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Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and WorksRelease 119-102

§3174 Operation of Public Utility Communications Services Serving Governmental Activities

Title 40 › SUBTITLE II — PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND WORKS › PART A — GENERAL › CHAPTER 31 — GENERAL › SUBCHAPTER VI — MISCELLANEOUS › § 3174

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Administrator of General Services can provide and run public communications services for government activities when doing so saves money and helps the federal government. It does not cover systems that handle secret or confidential messages, the use of encryption equipment or coded message transmission, or buildings run by the U.S. Postal Service unless a department or agency asks for help.

Full Legal Text

Title 40, §3174

Public Buildings, Property, and Works, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Administrator of General Services may provide and operate public utility communications services serving any governmental activity when the services are economical and in the interest of the Federal Government. This section does not apply to communications systems for handling messages of a confidential or secret nature, the operation of cryptographic equipment or transmission of secret, security, or coded messages, or buildings operated or occupied by the United States Postal Service, except on request of the department or agency concerned.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 317440:295.June 14, 1946, ch. 404, § 7, 60 Stat. 258. The words “Administrator of General Services” are substituted for “Commissioner of Public Buildings” because of section 103(a) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (ch. 288, 63 Stat. 380), which is restated as section 303(c) [303(b)] of the revised title. The words “in and outside the District of Columbia” are omitted as unnecessary. The words “United States Postal Service” are substituted for “Post Office Department” because of section 6(o) of the Postal Reorganization Act (Public Law 91–375, 84 Stat. 783).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

40 U.S.C. § 3174

Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102