7.40 Idle, Excess and Under Utilized Equipment

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PURPOSE:

To provide direction to University departments to identify idle, under utilized and excess inventorial equipment in their possession and control. 

SOURCE:  

Powers and duties of the University President, ABOR Policy 3-801 and 3-802

Authority below applies ONLY to Federal Property (acquisition dollars or title):

  • Government Property, 48 C.F.R. § 45
  • Government Property, 48 C.F.R. § 52.245-1
  • Government Property, 48 C.F.R. § 245
  • Government Property, 48 C.F.R. § 1852.245
  • Uniform Guidance, 2 C.F.R. § 200

POLICY:  University departments are responsible for annually reviewing the utilization level of inventorial equipment in their custody which was purchased with federal dollars or federally titled and to identify obsolete, dilapidated, broken, inoperable, excess and idle, under utilized, completeness of equipment utilization records, and condition.

University departments are to keep their offices, lectures rooms, laboratories, research facilities and storage areas free of excess, broken, dilapidated and surplus equipment.

Departments are to make full utilization of property in their possession and control and are to make available idle, excess and under utilized equipment to others, including other University departments. Property not in use or likely not to be put in use is to be sent to Surplus Property for retirement.

Equipment temporarily not in use but required by the department for future activities is to be held in secure departmental storage. This equipment shall be protected against loss, theft, or damage and maintained in good operating condition. Temporary storage shall not exceed one year. Federal or other sponsor-owned equipment can only be held in temporary storage if it is in working condition and accountable on an active grant or contract. If the equipment is broken, dilapidated or accountable on a termed government or other sponsor grant or contract, it is to be sent to Surplus Property if University titled or disposition instructions requested if owned by the government or other sponsor.


PROCEDURE

I. GENERAL:

RESPONSIBILITY

ACTION

CUSTODIAL DEPARTMENT

  1. From the annual review of departmental equipment utilization, identify idle, excess and under utilized equipment.

II. UNIVERSITY OWNED CAPITAL EQUIPMENT:

CUSTODIAL DEPARTMENT

  1. For items that are University titled and not in temporary storage, broadcast their availability on a first priority to departmental units and staff, using standard departmental e-mail, posted lists and routed notices. For any remaining idle and excess items, the second priority is other university departments, broadcast their availability on the list serve Ram-Talk or other appropriate university list serves.
  2. Departments are to make their own arrangements on re-assignment, loan or transfer of idle and excess property within the department or to other departments.
  3. If the equipment is government funded/university titled, the custodial department shall insure that the new use is on a federally sponsored activity or the federal contract, grant or agreement on which it was acquired permits its use on non- federal activities.
  4. For items temporarily loaned or stored, modify the Equipment Loan and/or Asset Location field in the Capital Asset Module (CAM).
  5. For items permanently transferred to another department, the losing department shall initiate an Asset Transfer document in the Capital Asset Module (CAM).
  6. For any remaining excess and idle University titled property, log onto the asset management software and fill out the Transfer Request (formerly known as Disposal Request).
  7. Provide or arrange for transport of all identified broken, dilapidated, inoperable, or surplus equipment items to the Surplus Property. 

SURPLUS PROPERTY

  1. Hold good condition items for filling Want List requests, sell or dispose of the equipment per Surplus Property disposal procedures.
  2. If the sale bid is $5,000 or more per unit and the property was acquired on a Sponsored Projects Services account (3000000 – 4999990), obtain approval for the sale from the Sponsored Projects Services Property Administrator. Prior federal sponsor approval for property disposal is required on some federally funded, University titled equipment when the sale (current market value) is $5,000 or more. 

SPS PROPERTY ADMINISTRATOR

  1. When contacted by Surplus Property, verify if the sponsor is a federal agency and if the federal sponsor’s contract, grant or agreement has a property provision requiring federal sponsor approval before a disposal sale with a per unit price of $5,000 or more.
  2. If federal sponsor approval for the disposal is required, submit a disposition request to the federal sponsor, inform the Surplus Property Officer upon receipt of disposal instructions from the federal sponsor.

III. GOVERNMENT AND OTHER SPONSOR OWNED EQUIPMENT:

CUSTODIAL DEPARTMENT
P.I.

  1. Government or other sponsor owned equipment temporarily not in use but required by the department for future activities is to be held in secure departmental storage. This equipment shall be protected against loss, theft, or damage and maintained in good operating condition.
    1. Equipment in temporary storage must be accountable on an appropriate active government or other sponsor grant or contract.
    2. Temporary storage shall not exceed one year.
    3. Change the secondary location field in Capital Asset Module (CAM) to the storage location.
    4. If the equipment is broken, dilapidated or accountable on a termed government grant or contract, disposition instructions are to be requested through the Sponsored Projects Services Property Administrator.
  2. When government or other sponsor owned equipment is idle or excess to its responsible contract, grant or agreement, the P. I. shall notify the Sponsored Projects Services Property Administrator with a request for disposition instructions or transfer of accountability to another government or sponsor contract, grant or agreement.
    1. The department is to store these items until instructions are received from the sponsor. 

SPS PROPERTY
ADMINISTRATOR

  1. Notify the contracting/grants officer of the federal awarding agency or other sponsor as to the condition of the property and request disposition instructions or transfer authorization.
  2. Advise the University department as to the determination of the sponsor on disposition or transfer instructions for the equipment.
  3. If the sponsor abandons the property to the University, prepare a Property Record Change Form (PRC Form) to change the title to the University. Instruct the University department to remove the government identification tag(s) by marking the box on the PRC Form. Attach supporting documents and send to Property Management with copies to the department and Sponsored Projects Services property folder.
  4. If the sponsor approves the transfer to another contract, grant or agreement, prepare a Property Record Change Form to change the title to the University. Attach supporting documents and send to Property Management with copies to the department and Sponsored Projects Services property folder.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

  1. Change the titleholder to University or the responsible account in the active records of the University’s Capital Asset Module (CAM), as applicable. 

CUSTODIAL DEPARTMENT

  1. For items abandoned or donated by the government to the University, either broadcast the availability of the property to others or log onto the asset management software and fill out the Transfer Request (formerly known as Disposal Request).
  2. Provide or arrange for transport of idle and excess equipment items to Surplus Property. 

SURPLUS PROPERTY

  1. Hold good condition items for filling Want List requests, sell or dispose of the equipment per Surplus Property disposal procedures.

CUSTODIAL DEPARTMENT

  1. If the sponsor requests return of the property, return to the address indicated by the sponsor and send a copy of the shipping documents to the SPS Property Administrator. 

SPS PROPERTY
ADMINISTRATOR

  1. Upon receipt of the shipping documents, prepare a Property Record Change Form to delete the property from the University’s Capital Asset Module (CAM). Attach supporting documents and send to Property Management with copies to the department and Sponsored Projects Services property folder.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

  1. Remove the item from the active records of the University’s Capital Asset Module (CAM).