Declaring and Sending Surplus

When property is no longer needed, departments declare it as surplus. Property Disposition will dispose of the property based on a determination of its highest and best use, then return 90% of any proceeds to the department.

To declare surplus, download a Declaration of Surplus Form (DOS) and review the "Directions for completing a Declaration of Surplus Form" tab. When completing the DOS Form, be sure to:

  • List the shortcode that should receive funds after property is disposed
  • List each item separately with as much detail as possible, and note any U-M tag numbers    
    • Remember: Equipment purchased with sponsored funds require clearance through Property Control.  Property Control should be contacted and a clearance memo must be provided along with the DOS when submitting a sponsored item to Property Disposition.
  • Print and sign your name on the DOS Form. If the shipment includes storage media that is sanitized, a second signature is required from the person who performed sanitization.

Sending surplus to Property Disposition

Scan and email your signed DOS Form to Property Disposition (property.disposition@umich.edu) to schedule a delivery date. Once a delivery date has been issued to you, contact Moving & Trucking at 734-764-2487, or one of the university’s strategic moving and storage vendors, to schedule your move.

The original, signed DOS Form must accompany surplus items sent to Property Disposition. Property Disposition cannot accept surplus without a completed and signed form.

NOTE: Hospital buildings including University Hospital, CW Mott, Taubman Center, Med Inn, Towsley, Cancer Center (floors B2, B1, 1 and parts of 2), Medical Professional Building and Cardiovascular Center should make arrangements with Hospital Maintenance (936-5054) and also provide them the DOS form.

Computer and Digital Media Preparation

To ensure compliance with The University of Michigan Board of Regents bylaws 14.07 Privacy and Access to Information, all university-owned digital media devices must be sanitized or physically destroyed before disposal or transfer to another university department.*

Property Disposition provides both data sanitization and data destruction services for a fee. Follow these procedures to request data sanitization or destruction services when declaring surplus.

  1. To declare surplus, complete a Declaration of Surplus form and refer to the Directions for Completing a DOS tab.
  2. List each item to be sent to Property Disposition
    1. For media devices to be sanitized, enter “Sanitize” in the Estimated Value field. 
    2. For media devices to be destroyed, enter “Destroy” in the Estimated Value field.
  3. Within 14 days of receipt, Property Disposition will 1) sanitize or destroy the device, 2) provide a Certificate of Destruction to the Department Contact listed on the DOS form, and 3) charge the department shortcode for services completed.

Property Disposition charges $10 per device to sanitize, and $1 per device to destroy.

Note: Physical destruction should only be used if hard drives are inoperable, or when data tapes cannot be overwritten.

All data storage media is audited at the Property Disposition warehouse to ensure compliance with this policy. If violations are discovered, Property Disposition will sanitize or destroy the device and will charge the department.

Additional policy on this matter can be found in the Standard Practice Guide 520.01 Section IV, Item D. Please learn about university guidelines for sanitization and data destruction here.

*Individual units may have stronger requirements. Please consult with your IT department.

EHS regulations

Before completing a DOS form, please read the following State and Federal EHS regulations:

  • All radiation devices (e.g., x-rays, spectrophotometers, and scintillation counters) must first be surveyed decommissioned by EHS prior to shipping the item to Property Disposition. Contact EHS directly at 734-764-6200 with any questions. See more information regarding radiation device disposal.
  • If disposing or selling a Class 3B or Class 4 laser, EHS must be contacted to decommission the device. Contact EHS at 734-647-5224. See More information regarding laser disposal.
  • All lab equipment requires EHS clearance prior to disposal. Other items requiring clearance include:
    • Fume hoods
    • Used glassware
    • Chemicals
    • Motor oils
    • Ceiling tiles
    • Asbestos-containing materials
    • All fluorescent light bulbs
    • All batteries
    • Electron microscopes
    • Transformers
    • Any item with “Yellow” EHS tags

 

  • Proper Equipment Disposal Procedures:
    • All laboratory equipment must be decontaminated before transport for disposal, maintenance, or repair. The laboratory owning or using the equipment is responsible for decontamination. Certification of decontamination must be done using the EHS Laboratory Equipment Decontamination Form. This form should be attached to the equipment prior to transport, maintenance, repair, or disposal activities[b]. Laboratories will decontaminate their equipment in accordance with their written standard operating procedures included in their specific chemical hygiene plan(s).
    • Equipment that contained, or was used to store radioactive materials or radiological hazards, requires decommissioning prior to transport for disposal, maintenance, or repair. Decommissioning will be conducted by qualified EHS personnel. The unit owning or using the equipment requiring decommissioning will coordinate the decommissioning process with EHS. Specific information on the decommissioning process can be obtained from EHS at 734-647-1143.
    • Moving companies will NOT transport laboratory equipment without a completed Laboratory Equipment Decontamination Form from the owners or users of that equipment, or prior direct approval from EHS. They will not transport equipment requiring decommissioning that has not been decommissioned. Equipment that is visibly contaminated will not be transported, even if a decontamination form is included with the equipment, without prior direct approval from EHS. Equipment that is still marked with a radiation or radiological warning sign, label, or other radiation hazard marking, will not be transported.
    • All equipment that contains refrigerant gas or refrigerant-laden oil that is to be disposed of as waste will be drained of refrigerant gases by Plant Operations Facilities Maintenance prior to transport for final disposal. Equipment received by Facilities Maintenance that does not appear to have been decontaminated or decommissioned, as outlined above, will be reported to EHS immediately and not disposed of until approved directly by EHS.
    • The Proper Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) Decommissioning policy describes the Decommissioning of Class II Biological Safety Cabinets (BSC) owned by the University of Michigan. The goal of the policy is to promote biosecurity by the U-M Biological Safety Officer. All university colleges, departments, and units are required to follow these procedures.