41 C.F.R. § 102-71.20

Current through September 30, 2024

Section 102-71.20 - What definitions apply to GSA's real property policies?

The following definitions apply to GSA's real property policies:

Airport means any area of land or water that is used, or intended for use, for the landing and takeoff of aircraft, and any appurtenant areas that are used, or intended for use, for airport buildings or other airport facilities or rights-of-way, together with all airport buildings and facilities located thereon.

Alteration means remodeling, improving, extending, or making other changes to a facility, exclusive of maintenance repairs that are preventive in nature. The term includes planning, engineering, architectural work, and other similar actions.

Carpool means a group of two or more people regularly using a motor vehicle for transportation to and from work on a continuing basis.

Commercial activities, within the meaning of subpart D, part 102-74 of this chapter, are activities undertaken for the primary purpose of producing a profit for the benefit of an individual or organization organized for profit. (Activities where commercial aspects are incidental to the primary purpose of expression of ideas or advocacy of causes are not commercial activities for purposes of this part.)

Cultural activities include, but are not limited to, films, dramatics, dances, musical presentations, and fine art exhibits, whether or not these activities are intended to make a profit.

Decontamination means the complete removal or destruction by flashing of explosive powders; the neutralizing and cleaning-out of acid and corrosive materials; the removal, destruction, or neutralizing of toxic, hazardous or infectious substances; and the complete removal and destruction by burning or detonation of live ammunition from contaminated areas and buildings.

Designated Official is the highest ranking official of the primary occupant agency of a Federal facility, or, alternatively, a designee selected by mutual agreement of occupant agency officials.

Disabled employee means an employee who has a severe, permanent impairment that for all practical purposes precludes the use of public transportation, or an employee who is unable to operate a car as a result of permanent impairment who is driven to work by another. Priority may require certification by an agency medical unit, including the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Public Health Service.

Disposal agency means the Executive agency designated by the Administrator of General Services to dispose of surplus real or personal property.

Educational activities mean activities such as (but not limited to) the operation of schools, libraries, day care centers, laboratories, and lecture or demonstration facilities.

Emergency includes bombings and bomb threats, civil disturbances, fires, explosions, electrical failures, loss of water pressure, chemical and gas leaks, medical emergencies, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes. The term does not apply to civil defense matters such as potential or actual enemy attacks that are addressed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Executive means a Government employee with management responsibilities who, in the judgment of the employing agency head or his/her designee, requires preferential assignment of parking privileges.

Executive agency means an Executive department specified in section 101 of title 5; a military department specified in section 102 of such title; an independent establishment as defined in section 104(1) of such title; and a wholly owned Government corporation fully subject to the provisions of chapter 91 of title 31.

Federal agency means any Executive agency or any establishment in the legislative or judicial branch of the Government (except the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Architect of the Capitol and any activities under his or her direction).

Federal agency buildings manager means the buildings manager employed by GSA or a Federal agency that has been delegated real property management and operation authority from GSA.

Federal Government real property services provider means any Federal Government entity operating under, or subject to, the authorities of the Administrator of General Services that provides real property services to Federal agencies. This definition also includes private sector firms under contract with Federal agencies that deliver real property services to Federal agencies. This definition excludes any entity operating under, or subject to, authorities other than those of the Administrator of General Services.

Flame-resistant means meeting performance standards as described by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA Standard No. 701). Fabrics labeled with the Underwriters Laboratories Inc., classification marking for flammability are deemed to be flame resistant for purposes of this part.

Foot-candle is the illumination on a surface one square foot in area on which there is a uniformly distributed flux of one lumen, or the illuminance produced on a surface all points of which are at a distance of one foot from a directionally uniform point source of one candela.

GSA means the U.S. General Services Administration, acting by or through the Administrator of General Services, or a designated official to whom functions under this part have been delegated by the Administrator of General Services.

Highest and best use means the most likely use to which a property can be put, which will produce the highest monetary return from the property, promote its maximum value, or serve a public or institutional purpose. The highest and best use determination must be based on the property's economic potential, qualitative values (social and environmental) inherent in the property itself, and other utilization factors controlling or directly affecting land use (e.g., zoning, physical characteristics, private and public uses in the vicinity, neighboring improvements, utility services, access, roads, location, and environmental and historical considerations). Projected highest and best use should not be remote, speculative, or conjectural.

Indefinite quantity contract (commonly referred to as term contract) provides for the furnishing of an indefinite quantity, within stated limits, of specific property or services during a specified contract period, with deliveries to be scheduled by the timely placement of orders with the contractor by activities designated either specifically or by class.

Industrial property means any real property and related personal property that has been used or that is suitable to be used for manufacturing, fabricating, or processing of products; mining operations; construction or repair of ships and other waterborne carriers; power transmission facilities; railroad facilities; and pipeline facilities for transporting petroleum or gas.

Landholding agency means the Federal agency that has accountability for the property involved. For the purposes of this definition, accountability means that the Federal agency reports the real property on its financial statements and inventory records.

Landing area means any land or combination of water and land, together with improvements thereon and necessary operational equipment used in connection therewith, which is used for landing, takeoff, and parking of aircraft. The term includes, but is not limited to, runways, strips, taxiways, and parking aprons.

Life cycle cost is the total cost of owning, operating, and maintaining a building over its useful life, including its fuel and energy costs, determined on the basis of a systematic evaluation and comparison of alternative building systems; except that in the case of leased buildings, the life cycle cost shall be calculated over the effective remaining term of the lease.

Limited combustible means rigid materials or assemblies that have fire hazard ratings not exceeding 25 for flame spread and 150 for smoke development when tested in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials, Test E 84, Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials.

Maintenance, for the purposes of part 102-75, entitled "Real Property Disposal," of this chapter, means the upkeep of property only to the extent necessary to offset serious deterioration; also such operation of utilities, including water supply and sewerage systems, heating, plumbing, and air-conditioning equipment, as may be necessary for fire protection, the needs of interim tenants, and personnel employed at the site, and the requirements for preserving certain types of equipment. For the purposes of part 102-74, entitled "Facility Management," of this chapter, maintenance means preservation by inspection, adjustment, lubrication, cleaning, and the making of minor repairs. Ordinary maintenance means routine recurring work that is incidental to everyday operations; preventive maintenance means work programmed at scheduled intervals.

Management means the safeguarding of the Government's interest in property, in an efficient and economical manner consistent with the best business practices.

Nationally recognized standards encompasses any standard or modification thereof that-

(1) Has been adopted and promulgated by a nationally recognized standards-producing organization under procedures whereby those interested and affected by it have reached substantial agreement on its adoption; or

(2) Was formulated through consultation by appropriate Federal agencies in a manner that afforded an opportunity for diverse views to be considered.

No commercial value means real property, including related personal property, which has no reasonable prospect of producing any disposal revenues.

Nonprofit organization means an organization identified in 26 U.S.C. 501(c) .

Normally furnished commercially means consistent with the level of services provided by a commercial building operator for space of comparable quality and housing tenants with comparable requirements. Service levels are based on the effort required to service space for a five-day week, one eight-hour shift schedule.

Occupancy Emergency Organization means the emergency response organization comprised of employees of Federal agencies designated to perform the requirements established by the Occupant Emergency Plan.

Occupant agency means an organization that is assigned space in a facility under GSA's custody and control.

Occupant Emergency Plan means procedures developed to protect life and property in a specific federally occupied space under stipulated emergency conditions.

Occupant Emergency Program means a short-term emergency response program. It establishes procedures for safeguarding lives and property during emergencies in particular facilities.

Postal vehicle means a Government-owned vehicle used for the transportation of mail, or a privately owned vehicle used under contract with the U.S. Postal Service for the transportation of mail.

Protection means the provisions of adequate measures for prevention and extinguishment of fires, special inspections to determine and eliminate fire and other hazards, and necessary guards to protect property against thievery, vandalism, and unauthorized entry.

Public area means any area of a building under the control and custody of GSA that is ordinarily open to members of the public, including lobbies, courtyards, auditoriums, meeting rooms, and other such areas not assigned to a lessee or occupant agency.

Public body means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the foregoing.

Public building means:

(1) Any building that is suitable for office and/or storage space for the use of one or more Federal agencies or mixed-ownership corporations, such as Federal office buildings, post offices, customhouses, courthouses, border inspection facilities, warehouses, and any such building designated by the President. It also includes buildings of this sort that are acquired by the Federal Government under the Administrator's installment-purchase, lease-purchase, and purchase-contract authorities.

(2) Public building does not include buildings:

(i) On the public domain.

(ii) In foreign countries.

(iii) On Indian and native Eskimo properties held in trust by the United States.

(iv) On lands used in connection with Federal programs for agricultural, recreational, and conservation purposes.

(v) On or used in connection with river, harbor, flood control, reclamation or power projects, or for chemical manufacturing or development projects, or for nuclear production, research, or development projects.

(vi) On or used in connection with housing and residential projects.

(vii) On military installations.

(viii) On Department of Veterans Affairs installations used for hospital or domiciliary purposes.

(ix) Excluded by the President.

Real property means:

(1) Any interest in land, together with the improvements, structures, and fixtures located thereon (including prefabricated movable structures, such as Butler-type storage warehouses and Quonset huts, and house trailers with or without undercarriages), and appurtenances thereto, under the control of any Federal agency, except-

(i) The public domain;

(ii) Lands reserved or dedicated for national forest or national park purposes;

(iii) Minerals in lands or portions of lands withdrawn or reserved from the public domain that the Secretary of the Interior determines are suitable for disposition under the public land mining and mineral leasing laws;

(iv) Lands withdrawn or reserved from the public domain but not including lands or portions of lands so withdrawn or reserved that the Secretary of the Interior, with the concurrence of the Administrator of General Services, determines are not suitable for return to the public domain for disposition under the general public land laws because such lands are substantially changed in character by improvements or otherwise; and

(v) Crops when designated by such agency for disposition by severance and removal from the land.

(2) Improvements of any kind, structures, and fixtures under the control of any Federal agency when designated by such agency for disposition without the underlying land (including such as may be located on the public domain, on lands withdrawn or reserved from the public domain, on lands reserved or dedicated for national forest or national park purposes, or on lands that are not owned by the United States) excluding, however, prefabricated movable structures, such as Butler-type storage warehouses and Quonset huts, and house trailers (with or without undercarriages).

(3) Standing timber and embedded gravel, sand, or stone under the control of any Federal agency, whether designated by such agency for disposition with the land or by severance and removal from the land, excluding timber felled, and gravel, sand, or stone excavated by or for the Government prior to disposition.

Recognized labor organization means a labor organization recognized under title VII of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-454 ), as amended, governing labor-management relations.

Recreational activities include, but are not limited to, the operations of gymnasiums and related facilities.

Regional Officer, within the meaning of part 102-74, subpart D of this chapter, means the Federal official designated to supervise the implementation of the occasional use provisions of 40 U.S.C. 581(h)(2) . The Federal official may be an employee of GSA or a Federal agency that has delegated authority from GSA to supervise the implementation of the occasional use provisions of 40 U.S.C. 581(h)(2) .

Related personal property means any personal property-

(1) That is an integral part of real property or is related to, designed for, or specially adapted to the functional or productive capacity of the real property and the removal of which would significantly diminish the economic value of the real property (normally common use items, including but not limited to general-purpose furniture, utensils, office machines, office supplies, or general-purpose vehicles, are not considered to be related personal property); or

(2) That is determined by the Administrator of General Services to be related to the real property.

Repairs means those additions or changes that are necessary for the protection and maintenance of property to deter or prevent excessive or rapid deterioration or obsolescence, and to restore property damaged by storm, flood, fire, accident, or earthquake.

Ridesharing means the sharing of the commute to and from work by two or more people, on a continuing basis, regardless of their relationship to each other, in any mode of transportation, including, but not limited to, carpools, vanpools, buspools, and mass transit.

State means the fifty States, political subdivisions thereof, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and Guam, and the territories and possessions of the United States.

Unit price agreement provides for the furnishing of an indefinite quantity, within stated limits, of specific property or services at a specified price, during a specified contract period, with deliveries to be scheduled by the timely placement of orders upon the lessor by activities designated either specifically or by class.

Unusual hours means work hours that are frequently required to be varied and do not coincide with any regular work schedule. This category includes time worked by individuals who regularly or frequently work significantly more than 8 hours per day. Unusual hours does not include time worked by shift workers, by those on alternate work schedules, and by those granted exceptions to the normal work schedule (e.g., flex-time).

Upon approval from GSA means when an agency either has a delegation of authority document from the Administrator of General Services or written approval from the Administrator or his/her designee before proceeding with a specified action.

Vanpool means a group of at least 8 persons using a passenger van or a commuter bus designed to carry 10 or more passengers. Such a vehicle must be used for transportation to and from work in a single daily round trip.

Zonal allocations means the allocation of parking spaces on the basis of zones established by GSA in conjunction with occupant agencies. In metropolitan areas where this method is used, all agencies located in a designated zone will compete for available parking in accordance with instructions issued by GSA. In establishing this procedure, GSA will consult with all affected agencies.

41 C.F.R. §102-71.20