[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]
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