Title 40 — Public Buildings, Property, and WorksRelease 119-73not60
§502 Services for Other Entities
Title 40 › Subtitle SUBTITLE I— FEDERAL PROPERTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES › Chapter 5— PROPERTY MANAGEMENT › Subchapter I— PROCUREMENT AND WAREHOUSING › § 502
Summary
The Administrator of General Services must, when possible, give the services listed in section 501 to federal agencies, mixed-ownership government corporations (see 31 U.S.C. 9101), and the District of Columbia when they ask. The Administrator may also give those services to qualified nonprofit agencies for the blind or other severely disabled (see 41 U.S.C. 8501(7) and 8501(6)) that sell goods or services to the federal government under chapter 85 of title 41. Those nonprofits must use the services to make items that the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled has said are suitable for government purchase (see 41 U.S.C. 8503). The Administrator may let state, local, tribal governments, schools, and colleges use GSA Federal supply schedules for certain items, like IT equipment (FSC group 70) and security, firefighting, marine, and special-purpose gear (FSC group 84). Companies that sell on those schedules do not have to sell to nonfederal buyers. The Administrator can also allow use of schedules for disaster recovery, preparedness, or response goods and services, after the Secretary of Homeland Security approves which items qualify (see 42 U.S.C. 5121). The American Red Cross and other qualified relief groups (see 42 U.S.C. 5152) may use the schedules for emergency work but not to buy goods for resale. All users must follow GSA’s ordering rules.
Full Legal Text
Title 40, §502
Public Buildings, Property, and Works — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)On request, the Administrator of General Services shall provide, to the extent practicable, any of the services specified in section 501 of this title to—
(1)a federal agency;
(2)a mixed-ownership Government corporation (as defined in section 9101 of title 31); or
(3)the District of Columbia.
(b)(1)On request, the Administrator may provide, to the extent practicable, any of the services specified in section 501 of this title to an agency that is—
(ii)a qualified nonprofit agency for other severely disabled (as defined in section 8501(6) of title 41); and
(B)providing a commodity or service to the Federal Government under chapter 85 of title 41.
(2)A nonprofit agency receiving services under this subsection shall use the services directly in making or providing to the Government a commodity or service that has been determined by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled under section 8503 of title 41 to be suitable for procurement by the Government.
(c)(1)The Administrator may provide for the use by State or local governments of Federal supply schedules of the General Services Administration for the following:
(A)Automated data processing equipment (including firmware), software, supplies, support equipment, and services (as contained in Federal supply classification code group 70).
(B)Alarm and signal systems, facility management systems, firefighting and rescue equipment, law enforcement and security equipment, marine craft and related equipment, special purpose clothing, and related services (as contained in Federal supply classification code group 84 or any amended or subsequent version of that Federal supply classification group).
(2)In any case of the use by a State or local government of a Federal supply schedule pursuant to paragraph (1), participation by a firm that sells to the Federal Government through the supply schedule shall be voluntary with respect to a sale to the State or local government through such supply schedule.
(3)In this subsection:
(A)The term “State or local government” includes any State, local, regional, or tribal government, or any instrumentality thereof (including any local educational agency or institution of higher education).
(B)The term “tribal government” means—
(i)the governing body of any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community located in the continental United States (excluding the State of Alaska) that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians, and
(ii)any Alaska Native regional or village corporation established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
(C)The term “local educational agency” has the meaning given that term in section 7013 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(D)The term “institution of higher education” has the meaning given that term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(d)(1)The Administrator may provide for the use by State or local governments of Federal supply schedules of the General Services Administration for goods or services that are to be used to facilitate recovery from a major disaster declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), to facilitate disaster preparedness or response, or to facilitate recovery from terrorism or nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack.
(2)The Secretary of Homeland Security shall determine which goods and services qualify as goods and services described in paragraph (1) before the Administrator provides for the use of the Federal supply schedule relating to such goods and services.
(3)In the case of the use by a State or local government of a Federal supply schedule pursuant to paragraph (1), participation by a firm that sells to the Federal Government through the supply schedule shall be voluntary with respect to a sale to the State or local government through such supply schedule.
(4)The definitions in subsection (c)(3) shall apply for purposes of this subsection.
(e)(1)The Administrator may provide for the use by the American National Red Cross and other qualified organizations of Federal supply schedules. Purchases under this authority by the American National Red Cross shall be used in furtherance of the purposes of the American National Red Cross set forth in section 300102 of title 36, United States Code. Purchases under this authority by other qualified organizations shall be used in furtherance of purposes determined to be appropriate to facilitate emergency preparedness and disaster relief and set forth in guidance by the Administrator of General Services, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(2)The authority under this subsection may not be used to purchase supplies for resale.
(3)In this subsection, the term “qualified organization” means a relief or disaster assistance organization as described in section 309 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5152).
(f)All users of Federal supply schedules, including non-Federal users, shall use the schedules in accordance with the ordering guidance provided by the Administrator of General Services.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 502(a)40:481(b)(1).June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title II, § 201(b), 63 Stat. 384; Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 849, § 8(b), 64 Stat. 591; Pub. L. 103–355, title I, § 1555, Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3300; Pub. L. 105–61, title IV, § 413, Oct. 10, 1997, 111 Stat. 1300. 502(b)40:481(b)(2). In subsection (b)(2), the words “the authority of” in 40:481(b)(2)(B) are omitted as unnecessary. The words “Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled” are substituted for [“]Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped” because of section 911(a) of the Rehabilitation Act
Amendments
of 1992 (Public Law 102–569, 106 Stat. 4486) and section 301 of the Rehabilitation Act
Amendments
of 1993 (Public Law 103–73, 107 Stat. 736).
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(3)(B)(ii), is Pub. L. 92–203, Dec. 18, 1971, 85 Stat. 688, which is classified generally to chapter 33 (§ 1601 et seq.) of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 1601 of Title 43 and Tables. section 7013 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (c)(3)(C), is classified to section 7713 of Title 20, Education. The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, referred to in subsec. (d)(1), is Pub. L. 93–288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143, which is classified principally to chapter 68 (§ 5121 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 5121 of Title 42 and Tables.
Amendments
2015—Subsec. (c)(3)(C). Pub. L. 114–95 substituted “section 7013 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965” for “section 8013 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7713)”. 2011—Subsec. (b)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 111–350, § 5(l)(7)(A), substituted “section 8501(7) of title 41” for “section 5(3) of the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 48b(3))”. Subsec. (b)(1)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 111–350, § 5(l)(7)(B), substituted “disabled (as defined in section 8501(6) of title 41)” for “handicapped (as defined in section 5(4) of the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 48b(4)))”. Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 111–350, § 5(l)(7)(C), substituted “chapter 85 of title 41” for “the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46 et seq.)”. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 111–350, § 5(l)(7)(D), substituted “section 8503 of title 41” for “section 2 of the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 47)”. 2010—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 111–263, § 4, inserted “, to facilitate disaster preparedness or response,” after “Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.)”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 111–263, § 2, added subsec. (e). Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 111–263, § 3, added subsec. (f). 2008—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 110–248 substituted “Administration for the following:” for “Administration for automated”, inserted “(A) Automated” before “data processing”, and added subpar. (B). 2006—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–364 added subsec. (d). 2002—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–347 added subsec. (c).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2015 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of Title 20, Education.
Effective Date
of 2002 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 107–347 effective 120 days after Dec. 17, 2002, see section 402(a) of Pub. L. 107–347, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 3601 of Title 44, Public Printing and Documents. Procedures Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title VIII, § 833(b), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2332, provided that: “Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 17, 2006], the Administrator of General Services shall establish procedures to implement subsection (d) of section 502 of title 40, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)).” Public Land Management Agency Foundations Pub. L. 108–352, § 9, Oct. 21, 2004, 118 Stat. 1396, provided that: “Employees of the foundations established by Acts of Congress to solicit private sector funds on behalf of Federal land management agencies shall qualify for General Service Administration contract airfares.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
40 U.S.C. § 502
Title 40 — Public Buildings, Property, and Works
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60