CANNIBALIZATION

Cannibalization is strictly prohibited unless approved in advance by the Property Management Officer. Requests for approval of cannibalization are submitted on a CD-52, Report of Review of Property. If a part is removed from a working piece of equipment which thereby renders this working piece of equipment inoperable, then this is cannibalization.

However, it is often the case that the best utilization of Government property involves removing working parts from one broken item of equipment to fix another item of equipment. This is not cannibalization. In order to maintain the integrity of the broken item from which parts are being removed, it is essential that its parts be replaced with the broken parts of the item being repaired. Once all usable parts have been removed from a broken item of equipment, and it can no longer be used for this purpose, it can be excessed with a condition code of "Salvage". An example might make this point more understandable. An empty case may not be classified on an excess report as a computer. The PIN of the empty case is recorded in the Personal Property Information System (PMIS) and is being excessed as a computer. Although it is broken and inoperable, its original purpose and classification must be retained.