United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office National Security and International Affairs Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1996-11-07 monographic deposited born digital 56 p. GA 1.13:NSIAD-97-30 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-30 P0b002ee180389752 f:ns97030 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-30 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-30 NSIAD-97-30 Property and supply management Strategic materials Military inventories Commodity sales Commodity marketing Surplus federal property Price regulation Metals Property disposal National Defense Stockpile DOD Zinc Sales Program Letter Report NSIAD

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed issues surrounding a dispute between the American Zinc Association (AZA) and the federal government about the Department of Defense's (DOD) sale of excess zinc from the National Defense Stockpile, focusing on: (1) the government's basis for its interpretation of the statutory phrase "usual markets" as applied to the zinc sales program; and (2) DOD efforts to not unduly disrupt the zinc market.<p/>GAO found that: (1) the statute that governs sales from the stockpile does not define the usual markets for stockpile materials; (2) accordingly, the Defense National Stockpile Center (DNSC) and the Market Impact Committee have concluded that the usual market for stockpile zinc sales is the total U.S. market for all grades of zinc, not just the grades being sold from the stockpile; (3) DNSC published its policy on timing of sales, amounts to be sold, and relation of sales prices to market prices, provided plans to the appropriate congressional committees for approval, sold less zinc than it was authorized to sell, and gave increased emphasis to selling at prices close to commercial market prices; and (4) DNSC plans to continue to closely monitor prices when accepting bids to ensure that the market is not unduly disrupted. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-30/html/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-30.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-30/pdf/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-30.pdf GAO/NSIAD-97-30 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-30 Letter Report GAO/NSIAD-97-30; National Defense Stockpile: Disposal of Excess Zinc; Property and supply management Strategic materials Military inventories Commodity sales Commodity marketing Surplus federal property Price regulation Metals Property disposal National Defense Stockpile DOD Zinc Sales Program Title 50 Section 98dnote Title 50 Section 98et seq. 50 U.S.C. 98dnote 50 U.S.C. 98et seq. Public Law 102-484 Public Law 104-208