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15.20 Lost, Stolen or Not Found Equipment

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PURPOSE:

To provide direction to university departments in reporting lost, stolen or non-located University and sponsor owned equipment.

AUTHORITY:  

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 reporting all instances of lost, stolen or unable to locate capital equipment to the University Police Department and Department of Risk Management, as soon as the loss, theft or inability to locate becomes known to departmental staff. Lost, missing or stolen property shall be investigated and fully documented.

These reports are required to enable the identification and return of University and sponsor owned property recovered by the police. Also the reports are to enable the University to recover from the Arizona Self-Insurance Program all or part of the value of capital equipment stolen or lost. Further, it is to recognize that the University is responsible for missing, lost or stolen government and other sponsor owned property which may require reimbursement to the sponsor.

The requirement for these reports is a means of measuring a department's performance in providing security and control over its capital equipment.

PROCEDURE

I. GENERAL:

RESPONSIBILITY

ACTION

CUSTODIAL DEPARTMENT
  1. Make a complete and through search of departmental and surrounding space for the missing property.
  2. Notify the University Police Department of the lost, stolen or missing property and make known the circumstances of the loss and departmental efforts to locate the property. 
     

UA POLICE  DEPARTMENT
  1. Investigate as circumstances require and prepare a police report detailing the incident. 
     

CUSTODIAL DEPARTMENT
  1. All university personnel are to cooperate with the University Police Department investigation.
  2. Prepare a Property Loss Report Form and submit to the Department of Risk Management. Attach a copy of the police report and original records of ownership (purchase order or invoice). Accounts Payable retains copies of invoices for five (5) years. Property records from the University’s Capital Asset Module (CAM) are also accepted as proof of ownership.
  3. Advise Property Management of the A-tag number(s) of lost, stolen, or missing property and request a change in the Asset Status of the property in the Capital Asset Module (CAM) to Lost (L).
  4. All items not recovered by the police or reimbursed by insurance will remain on the departmental active inventory with an Asset Status of Lost (L) until located, relieved of accountability, fully depreciated, or unlocated for two years.

II. UNIVERSITY OWNED CAPITAL EQUIPMENT:

CUSTODIAL DEPARTMENT
  1. When the claim is accepted and paid by the Arizona Self-Insurance Program for University owned capital equipment, advise Property Management of the A-tag(s) and attach a copy of the paid claim form or check. List the A-tag(s) on all deposit documents, including the Cash Receipt form. 

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

III. SPONSOR OWNED EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT TITLED PROPERTY:

CUSTODIAL DEPARTMENT
  1. When the lost, stolen or missing capital equipment is sponsor owned, send a copy of the Property Loss Report and supporting documents, as submitted to the Department of Risk Management (#5 above), to the Sponsored Projects Property Administrator. 

SPS PROPERTY ADMINISTRATOR
  1. Notify the contracting/grants officer of the federal awarding agency or other sponsor of the loss and provide such information, as is available, regarding the circumstances of the loss. A request will be made for relief of accountability from the sponsor.
  2. Advise the University department as to the determination of the sponsor as to the granting of relief of accountability or sponsor request for reimbursement for the loss.
  3. If the sponsor grants relief of accountability, prepare a Property Record Change Form to remove the item(s) from the active property Records. Attach supporting documents and send to Property Management with copies to the department and Sponsored Projects Services property folder for the sponsor.

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

CUSTODIAL DEPARTMENT
  1. University departments are responsible for reimbursement of sponsors for lost, stolen or missing equipment when a valid request is made by the sponsor.
  2. If the sponsor requests reimbursement, send to the Sponsored Projects Services Property Administrator a copy of the reimbursement payment documents. 

SPS PROPERTY ADMINISTRATOR
  1. Upon payment of the reimbursement to the sponsor, prepare a Property Record Change Form to remove the item(s) from the active property records. Attach supporting documents and send to Property Management with copies to the department and Sponsored Projects Services property folder for the sponsor. 

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