Civilian Property Realignment Act

Civilian Property Realignment Act or CPRA - Establishes the Civilian Property Realignment Commission as an independent commission for the purpose of identifying opportunities for the federal government to reduce its inventory of civilian real property and reduce costs to the government.

Requires federal agency heads to submit to the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): (1) current data on all federal civilian real properties owned, leased or controlled by federal agencies, including the age and condition of such properties, operating costs, history of capital expenditures, sustainability metrics, the number of federal employees and functions housed in such properties, and square footage; and (2) recommendations for the sale for proceeds or disposal of federal civilian properties and for achieving operational efficiencies for such properties.

Sets forth the duties of the Commission, including: (1) identifying opportunities to reduce significantly the inventory of civilian real property and reduce costs to the government, (2) identifying not less than 5 federal properties not on the list of surplus or excess buildings with a total fair market value of not less than $500 million, (3) performing an independent analysis of the inventory of federal civilian real property and of recommendations for the sale of such properties, and (4) identifying or developing and implementing an accounting system for evaluating recommendations for sales of civilian real property.

Requires the President to review the Commission's recommendations and report on his or her approval or disapproval of them. Requires the Commission to revise its recommendations if disapproved by the President. Sets forth procedures for congressional consideration of Commission recommendations approved by the President.

Requires federal agencies to: (1) immediately begin preparation to carry out the Commission's recommendations after the congressional review process, (2) initiate all activities for implementation not later than two years after the President transmits the approved recommendations to Congress, and (3) complete implementation within six years unless extenuating circumstances prevent timely completion.

Limits the authority of executive agencies to lease space for the purposes of a public building. Requires the Administrator of GSA to comply with requirements of the Small Business Act when using commercial leasing services.

Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Commission should assist small, minority, and women-owned businesses in obtaining contracts to redevelop federal property; (2) the Commission and other federal officials should conduct a public information campaign to advise small, minority, and women-owned businesses regarding such contracts; and (3) firms that are awarded such contracts should, to the maximum extent practicable, seek to award subcontracts to small, minority, and women-owned businesses.

Requires the Administrator to ensure that the life-cycle cost of a public building is considered in the construction or lease of a public building that: (1) is constructed or leased after the enactment of this Act; (2) has estimated construction costs exceeding $1 million; (3) if leased, has square footage of more than 25,000 square feet; and (4) has more than 50% of its estimated construction or lease costs federally-funded. Defines "life-cycle cost" as the sum of investment, capital, installation, energy, operating, maintenance, and replacement costs.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov