Sunset Date: December 31, 2002

The guidelines NPS-44, "Personal Property Management," NPS-88, "Motor Vehicle Management," and NPS-47, "Government Property in Possession of Contractors," and all other previously published special directives regarding personal property management are superseded by this Director's Order and the revised Personal Property Management Handbook No. 44.

The objectives of this Director's Orders are to: 1) set forth the NPS's policy and required procedures for managing an effective property management program within the National Park Service (NPS); 2) establish a system of internal instructions and provide guidance which ensures that managers and other personnel performing property management functions have a clear understanding of the General Services Administration (GSA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Departmental policies and procedures; 3) ensure internal control measures are in place to protect Government assets and to prevent fraud, waste and abuse of personal property and; 4) designate and prescribe specific responsibilities for the NPS Property Management Officer and NPS Property Administrators.

This "Level 2" Director's Order contains only those policies, instructions and required procedures that are within the Director's discretionary authority to issue; it is not intended to document all the property management procedures and requirements imposed on NPS employees by higher authorities such as GSA, OMB and the Department. For a comprehensive compilation of those requirements, employees must refer to the Personal Property Management Handbook No. 44.

16 U.S.C. 1 through 4 (the National Park Service Organic Act).

The NPS Property Management Officer will develop and issue a Handbook (No. 44) to provide detailed instructions regarding the implementation of existing GSA, OMB, Departmental and NPS policies and procedures governing personal property management. Handbook No. 44 will be used in conjunction with this Director's Order, and NPS employees will comply with all policies and required procedures contained therein.

The NPS will establish the proper accountability structure at each region, center, office and/or park/unit to facilitate control and accountability of personal property, in accordance with Section 1.6 of the Personal Property Management Handbook No. 44 and Department of the Interior Property Management Directives. Personnel responsible for property management functions will be held accountable and financially liable for any missing, lost or damaged property, if such loss was the result of simple or gross negligence or neglect; or was the result of failure to install such management controls as necessary as required to ensure the safeguarding and maintenance of Government property under their control.

3.2a Property Management Officer: The Property Management Program Manager is designated as the Property Management Officer for the National Park Service. The Property Management Officer is:

(1) The management official with the day-to-day responsibility for the overall property management program within the NPS.

(2) Fully responsible for the overall administration, coordination, and control of the NPS property management program.

(3) The Director's representative in the implementation of Departmental policy and procedures concerning property management.

(4) Responsible for the issuance of any Servicewide instructions required for implementation of Departmental policy and procedures concerning property management.

3.2b Property Administrator: Each Regional Director/Center Manager is designated as the Property Administrator of his or her region or center. The Associate Director, Administration is designated as the Property Administrator at the headquarters level. Property Administrators are responsible for:

(1) Overall administration, coordination and control of the property management program, and ensuring that required property accountability records are maintained and that required reports are submitted for a given organizational and/or geographical area.

(2) Implementing property management policy and procedures, and providing guidance to subordinate or serviced organizational elements within their area of control, as provided by the Property Management Officer.

(3) Ensuring that all actions are taken to ensure the integrity of the property management program, and that Government property is managed to provide optimum protection against fraud, waste, and abuse.

(4) Providing oversight of the property management program and disseminating information to subordinate or serviced organizational components as provided by the Property Management Officer.

(5) Ensuring that required physical inventories are conducted within their jurisdiction and that discrepancies are appropriately reconciled.

(6) Designating in writing, Property Managers and Accountable Officers at the regional/center, and park locations.

To ensure compliance with mandatory elements of this Director's Order, property management duties and responsibilities will be reflected in the position description and/or as a critical result in the Employee Performance Plan and Results Report for all employees responsible for and/or performing primary property management functions.

The NPS sensitive property list is as follows and these items must be maintained in the Property Management Information System (PROP), or its successor regardless of the costs or value of the items:

(1) firearms
(2) monitors
(3) laptop and personal computers
(4) printers
(5) motor vehicles
(6) motor scooters
(7) boats
(8) cameras & camcorders

Managers and supervisors are responsible for, and will be held accountable for, establishing controls over the acquisition, storage, issue, use, and return of sensitive property. If there are other property items(s) that managers and supervisors characterize as sensitive in nature, but are not listed above, a list of those items will be maintained in accordance with Section 2.1 of Handbook No. 44.

The Government-wide purchase card may be used to acquire personal property items in accordance with Section 5.2 of Handbook No. 44, Federal Acquisition Regulations, Departmental Directives, and within the limits of the purchase card single purchase threshold. Sensitive property (with the exception of firearms) may be purchased only by a Warranted Contracting Officer. Firearms may not be purchased by anyone using the purchase card.

Managers at all levels will be held accountable for all property under their control. They must ensure that all employees are aware of their responsibilities and are held accountable for the proper use and care of Government-owned or leased property in their possession, and that all Government property is used for official purposes only.

When an Accountable, Custodial or Liaison Officer is to be relieved of accountability, the outgoing Officer is responsible for conducting a 100 percent inventory and ensuring that property records are reconciled. Detailed instructions may be found in Section 2.8 of Handbook No.44.

A 100 percent physical inventory of accountable property to include firearms must be conducted by September 30 of each fiscal year. Detailed instructions may be found in Section 3 of Handbook No. 44.

The NPS Central Firearms Cache Coordinator at Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) is the Firearms Receiving Officer for all firearms, excluding wildlife capture weapons and museum firearms purchased by the NPS. Firearms will be shipped directly from the manufacturer to FLETC for inspection, test firing, accountability, control and issuing.

All excess firearms, excluding museum and U.S. Park Police seized firearms, will be sent directly to the Firearm Disposition Center for processing at the Springfield Armory. Some firearms will be deaccessioned and added to the Armory 's museum collection. The others will be destroyed. The requirements regarding the shipment of firearms are prescribed in Section 9 of Handbook No. 44.

NPS employees may transport non-official passengers when necessary to prevent the loss of life or property. The Departmental Manual (DM) allows that non-official passengers may be transported in non-emergency conditions only if the bureau head has established written policies concerning such transportation. In compliance with this DM provision, it is the policy of the NPS to allow employees on duty or in travel status to transport non-official passengers in Government owned or leased vehicles when all the following requirements are met:

(1) Space is available in the vehicle and not needed in connection with the accomplishment of official business.

(2) The transportation is without expense to the Government.

(3) The transportation will not result in the delay of Government business or the taking of circuitous routes.

(4) The transportation will not involve private profit-seeking activities or commercial dealings other than consumer purchases.

(5) Picking up hitchhikers and giving rides to strangers are both prohibited when operating either a Government motor vehicle or a privately-owned vehicle while on official business.