Proposed Implementation of the Defense Table of Official Distances (DTOD) for the DoD Freight Movements Program

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Proposed Implementation of the Defense Table of Official

Distances (DTOD) for the DoD Freight Movements Program

AGENCY: Military Traffic Management Command, DoD.

ACTION: Notice (request for comments).

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SUMMARY: The Military Traffic Management Command (MTMC), as the

Department of Defense (DoD) Traffic Manager for surface and surface

intermodal traffic management services (DTR Vol 1, Pg 101-113), intends

to utilize a new automated distance calculation product known as the

Defense Table of Official Distances (DTOD) in the DoD freight program.

The DTOD will replace existing distance calculation products used

within the DoD, such as the Rand McNally TDM Milemaker System, and the

Household Goods Carriers' Mileage Guide. The DTOD will become the DoD

standard source for distance information worldwide. Commercially, DTOD

is known as PC*MILER by ALK Associates, Inc. The DTOD/PC*MILER will be

used by the DoD for all distance calculations, analysis, and for

transportation payment/audits. Carriers and third party providers may

continue to use other mileage sources for their own business purposes.

However, carriers and third party providers participating in the DoD

freight program must agree to be bound by the DTOD/PC*MILER distance

calculations for payment and audit purposes.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by November 16, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Headquarters, Military Traffic

Management Command, ATTN: MTTM-O, Room 108, 5611 Columbia Pike, Falls

Church, VA 22041-5050.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information concerning use

of the DTOD in the MTMC Freight Movement Program can be obtained by

contacting Mr. Ed Dickerson (703) 681-6870 or Ms. Patty Maloney (703)

681-6586. Information regarding DTOD complaint commercial software and

other technical information can be provided by contacting ALK

Associates, Inc. at 1-800-377-MILE, or on the Intenet at

www.pcmiler.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. The proposed effective date for the use of the DTOD in the DoD

freight movement program will be 1 March 1999 and will effect all MTMC

sponsored freight traffic programs where mileage is used for

negotiation, analysis and/or payment purposes. All shipments picked up

on or after the effective date will be governed by the DTOD.

2. In accordance with the implementation process the following MTMC

rules publications will be amended to remove any reference to existing

mileage guides or tables and replace them with DTOD with an effective

date of 1 March 1999:

(a) Military Traffic Management Command (MTMC) Freight Tariff

Rules Publication No. 1A, Page 9, Item 5, Paragraph 2b.

(b) MTMC Freight Tariff Rules Publication No. 10, Page 12, Item

20 Paragraph 1b, 1f, and 1g.

(c) MTMC Guaranteed Traffic Rules Publication No. 50, Page 1-3,

Item 15, Paragraph 1c.

(d) MTMC Freight Rules Publication No. 4A, Page 1-7, Item 50,

Paragraph 1b.

(e) MTMC Standard Tender Instructions Publications 364A, Page

12, Item 200.

3. Where rates or other services are based on mileage, the distance

or mileage computations shall be those provided in the Defense Table of

Official Distances (DTOD). Mileage for freight shipments, except

certain hazardous materials (HAZMAT), will be based on DTOD shortest

distance. Mileage for munition shipments will be based on the DTOD

HAZMAT Module and the mileage for overdimensional/overweight shipments

will be based on DTOD practical mileage calculation. DTOD and PC*MILER

will produce identical distance calculations. Carriers and other

parties who seek more information about PC*MILER may contact ALK

Associates, Inc. at telephone 1-800-377-MILE, or via internet at

www.pcmiler.com.

4. Proposed Implementation Dates: The schedule for use of the DTOD/

PC*MILER in distance calculation, payment, pre- and post-payment audits

for shipments under the DoD freight movement program will be 1 March

1999.

5. Background. Currently, several sources for highway distance

information are being used to support various DoD transportation

programs, such as travel, travel entitlement reimbursement, freight and

personal property movements. Moreover, separate products are used to

calculate overseas distances. The result is a variance in distance

computation produced by different products and a high cost to DoD of

licensing and maintaining multiple mileage sources.

a. Until 1996, DoD was required by law to maintain an official

mileage table for payment of travel and transportation allowances,

known as the Official Table

[[Page 49339]]

of Distances. The FY96 Defense Authorization Act deleted this

requirement, thus providing the opportunity to use a commercial mileage

product. MTMC announced a plan to convert to a new automated mileage

standard calculation product in a previous Federal Register notice (Vol

62, No 218, Page 60692) Wednesday, 12 November 1997. In seeking a

single integrated source of automation highway distance calculations,

the MTMC contracted with Science Applications International Corporation

(SAIC) to perform a market survey of available products (Phase I) and

to provide a product that would support DoD transportation programs

(Phase II). SAIC, in turn, conducted a commercial competition to

identify and acquire commercial-off-the-shelf, point to point distance

calculation source that would meet all the DoD requirements. PC*MILER

was chosen by SAIC to be that source. PC*MILER, developed specifically

to serve the trucking industry, will contain Standard Point Location

Codes, military locations and other worldwide locations required by

DoD. Updates and version control of DTOD and PC*MILER will be

consistent with industry practices.

b. In surveying and evaluating vendors and products, SAIC's

criteria considered compatibility with existing and planned automated

systems, consistency in calculation, and adaptability to various DoD

network applications and transportation programs used. SAIC also

compared commercially available distance calculation products to

identify viable candidates for the competitive selection process.

Following vendor selection, a comparison of the 100 highest volume

shipping routes resulted in finding an average variance of 2.0% (+/-)

amongst the vendors of evaluated products. Upon written request a copy

of this comparison will be provided.

c. The DTOD/PC*MILER product will calculate both ``shortest'' and

``practical'' mileage. Currently, the DoD and the general freight

carrier industry use ``shortest'' mileage to calculate the distance

used for payment purpose. ``Shortest'' routes represent distances and

routes that a driver would take to minimize total distance traveled

while still following a truck-navigable route. DoD will continue to use

the ``shortest'' routes for freight shipments, the HAZMAT module for

munitions and radioactive yellow II/III shipments, and practical

mileage for overdimensional/overweight shipments.

d. Carriers and/or other parties who choose to use PC*MILER will

have opportunities to provide feedback to ALK Associates, Inc., the

provider of DTOD software, regarding routings, database suggestions

such as distance differences, road preference suggestions, road

reclassification, new locations, etc. ALK Associates, Inc., will

provide all interested parties the capability to license PC*MILER, to

ensure the ability to consistently determine the exact mileage that the

DoD uses for payment and auditing.

e. Interested parties are invited to provide comments concerning

the use of the DTOD in the DoD Freight Movement Program and the

proposed implementation dates to the address above. Comments will be

accepted for a period of 60 days from the publication date of this

notice.

6. Regulatory Flexibility Act. This change in acquisition policy is

related to public contracts and is designed to standardize distance

calculations for line-haul transportation. This change is not

considered rule making within the meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility

Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612.

7. Paperwork Reduction Act. The Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C.

3051 et seq., does not apply because no information collection

requirement or recordkeeping responsibilities are imposed on offerors,

contractors, or members of the public.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 98-24728 Filed 9-14-98; 8:45 am]

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