[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3158 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3158
To establish a pilot program to execute lease agreements using
alternative procedures, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 6, 2019
Mr. Meadows (for himself and Mr. Pence) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a pilot program to execute lease agreements using
alternative procedures, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. STREAMLINED LEASING PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) Execution of Leases.--The Administrator of General Services
shall establish and conduct a pilot program to execute lease agreements
using alternative procedures pursuant to authority provided under
section 585 of title 40, United States Code, and pursuant to the
provisions of this section.
(b) Goals of Procedures.--The goals of the alternative procedures
are--
(1) reducing the costs to the Government of leased space,
including--
(A) executing long-term leases with firm terms of
10 years or more and reducing costly holdover and
short-term lease extensions, including short firm term
leases;
(B) improving office space utilization rates of
Federal tenants; and
(C) streamlining and simplifying the leasing
process to take advantage of real estate markets; and
(2) significantly reducing or eliminating the backlog of
expiring leases over the next 5 years.
(c) Leasehold Interests in Real Property.--
(1) Simplified procedures.--Notwithstanding subsection (b)
of section 3305 of title 41, United States Code, but otherwise
in accordance with such section, the Administrator shall
provide special simplified procedures for acquisitions of
leasehold interests in real property at rental rates that do
not exceed the simplified lease acquisition threshold, as
defined in paragraph (2). The rental rate under a multiyear
lease does not exceed the simplified lease acquisition
threshold if the average annual amount of the rent payable for
the period of the lease does not exceed such threshold.
(2) Acquisition threshold.--For purposes of this section,
the simplified lease acquisition threshold is $500,000.
(d) Consolidated Lease Prospectuses.--The Administrator may, when
acquiring leasehold interests subject to section 3307 of title 40,
United States Code, transmit, pursuant to subsection (b) of such
section, to the committees designated in such section for approval of a
prospectus to acquire leased space, and waive the requirements pursuant
to paragraphs (3) and (6) of section 3307(b), subject to the following
requirements:
(1) Cost per square footage.--The cost per square footage
does not exceed the maximum proposed rental rate designated for
the respective geographical area.
(2) Space utilization.--The overall space utilization rate
is 170 usable square feet per person or less based on actual
agency staffing levels when occupied.
(3) Lease term.--The lease firm term is 10 years or
greater.
(4) Geographic location.--The geographical location is
identified as having a large amount of square footage of
Federal office space and lease turnover and will likely result
in providing for the ability, on a timely basis, of the agency
to consolidate space effectively or meet any requirements for
temporary or interim space required for planned consolidations.
(5) Submarkets.--Agencies may consider space in submarket
locations that meet mission requirements.
(e) Consolidations Generally.--The Administrator may consolidate
more than one project into a single prospectus submitted pursuant to
section 3307(b) of title 40, United States Code, if such consolidation
will facilitate efficiencies and reductions in overall space and
improved utilization rates.
(f) Waiver Authority.--The Administrator may--
(1) waive notice and comment rulemaking, if the
Administrator determines the waiver is necessary to implement
this section expeditiously; and
(2) carry out the alternative procedures under this section
as a pilot program.
(g) Reports.--
(1) Annual reports.--During the period in which the pilot
program is conducted under this section, the Administrator
shall submit, annually, to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a
progress report that provides updates on the number and square
footage of leases expiring in the 5-year period beginning on
the date of enactment of this Act, by agency and region, and
which shall include for the expiring leases--
(A) an average of the lease terms, including firm
terms, for leases executed; and
(B) the percentage of leases managed in-house or
through the use of commercial real estate leasing
services.
(2) Final report.--Not later than 180 days after
termination of the pilot program, the Administrator shall
submit a final report to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate. The
final report shall include--
(A) a review and evaluation of the lease agreements
executed under the alternative procedures established
pursuant to this section in comparison to those
agreements not executed pursuant to the alternative
procedures;
(B) recommendations on any permanent changes to the
General Services Administration's leasing authority;
and
(C) a progress evaluation in meeting the goals
described in subsection (b).
(h) Termination.--The authorities under this section shall
terminate on December 31, 2024.
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