TREASURY DIRECTIVE: 74-03

Date: April 2, 1990

Sunset Review: TBD

Expirations Date: TBD

SUBJECT: Commercial Bills of Lading for Small Shipments

1. PURPOSE. This directive authorizes bureaus to use commercial forms for small domestic shipments, not to exceed $100 per shipment, in lieu of U.S. Government bills of lading (GBL).

2. BACKGROUND.

a. Federal Property Management Regulation (FPMR), Section 101-41.304, establishes policies and procedures governing the payment of domestic freight services furnished for the account of the United States through the use of commercial bills of lading and commercial express receipts. There is established therein a dollar limitation of up to $100 for the use of commercial forms for small domestic shipments, exclusive of household goods and shipments, and prescribed procedures to be followed in connection with the use of commercial forms.

b. Part 4, Chapter 3000, Section 3040.20 of the Treasury Financial Manual (TFM) and the Manual of Procedures and Instructions for Cashiers, a supplement to the TFM, authorizes payments from impress funds, either in advance or after completion of delivery, for transportation charges not exceeding $100 on domestic freight shipments moved on commercial bills of lading. (See Chapter 7, Purchases and Miscellaneous Cash Payments, Manual of Procedures and Instructions for Cashiers)

3. DEFINITION. Domestic shipments are defined as shipments from, to, or between points in the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, its possessions, or the trust territories.

4. AGREEMENTS. Agreements between individual carriers and the General Services Administration (GSA), acting for and on the behalf of all civilian Federal agencies, eliminate the requirements for each agency to obtain individual written agreements with carriers or associations. A list of carriers and associations that have agreements with GSA covering Government shipments on commercial documents are presented in Attachment B to GSA Bulletin FPMR G-120, and Attachment A to GSA Bulletin FPMR G-123.

5. DETERMINATION. Treasury has determined that it is more efficient and economical to effect shipments that do not exceed $100 on commercial rather than Government bills of lading and that impress funds may be used for the payment of such transportation charges.

6. IMPLEMENTATION.

a. The use of commercial forms for small domestic shipments in lieu of GBL is optional at the discretion of agency heads or their designee. In compliance with FPMR, Subsection 101-41.304-2(b), Treasury has notified the Office of Transportation Audits, GSA, that the Departmental Offices and bureaus shall use commercial forms and related procedures rather than GBL for small domestic shipments when transportation charges generally do not exceed $100 per shipment or occasionally do not exceed that sum by an unreasonable amount. Bureaus subsequently canceling the use of commercial forms shall notify GSA of this determination. Such notifications to GSA shall be sent to:

General Services Administration (BWCP),
Washington, D.C. 20405

b. Each bureau which subsequently cancels the procedure for using commercial documents or issues instructions under this directive shall furnish a copy of such instructions to the Office of Management Support Systems, Departmental Offices, together with a copy of the above referenced notification to GSA.

7. CANCELLATION. Treasury Directive 74-03, "Commercial Bills of Lading for Small Shipments," dated December 12, 1979, is superseded.

8. AUTHORITIES.

a. FPMR, 41 CFR 101-41.304, "Exception to the Use of GBL's."

b. I TFM 4-3040.20, "Limitations on Cash Payments."

c. Manual of Procedures and Instructions for Cashiers, Supplement to the TFM, dated July 1985.

9. OFFICE OF PRIMARY INTEREST. Office of Management Support Systems, Management Programs Directorate, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Departmental Finance and Management, Office of the Assistant Secretary (Management).

Linda M. Combs

Assistant Secretary (Management)