(c) The Postal Service will dispose of excess ADP equipment by whatever method is deemed by it to be in its best interest, including sale, trade, or donations to GSA or any other Government agency, and sale or trade to a commercial firm except for that equipment acquired from GSA through the ADP Revolving Fund which will be governed by specific individual agreements. The Postal Service may request and obtain such ADP equipment as may be available through the GSA-operated excess Government ADP equipment utilization program in accordance with existing FPMR's covering this program. (d) The Postal Service will participate in the GSA Inter-agency computer time-sharing program. The Postal Service will notify GSA when Postal computer time is available and GSA will advise the Postal Service of the availability of computer time under this program. Except as set forth in paragraph, 4c, the Postal Service will not report ADPE inventory and utilization to GSA, (e) Nothing contained herein shall be construed to require the Postal Service to request or obtain the approval of GSA to acquire, purchase or lease any ADP equipment, supplies or services. 5. Telecommunications Services (a) The Postal Service will use, and GSA will make available for use, existing joint service switchboard installations; provided however, that the Postal Service may discontinue or withdraw from such use upon giving six months notice thereof to GSA. However, should the Post Office desire to discontinue receiving service from a joint Centrex switchboard, an economic analysis will be made jointly to determine the effect on minimum use guarantees under local prevailing Centrex tariff. The final determination as to participation in a joint Centrex switchboard will be made by the Postal Service. The Postal Service will reimburse GSA for any liability incurred for termination charges or minimum guarantees caused by the Postal Service withdrawing from a Centrex consolidation, The Postal Service will pay GSA the common rate charged all Federal agencies for such use. (b) For Postal Service facilities to be acquired after the effective date of this Agreement, the Postal Service shall consult with GSA regarding installation of a joint-service telecommunications system; provided, however, that the final determination of the type of system to be installed shall be made by the Postal Service. The Postal Service will pay GSA for joint-service systems installed after the effective date of this Agreement, the common rate charged all Federal agencies for use of such systems. (c) The Postal Service will continue to operate those joint-service switchboards which it is operating on the effective date of this Agreement; provided, however, that prior to December 1971, representatives of both parties will jointly review those joint-service switchboards operated by the Postal Service and determine a mutually agreeable date or dates as soon thereafter as practicable, upon which the operation of such switchboards will be transferred to GSA. GSA will accord the rights of transfer to the General Services Administration, in their present positions, to those U.S. Postal Service employees whose telephone service functions will be transferred to the General Services Administration on or after July 1, 1971, as GSA assumes the responsibility for the operation and maintenance of telephone services transferred to GSA. The Postal Service will certify as to the staffing requirement of the switchboards to be transferred to GSA to support the GSA request to the OMB for increases in ceiling. (d) GSA will operate those joint-service switchboards it now operates in those buildings to be transferred to the Postal Service pursuant to the Postal Reorganization Act, as well as all joint-service switchboard systems installed in Postal buildings after the effective date of this Agreement. Unattended FTS switches currently installed in Postal buildings or in buildings to be transferred to the Postal Service will be continued. The cost of operation is included in the common rate charged all Federal agencies for joint-service systems. (c) The Postal Service will use the Federal Telecommunications Systems (FTS) in accordance with FPMR 101-35. (f) The Postal Service will participate in the Advanced Records System (ARS) in accordance with FPMR 101-35, but may withdraw in whole from such participation upon furnishing three months notice to GSA. Individual terminal disconnects will be made with 30 days notice to GSA. (7) The Postal Service will use the centralized circuit procurement system in accordance with FPMR 101-35.4, but, at its discretion, may contract directly with common carriers. The Postal Service will furnish GSA 90 days notice prior to cancellation of GSA TELPAK services. In those cases where there is a termination charge, the Post Office will reimburse GSA for the amount for which the Post Office is responsible. 6. Utilities (a) The Postal Service will use GSA area-wide utilities contracts, when available, in accordance with FPR 1-4.407; long term contracts in accordance with FPR 14.408; and joint procurement with other agencies in accordance with FPR 1-4.409. (b) The Postal Service, at its discretion, may request GSA to represent the Postal Service before regulatory bodies in the area of public utilities. (c) When requested by GSA, the Postal Service will provide data and other information on its public utilities use and requirements that may be necessary for analysis of overall Government needs. 7. GSA Interagency Motor Pools The Postal Service, at its discretion, may use GSA Interagency Motor Pool services, in accordance with FPMR 101-39, on the same basis as other agencies of the Executive Branch; provided that, the Postal Service will not be responsible for operation of any interagency motor pool, nor required to transfer any vehicles, equipment, or supplies thereto; however, the Postal Service, at its discretion, may furnish gasoline and oil from Postal supplies to Federal vehicles participating in a cross-servicing agreement on a reimbursable basis. 8. Disposal of Excess Personal Property The Postal Service is responsible for the disposal of all personal property it finds to be excess to its needs; provided, however, that it may request GSA to dispose of, and GSA may, if it agrees to such request, dispose of such property without charge to the Postal Service. GSA shall not dispose of such property except by sale or transfer for the fair market value thereof. The proceeds of such disposition shall be remitted to the Postal Service. 9. National Archives and Records Service The Postal Service may use all services of the National Archives and Records Service on the same basis as other agencies of the Executive Branch in accordance with 41 CFR, Part 101-11 and 41 CFR, Part 105-61. 10. Equipping Congressional District Offices Effective July 1, 1971, GSA will be responsible for providing equipment and furnishings for Congressional offices located in Postal Service buildings. Title to equipment and furnishings owned by the Postal Service and located in such offices on July 1, 1971, will be transferred on a non-reimbursable basis to GSA. 11. Interchange of Space in Postal Service and GSA-Controlled Buildings (a) Space in Postal Service buildings which is excess to the needs of the Postal Service, may be assigned or reassigned by GSA to other Federal agencies and to Members of Congress. Such space shall be held available for Federal agency use for 30 calendar days after notification is given to GSA of its availability, and it may be held available for a longer period in the discretion of the Postal Service or based on a tentative need developed by GSA. All requests for space in Postal Service buildings received by the Postal Service from other Federal agencies will be referred to GSA. The Postal Service will give GSA advance notification of anticipated available space whenever possible. (b) When requested by the Postal Service, GSA may serve as agent of the Postal Service to outlease to state and local governments, commercial firms, and private individuals, space in Postal Service buildings which is excess to the needs of the Postal Service and for which no other Federal need exists. Such space will be offered first to state and local governments, and next to commercial firms and private individuals at commercially sound rental rates. The proceeds from such outleases, less mutually agreed administrative costs, will be remitted to the Postal Service. (c) The Postal Service may continue to occupy any space in GSA-controlled buildings which it occupies on July 1, 1971, and it will be assigned equivalent space if required by GSA to vacate any such space occupied on July 1, 1971. GSA will accord the Postal Service no less consideration than any other Federal agency in assigning and reassigning additional space in GSA-controlled buildings. C. Aberdeen, Everett, Olympia, Seattle, Wash.; New Hampshire; Houston, Tex; New Orleans, La.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Mass. except in D; Detroit, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Vermont; Akron, Ohio; Trenton, N.J.; San Francisco, Los Angeles, Calif.; Delaware; Hawaii; New York except D; Portland, Oreg.; Augusta, Portland, Presque Isle, Maine; Puerto Rico except D. D. Chicago, Ill.; Alaska; Phoenix, Ariz.; Denver, Colo.; Connecticut; Boston, Cambridge, New Bedford, Springfield, Worcester, Mass.; Newark, N.J.; Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, White Plains, N.Y.; Philadelphia, Pa.; San Juan, P.R.; Providence, R.I.; Virgin Islands. (d) GSA will reimburse the Postal Service for space in Postal Service buildings occupied by GSA, other Federal agencies, or Members of Congress, and the Postal Service will reimburse GSA for space in GSA-controlled buildings occupied by the Postal Service, in accordance with the schedule of rates as shown in Table 1. These rates are subject to adjustment by mutual agreement and will be reviewed jointly in February of each year. A survey shall be jointly conducted within 6 months of the date of this agreement to determine the allocation of space occupied and reach agreements as to the type, quantity and quality of that space. There will be a net reimbursement of funds on or about July 1 of each year. (e) Tenants occupying space in Postal Service buildings will be instructed to place their request for repairs, improvements, or alterations with GSA. GSA will refer any such request for repairs and improvements, or alternations to the Postal Service for approval. Requests for repairs, improvements, or alterations in USPS occupied space in GSA operated buildings will be referred to GSA for approval. The agency operating and maintaining the building—either GSA or the Postal Service-will handle complaints and requests relating to building operation or maintenance. 12. Disposal of Excess and Surplus Real Property (a) The Postal Service or its agent will notify GSA of the availability of real properties which the Postal Service has determined are excess to its needs, and will notify GSA of its needs for real properties, giving the land area needed, the preferred location and suitable alternate locations, and the type of property needed. (b) Within 30 days from the date of notice of availability of excess Postal Service property, or within such additional period as is agreed to, and if there is a Federal need for the property, GSA will arrange for the transfer of such property to a Federal agency for an amount equal to the fair market value of the property, as agreed to by GSA and the Postal Service, and will pay to the Postal Service the proceeds of such transfer minus the cost of any appraisal obtained by GSA. (c) If, within 30 days from the date of notice of availability of excess Postal Service property, or within such additional periods as is agreed to, GSA does not arrange for the transfer of such property to a Federal agency, the Postal Service may dispose of the property, or it may designate GSA to dispose of the property. If the Postal Service designates GSA as the disposal agency and GSA agrees to such designation, it will promptly dispose of the property at not less than its agreed fair market value, to a public agency or other interested organization or person, and shall pay to the Postal Service the proceeds of the disposal minus the reasonable expenses incurred by GSA to accomplish the disposition. (d) Promptly after receiving notice of a Postal Service need for real property, GSA will review its records of property believed or known to be considered excess by holding agencies, its inventory of excess property, and its inventory of surplus property, not already commited to a disposal action, and will inform the Postal Service whether property suitable for the needs of the Postal Service is or will become available. In addition, GSA will submit to the Postal Service any notices of availability of Federal real property which it submits to other Federal agencies, If the Postal Service notifies GSA within 30 days from the date of receipt of notice of availability of real property that a tentative requirement exists, and within an additional 30 days that a firm requirement exists, and requests transfer of the property (utilizing GSA Form 1334. if required). GSA shall transfer the property to the Postal Service for an amount equal to the fair market value of the property, securing the concurrence of the Office of Management and Budget, if necessary. (e) In keeping with the above provisions, exchanges of real properties shall be arranged by GSA and the Postal Service, to be accompanied by reimbursement, or not, as may be agreed, whenever such an exchange shall be determined to be in the public interest. (f) The provisions of this Section 12 shall not apply to the properties covered by Sections 13 and 14 below. 13. Joint GSA-POD Projects (a) Any or all of the following joint-project Federal buildings scheduled for construction will be constructed by GSA with existing and requested appropriations and may, if the Postal Service agrees, be transferred to the Postal Service under 39 U.S.C. 2002d, upon completion, with or without reimbursement: Houma, Louisiana Mansfield, Ohio Midland, Texas West Palm Beach, Florida Keene, New Hampshire (b) Each of the remaining joint GSA-POD projects which has been approved by the Committees on Public Works of the Congress but for which funds have not been appropriated shall be subject to review and determination as to whether it shall be constructed as a joint project, constructed unilaterally by either agency, or discontinued. 14. Any or all of the following sites may, if the Postal Service agrees, subject to the approval of the Presdient, be transferred to the Postal Service under 39 U.S.C. 2002d with or without reimbursement: San Diego, CA-Northwest corner of Barnett Avenue at Midway Van Nuys, CA-Area bounded by Sherman Way, Wyandotte Street, Bronx, NY-A city block bounded by Fordham Road, Washington Akron, OH-Area bounded by Wolf Ledge, Thornton, Grant and Voris San Antonio, TX-Area bounded by South Flores, Sheridan, South For the Postal Service: HAROLD F. FAUGHT, Senior Assistant Postmaster General, Mail Processing Group. LOUIS A. Cox, Acting Assistant Postmaster General, For the General Services Administration: A. F. SAMPSON, Deputy Administrator for Special Projects, GSA. JULY 1, 1971. JULY 23, 1971. Hon. WINTON M. BLOUNT, Postmaster General of the United States, U.S. Postal Service, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. BLOUNT: As you know, this subcommittee has been holding hearings since July 13 on the Impact of the Postal Building Program on Federal Agencies. During the course of these hearings there has been testimony which relates to the USPS (Post Office Department) and actions which you have taken in its behalf. With the foreknowledge that these matters would be inquired into, I instructed my staff to contact your office and convey to you the fact that the subcommittee was desirous of your presence for purposes of testimony in order that the record might be developed in full. I understand that on June 28 a representative of your office was advised that the most efficacious date for your appearance would be either July 15 or July 22, and that on July 6 he was informed the date had been firmly set for July 22 at 10:00 a.m. Subsequently I was told that your office advised my staff on July 15 that you would be unable to appear on the 22nd due to a speaking engagement you had accepted for that date in California, and that you had proposed instead that we have testimony from certain of your representatives. While I appreciate your offer, their appearance without you was not satisfactory to the needs of the subcommittee and your office was so informed. We were agreeable to adjust the format of our hearing to accommodate you on either July 20 or 21 and so advised your office. When my staff was told that you could not attend on either of those two dates, we made inquiry as to your availability during the week of July 26 and have had no definitive answer to date. We have received your invitation to have breakfast with you in your office where a few members might discuss these matters with you informally. We appreciate your proffered hospitality and I shall be happy to join you for breakfast on Tuesday. However, an informal off-the-record "briefing" would not satisfy the purposes of the subcommittee. In view of the literally hundreds of millions of dollars of the taxpayers' money which is directly involved in these transactions, we feel very strongly that such information as the subcommittee develops must be divulged in open hearings for the public record. It is my considered opinion, and I believe that opinion is shared by other members of the subcommittee, that the testimony we have received thus far has been significant and conclusive on the major points covered. It would be helpful, of course, to have your confirmation and further elucidation on certain details since apparently you personally managed and directed most of the negotiations with which our inquiry is involved. My purpose in addressing this letter to you at this time is to make the record clear that we have attempted to accommodate your very busy schedule and to offer you the opportunity to appear and clarify any matter which you felt necessitated it. In the absence of a request by you to appear before the subcommittee at some mutually agreeable date next week, we will consider that you have no objections to our closing the transcript and having it printed. As you are undoubtedly aware, Congress will be in recess during most of the month of August. It may be that, following our resumption in September, the membership of the subcommittee may elect to resume hearings and that your presence may be required at that time. Very best wishes. JIM WRIGHT, Chairman, Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight. THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, Hon. JIM WRIGHT, Chairman, Subcommittee on Investigation and Oversight, Committee on Public Works, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you for your letter of July 23 regarding the hearings that your Subcommittee has been holding on the impact of the postal building program on Federal agencies. I appreciate your thoughtfulness in writing, and I would like to express my acknowledgement and thanks, both for your offer to let me testify before the transcript is closed and for your effort to accommodate my schedule in this regard. As you know, the Postal Service has been involved in critically important collective bargaining negotiations that have occupied a major portion of my time during the course of your hearings. After marathon negotiating sessions, we finally reached an agreement that was signed at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 20, and I was thus enabled to keep a commitment in California that I had been |