[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15167-15168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7826]
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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 revised plan to increase
the CHAMP shipment surcharge from $45 to $145 instead of $105 as
proposed in our January 20, 1999, Federal Register notice published for
comment (64 FR 3131). Further evaluation of the program's funding
status has clearly demonstrated that this action is necessary to
increase CHAMP funding to a level that will enable GSA to defray the
program's expenses. This notice supersedes the January 20, 1999 Federal
Register notice.
DATES: Please submit your comments by April 29, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Mail comments to the Transportation Management Division
(FBF), General Services Administration, Washington, DC 20406, Attn:
Federal Register Surcharge Increase Notice. GSA will consider your
comments prior to implementing the proposed increase.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Tucker, Senior Program Expert,
Transportation Management Division, FSS/GSA, 703-305-5745.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: GSA's CHAMP receives no Congressional
funding and must depend 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. GSA published a notice for
comment in the Federal Register on January 20, 1999 (64 FR 3131)
announcing its plan to increase the shipment surcharge from $45 to
$105, and to revise the Household Goods Tender of Service ``shipment
definition'' for the purpose of assessing the surcharge on each
component of a shipment (i.e.,
[[Page 15168]]
households, privately owned vehicle (POV), and unaccompanied baggage)
to allow us to recoup program costs.
Agency/industry comments GSA received on the proposed changes and
our own programmatic concerns suggest it is time for GSA to change the
way CHAMP industrial funding fees are collected. We plan to work with
our Federal agency and industry partners to develop and implement an
alternative funding strategy by November 1, 1999. In the interim it is
necessary for us to increase the shipment surcharge. Our ongoing
analysis of the program's financial status clearly indicates that $105
would not adequately cover program expenses even with cost cutting
measures we have identified and are proceeding to implement. Indeed,
our in-depth analysis indicates we must increase the surcharge to $145
to adequately cover our expenses of maintaining this valuable program.
We do, however, withdraw the January 20th proposal to add the
surcharge to POV and unaccompanied baggage shipments. Moreover, instead
of a line-haul transportation rate increase to cover the $145
surcharge, GBL issuers are to include the surcharge as a separate line
item on the GBL. Carriers then will bill Federal agencies for the
surcharge as a separate line item on the SF-1113.
GSA is committed to providing a program that meets the needs of
Federal agencies. The funding increase will be used to pay for
personnel who directly support the program and activities associated
with the development of program enhancements. Moreover, we are looking
forward to working with our customer agency counterparts and industry
partners to devise by November 1, 1999, a satisfactory approach to
handling future funding for this important program.
Dated: March 25, 1999.
Barbara Vogt,
Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Office of Transportation and Property
Management.
[FR Doc. 99-7826 Filed 3-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-24-P
