All items of NASA equipment will be acquired and used only to support NASA mission requirements or institutional operations. Equipment includes all items of NASA personal property that are configured as mechanical, electrical, or electronic machines, tools, devices, and apparatuses that have a useful life of 2 years or more.

Equipment will be placed under Center inventory control, and the inventory will be reconciled (financial and physical) at least once every 3 years.

Equipment valued at $100,000 or greater is subject to the financial control, accounting, and reporting requirements of the NASA Financial Management Requirement (FMR) Volume 6, Chapter 4. Equipment, valued from $5,000 to $99,999, will be controlled but not subject to all the requirements of FMR Volume 6, Chapter 4. NASA Procedural Requirements, (NPR) 4200.1, NASA Equipment Management Procedural Requirements, Appendix C, lists sensitive equipment items that require Center control. Weapons,and hazardous equipment or devices, including environmentally hazardous equipment or devices, will be controlled regardless of their value. Equipment determined to be pilferable by the Center will be controlled as sensitive equipment. At a minimum, equipment listed in NPR 4200.1, Appendix C, with a value of $500 or more will be controlled. Non-controlled equipment, including those acquired and used under outsourcing initiatives, will be managed under procedures established by the holding Center.

All equipment losses will be investigated promptly. The result of the investigation will be documented and reviewed by the appropriate Center authority and used as the basis for an inventory adjustment, recovery, or other action in accordance with FMR Volume 6, Chapter 4 and NPR 4200.1.

NASA equipment may be loaned to other Government, foreign government, and non-Government organizations, private individuals, corporations, or other entities provided the loan is in the public interest and meets the following criteria: (1) the loan shall be of a definite duration, (2) it will benefit the Federal Government, (3) the borrower acquires no rights to the equipment, (4) the equipment is not modified, and (5) the Center Chief Counsel and other appropriate officials (i.e., Office of External Relations, Office of Legislative Affairs, Office of Policy and Plans) review and concur, and the Center Supply and Equipment Management Officer approves. Loans to profit making organizations will conform to the additional conditions cited in NPR 4200.1. Also, NASA will provide equipment to support the provisions of special programs based on new or revised public law, applicable external regulations, or Federal Government initiatives.

NASA equipment may be temporarily loaned to employees for use at home for the conduct of official business only when it is determined to be necessary and essential to the conduct of NASAapos;s mission.

The NASA Equipment Management System (NEMS) will be used throughout the Agency to identify, control, and account for Government-owned equipment acquired by or in use by NASA.

NASA equipment, including artifacts, heritage assets, aerospace articles, and hardware of historical interest will be identified, reported, transferred, and disposed of in accordance with FMR Volume 6, Chapter 4, NPR 4200.1, and NPR 4310.l.