Household Goods Management Services
Transportation Questions Kevin Godfrey (206) 526-4430
To Initiate Household Goods Move
Entitlement
Items That Cannot Be Shipped
Selecting a Carrier
Claim Processing for Loss/Damage
Rights of the Employee
Employee's Responsibilities
Transportation Service & Property Claims
Claim Preparation
Information Necessary To Initiate Transportation Of Household Goods
Following is the basic information that the WRC Transportation Officer needs to initiate your household goods move:
Name:_____________________ SSN:_______________ Date of move:____________
Origin Address:_________________________________________________________
Origin Telephone No.:____________________
Work Telephone No.:______________________
Destination: __________________ Dest. Contact Telephone No.:______________
Pack Dates:_______________ Delivery date:______________
High Value
Items/Antiques:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Entitlement
The Government is liable for the cost of transporting 18,000 pounds of household goods for civilian employees from the old duty station to the new duty station in one lot by the most economical route and 90-day, temporary storage. If excess weight is shipped, the liability of the employee will be calculated on the ratio of the excess to the total weight and that ratio applied to all of the charges:
Example: If the shipment weighs 21,000 pounds, the ratio of excess weight to total is 14.3% (3,000 Divided by 21,000), and the employee will be Responsible for 14.3% of the charges.
It is possible that part of the weight comprises professional books, papers, and/or equipment. If the inclusion of these items in the shipment will result in excess weight, these items may be shipped as an administrative expense. To do so, however, the employee will be required to furnish an itemized inventory of professional books, papers, and equipment for review by an appropriate authorizing official at the new permanent duty station. Also, the employee shall furnish appropriate evidence that the transporting the itemized materials as part of the employee's household goods would result in an excess of the employee's maximum weight allowance. The employee is responsible for any extra cost that may be charged. Extra cost is the difference between the cost of the shipment(s) as it actually moved and the cost of the shipment had it moved in one lot from the old to the new duty station.
Items That Cannot Be Shipped:
Boats and Canoes
They may not be shipped as part of the household goods but may be shipped
separately for off shore destinations only. The following items are
not considered to be household goods: Automobiles, trucks, vans and similar
motor vehicles, boats, airplanes, camper trailers and farming vehicles; Live
animals, birds, fowls, and reptiles; Cordwood and building materials, and
Property for resale, disposal, or commercial use (business equipment/materials
used for a business) ammunition, liquids, alcoholic beverages, and hazardous
materials.
Firearms:
Do not hide firearms in a box or other container. You can ensure the fire
arms arrive at the destination by removing the firing pin and disassembling
the weapon and provide the carrier specific information such as make, model
and serial number on the inventory.
High Value Items:
a list of items high value items along with the value items should be furnished
the driver of the van for items considered high value. A easy way to determine
whether or not an item is of high value is if the item is valued a hundred
dollars per pound (example: silk scarves, computer software, collections,
shoes, antiques ). If you have high value items, a list must prepare a list
along with the value and given to the Driver prior to loading your household
goods.
Selecting The Carrier
The WRC Transportation personnel are responsible for selecting the carrier who will be packing and transporting household goods to the new duty station. This selection is based on the service record of the carrier for past moves performed for WRC, checking the GSA Cost Comparison performance index score and the carrier's ability to provide the services needed (dates, agents at destination and origin, etc.) and consideration is given to employees' previous move experience.
Rights Of The Employee
To have his or her household goods moved in a professional and timely manner. The right to have professional personnel pack, load, transport, unload, and unpack his or her household goods. The right to an on-site premove survey of his or her belongings by the carrier. The right to have certain items disassembled by the carrier at his or her new residence and reassembled in new residence. The right to stop the carrier's work at any time it is believed that to continue would subject his or her possessions to harm. The right to review, object to and inspect the packing materials and the way in which the property is coded on the carrier's inventory at origin. The right to stop work after working hours. Working hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Employee's Responsibilities
The employee is responsible to ensure that the carrier provides the services in a professional manner and for contacting the WRC Transportation office to report the service failure.
Insure that a copy of the Travel Order is sent to WRC Transportation prior to the move date.
To be present or have a designated agent present as the goods are packed and loaded and at destination when unloaded/unpacked. If the employee selects an agent to act in their behalf they must furnish WRC Transportation a written statement containing the name and telephone number of individual.
Responsible for disconnecting/reconnecting or arrange to have disconnected and/or reconnected gas and/or electric washers/dryers, ice makers, and the draining of water beds and washer hoses. Responsible for disassembling and reassembling after delivery, swing sets, outdoor playground equipment, satellite dishes, storage sheds and similar articles.
Responsible for arranging for the disassembling, reassembling , or servicing of articles that require special servicing such as a grandfather clock, stereo or other electronic equipment, hot tubs, pool tables, etc.
Responsible for reporting and submit a claim of any loss/damaged discovered at the time of delivery. The employee must notify the carrier in writing within 75 days.
Responsible for completing and returning the Household Goods Carrier Evaluation Report and the Evaluation of WRC Transportation Personnel.
Household Goods Claim Process For Loss/Damage
A claim is the result of the carrier's failure to perform according to the terms of the contract. The contract obligates a carrier to perform a premove survey, packing, loading, transportation, unloading, and unpacking. The contract also obligates a carrier to deliver the household goods in the same quantity and condition as received.
Transportation Service And Property Claims
Transportation Service Claim
This type of claim involves a carrier's failure to perform a service either wholly or partially, on time and in the manner required by the contract. This kind of performance failure results in an inconvenience claim for failure to perform on time the services contracted for.
The Government along with the employee suffers the results of the carrier's failure to perform (because it paid for the services not properly performed), The Government may claim per diem costs paid to the employee by the Government which are associated with the late delivery. Also, the employee is entitled to claim any reasonable costs incurred in excess of those reimbursed to the employee by the Government.
Property Claim
This type of claim involves a carrier's failure to handle the property or use the premises in such a way as to avoid damage. Generally, this kind of performance failure results in a claim for loss/damage to personal property, and/or a claim for damage to real property Because the employee suffers the effects of property loss/damage, a property claim accrues to the employee.
Claim Preparation
A claim is an assertion that the carrier has failed to perform and is liable for its failed performance. It is a demand on the carrier for the payment of loss/damages caused by that failure.
A claim must satisfy four specific criteria:
- It must be in writing ( it DOES NOT have to be on a special form),
- It must identify the shipment (Employee name, carrier's Shipment No.and/or GBL No., origin and destination addresses),
- It must identify the loss/damage and assert that it was carrier caused, and
- It must demand restitution in a specific amount.
In addition, to the above four requirements, a claim also has CORE requirements - carefulness, objectivity, reasonableness, and equity.
The employee must take the time to ensure that at origin the mover packs and inventories the shipment properly, and at destination annotates any loss/damage that has occurred.
When the origin inventory correctly states the makeup and condition of the property in the shipment, and when the destination inventory accurately describes the delivered condition of the shipment, the carrier has the burden of proving that any difference in condition is the result of the exceptions to its liability. If loss/damage was discovered after delivery but reported in writing to the carrier within 75 days of delivery, the carrier is liable as if the loss/damage had been noted at delivery. If a claim is not filed within the 75 days, then the burden of proving that the carrier caused the loss/damage shifts to the employee. Because the Government is technically the shipper, the time period for the filing of claims is six (6) years from the date of delivery.
A carrier is not liable for sentimental value. This is the most difficult part of claim preparation, especially when certain kinds of items are involved. Photo albums, heirlooms (as opposed to legitimate antiques), and items made by the employee contain great quantities of sentimental value, but little claimable value. The claimable value of items such as a photo album is the cost of film, development, and the cost to replace the album. The claimable value of handmade items is generally the value of the materials.
Claims should be sent certified mail, return receipt requested.