When times are tough, bargain hunters get a bigger thrill finding good deals. Imagine their feeling if they walk away with a $30 computer on Saturday.
The Florida A&M Office of Property Records holds a surplus sale at the Property Management Office of the Physical Plant Warehouse on 2380 Wahnish Way in Room 200 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The items that will be sold include computers, desks, chairs, file cabinets, bookcases, even wall decorations and a couple pianos. The items sold come from various campus locations, after becoming obsolete or being viewed as unnecessary by a particular department. All items being sold have been cleaned and deemed recyclable but are sold “where is” and “as is” according to Assistant Controller Laverne Washington.
The sale takes the form of a sealed bids auction, where participants are given a bid packet and are required to write down how much they are willing to pay for the particular item they want. By 1 p.m. all bid packets must be turned in. By 1: 15 p.m. the tabulation begins and the item will go to the highest bidder.
These sales are generally held quarterly, Washington said. The sealed bid auctions are approved by a Board of Trustees as a means to get rid of excess property legally – it is unlawful to simply throw out school property.
A week before opening for the general public, the Office of Property Records invites all university staff. Each individual is permitted to take anything they need for their department. Any items priced over $1,000 are transferred to the department’s inventory at no cost, Washington said.
The purpose of the Office of Property Records is to make a complete inventory of all physical property on campus and keep records – including the property’s location and in whose custody.
All the proceeds of the surplus sale are used by the Office of Property Records to facilitate future operations and pay employees.
All the equipment that is not sold at the auction is given away to various nonprofit organizations in our community including, Good Will, various churches and different tutorial programs.
“Because of the digital divide, we’re just hoping to reach out and help somebody,” said Washington.
Winners will be notified via phone and email Monday, Oct. 23 and will then be expected to arrange a pick up time. For more information contact (850) 599-3679.