PROPERTY
20.76
Revised 12-07
Surplus Stores
335-4630
PDF link
POLICY
Surplus Stores is Washington State University's redistribution and disposal department for surplus material, including equipment, supplies, and animals.
Receipts from the sale of surplus property finance Surplus Stores' operations. Proceeds are distributed to departments selling property on consignment through Surplus Stores.
While WSU departments may transfer and sell equipment directly to other University departments (see 20.80), Surplus Stores is the only WSU department authorized to sell surplus University material to non-WSU entities or to dispose of University property.
Radioactive Materials or Radiation Sources
A University department, regardless of campus location, must receive prior approval from the Radiation Safety Office (RSO) in order to surplus any item used for radioactive work or labeled as a source of ionizing radiation. (See also below.) Contact the RSO; telephone 335-8916; or see the RSO website at:
TRANSACTIONS
University departments may process the following types of transactions with Surplus Stores:
- Disposal through Surplus Stores
- Consignment sale through Surplus Stores
- Purchase from Surplus Stores
Most transactions are processed using a Surplus Property Report, described directly below. See below for additional information regarding each type of transaction.
Departments document the transfer of surplus items to Surplus Stores by initiating a Surplus Property Report. Go to 20.76.11 to access a PDF form template.
Attach an envelope containing a completed Surplus Property Report to each item sent to Surplus Stores. Use one form for each inventory number or serial number. (Several noninventoried/serialized like items may be listed on a single Surplus Property Report.)
The department retains and files a copy of each Surplus Property Report.
Form Completion
The property coordinator or other departmental staff member completes the form. The following instructions are numerically keyed to the sample in the PDF version of 20.76.2. Form sections without instructions are considered to be self explanatory.
Enter Organization No. (1)
Enter the organization code for the owning department.
Indicate Ownership (1)
Most equipment is owned by WSU.
Mark Federal Government if the federal government is releasing equipment to University ownership. NOTE: Before routing federal items to Surplus Stores, the department must:
- Obtain approval from Sponsored Program Services and the responsible federal agency,
- Remove all federal government inventory stickers, and
- Attach copies of the approvals to the Surplus Property Report.
Requested Action (2)
Indicate the type of transaction requested. Transfers to Surplus Stores are the most common transactions.
Place on Consignment (3)
Departments may conditionally place items on Surplus Stores' inventory until sold or expiration of the consignment period. (The consignment period is three months.)
Enter the complete coding of the account, which will receive sale proceeds (if any). Include fund, subfund, program, budget, project, source, and subsource coding.
Refer to the online Account Balances/Detail Application for a complete list of valid sources and subsources. Select the Code Titles menu to view the source and subsource listing. See 30.54.
Enter the original voucher number.
If the department has a minimum selling price, indicate that amount on the Surplus Property Report.
Item Information (4)
Provide a description of the item. Indicate the WSU inventory number if applicable. Indicate whether or not the item is functional.
Inventory Disposition (5)
Indicate the inventory status of the item.
Deletion
Property Inventory deletes items from the University inventory after notification by Surplus Stores.
NOTE: Departments are responsible for deleting items from departmental inventories.
Potentially Contaminated or Hazardous Items (6)
Indicate the item type. See 20.77.
University-owned property, especially those items used in a laboratory, medical, and shop/industrial environment may be contaminated by hazardous materials or contain hazardous components.
Prior to offering University-owned property to Surplus Stores, departments must evaluate each item for the presence of hazardous components or contamination. See 20.77.5 for examples of equipment requiring Item Evaluation.
Departments must complete and attach an Item Evaluation form to each item suspected of being potentially contaminated or containing a potentially hazardous component. See 20.77 for the evaluation form and instructions.
NOTE: The Item Evaluation form must be completed and attached in order for Surplus Stores to collect any potentially hazardous item.
Definitions and Examples
Hazardous contamination may be biological, chemical, or radiological in nature. For definitions, see 20.77.6-7, 20.77.8-9, and 20.77.10-11 respectively.
Hazardous components include such items as asbestos-containing materials, batteries, compressed gases, mercury-containing devices, polychlorinated biphenyls, radiation machines and sources, sharp edges, loose drawers, etc. For definitions see 20.77.12-25.
Refrigerators/Freezers
If the item is a nonfunctioning refrigerator, freezer, incubator, or chilled centrifuge, attach an IRI for $30 per item to pay for disposal costs. NOTE: Such items in working and saleable condition may not require payment of the disposal fee.
Refrigerators/freezers that have been used to store chemicals, biohazardous, and/or radioactive materials must be properly cleaned and decontaminated. Complete and attach an Item Evaluation form for these item types in addition to the Surplus Property Report prior to disposal or sale. See 20.77 for the evaluation form and instructions.
All biohazard, chemical, or radioactive warning labels must be removed after refrigerators/freezers have been decontaminated. (NOTE: Radioactive materials labels or stickers are to be removed by RSO personnel only.)
Before transferring equipment that has contained or may have been contaminated with radioactive materials, contact the Radiation Safety Office (RSO). The RSO performs a property release survey prior to the transfer to Surplus Stores. Refer to SPPM S90.81 for procedures.
No radiation machine or X-ray machine may be removed from the University or deactivated without the prior approval of the Radiation Safety Office (RSO). Disconnect and remove the X-ray tube on those machines to be sent to Surplus Stores and complete the indicated forms in SPPM S90.25. (NOTE: RSO personnel only shall remove radioactive materials labels or stickers.)
Other Hazardous Items
Contact Surplus Stores for instructions for disposing of other hazardous items. Example: A tablesaw with a missing or malfunctioning blade guard. See also "Damaged or Scrap Items" below.
Certain items may be considered hazardous if not used properly, but may provide value to the University if they meet criteria established by Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S). Such items may be processed by Surplus Stores. Hazardous chemicals or materials that can result in hazardous exposure are not processed by Surplus Stores.
Computer Data Destruction (7)
Prior to disposing of computers, data storage devices, or computer media, the owning department is to destroy all software and data files or request that Surplus Stores provide this service. Any electronic destruction method must include at least a three-pass binary overwrite. NOTE: Simply reformatting the hard drive or removing and disposing of the hard drive is not considered adequate.
As of the revision date of this section, the following software tools are recommended for electronic data destruction:
- Autoclave (PC)
- DBAN--Derik's Boot and Nuke (PC)
- Norton Utilities (PC and Mac)
- PGP (PC and Mac)
- Next Wave Software Burn (Mac)
- TechTool Pro (Mac)
- Infraworks InTether Sanitizer (PC)
- DTI Data Disk Wipe (PC)
In lieu of electronic destruction, the owning department may elect to drill a hole through a hard drive platter. Send destroyed drives to Surplus Stores for recycling.
NOTE: Some sponsored projects may have data destruction requirements specified in agreements or regulations. In such cases, the owning department is responsible for compliance.
The equipment coordinator or individual responsible for the data destruction indicates the data destruction method and signs the certification.
The owning department may request that Surplus Stores destroy the data. The department submits an IRI payable to Surplus Stores for $5.00 per unit.
Departmental Approval (8)
The equipment coordinator of the owning department signs and dates the form.
Routing
The owning department places the form in an envelope and attaches the envelope to the item.
At WSU Pullman access the following website to request pickup:
Other WSU locations telephone (509) 335-4530 for delivery instructions.
While departments may transfer and sell equipment directly to other departments (see 20.80), Surplus Stores is the only University department authorized to sell or otherwise dispose of surplus materiel to non-University entities.
Items sold or transferred from one department to another, especially items which were used in a laboratory, medical, or shop environment, may be contaminated by hazardous materials or contain hazardous components. Departments must evaluate such items for the presence of contamination by hazardous materials or components by completing Item Evaluations forms. See 20.77 for the evaluation form and instructions.
Moving Items to Surplus
Prior to offering University-owned property to Surplus Stores, departments must do the following:
- Complete a Surplus Property Report in accordance with instructions above.
- Evaluate every item for the presence of hazardous components or contamination. See 20.77.5 for examples of equipment which may be contaminated or contain hazardous components.
Hazardous contamination may be biological, chemical, or radiological in nature. For definitions, see 20.77.6-7, 20.77.8-9, and 20.77.10-11 respectively. Hazardous components include such items as asbestos-containing materials, batteries, compressed gases, mercury-containing devices, polychlorinated biphenyls, radiation machines and sources, sharp edges, loose drawers, etc. For definitions see 20.77.12-25.
- Complete and attach an Item Evaluation form to each item evaluated. See 20.77 for the evaluation form and instructions.
Moving Methods
The department moves an item to Surplus stores by one of the following methods:
- The owning department may physically deliver the item to Surplus Stores (except during the week of public sales).
- If there are many items, or a single item that is big and heavy, the department should arrange for a pickup by Heavy Equipment from Facilities Operations through the myFacilities website. See 80.45. The myFacilities website is located at:
Departments unable to access or utilize the myFacilities website may submit requests a pickup by Heavy Equipment from Facilities Operations; telephone 335-9088. See also 80.48.
- Surplus Stores picks up items that can be handled by a single person or loaded with the assistance of departmental staff. To request pickup access the web pickup form at
http://www.surplus.wsu.edu/pickup/ or telephone Surplus Stores at 335-4530.
Priority of Disposal Methods
In accordance with state regulations and statute (WAC 236-48-190, WAC 236-48-1901, RCW 43.19.1920) Surplus Stores disposes of University surplus property by the following methods in the indicated priority order:
- Sale or transfer to another WSU department;
- Sale to other state universities and colleges;
- Sale to state agencies;
- Sale to other tax-supported educational agencies;
- Sale to tax-supported agencies, municipalities or political subdivisions within the state of Washington;
- Sale to public benefit nonprofit corporations;
- Sale or donation of surplus, tangible personal property to qualified shelters or rehabilitative workshops (see donation requirements below);
- Sale to the general public by public auctions, first-come first-serve public sales, online auctions, and sealed bid sales; and
- Other action as needed, such as recycling or disposal when it has been determined that the item has no sale value.
Sales Processed by Surplus Stores
To WSU Departments/QualifiedAgencies/Nonprofit Organizations
Surplus Stores processes all sales to qualified agencies including governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations registered with the IRS as 501c(3) organizations. Surplus Stores also sells items back to WSU departments if the owning department has not done so directly (see 20.80).
Consignment Reimbursement
If the item is on consignment and sold for more than $50, Surplus Stores deposits the revenue reimbursing the selling department for 50 percent of the selling price over $50, plus 67 percent of any amount over $500. Costs of the sale (e.g., advertising, travel, set up, and handling) are deducted from the reimbursed amount. There will be an additional 10% fee if the consignment information is not correctly completed on the Surplus Property Report prior to the completion of the sale.
To the Public
If no other department, state institution, agency or nonprofit organization purchases the surplus item; Surplus Stores sells the item to the public through public sales or online auctions.
Information regarding public sales can be found on the Surplus Stores website:
Reimbursements for consignment items sold at public sales are at the same rate as for department sales.
On Site Sales
When a department is selling a large quantity of material, Surplus Stores may elect to conduct the sale at the departmental location.
If the sale is conducted at the selling department's site, the selling department receives 74 percent of the total sale price over $500; 84 percent of the sale price over $5000; and 88 percent of the sale price over $10,000. Costs of the sale (e.g., advertising, travel, set up, and handling) are deducted from the reimbursed amount. Surplus Stores assesses an additional 10% fee if the consignment information is not correctly completed on the Surplus Property Report prior to the completion of the sale.
Sealed Bid Sales
Unusual items that are not suited to public sales due to the type or the location of item may be sold through sealed bids.
Reimbursement for consignment items sold through sealed bids is calculated in the best interest of the selling department, using the Surplus Stores Regular/Sealed Bid Sales Consignment Calculator or the Special On-Site Sales Consignment Calculator. To view the Surplus Stores Consignment Calculator webpages, go to:
Select Disposal of Surplus, then
Select Consignment Calculator.
Consignments Not Sold
If an item on consignment with a minimum price as set by the selling department is not sold within three months, Surplus Stores contacts the department with the following three choices:
- Retain the item,
- Lower the price and leave the item on consignment for another three months, or
- Turn the item over to Surplus Stores.
Donations to qualified shelters or rehabilitative workshops are permitted when ALL of the following criteria are met:
- Surplus Stores has made reasonable efforts to determine if any state agency has a requirement for such property and no such agency has been identified. Such determination is to follow sufficient notice to all state agencies to allow adequate time for them to make their needs known;
- Items cannot be sold for a reasonable price;
- The nature and quantity of the property in question is directly germane to the needs of the nonprofit organization and the nonprofit organization agrees to use the property for such needs and purposes;
- Items would have a higher overhead cost to process as surplus than the sale value;
- The Director of Facilities Operations Plant Services and Waste Management has determined that the donation of such property is in the best interest of the University.
Departments are to transfer obsolete or damaged items to Surplus Stores where they are usually sold as scrap or recycled. The transferring department issues a Surplus Property Report to document the transfer. NOTE: The department must obtain the prior approval of Surplus Stores before scrapping a movable equipment item at a departmental site.
Potentially Contaminated or Hazardous Items
Damaged or scrap items may be contaminated by hazardous materials or contain hazardous components and may require the department to attach a completed Item Evaluation form. (See 20.77.5 for examples.)
Hazardous contamination may be biological, chemical, or radiological in nature. For definitions, see 20.77.6-7, 20.77.8-9, and 20.77.10-11 respectively. Hazardous components include such items as asbestos-containing materials, batteries, compressed gases, mercury-containing devices, polychlorinated biphenyls, radiation machines and sources, sharp edges, loose drawers, etc. For definitions see 20.77.12-25.
TO OTHER UNIVERSITIES
Surplus Stores processes transfers of state-owned property to other universities at fair market value. Such transfers may accompany a project or project transfer. Such transfers are to be in conformance with 40.16.
TRADE-INS
The department obtains prior approval from Surplus Stores before completing a trade in. Surplus Stores may be able to sell the item for more than the negotiated trade-in amount. See 70.12.
PURCHASING FROM SURPLUS STORES
Surplus Stores maintains an inventory of items often required in departmental operations, e.g., laboratory equipment, desks, tables, bookshelves, file cabinets, chairs, monitors and audiovisual equipment.
Surplus Stores is open weekdays during regular business hours. NOTE: Surplus Stores is closed to departmental shopping the day before and the day of public sales. Departments purchase items by issuing an IRI. See 70.05 for IRI procedures.
See the PDF form:
20.76.11: Surplus Property Report
Complete and/or print as needed.