§3.5. Designation of officials and offices responsible for administration of foreign gifts and decorations. — Inbound Citations

(a) The Act effects a significant degree of decentralization of administration relative to the disposal of foreign gifts and decorations which become U.S. Government property. Each agency is now responsible for receiving from its employees deposits of foreign gifts of more than minimal value, as well as of foreign decorations not meeting the statutory criteria for retention by the recipient. The agency is also responsible for disposing of this property by return to the donor, for retaining it in the agency if official use of it is approved, for reporting to the General Services Administration within 30 calendar days after deposit items neither disposed of nor retained, and for assuming custody, proper care and handling of such property pending removal from that custody pursuant to disposal arrangements by the General Services Administration. The Secretary of State, however, is made responsible for providing guidance to other executive agencies in the development of their own regulations to implement the Act, as well as for the annual publication of lists of all gifts of more than minimal value deposited by Federal employees during the preceding year. See [§ 3.5(c).] Authority for the discharge of the Secretary's responsibilities is delegated by these regulations to the Chief of Protocol.