NIH POLICY MANUAL

1. Explanation of Material Transmitted: This new chapter contains guidance on property movement and maintenance of accountability where applicable. Previously, NIH manual 26120-25-2, Personal Property Management Guide (PPMG), section S. PROPERTY TRANSFERS contained information regarding this subject. Remove Section S and reference this chapter, 26101-25-2-9. Eventually, the PPMG will be replaced with separate NIH manuals on NIH personal property management policy and procedure issues.

2. Filing Instructions:

   Remove: Section S of NIH Manual Chapter 26101-25-2
   Replaced by: NIH Manual Chapter 26101-25-2-9 dated 10/16/00

PLEASE NOTE:

• To sign up for email notification of future changes, please go to the NIH Manual Chapters LISTSERV Web page.
• For information on the NIH Manual System, please call the Office of Management Assessment on 496-2832 or go to http://www1.od.nih.gov/oma/manualchapters/
• For questions on this chapter, contact the Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations, Division of Personal Property Services on 496-5711.

A. Purpose: This chapter provides policies and procedures concerning the internal movement of NIH personal property between NIH Institutes/Centers (ICs) and between custodial codes. The chapter discusses movement of property within an IC. In addition, the chapter provides limited instruction on the movement of hazardous or potentially hazardous property to the Property Utilization Warehouse (Gaither Distribution Center), when it is no longer needed by the holding activity. Additional requirements associated with reporting property to the Property Utilization Warehouse (Gaither Distribution Center) for reuse are contained in the related chapter. This chapter supersedes references in NIH Manual Chapter 26101-25-2 Personal Property Management Guide.

This chapter does not apply to movement in connection with repair or service or movement of property outside of NIH premises on property pass, loan, or in connection with Contracts, Grants, or Cooperative Agreements. Policies and procedures connected with these circumstances are in the related chapters.

B. Background: NIH research utilizes a broad variety of personal property items. These items rarely remain in a single place over their life spans.

In addition, during the course of use, this property may be exposed to biological, chemical, radiological or other contaminants. NIH must take care to avoid and prevent environmental, occupational, and public health problems that would result from improper movement and storage of these items. In order to minimize the danger to health and the environment, hazard free certification is required before removal.

C. Definitions:

1. Accountable property is Government-owned personal property meeting the DHHS and NIH criteria for control and accounting. The presence of an NIH Bar Code decal usually indicates accountability. The automated NIH inventory system reports and tracks accountable property.

2. Non-accountable property is property such as furniture, clinical and laboratory property valued under $5,000 and other items that do not meet the criteria for control and accounting. Normally, these items do not contain an NIH Bar Code decal. While non-accountable property is not subject to tracking within the NIH property inventory systems, it may be subject to local control.

3. Personal property is Government owned accountable and non-accountable property.

D. Policy

1. The Property Utilization Branch (PUB), Division of Personal Property Services (DPPS), Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations (OLAO), Office of Administration, is the only organization authorized to remove personal property from NIH activities, for disposition, when it is no longer required by the using activity.

2. The Relocation Services Branch, Division of Logistics Services (DLS), OLAO is authorized to move personal property between laboratories and clinics. The Materials Management Department (MMD) coordinates all CC moves.

3. Institutes and Centers may acquire or provide moving services on their own account. However, the initial user(s) of the property are responsible for assuring that it is properly decontaminated and prepared for safe movement, prior to movement.

4. The IC Property Custodial Officer (PCO) must document all movement of property and, if accountable property is involved, record in the Property Management Information System (PMIS).

5. The DPPS/PUB and the DLS/Relocation Services Branch may not accept any personal property from laboratories or clinical areas if that property has incomplete or incorrect documentation.

6. The last known user of personal property will be responsible for correcting any problems caused by improperly decontaminated property, even if custody has passed to another individual or organization.

E. Procedures:

1. Preparing property for movement

a. Decontamination

The HHS Logistics Management Manual, Federal Property Management Regulations, Department of Transportation Regulations, and other applicable regulations define, in general, hazardous materials. It is the user’s responsibility to communicate with the Division of Safety (DS), Office of Research Services (ORS), to determine whether an item is hazardous or not.

Property users must contact the Occupational Safety and Health Branch (496-2346), DS, ORS, http://www.nih.gov/od/ors/ds/biochem.html for chemical and biological decontamination requirements; and the Radiation Safety Branch (496-5774), DS, ORS, for radiological decontamination requirements before reporting those items to the PUB or requesting movement of the items. Lists of appropriate contacts are contained on the DS, ORS, website at: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/ds/index.htm

Additional disposal information is contained in the Good Riddance web-site at: http://goodriddance.nih.gov/index.html

NIH Waste Disposal Guide web site: http://www.nih.gov/od/ors/ds/wastecal/guide.htm

b. Certification

Once property has been decontaminated, users of the property must complete the two part NIH Form 2683, "Certification that Property is Free from Hazards" before reporting the property to PUB or requesting movement of the property. Any property requiring decontamination and all property leaving labs or clinical areas must display this hazardous tag. Transportation personnel will not remove property without this form.

c. Records

IC PCOs must retain the top copy of the NIH Form 2683 attached to the top copy of Form NIH-649 "Report of Property Transfer" as prescribed by the requirements of NIH Manual Chapter 1743, "Keeping and Destroying Records", Section 2600.

2. Arranging for the movement of property

a. Users wishing to report property for movement or reutilization must notify their IC Property Custodial Officer (PCO). Contact your IC Administrative Officer for the name of your PCO. The PCO reports the transfer of accountable property through the Property Management Information System (PMIS). PMIS, in turn, creates an on-line PMIS NIH Form 649, Report of Property Transfer, for the reported items.

b. Users and their PCOs may report non-accountable property for movement or reutilization purposes on the paper version of the NIH Form 649. This form is available at the following web site: http://forms.cit.nih.gov/ListPDF.html

Faxed copies of non-accountable requests are acceptable.

c. DO NOT REPORT ACCOUNTABLE PROPERTY FOR REUTILIZATION OR TRANSFER TO OTHER CUSTODIAL CODES USING THE MANUAL FORM, AS IT WILL CREATE A SHORTAGE DISCREPANCY IN THE PROPERTY ACCOUNTING SYSTEM.

d. Users may not change the location (building and room) of property after reporting it for reutilization.

e. Users are responsible for the security of the items pending pickup. Users may be held financially responsible for loss, damage or destruction of the items.

f. Users should obtain a copy of NIH 649 with a printed name and signature of the individual removing the property and the date property was removed from their custody. Users are accountable for property unless they produce a signed receipt.

g. Users must return the signed receipt and the top copy of the NIH Form 2683 for these items to the IC PCO.

h. The IC PCO must retain the signature receipt in the property records according to the requirements of NIH Manual Chapter 1743 found at the following web site: http://www1.od.nih.gov/oma/manualchapters/management/1743/

i. Additional forms may be required for the removal of IT equipment. Instructions on the appropriate clearance of IT software and data may be found at the following web site: http://irm.cit.nih.gov/nihsecurity/sanitization.html

j. Federal Property Management Regulations require reporting of Y2K compliance for all IT and Biomedical Equipment. See htttp://forms.cit.nih.gov/msword/property/Y2Kcomp.DOC for a copy of this form which must be attached to all scientific and patient care equipment turned in for reutilization.

3. Removal of property for reutilization

a. PUB will schedule the removal of property based on the workload; number of items reported within a building; number of vehicles and personnel available; and age of the request in that order.

b. PUB will arrive at the building and room specified on the NIH Form 649 and will remove those items with complete and accurate documentation. Transportation personnel are prohibited from removing property not included in the documentation.

c. PUB will sign a copy of the transfer document and provide it to the user, PCO or other individual who is responsible for securing the items pending pickup.

d. Users must return the signed receipt and NIH Form 2683 for these items to the IC PCO.

e. The IC PCO must retain the signature receipt attached to NIH Form 2683 in the property records according to the requirements of NIH Manual Chapter 1743.