§ 581. General authority of Administrator of General Services
(b)
Personnel and Equipment.—
The Administrator of General Services may—
(c)
Acquisition and Management of Property.—
(1)
Real estate.—
The Administrator may acquire, by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, real estate and interests in real estate.
(2)
Ground rent.—
The Administrator may pay ground rent for buildings owned by the Federal Government or occupied by federal agencies, and pay the rent in advance if required by law or if the Administrator determines that advance payment is in the public interest.
(3)
Rent and repairs under a lease.—
The Administrator may pay rent and make repairs, alterations, and improvements under the terms of a lease entered into by, or transferred to, the Administration for the housing of a federal agency.
(4)
Repairs that are economically advantageous.—
The Administrator may repair, alter, or improve rented premises if the Administrator determines that doing so is advantageous to the Government in terms of economy, efficiency, or national security. The Administrator’s determination must—
(d)
Lease of Federal Building Sites.—
(1)
In general.—
The Administrator may lease a federal building site or addition, including any improvements, until the site is needed for construction purposes. The lease must be for fair rental value and on other terms and conditions the Administrator considers to be in the public interest pursuant to section
545 of this title.
(e)
Assistance to the Inaugural Committee.—
The Administrator may provide direct assistance and special services for the Inaugural Committee (as defined in section
501 of title
36) during an inaugural period in connection with Presidential inaugural operations and functions. Assistance and services under this subsection may include—
(f)
Utilities for Defense Industrial Reserve and Surplus Property.—
The Administrator may—
(g)
Obtaining Payments.—
The Administrator may—
(h)
Cooperative Use of Public Buildings.—
(1)
Leasing space for commercial and other purposes.—
The Administrator may lease space on a major pedestrian access level, courtyard, or rooftop of a public building to a person, firm, or organization engaged in commercial, cultural, educational, or recreational activity (as defined in section
3306
(a) of this title). The Administrator shall establish a rental rate for leased space equivalent to the prevailing commercial rate for comparable space devoted to a similar purpose in the vicinity of the public building. The lease may be negotiated without competitive bids, but shall contain terms and conditions and be negotiated pursuant to procedures that the Administrator considers necessary to promote competition and to protect the public interest.
(2)
Occasional use of space for non-commercial purposes.—
The Administrator may make available, on occasion, or lease at a rate and on terms and conditions that the Administrator considers to be in the public interest, an auditorium, meeting room, courtyard, rooftop, or lobby of a public building to a person, firm, or organization engaged in cultural, educational, or recreational activity (as defined in section
3306
(a) of this title) that will not disrupt the operation of the building.
(3)
Deposit and credit of amounts received.—
The Administrator may deposit into the Federal Buildings Fund an amount received under a lease or rental executed pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2). The amount shall be credited to the appropriation from the Fund applicable to the operation of the building.
(4)
Furnishing utilities and maintenance.—
The Administrator may furnish utilities, maintenance, repair, and other services to a person, firm, or organization leasing space pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2). The services may be provided during and outside of regular working hours of federal agencies.