Yes, there are two unusual circumstances under which a Facilities Master Plan may contain a recommendation to retain excess facilities for use by another agency or organization.
- A historic facility that because of its uniqueness or significance
to Forest Service history should remain under Federal ownership.
- The Facilities Master Plan shows a future need for a facility that is currently underused.
In these rare situations, other Federal agencies, State or local government agencies, and some educational or nonprofit organizations may be allowed to use the facility.
State agency field offices or quarters, recreation cabin rentals, and museums are examples of alternate uses.
Facility maintenance must be provided. If the other entity will provide maintenance, identify the required work clearly in the agreement. If the Forest Service will be providing the building maintenance, the agency must collect enough funds through the agreement to cover the work.
The available tools for allowing another entity to use your facility include intra-agency agreements (with other USDA agencies) and interagency agreements (with other Government agencies). Agreements with other organizations or agencies may include cooperative agreements or memoranda of understanding. The unit grants and agreements coordinator or special uses specialist will help determine who is eligible to use the facility and what authority and agreement format to use. The use of agreements is delineated in Forest Service Manual 1500, Chapter 1580—Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Other Agreements , and in Forest Service Handbook 1509.11—Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Other Agreements Handbook. See the Space/Occupancies Flow Chart for more guidance on the tools that are available under different circumstances.
A museum or interpretive site may be operated under a partnership agreement with a local historic preservation organization or under a not-for-profit trust. Trusts and partnerships may be able to use endowments, Federal funding outside the Forest Service, charitable contributions, or revenues generated from the use of the facility to preserve and maintain it.
Fee Demo authority may be used for recreation facilities.
Other permits , including Special Use Permits , Participating Agreements, Challenge Cost-Share Agreements, or Joint Venture Agreements may be used under some circumstances.