Policy 503: Storage and Disposal of (Non-hazardous) University Equipment, Materials and Supplies

Section: Operating Policies
Sub-Section: General
Policy Number: 503
Subject: Storage and Disposal of (Non-hazardous) University Equipment, Materials and Supplies
Origin Date: December 8, 1996
Effective Date: December 8, 1996
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503.1 POLICY

The University has limited facilities and space for operations and storage. With increasing demands on all University space, it is imperative that only equipment, materials and supplies of sufficient value be retained. Given this situation, all vice presidents, deans, department heads, directors, managers, and project leaders are hereby directed to implement this policy in managing property for which they are responsible.

503.2 STORAGE CRITERIA AND PROCESS

Property must have practical, financial, historical, compliance or other value to merit retention. In determining such value, the following criteria are to be applied to each item of equipment, material and/or supply.

2.1 The item to be retained either/and:

(1) Is expected to be utilized within the near future (one year).

(2) Cannot be acquired or satisfactorily replaced when needed.

(3) Has unique functional or historical value to the department.

(4) Must be retained as required by law, regulation, agreement policy.

2.2 Certain USU space is designated for managed general storage purposes.

Arrangements for such University-provided storage space can be made by contacting Storage Services. The respective USU Department must be willing to pay for the cost of storage if the property is stored beyond one year. If the storage decision is required because of action(s) taken for general university relocation, no fee will be charged.

503.3 DISPOSAL GUIDELINES AND PROCESS

Once a decision is made to dispose of property, the top priority is to dispose of the surplus items, as expeditiously as possible. This is to be done in a controlled manner with prices on sale items set at levels low enough to move the goods, but sufficient to pay the direct out-of-pocket disposal costs. Whenever possible, items are to be sold, at prices set to avoid time-consuming bids. State Administrative Rules stipulate that surplus property will be disposed of at fair market value, unless the property is not marketable for some reason and must be discounted to be sold. Selected property may be disposed of by abandonment, donation, or sold as scrap.

Items of equipment, materials, and supplies determined to be surplus must be property disposed of in one of the following ways:

3.1 Transfers, gifts, trades, and sales of properties between University departments may be directly negotiated by the departments involved.

(1) Under no circumstances may University property be salvaged for the personal benefit of a USU employee or sold directly to a USU employee by a department, except as authorized by Resource Recovery, or sold to an off-campus purchaser where personal benefit is derived by a USU employee. Violation of this prohibition will place the respective individual employee at risk of disciplinary action.

(2) Transactions involving inter-departmental transfers of equipment items must be reported by the transferring department to the Equipment Inventory control office of the Controller's Office so that office can update the university records.

3.2 If not disposed of between departments, the property must be submitted to Resource Recovery for appropriate disposal as explained below.

Disposal transactions are initiated by submitting an authorized and properly completed disposal form to Resource Recovery. The related form(s) can be obtained and arrangements for property disposal made by contacting Resource Recovery.

Resource Recovery is responsible for all items it accepts for disposal. Certain items, due to their size or value, may not be physically handled by Resource Recovery through its normal disposal channels. However, disposal must be coordinated and controlled by that office. Resource Recovery is authorized to deduct a disposal fee from the gross sales price to recover disposal operating costs. The net sales proceeds, if any, will be remitted to the respective department.

Federally owned property is not to be sold or otherwise disposed of without appropriate federal approval. Such approval is obtained by the University’s Sponsored Programs Office. Identification of federally owned property and its disposal can be coordinated by the respective unit contacting the Equipment Inventory Control Office in the Controller's Office.

Surplus property acquired from non-USU sources, such as a used vehicle, desk, computer, etc., from the state or federal government, should have an immediate identifiable use so it is not brought to the University for storage and later disposed without being used.