GSA Household Goods Relocation and Freight Committee Meeting

Crystal City, Arlington VA

October 25, 2005

Meeting Facilitator -- Mary Anne Sykes, GSA Transportation Program
Branch, Travel and Transportation Management Division

Welcome -- Shawn Griffin, Department of State, Executive Director,
Household Goods Committee

Shawn is the Executive Director for the Household Goods Committee. If
you have any Household Goods concerns that you do not want to bring up
directly to GSA, please contact Shawn at (202) 647-2919 or
<griffinsr@state.gov>.

Rocky Loewner, FEMA, is the Executive Director for the Freight
Committee. Rocky was unable to attend the meeting. Rocky can be reached
at (202) 646-3715 or <rocky.loewner@dhs.gov>.

Beth Allison and Ted Bembenek from GSA Office of Governmentwide Policy
(OGP) gave a transportation policy update on five pending amendments:

1.  Obligating Funds -- This amendment is pending signature to be issued
    in the Federal Register as a final rule. It addresses the
    requirement of being properly trained and authorized to obligate the
    government for transportation procurements.

2.  Data Collection -- OGP is reviewing the comments received from the
    proposed rule. This requires federal agencies to provide OGP with
    detailed transportation data. This is one of the most important
    projects for OGP to have data available for Congress.

3.  Electronic Systems -- This amendment is at the Office of Management
    and Budget (OMB) for review and should be published soon as a
    proposed rule. This requires all agencies to implement electronic
    transportation billing and payment systems. DOD and the Department
    of State use US Bank's PowerTrack. The Transportation Management
    Services Solution (TMSS) system will soon offer agencies the ability
    to electronically prepay audit and pay transportation bills.

4.  Retirement of SF-1113 Public Voucher. This amendment is also being
    reviewed by OMB and should be published soon as a proposed rule.
    This addresses the requirement to move from a paper to electronic
    environment. The American Trucking Associations and transportation
    service providers are among the biggest supporters of electronic
    invoicing.

5.  Use of Customs Form -- This amendment is at OMB for review and
    should be published as a proposed rule soon. This deals with a Power
    of Attorney to clear imports at Customs.

For more information, contact Beth Allison at (202) 219-1729 or
<elizabeth.allison@gsa.gov>.

Ted shared that OGP is going through a major reorganization effort and
now operates under a matrix management model with staff working with
different centers on various projects. New groups are forming at OGP
such as Policy Evaluation and Compliance Function/Transportation and
Marketing and Communication. Contact Ted at (202) 208-7629 or
<ted.bembenek@gsa.gov> with suggestions for capturing detailed
transportation data.

Ed Davis from OGP gave an update on recommendations from the
Governmentwide Relocation Advisory Board (GRAB).

Background:

On July 9, 2004, a Charter was filed in Congress establishing the Board.
The Board was governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law
92-463). The Board\'s mission was to review the existing policies
promulgated through the [[Federal Travel Regulation
(FTR)]{.underline}](http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/channelView.do?pageTypeId=8199&channelPage=%2Fep%2Fchannel%2FgsaOverview.jsp&channelId=-14863)
for relocation and associated reimbursements and allowances for federal
relocating employees in the continental United States (CONUS).  And upon
its review recommend improvements for better management of
governmentwide relocation and provide GSA with advice regarding
relocation best practices.

UPDATE -- Board's Report:

On September 21, 2005, Becky Rhodes, Deputy Associate Administrator for
the General Services Administration\'s (GSA), Office Governmentwide
Policy, received the Governmentwide Relocation Advisory Board\'s report
titled \"[[Findings and
Recommendations]{.underline}](http://www.gsa.gov/gsa/cm_attachments/GSA_DOCUMENT/Findings_and_recommendations_R2-yMA0_0Z5RDZ-i34K-pR.pdf)\". 
 This report heralds the Board\'s fourteen month foray into the federal
government\'s relocation processes and contains a total of 111
recommendations in the areas of:  budget data and tracking, residence
transactions, relocation reimbursements, transportation and storage, and
administration and management.

Below are a few of the findings:

-   The plain language format of questions and answers was not popular.
    However, this will not likely be changed to maintain consistency
    with other travel and transportation regulations.

-   Relo is not being used as a strategic human capital tool. OGP will
    work with OPM on human resource issues.

-   Relo is very fragmented throughout agencies. OGP will work with OMB
    to implement a single object class code.

-   The committee identified a need for centralized concentration of
    contract management -- more publicly measured contracts based on a
    shared service model. There are many issues that need to be decided
    (e.g., central location, who will coordinate the centralization).

-   Issue task certifications and new positions. This in unlikely since
    OPM is looking to consolidate tasks in positions vs. creating new
    specialized ones. OGP will work with Region 3's travel training
    department.

-   Several recommendations require legislation, and therefore business
    cases and data collection.

-   Most importantly, there is a need to take a full systematic view of
    the recommendations as a whole, and then break them down.

OGP sent a letter to the Federal Administrative Managers Association
(FAMA) below, asking each agency for a nominee for the Relocation
Executive Steering Committee. Members will have the authority to speak
on behalf of their agencies on relocation matters and facilitate best
practices throughout the federal government. OGP is trying to schedule
the first meeting in November. Initially, the Steering Committee will
likely meet bi-monthly or monthly, then every four to six months
afterwards.

> Louis Adams at Federal Labor Relations Authority;
>
> Mallory Andrews, GAO
>
> Gary Arnold, SSA
>
> Carolyn Austin-Diggs, Treasury
>
> Donald Bathurst, DHS
>
> Camille Beben, HHS
>
> Priscilla Carey, USDA
>
> Anthony Conques, DOD
>
> Brian Costlow, DOE
>
> Ronald Deacon, DOJ
>
> James Dean, GSA.
>
> Judith Jackson, NASA
>
> William Kohlenbush, State
>
> Stephen Moore, Education
>
> John Nyce, DOI
>
> Renee Page, EPA
>
> David Pallandino, HUD
>
> Leonard Pettiford, Labor
>
> Rudy Spruill, Transportation
>
> Reginald Trujillo, OPM
>
> Deno Verenes, VA
>
> Stephen Weigler, Exec. Office of the President
>
> Murray Welsh, National Endowment for the Arts
>
> James Woods, Commerce

The GRAB recommendations are available at
[www.gsa.gov/grab](http://www.gsa.gov/grab).

Diana Hanson from the Runzhiemer International Group gave an update on
the Centralized Household Goods Traffic Management Program (CHAMP)
program assessment study. The Runzhiemer Group is tasked with presenting
a fair, unbiased report, taking into account industry and federal
government practices.

High Level Project Tasks:

-   Complete an extensive unbiased analysis and cost comparison of
    CHAMP, TDRS (SIN 653-7)

-   Analyze and evaluate whether CHAMP demonstrates improved
    efficiencies and cost effectiveness

-   Assess and Improve GSA's Management of CHAMP

-   Research, analyze and evaluate customers' transportation-services
    buying decisions

-   Identify financial settlement and auditing procedures used by
    federal agencies for CHAMP

Major Project Milestones and Deadlines:

-   Receive Contract Award August 25

-   Kick-Off Meeting August 31

-   Research Plan Approved September 9

-   Interview Questionnaires Approved October 7

-   Focus Groups Completed October 14

-   Interim Progress Report Submitted October 14

-   Interviews Completed October 28

-   Analysis Completed November 4

-   Draft Report Submitted November 18

-   Final Draft Approved December 2

-   Presentation of Findings December 9

Tauna Delmonico, Director of GSA's Travel and Transportation Management
Division, indicated that GSA's Federal Supply Service and Federal
Technology Service has become the Federal Acquisition Service. The
Property Management Division will join GSA's Global Supply portfolio,
headed up by Mr. Joseph Jeu. Travel and Transportation will join the
Vehicle Acquisition and Leasing Services portfolio, headed up by Mr.
Barnaby (Barney) Brasseux.

GSA's Blaine Jacobs indicated that the new freight rates effective
November 1, 2005 through April 30, 2006 were available in TMSS for
pickup dates covering this six-month cycle.

GSA's Scott Tiedt said that the payment module in TMSS should be
complete in early 2006. The GSA Global Supply Depots would be first, and
then agencies may use TMSS to pay transportation bills using GSA's
Heartland Finance Center. Agencies using TMSS to pay bills must use TMSS
in its entirety. Agencies may choose to pay its own transportation bills
and continue to use TMSS for rates.

Kim Chancellor from GSA's Program Management Office in Kansas City
covered the following household goods issues.

-   TMSS is loaded with household goods rates for the new November 1,
    2005 through April 30, 2006 cycle.

-   The household goods IFF is now only based on the household goods
    portion of the bill. Before, it was based on each element of the
    move.

-   GSA added 18 international cities to CHAMP.

-   Broke out China and Mexico points.

-   The unaccompanied baggage fuel surcharge is effective November 1 and
    applies to all agencies except for the Department of State.

-   The CHAMP TSP may identify vessel carrier shipping container
    accreditation and hazardous material associated fees on their
    invoice as a pass through charge when transporting a POV via a
    shipping container. These charges are in addition to the POV
    services included in the flat charge per Section 2 of the CHAMP
    RFOs. TSPs must provide a copy of the original receipt from the
    vessel carrier for reimbursement consideration by the Federal
    Agency. Due to 49CFR hazardous material requirements, agencies are
    expected to pay legitimate associated costs for this service. Some
    agencies are concerned that running vehicles to a stall could damage
    the fuel injection system and other mechanical components. Not
    running the POV to stall will automatically require the shipments to
    be hazardous material certified. TSPs may suggest one option over
    the other to preserve the vehicle or the agency can set their own
    internal policy.

Bill Bardwell from VA commented on the way we compute freight and
household goods fuel surcharges. Suggested GSA consider computations
based on mileage and weight breaks vs. the linehaul cost to be more in
line with the actual fuel consumed for a particular shipment.

Bill also shared that occasionally VA has to pay duty to Customs to
clear imports and questioned why they had to do this for government
property. Someone suggested having the Department of State Dispatch
handle imports to ensure duty free entries to the US from foreign
locations.

Shawn Griffin from the Department of State shared that Customs is
delaying enforcement of wood products to February 1, 2006. The previous
target date was September 16, 2005.

AMSA and GSA Household Goods and Freight Forum:

The 2006 AMSA and GSA Household Goods and Freight Forum will be held
February 22-23, 2006, Garden Grove (near Anaheim) CA. Committee members
were requested to forward the forum information to agency field offices
and other interested associates. If we cannot increase agency
participation, the TSPs may lose interest and this could be the last
forum.

The forum hotel will honor the government rate of \$96 from Feb 17-27,
2006 for those interested in extending their stay. The website for more
information and registration is: <http://www.gsa.gov/hhgfrtforum>. If
you need more information, contact Ray Price at (703) 605-2890 or
<raymond.price@gsa.gov>

Tentative 2006 meeting dates are:

-   March 21

-   May 23

-   August 17

-   November 1

**Attendees**

  -------------- -------------------------------- -----------------------
  No.            NAME                             AGENCY

  1              Al Demarcki                      EPA

  2              Amanda Chapman                   USSS

  3              Bill Bardwell                    VA

  4              Bill Fouts                       DHS-CBP

  5              Bill Hausen                      NPS

  6              Blaine Jacobs                    GSA

  7              Christopher Booker               DEA

  8              Connie Lindsay                   FAA

  9              Darrell Washington               DOI-USGS

  10             Demitrous Blount                 SDDC

  11             Diana Hanson                     Runzheimer

  12             Ed Davis                         GSA

  13             Elaine Plotkin                   USDA

  14             Elizabeth Allison                GSA

  15             Gracie Turner                    USSS

  16             Harry Bunn                       DHS-CBP

  17             Jakob Evans                      FBI

  18             Kelley Wong                      FAA

  19             Kim Chancellor                   GSA

  20             Lynn Ju                          GSA

  21             Mary Anne Sykes                  GSA

  22             Mike Daugherty                   Runzheimer

  23             Noreen Bania                     GSA

  24             Ray Price                        GSA

  25             Scott Tiedt                      GSA

  26             Shawn Griffin                    DOS

  27             Susan Pratt                      BOP

  28             Tauna Delmonico                  GSA

  29             Ted Bembenek                     GSA
  -------------- -------------------------------- -----------------------