Property Transfer Procedures

Transfers between Departments

A Texas A&M department may transfer equipment to any other Texas A&M department. According to The Texas A&M University System Asset Management Manual (September 2004), "When transferring in an asset, the original acquisition date must remain the same in order to comply with State procedures." Use Canopy to create an on-line Transfer Departmental Property (TDP). Transferring Departmental Property training may be taken online.

Transfers to the Surplus Property Warehouse

Surplus is any piece of property that the department does not need or use, both inventoried and non-inventoried. Idle equipment should always be transferred to Texas A&M Surplus, where it is made available to other Texas A&M System departments. Surplus will not accept inventoried items that appear to have missing vital components as inventoried items. If any inventory item is missing a vital component, then follow procedures for cannibalizing equipment (See Chapter 6, "Cannibalized Equipment").

Use Canopy to create an online Transfer Departmental Property (TDP). Instructions may be found in the online course Transferring Departmental Property.

Releasing departments who require assistance transporting equipment may contact Surplus at (979) 845-3427 for assistance. The moving crew will transport to the Surplus Warehouse only items that are identified on the TDP.

Departments preferring to transport their surplus items to the Surplus Property Warehouse themselves should notify Texas A&M Surplus in advance of the transport by calling (979) 845-3427. Complete and route to Surplus the TDP online, prior to taking the equipment to Surplus. The TDP document can be accessed and approved (transfer accepted) online when the equipment is delivered.

Surplus requests that all hard drives removed from the computer(s) prior to arrival at the Surplus Property Warehouse. Departments may choose to have their hard drives shredded using the Surplus Property e-shredder. If choosing to have your hard drives shredded please adhere to the following:

  • Fill out the E-Scrap Disposal Form and include with your FDP-411A or Canopy transfer form.
  • A department that determines that a witness is required in order to fulfill the departmental obligations will need to bring the completed E-Scrap Disposal Form along with any transfer forms with them to surplus.

Transfer from the Surplus Property Warehouse to Texas A&M Departments and System Members

It is common for Texas A&M System Members to transfer property to one another; for example, Texas A&M (Member 02) might transfer some inventoried property to Texas AgriLife Research (Member 06).

  • If both Releasing and Receiving Agencies use FAMIS, transfer may be completed with Online Transfer Departmental Property (TDP)
  • If one or both of the Releasing or Receiving Agencies do not use FAMIS,each Texas A&M System Member's fiscal office must process the paperwork; otherwise, the record of the transfer cannot be made.
  • Follow these procedures when transferring inventory equipment between Texas A&M System Members (form at Property Management's website):
    • The releasing department/member should initiate the form FDP411A Property Transfers, provide the following information and send it to the receiving department
      • Type of transfer
      • Name of person preparing form with contact information
      • Who to contact for Surplus pick up
      • Asset number and other asset information
      • All information in the Releasing Department Agency box (including authorized signature)
      • Receiving campus code, department code, and department name
    • The receiving department should complete the following and send it to the releasing member's Property Manager.
      • New location information for each asset
      • Verify the Receiving information (Campus and Dept code and name)
      • Authorized signature for Receiving Department
      • The releasing member's Property Manager will provide the following and send it to the receiving department member's Property Manager.
      • Assign a reference number
      • Supply Member and Agency number
      • Sign and date t
    • The receiving member's Property Manager should provide the following and return to the releasing member's Property Manager for processing.
      • Assign a reference number
      • Supply Member and Agency number
      • Sign and date
      • If transferring computer equipment, please see below.
      • According to The Texas A&M University System Asset Management Manual (06/2014), "If you are the accepting agency of a transfer, it is important not to change the original acquisition date, acquisition method, class code, or dollar amount."

When transferring computer equipment to any department, including Texas A&M Surplus, the releasing departments are required to adhere to the following:

  • Wipe or remove the hard drive and initiate the TDP.
  • Certify that all software and data contained on the hard drive or any computer has been irreversible erased.
  • The transfer and certification of the erased hard drive can be most efficiently accomplished using the asset transfer module in CANOPY for the item(s) to be transferred. Canopy TDP Drive Condition options
    • Erased
    • Not Working (not recommended as information may be obtained from the hard drive-best to remove and shred the hard drive from non-working computers)
    • Removed
    • Do Not Erase-use only when new computer of data/software is needed by the destination department
    • Departments that do not have CANOPY access:
    • FDP-411A Transfer form
    • FDP-411B Transfer of Computer Equipment Form acknowledging that the department has removed all data from the hard drives, must accompany the FDP-411A when computer equipment is transferred to the Surplus Property Office.

Transfers from the Surplus Property Warehouse to ISDs, Political Subdivisions, and Assistance Organizations

  • Texas A&M University Departments and System members have priority selection privileges over independent school districts, political subdivisions, and assistance organizations.
  • Independent school districts have priority selection privileges over political subdivisions and assistance organizations.
  • Political subdivisions and assistance organizations must provide Texas A&M with a letter (on official letterhead) requesting the acquisition of surplus property from Texas A&M and listing the personnel designated to screen and pickup surplus property. Assistance organizations are required to indicate under what part of the definition they qualify, and, if other than the Texas Partners of the Americas, must furnish Texas A&M with one of the following:
    • If a nonprofit organization, proof of their nonprofit status; either
    • If a group that provides services to the clients of a health or human services agency, a letter from the health or human services agency identifying group as having such an agreement and the period of time for the agreement
  • With few exceptions, Texas A&M University surplus property is available for transfer independent school districts, political subdivisions, and assistance organizations at negotiated prices.
  • Texas A&M surplus in the Surplus Property Warehouse in the warehouse Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Items of interest may be "tagged" and in most cases will be held for thirty (30) days. If after thirty (30) days the item(s) tagged has not been claimed by Texas A&M Departments or System members, the item(s) may then be transferred from the Surplus Property Warehouse.
  • Surplus Property personnel will prepare a Canopy form and a Certificate of Acquisition by Political Subdivision or Assistance Organization. The forms need to be signed by personnel who are authorized to screen and pickup surplus property before the items are removed.
  • It is the responsibility of the independent school district, political subdivision, or assistance organization to remove their items from the Surplus Property Warehouse.

 

Rules for TAMU departments and System members to acquire Surplus or Excess property FROM other sources.

GENERAL - The Federal Surplus Property Donation Program is operated under the supervision of the United States General Services Administration (GSA). The program enables certain non-federal, non-profit public entities to obtain personal property the U.S. Federal Government no longer needs.

All distributions of donated Federal Government surplus personal property to eligible public entities must be made by the "State Agency for Surplus Property." In the State of Texas, this is the Texas Facilities Commission (TFC), which is a part of the General Services Commission (GSC).

Federal surplus personal property must be usable and necessary for an existing educational, research, public health, or public safety purpose in the State of Texas.

The property must be utilized within one year of acquisition and, unless otherwise authorized by the TFC, must remain in bona fide use for at least one year after being placed into use before the University may legally dispose of the property.

ACQUISITION OF FEDERAL SURPLUS PERSONAL PROPERTY PROCEDURES

The Texas A&M University Federal Surplus Officer (TFSO), an employee of the Department of Logistics, is the official representative of the University in matters pertaining to the acquisition of Federal surplus personal property. This property must be for use by departments or System members whose accounts are administered by the University’s Financial Management Operations Office.

To acquire Federal surplus personal property, University departments and System members must submit, in writing or by telephone, a request to the TFSO.

University departments are encouraged to utilize the services offered by the TFSO. Upon request, the TFSO may authorize a departmental representative to visit a TFC warehouse without the TFSO in order to screen or pick up Federal surplus personal property.

 

 Rules for TAMU and System Members to Dispose of Surplus or Excess Property

 GENERAL  - The Federal Surplus Property Donation Program is operated under the supervision of the United States General Services Administration (GSA). All non-consumable Federal surplus personal property and Federal excess personal property, other than scrap acquired by a Texas A&M University department or a Texas A&M University System (System) member utilizing the services of the Department of Logistics, will be assigned a University asset number by the Texas A&M University Federal Surplus Officer (TFSO)of the Department of Logistics designating the property as surplus or excess.

Asset numbers assure that the property is monitored and disposed of according to Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) and General Services Administration (GSA) regulations.

Non-consumable Federal surplus personal and Federal excess personal property will be added to the permanent inventory record of the University regardless of the acquisition cost of property. Inventory records pertaining to non-consumable personal property acquired must be maintained by the University in the same manner as other inventoried property belonging to the University. For more information see the Texas A&M University System Equipment Management Manual, System Regulation 21.01.09.

DISPOSAL OF FEDERAL SURPLUS PERSONAL PROPERTY  - Unless otherwise restricted by the GSA or GSC Federal surplus personal property which has remained in bona fide use by the University for at least one year after being utilized may be transferred, sold, traded-in on new property, or otherwise disposed of according to the procedures described in The Texas A&M University System Equipment Management Manual, System Regulation 21.01.09. The Surplus Property Office facilitates transfers, conducts all sales and oversees other means of disposal of property no longer needed by the University department or System member utilizing the Department of Logistics.

DISPOSAL OF FEDERAL EXCESS PERSONAL PROPERTY  - Federal excess personal property no longer needed by the University must be reported to the GSA regardless of the amount of time the property has been in use at the University and may not be transferred, sold, traded-in on new property or otherwise disposed of without specific written approval from the GSA. If approved by the GSA, transfers, sales, trade-ins and other methods of disposal must be accomplished according to The Texas A&M University System Equipment Management Manual, System Regulation 21.01.09.

DISPOSAL OF STATE SURPLUS OR EXCESS PERSONAL PROPERTY - State surplus personal property may be transferred, sold, traded-in on new property, or otherwise disposed of according to the procedures described in The Texas A&M University System Equipment Management Manual, System Regulation 21.01.09. The Surplus Property Office facilitates transfers, conducts all sales and oversees other means of disposal of property considered surplus or excess by the University department and/or System member utilizing the Department of Logistics.