15 FAM 140
REAL PROPERTY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
(Office of Origin: OBO/PRE)
15 FAM 141 Real Property Application (RPA)
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
a. The Real Property Application (RPA) is the Department of State’s single comprehensive database for all real property abroad and serves as a sub-ledger to the Department of State’s financial system. RPA provides local planning, operation, management, and reporting requirements for the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO). RPA is a centrally managed system where both post and OBO can see real time changes to the inventory.
b. RPA is the authoritative source of information for all real property holdings managed and maintained by the Department of State as the senior real property officer (SRPO) for U.S. Government agencies abroad and real property holdings managed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
15 FAM 141.1 Real Property Inventory Data Management
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
a. Post must use RPA to manage its real property inventory and is required to update RPA as real property transactions occur. This applies to all land, buildings, and structures abroad (whether for nonresidential or residential use) that are owned or leased by the U.S. Government. This includes privately leased housing occupied by employees of any agency serving abroad under chief-of-mission (COM) authority. See 15 FAM Exhibit 141 Required Real Property Records for real property records that the SRPO and post must maintain.
b. The SRPO's designee at post, referred to as the single real property manager (SRPM) (or the principal agency representative for special USAID reports) is responsible for ensuring real property information is current and accurate in RPA at all times.
c. Post must include all agencies that are at post under COM authority unless funded by the host government and no ICASS services are being provided.
d. Peace Corps and U.S. Agency for Global Media records are excluded from RPA reporting requirements.
e. Post should consult the RPA User Manual or RPA Online Help link within the software for instructions on how to add, update, and manage real property records in RPA. Any other questions can be directed to OBO-PRE-RPA@state.gov.
15 FAM 142 Facility Maintenance Reporting
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
The Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) application is the standard automated system that supports post requirements for planning, managing, and accomplishing facility maintenance on U.S. Government-owned (GO) properties, except for USAID property. The CMMS application approved for post use is the Global Maintenance Management System (GMMS).
15 FAM 143 REQUIRED CertificationS
15 FAM 143.1 Annual Chief-of-Mission (COM) Certification
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
The annual COM certification must state whether the post’s housing program complies with 15 FAM, note any deviations from established policies and procedures, and indicate what actions will be undertaken to correct them.
(1) The SRPM or their designee is responsible for making all appropriate notations in the post housing files.
(2) The certification must also include specific reference to each housing assignment over space standards and assignments to operating lease (OL) quarters that are more expensive than the average market rent or above the rental benchmark for that tier and family size and provide the justification for assignments not complying with current standards; see 15 FAM 212.
(3) The COM certification must also state whether post is using CMMS and maintaining the accuracy and completeness of the CMMS and whether post is maintaining, as current and accurate, its RPA data at all times. (Overseas Staffing Model (OSM) category 1 and 2 posts are exempt from the CMMS installation but not the certification.)
15 FAM 143.2 Single Real Property Manager (SRPM) Certification
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
a. COM Certification Requirement In preparing the annual COM certification on housing program management, the SRPM must certify to the COM, in writing, whether all leases acquired or renewed, and housing assignments made during that fiscal year for the embassy and constituent posts were processed in compliance with 15 FAM.
(1) Any exceptions must be noted, especially housing assignments that exceed space standards and assignments to OL quarters that are more expensive than the average or above the rental benchmark for that tier and family size, including a justification for each assignment not complying with current standards (see 15 FAM 212).
(2) The designee’s certification must include a list of all housing actions taken during the fiscal year and must include a certification that the executed leases and supporting documents have been uploaded into RPA in a timely manner. Such certifications are subject to audit and must be maintained in post files for three years from the date of submission of the annual COM certification, and in accordance with Department of State records management guidelines.
b. RPA Data Certification Requirement The SRPM [generally the housing general services officer (GSO)] must review and certify the completeness and accuracy of post's RPA data.
(1) The RPA data should contain information on all government-owned land, buildings, and structures. This should include all leases [operating, capital, and private, i.e., living quarters allowance (LQA)].
(2) While conducting the review, the SRPM should look for errors such as incorrect measurements, inaccurate annual rent, leases that have expired, leases with start dates not equal to the beginning of the current term, occupants whose tour dates have passed; and government-owned properties not previously documented.
15 FAM 143.3 Reporting the Chief-of-Mission (COM) Annual Statement of Assurance
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
As required in 2 FAM 022.7 paragraph (5), the COM statement of assurance must be submitted annually to the regional bureaus. Post must follow the reporting guidance they receive from their regional bureau executive office as part of the Annual Management Assurance Process (see 2 FAM 024).
15 FAM 143.4 Principal Officer (PO) Certification
(CT:OBO-53; 11-30-2016)
The principal officer (PO) of constituent posts must provide annual certification of compliance with established policies and procedures as outlined in 15 FAM to the COM for incorporation in the required COM certification.
15 FAM 143.5 USAID Annual Certification
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
(USAID Only)
The USAID annual report (15 FAM 143) must be submitted to the COM and must be accompanied by the following certification:
“The reporting post certifies that the listed properties were effectively used during the fiscal year and that the overall maintenance and operating costs for these units were not excessive in comparison to other suitable properties (except . . .). These listed properties were assigned or leased in compliance with all existing housing policies and procedures.”
15 FAM 144 USAID additional reports
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
(USAID Only)
a. The USAID Mission Director or USAID Principal Officer must submit an annual report and certification of USAID real property holdings (all of which are to be recorded and maintained in RPA) to the Overseas Management Division, Office of Management Services, Bureau for Management, USAID/Washington (USAID/W - M/MS/OMD).
b. At the request of the embassy management officer, each USAID mission must prepare an annual report on its real property holdings. This report must be submitted to the COM for certification that the USAID housing program is properly and effectively administered, and that housing has been assigned in compliance with all existing housing policies and procedures. The principal USAID officer must approve and sign the report, which must accompany the certifying statement. The report must be in the following format:
OWNED PROPERTY
Property No. Occupant/Purpose
X4007 OB (for office
building)
X5008 ADO (for area development officer)
LEASED PROPERTY
USAID Lease No. Occupant/Purpose
[AID-YYY-LE-XX-ZZZ]
AID-306-LE-84-585 MD (for mission director)
AID-306-LE-84-591 DD (for deputy director)
c. For leased property, it is only necessary to list the USAID series indicator, country code, and lease contract symbol (“LE”) at the top of each column. Special residences, office buildings, and other nonresidential facilities should be indicated by the abbreviations shown above. No abbreviation or other identification is needed for nonrepresentational housing.
15 FAM 145 DOCUMENT DISPOSiTION
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
Documents required to be sent to OBO and to the Overseas Management Division, Office of Management Services, Bureau for Management, USAID/Washington (USAID/W - M/MS/OMD), or other agencies should be sent to the addresses given in 15 FAM 145.1, 15 FAM 145.2, and 15 FAM 145.3.
15 FAM 145.1 Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO)
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
a. Follow closing cable instructions for sending acquisition/disposal documents to:
U.S. Department of State
OBO/PRE/OAD
6th Floor, SA-6
Attn: OAD Realty Specialist: See cable for POC
1701 N. Ft. Myer Dr.
Arlington, VA 22209-2481
b. Send documents by commercial air courier to:
U.S. Department of State
OBO/PRE/OAD
Attn: See cable for POS, Realty Specialist
1701 N. Ft. Myer Dr.
Arlington, VA 22209-2481
15 FAM 145.2 USAID
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
(USAID Only)
Send documents to:
U.S. Agency for International Development
USAID/W - M/MS/OMD
Attn: Overseas Management Division Chief
USAID Annex – Room 10.7.0 D
Washington, DC 20024
15 FAM 145.3 Other Agencies
(CT:OBO-53; 11-30-2016)
(Agriculture/Commerce)
Each agency must submit required documents to the parent agency, using the addresses below:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Foreign Agriculture Service
Room 5707, South Building
Washington, DC 20520
U.S. Department of Commerce
USFCS/OPM
HCHB
Room 3809
14th and Constitution, NW
Washington, DC 20230
15 fam 146 through 149 unassigned
15 FAM Exhibit 141
Required Real Property Records
(CT:OBO-144; 01-17-2024)
a. This is a list of real property records that must be maintained by OBO and all posts. See referenced sections of 15 FAM for details.
b. Official documentation in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified English translation, signed by the translator, with their name typed below the signature.
Leases (see 15 FAM 347, Required Lease Documentation, for details).
(1) Post must maintain original signed capital leases (CL) and operating leases (OL), all lease renewals, and lease amendments along with a certified English translation if the documents are not in English.
(2) Post must ensure that copies of signed CLs and OLs and their appendices for all residential and nonresidential properties are uploaded to RPA. All lease renewals and other amendments, attachments, and annexures must be included. Annexures should also include site plans and floor plans with measurements. Upon request, these must also be provided to USAID/W-M/MS/OMD. Post must also notify and upload CL documents to OBO/PRE-Archives via the PRE-Archives Request Portal upon completion of CL document uploads to RPA.
(3) Post must ensure copies of signed termination and acquittance agreements for CLs and OLs are uploaded to RPA and, upon request, provided to USAID/W – M/MS/OMD.
(4) Post must upload copies of signed USAID CLs and OLs to RPA. Post must also notify OBO/PRE-Archives via the PRE-Archives Request Portal upon completion of CL document uploads to RPA.
(5) Post must ensure copies of private lease documentation, including living quarters allowance leases, are uploaded to RPA.
Property acquisition documents (see 15 FAM 450, Required Documentation, for details).
(1) Post must provide original title deeds or official documents issued by the land registry, title surveys, and crown leasehold titles to the Office of Acquisitions and Disposals, in the Directorate for Planning and Real Estate, in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO/PRE/OAD) or the Overseas Management Division, Bureau for Management, USAID/Washington USAID/W - M/MS/OMD, as appropriate. Post must provide a certified English translation to OBO/PRE/OAD if the acquisition documentation was executed in a foreign language. Post must also upload the electronic copy via the PRE-Archives Request Portal.
(2) Post must provide copies of acquisition documents and certified English translations (contract of sale, options exercised, and affidavits of title) to OBO/PRE/OAD or USAID/W - M/MS/OMD, as appropriate, and electronic copy to OBO/PRE/OSP/KM via the PRE-Archives Request Portal.
(3) Post and/or USAID/W - M/MS/OMD must maintain original acquisition documents (listed above) and payment vouchers (COAST Voucher Reports). Upload electronic copies to PRE-Archives Request Portal.
(4) Post must provide signed boundary and building location surveys, with geographic coordinates (including copies of drawing and certificate), to OBO/PRE/OAD or USAID/W - M/MS/OMD and upload electronic copies to PRE-Archives Request Portal.
(5) Post must maintain original survey drawings and certificates.
(6) Once all official documents and English translations are received, OBO/PRE/OAD must provide the Core Document Checklist and associated documents to OBO/PRE/OSP/KM Archives via electronic and hard copy with any accompanied transaction notes to store in official document repository.
Real property disposal documents (see 15 FAM 530, Procedures for Disposal of Real Property, for details).
(1) Post must provide the signed sales contract, including a certified English translation; other signed documentation confirming the date of sale, completion of the sale, and amount of money in dollars and local currency agreed upon; and signed Form OF-158, General Receipt, indicating the total amount and the exchange rate on the date of deposit to OBO/PRE/OAD or USAID/W - M/MS/OMD, as appropriate.
(2) Post must provide an exchange contract including a certified English translation as outlined in 15 FAM 451, paragraph c; other signed documentation confirming the date of exchange, completion of the exchange, and the amount of money in dollars and local currency agreed upon, if not listed in the exchange contract; and signed Form OF-158, General Receipt, indicating the total amount of the “boot” (cash or other property added to an exchange to make the value of the traded goods equal) and the currency exchange rate on the date of deposit to OBO/PRE/OAD or USAID/W - M/MS/OMD, as appropriate.
(3) Post must send one signed original and/or a certified copy of the agreement upon execution, renewal, or termination of an out lease or out license allowing another party to use U.S. Government-owned or leased real property, to OBO/PRE/OAD/AM for Department of State properties, or, in the case of USAID properties, USAID/W-M/MS/OMD. Post must include the agreement in a certified English translation as outlined in 15 FAM 451, paragraph c, to OBO/PRE/OAD/AM or USAID/W-M/MS/OMD, respectively. Post must retain one signed copy of the agreement. Post must ensure that any termination notification bears the number of the out license or out lease, and the termination notification or a subsequent document must report that all sums owed have been paid (see 15 FAM 450).
(4) Upon the demolition or total destruction of a non-leased property, post must submit an RPA Form D1-Disposal document to OBO-PRE-OSP-KM-RPA@state.gov. Post must have the form signed and dated by a U.S. Foreign Service or general services officer certifying the property ID number, property address, date of demolition/destruction, and method of disposition for each property. The RPA Form D1-Disposal document is required by OBO/COMP/FM to officially remove non-sale or exchange properties from the Department of State Chief Financial Officer’s real property inventory.
(5) Once all official documents and English translations are received, OBO/PRE/OAD must provide any associated disposal documents via electronic and hard copy with any accompanied transaction notes to OBO/PRE/OSP/KM Archives to store in its official document repository.