Relief of Stewardship Responsibility for Disposition

General Responsibilities

UNM will be accountable for Government property in its possession and in its subcontractor’s possession until relieved of stewardship responsibility for one or more of the following: (1) property is consumed or expended, or otherwise accounted for in performance of a Government contract, including reasonable inventory adjustments as determined by the Property Administrator, or granted relief by the Property Administrator due to loss in accordance with FAR 52.245-1(f)(1)(vii); (2) property is shipped or delivered from the UNM facility; or (3) property is disposed of in accordance with the instructions in FAR 52.245-1(j)&(k).

Loss of Government Property

Initial Report

UNM employees are required to immediately report the loss of any Government property. The responsible department is required to investigate all loss of Government property as soon as the loss becomes known. The DDC, or designee, will initiate an internal investigation of any loss of Government-owned property. The DDC, or designee, must submit a report via email to the Government Contracting Officer and the Government Property Administrator, copying Property Accounting, within ten (10) working days from the date the loss is discovered. This report will, at a minimum, contain the following information:

  • Date of the incident (if known).
  • The name, commercial description, manufacturer, model number, serial number and National Stock Number (if applicable) of the item(s).
  • Quantity.
  • Unique Item Identifier (if applicable and available).
  • Accountable Government contract number.
  • A statement indicting current or future need of the item(s).
  • Acquisition cost, or if applicable, estimated scrap value, estimated repair or replacement costs.
  • All known interests in commingled property of which the Government property is a part.
  • Cause and corrective action taken or to be taken to prevent a recurrence.
  • A statement that the Government will receive reimbursement covering the loss, damage, destruction, or theft, in the event UNM was or will be reimbursed or compensated for the item(s).
  • Copies of all supporting documentation, including UNM’s internal investigation report.
  • Last known location.
  • A statement that the property did or did not contain sensitive, export controlled (contact HSC Export Control or UNM Export Control Department, under the Office of Research Compliance), hazardous, or toxic material (contact UNM Safety and Risk Department), and that the appropriate agencies and authorities were notified.
Final Report

Within ten (10) working days of the completion of the internal investigation, the DDC will submit a supplementary report via email, copying Inventory Control, to the Government Contracting Officer and the Government Property Administrator with the investigation results. 

If any type of criminal activity is suspected, the DDC will immediately notify the police, Government Contracting Officer, Government Property Administrator, and any appropriate agencies and authorities. Damaged property will be protected from further damage, separated from other property, and put in the best possible order. For major incidents of loss, the DDC will immediately notify both the appropriate Government Contracting Officer and the Government Property Administrator.

After notifying the Government Property Administrator of any loss, UNM’s Property Accounting will submit the RDA along with copies of all supporting documentation to the Inventory Control Department to remove the item from the inventory database.

Government Property Delivered or Shipped

The Inventory Contact will be notified ten (10) days prior to items being delivered to subcontractors or other locations. The PI will prepare the necessary shipping documents, e.g., DD Form 1149. The Inventory Contact will notify the Property Accounting Department within ten (10) working days of the transfer. The Department Inventory Contact will update the inventory assistant and the Property Accounting Department will proceed to remove the item from Banner through the monthly deletion batch, if applicable.

On contracts which require the purchase of Government-property to be integrated into a Government experiment at a Government facility, the Government property will be entered into the UNM inventory control database using the procedures specified in Outcomes 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0. UNM asset tag will be affixed before delivery to the Government facility, if possible. In those instances where the item must be first entered into service, e.g., a laboratory experiment, before being accepted, a “generic” label will be affixed and the UNM asset tag will be affixed after the acceptance of the item. The item will remain as part of the UNM inventory.

Disposition of Government Property

For items not consumed or expended, or delivered or shipped, relief of stewardship will be accomplished in accordance with the provisions of FAR 52.245-1(j)&(k) and only with the authorization of the Plant Clearance Officer by:

(1) declaring items as scrap;
(2) determining that items are no longer needed for contract performance, in which case relief of stewardship will be coordinated with the Government Contracting Officer; and
(3) with Government approval, by abandonment.

Form 1428 - Inventory disposal schedules

Absent separate contract terms and conditions for property disposition, and provided the property was not reutilize, transferred, or otherwise disposed of, the PI, as directed by the Plant Clearance Officer or authorizing official, shall use Standard Form 1428, Inventory Disposal Schedule or electronic equivalent, to identify and report:

  • Government-furnished property that is no longer required for performance of this contract;
  • Contractor-acquired property, to which the Government has obtained title under the provisions of FAR 52.245-1(e), which is no longer required for performance of that contract; and
  • Termination inventory.

The PI will provide the information required by FAR 52.245-1(f)(1)(iii) along with the following:

  • Any additional; information that may facilitate understanding of the property’s intended use.
  • For work-in-progress, the estimated percentage of completion.
  • For precious metals in raw or bulk form, the type of metal and estimated weight.
  • For hazardous material or property contaminated with hazardous material, the type of hazardous material. The PI can contact the Hazardous Materials Specialist with UNM’s Department of Safety and Risk Services (SRS).
  • For metals in mill product form, the form, shape, treatment, hardness, temper, specification (commercial or Government) and dimensions (thickness, width and length).

Property with the same description, condition code, and reporting location may be grouped in a single line item.

Submission requirements

The Contractor shall submit inventory disposal schedules to the Plant Clearance Officer no later than:

  • 30 days following the PI's determination that a property item is no longer required for performance of the contract;
  • 60 days, or such longer period as may be approved by the Plant Clearance Officer, following completion of contract deliveries or performance; or
  • 120 days, or such longer period as may be approved by the Termination Contracting Officer, following contract termination in whole or in part.

Unless the Plant Clearance Officer determines otherwise, the PI need not identify or report production scrap on inventory disposal schedules, and may process and dispose of production scrap in accordance with UNM’s internal scrap procedures through UNM’s Recycling Department. The processing and disposal of other types of Government-owned scrap will be conducted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract or Plant Clearance Officer’s direction, as appropriate.

The PI may annotate inventory disposal schedules to identify property that UNM wishes to purchase from the Government, in the event that the property is offered for sale. Separate inventory disposal schedules are required for aircraft in any condition, flight safety critical aircraft parts, and other items as directed by the Plant Clearance Officer.

Abandonment of Government property

The Government shall not abandon sensitive property or termination inventory without the Contractor’s written consent. The Government, upon notice to the Contractor, may abandon any non-sensitive property in place, at which time all obligations of the Government regarding such property shall cease. Absent contract terms and conditions to the contrary, the Government may abandon parts removed and replaced from property as a result of normal maintenance actions, or removed from property as a result of the repair, maintenance, overhaul, or modification process. The Government has no obligation to restore or rehabilitate the Contractor’s premises under any circumstances; however, if Government-furnished property is withdrawn or is unsuitable for the intended use, or if other Government property is substituted, then the equitable adjustment under paragraph 52.245-1 (i) may properly include restoration or rehabilitation costs.

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