, 

OK, but resided most of her life 

in Florida. After high school, she 

served in the U.S. Army in the logistics field. While serving in Germany, 
logistics management newsl 

she was responsible 

for contracting services 

and equipment. She 

managed rail movement 

contracts for construction 

projects and managed to 

complete some courses 

with the City College 

of Chicago (European 

Campus). After her military service, she returned 

to Brevard County, 

where she completed more college 

courses and obtained a certificate 

with honors. Debra has worked for 

Brevard County Child Abuse Hotline 

as an administrative operator, and 

for City Gas Co. as an administrative scheduler.

“Growing up along the 

east coast, I became 

very interested in the 

space program and 

wanted to be a part of it.”

“Growing up along the east coast, I 

became very interested in the space 

program and wanted to be a part of 

it,” Debra said.

Debra has been a contractor at 

Kennedy Space Center since 1999. 

She was employed with United 

Space Alliance and later with 

Apache Logical. She has supported 

the KSC transportation office for the 

last 8 years as a National Property 

Management Association Certified 

Federal Fleet Specialist. 

She has an extensive 

background in administrative, supply, and 

transportation functions.

Debra King

“I’ve been happily married for 25 years and 

have a beautiful son and 

daughter. My son is an 

Army vet and my daughter is active Navy.” 

Debra and her husband spend 

their free time on community 

work. They volunteer to coordinate 

neighborhood donations for the 

Paralyzed Veterans of America and 

the American Red Cross. They also 

spend their time placing U.S. flags 

and wreaths in cemeteries on veterans’ remembrance days. They were 

honored with a request to participate in the motorcycle escort of the 

Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall. 

“As a Kennedy Space Center contractor for 21 years, I am excited 

about the new opportunity to 

support the Property Management 

Office and look forward to expanding my knowledge and absorbing 

new skills,” said Debra. 

“I will continue to do 

my part to contribute to 

the future of the space 

program and develop 

professional relationships 

with my colleagues. I 

enjoy gardening, camping, and swimming in the 

southern Keys.” 

KSC Welcomes Michele Van Hove to 

the Transportation Group

Michele Van Hove is a contractor employee with Apache 

Logical working with the NASA 

Transportation group. After more 

than 25 years of paralegal work, she 

decided on a career change. 

She came to KSC in 2007 as an 

Administrative Director with United 

Space Alliance (USA) supporting 

the supply, storage, and property 

distribution functions until 2011. She 

obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Barry University 

while employed at USA.

In 2011, Michele left KSC and 

returned to paralegal work. She was 

able to pursue various volunteer 

opportunities within her community (e.g., Brevard Zoo and Brevard 

Public Schools). 

In 2014, she and her family relocated to Virginia, where she continued her volunteer path at the 

Eastern Shore Literacy Council and 

her local church. She obtained her 

real estate license from the state of 

Virginia and became the director 

of operations for a nonprofit organization, the Eastern 

Shore Domestic Violence 

Coalition. She capitalized 

on over 30 years of leadership, mentoring, and 

communication skills to 

aid in the growth of this 

nonprofit until her return 

to Florida in 2016.

Michele Van Hove

As an employee of 

Brevard Public Schools, 

she worked with the 
4 logistics management news

Magnet and Title II programs. She 

was soon promoted to school 

accounting auditor, with responsibility to conduct property audits for 

the more than 80 schools within the 

county and more than 120 departments within the district. 

NASA and Northrop Grumman successfully complete the Flight Support Booster-1 (FSB-1) test 

in Promontory, UT, on Sept. 2. The full-scale booster firing was conducted with new materials 

and processes that may be used for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket boosters.

“I have been happily married for 17 

years to my wonderful husband, 

Joe,” said Michele. “We have a 

beautiful daughter, Kathryn, and 

a St. Bernard, Roscoe. We love 

to travel (domestic and abroad), 

complete DIY projects, and try out 

new recipes. My favorite author is 

Nicholas Sparks and when I get 

a chance to relax and read, I love 

where his books take me. I love to 

bake and have taken cake decorating classes.”

A Retirement Farewell to 

Vivian Torres

Braxton Toy, Deputy ARC 

Logistics Branch

With over 35 years of Federal 

service at Ames Research Center 

(ARC), Transportation Officer 

Vivian Torres retired at the end of 

September 2020. Vivian started 

her career as a secretary in the 

Logistics family back in 1985, and 

she quickly rose through the ranks 

as a freight rate specialist. In 2001, 

she broadened her Logistics portfolio when she was selected as a traffic management specialist. In 2008, 

she accepted a new challenge 

as the lead traffic management 

specialist for the Center and ultimately became the Transportation 

Officer for the Division. For many 

years, Vivian has been leading and 

supporting the Center Operations 

Directorate functions, such as shipping operations, motor pool, mail, 

freight, and the development of 

the Advanced Composite Airframe 

Program (ACAP). Vivian’s contributions to the daily operation of the 

Transportation Office, with the leadership she has provided to the staff, 

contractors, and ARC users, will be 

sorely missed. For anyone who has 

ever met Vivian, the first impression 

is the tough New York exterior, but 

within minutes, you will be hearing 

heart-filled stories of her children 

and grandchildren. Vivian’s hard 

work and diligence have greatly 

benefited the Division, and she has 

set a stellar example for the staff 

here to follow. The ARC Logistics 

Division, the Center Staff, and the 

Agency wish her the best in her 

future endeavors. Retirement will 

surely offer her many new opportunities, which she will embrace 

wholeheartedly, just as she did her 

work at NASA.

Vivian’s hard work and 

diligence have greatly 

benefited the Division, 

and she has set a 

stellar example for the 

staff here to follow.
logistics management newsl 

TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Tim Currie, Program Manager

Temporary Suspension of Transportation Fleet 

Inventory and Vehicle Utilization Review Boards 

for FY20

Tim Currie

The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic require 

NASA to continue to manage its transportation assets 

through unprecedented means. Center logistics organizations must conduct inventories of transportation 

fleet assets (e.g., vehicle, trailer, vessel, rail assets) and 

review the utilization data to ensure compliance with 

Executive Order (EO) 13834. Section 1 of the EO states: 

“[A]gencies are instructed to meet statutory requirements related to vehicles’ energy and environmental 

performance in a manner that increases efficiency, 

optimizes performance, and reduces waste and costs.” 

This requirement may not be achievable while the 

Agency is at stage 3. This policy will be revisited when 

the Agency moves to stage 2. 

In support of Executive Order 13834, NPR 6200.1, 

NASA Transportation and General Traffic Management, 

chapter 3, paragraph 3.1.1.11, sub-paragraph 1d, 

requires: “In conjunction with the Contractor, the 

Contracting Officer (CO), the Contract Officer 

Representative (COR), the Transportation Officer/

Transportation Manager (TO/TM) will conduct an annual 

transportation asset utilization review following guidance within the Fleet Management Handbook. The TO/

TM, CO, and COR will validate the types and quantities 

of all Government-owned and contractor-operated 

transportation assets assigned to each contract to 

ensure that allocation and utilization of all transportation assets are based on program requirements.” 

This requirement is designed to increase efficiency, 

to optimize performance, to reduce waste and costs 

associated with underutilized transportation assets, and 

to identify possible “right-sizing” activities. 

The Logistics Management Division is aware that largescale data collection requirements are needed to support Vehicle Utilization Review Boards and has decided 

to suspend this activity during FY20. We support our 

Centers’ contingency operation plans that allow for 

essential employees and contractors to be available 

while the Agency is at stage 3. When appropriate, 

Centers will return to the analysis of inventory and utilization data related to the transportation fleet assets. 

NASA Barge Pegasus Preparation for Core 

Stage Shipment

Alan Murphy, Assistant Manager, MSFC Logistics 

Services Office

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)/Logisticsmanaged NASA barge Pegasus recently completed 

maintenance and refurbishment in a Louisiana shipyard 

in preparation for the upcoming shipment of the Space 

Launch System (SLS) Core Stage (CS) from Stennis 

Space Center (SSC) to Kennedy Space Center (KSC). 

Pegasus is currently moored at SSC for final preparations ahead of the January 2021 loading and shipment 

of the CS. 

Pegasus moored at Marshall Space Flight Center with river tugboat
6 logistics management news

Pegasus moored at the Stennis Space Center 

B-2 Test Stand with the Core Stage installed in 

the test stand

For decades, NASA has used 

barges to move its large space 

flight structures. Pegasus was 

specially designed and built in 

1999 to transport the giant Space 

Shuttle External Tank (ET) and other 

flight hardware from the Louisianabased Michoud Assembly Facility 

(MAF) to KSC on the eastern 

coast of Florida—a 900-mile journey that includes both inland and 

open-ocean waterways. Pegasus 

replaced Poseidon and Orion, 

barges that were used to carry 

Saturn rocket stages, hardware for 

the Apollo program, and the ETs.

In 2015, Pegasus was modified 

and refurbished for its new mission because the CS is more than 

50 feet taller than the ET and, 

including ground support and 

transportation equipment, more 

than 600,000 pounds heavier. A 

115-foot section of the barge was 

removed and replaced with a 165-

foot section specially designed 

to increase the cargo weight and 

length Pegasus can accommodate. 

The length of Pegasus increased 

from 260 feet to 310 feet.

From 2017 until 2019, Pegasus 

made four trips to transport the CS 

structural test articles from MAF 

to MSFC (a trip taking a week to 

10 days) for critical structural testing 

of the CS components, including 

the Engine Section, the Intertank, 

the liquid hydrogen tank, and the 

liquid oxygen tank. 

The Core Stage being loaded onto Pegasus at 

the Michoud Assembly Facility

In 2019, Pegasus delivered the CS 

mockup Pathfinder from MAF to 

SSC (a 1-day trip) and from SSC to 

KSC (a 6-day trip) to allow logistics 

personnel at all three locations to 

simulate the eventual CS move, 

including lifting the Pathfinder into 

the SSC Test Stand and the KSC 

Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). 

In 2020, Pegasus delivered the 

Artemis 1 CS from MAF to SSC, 

where the CS was offloaded and 

installed into the B-2 Test Stand, 

where it is currently undergoing 

Green Run testing. This testing will 

conclude with a live firing of the 

213-foot-tall, 27.6-foot-diameter CS 

that includes the cryogenic liquid 

hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks 

that feed four RS-25 rocket engines.

Also in 2020, Pegasus delivered 

the first flight SLS Launch Vehicle 

Stage Adapter (LVSA) from MSFC 

to KSC during the COVID-19 pandemic. The LVSA, a critical element of the SLS, will connect the 

rocket’s 27.5-foot-diameter CS 

and 16.4-foot-diameter Interim 

Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS).

In January 2021, the CS will be 

removed from the SSC B-2 Test 

Stand, loaded onto Pegasus, 

transported to KSC, and moved to 

the KSC VAB for integration into the 

Artemis 1 vehicle.

The Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter being 

removed from Pegasus at KSC

This first flight test of the SLS will 

carry an uncrewed Orion spacecraft 

beyond low-Earth orbit, around the 

Moon, and back to Earth to test the 

performance of the integrated system and the Orion spacecraft.
logistics management newsl 

EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Miguel A. Rodriguez, Program Manager

Personal, or Related Personal 

Property?

Miguel A. Rodriguez

The Logistics Management Division 

continues to receive inquiries related 

to the determination of personal 

and related personal property. It is 

vital that proper determination be 

made for the effective control and 

accountability of NASA property. 

There are instances 

across NASA 

organizations in which 

personal property 

(equipment, supplies, and 

materials) is acquired with 

the intention to be affixed 

or integrated to real 

property assets (facilities).

There are instances across NASA 

organizations in which personal 

property (equipment, supplies, 

and materials) is acquired with the 

intention to be affixed or integrated 

to real property assets (facilities). This property is oftentimes 

recorded in the SAP/Property, Plant, 

and Equipment system (PP&E) 

for control and accountability as 

controlled equipment (personal 

property) rather than recorded in 

the Real Property Management 

System (RPMS) as related personal 

property. The aforementioned often 

results in database discrepancies 

and property accountability challenges for the logistics community 

(i.e., initiation of Property Survey 

Reports) when subject equipment is 

destroyed or disposed through real 

property processes governing the 

inactivation and disposal of NASA 

facilities. 

Let’s take a moment to review 

important definitions found in 

Federal regulations and Agencylevel policy requirements with 

the aim of clarifying any potential 

confusion among stakeholders. 

For that purpose, it is important 

to review the definitions of “real 

property,” “personal property” 

(equipment), and “related personal 

property,” as well as to understand 

the connection between real property and related personal property, 

along with individual responsibilities 

of those involved in transactions 

affecting logistics and real property 

databases.

What Is Real Property?

In accordance with the Federal 

Management Regulation (FMR), 

subchapter C, part 102-71, real 

property means:

1. Any interest in land, together 

with the improvements, structures, and fixtures located 

thereon (including prefabricated 

movable structures, such as 

Butler-type storage warehouses 

and Quonset huts, and house 

trailers with or without undercarriages), and appurtenances 

thereto, under the control of any 

Federal agency, except—

i. The public domain; 

ii. Lands reserved or dedicated 

for national forest or national 

park purposes; 

iii. Minerals in lands or portions of lands withdrawn or 

reserved from the public 

domain that the Secretary of 

the Interior determines are 

suitable for disposition under 

the public land mining and 

mineral leasing laws; 

iv. Lands withdrawn or reserved 

from the public domain but 

not including lands or portions of lands so withdrawn or 

reserved that the Secretary of 

the Interior, with the concurrence of the Administrator of 

General Services, determines 

are not suitable for return to 

the public domain for disposition under the general public 

land laws because such lands 

are substantially changed in 

character by improvements or 

otherwise; and 

v. Crops when designated by 

such agency for disposition 
8 logistics management news

by severance and removal 

from the land. 

2. Improvements of any kind, 

structures, and fixtures under 

the control of any Federal 

agency when designated by 

such agency for disposition 

without the underlying land 

(including such as may be 

located on the public domain, 

on lands withdrawn or reserved 

from the public domain, on 

lands reserved or dedicated for 

national forest or national park 

purposes, or on lands that are 

not owned by the United States) 

excluding, however, prefabricated movable structures, such 

as Butler-type storage warehouses and Quonset huts, and 

house trailers (with or without 

undercarriages). 

3. Standing timber and embedded 

gravel, sand, or stone under the 

control of any Federal agency, 

whether designated by such 

agency for disposition with 

the land or by severance and 

removal from the land, excluding 

timber felled, and gravel, sand, 

or stone excavated by or for the 

Government prior to disposition. 

Equally important are the definitions in NPR 8831.2F, Facilities 

Maintenance and Operations 

Management, addressing collateral equipment as it relates to 

real property:

Real Property means land, buildings, structures, utility systems, and 

improvements and appurtenances, 

thereto, permanently annexed to 

land. Also includes collateral equipment (i.e., building-type equipment, 

built-in equipment, and large substantially affixed equipment).

BUILDING SUPPORT TYPE EQUIPMENT

Equipment that is normally required 

to make a facility useful and operable. It is built into the facility, and its 

removal would impair the usefulness, safety, or environment of the 

facility. Such equipment includes 

elevators, HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning) systems, 

transformers, and compressors. It 

also includes systems and subsystems, such as electrical, plumbing, 

pneumatic, fire protection, and 

control and monitoring systems.

What Is Equipment?

Per NPR 4200.1H, equipment is a 

tangible asset that is functionally 

complete for its intended purpose, 

durable, and nonexpendable. 

Equipment is not intended for sale 

and does not ordinarily lose its 

identity or become a component 

part of another article when put into 

use. Equipment includes all items 

of NASA personal property that are 

configured as mechanical, electrical, or electronic machines, tools, 

devices, and apparatuses that have 

a useful life of two years or more 

and are not consumed or expended 

in an experiment.

NPR 4200.1H provides the general 

definition of equipment, but not all 

equipment is controlled in NASA’s 

enterprise system; therefore, the 

NPR further adds a definition for 

“controlled equipment,” which 

includes a dollar threshold and 

sensitive item criteria for its control 

in the SAP/Property, Plant, and 

Equipment System (PP&E) system.

In the image on the right, although 

the item may resemble a structure, 

the massive crawler-transporter is a 

controlled equipment item (personal 

property that is movable, not affixed 

to a facility) that serves to transport 

the Shuttle orbiter between the VAB 

and the launch complex.

The crawler-transporter is higher 

than a two-story building, with huge 

caterpillar treads at each of its four 

corners. It is 131 feet long and 

114 feet wide. It weighs 6 million 

pounds. The structure rides on four 

double tracks, each pair the size of 

a Greyhound bus. Inside its huge 

deck are diesel engines with a total 

output of almost 8,000 horsepower. 

They drive generators that supply 

electric motors for the tracks, for 

the delicate leveling mechanism, for 

the cooling systems, and for other 

internal functions.

The images on the right depict an 

orbiter and a tank being hoisted 

up in the VAB. In this instance, the 

cranes and other assembled tooling 

utilized to get this accomplished 

are considered ground support 

equipment or special tooling. The 

ground support equipment is 

not affixed to the building and is 

not part of the building structure; 

therefore, it is categorized as personal property rather than related 

personal property.
logistics

anagentnewl ette9

Crawler-transporter

Inside the VAB

What Is Related Personal Property/

Collateral Equipment?

Just as we have definitions for 

equipment and controlled equip-

ment in NASA policy, we learned 

from the FMR and NASA real 

property policy documents that 

equipment items that are affixed to 

the structure of a facility, and which 

become part of the physical capa-

bility of the facility, should not be 

recorded in the SAP/PP&E system 

as personal property (equipment 

items). These items are categorized 

as related personal property (or 

collateral equipment) and must 

be reported to the corresponding 

Real Property Accountable Officer 

(RPAO), who will determine if or 

how the addition to the real prop-

erty asset should be recorded 

within the real property records, 

or Real Property Management 

System(RPMS).

REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 

SYSTEM

A NASA-wide data system for real 

property that serves as an auto-

mated method for maintaining and 

reporting real property data. The 

RPMS includes the forms, codes, 

and procedures used in the RPMS 

that conform to NASA guidance and 

requirements. The RPMS contains 

information on all NASA real estate, 

including land, buildings, structures, 

utility systems, improvements, and 

appurtenances thereto, permanent-

ly annexed to land. The data in the 

RPMS includes age, classification, 

Current Replacement Value (CRV), 

and other information. 
10 logistics management news

The following excerpts from the 

Federal Management Regulation 

(FMR) and current NASA Policy 

Requirements (NPR) are provided 

in order to help clarify the aforementioned terms and assist stakeholders in resolving some of the 

associated challenges that Center 

logisticians face on a daily basis:

Per FMR, subchapter C, part 102-

71, related personal property means

any personal property

(1) That is an integral part of 

real property or is related 

to, designed for, or specially

adapted to the functional or 

productive capacity of the real 

property and the removal of 

which would significantly diminish 

the economic value of the real 

property (normally common use 

items, including but not limited to 

general-purpose furniture, utensils, office machines, office supplies, or general-purpose vehicles,

are not considered to be related 

personal property); or (2) that is 

determined by the Administrator of 

General Services to be related to 

the real property. 

Per NPR 8831.2F, Facilities 

Maintenance and Operations 

Management, collateral equipment

Encompasses building-type 

equipment, built-in equipment, 

and large, substantially affixed 

equipment/property and is normally acquired and installed as 

part of a facility project.

Per NPR 8800.15C, Real Estate 

Management Program, collateral 

equipment

Includes building support equipment and built-in or large, substantially affixed equipment or 

property. Also includes related 

personal property as set forth in 

NPR 4300.

NPR 4200.1 states that related 

personal property is “[a]ny property 

that is an integral part of real property. It is (1) related to, designed for, 

or specifically adapted to the functional capacity of the real property, 

and removal of this property would 

significantly diminish the economic value of the real property, or 

(2) determined by the Administrator 

of General Services to be related to 

the real property.”

The 5-Foot Line concept (also from 

NPR 8800.15C) is provided because 

it applies to collateral equipment 

such as surveillance cameras and 

other monitoring systems (building 

support type equipment). 

5-Foot Line Concept (Inside). Any 

costs associated with a building 

and everything within an imaginary 

5-foot line surrounding the building 

will be accountable to the building. 

This includes construction costs for 

the facility, such as architectural/

structural, mechanical, and electrical work and the associated collateral equipment.

Building Support Type Equipment is 

normally required to make a facility 

useful and operable. It is built into 

the facility, and its removal would 

impair the usefulness, safety, or 

environment of the facility. Such 

equipment includes elevators, 

HVAC (heating, ventilating, and 

air-conditioning) systems, transformers, and compressors. It also 

includes systems and subsystems, 

such as electrical, plumbing, pneumatic, fire protection, and control 

and monitoring systems.

In many instances, personal property (mainly controlled equipment) 

that is recorded in the SAP/PP&E 

system is installed in NASA facilities, and its transfer from the SAP/

PP&E system to RMPS is required 

for continued control and accountability. Per NPR 4200.1H, paragraph 

3.3.14.8, Transfer of Equipment 

Accountability to Real Property, 

“Transfer of Controlled Equipment 

to real property results from the 

affixing or making equipment part 

of the structure of a NASA facility. 

In such case, personal property 

transitions into related personal 

property, which is governed 

by NPR 8800.15C, Real Estate 

Management Program.”

Per NPR 8800.15C, Disposition 

(Disposal), disposition is the permanent removal of a real property 

asset from the responsibility of a 

Federal entity through conveyance 

to another entity or destruction. 

Conveyance includes transfer 

of ownership or conversion to 

personal property. Destruction 

includes demolition, deconstruction, and natural or humanmade 

events such as fire, earthquake, 
logistics management newsl e

flood, or explosion. This paragraph 

indicates that one form of disposition for related personal property 

is to migrate it to personal property. We will look into the general guidelines for the disposal of 

personal property. 

Conveyance includes 

transfer of ownership 

or conversion to 

personal property.

Individual Responsibilities

Just as we quoted the definitions 

found in NASA policy (and policy 

external to NASA), it is also important to describe vital individual 

responsibilities outlined in subject 

policy documents. 

NPR 8800.15C indicates the 

following:

Headquarters and Centers shall 

identify, plan, and implement 

options to eliminate uneeded 

[sic] and underutilized real property wherever possible, including public/private partnerships, 

out-granting, disposal, and other 

innovative real property solutions.

The Real Property Accountable 

Officer (RPAO) shall be responsible for maintaining detailed inventory records in the RPMS for all 

real property under the Center’s 

management control and preparing RPMS reports required 

by Center management and 

NASA policy.

The RPAO shall be responsible 

for conducting or participating 

in physical inspections of all real 

property ready for transfer or 

acceptance to ensure that all collateral equipment is documented.

The Facility Project Manager 

(FPM) in consultation with the 

Deputy Chief Financial Officer, 

Finance, DCFO (F), making a 

determination on the capitalization 

of real property projects for new 

construction (including relocatable 

buildings repair) and modification.

Per NPR 4200.1H, “the Supply and 

Equipment Management Officer 

(SEMO) must coordinate with the 

Center Facilities manager to identify 

related personal property during 

center facility demolition planning 

for potential migration to personal 

property and accountability in NASA 

PP&E system.”

In essence, when a facility is identified for real property 

disposal action (e.g., 

demolition, inactivation, 

or custodial transfer to 

an outside organization), the Center SEMO, 

or designee, shall 

conduct a walk-through 

of the facility with the 

Center Real Property 

Accountability Officer 

(RPAO) and the Center 

Property Disposal 

Officer (PDO) to identify 

recoverable items that 

meet the controlled 

criteria and will remain 

fully functional when 

detached from the structure for 

independent use purposes. These 

items shall be recorded in the SAP/

PP&E system accordingly when the 

purpose is to reutilize them.

The figure below illustrates a 70-foot 

antenna at NASA Goldstone that 

serves to track asteroids in deep 

space, and the image on the following page illustrates the associated 

facility/real property (Deep Space 

Communication Complex), personnel, and other equipment in support 

of communication and control. In 

this example, and in accordance 

with the FMR definition, the antenna 

is an integral part or related to the 

facility. It is part of the functional 

or productive capacity of the real 

property; therefore, the antenna 

is categorized as related personal 

property or collateral equipment.

A 70-foot antenna at NASA Goldstone

Furthermore, the racks that hold 

the integral computer systems and 

other high-dollar items that serve for 
12 logistics management news

command and control purposes are 

typically “wired in” to the facility and 

may also be categorized as related 

personal property. To the degree 

that the components are fully integrated into a final “control unit” and 

that unit is part of the facility itself, 

it too should be categorized as 

related personal property. However, 

whenever components are easily 

removable and are capable of easy 

installation and operation in other 

“racks” (i.e., rack-mounted file servers), they should be categorized as 

equipment (personal property).

Deep Space Communication Complex

Designation of Personal Property for 

Disposition Purposes, Per Federal 

Management Regulation

Section 102-75.160—Should prefabricated movable structures be designated real or personal property for 

disposition purposes?

Prefabricated movable structures 

such as Butler-type storage warehouses, Quonset huts, and house 

trailers (with or without undercarriages) reported to GSA along 

with the land on which they are 

located may, at GSA’s discretion, 

be designated for disposition as 

personal property for off-site use 

or as real property for disposal 

with the land.

Section 102-75.165—Should related 

personal property be designated 

real or personal property for disposition purposes?

Related personal property may, at 

the disposal agency’s discretion,

be designated as personal 

property for disposal purposes. However, for fine artwork 

and sculptures, GSA’s policy is 

that artwork specifically created 

for a Federal building is considered as a fixture to the building. 

This also applies to sculptures 

created for a Federal building or 

a public park. Disposal agencies must follow the policies and 

guidance for disposal of artwork 

and sculptures developed by the 

GSA Office of the Chief Architect, 

Center for Design Excellence and 

the Arts, and the Bulletin dated 

March 26, 1934, entitled “Legal 

Title to Works Produced under the 

Public Works of Art Project.”

Section 102-75.170—What happens 

to the related personal property in a 

structure scheduled for demolition?

When a structure is to be demolished, any fixtures or related 

personal property therein may, at 

the disposal agency discretion,

be designated for disposition 

as personal property where 

a ready disposition can be 

made of these items. As indicated in §102-75.165, particular 

consideration should be given to 

designating items having possible 

historical or artistic value as 

personal property.

What do we understand from the 

statement “ready disposition can 

be made of these items”? In accordance with NPR 8800.15C, section 

7.2., it implies that Centers shall 

ensure that related personal property is promptly redistributed, transferred, or disposed of in accordance 

with personal property authority.

NASA’s authority for the disposal/

disposition of personal property is 

outlined in policy documents NPD 

4300.1, NASA Personal Property 

Disposal Policy; NPR 4300.1, 

NASA Personal Property Disposal 

Procedural Requirements; and NPR 

4310.1, Artifact Identification and 

Disposition. In accordance with 

NPR 4300.1, paragraph 3.2.5.1.a, “In 

the case of building demolitions, the 

Center Facility Manager responsible 

for the demolition shall coordinate 

a walkthrough of the building by 

representatives of the Center’s Real 

Property Accountability Officer 

(RPAO), Communications Office, 

Historical Preservation Office, 

Exhibit Manager, and Center PDO 

to determine if any related property or property generated during 

the demolition process (an item 

detached from real property is considered personal property) should 

be treated as a potential artifact in 

accordance with NPR 4310.1. This 

walkthrough should be done early 

to allow for any potential offset in 

the cost of demolition.”

But not all NASA property requiring disposition action(s) is located 

at domestic sites; the Agency also 
logistics management newsl e

has property requiring disposition 

action(s) that is located at foreign 

sites. Sharrief Wilson, Agency 

Program Manager, indicates: “For 

property excess in a foreign location, you should work with your 

Center Property Disposal Officer 

and refer to NPR 4300.1, chapter 7. The Headquarters Disposal 

Program Manager should be consulted on these disposal actions as 

instructed by the NPR.”

What do we understand from the statement “ready 

disposition can be made of these items”? ...[I]t implies 

that Centers shall ensure that related personal property 

is promptly redistributed, transferred, or disposed of 

in accordance with personal property authority.

Real and Related Personal Property in 

the Hands of Contractors

Contractors have additional classifications of property that, regardless of the contractor’s offsite 

record-keeping processes, may or 

may not require control once delivered to a NASA Center (prior to 

being furnished to a contractor). The 

following definitions are from the 

FAR, and as such are only applicable to property provided/furnished 

to contractors for offsite use.

FAR part 45.101, Definitions, states: 

“Equipment means a tangible 

item that is functionally complete 

for its intended purpose, durable, 

nonexpendable, and needed for 

the performance of a contract. 

Equipment is not intended for sale, 

and does not ordinarily lose its 

identity or become a component 

part of another article when put into 

use. Equipment does not include 

material, real property, special test 

equipment or special tooling.”

In addition, FAR subpart 2.101, 

Definitions, states that “Special 

Test Equipment” means either 

single or multipurpose integrated 

test units engineered, designed, 

fabricated, or modified to accomplish special purpose testing in 

performing a contract. It consists 

of items or assemblies of equipment, including foundations and 

similar improvements necessary for 

installing special test equipment, 

and standard or general-purpose 

items or components that are 

interconnected and interdependent 

so as to become a new functional 

entity for special testing purposes. 

Special test equipment does not 

include material, special tooling, 

real property, and equipment items 

used for general testing purposes or 

property that, with relatively minor 

expenses, can be made suitable for 

general-purpose use.

“Special tooling” means jigs, dies, 

fixtures, molds, patterns, taps, 

gauges, and all components of 

these items including foundations 

and similar improvements necessary for installing special tooling, 

and which are of such a specialized nature that without substantial 

modification or alteration, their use 

is limited to the development or 

production of particular supplies or 

parts thereof or to the performance 

of particular services. Special tooling does not include material, special test equipment, real property, 

equipment, machine tools, or similar 

capital items.

Whenever contractors, other than 

construction contractors, acquire 

equipment for installation within a 

NASA structure and transfer it to the 

installation, the SEMO should review 

the property to determine if it is 

appropriate to apply the related personal property definition within the 

FMR. If found to be related personal 

property, the SEMO should alert 

the Center Real Property Officer as 

to the existence, value, and location of the property for appropriate recording in the Real Property 

Management System (RPMS).
14 logistics management news

The Sensitive Items Review 

Board (SIRB)

Miguel A. Rodriguez

NPR 4200.1H, NASA Equipment 

Management Procedural 

Requirements, outlines accountability and control requirements 

for NASA equipment. A subset of 

NASA equipment is sensitive items, 

which require exceptional physical 

security, control, and accountability 

due to national security or export 

control regulations. They are either 

dangerous to the public or highly 

pilferable. A sensitive items list is 

included as appendix C in NPR 

4200.1H to identify all equipment 

requiring such control. 

A Sensitive Items Review Board 

(SIRB), consisting of all Supply and 

Equipment Management Officers 

(SEMOs), meets periodically (at 

least annually) to review the list 

and update item control criteria 

or take the necessary steps to 

add or remove items from the list, 

as necessary.

Logisticians across the Agency 

raised concerns to NASA’s 

Equipment Program Manager 

regarding the cost effectiveness to 

inventory cameras, as well as the 

challenge to tag subject equipment 

without jeopardizing its functionality. Cameras come in a variety of 

acquisition costs and sizes. For the 

past 3 fiscal years, the inventory 

process revealed that cameras represent a low risk for accountability 

and control. 

The SIRB met on August 18, 

2020, to address these concerns. 

The board reached consensus to 

increase the dollar threshold for 

control criteria of cameras to $5,000 

or greater in acquisition cost. 

Effective immediately, the SIRB 

decision removes cameras from the 

sensitive items list, making them 

controlled based on their acquisition 

cost rather than their pilferability. 

Cameras with acquisition cost of 

less than $5,000 shall be subject 

to administrative control procedures established by the SEMO 

per NPR 4200.1H, section 3.2.4. 

SEMOs must update Equipment 

Master Records in the SAP/PP&E 

system accordingly.

Drones are one of the sensitive items listed in appendix C in NPR 4200.1H.
logistics management newsl e

This photo from 1992 shows the HL-10 Lifting Body being displayed on a pedestal in front of the main gate at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research 

Center, Edwards, CA.

Revised NF 598, Property Survey Report Form, 

and New NF 598S, Property Survey Report 

Search Form

Jerome Philips, Logistics Management Institute (LMI) 

Logistics Support

The Property Survey Report form, NF 598, has been 

revised to an HTML5 format. The new format incorporates workflow electronic routing of the form, conforming to the property survey reporting process outlined in 

NPR 4200.1. One change to the document is the electronic signature download to the document, which is 

accommodated when the user action is completed and 

the appropriate button is selected (Submit, Complete, 

Forward, etc.). 

The new Property Survey Report Search form (NF 

598S) is also formatted in the HTML5 format. In 

addition to enabling searching for survey reports for 

your Center, the form enables cancellation or reconciliation of a survey report, as conditions require.

Instructions for the use of the forms will be forwarded 

to all Supply and Equipment Management Officers 

(SEMOs). Also, instructions will be included in NODIS 

and in the forthcoming Equipment Management 

Handbook. Stakeholders may access the instructions in 

NODIS in the “Other NASA-level Documents,” “Office 

of Strategic Infrastructure Documents” repository.

The instructions for the use of the updated NF 598 

and new NF 598S (Search) forms are posted in 

NODIS: https://nodis-dms.gsfc.nasa.gov/NASA_

Wide/restricted_directives/documents/OSI_Docs/

CP_8600_8_.docx.
CONTACT US

Your involvement, understanding, and feedback are essential to making the Logistics 

Management Program a success. Please send us your questions or stories to share by 

calling or e-mailing:

Miguel A. Rodriguez

NASA Equipment and Mail 

Management Programs

Office: 202-358-1065

miguel.a.rodriguez-1@nasa.gov

https://ld.hq.nasa.gov/equipmgt.html

Peral R. Hill

Supply and Materials 

Management Program

Office: 202-358-0491

peral.r.hill@nasa.gov

https://ld.hq.nasa.gov/supmgt.html

Ann Cuyler

Contract Property 

Management Program

Office: 202-358-1524

ann.cuyler@nasa.gov 

https://ld.hq.nasa.gov/cpm.html

Sharrief Wilson

Property Disposal 

Management Program

Office: 202-358-0875

sharrief.wilson@nasa.gov

https://ld.hq.nasa.gov/prodis.html

Timothy A. Currie

Transportation 

Management Program

Office: 202-358-1219

timothy.a.currie@nasa.gov

https://ld.hq.nasa.gov/ato.html

Marjorie C. Jackson

Logistics Compensating Controls 

Reviews (CCR) Program

Office: 202-358-2464

marjorie.c.jackson@nasa.gov

Robert S. Sherouse

Artifact Identification and 

Disposition Program,

Library Management Program

Office: 202-358-0746

robert.sherouse@nasa.gov

Peral R. Hill (Acting)

Life Cycle Logistics Support 

and Supply Chain 

Management Program

Office: 202-358-0491

peral.r.hill@nasa.gov

https://ld.hq.nasa.gov/life-cycle.html

Olivette M. Hooks

Director, Logistics 

Management Division

Office: 202-358-0721

olivette.hooks@nasa.gov

https://ld.hq.nasa.gov

Jerome G. Phillips

Logistics Management Institute 

(LMI) Program Support

Office: 202-358-3653

jerome.phillips@nasa.gov

Wayne A. Cragwell

Logistics Management Institute 

(LMI) Program Support

Office: 202-358-4612

wayne.a.cragwell@nasa.gov

Vacant

Administrative Assistant

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The Logistics Management Division

NASA Headquarters

300 E Street SW

Washington, DC 20546

www.nasa.gov