What's New? - Year 2008

Amended Emergency Request for Offers for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other Federal civilian agencies

GSA is Amending the 2008 - 2009 Emergency Response Request for Offers (RFO) and Filing Instructions (FI) for the submission of emergency response rate offers for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other Federal civilian agencies that require transportation services for Federal disasters and emergencies. All Amendments are highlighted in red.

Rate offers are due by 10:00 AM Central Standard Time (CST), September 23, 2008.

Questions may be directed to 703-605-5618 or transportation.programs@gsa.gov.

General Freight Request for offers 2008-2009 (Amended)

GSA has posted the General Request for Offers, 2008-2009 (Amended) with Filing Instructions & Enclosure. The freight rate filing window opens September 11, 2008 and closed October 6, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact Jim Stroup at (816) 823-3646 or via e-mail at jim.stroup@gsa.gov.

2008-2009 NIB-NISH Request for Offers

GSA has posted the 2008-2009 NIB-NISH Request for Offers with Filing Instructions & Enclosure. The freight rate filing window opens September 11, 2008 and closed October 6, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact Jim Stroup at (816) 823-3646 or via e-mail at jim.stroup@gsa.gov.

Emergency Response Request for Offers for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other Federal civilian agencies

GSA is requesting the submission of Emergency Response rate offers for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other Federal civilian agencies that require transportation services for Federal disasters and emergencies. Please read the attached Request for Offers and Filing Instructions carefully. Rate offers are due by 10:00 AM Central Standard Time (CST), September 23, 2008.

Questions may be directed to 703-605-5618 or transportation.programs@gsa.gov.

U.S. Census Bureau Request for Offers

GSA is requesting the submission of rate offers for air freight shipments on behalf of the US Census Bureau, Jeffersonville, IN. Please read the attached Request for Offers and Filing Instructions carefully. Rate offers are due by 4:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST), September 22, 2008.

Requirement to Submit Data to GSA Audits

Federal agencies, transportation service providers and move managers should review the attached notice on submitting data to GSA in accordance with FMR 102-118.

SPECIAL NOTICE:

RFO 2006-2007, dated August 28, 2006, for the National Industries for the Blind & Severely Handicapped (NIB/NISH), Western Distribution Center (WDC) and Eastern Distribution Center (EDC).

Per Section 1-1 EFFECTIVE PERIOD: GSA is exercising it’s option and is extending the acceptable rate offers for only the WDC/EDC from November 1, 2008 through October 31, 2009.

GSA will issue a RFO for soliciting rates on the behalf of NIB/NISH coming out in early September, 2008. Please remember to go to our web site www.gsa.gov/transportation and sign up for E-mail notification.

Department of State Request for Offers with Filing Instructions

GSA has issued the 2008 - 2009 Department of State Request for Offers and Filing Instructions for the movement of FAK and crated household goods personal effects . Rate offers are due by 10:00 pm CST, October 6, 2008.

Transportation Trends, Issue 3

Check out our Transportation Trends Newsletter, Issue 3

Previous Issues of the Transportation Trends Newsletter

Interested in reading the first two issues of Transportation Trends? Check out our February and April 2008 issues!

CHANGES/ADDITIONS TO THE CHAMP INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM

This notice is in reference to the upcoming 2008-2009 Household Goods Request for Offers (RFO), which will be released in mid to late August, 2008.

Effective November 1, 2008, The Marianas Islands (591M) will be removed from the program. The proper country will be The Northern Mariana Islands (0690) with the city of Saipan (069S). In order to make certain that no TSP has their scope reduced by this action, GSA will ensure that each TSP that currently has 591M in their approved scope of operations will have 0690 and 069S in their approved scope of operations when the RFO is released. Simply put, if your firm currently has any combination of 591M, 0690, and/or 069S in its approved scope of operations, come November 1, 2008, your scope will include 0690 and 069S.

Effective November 1, 2008, GSA will be including the countries of Iran and Kosovo in the international program. Iran will have the country code of 110N. Kosovo will have the country code of 110K. With these countries being new to the program, GSA will be adding these countries to each internationally approved TSP’s scope of operation. This will include to and from each state and Canadian province. It will be at the discretion of each internationally approved TSP as to whether they file rates for these points.

Effective November 1, 2008, GSA will be breaking out specific cities within the following countries:

Each TSP that currently has Brazil, Russia, and/or South Africa in their approved scope of operations will automatically have these cities broken out and will have the ability to file rates to and from these specific points.

Effective November 1, 2008, at the request of The Department of State (DOS), Move Management rates will no longer be accepted for DOS Standing Route Orders (SRO). Any rate offers submitted for the DOSDC, DOSBG, and DOSDD SROs under domestic rate type 4 and international rate type 8 will be rejected.

Questions can be directed to Brian Kellhofer at 816-823-3646 or via e-mail at brian.kellhofer@gsa.gov

2008 - 2009 Freight Request for Offers

GSA has posted the Request for Offers, 2008-2009 with Filing Instructions & Enclosure. The freight rate filing window opens March 13, 2008 and closes April 14, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact Jim Stroup at (816) 823-3646 or via e-mail at jim.stroup@gsa.gov.

2008 American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) Annual Education Conference and Expo featuring GSA

Join us at the 2008 American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) Annual Education Conference and Expo featuring GSA. The event is scheduled for April 1st – 4th at the Omni Orlando Resort in ChampionsGate (near Orlando), Florida. This year’s theme is Moving Today, Transforming Tomorrow.

This year's schedule is packed with many exciting sessions and educational opportunities. Meet your peers to hear about the best practices and trends regarding relocating government employees and shipping household goods and freight along with GSA’s program and policy updates.

The forum provides an excellent training opportunity to keep abreast of the latest relocation and transportation issues as well as giving you the opportunity to meet experts within those fields. This event is FREE for federal personnel! The forum flyer is attached.

Please contact Velvet Blue at velvet.blue@gsa.gov or 703 605-2828 if you have additional questions.

Notice to All Approved Household Goods Transportation Service Providers (TSPs)

GSA's supplemental filing window opens February 14, 2008, and closes March 28, 2008. TSPs with rates currently on file can adjust those rates during the supplemental filing window. New TSPs and TSPs who missed the initial filing may also file rates during this supplement filing window. To view the Request for Offers, go to www.gsa.gov/transportation, click on "Household Goods Transportation," then "HTOS and RFO Reference Library" and then "Household Goods Request for Offers, 2007-2008."