B-144429, MAY 23, 1967

B-144429: May 23, 1967

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TO THE SECRETARY OF TREASURY: FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO LETTER OF FEBRUARY 20. IN WHICH AUTHORITY IS REQUESTED TO USE SIMPLIFIED DOCUMENTATION AND PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING SMALL SHIPMENTS OF COMPUTER TAPES AND MICROFILM MADE BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS). IT IS SAID THAT SHIPMENTS OF THESE TAPES WOULD INVOLVE THE PREPARATION OF APPROXIMATELY 5. PROMPT DELIVERY OF THE MATERIAL IS ESSENTIAL. WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE MORE ECONOMICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVELY ADVANTAGEOUS TO OMIT ISSUANCE OF GOVERNMENT BILLS OF LADING IN THESE CASES AND TO PROVIDE FOR RETENTION OF THE SHIPPING AND PAYMENT RECORDS AT THE SITE. IS AUTHORIZED TO USE COMMERCIAL BILLS OF LADING OR EXPRESS RECEIPTS ON SMALL SHIPMENTS OF COMPUTER TAPES AND MICROFILMS MOVING VIA AIR EXPRESS BETWEEN THE IRS POINTS OF ACTIVITY STIPULATED IN THE REQUEST.

B-144429, MAY 23, 1967

TO THE SECRETARY OF TREASURY:

FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO LETTER OF FEBRUARY 20, 1967, FROM MR. A. E. WEATHERBEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION, IN WHICH AUTHORITY IS REQUESTED TO USE SIMPLIFIED DOCUMENTATION AND PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING SMALL SHIPMENTS OF COMPUTER TAPES AND MICROFILM MADE BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS). THESE SHIPMENTS MOVE BETWEEN IRS REGIONAL SERVICE CENTERS, THE NATIONAL COMPUTER CENTER, THE DETROIT DATA CENTER, AND THE NATIONAL OFFICE. THE SHIPMENTS AVERAGE 21.6 POUNDS, WITH A COST AVERAGE OF $9.24. MR. WEATHERBEE PROPOSES THAT THESE SHIPMENTS BE MADE BY AIR EXPRESS, USING THE CARRIERS' COMMERCIAL SHIPPING DOCUMENTS.

AS EXPLAINED IN A STATEMENT ATTACHED TO MR. WEATHERBEE'S LETTER, AN AIR- WAYBILL WOULD BE USED FOR EACH SHIPMENT, AND A SINGLE GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING (GBL) ISSUED TO COVER EACH MONTH'S SHIPMENTS. AT THE END OF THE MONTH, THE CARRIER WOULD SUBMIT A STANDARD FORM 1113, PUBLIC VOUCHER FOR TRANSPORTATION CHARGES, SUPPORTED BY THE COVERING GBL AND COPIES OF PERTINENT AIR-WAYBILLS. IT IS SAID THAT SHIPMENTS OF THESE TAPES WOULD INVOLVE THE PREPARATION OF APPROXIMATELY 5,200 GBL'S ANNUALLY, AS COMPARED TO ABOUT 200 UNDER THE PROPOSED SYSTEM. ESTIMATED SAVINGS WOULD BE IN THE REDUCTION OF MAN-HOURS REQUIRED IN THE DAILY PREPARATION OF SEPARATE GBL'S FOR EACH SHIPMENT. AS STATED, PROMPT DELIVERY OF THE MATERIAL IS ESSENTIAL, SINCE LATE RECEIPTS RESULT IN THE LOSS OF VALUABLE COMPUTER AND TECHNICIAN TIME.

IN VIEW OF THE EXPECTED ADMINISTRATIVE SAVINGS, THE URGENT AND IMMEDIATE NATURE OF THE TRAFFIC, AND THE SMALL TRANSPORTATION COST PER SHIPMENT FOR THIS TRAFFIC, WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE MORE ECONOMICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVELY ADVANTAGEOUS TO OMIT ISSUANCE OF GOVERNMENT BILLS OF LADING IN THESE CASES AND TO PROVIDE FOR RETENTION OF THE SHIPPING AND PAYMENT RECORDS AT THE SITE. ACCORDINGLY, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, TREASURY DEPARTMENT, IS AUTHORIZED TO USE COMMERCIAL BILLS OF LADING OR EXPRESS RECEIPTS ON SMALL SHIPMENTS OF COMPUTER TAPES AND MICROFILMS MOVING VIA AIR EXPRESS BETWEEN THE IRS POINTS OF ACTIVITY STIPULATED IN THE REQUEST, WITHOUT CONVERTING THE COMMERCIAL DOCUMENTS TO GOVERNMENT BILLS OF LADING. WHILE YOUR PROPOSAL IS LIMITED TO AIR EXPRESS, WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO COMPARABLE HANDLING AND DOCUMENTATION OF COMPUTER TAPE AND MICROFILM SHIPMENTS VIA BUS, UNITED PARCEL SERVICE, OR REA EXPRESS (SURFACE TRANSPORTATION), IF SUCH ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF SHIPMENT ARE FOUND TO BE PREFERABLE IN POINT OF SERVICE OR EXPENSE IN CERTAIN INSTANCES. OUR AUTHORIZATION IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

1. THAT THE CARRIERS' BILLS FOR CHARGES BE SUBMITTED MONTHLY ON STANDARD FORM 1034, PUBLIC VOUCHER FOR PURCHASES AND SERVICES OTHER THAN PERSONAL, RATHER THAN STANDARD FORM 1113 AS PROPOSED, SUPPORTED BY THE ORIGINAL COMMERCIAL BILLING FORMS AND A SHOWING OF THE RECEIPT OF THE SHIPMENTS BY THE CONSIGNEES.

2. THAT THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TRANSPORTATION CHARGE FOR A SINGLE SHIPMENT MADE UNDER THIS AUTHORIZATION SHALL BE $50.

3. THAT A LETTER OF AGREEMENT BE EXECUTED AND FILED WITH THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT BY EACH PARTICIPATING CARRIER (OR A TARIFF PUBLISHING OR OTHER AGENT AUTHORIZED TO ACT FOR GROUPS OF CARRIERS) SIGNIFYING ACCEPTANCE OF THESE ARRANGEMENTS. THE LETTER OF AGREEMENT SHOULD CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING PROVISION:

"THE SHIPMENTS COVERED BY THIS AGREEMENT CONSIST OF PROPERTY OF THE UNITED STATES AND, EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED HEREIN, ARE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE STANDARD FORM OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING AND ANY OTHER APPLICABLE CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT OF THE CARRIER FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF SHIPMENTS FOR THE UNITED STATES ON GOVERNMENT BILLS OF LADING.'

THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING THAT THE SERVICES FOR WHICH THE CARRIER CLAIMS REIMBURSEMENT WERE FURNISHED. PAYMENTS OF THIS TYPE ARE NOT TO BE SCHEDULED ON VOUCHER-SCHEDULES COVERING VOUCHERS IN THE TRANSPORTATION SERIES, AND THE PAYMENT RECORDS SHOULD NOT BE SENT TO OUR TRANSPORTATION DIVISION. IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULES GOVERNING TRANSPORTATION VOUCHERS AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WILL NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THIS TYPE OF PAYMENT.

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