40 U.S.C. § 623: Establishment of a Federal Real Property Council

There is established a Federal Real Property Council. to develop guidance and ensure implementation of an efficient and effective real property management strategy; to identify opportunities for the Federal Government to better manage property and assets of the Federal Government; and to reduce the costs of managing property of the Federal Government, including operations, maintenance, and security associated with Federal property. the senior real property officers of each Federal agency; the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget; the Controller of the Office of Management and Budget; the Administrator; and any other full-time or permanent part-time Federal officials or employees, as the Chairperson determines to be necessary. The Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget shall serve as Chairperson of the Council. The Chairperson shall designate an Executive Director to assist in carrying out the duties of the Council. be appointed from among individuals who have substantial experience in the areas of commercial real estate and development, real property management, and Federal operations and management; and hold no outside employment that may conflict with duties inherent to the position. The Council shall meet subject to the call of the Chairperson. The Council shall meet not fewer than 4 times each year. to enable Congress and heads of Federal agencies to track progress in the achievement of property management objectives on a Government-wide basis; to improve the management of real property; and to allow for comparison of the performance of Federal agencies against industry and other public sector agencies; develop utilization rates consistent throughout each category of space, considering the diverse nature of the Federal portfolio and consistent with nongovernmental space use rates; develop a strategy to reduce the reliance of Federal agencies on leased space for long-term needs if ownership would be less costly; provide guidance on eliminating inefficiencies in the Federal leasing process; compile a list of field offices that are suitable for collocation with other property assets; research best practices regarding the use of public-private partnerships to manage properties and develop guidelines for the use of those partnerships in the management of Federal property; and a list of the remaining excess property that is real property, surplus property that is real property, and underutilized property of each Federal agency; the progress of the Council toward developing guidance for Federal agencies to ensure that the assessment required under section 524(a)(11)(B) is carried out in a uniform manner; the progress of Federal agencies toward achieving the goals established under section 524(a)(7); if necessary, recommendations for legislation or statutory reforms that would further the goals of the Council, including streamlining the disposal of excess or underutilized real property; and a list of entities that are consulted under subsection (f). State, local, and tribal authorities, as appropriate, and other affected communities; and commercial real estate and development; government management and operations; space planning; community development, including transportation and planning; historic preservation; and providing housing to the homeless population. The Director and the Administrator shall provide staffing, and administrative support for the Council, as appropriate. the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate; the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives; the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and the Comptroller General of the United States. any military installation (as defined in section 2910 of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 ( 10 U.S.C. 2687 note; Public Law 101–510 )); any property that is excepted from the definition of the term “property” under section 102; Indian and native Eskimo property held in trust by the Federal Government as described in section 3301(a)(5)(C)(iii); real property operated and maintained by the Tennessee Valley Authority pursuant to the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 ( 16 U.S.C. 831 et seq.); any real property the Director excludes for reasons of national security; the Director of the Bureau of Land Management; the Director of the National Park Service; the Commissioner of Reclamation; or the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; or the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; or any property operated and maintained by the United States Postal Service.