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On the same day that the Army published Planning is the key if moving during peak moving season, at their official web portal, the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command's (SDDC) Personal Property Directorate issued this week's new business rules for movers on how to use the United States Transportation Command (USTRANCOM) new $2.2B automated Defense Personal Property System, DPS. 

The new DPS programs are powered by the military's new Best Value Scoring automated procurement method.

The directive was issued to help the full service moving industry to try to produce more driver and equipment 'capacity' during the most critical weeks in the relocation industry's peak season.  In the U.S., approximately 60% of all local, long distance and international household goods moves involving personal property and equipment occur during the three month period between Memorial Day and Labor Day each year.    

On June 6, 2011, SDDC issued guidance reiterating that participating transportation service providers (TSPs) would only be allowed to refuse up to three shipments per traffic channel, as long as the shipment is refused within 24 hours of being offered to that TSP.   Although somewhat unclear, this latest message appears to change that requirement. 

Posted 13 June 11

SHIPMENT REFUSALS DURING PEAK SEASON

THE DEFENSE PERSONAL PROPERTY PROGRAM, IN COORDINATION WITH THE SERVICE HEADQUARTERS AND INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES, WILL ALLOW TSPS UNLIMITEDSHIPMENT REFUSALS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 2011 PEAK SEASON (13 JUN – 31 JUL 11). THIS CHANGE WILL ALLOW TSPS TO REMOVE SOME BLACKOUT DESIGNATIONS BY MARKET/GBLOC/CHANNEL/COS TO REACH ANY REMAINING CAPACITY AVAILABLE. TSPS SHOULD NOT REMOVE BLACKOUT DESIGNATIONS FOR AREAS THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY CAPACITY IN ORDER FOR SHIPMENTS TO FLOW QUICKLY TO A TSP WHO CAN ACCEPT THE OFFER.

THE PROCESS FOR SHIPMENT REFUSAL WORKS AS FOLLOWS IN DPS:

1. TSP REFUSES SHIPMENT (WITHIN FOUR HOURS OF SHIPMENT AWARD) AND THE OFFER RETURNS TO THE PPSO AWARD SHPMENT QUEUE AS "OFFER REJECTED"
2. PPSO SELECTS "AWARD SHIPMENT" (BLOCK TO THE RIGHT OF STATUS BLOCK SHOWING OFFER REJECTED)
3. AWARD SHIPMENT QUEUE SHOWS NEXT TSP AND THE PPSO SELECTS "AWARD SHIPMENT TO TSP" TAB TO RE-AWARD SHIPMENT.
4. BASICALLY, ONCE THE SHIPMENT IS REFUSED BY A TSP AND REAPPEARS IN THE PPSO AWARD QUEUE, IT'S A TWO-CLICK PROCESSS TO RE-AWARD TO THE NEXT TSP AVAILABLE.

KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER:

1. TSPS SHOULD ONLY REMOVE BLACKOUT DESIGNATION IN AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE KNOWN CAPACITY
2. TSPS ARE ENCOURAGED TO QUICKLY ACCEPT/REFUSE SHIPMENTS (WITHIN FOUR HOURS) TO MINIMIZE BOOKING TIME AND LIMIT ANY INCONVENIENCE TO MEMBERS
3. PPSOS NEED TO MONITOR THE AWARD SHIPMENT QUEUE AND DETERMINE WHETHER TO REAWARD OR TAKE OTHER ACTIONS TO MOVE SHIPMENT
4. CURRENT TSPS SUSPENDED UNDER THE PREVIOUS PEAK SEASON GUIDANCE (LIMIT OF 3 SHIPMENT REFUSALS) WILL BE REINSTATED EFFECTIVE 13 JUN 2011(SDDC ACTION)
5. PPSO WILL NOT ISSUE PUNITIVE ACTIONS FOR SHIPMENTS REFUSALS FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2011 PEAK SEASON (13 JUN – 31 JUL 11)
6. DPS COUNTS EACH SHIPMENT REFUSAL AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE SHIPMENT
7. THESE PROVISIONS DO NOT APPLY ONCE SHIPMENTS ARE INITIALLY ACCEPTED BY THE TSP, SO MAKE SURE YOU CAN HANDLE THE SHIPMENT BEFORE ACCPETING IT

THIS MESSAGE IS APPROVED FOR RELEASE BY MR. JOHN JOHNSON, CHIEF, PERSONAL PROPERTY BRANCH

Stay tuned for the latest updates!

Related Articles:

Military hints at review of problem-ridden DP3 program – RELO Roundtable

‘Defense Personal Property Procurement Program (DP3)’ Category – RELO Roundtable

Popular Defense Personal Property Program (DP3) Forum Discussions – RELO Roundtable

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