Donee Guidance and Information

What is a donee?

 A donee is a type of organization that qualifies to receive state or federal surplus property, at low cost, before it is offered to the general public. Eligible donee organizations for Maine surplus items include:

  • Public agencies, including public schools and municipalities located in Maine.
  • Other qualifying nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations located in Maine.

If you are one of these entities, apply today to begin accessing low-cost, quality surplus items. Becoming a donee means that your organization has priority access to all items available from Maine Surplus Property!


Steps to Apply for Donee Status

  1. Click to download the Donee Application.
  2. Print and complete the application.
  3. Submit the completed application via one of the methods below:
    1. Email: StateSurplus@maine.gov
    2. Fax: (207) 287-3640
    3. Postal mail: Maine State Agency for Surplus Property, 85 Leighton Road, Augusta, ME 04333-0095
    4. Drop off in person at the above address during business hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm.

NOTE: You must submit a new donee application every three years for continued eligibility.

If your organization has already submitted an application and you wish to designate new or additional authorized representatives, please complete this Authorized Representatives form.

Not sure about your organization’s donee status? Contact statesurplus@maine.gov to find out if your organization has an approved application on file and who the designated representatives are.


Acquiring Maine Surplus Property

After your donee application is approved, your organization can purchase surplus items in two main ways:

  1. For smaller items (e.g., office furniture, computer equipment, etc.) stored in the warehouse, you can view and purchase the item(s) in person at 85 Leighton Road in Augusta, Monday through Friday, between 8:00am – 3:30pm.
  2. For larger items (e.g., vehicles, large equipment, etc.) stored in the auction yard, you can view the current inventory online (see below on this page); or view the items in person on the third Thursday of each month from 1:00pm – 2:00pm. This is known as Donee Viewing Day. (See specific dates for donee viewing below.)

These items can then be purchased in person at 2:00pm on Donee Viewing Day. If you’re not able to attend in person, you can submit a silent bid using your organization’s letterhead or the Donee Absentee Bid Form (PDF). The bid must be received by 1:00pm on Donee Viewing Day.

If more than one donee wants the same item, the donee with the highest bid will receive the item.

We recommend that you check the inventory list to ensure your item(s) are available for purchase on the Donee Viewing Day. You are welcome to contact us at 287-2923 to confirm availability.

Emergency Sale of Maine Surplus Property

On occasion, donees may have an emergency need for surplus property due to the loss of equipment as a result of a catastrophe. Criteria for emergencies include the critical need of a vehicle or equipment which has an immediate and substantial impact on public safety and health.

In such cases, the donee can submit an Emergency Form (Doc) along with third-party verification of the emergency need and the status of the item being replaced. Verification could include a newspaper article describing the loss of the equipment or an appraiser hired by the donee. The emergency form must be signed by the chief administrator, executive head, or governing board official designated on the approved donee application; and be submitted to the manager of Surplus Property for evaluation and subsequent approval/denial.

Emergency sales will be allowed up to the week before the donee viewing date; no emergency sales will be allowed during the week of donee viewing.

If a donee submits an emergency request for a specific item by model number which they have been advised is available by someone other than Maine Surplus Property, and there are other similar items available, those requests will be denied.

If the State of Maine determines that a donee has falsified documents or statements, the donee’s status will be revoked and the donee could face a permanent ban.


Dates for Donee Viewing & Sale

Donee viewing and sale takes place on the third Thursday of each month (except winter months). Any pre-qualified/approved donee may access the auction yard to view items from 1:00pm – 2:00pm. The sale takes place at 2:00pm.

2024

March 21, 2024

August 15, 2024

April 18, 2024

September 19, 2024

May 16, 2024

October 17, 2024

June 20, 2024

November 21, 2024

July 18, 2024

 

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • NO PETS ALLOWED AT THE MAINE SURPLUS PROPERTY LOCATION.
  • Transit plates for transporting vehicles purchased from Maine Surplus Property are not available. Donees must make their own arrangements to transport any vehicles/equipment they purchase from the auction yard.
  • Donees are subject to unannounced compliance checks to ensure the property is being utilized for its intended purpose.

Sign up for Donee Viewing & Sale Reminder Alerts!


Property Available for Donee Viewing & Sale

Items for Sale: November 21, 2024

See the inventory below of currently available surplus items. Donees can also view items in person at Maine Surplus Property from 1:00pm –2:00pm on Donee Viewing Day.


Federal Surplus Property Donation Program

Eligible donees can also acquire federal surplus property offered by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).

Currently, Maine Surplus Property uses a direct donee transfer program that enables eligible donees to request GSA property and have items sent to them directly, if awarded. Please see the steps below to access this program.

  1. Eligible donee completes a Request Form to Screen Federal Surplus Property and submits the completed form:
    1. Via email to: Seth.Nichols@maine.gov; or
    2. Via fax to (207) 287-3640.
  2. Maine Surplus Property will add the donee to the GSA Personal Property Management System (PPMS).
  3. The donee will receive a confirmation email from PPMS with login instructions to view items on the PPMS. (Donees are granted view-only access.)
  4. If the donee identifies any item(s) they wish to acquire, the donee contacts leonard.e.goodine@maine.gov to request the item.  

NOTE: Donees are charged a minimal fee to cover handling, transportation, and administrative expenses associated with the donee transfer program for federal surplus property. Typically, this fee is 4 percent of the original acquisition cost plus any associated shipping expense.

Find out more about the Federal Surplus Property Donation Program.

https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/5/title5sec1829.html :The Department of Administrative and Financial Services is designated as the state agency to receive and distribute federal surplus property that may become available for distribution to eligible recipients within this State. The department, through the Bureau of General Services, may acquire, warehouse, allocate and distribute surplus government property to all recipients within the State who have been or who may later be designated as eligible to receive such surplus property by the Congress of the United States or any other federal official empowered to make such determination. The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services may enter into cooperative agreements with any duly authorized federal official to carry out the purposes of this section. [2005, c. 386, Pt. H, ?10 (NEW).]

Upon transfer of surplus property to an eligible recipient, the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services shall charge and receive from that recipient money sufficient to cover the acquisition, warehousing, handling, administrative and delivery costs chargeable to that property. The commissioner shall employ and assign such supervisory and clerical personnel as may be necessary to carry out this section, subject to the Civil Service Law. [2005, c. 386, Pt. H, ?10 (NEW).]