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-Part 47 - Transportation .......................................................................................................... 111+Part 47 - Transportation
+FC 47.104-1 Negotiating transportation rates.
+Remember that your agency can negotiate for better transportation rates under 49 U.S.C.
+10721 and 13712 in appropriate situations. However, only personnel authorized by your
+agency's internal procedures can conduct these negotiations. Consider negotiating when
+anticipating volume movements, recurring shipments between the same locations (even without
+high volume), or when transit arrangements could provide cost-saving benefits to the
+government. Always ensure that any negotiated rates are properly documented and offer a clear
+advantage over standard rates.
+FC 47.200 Submission of transportation documents for postpayment audit.
+The agency specified in the clause at FAR 52.247-67 is responsible for submitting
+transportation documents for postpayment audit. This involves forwarding original copies of paid
+freight bills/invoices, bills of lading, passenger coupons, and supporting documents to the
+General Services Administration (GSA) Transportation Audit Division as soon as possible after
+the end of each month. These documents should be sent in one package to the following
+address:
+General Services Administration
+Transportation Audit Division (QMCA)
+Crystal Plaza 4, Room 300
+2200 Crystal Drive
+Arlington, VA 22202
+It's important to include paid freight bills/invoices, bills of lading, passenger coupons, and
+supporting documents for first-tier subcontractors under cost-reimbursement contracts. If
+including these subcontractor documents in the main shipment is impractical, they may be sent
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+to GSA in a separate package. Promptly respond to any requests from GSA for original
+transportation bills or other documents, ensuring the contracting agency's name is stamped or
+written on the face of the bill before submission.
+Each shipment of transportation documents should be accompanied by a statement prepared in
+duplicate. GSA will acknowledge receipt by signing and returning a copy of the statement. The
+statement should include the following information:
+● The name and address of the specified agency
+● The contract number, including any alpha-numeric prefix identifying the contracting office
+● The name and address of the contracting office
+● The total number of bills submitted with the statement
+● A listing of the respective amounts paid or, in lieu of such listing, an adding machine
+tape of the amounts paid, showing the contractor’s voucher or check numbers
+FC 47.200 Seeking transportation expertise.
+Don't hesitate to seek transportation expertise when needed. If your civilian government activity
+lacks a dedicated transportation officer, or you otherwise need assistance on transportation
+matters, reach out to either the GSA Regional Federal Supply Service Bureau supporting your
+activity or the transportation element within the contract administration office designated in your
+contract.
+For military installations, the primary point of contact is the transportation office of the
+contracting activity, unless another military activity has been designated as responsible. If
+additional support is required, military transportation offices should escalate requests to the
+Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC). Leveraging these resources
+improves compliance and efficiency in transportation-related aspects of your acquisitions.
+FC 47.200 Leverage existing transportation contracts and agreements.
+Before initiating a new transportation or transportation-related services procurement, first
+explore existing contracts and agreements established by agencies with specialized
+transportation contracting expertise, such as DoD and GSA. Utilizing these pre-existing
+contracts and agreements is generally more economical and efficient. For example, GSA offers
+term contracts for services like local drayage, office moves, and ocean-freight forwarding. Also
+consider using simplified acquisition procedures for requirements below the simplified
+acquisition threshold.
+FC 42.200 Plan ahead for transportation acquisition.
+Integrate transportation and traffic management into your acquisition planning to secure the
+most advantageous outcome for the government, including timely delivery of supplies in good
+condition. Collaborate with the requiring activity to understand their transportation needs, supply
+positioning, and distribution plans, ensuring they provide specific instructions to the contracting
+office. Critically, engage your agency's transportation officer from the start of the process.
+Instead of independently drafting solicitations or evaluating offers, collaborate with them to
+estimate shipping costs, assess port capabilities, and analyze the total cost of ownership,
+including transit time and storage. Leverage their expertise throughout the acquisition cycle,
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+enabling you to consider all crucial transportation factors, leverage potential reduced
+transportation rates (see FAR 47.104), and optimize the overall acquisition value.
+Proactively inform your activities of critical lead-time requirements. Determine if Service
+Contract Labor Standards apply. If they do, highlight the need to obtain a Service Contract
+Labor Standards wage determination via the Wage Determinations at SAM.gov website (or
+through a direct request to the Department of Labor) before issuing a solicitation for any
+contract exceeding $2,500. Additionally, remind them of the potential need to allocate time
+during the solicitation for offerors to inspect origin and destination locations, and for agency
+personnel to inspect prospective contractor facilities and equipment. Addressing these
+requirements early in the acquisition planning process will help prevent delays and ensure a
+smoother procurement.
+Important Note: For acquisitions potentially involving ocean transportation, obtain assistance
+from your transportation activity to develop appropriate shipping instructions and delivery terms
+that comply with the Cargo Preference Act of 1954.
+FC 47.200 Define clear timeframes in transportation contracts.
+Prioritize clear timeframes in your transportation contracts to avoid ambiguity and ensure
+effective performance. Always establish a specific expiration date or state the contract's
+duration. As appropriate, include the specific period for one-time jobs, a detailed schedule for
+major jobs with coordinated phases, and precise performance times for pickup and delivery
+services. For pickup and delivery, specify days and hours of operation, maximum delivery times
+for regular and priority services, and advance notice requirements for pickups. This level of
+detail minimizes misunderstandings, facilitates contract management, and helps to ensure the
+contractor meets the agency's transportation needs.
+FC 47.207 Use of FAR part 47 clauses and provisions.
+Prepare solicitations and contracts for transportation or transportation-related services as
+prescribed elsewhere in the FAR for fixed-price service contracts, to the extent that those
+requirements are applicable and not inconsistent with the requirements in FAR subpart 47.2. In
+addition, include the provisions, clauses, and instructions prescribed in FAR 47.207.
+FC 47.207-3 Provide precise and detailed shipment information.
+When preparing solicitations for transportation or transportation-related services, remember that
+clarity and detail are crucial. Include full details of shipping and delivery locations. For example,
+for the origin of shipments , instead of just stating "Various locations in California," specify
+"Multiple shippers within the Los Angeles metropolitan area, bounded by ZIP codes 90001-
+91803." For the destination of shipments, instead of "government warehouse," provide
+"Consignee: GSA Distribution Center, 123 Main Street, Anytown, CA 91234." When estimating
+quantity, instead of saying "Approximately 10 tons per month," include a schedule like
+"Estimated 10 tons per month, with a breakdown of 2 tons of steel, 3 tons of aluminum, and 5
+tons of plastics, shipped weekly." Or, for a household goods move, state "Estimated aggregate
+weight of 50,000 lbs, based on an average of 10 shipments of 5,000 lbs each." Providing this
+level of detail helps to ensure accurate bids, reduce potential for disputes, and ultimately leads
+to more efficient and cost-effective transportation services.
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+FC 47.207-7 Government property and carrier insurance.
+The government generally self-insures and retains the risk of loss or damage to its property
+during transportation, unless the carrier is legally liable. Under special circumstances, the
+government may buy insurance coverage for government property or require the carrier to
+assume full responsibility for loss of or damage to government property in its possession and
+buy insurance to cover that assumed responsibility. In such cases, you should (1) confirm there
+is no statutory prohibition, (2) verify funds are available for insurance costs, and (3) document
+the special circumstances justifying the need for insurance coverage, along with the
+authorization for purchasing it, in the contract file.
+FC 47.207-8 Discrepancy reporting.
+When receiving shipments, immediately inspect deliveries for discrepancies including overage,
+shortage, loss, damage, or any differences between what you received and what's documented
+on the bill of lading or transportation documents. Proper documentation and timely reporting of
+these discrepancies is crucial for recovering costs and maintaining accurate inventory records.
+Follow the established procedures outlined in 41 CFR parts 102-117 and 118 for reporting and
+adjusting shipment discrepancies, as these regulations provide the framework for filing claims
+and seeking reimbursement from carriers. Document discrepancies with photographs when
+possible, note specific details about quantities and condition, and report issues promptly to
+ensure you don't miss filing deadlines. For DoD personnel, reference DoD 4500.9-R, Defense
+Transportation Regulation, Part II, Chapter 210, which contains department-specific procedures.
+Remember that failing to properly report discrepancies may result in the government absorbing
+unnecessary losses that should be the carrier's responsibility.
+FC 47.305-1 Evaluation considerations.
+Prioritize achieving the lowest overall cost to the government by considering both transportation
+and transportation-related costs, along with offerors' shipping and receiving facilities, during
+offer evaluation. To the extent feasible, encourage activities to schedule deliveries to minimize
+transportation costs and energy consumption. When appropriate, solicit offers on both f.o.b.
+origin and f.o.b. destination terms to allow for a comprehensive cost comparison.
+Additionally, carefully evaluate vendor shipping facilities, including their ability to consolidate
+and ship in economical carload or truckload lots. Simultaneously, consider the type adequacy of
+the consignee's receiving facilities to ensure shipping schedules can be properly
+accommodated. Furthermore, remember to comply with U.S.-flag vessel preference
+requirements in accordance with FAR subpart 47.5. For official business travel and
+transportation of personal effects by government personnel, refer to 46 U.S.C. 1241(a). For
+transporting government personnel-owned vehicles at government expense, consult 46 U.S.C.
+1241(e).
+FC 47.305-1 Effective offer evaluation.
+When requesting assistance from your transportation officer in evaluating offers, ensure they
+receive all pertinent data for a comprehensive assessment. This includes a complete description
+of the commodity (including packaging), the planned award and shipment dates, the total
+quantity with weight and cubic content, the delivery schedule, the contract period, and potential
+use of transit privileges like stopoffs for loading or unloading. Equipping your transportation
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+officer with this detailed information enables them to effectively assist in evaluating offers and
+identifying cost savings.
+FC 47.305-1 Use current and valid freight rates for offer evaluation.
+When evaluating offers with transportation components, rely on your transportation officer to
+provide the lowest available freight rates and related charges that are or will be in effect before
+the expected initial shipment date and are on file or published on the date of bid opening or due
+date of offers. Rates that become available after the date of bid opening or due date of offers
+should not be used unless they cover transportation for which no prior rates existed at the time
+of bid opening or due date of offers. This ensures a fair and accurate evaluation based on
+established and verifiable transportation costs.