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Title 40 — Public Buildings, Property, and WorksRelease 119-73not60

§501 Services for Executive Agencies

Title 40 › Subtitle SUBTITLE I— FEDERAL PROPERTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES › Chapter 5— PROPERTY MANAGEMENT › Subchapter I— PROCUREMENT AND WAREHOUSING › § 501

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Administrator of General Services must act for executive agencies when doing so saves the government money, makes work more efficient, or improves service, and must respect each agency’s programs. The Secretary of Defense can keep the Department of Defense out of an Administrator action for national security reasons, unless the President says otherwise. The Administrator must buy and provide things and services for agencies and handle related tasks like contracts, inspections, storage, delivery, labeling and sorting property, transportation, managing utility services, and repairs or conversions. Utility service contracts may not run longer than 10 years. The Administrator sets rules for how agencies buy and get supplies, but those rules must follow the procurement regulations in title 41, subtitle I, division B, except sections 1704 and 2303. The Administrator also speaks for agencies in talks and regulatory hearings with carriers and utilities. Before representing any Defense installation, the Administrator must notify the installation’s senior mission commander and represent the commander’s stated interests. The Administrator runs or arranges warehouses, supply centers, repair shops, fuel yards, and similar facilities after consulting the agencies involved.

Full Legal Text

Title 40, §501

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

(a)(1)The Administrator of General Services shall take action under this subchapter for an executive agency—
(A)to the extent that the Administrator of General Services determines that the action is advantageous to the Federal Government in terms of economy, efficiency, or service; and
(B)with due regard to the program activities of the agency.
(2)The Secretary of Defense may exempt the Department of Defense from an action taken by the Administrator of General Services under this subchapter, unless the President directs otherwise, whenever the Secretary determines that an exemption is in the best interests of national security.
(b)(1)(A)The Administrator of General Services shall procure and supply personal property and nonpersonal services for executive agencies to use in the proper discharge of their responsibilities, and perform functions related to procurement and supply including contracting, inspection, storage, issue, property identification and classification, transportation and traffic management, management of public utility services, and repairing and converting.
(B)A contract for public utility services may be made for a period of not more than 10 years.
(2)(A)The Administrator of General Services shall prescribe policies and methods for executive agencies regarding the procurement and supply of personal property and nonpersonal services and related functions.
(B)Policies and methods prescribed by the Administrator of General Services under this paragraph are subject to regulations prescribed by the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy under division B (except section 1704 and 2303) of subtitle I of title 41.
(c)(1)For transportation and other public utility services used by executive agencies, the Administrator of General Services shall represent the agencies—
(A)in negotiations with carriers and other public utilities; and
(B)in proceedings involving carriers or other public utilities before federal and state regulatory bodies.
(2)Prior to representing any installation of the Department of Defense in any proceeding under this subsection, the Administrator or any persons or entities acting on behalf of the Administrator shall—
(A)notify the senior mission commander of the installation; and
(B)solicit and represent the interests of the installation as determined by the installation’s senior mission commander.
(d)The Administrator of General Services shall operate, for executive agencies, warehouses, supply centers, repair shops, fuel yards, and other similar facilities. After consultation with the executive agencies affected, the Administrator of General Services shall consolidate, take over, or arrange for executive agencies to operate the facilities.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 501(a)40:481(a) (words before cl. (1), last proviso).June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title II, § 201(a), 63 Stat. 383; Pub. L. 93–400, § 15(1), Aug. 30, 1974, 88 Stat. 800; Pub. L. 96–83, § 10(a), Oct. 10, 1979, 93 Stat. 652; Pub. L. 98–191, §§ 8(d)(1), 9(a)(2), Dec. 1, 1983, 97 Stat. 1331. 501(b)40:481(a)(1), (3). 501(c)40:481(a)(4). 501(d)40:481(a)(2). In subsection (a)(2), the words “from time to time” are omitted as unnecessary. The words “Department of Defense” are substituted for “National Military Establishment” in section 201(a) (last proviso) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, because the Department of Defense was deemed to succeed the National Military Establishment under section 12(a) and (g) of the National Security Act

Amendments

of 1949 (ch. 412, 63 Stat. 591). The words “or which may be taken” are omitted as unnecessary. In subsection (b)(2)(B), the words “subject to

Regulations

” are substituted for “subject to

Regulations

and

Regulations

” in section 201(a)(1) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to correct an error resulting from an inconsistency between section 8(d)(1) and section 9(a)(2) of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act

Amendments

of 1983 (Public Law 98–191, 97 Stat. 1331).

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–232 designated existing provisions as par. (1), redesignated former pars. (1) and (2) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, of par. (1), and added par. (2). 2011—Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 111–350 substituted “division B (except section 1704 and 2303) of subtitle I of title 41” for “the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 401 et seq.)”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

40 U.S.C. § 501

Title 40 — Public Buildings, Property, and Works

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60