[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 218 (Wednesday, November 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 60692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29699]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Transition to the Defense Table of Official Distances (DTOD)

AGENCY: Military Traffic Management Command, DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Military Traffic Management Command (MTMC), on behalf of 
the Department of Defense (DOD), intends to utilize a standard 
integrated mileage guide in DOD freight, household goods (HHG), travel, 
and finance programs. The DTOD will replace existing distance 
calculation products used within the DOD such as Rand McNally TDM 
Mileagemaker System, Household Goods Carriers' Mileage Guide, and the 
DOD Official Table of Distances and will become the DOD standard source 
for highway mileages. The DTOD will consist of a modified Commercial 
off the Shelf (COTS) product and full operating capability is projected 
for October 1998. Notice of the DTOD product specifications and 
transition plan for the freight and household goods program will be 
published for public comment at a later time.

DATES: Initial operating capability for the three target DOD programs 
is estimated to be: Travel--Jun 98; Household Goods--Jun 98; Freight--
Aug 98.

ADDRESSES: Headquarters, Military Traffic Management Command, ATTN: 
MTIM-I, Room 332A, 5611 Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-5050.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Ethel J. Anderson (703) 681-7793 
or Ms. Amy R. Hopfe (703) 681-5702.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Currently, several sources for distance 
information are being used within DOD to support various functional 
areas, such as travel, travel entitlement reimbursement, freight, and 
personal property movements. Moreover, separate products are used to 
calculate overseas distances. The result is a variance in mileage 
computations produced by different products and a high cost of 
licensing and maintaining multiple mileage sources.
    Until 1996, DOD was required by law to maintain an official mileage 
table, known as the Official Table of Distances, to use for payment of 
travel and transportation allowances. The FY96 Defense Authorization 
Act deleted this requirement, thus providing the opportunity to use a 
commercial mileage product to support travel mileage distance.
    In October 1996, the DOD Comptroller tasked the U.S. Transportation 
Command (USTRANSCOM) to identify and implement a single source for 
distance information in support of travel, freight, and personal 
property movements for the Continental United States (CONUS) and 
Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS). USTRANSCOM tasked the 
Military Traffic Management Command to lead the effort.
    The DTOD integration contractor, Science Applications International 
Corporation (SAIC), is supporting the identification, modification, 
installation and testing of the Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) 
product. SAIC has selected ALK Associates, Inc., as the source of the 
distance calculation data and software for DTOD.
    The transition to a single standard DTOD will require changes to 
existing MTMC rules publications and rate solicitations. Since this 
action is considered to be a significant procurement policy change 
under 41 U.S.C. 418b, another public notice will be published providing 
the public an opportunity to comment on the specific product, its 
capabilities, and DOD's plan to introduce the product to ongoing 
acquisition activities. Details relating to interface with industry 
providers and trade associations will be provided at that time. It is 
anticipated that transition to DTOD will have no significant impact on 
small businesses since those businesses currently use one or more 
distance calculation sources of a similar nature. Because specific 
policy and the related impact is yet to be fully developed, public 
comment on this notice is not being requested at this time. A 60-day 
public notice period will be provided for in forthcoming notices that 
describe implementation plans, requirements, and responsibilities.
Mary V. Yonts,
Alternate Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-29699 Filed 11-10-97; 8:45 am]
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