After an agency identifies its geographic service area and delineated area within which it wishes to locate specific activities are in an urban area (i.e., determined that the agency's mission requirements dictate a need to locate its facility in an urban area), Federal agencies must seek space in historic properties already under agency control, in accordance with section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The National Historic Preservation Act provides that prior to purchasing, constructing or leasing new space, Federal agencies must—
(a)
Consider agency-controlled historic properties within historic districts inside CBAs when locating Federal operations, in accordance with Executive Order 13006 (which, by reference, also incorporates the requirements in Executive Order 12072 and the Rural Development Act of 1972);
(b)
Then consider agency-controlled developed or undeveloped sites within historic districts, if no suitable agency-controlled historic property specified in paragraph (a) of this section is available;
(c)
Then consider agency-controlled historic properties outside of historic districts, if no suitable agency-controlled site exists within a historic district as specified in paragraph (b) of this section;
(d)
Then consider non-historic agency-controlled properties, if no suitable agency-controlled historic properties outside of historic districts exist as specified in paragraph (c) of this section;
(e)
Then consider historic properties under the custody and control of the U.S. Postal Service, if there is no available space in non-historic agency-controlled properties specified in paragraph (d) of this section.
(f)
Then consider non-historic properties under the custody and control of the U.S. Postal Service, if there is no available space in historic properties under the custody and control of the U.S. Postal Service specified in paragraph (e) of this section.