Special processes for disposal of aircraft, firearms, vessels, and animals

Four categories of property require special handling:

• Aircraft
• Firearms
• Vessels
• Animals

GSA has established an office of expertise for each of these categories. These offices assist federal and state agencies with disposition and acquisition. See below for more information, including contact information.

Aircraft

Guidance and requirements for reporting excess aircraft

All excess aircraft are reportable to GSA, Pacific Rim Region in San Francisco, CA, regardless of agency, condition, or dollar value.  Please see Federal Management Regulations Title 41 Part 102-36.340 and Defense Materiel Disposition Manual, DoD 4160.21M.  When reporting an excess aircraft to GSA, agencies should provide the following information on Standard Form 120:

• Manufacturer, date of manufacture, model, serial number.
• Major components missing from the aircraft such as engines or electronics.
• Whether or not the aircraft is:
  • Operational.
  • Data plate is available.
  • Historical and maintenance records are available.
  • Aircraft has been previously certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and/or has been maintained to FAA airworthiness standards.
  • Aircraft was previously used for non-flight purposes (i.e., ground training or static display), and has been subjected to extensive. disassembly and reassembly procedures for ground training, or repeated burning for firefighting training purposes.
  • For military aircraft, indicate Category A, B, or C as designated by DoD, as follows:

For additional information on military aircraft, see Defense Materiel Disposition Manual, DoD 4160.21-M.  The general policy for military aircraft is that the Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services shall not screen or report aircraft.  The owning Military Service shall screen aircraft with other Military Services and DoD activities, and then report them to the GSA Pacific Rim Region in San Francisco for civil agency and donation screening.

When the designated transfer or donation recipient’s intended use is for non-flight purposes, the agency must remove and return the data plate to the GSA Property Management Branch, Pacific Rim Region, San Francisco, CA, prior to releasing the aircraft to the authorized recipient.  GSA will forward the data plate to the FAA. 

For more information, contact:  
Sharon Gorospe 
GSA, FAS, Pacific Rim Zone, Personal Property Management 
50 United Nations Plaza, Floor 2 East RM 2570, Mailbox 9 
San Francisco, CA 94102-4912 
415-522-2790 
C 415-730-7315 
sharon.gorospe@gsa.gov

Firearms

Guidance and requirements for reporting excess firearms

§ 102–40.175 (a) You must submit reports and transfer documents on excess firearms to GSA (7QSCA), Fort Worth, TX 76102. GSA (8QSC), Denver, CO 80225– 0506. GSA will approve transfers of firearms only to those Federal agencies authorized to acquire firearms for official use, and may require additional written justification from the requesting agency. Firearms with a disposal condition code of (U) Usable 4 or better may be loaded in the Personal Property Management System (PPMS) for transfer. Federal firearms are never sold.

GSA may donate only surplus handguns, rifles, shotguns, and individual light automatic weapons previously used by the Federal Government, with less than .50 caliber in Federal Supply Classification (FSC) 1005, with a disposal condition code of (U) Usable 4 or better (see condition codes in § 102–36.240 of this subchapter). Only eligible law enforcement entities whose primary function is the enforcement of applicable Federal, state, and/or local laws, and whose compensated law enforcement officers have powers to apprehend and arrest, may obtain these donated firearms for law enforcement purposes. 
Note:  Firearm ammunition may not be donated, Section 101-42.1102-10(b)(5).

For more information, contact: 
GSA National Firearm Program 
Property Management Division 
819 Taylor Street, Room 13A05 Bldg. 41, Room 253 DFC 
Fort Worth, TX 76102 Den 
Fax: 303-236-7544 
Email: surplusfirearms@gsa.gov

Vessels

Guidance and requirements for reporting excess vessels 50 feet or more in length

ALL vessels “under” 50 feet in length are reported to the local GSA office for disposal.

Civilian agencies should report excess vessels that are greater than 50 feet in length to the GSA Regional Office in Atlanta, GA.

Brent Crawley 
Lead Property Disposal Specialist 
Utilization & Donation Branch (4QSCB) 
Personal Property Management 
77 Forsyth St 
Atlanta, GA 30303-3458 
Phone: 404-331-3052 
Cell: 404-357-2761 
Fax: 404-331-1877 
Email: brent.crawley@gsa.gov 
  
DoD activities should report excess vessels that are greater than 50 feet in length to the GSA Office in Philadelphia, PA.

Robert Kitsock 
Chief – PPM Northern Team 
Personal Property Management (3QSCB) 
Mid Atlantic Zone (MAZ) 
U.S. General Services Administration 
The Macquarie Building, Floor 3 
100 S Independence Mall West 
Philadelphia, PA  19106 
215-446-4830 (P) 
717-580-5303 (C) 
215-829-2811 (F) 
bob.kitsock@gsa.gov 
  
When reporting a vessel to the appropriate GSA regional office, please indicate the following information and provide the following documentation:

• Whether the vessel has been inspected by the Coast Guard.
• Whether testing for hazardous materials has been done.  And, if so, the results of the testing, specifically the presence or absence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and asbestos and the level of contamination.
• Whether hazardous material cleanup is required and when it will be accomplished by the agency.
• A copy of either the Certificate of Build or Quasi Title. 

To supplement the standard reporting requirements, GSA recommends the following when disposing military vessels 50 feet or more in length:

• Inspection by an independent agent (USCG, state government where assigned, or other maritime or reputable source) w/i five (5) years of actual disposal.
• Indication of any known safety risks that are attributable to the particular vessel type, from a historical or operational perspective.

In accordance with Section 548 of Title 40, United States Code, the Federal Maritime Administration (FMA), Department of Transportation, is responsible for disposing of surplus vessels determined to be merchant vessels or capable of conversion to merchant use and weighing 1,500 gross tons or more.  GSA will forward this information for submission to FMA.

Disposal instructions regarding vessels in this part do not apply to battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines.

Animals

Guidance and reporting requirements for animals

FMR 102-36 does not stipulate special handling requirements for most animals, so the traditional disposal process typically applies.  However, optional methods exist for some species and may be exercised without GSA’s approval or involvement.

40 USC 1308 addresses horses and mules.  These animals may be destroyed, but the agency has the option of putting its horses or mules “…out to pasture on a Government or private facility that is “financially sound and reputable.”

Canines are the subject of 41 CFR 102-36.365.  The regulations allows for direct donation to an individual “who has experience handling canines in the performance of those official duties.”

Typical processes apply to the disposal of non-human primates, but transfer, donation, and sale documents must address appropriate uses of non-human primates per 42 CFR 71:

• Scientific Research
• Education
• Exhibition

Given the limited applications for animals, sale is the typical outcome.  In the interest of minimizing administrative costs while targeting a specialized purchaser base, GSA favors negotiated sales.

While the FMR does not stipulate handling requirements for most animals, GSA recommends the following when considering disposal:

• Examination by a licensed veterinarian w/i three months of actual disposal.
• Stipulation of expected (preferred) end-use.
• Indication of animal characteristics, including name, approximate age, weight, history/usage, feeding requirements, care requirements, and any known health issues.
• Inclusion of any other relevant facts.

Civilian agencies should report their excess animals to the GSA Mid-Atlantic Regional Office in Philadelphia. 

Robert Kitsock 
Chief – PPM Northern Team 
Personal Property Management (3QSCB) 
Mid Atlantic Zone (MAZ) 
U.S. General Services Administration 
The Macquarie Building, Floor 3 
100 S Independence Mall West 
Philadelphia, PA  19106 
215-446-4830 (P) 
717-580-5303 (C) 
215-829-2811 (F) 
bob.kitsock@gsa.gov