5.2 Scope. The provisions of this chapter apply Servicewide.

5.3 Policy. Service policy in acquiring and using copier equipment is as follows:

A. To establish, where possible, copy centers in order to control equipment usage, assure its safe operation, and minimize costs by avoiding duplication of equipment needs. When practicable and cost effective, such centers should have an on-site operator to manage the equipment, maintain production records, and prevent equipment abuse.

B. To limit the acquisition of copier equipment to those situations where it clearly and demonstrably promotes efficiency and economy in operations.

C. To use copier equipment for official purposes only.

5.4 Objectives. The objectives are to insure that an evaluation of need is done in determining copier requirements prior to acquisition of such equipment and to subsequently ensure that such equipment is used for the purposes for which it was acquired.

5.5 Authority. Departmental Manual, 314 DM, Chapter 9.

5.6 Definition. Automatic copy-processing machines are those which produce copies by electrostatic, thermal, or other copying processes and where more than one copy can be reproduced without rehandling the original.

5.7 Responsibilities:

A. The Washington Office, Chief, Division of Contracting and General Services (CGS) is responsible for coordinating all Service copier equipment requisitions with the Department's Division of Printing and Publications. Departmental approval by the Chief, Division of Printing and Publications (DPP), is required prior to acquisition of all Service copier equipment. A Form DI-1866, Request for Reprographic Equipment, is to be used for this purpose. The Washington Office, CGS, will maintain a master inventory of copier equipment currently in use, and will serve as the liaison with the Department in the resolution of problems pertaining to the acquisition and utilization of such equipment.

B. The Regional Chiefs, Division of Contracting and General Services are responsible for:

(1) validating and approving all requests for copier equipment in their Regions before forwarding them to the Washington Office, CGS, for Departmental approval; and

(2) monitoring and evaluating production costs.

5.8 General. Part 314 of the Departmental Manual, Chapter 9, places administrative and management overview responsibility for copier equipment with Bureau heads. The major requirements of Chapter 9 are as follows:

A. Designation of bureau officials to serve as first review authority on copier requests.

B. Bureau maintenance of equipment inventory records and production costs. These records are to be evaluated periodically to ensure the proper utilization of such equipment. Corrective action is to be taken immediately when cost inefficiencies are noted.

C. Periodic bureau review of copy equipment inventories and associated production costs in assessing the effectiveness of the bureau copier management program.

5.9 Guidelines.

A. Copier equipment must be equipped with meters to record production.

B. An isolated field location not having the volume requirement to justify a copier may, nonetheless, be granted approval to rent or purchase a small copier at the lowest possible cost.

5.10 Restrictions. The following prohibitions apply to the leasing or purchasing of copier equipment:

A. Approval for cost per copy contracts or services, in lieu of purchasing or renting reprographic equipment, must be obtained from the Chief, DPP, prior to initiating any contracts for these services. A written justification, including anticipated cost savings, must be prepared for evaluation by the Chief, DPP. Please submit the justification to the Washington Office, Chief, CGS, who will submit it to the Department for a decision. Also, the renting of copiers whose copy service plan permits billing of supplies and monthly use fees based on estimated usage, but which do not require actual meter readings, will not be approved.

B. Copier equipment is not to be acquired as a substitute for the services offered by the Government Printing Office and its regional printing and procurement offices.

C. Under no circumstances should a purchase order for copier equipment (rental or purchase) be sent directly to a dealer. Rather, all requisitions (Form 3-2109) must first be sent to the appropriate Regional Chief, CGS, for review and approval before being forwarded to the Washington Office, CGS, to obtain Departmental approval.

5.11 Acquisition of Supplies. Whenever possible, employees are required to use the GSA's Federal Supply Schedule in meeting their paper and supply requirements.

5.12 Equipment Inventory, Production Volume and Costs Records. The Division of Contracting and General Services, Washington Office, and Regional CGS Divisions are responsible for establishing and maintaining equipment inventories, production volume, and cost records for copier equipment under their jurisdiction. These records are to be periodically reviewed by these offices to insure that copier equipment is being properly utilized (including both Service-owned and leased copier equipment).

A. One card (FWS Form 3-2073) is used for reporting both meter readings (production volume) and acquiring new, relocating existing, or disposing of old copier equipment.

B. Regional offices are responsible for notifying the Washington Office of all transactions (including relocations of equipment) that in any way affect the Service's master inventory listing of copier equipment.

C. The Washington and Regional Offices are responsible for compiling production and cost data required by the Department for copier equipment under their jurisdiction. The Department's annual reporting date is 30 days from the end of the fiscal year. Each Regional office is to submit its average cost-per-copy data report on FWS Form 3-2075 for the previous fiscal year to the Washington Office (CGS) by mid October in order that one consolidated report can be submitted by the Service. Records shall be maintained separately for owned and leased copiers.

D. The following information must be available for reporting purposes:

(1) Total number of copiers in use.

(2) Total annual production per copier.

(3) Total annual cost of production per copier.

(4) Cost-per-copy per copier.

5.13 Duplicating Equipment. All matters pertaining to the acquisition, use and production and cost data required by the Congressional Joint Committee on Printing in the use of printing and duplicating equipment should be addressed to the Service's Publications Officer, Washington Office. Special approval and reporting requirements apply to duplicating jobs exceeding more than 5,000 copies of a single page, or to jobs exceeding 25,000 copies of multiple pages in the aggregate.

5.14 Forms. Supplies of forms referred to in this chapter are available from servicing CGS offices.