(B) CONTROLLING
REGULATION.—Policies and methods pre-
scribed by the Administrator of General Services under this para-
graph are subject to regulations prescribed by the Administrator
for Federal Procurement Policy under the Office of Federal Pro-
curement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 401 et seq.).
(c) REPRESENTATION.—For transportation and other public utility serv-
ices used by executive agencies, the Administrator of General Services shall
represent the agencies—
(1) in negotiations with carriers and other public utilities; and
(2) in proceedings involving carriers or other public utilities before
federal and state regulatory bodies.
(d) FACILITIES.—The Administrator of General Services shall operate,
for executive agencies, warehouses, supply centers, repair shops, fuel yards,
and other similar facilities. After consultation with the executive agencies
affected, the Administrator of General Services shall consolidate, take over,
or arrange for executive agencies to operate the facilities.
§ 502. Services for other entities
(a) FEDERAL AGENCIES, MIXED-OWNERSHIP GOVERNMENT CORPORA-
TIONS, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.—On request, the Administrator
of General Services shall provide, to the extent practicable, any of the serv-
ices specified in section 501 of this title to—
(1) a federal agency;
(2) a mixed-ownership Government corporation (as defined in section
9101 of title 31); or
(3) the District of Columbia.
(b) QUALIFIED NONPROFIT AGENCIES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—On request, the Administrator may provide, to
the extent practicable, any of the services specified in section 501 of
this title to an agency that is—
(A)(i) a qualified nonprofit agency for the blind (as defined in
section 5(3) of the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 48b(3)));
or
(ii) a qualified nonprofit agency for other severely handicapped
(as defined in section 5(4) of the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (41
U.S.C. 48b(4))); and
(B) providing a commodity or service to the Federal Govern-
ment under the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46 et seq.).
(2) USE OF SERVICES.—A nonprofit agency receiving services under
this subsection shall use the services directly in making or providing
to the Government a commodity or service that has been determined
by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Se-
verely Disabled under section 2 of the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (41
U.S.C. 47) to be suitable for procurement by the Government.
§ 503. Exchange or sale of similar items
(a) AUTHORITY OF EXECUTIVE AGENCIES.—In acquiring personal prop-
erty, an executive agency may exchange or sell similar items and may apply
the exchange allowance or proceeds of sale in whole or in part payment for
the property acquired.
(b) APPLICABLE REGULATION AND LAW.—
(1) REGULATIONS PRESCRIBED BY ADMINISTRATOR OF GENERAL
SERVICES.—A transaction under subsection (a) must be carried out in
accordance with regulations the Administrator of General Services pre-
scribes, subject to regulations prescribed by the Administrator for Fed-
eral Procurement Policy under the Office of Federal Procurement Pol-
icy Act (41 U.S.C. 401 et seq.).
(2) IN WRITING.—A transaction under subsection (a) must be evi-
denced in writing.
(3) SECTION 3709 OF REVISED STATUTES.—Section 3709 of the Re-
vised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5) applies to a sale of property under sub-
section (a), except that fixed price sales may be conducted in the same
manner and subject to the same conditions as are applicable to the sale
of property under section 545(d) of this title.
§ 504. Agency cooperation for inspection
(a) RECEIVING ASSISTANCE.—An executive agency may use the services,
work, materials, and equipment of another executive agency, with the con-
sent of the other executive agency, to inspect personal property incident to
procuring the property.
(b) PROVIDING ASSISTANCE.—Notwithstanding section 1301(a) of title
31 or any other law, an executive agency may provide services, work, mate-
rials, and equipment for purposes of this section without reimbursement or
transfer of amounts.
(c) POLICIES AND METHODS.—The use or provision of services, work,
materials, and equipment under this section must be in conformity with
policies and methods the Administrator of General Services prescribes under
section 501 of this title.
§ 505. Exchange or transfer of medical supplies
(a) EXCESS PROPERTY DETERMINATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Medical materials or supplies an executive agency
holds for national emergency purposes are considered excess property
for purposes of subchapter II when the head of the agency determines
that—
(A) the remaining storage or shelf life is too short to justify
continued retention for national emergency purposes; and
(B) transfer or other disposal is in the national interest.
(2) TIMING.—To the greatest extent practicable, the head of the
agency shall make the determination in sufficient time to allow for the
transfer or other disposal and use of medical materials or supplies be-
fore their shelf life expires and they are rendered unfit for human use.
(b) TRANSFER OR EXCHANGE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with regulations the Administrator
of General Services prescribes, medical materials or supplies considered
excess property may be transferred to another federal agency or ex-
changed with another federal agency for other medical materials or
supplies.
(2) USE OF PROCEEDS.—Any proceeds derived from a transfer under
this section may be credited to the current applicable appropriation or
fund of the transferor agency and shall be available only to purchase
medical materials or supplies to be held for national emergency pur-
poses.
(3) DISPOSAL AS SURPLUS PROPERTY.—If the materials or supplies
are not transferred to or exchanged with another federal agency, they
shall be disposed of as surplus property.
§ 506. Inventory controls and systems
(a) ACTIVITIES OF THE ADMINISTRATOR OF GENERAL SERVICES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), and after adequate ad-
vance notice to affected executive agencies, the Administrator of Gen-
eral Services may undertake the following activities as necessary to
carry out functions under this chapter:
(A) SURVEYS
AND
REPORTS.—Survey and obtain executive
agency reports on Federal Government property and property
management practices.
(B) INVENTORY LEVELS.—Cooperate with executive agencies to
establish reasonable inventory levels for property stocked by them,
and report any excessive inventory levels to Congress and to the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(C) FEDERAL SUPPLY CATALOG SYSTEM.—Establish and main-
tain a uniform federal supply catalog system that is appropriate
to identify and classify personal property under the control of fed-
eral agencies.
(D) STANDARD
PURCHASE
SPECIFICATIONS
AND
STANDARD
FORMS AND PROCEDURES.—Prescribe standard purchase specifica-
tions and standard forms and procedures (except forms and proce-
dures that the Comptroller General prescribes by law) subject to
regulations the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy pre-
scribes under the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41
U.S.C. 401 et seq.).
(2) SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
REGARDING
DEPARTMENT
OF
DE-
FENSE.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of General Services shall
carry out activities under paragraph (1) with due regard to the
requirements of the Department of Defense, as determined by the
Secretary of Defense.
(B) FEDERAL SUPPLY CATALOG SYSTEM.—In establishing and
maintaining a uniform federal supply catalog system under para-
graph (1)(C), the Administrator of General Services and the Sec-
retary shall coordinate to avoid unnecessary duplication.
(b) ACTIVITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Each federal agency shall use
the uniformed federal supply catalog system, the standard purchase speci-
fications, and the standard forms and procedures established under sub-
section (a), except as the Administrator of General Services, considering ef-
ficiency, economy, or other interests of the Government, may otherwise pro-
vide.
(c) AUDIT OF PROPERTY ACCOUNTS.—The Comptroller General shall
audit all types of property accounts and transactions. Audits shall be con-
ducted at the time and in the manner the Comptroller General decides and
as far as practicable at the place where the property or records of the execu-
tive agencies are kept. Audits shall include an evaluation of the effectiveness
of internal controls and audits, and a general audit of the discharge of ac-
countability for Government-owned or controlled property, based on gen-
erally accepted principles of auditing.
SUBCHAPTER II—USE OF PROPERTY
§ 521. Policies and methods
Subject to section 523 of this title, in order to minimize expenditures for
property, the Administrator of General Services shall—
(1) prescribe policies and methods to promote the maximum use of
excess property by executive agencies; and
(2) provide for the transfer of excess property—
(A) among federal agencies; and
(B) to the organizations specified in section 321(c)(2) of this
title.
§ 522. Reimbursement for transfer of excess property
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the
Administrator of General Services, with the approval of the Director of the