Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707, 5738, and 5739.
It is a program to permit agencies to test new and innovative methods of reimbursing relocation expenses without seeking a waiver of current rules or authorizing legislation.
The Administrator of General Services may authorize an agency to conduct tests when the Administrator determines tests to be in the interest of the Government.
The head of the agency or designee must design the test program to enhance cost savings or other efficiencies to the Government and submit in writing to the Administrator of General Services (Attention: MTT), 1800 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20405:
(a) An explanation of the test program;
(b) If applicable, the specific provisions of the FTR from which the agency is deviating;
(c) An analysis of the expected costs and benefits; and
(d) A set of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
No more than 12 relocation expense test programs may be conducted at the same time.
The following factors will be considered:
(a) Potential savings to the Government.
(b) Application of results to other agencies.
(c) Feasibility of successful implementation.
(d) Number of tests, if any, already authorized to the same activity.
(e) Whether the request meets the requirements of §300-80.3.
(f) Other agency requests under consideration at the time of submission.
(g) Uniqueness of proposed test.
When authorized by the Administrator of General Services, the agency may pay any necessary relocation expenses in lieu of payments authorized or required under 5 U.S.C. chapter 57, subchapter II.
The duration of a test program is up to four years from the date of authorization unless terminated prior to that time by the Administrator of General Services. The agency conducting a test program may also terminate the test program at any time by providing written notice of the termination to the Administrator of General Services. The Administrator of General Services may grant test program extensions of up to an additional four years (see §300-80.8).
The head of the agency or designee must submit a request to extend the test program to the Administrator of General Services (Attention: MTT), 1800 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20405, not later than 120 days prior to the expiration of the test period. The request for extension must contain the test program results to that date and clearly enumerate the benefits, qualitatively or quantitatively or both, of granting a test program extension and must specify the duration of time for which an extension is requested.
(a) The Administrator of General Services must submit a copy of any test program approved or extended to Congress at least 30 days before the effective date of the authorized test program.
(b) The agency authorized to conduct the test program must submit the following reports:
(1) An annual report on the progress of the test, submitted to the General Services Administration, Office of Governmentwide Policy, Office of Travel, Transportation and Asset Management (Attention MTT), Washington, DC 20405. The Administrator or designee may terminate the test program approval for failure to comply with these reporting requirements; and
(2) A final report on the results of the test program must be submitted to the General Services Administration, Office of Governmentwide Policy, Office of Travel, Transportation and Asset Management (Attention MTT), Washington, DC 20405, and to the appropriate committees of Congress within 3 months after completion of the program.
(c) All reports must include quantitative or qualitative assessments, or both, clearly evaluating the results of the test program and enumerating benefits and costs.