The General Services Administration (GSA) establishes the governmentwide relocation policies and procedures. The program provides economical and efficient service to federal executive agency employees. The basic components of the program are cost comparisons, carrier approval, price negotiation and carrier performance measurements.

Household Goods (HHG) are the personal effects of IRS employees and their dependents. HHG include household furnishings, equipment, appliances, furniture, clothing, books and similar personal property which belong to the employees or members of their immediate family. There are limits to what employees can ship as part of their HHG.

IRS can authorize the transportation of Privately Owned Vehicles (POV) in connection with an authorized relocation allowance.

FTR Chapter 302, Relocation Allowance,https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/regulations/federal-travel-regulation-ftr/Chapter%20302

41 CFR 102-117 subpart G, Shipping Household Goods; Detailed regulations information at href=http://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/regulations/federal-management-regulation-fmr?asset

The management of the IRS policy and procedures of HHG movement and general liaison with the GSA is the responsibility of Media and Publications (M&P)/Distribution (D)/Distribution Requirements Branch (DRB)/Postal and Transport Policy (PTP) Section. The PTP section is also responsible for providing policy guidance to the CFO Relocation Coordinator and general assistance operations.

The PTP Supply Management Specialist performs the following:

The CFO as the Relocation Coordinator is responsible for:

Beckley Finance operates the HHG program for the IRS.

The Pre-Payment Auditor receives the invoices from the moving companies and reviews the invoices for accuracy and costing.

PTP Program Manager accesses the Pre-payment Auditor’s website to access invoices for review.

PTP Program Manager signs the invoices and uploads to the Pre-Auditor website.

Beckley Finance accesses the signed invoices and make payments.

PTP program maintains a spreadsheet to keep track of the different charges and the Annual Budget.

The following charts contain defined terms and acronyms used throughout this IRM:

Related resources include:

Valuation is stated on the IRBL before it is issued to the carrier.

IRS authorizes employee's goods to be shipped at Full Value Protection. This guarantees either replacement of articles lost or damaged while in the carrier's custody, reimbursement for full replacement cost, or satisfactory repairs. Depreciation is not applied. Full Value Protection requires a shipment be declared at a value of at least $21,000 or $6 per pound whichever is greater. If the employee request increases valuation charges above that amount, the additional charges is the responsibility of the employee.

Accessorial Services include those extra services performed by the carrier. These services include stair carry, shuttle service, waiting time, appliance servicing, crating/uncrating, piano carry and storage.

Two basic kinds of storage can be involved in an employee relocation; Storage In Transit (SIT), and Non-temporary storage.

The carrier is liable to the owner for loss and/or damage to the owner's HHG for any articles over which the carrier has control or custody, not to exceed the released valuation.

When moving on AEM, all packing and unpacking is paid by the IRS up to 18,000 pounds (plus 2,000 pounds allowance for packing materials). The carrier's service includes packing and unpacking everything if the employee request this service. When the carrier unpacks, the carrier must remove all packing material immediately. If the employee unpacks, the carrier will return and remove the packing material at the Government's expense within 30 days.

The shipment weight is determined by weighing the moving van before and after loading, and the difference or net weight is the billed weight.

The carrier must use a scale which will permit the employee to observe the weighing. The moving employee should protect him/herself and the IRS from overcharging by going to the scale and observing the weighing of the vehicle before and after loading the shipment.

The empty moving van should initially be weighed with the fuel tanks on the vehicle full, and the vehicle must contain all the equipment needed in the transportation of the shipment. The driver should not be in the truck or on the scale.

If the employee is not satisfied with the accuracy of the weight, the carrier must, upon the employee's and/or IRS' timely request, again weigh the vehicle before and after delivery. The billing weight shall be the reweigh weight regardless of whether it is higher or lower than the initial weighing. There is no charge for reweighing.

A carrier representative will make a written inventory of articles as they are being loaded and make a notation on the inventory showing the condition of the employee's furniture and other goods. The employee or the employee's representative should be present to ensure that the description of the condition is accurate.

If loss or damage is noticed on delivery, entries must be made on both the carrier delivery receipt and inventory forms. The driver must sign these forms to acknowledge the loss or damage.

High value items must be listed on a separate "high value" inventory.

After cost comparison analysis and employee counselling, the determination is made on the method of moving, either AEM or CRS.

If it is determined that the move will be accomplished under the AEM, the CFO Relocation Coordinator selects the carrier from the cost comparison list obtained from the GSA Transportation Management Services Solutions.

Carrier selection requires using the carrier or carriers that will provide the needed service at the best value to the IRS.

When contacted, carriers should be told the move is authorized under the GSA HHG Tender of Service. Initial information given to the carrier includes:

After accepting the move, the carrier is given this additional information:

All booking contacts with carriers should be documented on the cost comparison list.

The CFO Relocation Coordinator will prepare the IRBL when the move has been booked (accepted) by a carrier. An IRBL must not be issued without a signed, dated copy of the relocation authorization for basic moving expenses.

The IRBL must be prepared as explained in Document 11933, IRBL User Guide.

When the move is complete, the moving employee must complete GSA Form 3080, Household Goods Carrier Evaluation Report, and submit it to GSA.

Feedback from moving employees is the primary means GSA evaluates carriers and compile the analysis.

If the employee is advised to move under the AEM, all approved expenses are paid by the IRS. All non-reimbursable moving expenses and shipping costs of all unauthorized items will be billed to the employee.

The employee may choose to move via another carrier and still move on an IRBL. The employee must notify the CFO Relocation Coordinator stating that they will pay the difference, if higher, between the charges of their selected carrier and the carrier recommended by the travel staff.

If the moving employee is advised to move under the CRS, the move will be reimbursed for the CRS amount shown on the GSA cost comparison.

Intrastate or short distance moves under the CRS require analysis. If it is determined that the actual charges for the move will not exceed the CRS, the employee may move using an IRBL. IRS will pay all authorized charges under these circumstances.

Funds for expenses are issued in one lump sum amount under the CRS. If the employee's expenses exceed the amount allotted, the employee must pay the difference.

If the moving employee elects the self-move method, reimbursement will be for actual expenses incurred and documented (e.g., truck rental, gas, oil, equipment, hired labor), limited to the cost of the carrier listed on the GSA cost comparison with whom IRS would have scheduled the move.

If the moving employee selects their own carrier and elects not to move via IRBL, reimbursement will be limited to the computed charges of the carrier recommended by the Relocation Coordinator.