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NASA Ball NASA
Procedural
Requirements
NPR 4200.1H
Effective Date: March 08, 2017
Expiration Date: June 08, 2024
COMPLIANCE IS MANDATORY FOR NASA EMPLOYEES
Printable Format (PDF)

Subject: NASA Equipment Management Procedural Requirements

Responsible Office: Office of Strategic Infrastructure


| TOC | Preface | Chapter1 | Chapter2 | Chapter3 | Chapter4 | Chapter5 | AppendixA | AppendixB | AppendixC | AppendixD | AppendixE | ALL |

Appendix A. Definitions

The following are definitions of key terms that apply to NASA's equipment management policy. Other terms are defined in the sections or parts to which they primarily apply.

Abuse (of Property). The improper use of property.

Activate (Property Record). Term used to create or establish a new Equipment Master Record in the NASA PP&E System.

Accountability (Property). The ability or need to account for personal property by providing a complete audit trail for property transactions from receipt to final disposition.

Acquiring (Property). The means to come into possession or ownership of equipment.

Acquisition (Property). The act of acquiring or gaining possession of equipment.

Acquisition Code. A code in SAP utilized to record the mode of acquisition of equipment in the EMR.

Acquisition Cost. The original purchase price of an item.

Administratively Controlled Equipment. NASA equipment not subject to control in NASA's PP&E System as specified in chapter 3 of this NPR (Controlled Equipment). It is NASA equipment having an acquisition cost of less than $5,000, normally affixed with a NF1517 or NF1517A label, and managed using local procedures established by the Center SEMO to ensure proper accountability and prevent fraud, waste, and misuse. This category of equipment excludes sensitive items and items identified as heritage or for display purposes, which are required to be tracked in the NASA PP&E System.

Aircraft. An aircraft is a machine that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. Crewed aircraft is when it is flown by an onboard pilot, and unmanned aircraft, or unmanned aerial vehicles, may be remotely controlled or self-controlled by onboard computers.

Alternative Future Use. Having a planned use on a project other than the one for which it is originally purchased which is identified and objectively measured at the beginning of a project or at the time the purchase occurs or fabrication commences. This alternative future use determination is documented on NF 1739, Capitalization Determination Form. The NF 1739 is prepared IAW NPR 9250.1, Section 1.3.5.1 and the directions included with the form.

Approving Official. NASA official authorized to approve allocation of NASA resources; authority may be delegated to a Resource Allocator.

Assembled Equipment. Equipment that is built by combining diverse, typically standardized parts.

Asset Master Record (AMR). A financial record in SAP that identifies capital equipment.

Audit Trail. A relevant chronological record, set of records, or source of records that provide documentary evidence of the sequence of activities, or detailed transactions, that have affected at any time the equipment management database. This documentation may be on paper or on electronic records.

Auxiliary or Accessorial Automatic Data Processing (AADP) Equipment. Auxiliary or accessorial ADP equipment, including plotters, tape cleaners, tape testers, data conversion equipment, source data automation recording equipment (optical character recognition devices, microfilm, and other data acquisition devices), or computer performance evaluation equipment designed for use with digital, analog, or hybrid computer equipment, either cable or modem connected, wire connected, or stand alone, and whether selected or acquired with a computer or separately.

Borrower (Property). A person or organization accepting physical custody and responsibility of NASA equipment resulting from a loan.

Business Objects (BOBJ). Part of the NASA PP&E System where the user performs equipment searches and generates reports.

Calibration. The process of determining the deviation from a standard so as to ascertain the proper correction factors for measuring instruments.

Cannibalize. The means to remove serviceable parts, components, or assemblies from one piece of equipment for use or for installation in other equipment.

Capital Equipment. As identified in NPR 9250.1, Property, Plant, and Equipment and Operating Materials and Supplies, equipment with a value of at least $500,000 and subject to the financial control, accounting, and reporting capitalization requirements.

Cardholder. The legal agent using the NASA charge card to buy goods and services in support of official Government business. The cardholder holds the primary responsibility for the card's proper use.

Cataloging. Cataloging is the process whereby each item of supply, material, and equipment is assigned a National Stock Number (NSN) or local NSN.

Center Chief of Protective Services/Center Chief of Security (CCPS/CCS). The senior Center security official responsible for technical management and day-to-day operations of the Center's security program.

Center Equipment Manager (EM). The key individual(s) within the Center equipment management organization interfacing with the PCs and equipment users. The EM maintains and controls equipment records and assists custodians and users in property procedures for, and documentation of, equipment transaction.

Center Export Administrator (CEA). Designated by the Center Director, the CEA is a senior person responsible for assessing and ensuring compliance of all Center program activities with U.S. export control laws and regulations.

Central Receiving. The sole point at each Center or subinstallation designated by the SEMO as the primary portal for inbound Center freight deliveries where property is received, inspected, accepted, and distribution is initiated to Center organizations.

Classified Equipment. In accordance with NPR 1600.2, any physical object on which is recorded or in which is embodied CNSI that can be discerned by the study, analysis, observation, or other use of the object itself.

Commercial Item. Commercial item is any item, other than real property, that is of a type customarily used by the general public or by non-governmental entities for purposes other than governmental purposes, and has been sold, leased, or licensed to the general public; or has been offered for sale, lease, or license to the general public. Any item that evolved from an aforementioned item of this definition through advances in technology or performance and that is not yet available in the commercial marketplace, but will be available in the commercial marketplace in time to satisfy the delivery requirements under a Government solicitation. See FAR subpart 201 "definitions" for further definition.

Commercial Off-the-shelf (COTS). Any item of supply (including construction material) that is a commercial item sold in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace and offered to the Government under a contract or subcontract at any tier, without modification, in the same form in which it is sold in the commercial marketplace. It does not include bulk cargo, as defined in 46 U.S.C. 40102(4), such as agricultural products and petroleum products. See FAR subpart 201 "definitions" for further definition.

Communications Security (COMSEC). Measures and controls taken to deny unauthorized individuals access to equipment for the management of information derived from telecommunications and to ensure the authenticity of such telecommunications.

Compensating Controls Review (CCR). Compensating Controls Reviews assess the performance in the areas of Logistics Management Operations (LMO) consisting of supply, equipment, disposal, storage/warehousing, contract property management, mail management, transportation, and fleet management, as well as compliance with established laws, regulations, policies, and requirements. NASA CCRs are intended to assess a Center's LMO programs by identifying potential strengths and weaknesses and providing specialized technical or management support to ensure that strengths are leveraged and that weaknesses are remedied. Center strengths that the CCR Team identifies as logistics management best practices will be shared for potential Agency-wide implementation.

Complete (Equipment Item). The final intact configuration of an equipment item; any configuration changes to an equipment item have reached conclusion and the equipment is fully functional for its intended purpose.

Component Equipment Item. An item of equipment that is used as a subassembly to a larger assembly. Parts are not to be considered component equipment items.

Condition. A code assigned to indicate the physical condition and usability of equipment.

Configuration Control Board. A permanent technical control group that is responsible for maintaining system configuration control. Membership is comprised of representatives from Centers and NASA Headquarters. The Board chairperson convenes the group as necessary.

Conflict of Interest (COI). A situation in which a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity. A situation that has the potential to undermine the impartiality of a person because of the possibility of a clash between the person's self-interest and professional interest or public interest.

Consumer Price Index (CPI) Value. The CPI is a statistical estimate constructed using the prices of a sample of representative items whose prices are collected periodically. The CPI value may be used to estimate the market value of supply, material, or equipment or used when the true value or original acquisition cost is not available.

Contractor-Acquired Equipment. Equipment acquired, fabricated, or otherwise provided by the contractor for performing a contract and to which the Government has title.

Contractor Inventory. Personal property furnished to, or acquired by, and in possession of a contractor pursuant to the terms of a contract, title to which is vested in the Government.

Contract Number. A unique identifier assigned to each NASA contract, pursuant to the NASA FAR Supplement 1804.71.

Contracting Officer (CO). A person with the authority to enter into, administer, and/or terminate contracts and make related determinations and findings. The term includes certain authorized representatives of the CO acting within the limits of their authority as delegated by the CO. "Administrative CO (ACO)" refers to a CO who is administering contracts. "Termination CO (TCO)" refers to a CO who is settling terminated contracts. A single CO may be responsible for duties in any or all of these areas. Reference in this regulation (48 CFR Chapter 1) to administrative CO or termination CO does not: (1) require that a duty be performed at a particular office or activity; or (2) restrict in any way a CO in performing any duty properly assigned. (See FAR 2.101).

CO Representative (COR). An authorized representative of a CO acting within the limits of his/her authority.

Contractor. For the purpose of this directive, any non-NASA entity or individual working on a NASA installation or offsite with access to NASA equipment.

Contractor-Acquired Property. Property acquired, fabricated, or otherwise provided by the contractor for performing a contract and to which the Government has title. (See FAR 45.101).

Control. The ongoing function of maintaining physical oversight and surveillance of personal property throughout its complete life cycle using various management tools and techniques taking into account the environment in which the property is located and its vulnerability to theft, waste, fraud, or abuse.

Controlled Equipment. All equipment which has been identified by the Agency as sensitive (flagged high risk in the NASA PP&E System), and all nonsensitive equipment with an acquisition or manufacturing cost of $5,000 or more. In addition, NASA control criteria applies to the following equipment:

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). An instrument that provides authority for and sets the terms and conditions for Federal laboratories to conduct collaborative research and development activities with other governmental entities, persons, or corporations.

Custodial Area. A subdivision of an accountability area which is defined by its organizational limits and for which a PC has been assigned. Custodial areas are usually at the division organization level.

Custodian Records. Memoranda in any form, written or electronic, that documents the life cycle of property.

Damage. A condition that impairs either the value or use of an item; may occur in varying degrees. Property may be damaged in appearance or in expected useful life without rendering it unserviceable or less useful. Damage also shows partial unserviceability. Usually implies that damage is the result of some act or omission.

Deactivate. Term used to make the Equipment Master Record in the NASA PP&E System inactive or retired.

Decoration. Decoration is defined as an order, device, medal, badge, insignia, emblem, or award tendered by, or received from, a foreign country. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). An agency in the United States Department of Defense with more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world. Located in 48 states and 28 countries, DLA provides supplies to the military services and supports their acquisition of weapons, repair parts, and other materials.

Destroyed. Equipment damaged to the point of complete loss of identity or beyond the prospect of future restoration. Systems with classified components and sensitive items will not be considered destroyed without a technical inspection of the residue.

Detail Status. Status of an equipment item represented by a status code in the NASA PP&E System.

Discrepancies (incident to shipment). Means any differences (e.g., count or condition) between the items documented to have been shipped and items actually received.

Disposal. The processes involved in the removal of personal property from use and from NASA PP&E System because of trade-in, transfer to another Federal agency, donation, sale, or abandonment/destruction. NASA's disposal policy is outlined in NPD 4300.1, NASA Personal Disposal Policy.

Document. Any recorded information, regardless of the nature of the medium or the method or circumstances of recording.

Domestic. Existing or occurring within the continental borders of the United States.

EMR/AMR Integration Report. A report of equipment recorded in the Equipment Master Record database meeting the threshold value for a capital asset and recorded in the Asset Master Record.

End Item. A system, equipment item, or an assembled article ready for its intended use; may require only ammunition, fuel, or other energy source to place it in an operating state. See 22 CFR §120.45(a).

End User. The person that receives and ultimately uses NASA equipment. The end user is not the intermediary person but may be the purchaser of equipment or ultimate consignee.

End User Procedures (EUP). Procedures located in the Web-based Enterprise Performance Support System (EPSS) that provide detailed directions for users of the NASA PP&E System.

Enterprise Performance Support System (EPSS). An Intranet resource for procedures, job aids, and help content for use and development of NASA PP&E System data.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). An integrated system in which all of the modules are designed to share information and automatically create transactions based on various business processes.

Equipment. A tangible, durable, nonexpendable asset that is functionally complete for its intended purpose. Equipment is not intended for sale and does not ordinarily lose its identity or become a component part of another article when put into use. Equipment includes all items of NASA personal property that are configured as mechanical, electrical, or electronic machines; tools; devices; and apparatuses that have a useful life of 2 years or more and is not consumed or expended in an experiment. Equipment does not include supplies, material, real property, and software.

Equipment System. The Web-based front end of the NASA PP&E System; formerly N-PROP. Users access EQUIPMENT via i-View or via direct Internet access. EQUIPMENT provides users the ability to: accept or reject receipt for equipment and to cancel a pending property action; view assigned property, as well as history; update property location; transfer property from one custodian account to another PC account; generate a property pass; request property control tags; request excess of Controlled Equipment.; or report any changes of status, location, or user to the responsible PC.

Equipment Control. The section within the Center equipment management operations which manages all the processes, records, and documents used to achieve the objective of equipment management.

Equipment Control Number (ECN). The unique identifier assigned and affixed to each Controlled Equipment item for control and management purposes in NASA PP&E System.

Equipment Control Number Register. A written or electronic record of the assignment of ECNs.

Equipment Master Record (EMR). A record in the NASA PP&E System that identifies and provides selected information about each item of Controlled Equipment.

Equipment Pool. The collection, at a central point, of equipment under control for issue to individuals or organizations.

Equipment Records. Means the records created and maintained by NASA personnel in support of their stewardship responsibilities for the management of Government property.

Equipment Systems. Assemblies of component equipment items designed and operated to accomplish specific functions.

Equipment Utilization. A program to ensure maximum effectiveness in the management and utilization of NASA equipment.

Excess. Personal property determined unnecessary or obsolete for the needs of the owning NASA organization.

Excess Process. The sequential steps necessary for equipment reported excess to reach final disposition (reutilization or disposal) IAW NPR 4300.

Exhibit and Display Items. NASA property retired from program or mission use that, regardless of acquisition cost, has been identified for stationary display or rotational display as part of the NASA Exhibits Loan Program.

Export. An export is the transfer of anything to a foreign person or a foreign destination by any means, anywhere, anytime.

Export Administration Regulations. IAW NPR 2190.1, the set of regulations that control the export of commercial and dual-use items that are designed for commercial use, but may have military use as well.

Export Authorization. An export authorization permits a property transfer to a foreign person or destination and includes: a license, a license exemption, a license exception, or No License Required (NLR).

Fabricated Item. Personal property that is manufactured for, or constructed by, the using organization. Fabricated items meeting the Controlled Equipment criteria are controlled. Exhibit items that are fabricated, constructed, or manufactured for stationary or rotational display that, when complete, meet control criteria for accountability.

Fair wear and tear. Loss or impairment of appearance, effectiveness, worth, or utility of an item that has occurred solely because of normal and customary use of the item for its intended purpose.

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The codification and publication of uniform policies and procedures for acquisition by all executive agencies. (See FAR 1.101).

Federal Logistics Data on Portable Media (FED LOG). A compilation of property catalogued by National Stock Number (NSN) that is published monthly on CD-ROM and DVD by the DLA Logistics Information Services (DLIS), providing a user-friendly interface to quickly and easily retrieve information on over 7.6 million NSNs and over 13.7 million part numbers. FED LOG information is available at http://dlis.dla.mil/Fedlog/About.

Federal Management Regulations. The successor regulation to the Federal Property Management Regulations (FPMR). It contains updated regulatory policies originally found in the FPMR. (See FMR § 102-2.5.) Federal Supply Classification (FSC). A four-digit number identifying a class of property used for cataloging.

Federal Supply Group (FSG). A two-digit property identification code describing commodity classification. See Federal Cataloging Handbook H2.

Financial liability. The statutory obligation of an individual to reimburse the Government for lost, damaged, or destroyed Government property as a result of negligence or abuse.

Firm Future Requirement. A firm future requirement is considered a specific purpose for equipment retention, provided that the equipment has been identified for use on a project, program, or other work activity, the planning of which has been approved by the Division Director or equivalent NASA official.

Fixed or Static Equipment. Mainly bulk-sized equipment items that do not easily move or change location.

Flight Hardware. Per NPR 8715.3, hardware designed and fabricated for ultimate use in a vehicle intended to fly.

Fiscal Year. The 12-month period from October 1 through September 30.

Foreign Gift. A tangible or intangible present (other than a decoration) tendered by, or received from, a foreign government.

Foreign Government. Foreign Government can pertain to:

  1. Any unit of foreign governmental authority, including any foreign national, State, local, and municipal government.
  2. Any international or multinational organization whose membership is composed of any unit of foreign government.
  3. Any agent or representative of any such unit or such organization, while acting as such.

For-Profit Organization. An organization whose operation and primary goal is making money (profit).

Found on Station (FOS). Tagged or untagged equipment item meeting the criteria for control for which accountability in the NASA PP&E System has not been established or custodial ownership cannot be determined.

Fraud. Any felonious act of corruption or attempt to cheat the Government or corrupt the Government's agents.

Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Reporting. It is the responsibility of all individuals having access to or around Federal property to report any fraud or suspicion of fraud. All individuals need to report any fraud or suspicion of fraud to the NASA Inspector General's Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline: http://oig.nasa.gov/hotline.html.

Gift. Property given willingly without expectation of payment or reimbursement.

Gift Retention Authority. The authority granted by the National Aeronautics and Space Act to the NASA Administrator to accept unconditional gifts or donation of services, money, or propertyâ?"real, personal, or mixed; tangible or intangibleâ?"in performance of its functions.

Government-Furnished Property (GFP), Including Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE). Property in the possession of or directly acquired by the Government and subsequently furnished to a contractor for performance of a contract. Government-furnished property includes, but is not limited to, spares and property furnished for repair, maintenance, overhaul, or modification. Government-furnished property also includes contractor-acquired property if the property is a deliverable under a cost contract when accepted by the Government or continued use under the contract. (See FAR 45.101.)

Government Office Equipment Including Information Technology. Per NPD 2540.1, Government Office Equipment includes, but is not limited to computers and related peripheral equipment and software, library resources, research or reference services (e.g., online journals), telephones and wireless communications devices (e.g., cell phones, smart phones, or pagers), personal electronic devices (e.g., calculators, music players, global positioning system devices, or book readers), facsimile machines, photocopiers, office supplies, Government guest networks, network access (e.g., Internet, wireless, or cellular), e-mail, and licenses (e.g., software licenses). This also includes Government office equipment provided for use while in official travel status and for telework or other alternative work space arrangements.

Government Property. Property owned or leased by the Government. Government property includes both Government Furnished property to a contractor and contractor-acquired property for the Government. Government property includes material, equipment, special tooling, special test equipment, and real property. Government property does not include intellectual property and software. (See FAR 45.101.)

Heritage Assets (HA). Property, plant, or equipment that is unique for its historical or natural significance; cultural, educational, or artistic importance; and/or significant architectural characteristics. HA may be: (1) collection types, such as objects gathered and maintained for exhibition, (for example, museum collections, art collections, or library collections) or (2) non-collection types, such as parks, memorials, monuments, or buildings. HA are reported in Agency financial statements IAW the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB), Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) No. 29, Heritage Assets and Stewardship Land (HAS are defined in SFFAS No. 29). NASA's HA include real properties that also are historic properties. These are reported by the OCFO in NASA's annual financial statement report. (See NPR 8510.1, NASA Cultural Resources Management.)

Heritage Flag. A code in SAP that specifies the heritage type of equipment. A heritage code is "M" to indicate multiuse HA or "S" to indicate single-use HA.

High Risk Flag. A code in SAP utilized to identify sensitive property in the EMR.

Historic Preservation Officer. A NASA employee designated by the Center Director and given the responsibility to manage cultural resources at the Center or Component Facility, if any, pursuant to National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Archeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), and other legal authorities. (See NPR 8510.1.)

Inactive Equipment. The nature of NASA operations occasionally makes it desirable to retain equipment, not in current use, for a specified time for other potential needs before further disposition.

Inactive Reason Code. A code used to provide the reason for deactivating an Equipment Management Record in the NASA PP&E System.

Individual Accountability. The obligation of a person to keep records of property, documents, or funds. These records show equipment identification data, gains, losses, dues-in, dues-out, and equipment balances on hand or in use.

Industrial Property Officer (IPO). The IPO is the individual designated by the Center Director to serve as the Center expert in contract property matters; advising COs, Program and Project Managers, and other Center officials on Center logistics activities and correct methods, processes, and requirements for managing Government property being used by or in the custody of NASA contractors. The responsibilities of the IPO, under the Contract Property Management Program, are outlined in NPD 4500.1 and NPR 4500.1.

Information Technology. Any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment that is used in the automatic acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information.

Inspector. An administrative person executing an inspection.

Inspection. A means to examine carefully, especially to search out problems or determine condition.

Installation. Terminology used in the NASA PP&E System for "Centers."

Installation-accountable Government Property (IAGP). NASA property that has been provided to contractors under the requirements of the FAR "Government Property" clause (NFS 1852.245-71), is located within a NASA Center or installation, is accountable to that Center or Installation, and is recorded on that Center or installation's property management records.

Inventory (noun). An inventory is a formal listing of all accountable property items owned by NASA, along with a formal process to verify the condition, location, and quantity of such items.

Inventory (verb). The actions leading to the development of a listing; for example, an inventory of NASA equipment will be conducted annually using an actual physical count, electronic means, and/or statistical methods.

Inventory Adjustments. Changes made to the official property record when physical inventories and official records do not agree. All changes require approval and some type of documentation trail for audit purposes.

Leased Equipment. Equipment that has been conveyed by or to NASA by contract for a certain consideration of payment of rental fee.

Legal Sufficiency. The presence of minimum legal elements that rationally sustains the findings and determinations made by the SO/SRB. A review for legal sufficiency will focus on compliance with applicable laws and NASA policies and procedures.

Lender. NASA person or organization that temporarily transfers accountability of NASA equipment resulting from a loan.

Liability. The quality or state of being liable; for example, pecuniary obligation, where a personal, joint, or corporate monetary obligation exists to make good any lost, damaged, or destroyed property resulting from fault or neglect.

License. For export control, license means a document bearing the word "license" issued by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Defense Trade Controls, or his authorized designee, that permits the export, temporary import, or brokering of a specific defense article or defense service. See CFR §120.20.

Loss of Government Property. An unintended, unforeseen, or accidental loss, damage, or destruction of Government property that reduces the Government's expected economic benefits of the property. Loss of Government property does not include occurrences such as purposeful destructive testing, obsolescence, normal wear and tear, or manufacturing defects. Loss of Government property includes, but is not limited to any of the following:

  1. Items that cannot be found after a reasonable search.
  2. Theft.
  3. Damage resulting in unexpected harm to property requiring repair to restore the item to usable condition.
  4. Destruction resulting from incidents that render the item useless for its intended purpose or beyond economical repair.

Loaned Equipment. Equipment in temporary use to or from non-NASA entities (outside of NASA). In the NASA PP&E System, execute a "Loan In" or "Loan Out" to the Equipment Master Record, as applicable.

Maintenance and Repair of Equipment. Recurring day-to-day, periodic, or scheduled activity required to keep equipment in working condition or to restore it or its components to a condition substantially equivalent to its originally designed capacity and efficiency.

Mass (Global) Changes. Updates that affect a large number of Equipment Master Records, usually associated with records organizational realignments, custodian and assigned user changes, building locations, and room changes.

Material. Property that may be consumed or expended during its lifespan, component parts of a higher assembly, or items that lose their individual identity through incorporation into an end-item. Material does not include equipment, special tooling, and special test equipment or real property.

Merchant. The source for the Agency's supplies or services. The merchant may be a required source inside or outside the Government, another Government agency, or a private sector merchant of supplies or services.

Mission-specific Property/Hardware. NASA-owned hardware or property that has a technical use or applies to a NASA scientific, aeronautics, or space mission; for example, spacecraft, space vehicles, aerospace vehicles, remote sensing equipment, x-ray hardware, guidance and control, engineering instrumentation, specially designed storage containers, and measuring and test equipment are considered mission-specific property/hardware. Mission- specific property/hardware would also include cranes, forklifts, and engineering equipment that is specifically designed or modified for a NASA mission.

Minimal Value. Pertaining to gifts: the retail value in the United States at the time of acceptance of a gift. On January 1, 1981, and at three-year intervals thereafter, "minimal value" will be redefined in regulations prescribed by the Administrator of General Services, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to reflect changes in the consumer price index for the immediately preceding three-year periods.

Modification. A basic or functional change made to an equipment item to give it a new orientation or allow it to serve a new purpose.

NASA Artifacts. NASA artifacts are items of personal property that represent important aspects related to the history of aeronautics and astronautics. Artifact significance and interest stem mainly from an item's relationship with historic flights, programs, activities, incidents, achievements, technology, and understanding of the universe, historic properties, and important or well-known personalities. Aeronautical and astronautical artifacts may include items such as aircraft; space launch vehicles; spacecraft (both manned and unmanned); subsystems of the above, such as rocket engines, pressure suits, and personal equipment; instruments; significant recorded data; operating handbooks; drawings; photographs; motion picture film and related documents; audio and video tapes; training devices; simulators; and memorabilia. Artifacts generally are objects (as opposed to structures) and typically are man-made. (See NPR 4310.1.) NASA Employee. NASA civil service personnel.

NASA FAR Supplement (NFS). The codification of NASA specific requirements for contract initiation and management as well as contractor management. NFS is a document that, along with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), establishes uniform policies and procedures relating to the procurement of property and services. The NFS applies to all purchases and contracts made by NASA for property and services that obligate appropriated funds.

NASA Fleet Information Management System (NFIMS). Fleet Management Information Systems (FMIS) track vehicle asset records, maintenance history, mileage, and many other fleet management details. NASA Center Transportation Officers assess the need for such systems and coordinate with the NASA Agency Transportation Manager to determine the best approach for acquiring such systems to provide critical functionality and management consistency throughout all NASA Centers.

NASA Property, Plant, and Equipment (PP&E) System. The Integrated Asset Management (IAM), Property, Plant, and Equipment (PP&E) System is used throughout the Agency to identify, control, and account for Government-owned equipment acquired by or in use by NASA and its onsite NASA contractors under the NFS clause 1852.245-71. The PP&E System is hosted at the Agency Applications Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and consists of the following components: Systems, Applications, and Products (SAP); Equipment (the Web-based front end), Disposal (the disposal component), and Business Objects (BOBJ). The SAP component contains the following modules: Asset Accounting (containing the Asset Master Records (AMR)) and Plant Maintenance (containing the Equipment Master Records (EMR).

NASA Supply Management System (SMS). NASA program developed for the administration of NASA supplies and material and described in NPR 4100.

National Security. The national defense or foreign relations of the United States.

National Stock Number (NSN). The official label applied to an item of supply that is repeatedly procured, stocked, stored, issued, and used throughout the Federal supply system. It is a unique item identifying series of numbers. When a NSN is assigned to an item of supply, data is assembled to describe the item. Some data elements include information such as an item name, manufacturer's part number, unit price, and physical and performance characteristics. The use of NSNs facilitates the standardization of item names, supply language, characteristics and management data and aids in reducing duplicate items in the Federal inventory.

Negligence. Simple negligence is the failure or omission to observe, for the protection of Government interests, that degree of care, precaution, and vigilance, which the circumstances justly demand and that an ordinarily prudent person in the same or similar situation would exercise to protect Government property from loss, damage, destruction, or theft. Gross negligence is the intentional failure, misconduct, willful negligence, or reckless disregard to safeguard Government property.

Nonstandard NSN. An alternate NSN used for cataloging materials when a NSN is not available. NASA nonstandard NSNs are assigned IAW NPR 4100.1.

Operations Security (OPSEC). A process that identifies critical information to determine if friendly actions can be observed by enemy intelligence, determines if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to them, and then executes selected measures that eliminate or reduce adversary exploitation of friendly critical information. NPRs 1620.3 and NPR 1600.6 provide NASA operational security requirements.

Out Status. PP&E, Equipment Master Record status designation indicating equipment has been temporarily transferred from the custodian; perhaps for repair, calibration, or loan.

Owning. To have rightful authority, title, ownership, and possession deriving from funding and acquisition or acquired by other means.

Parts Aircraft. PP&E Equipment Master Record status for aircraft that have been decommissioned, or purchased, solely for their parts.

Performance Metrics (or Performance Measures). Statistics used to show how well or poorly a program or activity is meeting performance expectations (e.g., goals or targets). A baseline measurement is established and future targets are set as part of a goal-reaching process. Metrics are generated from program-related data and are often expressed as ratios (e.g., the loss rate for NASA-held equipment equals the total of reported losses at the end of the fiscal year divided by the total equipment density at that time).

Personal Property. Property of any kind, including equipment, materials, and supplies, except real property.

Personal Property Functional Lead. An individual designated to lead a Center logistics function by implementing and executing policies outlined in corresponding NASA Policy Directives (NPD) and NASA Policy Requirements (NPR) in support of personal property management (e.g., Property Disposal Officer (PDO), Equipment Manager, Transportations Officer, or Supply Officer).

Personal Responsibility. The obligation of an individual to ensure Government property and funds entrusted to his or her possession and supervision are properly used and cared for and that proper custody and safekeeping are provided.

Physical Inventory. The verification of existence, location, and quantity of property.

Pilferable (Equipment). Equipment items of any value that are desirable and/or quickly adjusted for personal use. A pilferable equipment item normally has ready resale value or commercial off the shelf application to personal possession and use and, therefore, is especially subject to be pilfered or stolen.

Pre-Screening (Equipment). The examination of existing equipment documentation for the purpose of fulfilling equipment requirements through reassignment. This is accomplished through the Business Warehouse module of the NASA PP&E System.

Procurement. The act of acquiring or buying goods or services from an external source.

Procurement Officer. NASA official assigned at each Center to carry out the procurement responsibilities as outlined in NPR 9250.1.

Property. Tangible property, both real and personal. Property Accountability. The process of maintaining custodial responsibility of personal property through a record of transactions, systematically maintained, which at any given time discloses item identification, quantity, cost, location, and custodial assignment to either Center personnel or contractor.

Property Administrator. An individual duly designated by the NASA CO to administer contract requirements and obligations relative to Government property and perform the duties outlined in NPR 4500.1. The Property Administrator is an authorized representative of the CO. (See NFS subpart 1845.72.)

Property Custodian. An individual, organizationally or geographically, assigned responsibility for all Controlled Equipment in a designated property management area.

Property Disposal Officer (PDO). The PDO, designated by the Center Director, is responsible for the Center's screening, redistribution, and marketing activities of NASA-owned excess, surplus, and exchange/sale personal property. This includes transfer, exchange, sale, and abandonment or destruction of NASA-owned personal property, as well as acquiring other Federal agencies' excess personal property for NASA's use to reduce NASA's new procurement and infrastructure costs. (See NPR 4300.1.)

Property Management Area. An area of property management responsibility, either by organization or by geographic area, selected by the Supply and Equipment Management Officer in conjunction with the head of the organizational unit, for the assignment of a PC for property control.

Property Plant & Equipment (PP&E). The Integrated Asset Management (IAM), Property, Plant, and Equipment (PP&E) System, is used throughout the Agency to identify, control, and account for equipment meeting NASA's criteria for control, acquired by or in use by NASA and its onsite NASA contractors.

Property Survey Report. A report of administrative action taken to investigate and review the loss, damage, destruction, or theft of Government property and to assemble pertinent facts and determine the extent of such loss, damage, destruction, or theft.

Provide. To furnish Government Furnished Equipment as necessary to accomplish mission objectives.

Provider. Personnel providing supplies or services.

Proximate Cause. The employee's acts or omissions that were the cause in a natural and continuous sequence, unbroken by a new cause, resulting in the loss, damage, destruction, or theft and, without which, the loss, damage, destruction, or theft would not have occurred.

Purchase Card. A centrally billed Government charge card used to pay for goods and services in support of official Government business.

Purchase Request or Purchase Order. A document utilized to state requirements for and to authorize purchase of goods and services. A purchase order is a commercial document and first official offer issued by a buyer to a seller, indicating types, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services. It is used to control the purchasing of products and services from external suppliers. Acceptance of a purchase order by a seller forms a contract between the buyer and seller, and no contract exists until the purchase order is accepted.

Reactivate. A transaction by which an inactive or retired Equipment Master Record in the NASA PP&E System (EQUIPMENT) is reversed and made active.

Receiving. The process of equipment being accepted into an organization or facility and the point at which an organization's obligation, liability, and accountability begins.

Receiving Activity. The execution of Agency processes and procedures at Central Receiving for the proper control and management of personal property received at a NASA Center/Subinstallation.

Reconciliation. Comparison of the property located during the physical inventory against the official property records, including actions to reconcile overages and shortages with the official property records using the appropriate adjustment instrument or documentation to make the records whole and accurate.

Related Personal Property. Any property that is an integral part of real property. It is: (1) related to, designed for, or specifically adapted to the functional capacity of the real property, and removal of this property would significantly diminish the economic value of the real property, or (2) determined by the Administrator of General Services to be related to the real property.

Report of Discrepancy, (SF 364). A form developed by GSA for reporting inspection discrepancies, http://www.gsa.gov/portal/getFormFormatPortalData.action;jsessionid=566DB3691956F6C220CA765C8EA4AAA1?mediaId=36009

Requester. A NASA employee or contractor who initiates an equipment management transaction, such as a request for a property pass or for cannibalization of equipment.

Residue. The remains of an equipment item after a part of the equipment is removed, disposed, used, or damaged.

Restricted Area. An area in which security measures are taken to safeguard and control access to property and hazardous materials or to protect operations that are vital to the accomplishment of the mission assigned to a Center or Component Facility.

Reutilization. The process of transferring excess or idle property no longer needed by one project or program to another location that has a requirement.

Safeguarding. Measures and controls that are prescribed to protect equipment.

Salvage. Property that has a value greater than its basic material content but for which repair or rehabilitation is clearly impractical and uneconomical.

SAP. Software product capable of integrating multiple business applications, with each application representing a specific business area. SAP is categorized into three core functional areas: Logistics, Finance, and Human Resources.

Seat Service Contract. A contract providing service on a per-seat basis, or a contract that provides a consolidated solution for delivering end-user services across the Agency to achieve increased efficiencies and reduced costs through standardization. Sensitive Items. Equipment that is subject to exceptional physical security, protection, control, and accountability due to SBU and privacy protection, national security, export control regulations or is pilferable or potentially dangerous to the public. Examples of sensitive items include weapons, information technology equipment with memory capability, as well as hazardous and radioactive equipment. Sensitive items are listed in Appendix C, NASA Minimum Standard Sensitive Items List, of this directive. Screening. To review or compare property on hand against a known or anticipated requirement.

Shipping Document/Request for Shipping. The authorization and acceptance document that accompanies equipment when it is being sent to another location.

Small Business Innovative Research. A highly competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that has the potential for commercialization.

Software. Part of a computer system which includes but is not limited to the system functional design, logic flow, algorithms, application programs, operating systems, and support software for design, implementation, test, operation, diagnosis, and repair.

Space Act Agreement. Agreements under the authority of the National Aeronautics and Space Act which are necessary for the conduct of NASA's work. (See NPR 1050.1.)

Spare. An item peculiar to a system or an end item and held in reserve.

Special Inventory. A special inventory is a non-cyclic inventory that is conducted when directed by the SEMO. The SEMO may direct the execution of the inventory by scanning or by physically inspecting the equipment to validate equipment information recorded in the NASA PP&E System. The SEMO may opt for the execution of a special inventory for one of the following reasons and objectives:

  1. For contract closure to validate IAGP records IAW contract provisions.
  2. Recurrent losses of equipment, such as laptop computers, to detect theft or neglect.
  3. When there is a Center or Center organization concern on accountability of NASA equipment.

Special Test Equipment. Either single or multipurpose integrated test units engineered, designed, fabricated, or modified to accomplish special purpose testing in performing a contract. It consists of items or assemblies of equipment including foundations and similar improvements necessary for installing special test equipment and standard or general purpose items or components that are interconnected and interdependent, so as to become a new functional entity for special testing purposes. Special test equipment does not include material, special tooling, real property, and equipment items used for general testing purposes or property that with relatively minor expense can be made suitable for general purpose use. (See FAR 2.101.)

Special Tooling. Jigs, dies, fixtures, molds, patterns, taps, gauges, and all components of these items, including foundations and similar improvements necessary for installing special tooling, that are of such a specialized nature that without substantial modification or alteration their use is limited to the development or production of particular supplies or parts thereof or to the performance of particular services. Special tooling does not include material, special test equipment, real property, equipment, machine tools, or similar capital items. (See FAR 2.101.)

Stakeholder. A person, group or organization that has interest or concern in an organization. Stakeholders can affect or be affected by the organization's actions, objectives, and policies.

Stewardship. The careful and responsible management of equipment entrusted to ones care.

Subinstallation. Center data that has been further divided into subs, based on Government-held property, contractor-held property, or location of property.

Supervisory Responsibility. Ensuring the safe and appropriate care, maintenance, and operation of equipment assigned to a designated area of curatorial responsibility.

Supply and Equipment Management Officer. The SEMO is responsible for managing the NASA Center's supply and equipment management programsâ?"providing functional management, leadership, and necessary resources to ensure the implementation of an effective supply and equipment management program. (See Section 1.7.)

Surplus Personal Property. Personal property not required for the needs and the discharge of the responsibilities of all Federal agencies.

Survey Officer. An individual designated by the Center Director to investigate the circumstances and make findings and recommendations relating to lost, damaged, destroyed, or stolen Government property listed on a Property Survey Report.

Survey Review Board (SRB). A standing or ad hoc committee designated by the Center Director and consisting of no more than six members who are responsible to conduct administrative hearings for impartially examining the facts and investigating the circumstances surrounding lost, missing, stolen, destroyed, damaged, or rendered unserviceable equipment.

Transaction. Refers to an equipment management action reflected or documented in the NASA PP&E System, such as document identifiers IE01 and IE02 type transactions to the Equipment Management Records in the NASA PP&E System.

Transfer. Transfer of accountability or responsibility to an authorized person for NASA equipment items subject to this NPR, either within NASA or outside NASA.

Unconditional Donations. Equipment provided to NASA as a cost-free donation from a non-Federal source.

Unique Equipment. Equipment items or equipment systems generally not commercially available for acquisition which, by design or function, are of special specifications and characteristics.

Useful Life. The normal operating life in terms of utility to the owner.

Utilization. The identification, reporting, and transfer of excess personal property among Federal agencies to fill current or future authorized requirements in lieu of new procurements.

Virtual Tagging. The concept of assigning a NASA property tag to an equipment item when the tag cannot be physically attached to the equipment. This concept may involve a photograph of the item, a hardcopy page of the EMR, or any other form of document to represent the equipment item for accountability.

Waste. Any activity taken within the equipment management program that fosters, or results in, unnecessary costs or inefficiencies.

Willful Misconduct. Any intentional wrongful or unlawful act or omission relating to Government property.



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