§ 1552. Authority and duties
(a) The Department of Buildings and General Services may:
(1) acquire from the United States of America under section 203(j) of the Federal Property
and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended, herein referred to as the “federal
act,” such property, including equipment, materials, books, or other supplies under
the control of any department or agency of the United States of America as may be
usable and necessary for purposes of education, public health, or civil defense, including
research for any such purpose, and for such other purposes as may be authorized by
federal law;
(2) warehouse such property; and
(3) distribute such property within the State to tax-supported medical institutions, hospitals,
clinics, health centers, school systems, schools, colleges, and universities within
the State, to other nonprofit medical institutions, hospitals, clinics, health centers,
schools, colleges, and universities that are exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1954, to civil defense organizations of the State, or political subdivisions and instrumentalities
thereof, which are established pursuant to State law, and to such other types of institutions
or activities as may be eligible under federal law to acquire such property.
(b) The Department of Buildings and General Services may receive applications from eligible
health and educational institutions for the acquisition of federal surplus real property,
investigate the same, obtain expression of views respecting the applications from
the appropriate health or educational authorities of the State, make recommendations
regarding the need of the applicant for the property, the merits of its proposed program
of utilization, the suitability of the property for those purposes, and otherwise
assist in the processing of the applications for acquisition of real and related personal
property of the United States under section 203(k) of the federal act.
(c) For the purpose of executing its authority under this chapter, the Department of Buildings
and General Services may adopt, amend, or rescind such rules and regulations and prescribe
such requirements as it may consider necessary; and take such other action as it considers
necessary and suitable, in the administration of this chapter, to ensure maximum utilization,
within the State, of property distributed under this chapter, to eligible health,
educational, and civil defense institutions and organizations and to such other types
of institutions or activities as may be eligible under federal law in effect when
the action is taken.
(d) The Department of Buildings and General Services may make such certifications, take
such action, make such expenditures, require such reports, and make such investigations
as may be required by law or regulation of the United States of America in connection
with the disposal of real property and the receipt, warehousing, and distribution
of personal property received by the Department of Buildings and General Services
from the United States of America and enter into contracts, agreements, and undertakings
for and in the name of the State (including cooperative agreements with any federal
agencies providing for utilization by and exchange between them, without reimbursement,
of the property, facilities, personnel, and services of each by the other, and agreements
with other State agencies for surplus property and with associations or groups of
such State agencies).
(e) The Department of Buildings and General Services may act as a clearing house of information
for the public and private nonprofit institutions, organizations, and agencies referred
to in subsection (a) of this section and other institutions eligible to acquire federal
surplus real property, locate both real and personal property available for acquisition
from the United States of America, ascertain the terms and conditions under which
such property may be obtained, receive requests from the above-mentioned institutions,
organizations, and agencies and transmit to them all available information in reference
to such property, and aid and assist such institutions, organizations, and agencies
in every way possible in the consummation of acquisitions or transactions hereunder.
(f) The Department of Buildings and General Services, in the administration of this chapter,
shall cooperate to the fullest extent consistent with the federal act, with the departments
or agencies of the United States of America, shall file a State plan of operation,
operate in accordance therewith, take such action as may be necessary to meet the
minimum standards prescribed in accordance with the federal act, and make such reports
in such form and containing such information as the United States of America or any
of its departments or agencies may from time to time require. It shall comply with
the laws of the United States of America and the rules and regulations of any of the
departments or agencies of the United States of America governing the allocation,
transfer, and use of, or accounting for, property donable or donated to eligible donees
in the State. (1965, No. 19, § 2, eff. April 2, 1965; amended 1995, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 4(a), eff. May 6, 1996.)