SUBJ: TRANSFER SEASON 2009 HOUSEHOLD GOODS (HHG) SHIPPING INFORMATION AND MANDATORY SURVEY COMPLETION 1. WHETHER YOU ARE TRANSFERRING OR PERFORMING A FUNDED LOCAL MOVE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU KNOW YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS (HHG) ENTITLEMENTS. TO FULLY UNDERSTAND HHG SHIPPING AND STORAGE ENTITLEMENTS, COUNSELING IS ESSENTIAL. MEMBERS MUST MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR SHIPMENT OF HHG WITH THE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SINCE REQUESTED DATES ARE NOT GUARANTEED, THE EARLIER ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE, THE MORE LIKELY THAT TRANSPORTATION SERVICE PROVIDERS (TSP) CAN ACCOMMODATE THE PACKING/PICKUP DATES REQUESTED. THE ACTUAL SCHEDULED DATES SHOULD BE CONFIRMED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICE PRIOR TO SELLING A HOUSE OR CANCELLING A RENTAL AGREEMENT. 2. THE PAMPHLET, ITS YOUR MOVE, CONTAINS GUIDANCE ABOUT SHIPPING HHG. THIS PAMPHLET AND OTHER USEFUL HHG INFORMATION INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONS ON FILING HHG DAMAGE CLAIMS IS AVAILABLE AT HTTP://WWW.FINCEN.USCG.MIL/HHG.HTM. THE FOLLOWING WEB SITES PROVIDE ADDITIONAL HHG TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION, HTTP://AFMOVE.HQ.AF.MIL/DEFAULT.ASP, HTTP://WWW.MOVE.MIL AND HTTP://WWW.SDDC.ARMY.MIL. 3. WHEN PLANNING YOUR SHIPMENT, AVOID POTENTIAL EXCESS COSTS. THE MOST COMMON EXCESS COST IS EXCEEDING THE AUTHORIZED WEIGHT ALLOWANCE. TO REDUCE THIS LIKELIHOOD, DISPOSE OF UNWANTED ITEMS AND IDENTIFY PROFESSIONAL BOOKS, PAPERS, AND EQUIPMENT ALSO KNOWN AS PRO-GEAR. A USEFUL HHG WEIGHT ESTIMATOR TOOL IS AVAILABLE AT HTTP://AFMOVE.HQ.AF.MIL/DEFAULT.ASP. IN ADDITION, THE TSP WILL ESTIMATE THE WEIGHT OF YOUR HHG SHIPMENT DURING THE PRE-MOVE SURVEY. AFTER THE HHG HAVE BEEN PICKED UP BY THE TSP, CONTACT THE ORIGIN TRANSPORTATION OFFICE FOR THE ACTUAL CERTIFIED WEIGHT OF THE HHG, AND IF THE WEIGHT EXCEEDS THE AUTHORIZED WEIGHT ALLOWANCE, REQUEST A REWEIGH AND ASK THE ORIGIN TRANSPORTATION OFFICE FOR ADVICE. 4. ONLY ITEMS PRESENTLY USED IN THE DIRECT PERFORMANCE OF THE MEMBERS OFFICIAL DUTIES CAN BE CLAIMED AS PRO-GEAR. THESE ITEMS DO NOT COUNT AS PART OF THE MBRS HHG WEIGHT ALLOWANCE. PRO-GEAR MUST BE DECLARED AT ORIGIN BY PROVIDING A WEIGHT ESTIMATION OF THE PRO- GEAR TO THE HHG COUNSELOR TO ENTER ON THE APPLICATION FOR SHIPMENT OR STORAGE, DD FORM 1299. MBRS MUST ENSURE THAT PRO-GEAR IS IDENTIFIED AS SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY AND ANNOTATED AS SUCH ON THE MBRS INVENTORY SHEET. BY REGULATION, A MBR CANNOT DECLARE PRO-GEAR AFTER THE FACT TO REDUCE OVERWEIGHT SHIPMENTS. BOOK CASES, DESKS, FILE CABINETS, TOOL BOXES, CERTIFICATES AND PLAQUES (UNLESS AN OFFICIAL AWARD) ARE NOT PRO- GEAR. PRO-GEAR ARE ITEMS THAT WILL BE USED AT YOUR NEW DUTY STATION. NORMAL UNIFORM CLOTHING CANNOT BE CLAIMED AS PRO-GEAR, HOWEVER, PRO-GEAR DOES INCLUDES FOUL WEATHER GEAR AND SPECIALIZED CLOTHING SUCH AS DIVING WEAR AND BAND UNIFORMS. 5. NEW THIS YEAR IS THE APPROVAL OF SPOUSAL PRO-GEAR. THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL FISCAL YEAR 2009, SECTION 621, SPECIAL WEIGHT ALLOWANCE FOR PRO-GEAR FOR SPOUSES, PROVIDES THE AUTHORITY THAT THE SECRETARY CONCERNED MAY AUTHORIZE AN ADDITIONAL WEIGHT ALLOWANCE UP TO 500 POUNDS BELONGING TO THE MBRS SPOUSE WHEN ON A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION. THIS CHANGE WAS INCORPORATED IN THE JOINT FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS (JFTR) U5310-C2. SEE APPENDIX A.1 OF THE JFTR FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF PRO-GEAR. EXCLUDED FROM A SPOUSES PRO-GEAR ARE COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS FOR SALE OR RESALE USED IN CONDUCTING BUSINESS, SPORTS EQUIPMENT AND OFFICE HOUSEHOLD OR SHOP FIXTURES OR FURNITURE (SUCH AS BOOKCASES, STUDY COMPUTER DESKS, FILE CABINETS AND RACKS) OF ANY KIND EVEN THOUGH USED WITH PRO-GEAR. SPOUSAL PRO-GEAR MUST BE DECLARED AT ORIGIN BY PROVIDING A WEIGHT ESTIMATION OF THE PRO-GEAR TO THE HHG COUNSELOR TO ENTER ON THE APPLICATION FOR SHIPMENT OR STORAGE, DD FORM 1299. MBRS MUST ENSURE THAT SPOUSAL PRO-GEAR IS IDENTIFIED AS SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY AND ANNOTATED AS SUCH ON THE TSP INVENTORY SHEET. BY REGULATION, A MBR CANNOT DECLARE SPOUSAL PRO- GEAR AFTER THE FACT TO REDUCE OVERWEIGHT SHIPMENTS. 6. TO PERFORM A PERSONALLY PROCURED MOVE (PPM) OF HHG, COUNSELING IS MANDATORY AND A DD FORM 2278 MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION OFFICE. THE COUNSELOR WILL CALCULATE INCENTIVE ESTIMATES AND INFORM YOU OF REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENTS, ESPECIALLY THE NEED TO OBTAIN EMPTY AND FULL WEIGHT TICKETS. IF YOU PERFORM BOTH A PPM AND A GOVERNMENT MOVE, THE INCENTIVE PAID IS BASED ON THE RATE FOR BOTH SHIPMENTS COMBINED. THE MBR MUST ENSURE THAT WEIGHT SCALES ARE OPEN AND AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THEIR MOVE. IF THE MBR CHOOSES TO MOVE WHEN SCALES ARE CLOSED, E.G. WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS, THEN NO INCENTIVE WILL BE PAID. PPM CLAIMS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE REVIEWED BY THE SERVICING PERSONNEL OFFICE AND SHOULD BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE FINANCE CENTER FOR SETTLEMENT. IT IS THE MBRS RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN COPIES OF THE WEIGHT TICKETS. WITHOUT WEIGHT TICKETS, ONLY ACTUAL ALLOWABLE EXPENSES CAN BE REIMBURSED AFTER APPROVAL THROUGH THE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION OFFICE. ACCESS WEB SITE HTTP://AFMOVE.HQ.AF.MIL/DEFAULT.ASP FOR WEIGHT SCALE LOCATIONS AND HTTP://WWW.FINCEN.USCG.MIL/HHG.HTM FOR INFORMATION THAT FINCEN REQUIRES WHEN PROCESSING A PPM CLAIM. 7. WHEN AUTHORIZED TO PERSONALLY PROCURE SHIPMENT OF A PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE (POV) WITHIN CONUS IAW JFTR, PAR. U5417, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE ORDERS REFLECT THE APPROPRIATE ENTITLEMENT. A COMMON ERROR IS WHERE A MEMBER HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO SHIP THE POV, THE DEPENDENTS DRIVE THE SECOND POV, AND THE MEMBER RECEIVES A GTR FOR TRAVEL TO THE NEW PDS. THIS IS NOT AUTHORIZED. THE MEMBER AND DEPENDENTS MUST TRAVEL TOGETHER IN ONE POV. COMMERCIAL TRAVEL AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE FOR THE MEMBER OR DEPENDENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PCS IS NOT AUTHORIZED. 8. THE FOLLOWING GUIDANCE IS PROVIDED CONCERNING HOW TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THE MANDATORY CUSTOMER SERVICE SURVEY (CSS AFTER DELIVERY OF HHG, IT IS MANDATORY THAT YOU COMPLETE A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY (CSS) TO RATE THE TSP THAT MOVED THE PERSONAL PROPERTY. THE CSS IS USED TO DOCUMENT POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PERFORMANCES SINCE THIS WILL AFFECT THE BEST VALUE SCORE (BVS) FOR SHIPMENTS AWARDED TO THE TSP IN THE FUTURE. THE BEST VALUE SCORE IS DETERMINED AS FOLLOWS: 70 PERCENT OF THE BVS IS COMPOSED OF A PERFORMANCE SCORE (50 PERCENT OF THE PERFORMANCE SCORE IS THE CSS, 20 PERCENT IS THE CLAIMS SCORE) AND THE REMAINING 30 PERCENT IS A RATE SCORE. THE CUSTOMER SURVEY PROCESS IS SIMPLE. MBRS MUST PROVIDE A RELIABLE EMAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER TO THE OUTBOUND TRANSPORTATION COUNSELOR. MBRS MAY USE PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESSES. THE MBR WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL THAT CONTAINS SURVEY ACCESS INFORMATION AND A COMPUTER GENERATED PASSWORD. THE USCG EMPLID NUMBER IS THE CSS LOGIN ID NUMBER. IF A RELIABLE EMAIL ADDRESS WAS NOT PROVIDED AT OUTBOUND COUNSELING, AN EMAIL ADDRESS CAN BE PROVIDED TO THE DESTINATION TRANSPORTATION COUNSELOR TO RECEIVE THE ACCESS INFORMATION. THE SURVEY CAN ONLY BE ACCESSED AFTER DELIVERY OF THE HHG. WITH THE EMPLID AND PASSWORD, THE SURVEY CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE CG FINANCE CENTERS WEB SITE HTTP://WWW.FINCEN.USCG.MIL/HHG.HTM (CLICK ON RATE YOUR HHG MOVER). 9. FULL REPLACEMENT VALUE PROTECTION (FRV) NOW APPLIES TO ALL HHG SHIPMENTS. IT IS IMPORTANT, HOWEVER, THAT SERVICE MEMBERS ARE NOT MISLEAD BY THE TERM FULL REPLACEMENT VALUE. THIS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT A MEMBER WOULD RECEIVE THE FULL REPLACEMENT COST FOR EVERY ITEM DESTROYED, DAMAGED OR LOST. THE LIMITATIONS FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY LOST, DAMAGED, OR DESTROYED WHILE IN THE CARE OF THE TSP/CARRIER ARE AT LEAST 5,000 DOLLARS PER SHIPMENT OR 4.00 DOLLARS TIMES THE NET WEIGHT OF THE SHIPMENT, WHICHEVER IS GREATER, UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 50,000 DOLLARS. IF ADDITIONAL COVERAGE IS NECESSARY, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE MEMBER PURCHASES IT FROM A PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANY. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON FULL REPLACEMENT VALUE CAN BE FOUND ON THE CG FINANCE CENTER WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.FINCEN.USCG.MIL/HHG.HTM OR THE ARMY SURFACE DEPLOYMENT AND DISTRIBUTION COMMAND (SDDC) WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.SDDC.ARMY.MIL/PUBLIC/HOME (CLICK ON PERSONAL PROPERTY/POV AND THEN FULL REPLACEMENT VALUE UNDER QUICK LINKS). 10. COMMANDS SHOULD ENSURE EVERY MEMBER WITH PCS ORDERS RECEIVES A PRINTED COPY OF THIS ALCOAST. 11. COMDT (CG-1222) POC IS CWO SHIRLEY TENNYSON AT 202-475-5393 OR MR. TONY PEARSON AT 202-475-5368. 12. MR. CURTIS B. ODOM, DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SENDS. 13. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.