The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has approved the Federal Real Property Asset Management Reform Act of 2012, which would require agencies to collect better data about property they control, and it would set up a pilot program to test a fast-tracked disposal process and otherwise attempts to improve property management.
S-2178, introduced by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., would create an expedited process for sale of properties identified by OMB as underutilized, including easing regulatory obstacles that have slowed property sales.
Property deemed "underutilized" would have to be sold, offered or disposed of within two years, and the bill suspends the ability of agencies to acquire or lease new space if they fail to make underutilized properties available for sale.
Under the bill 80 percent of proceeds from a sale would go to the Treasury to reduce the deficit, and no more than 18 percent could be used by agencies to defray management and disposal costs.
The bill would also establish a property management leadership structure within agencies and a Federal Real Property Council to guide government-wide property management policies and the clarification of OMB, GSA, and other agencies’ roles in property management issues.
One of the council’s responsibilities would be to set up a government-wide surplus property reduction goal, with each agency developing an agency-specific plan for disposing of unneeded property and making use of existing property before obtaining new property.
