Defense Surplus Equipment Disposal, Including the Law Enforcement 1033 Program. Valerie Bailey Grasso, Specialist in Defense Acquisition. September 5, 2014.

“On September 12, 1972, the Defense Property Disposal Service (the forerunner to DLA Disposition Services) was established under the Defense Supply Agency (now DLA). Defense property disposal offices were established worldwide on or near major military installations. DLA Disposition Services is responsible for property reuse (including the disposal and sale of surplus and excess defense equipment and supplies), precious metal recovery, recycling, hazardous property disposal, and the demilitarization of military equipment. Over the past four years, according to DLA’s website, over $2.2 billion of property was reutilized…Property is considered excess when one particular federal agency determines it is not needed for its particular use, while property is considered surplus when it is no longer needed by the federal government. Most property turned in to DLA Disposition Services by the military services is offered for use in other DOD activities and to other federal agencies. Property considered surplus can be reused, transferred, donated, or sold; potential recipients may include law enforcement agencies, school systems, medical institutions, civic and community organizations, libraries, homeless assistance providers, state and local government agencies, and the public. During FY2008, about 56,000 military organizations and components turned in over 3.5 million items to DLA Disposition Services. About half of all surplus items are designated for the foreign military sales program, and about half are made available to other government agencies, eligible donees, or sold to the public.”