§ 2.96 - Director, Office of Operations.

§ 2.96 Director, Office of Operations.

(a) Delegations. Pursuant to § 2.24(a)(9), and with due deference for delegations to other Departmental Administration officials, the following delegations of authority are made by the Assistant Secretary for Administration to the Director, Office of Operations:

(1) Provide services relating to facilities management and daily operational support for agencies and offices occupying USDA's headquarters complex, George Washington Carver Center, and, in coordination with the General Services Administration (GSA), USDA leased facilities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, as well as at emergency relocation sites and certain critical facilities specified by the Assistant Secretary for Administration in the following areas:

(i) Acquiring, leasing, utilizing, constructing, maintaining, and disposing of real property, including control of space assignments, and architecture and engineering design oversight.

(ii) Sustainable Operations leadership and management in the areas of internal energy efficiency, conservation and recycling in support of Executive Orders 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management,” 3 CFR, 2007 Comp., p. 193, and 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance” (74 FR 52117, Oct. 8, 2009).

(iii) Occupational health, safety, and related functions; and environmental compliance pursuant to Executive Order 12088, “Federal Compliance with Pollution Control Standards,” 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 243, to ensure actions are taken for the prevention, control, and abatement of environmental pollution.

(2) Provide centralized Departmental business services including:

(i) Printing, copy reproducing, offset composing, mail management and delivery, and automated mailing lists.

(ii) USDA Nationwide mail management policy.

(iii) Operation of a disability resource center for all USDA agencies in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and nationwide in the areas of accessible technologies and reasonable accommodations.

(iv) General supplies, shipping and receiving, warehouse and labor services.

(v) Operation of a USDA Consolidated Forms and Publications Distribution Center for storage and nationwide distribution of USDA program forms and publications.

(vi) Excess personal property operations with disposition responsibility for all USDA agencies in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

(vii) Operation of a GSA authorized Federal excess property Sales Center for USDA property and other government agencies in the Washington, DC metropolitan area via Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

(3) Promulgate Departmental regulations, standards, techniques, and procedures and represent the Department in managing and maintaining a comprehensive physical and technical security program including access control, management of special police officer and guard services, executive driving, parking, ID badging in accordance with HSPD-12, occupant emergency and warden services at the USDA Headquarters Complex, George Washington Carver Center and, in coordination with GSA, USDA leased facilities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, as well as at emergency relocation sites and certain critical facilities specified by the Assistant Secretary for Administration. [Reserved]

(4) Provide management and oversight of the Secretary's People's Garden initiative and the USDA Visitor's Center for education and outreach to USDA and the public.

(5) Represent the Department in contacts with other organizations or agencies on matters related to assigned responsibilities.

(6) Provide services, including travel support, conference management, and general administrative support including coordination of office renovations and moves (within USDA Whitten Building), with authority to take actions required by law or regulation to perform such services for:

(i) The Secretary of Agriculture.

(ii) The general officers of the Department, except the Inspector General.

(iii) The offices and agencies reporting to the Assistant Secretary for Administration.

(iv) The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.

(v) Any other offices or agencies of the Department as may be agreed.

(7) Prepare responses to requests under the Freedom of Information Act with authority to take actions as required by law or regulation for the office and agencies reporting to the Assistant Secretary for Administration.

(8) Administer the records management program in support ofDepartmental Administration, and prepare and coordinate responses to management audits by the Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office, with authority to take actions as required by law or regulation for the offices and agencies reporting to the Assistant Secretary for Administration.

(b) [Reserved]

[75 FR 43381, July 23, 2010, as amended at 78 FR 40939, July 9, 2013; 80 FR 38339, Sept. 29, 2015; 85 FR 65524, Oct. 15, 2020]