[Federal Register: January 20, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 12)]
[Notices]               
[Page 3131-3132]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20ja99-83]

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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Federal Supply Service

 
Revisions to the General Services Administration's (GSA's) 
Centralized Household Goods Traffic Management Program (CHAMP)

AGENCY: Federal Supply Service, GSA.

ACTION: Notice of proposed program changes for comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice invites comments on GSA's plan to increase the 
Centralized Household Goods Management Program's (CHAMP's) shipment 
surcharge from $45 to $105, and revise the Household Goods Tender of 
Service ``shipment definition'' as reflected in the attachment to this 
notice. The proposed new definition states that each of the three 
components of an individual employee's belongings (i.e., household 
goods, privately owned vehicle(s) (POV), and unaccompanied air baggage) 
is separately subject to the shipment surcharge. These actions are 
necessary to increase CHAMP funding and enable GSA to defray its 
expenses for this program.

DATES: Please submit your comments by February 19, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to the Transportation Management Division 
(FBF), General Services Administration, Washington, DC 20406, Attn: 
Federal Register Notice. GSA will consider your comments prior to 
implementing these proposals.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Tucker, Senior Program Expert, 
Transportation Management Division, FSS/GSA, 703-305-5745.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: GSA's Centralized Household Goods Traffic 
Management Program (CHAMP) receives no Congressional funding and 
depends on a shipment surcharge, currently $45, to defray its costs. 
The shipment surcharge has been in effect since 1996 and no longer 
fully funds program expenses. So that GSA may meet its expenses and 
continue to provide these critical services, GSA proposes to increase 
the shipment surcharge to $105. GSA also plans to revise the shipment 
definition in the Household Goods Tender of Service to state that each 
of the three components comprising an individual employee's belongings 
(i.e.,) household goods, POV, and unaccompanied baggage) whether 
shipped separately or together is separately subject to a shipment 
surcharge.
    GSA is committed to providing a program that meets the needs of 
Federal agencies. The funding increase proposed in this notice will be 
used to directly pay for program activities including: domestic and 
international rate negotiations, review and approval of carrier 
applications, consolidating carrier survey (3080) responses and 
computing the resulting customer satisfaction indices, providing 
technical assistance on questions pertaining to tariff interpretation 
and loss and damage claims, developing helpful move-related 
publications and training materials, and conducting workshops.

    Dated: January 13, 1999.
Alan J. Zaic,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Transportation and Property 
Management.
    Existing HTOS Definition--1998-99 RFO, Section, 2-6.7.3 ``First 
Shipment. The first shipment of a relocation performed pursuant to the 
HTOS is defined as a surface shipment of household effects, shipment of 
a privately owned vehicle, and a shipment of unaccompanied air baggage, 
all or any one of which are tendered to the Participant by the shipping 
Federal Agency at the same time or within six months of the tender of 
the first component of this shipment.
    ``Supplemental Shipments. A supplemental shipment of a relocation 
performed pursuant to the HTOS is defined as any surface shipment, 
including a privately owned vehicle, or unaccompanied air baggage 
shipment tendered to the Participant by the shipping Federal Agency 
after six months from the date of the tender of the first component of 
the first shipment.''
    Proposed Amendment to HTOS Shipment Definition. We are planning to 
revise the above referenced provision to read as follows:
    ``Definition of a shipment. For purposes of this HTOS, a shipment 
(whether on the same GBL or separate GBL's) is defined as:
    (a) A surface shipment of household effects;
    (b) Shipment of a privately owned vehicle; or
    (c) Shipment of unaccompanied air baggage.
    ``This definition applies to interstate, intrastate and 
international shipments as defined in the applicable Request for Offers 
(RFO).

[[Page 3132]]

    ``Application of the shipment surcharge. The carrier will remit to 
GSA a shipment surcharge for each shipment equal to that provided in 
the GSA Request for Offers (RFO) for a specific rate-filing period. The 
shipment surcharge is due by the end of the quarter in which the 
carrier bills the agency for line haul and accessorial services, 
exclusive of storage-in-transit (SIT) charges as provided in paragraph 
7-1.A. (9) a., above. The surcharge is not billable to the Federal 
agency and must be shown on the Original Public Voucher for 
Transportation Charges, SF 1113, as an allowance to the Government.''

[FR Doc. 99-1204 Filed 1-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-24-M