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

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

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