Government Furnished Equipment for Telework and Remote Employees

United States Department of the Interior 
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT 
Oregon State Office
P.O. Box 2965  
Portland, Oregon 97208

AUG 11, 2020

IN REPLY REFER TO:
1263/1520 (OR959/OR955) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 08/12/2020
Instruction Memorandum No. OR-2020-013
Expires: 09/30/2023

To: All Oregon/Washington Bureau of Land Management Employees
From: State Director, Oregon/Washington
Subject: Government Furnished Equipment for Telework and Remote Employees

Program Area: Property and Information Technology

Purpose: This instruction memorandum (IM) provides guidance regarding Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) for both telework and remote duty station employees.

Administrative or Mission Related: Administrative

Policy/Action: Each employee in Oregon/Washington (OR/WA) is issued one laptop (or tablet) based on work type (standard office automation, Cadastral/GIS, Photogrammetry/remote sensing, ruggedized for mobile use, etc.), a docking station, two power cables, one or two external monitors as needed, an external keyboard, and mouse.  This equipment is considered GFE issued to each employee and can be located in the employee’s regular office or at a telework/remote location.  Employees will not be issued duplicate sets of IT equipment to have at multiple locations. 

Telework and remote employees are generally responsible for providing all other equipment and furnishings to support working away from the office.  However, supervisors may determine, on a case-by-case basis, that an employee requires specific equipment to accomplish work or as a qualified reasonable accommodation.  Program funds will be used to purchase those items.

All GFE assigned to a core telework/remote employee will have a signed DI-105, Receipt for Property. Official records of DI-105s will be retained by the supervisor with copies sent to the local Property Manager (PM) and employee. Telework and remote duty station agreements, along with all assigned GFE, will be reviewed annually, at a minimum, or sooner, if necessary.

Supervisor responsibilities:

• Ensure the employee is issued a Government laptop or tablet and has adequate internet connection (provided by the employee) at the employee’s telework or remote location.
• Ensure the telework or remote location has the minimum safety and security requirements as outlined in the telework agreement.
• Determine if the employee needs additional equipment or accommodations. Additional items determined as a requirement for the employee to accomplish assigned tasks or as an accommodation will be purchased with program funds and coordinated with Information Technology staff on a case-by-case basis.
• Ensure office furniture is not removed from Government office spaces. If additional office furniture is required at the employee’s home for the express purpose of assigned duties, or as a qualified reasonable accommodation, it will be purchased using program funds.
• Encourage employees who work from home fulltime to adopt all digital work processes that minimize the need for printing and scanning at home.
• Report incidents of loss, damage, or theft to the PM in a timely manner.

Employee responsibilities:

• Ensure GFE is safe and secure from damage, loss, or theft.
• Have adequate power and internet connection capable to support work activity.
• Report loss, damage, or theft immediately to the supervisor.
• Ensure GFE is maintained in accordance with agency policy or manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Refrain from attaching any personal printers and/or scanners to GFE (laptops/tablets).
• Make cable connections and physically set up equipment. BLM desktop support will be limited to remote telephone support only.

Teleworking or remote employees are not authorized to store Government vehicles or other motorized equipment at their residences on a permanent basis.  Approval for this type of GFE arrangement must be approved by the Secretary of the Interior.  

Timeframe: This IM is effective upon issuance. 

Budget Impact: Minimal budget impacts are anticipated.

Background: The anticipated increase in core telework and remote duty stationed employees has prompted the issuance of this IM.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: None.

Coordination: This IM was coordinated with the Branches of Engineering, Facilities, Property, and Leasing (OR959); Information Resources Management (OR955); and Human Resources (OR953).

Contact: For questions please contact either Brent Bunger, OR/WA Property Lead, bbunger@blm.gov, 503-808-6208, or Cloy Bittinger, Acting Branch Chief of Information Resources Management, cbitting@blm.gov, 503-808-6381.

Signed by 
Kathryn Stangl
Acting Associate State Director

Authenticated by 
K. Wentworth
Data Records Administrator

Distribution:
WO-810