Guide to Federal Government Sales U.S. Department of the Treasury

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U.S. Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service -- Criminal Investigations

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (now under Department of Justice)

Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (now under Department of Homeland Security - DHS)

Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (now under DHS)

United States Secret Service (now under DHS)

What is sold

The agencies listed above sell seized/forfeited property throughout the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico through EG&G Technical Services, the national asset management contractor for the Department of the Treasury. A wide variety of items are sold including cars, boats, airplanes, real estate, carpets, electronics, industrial goods, jewelry, computer equipment, wearing apparel, and household goods. Items may be new or used and are sold in lots ranging from single items to wholesale quantities. Real estate is also sold, including single-family residences, warehouses, retail buildings, and operating businesses, such as apartment buildings, gas stations, wine stores, and golf courses.

How items are sold

Over 300 public auctions are held at the times and locations listed below:

• Approximately every nine weeks in Edison, New Jersey; Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; El Paso, Laredo and Edinburg, Texas; Los Angeles, California; and Nogales, Arizona.
  
• Approximately every four weeks in Chula Vista, California.
  
• Approximately three times a year in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
  
• Over 100 times annually for real estate throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
  
• At other times and locations as merchandise becomes available.

Real estate is normally sold on-site at the property location; however, selected real estate may be sold online.

Written bids are accepted at all personal property and real estate auctions.

How sales are advertised

A recorded message of upcoming auctions may be accessed 24 hours a day by calling the Public Auction Line at (703) 273-7373. Customer service representatives are available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EasternTime to answer specific questions. A one-year flyer subscription, listing the items at upcoming auctions, is available to the public for a non refundable fee. Nationwide subscriptions for personal property sales in the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico are $25. Eastern Region subscriptions for sales located east of the Mississippi River (including Puerto Rico) and Western Region subscriptions for sales located west of the Mississippi River (including Alaska and Hawaii) are $15 each. Nationwide real property subscriptions are $25. Please add $10 for foreign delivery outside the U.S. E-mail notification is available at no charge for both personal property and real property. Information in the flyers includes merchandise featured, registration information, viewing and inspection opportunities, payment methods, and other information about the sales. Flyers are mailed two to three weeks prior to the scheduled sale date for personal property and twice a month for real property. Upcoming auctions are also advertised in local newspapers and on the Department of the Treasury's website www.treas.gov/auctions/customs three weeks prior to the sale date.

Terms of sale

All auctions are open to the public. In order to participate/bid at auctions, a bidder registration card must be filled out at the auction location. Bidders must be over 18 years of age and have a government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or passport in order to register. Once the card is filled out, a bidder number will be issued. Registration is free, and catalogs are available at preview and sale locations. Auction officials strongly encourage all interested parties to preview property before bidding. Cash, cashier's check, MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover are acceptable forms of payment for personal property auctions. Cashier's check is acceptable for real property. Personal or business checks, bank letters, or letters of credit are not acceptable forms of payment.

Special restrictions/conditions

Employees of the Department of the Treasury, Department of Homeland Security, and EG&G Technical Services and their immediate families are prohibited from bidding on property/merchandise. Additionally, in order to comply with the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 552 (2000)), the following information regarding the transaction shall be published on the U.S. Department of Treasury auction website:

1. the registered bidders name,
   
2. the lot number,
   
3. the lot description, and
   
4. purchase price of lot.
   

For more information

Consult the Department of the Treasury website at www.treas.gov/auctions/customs for personal and real property sales information.

To obtain information about the personal property subscription program or general and upcoming sales information, contact:

EG&G Technical Services
7845 Ashton Avenue
Manassas, VA 20109
Fax: (703) 361-4450
Telephone: (703) 273-7373
e-mail: auctions@egginc.com

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