(a) Federally-owned property.

(1) Title to federally-owned property remains vested in the Federal Government. Recipients shall submit annually an inventory listing of federally-owned property in their custody to DOE. Upon completion of the award or when the property is no longer needed, the recipient shall report the property to DOE for further Federal agency utilization.

(2) If DOE has no further need for the property, it shall be declared excess and reported to the General Services Administration, unless DOE has statutory authority to dispose of the property by alternative methods (e.g., the authority provided by the Federal Technology Transfer Act (15 U.S.C. 3710 (i)) to donate research equipment to educational and non-profit organizations in accordance with E.O. 12821, “Improving Mathematics and Science Education in Support of the National Education Goals.”) Appropriate instructions shall be issued to the recipient by DOE.

(b) Exempt property. When statutory authority exists, DOE may vest title to property acquired with Federal funds in the recipient without further obligation to the Federal Government and under conditions DOE considers appropriate. For example, under 31 U.S.C. 6306, DOE may so vest title to tangible personal property under a grant or cooperative agreement for basic or applied research in a nonprofit institution of higher education or in a nonprofit organization whose primary purpose is conducting scientific research. Such property is “exempt property.” Program regulations or the terms and conditions of award may establish provisions for vesting title to exempt property. Should such conditions not be established and the recipient has no need for the equipment, the recipient shall request disposition instructions from DOE. If DOE does not issue disposition instructions within 120 calendar days of receipt of the request, title to the property shall vest in the recipient without further obligation to the Federal Government. If, at the end of the project, DOE fails to issue disposition instructions within 120 calendar days of the receipt of a final inventory, title to the property shall vest in the recipient without further obligation to the Federal Government.