PROTECTING GOVERNMENT PERSONAL PROPERTY


All Employee Distribution
Sent by: Ann Dowden
04/07/2000 11:04 AM

 
To:       USGS Employees
cc: 
Subject:  PROTECTING GOVERNMENT PERSONAL PROPERTY

Please see the following reminder from the Department on the importance of 
protecting government personal property.  If you have any questions about 
this or any other personal property management issues, please contact 
Melissa Courtney, of the Property Management Branch, on (703)648-7322, or 
via e-mail at mcourtne@usgs.gov   

                                                  
                                                    February 9, 2000

                                 MEMORANDUM


To:       Assistant Directors for Administration
From:     Debra E. Sonderman, Director Acquisition and Property Management
Subject:  PROTECTING GOVERNMENT PERSONAL PROPERTY

This is a reminder of our responsibilities as Government employees to 
protect Government personal property by following existing guidelines and 
procedures as described in 5 CFR 2635.704 and 410 DM 114-60.  This 
includes issuing property passes and securing all property using 
techniques appropriate to the specific nature of the property.  For the 
remainder of this memo, whenever the term property is used it refers to 
Government personal property. 

Over the past year, we reviewed Board of Survey decisions that are 
appealed to the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA).  Our review of these
appeals revealed the need for all bureaus and offices to remind employees 
of their responsibility to safeguard property in their care, and to report 
incidences of loss, damage, or theft.  In particular, our review indicated 
that a majority of incidents involved employees in travel status. 

Each employee accepts responsibility for accountability and liability for 
property in their care at all times.  However, while on travel status an 
employee's ability to safeguard property may be affected by external 
circumstances. 
For example, most airlines do not accept liability for electronic items 
checked as baggage. 

Realizing there is no foolproof measure for securing all property at all 
times, practical precautions should be taken to minimize the risk of loss, 
damage, or theft.  Safeguarding portable items requires special care. 
These items may be nice to have for personal use, are generally small and 
easy to conceal, making them especially vulnerable to theft.  For example, 
laptop computers are seen to be particularly vulnerable to theft in an 
airport environment.  Some suggestions for employees on travel status are:

1)  Employees should consider the potential for external impediments 
before traveling.  If necessary, arrange to have property at the site to 
which you are traveling.

2)  Plan ahead and ship property to yourself via any overnight mail 
service that provides a tracking system which will allow you to verify the 
shipment status.  Mail room staff can provide more information on how this 
can be accomplished.

3)  Consolidate luggage as much as possible, keeping in mind some 
airlines allow only one carry-on bag. 

I am asking that you remind all employees of their obligation to protect 
property in their custody, and to remind them of the requirements and 
methods for reporting damaged, lost, or stolen property.  In addition, 
please ensure that your bureau/office property management program training 
includes employee responsibilities regarding property.

By maintaining a high awareness of our responsibilities to protect 
property, we will strengthen our property management program 
departmentwide.  Please contact Terri Barry on (202) 208-4328 or Chris 
MacArthur on (202) 208-6649 of my staff with any questions you may have.

cc:  Property Manager's Partnership
Daryl White, PIR
Bruce Johnson, OHA
Kimberly Miller, PPM
T. J. Sullivan, PEL
Wayne Howard, PFM
Alton Woods, SOL - GL


Melissa Courtney
Property Management Branch
USGS National Center, MS 210
Reston, VA  20192
(703) 648-7322; FAX (703) 648-7527