[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 239 (Thursday, December 12, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 75484-75485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29212]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Part 102-117

[FMR Change 2013-02; FMR Case 2013-102-2; Docket No. 2013-0013; 
Sequence No. 1]
RIN 3090-AJ38


Federal Management Regulation (FMR); Shipping Household Goods

AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy (OGP), U.S. General Services 
Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: GSA is amending the Federal Management Regulation (FMR) to 
update information on the commuted rate schedule and correct a Web site 
address. Commuted rate and actual expense are two authorized methods of 
transporting and paying for the movement of Household Goods (HHG), 
Professional Books, Paper and Equipment, and temporary storage. This 
final rule addresses changes only to the commuted rate method. Using 
the commuted rate method, the individual assumes responsibility for 
shipment and payment. The commuted rate schedule establishes the 
reimbursement rate.

DATES: Effective Date: December 12, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For clarification of content, contact 
Lee Gregory, Office of Governmentwide Policy, at 202-501-1533 or by 
email at [email protected]. Please cite FMR Case 2013-102-2. For 
information pertaining to status or publication schedules, contact the 
Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20405, 
202-501-4755.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    A commuted rate in household goods shipping means the reimbursement 
rate the Federal employee receives for moving his/her own HHG or hiring 
his/her own mover within the Continental United States excluding Alaska 
and Hawaii.
    The U.S. Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation 
Board (STB), in decision STB Ex Parte 656, effective January 1, 2008, 
terminated approval of all outstanding motor carrier bureau agreements 
under 49 U.S.C. 13703(c) and the agreements with the National 
Classification Committee (NCC). Therefore, effective January 1, 2008, 
the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) could no longer 
provide a standard tariff for HHG shipments. Until the STB ruling, 
executive agencies used the AMSA standard tariff for HHG shipments for 
commuted rate purposes. This standard tariff was used by agencies as 
the benchmark to help determine whether the agency should reimburse the 
full amount of the employee's voucher.
    Agencies currently use the commuted rate based on the AMSA tariff 
in accordance with the regulations in the Federal Management Regulation 
(FMR) part 102-117, subpart G (41 CFR 102-117.220 through 102-117.245) 
and FTR part 302-7, subpart B (41 CFR part 302-7, subpart B). Since 
both the FMR and FTR address the commuted rate, GSA is concurrently 
publishing bulletins and amendments for the FMR and the FTR on this 
issue.

B. Changes to the Current FMR

    This final rule amends FMR section 102-117.225 by:
    1. Eliminating the reference to the AMSA; and
    2. Updating the Web site address for the current GSA commuted rate 
schedule.

C. Executive Order 12866 and Executive Order 13563

    Executive Orders (E.O.s) 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess 
all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives, and if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). E.O. 
13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, 
of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. 
This is not a significant regulatory action, and therefore, will not be 
subject to review under Section 6(b) of E.O. 12866, Regulatory Planning 
and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This final rule is not a major 
rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.

D. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    These revisions are minor, and this final rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities 
within the meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et 
seq. This final rule is also exempt from the Administrative Procedure 
Act per 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2) because it applies to agency management or 
personnel.

E. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to 
the Federal Management Regulation do not impose recordkeeping or 
information collection requirements, or the collection of information 
from offerors, contractors, or members of the public that require the 
approval of the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501, 
et seq.

F. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This final rule is also exempt from congressional review prescribed 
under 5 U.S.C. 801 since it relates to agency management or personnel.

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Part 102-117

    Cargo, Commuted rate, Freight, Household goods, Transportation, 
Travel.


[[Page 75485]]


    Dated: June 7, 2013.
Dan Tangherlini,
Acting Administrator of General Services.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, GSA amends 41 CFR part 
102-117 as set forth below:

PART 102-117--TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

0
1. The authority citation for part 102-117 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  31 U.S.C. 3726; 40 U.S.C. 121(c); 40 U.S.C. 501, et 
seq.; 46 U.S.C. 55305; 49 U.S.C. 40118.

0
2. Amend Sec.  102-117.225 by--
0
a. Removing the last sentence in paragraph (b);
0
b. Revising paragraph (c); and
0
c. Removing paragraph (d).
    The revised text reads as follows:


Sec.  102-117.225  What is the difference between a contract or a rate 
tender and a commuted rate system?

* * * * *
    (c) Rate table information and the commuted rate schedule can be 
found at www.gsa.gov/relocationpolicy or the appropriate office 
designated in your agency.

[FR Doc. 2013-29212 Filed 12-11-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-14-P