property or records of the executive agencies are kept. Audits shall include an evaluation of the effectiveness of internal controls and audits, and a general audit of the discharge of accountability for Government-owned or controlled property, based on generally 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 Office of Management and Budget, shall prescribe the amount of reimbursement required for a transfer of excess property.

(6) REIMBURSEMENT AT FAIR VALUE.-The amount of reimbursement required for a transfer of excess property is the fair value of the property, as determined by the Administrator, if

(1) net proceeds are requested under section 574(a) of this title; or

(2) either the transferor or the transferee agency (or the organizational unit affected) is

(A) subject to chapter 91 of title 31; or

(B) an organization specified in section 321(c)(2) of this title.

(c) DISTRIBUTION THROUGH GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION SUPPLY CENTERS.-Excess property determined by the Administrator to be suitable for distribution through the supply centers of the General Services Administration shall be retransferred at prices set by the Administrator with due regard to prices established under section 321(d) of this title.

§ 523. Excess real property located on Indian reservations (a) PROCEDURES FOR TRANSFER.-The Administrator of General Services shall prescribe procedures necessary to transfer to the Secretary of the Interior, without compensation, excess real property located within the reservation of any group, band, or tribe of Indians that is recognized as eligible for services by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

(b) PROPERTY HELD IN TRUST.

(1) IN GENERAL.-Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall hold excess real property transferred under this section in trust for the benefit and use of the group, band, or tribe of Indians, within whose reservation the excess real property is located.

(2) SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR OKLAHOMA.-The Secretary shall hold excess real property that is located in Oklahoma

and transferred under this section in trust for Oklahoma Indian tribes recognized by the Secretary if the real property

(A) is located within boundaries of former reservations in Oklahoma, as defined by the Secretary, and was held in trust by the Federal Government for an Indian tribe when the Government acquired it; or

(B) is contiguous to real property presently held in trust by the Government for an Oklahoma Indian tribe and was held in trust by the Government for an Indian tribe at any time.

§ 524. Duties of executive agencies

(a) REQUIRED.-Each executive agency shall

(1) maintain adequate inventory controls and accountability systems for property under its control;

(2) continuously survey property under its control to identify excess property;

(3) promptly report excess property to the Administrator of General Services;

(4) perform the care and handling of excess property; and (5) transfer or dispose of excess property as promptly as possible in accordance with authority delegated and regulations prescribed by the Administrator.

(b) REQUIRED AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE.-Each executive agency, as far as practicable, shall

(1) reassign property to another activity within the agency when the property is no longer required for the purposes of the appropriation used to make the purchase;

(2) transfer excess property under its control to other federal agencies and to organizations specified in section 321(c)(2) of this title; and

(3) obtain excess property from other federal agencies.

§ 525. Excess personal property for federal agency grantees (a) GENERAL PROHIBITION.-A federal agency is prohibited from obtaining excess personal property for the purpose of furnishing the property to a grantee of the agency, except as provided in this section.

(b) EXCEPTION FOR PUBLIC AGENCIES AND TAX-EXEMPT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

(1) IN GENERAL.-Under regulations the Administrator of General Services may prescribe, a federal agency may obtain excess personal property for the purpose of furnishing it to a public agency or an organization that is nonprofit and exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 501), if

(A) the agency or organization is conducting a federally sponsored project pursuant to a grant made for a specific purpose with a specific termination provision;

(B) the property is to be furnished for use in connection with the grant; and

(C)(i) the sponsoring federal agency pays an amount equal to 25 percent of the original acquisition cost (except for costs of care and handling) of the excess property; and

(ii) the amount is deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

(2) TITLE.-Title to excess property obtained under this subsection vests in the grantee. The grantee shall account for and dispose of the property in accordance with procedures governing accountability for personal property acquired under grant agreements.

(c) EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN PROPERTY FURNISHED BY SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.—

(1) DEFINITION.-In this subsection, the term "State" means a State of the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.

(2) IN GENERAL.-Under regulations and restrictions the Administrator may prescribe, subsection (a) does not apply to property furnished by the Secretary of Agriculture to

(A) a state or county extension service engaged in cooperative agricultural extension work under the SmithLever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.);

(B) a state experiment station engaged in cooperative agricultural research work under the Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361a et seq.); or

(C) an institution engaged in cooperative agricultural research or extension work under section 1433, 1434, 1444, or 1445 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3195, 3196, 3221, or 3222), or the Act of October 10, 1962 (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.), if the Federal Government retains title. (d) OTHER EXCEPTIONS.-Under regulations and restrictions the Administrator may prescribe, subsection (a) does not apply to

(1) property furnished under section 608 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2358), to the extent that the Administrator determines that the property is not needed for donation under section 549 of this title;

(2) scientific equipment furnished under section 11(e) of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1870(e)); (3) property furnished under section 203 of the Department of Agriculture Organic Act of 1944 (16 U.S.C. 580a), in connection with the Cooperative Forest Fire Control Program, if the Government retains title; or

(4) property furnished in connection with a grant to a tribe, as defined in section 3(c) of the Indian Financing Act of 1974 (25 U.S.C. 1452(c)).

§ 526. Temporary assignment of excess real property

(a) ASSIGNMENT OF SPACE.-The Administrator of General Services may temporarily assign or reassign space in excess real property to a federal agency, for use as office or storage space or for a related purpose, if the Administrator determines that assignment or reassignment is more advantageous than permanent transfer. The Administrator shall determine the duration of the assignment or reassignment.

(b) REIMBURSEMENT FOR MAINTENANCE.-If there is no appropriation available to the Administrator for the expense of maintaining the space, the Administrator may obtain appropriate reimbursement from the federal agency.

§ 527. Abandonment, destruction, or donation of property The Administrator of General Services may authorize the abandonment or destruction of property, or the donation of property to a public body, if—

(1) the property has no commercial value; or

(2) the estimated cost of continued care and handling exceeds the estimated proceeds from sale.

§ 528. Utilization of excess furniture

A department or agency of the Federal Government may not use amounts provided by law to purchase furniture if the Administrator of General Services determines that requirements can reasonably be met by transferring excess furniture, including rehabilitated furniture, from other departments or agencies pursuant to this subtitle.

§ 529. Annual executive agency reports on excess personal property

(a) IN GENERAL.-During the calendar quarter following the close of each fiscal year, each executive agency shall submit to the Administrator of General Services a report on personal property(1) obtained as

(A) excess property; or

(B) personal property determined to be no longer required for the purpose of the appropriation used to make the purchase; and

(2) furnished within the United States to a recipient other than a federal agency.

(b) REQUIRED INFORMATION.-The report must set out the categories of equipment and show

(1) the acquisition cost of the property;

(2) the recipient of the property; and

(3) other information the Administrator may require.

SUBCHAPTER III-DISPOSING OF PROPERTY

§ 541. Supervision and direction

Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, the Administrator of General Services shall supervise and direct the disposition of surplus property in accordance with this subtitle.

§ 542. Care and handling

The disposal of surplus property, and the care and handling of the property pending disposition, may be performed by the General Services Administration or, when the Administrator of General Services decides, by the executive agency in possession of the property or by any other executive agency that agrees.

§ 543. Method of disposition

An executive agency designated or authorized by the Administrator of General Services to dispose of surplus property may do so by sale, exchange, lease, permit, or transfer, for cash, credit, or other property, with or without warranty, on terms and conditions that the Administrator considers proper. The agency may execute documents to transfer title or other interest in the property and may take other action it considers necessary or proper to dispose of the property under this chapter.

§ 544. Validity of transfer instruments

A deed, bill of sale, lease, or other instrument executed by or on behalf of an executive agency purporting to transfer title or other interest in surplus property under this chapter is conclusive evidence of compliance with the provisions of this chapter concerning title or other interest of a bona fide grantee or transferee for value and without notice of lack of compliance.

$545. Procedure for disposal

(a) PUBLIC ADVERTISING FOR BIDS.— (1) REQUIREMENT.

(A) IN GENERAL.-Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Administrator of General Services may make or authorize a disposal or a contract for disposal of surplus property only after public advertising for bids, under regulations the Administrator prescribes.

(B) EXCEPTIONS.-This subsection does not apply to disposal or a contract for disposal of surplus property(i) under subsection (b) or (d); or

(ii) by abandonment, destruction, or donation or through a contract broker.

(2) TIME, METHOD, AND TERMS.—The time, method, and terms and conditions of advertisement must permit full and free competition consistent with the value and nature of the property involved.

(3) PUBLIC DISCLOSURE.-Bids must be publicly disclosed at the time and place stated in the advertisement.

(4) AWARDS.-An award shall be made with reasonable promptness by notice to the responsible bidder whose bid, conforming to the invitation for bids, is most advantageous to the Federal Government, price and other factors considered. However, all bids may be rejected if it is in the public interest to do so.

(b) NEGOTIATED DISPOSAL.-Under regulations the Administrator prescribes, disposals and contracts for disposal may be negotiated without regard to subsection (a), but subject to obtaining competition that is feasible under the circumstances, if

(1) necessary in the public interest

(A) during the period of a national emergency declared by the President or Congress, with respect to a particular lot of personal property; or

(B) for a period not exceeding three months, with respect to a specifically described category of personal property as determined by the Administrator;

(2) the public health, safety, or national security will be promoted by a particular disposal of personal property;

(3) public exigency will not allow delay incident to advertising certain personal property;

(4) the nature and quantity of personal property involved are such that disposal under subsection (a) would impact an industry to an extent that would adversely affect the national economy, and the estimated fair market value of the property and other satisfactory terms of disposal can be obtained by negotiation;

(5) the estimated fair market value of the property involved does not exceed $15,000;