Test Case Several installations are testing innovative approaches to relocation. Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., outsourced relocation management in 1997 under a pilot program directed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Contractor Cendant Mobility provides a full range of relocation services, including counseling employees, making move arrangements, tracking shipments, and helping employees with vouchers and other paperwork. Preliminary results show customer satisfaction ratings have increased from 23 percent to 95 percent or more. Lisa Roberts, a traffic management specialist for the Army, says the Hunter pilot resulted in a lower transit and storage rate, more services, a streamlined claims process, a lower claims rate and, overall, better quality.
Quality of life continues to be our full objective.
A GAO report on the Hunter initiative was due out by early March. In January, MTMC, DoD's personal property program manager, kicked off a pilot project for shipments of household goods from all bases and installations in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. The program, which involves all branches of the military, uses a competitive, Federal Acquisition Regulation-based contract. The Navy is running a test at Bremerton, Wash., that started in January 1998. The U.S. Transportation Command will evaluate the Hunter, MTMC and Navy programs, consider whether aspects of the pilots could be used throughout DoD and make a recommendation to the Defense Secretary about what elements to implement throughout the department.