[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 230 (Tuesday, December 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66131-66132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31951]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Proposed Implementation of the Defense Table of Official 
Distances (DTOD) for Passenger Transportation and Travel Services

AGENCY: Military Traffic Management Command, DoD.

ACTION: Final Notice (Policy Statement).

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense (DoD) has decided as a matter of 
procurement policy and internal agency procedure to change the distance 
calculation source used for payment under DoD passenger transportation 
and travel entitlement programs. Beginning on the effective date, the 
DoD will use the Department of Defense Table of Distances (DTOD) for 
computing highway distances traveled by the DoD personnel in connection 
with temporary duty (TDY) or to permanent change of station (PCS). The 
DTOD will also be used with the Groups Operational Passenger System 
(GOPAX) in situations where mileage is used as the basis for payment of 
commercial transportation services. Carriers and passenger service 
providers participating in the DoD passenger transportation and travel 
services programs must agree to be bound by the DTOD distance 
calculations for payment and audit purposes in all procurements using 
mileage-based rates. This policy decision is in furtherance of DoD's 
goal to use a single integrated, electronic distance calculation source 
for its passenger, freight and personal property programs.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1 June 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Beverly Cox, Headquarters, 
Military Traffic Management Command, ATTN: MTOP-TC, Room 621, 5611 
Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-5050; Telephone (703) 681-9444; 
telefax (703) 681-3265.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

a. Background

    In furtherance of DoD's goal of making its transportation programs, 
including passenger transportation and travel entitlement, more 
economical and efficient, the DoD Comptroller tasked MTMC to find a 
commercially available, integrated, automated distance calculation 
source capable of supporting all DoD's transportation and travel 
related requirements. After an extensive proof of concept and market 
analysis phase, MTMC contracted for delivery and installation of a 
commercial-off-the-shelf distance calculation system adaptable to DoD's 
global transportation and travel environment. The DTOD, commercially 
known as PC*MILER by ALK Associates, Inc., will become the DoD 
standard, automated source for surface vehicular distance information 
worldwide. A notice of proposed implementation of DTOD in DoD passenger 
transportation and travel entitlement programs was published in the 
Federal Register, Vol. 63, No. 130, pages 36886-36887, Wednesday, July 
8, 1998. In response to this notice, two comments were submitted and 
were carefully considered in the decision to implement this policy 
change. Concerns raised by the comments include:
    Concern: The use of ``truck safe'' or practical mileage to 
determine mileage calculation for personal travel will result in 
systematic overpayment.
    Response: ``Truck safe'' and practical mileage considers the use of 
the interstate highway system and other heavily traveled routes. DoD 
travelers generally use these routes and are entitled to reimbursement 
for mileage traveled.
    Concern: DTOD will significantly impact passenger carriers.
    Response: Nearly all DoD passenger movements using commercial 
transportation service providers are procured on a point-to-point or 
seat-mile basis. Mileage sources are not used in the payment and audit 
process. Commercial passenger transportation providers submitted no 
comments describing significant operational impact resulting from DTOD 
implementation.
    Concern: The DTOD product lacks version control and flexible 
delivery systems.
    Response: The DoD is confident that DTOD includes management 
controls and delivery systems well suited to the DoD and commercial 
user movement.
    Concern: DTOD creates a DoD unique system and is contrary to 
commercial practice.
    Response: DTOD is based on ALK's PC*MILER which is a well-
established and widely used commercial product. DTOD will be accessible 
through the internet, as well as in mainframe, personal, computer 
network or CD-ROM stand-alone versions.
    Concern: DTOD will require costly, complicated and risky program 
transitions.
    Response: The impact of transition to DTOD will be minimal. 
Passenger transportation service providers who contract on a mileage-
based rate basis will be able to access PC*MILER on the worldwide web 
for a fee of $375 for 500 look-ups. The cost to the DoD in 
transitioning to DTOD will be more than offset by the economies and 
efficiencies of using, maintaining and training on a standard, 
integrated distance calculation product.
    Concern: MTMC did not do an initial regulatory flexibility analysis 
as required under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), 5 U.S.C. 601-
612.
    Response: MTMC is a procurement activity rather than a regulatory 
agency. The decision to implement DTOD in DoD's passenger 
transportation acquisition program is a policy decision relating to 
public contracts and agency personnel entitlements and is not 
``rulemaking'' within the meaning of the Administrative Procedures Act, 
5 U.S.C. 552 et seq., and is exempt from its procedural rules. 
Implementation of DTOD in DoD's travel and travel entitlement programs 
involves matters of internal agency procedure, namely the distance 
basis for paying DoD personnel for travel expenses related to temporary 
duty (TDY) and permanent change of station (PCS), and is also not 
considered rulemaking.

b. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Implementation of this policy change in DoD passenger 
transportation and travel entitlement programs involves public 
contracts and DoD personnel entitlements and is designed to standardize 
distance calculation in the payment and audit process. This change is 
not considered rule making within the meaning of the Administrative 
Procedures Act or the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612.

c. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3051 et seq., does not apply 
because no information collection, reporting or records keeping

[[Page 66132]]

responsibilities are imposed on offerors, contractors, or members of 
the public.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-31951 Filed 11-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-P