§ 101-43.315 - Certification of non-Federal agency screeners.

(a) To minimize delays in screening excess personal property at holding activities and to make property available quickly and efficiently, all non-Federal agency screeners shall be subject to certification by Federal authority.

(b) The sponsoring Federal agency recommending designation of a non-Federal agency screener shall prepare a request covering each designation and forward it for evaluation and approval to the GSA regional office for the region in which the intended screener is located (see § 101-43.4802 for regional office addresses and assigned areas). The request shall state the applicant's qualifications to screen excess personal property and shall indicate the name, number, and termination date of the specific contract, agreement, or grant to which the screener is to be assigned. Since certification is normally approved on a regional basis, a request for certification for interregional screening shall specify the additional regions for which certification is requested. The GSA regional office handling the request will coordinate as necessary with other GSA regional offices and advise the requesting agency of actions taken on each request.

(c) Sponsoring Federal agencies shall include GSA Form 2946, Screener's Identification, with each non-Federal agency screener request. GSA Form 2946 must contain the typed names of both the screener's organization and the sponsoring Federal agency, the signature of the sponsoring Federal agency official, the typed name and signature of the proposed non-Federal agency screener, and an affixed passport-style photograph of the screener.

(d) Following approval, the GSA regional office will complete the GSA Form 2946 and return it to the sponsoring Federal agency for issuance to the screener. When the request is for an applicant whose screening activities are confined to a single cost-reimbursement contract, cooperative agreement, or project grant, the expiration date on the GSA Form 2946 normally shall coincide with the expiration date of that specific project. If the organization employing the non-Federal agency screener is expected to have a subsequent contract, agreement, or grant when the current one expires, or if the applicant's screening activities cover more than a single project, the sponsoring Federal agency may request an expiration date accordingly. If the services of an approved non-Federal agency screener are discontinued prior to the expiration date, the sponsoring Federal agency shall recover the GSA Form 2946. Each sponsoring Federal agency shall be responsible for maintaining a record of the number of certified screeners operating under its authority and shall immediately notify the appropriate GSA regional office of any changes in screening assignments.

(e) Each non-Federal agency representative of a Federal agency physically screening property at holding installations for the purpose of selecting property for transfer shall possess a GSA Form 2946 validated by GSA as provided in this section. However, non-Federal personnel of eligible organizations visiting holding activities in order to participate in onsite screenings or for the purpose of technical inspection, evaluation, and/or removal of property previously set aside or approved by GSA for transfer shall not be required to possess a GSA Form 2946.

(f) A sponsoring Federal agency may request authorization for a non-Federal agency representative to screen excess personal property at specific holding installations on a one-time basis without formal certification. Such requests shall be submitted to the GSA regional office serving the area in which the holding installations are located. The GSA regional office shall coordinate with the holding installations and, if the request is approved, issue a letter authorizing the non-Federal agency representative to screen excess personal property at the holding installations specified; if possible, on the dates requested.