§549a Donation of Personal Property Through Nonprofit Refurbishers

Summary

Requires the GSA Administrator to give repairable surplus computers and tech gear to nonprofit refurbishers within 30 days after state surplus agencies have had a chance to review them. To qualify, a Federal agency must find the items repairable and that they meet NIST Special Publication 800–88 media sanitization rules (or any updated version). Nonprofit refurbishers must fix the equipment, give it to eligible people or groups mostly for free (they may charge small shipping or handling fees set by rules), teach recipients how to use it, and recycle items that cannot be fixed. The Administrator can partner with outside groups to find and work with refurbishers. Refurbishers must share non‑private info about distributions for reporting. The Administrator must make rules for fees, who can take part (including national security checks), how to pick recipients, and which recyclers to use. Each year the Administrator reports publicly and to Congress about the program, partners, refurbishers (including any foreign ownership), and where donated items went. Five years after the law starts and then every year, each agency must report how many repairable items were recycled, abandoned, or destroyed. The law does not create a right to sue the government and does not override the Stevenson‑Wydler Act. Definitions (one line each): Administrator — the General Services Administration head. Digital divide — the gap between people who have an internet-ready computer and skills and those who do not. Disability — as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Educational institution — schools, preschools, childcare, vocational and higher education, and homeschool units. Eligible recipient — an educational institution, person with a disability, low‑income person, student, senior in need, or veteran in the U.S. Institution of higher education — as defined in the Higher Education Act. Low‑income individual — as defined in the Small Business Investment Act. Nongovernmental entity — a non‑government organization that helps bridge the digital divide. Nonprofit computer refurbisher — a U.S. nonprofit that repairs computers to improve access. Nonprofit organization — a 501(c)(3) tax‑exempt group. Repairable — unusable now but can be fixed economically. Secondary school — as defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Senior — age 65 or older. Senior in need — a senior who is isolated or at risk of losing independence. State agency for surplus property — the state office that handles surplus property. Student — anyone enrolled in an educational institution except childcare. Surplus computer or technology equipment — the kind of property covered by the surplus rules. Technology equipment — physical devices related to computers and IT (like tablets, routers, printers, cables). Veteran — as defined in title 38.