UNL PROPERTY
University property includes all furniture, equipment, and instruments purchased or otherwise acquired for use by UNL or any of its components or projects. Title to such property belongs to the University as a whole and not to any department to which it has been allotted, unless otherwise agreed and stated in writing at the time of acquisition.
Title to federally purchased equipment may be retained by the federally sponsored agency or vested in the University, depending on the regulations of the agency and the requirements of the research project.
Materials consumed in the day-to-day operation of the University are considered supplies and are not managed or accounted for as property or equipment.
The rules and procedures for the use of UNL property are outlined in the Bylaws of the Board of Regents, Chapter VI Paragraphs 6.3 and 6.5, and are administered by the Inventory Department.
Acquisition of Property
Departments and other components of the University may acquire property through the following methods (descriptions will follow):
· By Purchase.
· By Gift.
· By Transfer.
· From Inventory
· Departmental Screening of Inventory Merchandise.
· From Excess State and Federal Programs.
By Purchase
1) By submission of a requisition or online purchase order to Purchasing and the subsequent preparation of a purchase order to a vendor.
2) By submission of an on-campus requisition form to on-campus suppliers or by creating a Stock Transfer Order within SAP.
By Gift
From a business or a benefactor. Such items are donated to the University and as such, become property of the University as a whole. Departments need to fill out a non-monetary donation/gift from the following web page: http://research.unl.edu/sp1/unlforms.shtml
By Transfer
With prior approval from Inventory, departments may transfer items for which they no longer have use. If the transfer involves items listed on a departmental inventory, the transferring department must advise Inventory, in writing, of the transfer so that inventory records can be adjusted accordingly.
The written notification must include the following information about a transfer item:
1. University ID number.
2. Description of item.
3. Serial number of item.
4. Department, building, and room number to which the item is being relocated.
Under certain conditions items being transferred may be sold to the gaining department. This type of transaction normally involves items of a high value, items purchased through an excess or surplus program, and/or items purchased by a department supported by revolving funds.
From Inventory
Property which has been returned to the Inventory Department is screened, and if still useable, is made available to other University departments through an excess/surplus property redistribution program. Unless repairs have been made to the property, it is usually available at minimal cost. Property items acquired through Inventory which bear a University ID number will be added to the inventory list of the gaining department.
Departmental Screening of Inventory Merchandise
Weekly open houses are held whereby department representatives are invited to browse through Inventory’s warehouse and select any items which they may require. Property and equipment acquired in this manner is then added to the departmental inventory listing. Check with Inventory as to the dates and times the warehouse is open.
From Excess/Surplus Programs
· Federal Program:
The State of Nebraska
Department of Corrections
Federal Surplus Program
2200 West Van Dorn Street
Lincoln, NE
Phone: (402) 471-2677
(Open during normal work days/hours)
· State Program:
The State of Nebraska
Department of Administrative Services
State Surplus Program
5001 South 14th Street
Lincoln, NE
Phone: (402) 479-4890
(Open during normal work days/hours)
To gain access to the federal and state excess/surplus programs, department heads must submit a written request to Inventory listing the specific individual(s) to be given authorization to purchase from these agencies.
It is recommended that departments contact Inventory with specific property requests. Inventory may have information about property that is going to be available from other University departments or through the federal or state excess/surplus programs.
Property received from the federal or state excess/surplus agencies becomes the property of the University and is to be used only for University projects. In no way is this property to be used for personal use.
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Capital Equipment
Capitalization of University property is accomplished through screening of payments made by the UNL Accounting Department. If an item has an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more, and a useful life in excess of one year, it is considered for capitalization.
Items to be capitalized will be added to the departmental inventory showing company center, date purchased, building, room, cost, and purchase order number. All capitalized items receive University identification numbers.
Noncapital Equipment Items
Regardless of the cost, the following items are not capitalized:
· Blinds, shades, wall-to-wall carpeting, and similar items.
· Computer software.
· Equipment which is permanently built-in or installed.
· Library books, art, and museum objects.
· Records, films, and recordings.
· Repair or replacement parts or components.
Property Managers
Departmental property managers are a vital link in the University’s property management system. Each department which holds University property must appoint an individual to act as its property manager. Inventory must be kept up-to-date as to the person assigned this duty. Departmental property managers serve as the liaison between the department and Inventory, and have the specific responsibility of tagging all newly purchased property valued at $5,000 or more, maintaining departmental records as to the exact location of University property, and responding to the biennial audit process conducted by Inventory.
Property Management
Yearly Inventory Listings
Annually, departmental property managers are furnished with a listing of all property inventoried to their department. This listing should be reviewed and compared with the previous year’s listing. The property manager should write-in those items received since last inventory which are not indicated on the new listing. Also, they should make the necessary notations beside those items which have been returned to Inventory or transferred to another University department. One signed copy, reflecting the required changes, should be returned to Inventory within the specified time. The Inventory Department will update SAP with changes. Departments should review listings in SAP prior to fiscal year end to ensure assets are properly recorded prior to financial statement audit.
Biennial Inventory Audit
Every two years Inventory will audit the departmental inventory by performing a physical inventory inspection. These inventory listings are subject to review by state and federal auditors and must be accurate.
Missing Property
Property that cannot be located must be accounted for by the department. There are several ways to account for missing property:
1. Produce a copy of a signed “Request for Pickup-Surplus/Excess Property” form showing the item was returned to Inventory. Forms are available in the Business forms section of SAPPHIRE (UNL Business Forms > Procurement > Inventory > Request for Pickup-Surplus/Excess Property).
2. Produce a copy of an “Incident Report” from the University Police Department showing the item reported as stolen.
3. Attach a letter from the department head stating that the item cannot be located. Cite specific and valid reasons why the item should be deleted from the inventory listing.
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UNL Disposal of Surplus Property
Pursuant to University of Nebraska Board of Regents Policy, RP-6.2.2, Disposal of Personal Property, the following are alternatives for disposal of surplus property and document the administrative procedures for UNL.
Definition
Surplus Property is defined as usable or unusable property, which has been declared excess/surplus to the needs of an administrative unit of the University.
Methods of Disposal
- Return to Inventory Department
- Transfer/Sale/Recycle to University Departments or State Agencies
- Trade-In
- Sale to the General Public
- Scrap or Salvage
1. Return to Inventory Department
Departments may choose to return excess personal property to the Inventory Department. Completing a Request for Pickup - Surplus/Excess Property form and forwarding it to Moving Services to accomplish the return. Moving Services will pickup the item(s) at the departmental location and deliver to the Inventory Department Warehouse. There are no fees or charges to the returning department for these pickup services.
Returned excess/surplus property then becomes available to University Departments at the weekly "open houses" provided by the Inventory Department. There is no charge to a department for items selected; there is however a delivery fee charged by Moving Services for delivery to the receiving department, if delivery services are required. State Agencies may view excess/surplus property on a specified date, usually a day just prior to a general public auction. State agencies are charged a pre-established amount, stated in the formal notice, for commonly selected items and are responsible for pickup and delivery.
Property not selected for use by University and State Agencies is then offered for sale to the general public at Inventory Department public auctions, which are held 4-5 times per year.
2. Transfer/Sale to University Departments or State Agencies
Departments may transfer excess/surplus property directly to other departments within the University or to other State Agencies by self-established arrangements or by requesting a listing on the Monthly Notice of Surplus Equipment, which is distributed to University Property Managers and State Agencies. Departments may establish a minimum asking price for these items or accept offers from interested departments or agencies. The Inventory Department requires notification or involvement in all transfers or sales to University Departments or State Agencies.
An additional option is to offer, for sale, excess property utilizing the electronic "NU auction" which allows registered individuals, representing University Departments or State Agencies, to bid on-line for an offered item. Utilizing this option requires a departmental representative to be registered on the "NU auction" system and to fill out an on-line form describing the item (with photograph if possible), state the length of time for the online auction (1, 2 or 4 week period), establish a minimum price, and incremental bid requirement, if desired. Departments will be accessed a fee from any resulting proceeds from this type of sale, a minimum of $5.00 per listing or 5% of the selling price, with a cap placed at $50.00 per item. Remaining proceeds are transferred to the previous custodial department. Delivery charges to be arranged between the seller and the buyer. This method of sale meets the requirement for listing surplus property with University Departments and State Agencies.
3. Trade-In
Departments should note on the purchase requisition or purchase order, when this will be the means of disposing of surplus equipment. Make sure this is noted on the body of the purchase requisition/order. Needs to be item-for item. Please provide the UNL property tag number and/or serial number of the items being traded in on the purchase requisition/order
4. Sale to the General Public
All excess/surplus property must be offered to University Departments and State Agencies prior to public offering. Individuals may only purchase University excess/surplus property in a publicly competitive environment.
Departments may choose to turn excess/surplus property into the Inventory Department for potential use by other University Departments or State Agencies as above. If items are not recycled, they will be placed on the next available Inventory Department Public Auction. Proceeds received from these auctions are not credited to the previous custodial department's cost object.
The department may request public sale, via a public formal bid solicitation. This method allows the department to establish a minimum price for the surplus property, and provide a list of potential bidders, if known, for the item. In most instances, an ad is placed in local papers informing the public of the availability and potential sale of the item(s). The Inventory Department creates a public bid document for disbursal to interested and identified parties. Bids are received over a fifteen-day period with the highest responsive bidder being awarded the purchase. All related expenses incurred by the Inventory Department are deducted from the sale proceeds with the remaining balance transferred to the previous custodial department's designated cost object.
Once offered for sale to UNL departments, departments wanting to retain sale proceeds from surplus property may also elect to offer the property for sale on eBay. The Inventory Department in conjunction with the UNL Online Surplus Auctions Department will determine if the item is viable for sale on eBay. The offering department will receive the proceeds from any eBay sale, less fees charged by the UNL Online Surplus Auctions Department and related expenses. For specifics on fees, shipping charges and other expenses contact UNL Online Surplus Auctions at 540-7718.
5. Scrap or Salvage
Obsolete, damaged and excess/surplus property of no value will be scrapped or salvaged by the Inventory Department. In the case of potentially hazardous property, disposal will be made with the assistance of the Environmental Health & Safety Department.
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Miscellaneous Inventory Functions
General Purpose Classroom Maintenance
Classrooms scheduled by the Office of Registrations and Records are considered as general purpose classrooms. Inventory provides limited resources to maintain these classrooms. Resources are limited to replacement of tablet arm chairs, tables, chairs, lecterns, and portable chalkboards. If additional chairs or tables are needed at the start of a semester, departments should contact Moving Services.
Departmental Classroom Maintenance
Those classrooms which are controlled and scheduled by departments are considered to be departmental classrooms. Inventory will provide as much support as possible to departmental classrooms based on available resources. However, if items are not in stock, it may be necessary for the using department to purchase the items.
Moving Services
Twenty-four hour notice is the minimum notification required for moving service.
A moving crew is available to perform most of the moving services for the University. This service is obtained by submitting a requisition to Moving Services. The requisition should be processed as far in advance as possible to allow Moving Services to establish a work schedule.
If necessary, an estimate can be given regarding time and cost involved for the planned move. If the required moving time does not fit Moving Services’ work schedule, the work may be assigned to an outside contractor.
When moving items of exceptional value it is recommended that an outside contractor perform the work due to the contractor’s built-in insurance coverage. The moving crew is available for unloading large or heavy items, however, the crew may not be available for immediate service. Moving services are billed to departments on a time and material basis.
Temporary Storage
Temporary storage should be taken into consideration when new furniture/equipment is requisitioned. There must be a place for new furniture/equipment to be delivered. It may become necessary to rent storage space. This is a departmental responsibility. New furniture/equipment shipments should be coordinated closely with the buyer from Purchasing.
Temporary storage procedures also apply to campus remodeling projects. If temporary storage service is needed, the anticipated storage cost should be included in the project costs along with funds to move the items from storage to the installation site.
The University does not have a designated location for departmental storage needs. |
