---
kind: "section"
citation: "40 U.S.C. § 524"
title: "40"
title_heading: "Public Buildings, Property, and Works"
number: "524"
heading: "Duties of executive agencies"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/40/524"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — Federal Property and Administrative Services"
  - "Chapter 5 — Property Management"
  - "Subchapter II — Use of Property"
---

# §524. Duties of executive agencies

- (a) **Required.—** Each [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) shall—
  - (1) maintain adequate inventory controls and accountability systems for [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) under its control;
  - (2) continuously survey [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) under its control to identify [excess property](/usc/40/102.md?p=3);
  - (3) promptly report [excess property](/usc/40/102.md?p=3) to the Administrator of General Services;
  - (4) perform the [care and handling](/usc/40/102.md?p=1) of [excess property](/usc/40/102.md?p=3);
  - (5) transfer or dispose of [excess property](/usc/40/102.md?p=3) as promptly as possible in accordance with authority delegated and regulations prescribed by the Administrator;
  - (6) develop current and future workforce projections so as to have the capacity to assess the needs of the Federal workforce regarding the use of real [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
  - (7) establish goals and policies that will lead the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) to reduce [excess property](/usc/40/102.md?p=3) and underutilized [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) in the inventory of the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4);
  - (8) submit to the Federal Real [Property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) Council an annual report on all [excess property](/usc/40/102.md?p=3) that is real [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) and underutilized [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) in the inventory of the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4), including—
    - (A) whether underutilized [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) can be better utilized, including through collocation with other [executive agencies](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) or consolidation with other facilities; and
    - (B) the extent to which the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) believes that retention of the underutilized [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) serves the needs of the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4);
  - (9) adopt workplace practices, configurations, and management techniques that can achieve increased levels of productivity and decrease the need for real [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) assets;
  - (10) assess leased space to identify space that is not fully used or occupied;
  - (11) on an annual basis and subject to the guidance of the Federal Real [Property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) Council—
    - (A) conduct an inventory of real [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) under control of the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4); and
    - (B) make an assessment of each [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9), which shall include—
      - (i) the age and condition of the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
      - (ii) the size of the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) in square footage and acreage;
      - (iii) the geographical location of the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9), including an address and description;
      - (iv) the extent to which the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) is being utilized;
      - (v) the actual annual operating costs associated with the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
      - (vi) the total cost of capital expenditures incurred by the Federal Government associated with the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
      - (vii) sustainability metrics associated with the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
      - (viii) the number of Federal employees and contractor employees and functions housed at the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
      - (ix) the extent to which the mission of the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) is dependent on the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
      - (x) the estimated amount of capital expenditures projected to maintain and operate the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) during the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this paragraph; and
      - (xi) any additional information required by the Administrator of General Services to carry out [section 623](/usc/40/623.md);
  - (12) provide to the Federal Real [Property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) Council and the Administrator of General Services the information described in [paragraph (11)(B)](#a-11-B) to be used for the establishment and maintenance of the database described in section 21 of the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016; and
  - (13) in accordance with guidance from the Administrator of General Services—
    - (A) on an annual basis, conduct an inventory and assessment of capitalized personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) to identify excess capitalized personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) under its control, including evaluating—
      - (i) the age and condition of the personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
      - (ii) the extent to which the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) utilizes the personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
      - (iii) the extent to which the mission of the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) is dependent on the personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9); and
      - (iv) any other aspect of the personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) that the Administrator determines is useful or necessary for the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) to evaluate; and
    - (B) on a regular basis, conduct an inventory and assessment of accountable personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) under its control, including evaluating—
      - (i) the age and condition of the personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
      - (ii) the extent to which the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) utilizes the personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9);
      - (iii) the extent to which the mission of the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) is dependent on the personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9); and
      - (iv) any other aspect of the personal [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) that the Administrator determines is useful or necessary for the [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4) to evaluate.
- (b) **Required as Far as Practicable.—** Each [executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4), as far as practicable, shall—
  - (1) reassign [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) to another activity within the agency when the [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) is no longer required for the purposes of the appropriation used to make the purchase;
  - (2) transfer [excess property](/usc/40/102.md?p=3) under its control to other [federal agencies](/usc/40/102.md?p=5) and to organizations specified in [section 321(c)(2) of this title](/usc/40/321.md?p=c-2); and
  - (3) obtain [excess property](/usc/40/102.md?p=3) from other [federal agencies](/usc/40/102.md?p=5).
- (c) **Definition of Executive Agency.—** For the purpose of paragraphs [(6)](#a-6) through [(12)](#a-12) of subsection (a), the term “[executive agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=4)” shall have the meaning given the term “[Federal agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=5)” in section 621.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1084; Pub. L. 114–318, § 6, Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1615; Pub. L. 115–419, § 2(a), Jan. 3, 2019, 132 Stat. 5442.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 524(a) | 40:483(b). | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title II, § 202(b), 63 Stat. 384. |
| 524(b) | 40:483(c). | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title II, § 202(c), 63 Stat. 384; July 12, 1952, ch. 703, § 1(g), 66 Stat. 593. |

In clause (a)(2), the word “identify” is substituted for “determine which is” to eliminate unnecessary words.

In clause (b)(1), the words “determined to be” are omitted as unnecessary.

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The date of enactment of this paragraph, referred to in subsec. (a)(11)(B)(x), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 114–318, which was approved Dec. 16, 2016.

Section 21 of the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016, referred to in subsec. (a)(12), is section 21 of Pub. L. 114–287, which is set out in a note under section 1303 of this title.

### Amendments

2019—Subsec. (a)(13). Pub. L. 115–419 added par. (13).

2016—Subsec. (a)(6) to (12). Pub. L. 114–318, § 6(a), added pars. (6) to (12).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–318, § 6(b), added subsec. (c).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### OMB Report

Pub. L. 109–396, title IV, § 408, Dec. 15, 2006, 120 Stat. 2720, provided that the Director of the Office of Management and Budget was to submit, not later than 6 months after Dec. 15, 2006, a report on surplus and excess government property to Congress and, by such date, to develop, implement, and report to Congress on procedures requiring Federal agencies to share data on surplus and excess Federal real property under the jurisdiction of each agency.