B-125283, JUN. 15, 1964

B-125283, JUN. 15, 1964

TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO LETTER OF APRIL 14, 1964, FILE DTMS-PX, WITH ENCLOSURE, FROM THE COMMANDER OF THE DEFENSE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICE, TO THE DIRECTOR, TRANSPORTATION DIVISION, U.S. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, REGARDING AUTHORITY FOR QUANTITY (BULK) PURCHASES OF PASSENGER TICKETS. IN OUR LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY OF OCTOBER 10, 1961, B-125283, WE DELEGATED TO THE MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AGENCY (THE PREDECESSOR OF THE DEFENSE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICE), CONTINUING AUTHORITY TO APPROVE WITHOUT REFERENCE TO OUR OFFICE APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS TO UTILIZE THE BULK TICKET PURCHASE PROGRAM. ON JUNE 4, 1962, WE EXTENDED THE AUTHORITY BY INCREASING THE MONETARY LIMITATIONS FOR TICKETS PROCURED UNDER THE BULK PURCHASE PROGRAM FROM $5 TO $10 FOR ONE- WAY TICKETS AND FROM $10 TO $20 FOR ROUND-TRIP TICKETS. PREVIOUSLY IN OUR LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE DATED NOVEMBER 4, 1955, B-125283, PERMISSION WAS GRANTED FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF TICKETS UNDER THE BULK PURCHASE ARRANGEMENT FOR CERTAIN AIR FORCE RECRUIT TRAVEL.

THE DEFENSE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICE NOW PROPOSES THAT ALL DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ACTIVITIES BE GRANTED THE AUTHORITY TO PROCURE TICKETS UNDER THE BULK PURCHASE PROGRAM, WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICERS HAVING TO APPLY FOR AND OBTAIN INDEPENDENT SPECIFIC APPROVAL OF THE COMMANDER, DEFENSE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICE. IN LIEU OF REQUESTING INDEPENDENT APPROVAL, THE DEFENSE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICE PROPOSES TO PUBLISH IN A PERMANENT DIRECTIVE, THE CRITERIA UNDER WHICH BULK PURCHASE OF TICKETS MAY BE EMPLOYED AND THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS WHICH MUST EXIST AT ANY TIME TICKETS ARE SO PURCHASED. THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES OVER THE PRESENT PRACTICE WERE CITED:

"A. MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE POSSIBLE THAN IS NOW THE CASE WITH AN AUTHORIZATION DOCUMENT WHICH IS, IN MANY CASES, SEVERAL YEARS OLD. INSPECTORS, AUDITORS, ETC., WILL HAVE AVAILABLE A CURRENT BINDING REGULATION IN LIEU OF A DOCUMENT WHICH, QUITE POSSIBLY, HAS BECOME LOST.

"B. THE CRITERIA CAN BE READILY APPLIED TO CHANGES IN THE COST OF TICKETS.

"C. THE CRITERIA CAN BE READILY APPLIED TO NEW TRAVEL PATTERNS CAUSED BY CHANGES IN THE FLOW OF PASSENGER TRAFFIC.

"D. THE PROGRAM WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY CHANGES IN PERSONNEL. AS A PERMANENT REGULATION, THE CRITERIA WILL EXIST AND BE READILY AVAILABLE TO ALL NEWLY-ASSIGNED TRANSPORTATION OFFICERS.'

ENCLOSED WITH THE LETTER IS A PROPOSED REVISION TO CHAPTER 311, MILITARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT REGULATION DSAR 4500.3, SETTING FORTH THE CRITERIA AND CONDITIONS FOR THE USE OF THE BULK PURCHASE TICKET PLAN. IF APPROVED, THE DEFENSE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICE PROPOSES TO ELIMINATE PARAGRAPH 311003 OF THE CURRENT REGULATION CAPTIONED "APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL.'

IN VIEW OF THE SITUATIONS EXPLAINED IN GENERAL LINCOLN'S LETTER, WE APPROVE THE PROPOSED REVISION OF THE BULK PURCHASE TICKET PROCEDURES AS SET FORTH IN THE DRAFT OF CHAPTER 311 OF DSAR 4500.3.

FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL OF THE AUTHORITY, WE BELIEVE THAT THE DEFENSE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICE SHOULD MAINTAIN A CONTINUING RECORD OF THOSE INSTALLATIONS THAT PROCURE PASSENGER TICKETS UNDER THE BULK PURCHASE PLAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROPOSED PROCEDURE. CHAPTER 311 SHOULD, THEREFORE, PROVIDE FOR NOTIFICATION BY THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICERS USING THE PLAN TO THE COMMANDER, DEFENSE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICE, THROUGH APPROPRIATE CHANNELS, OF THE TYPE OF TRAVEL AND APPROXIMATE VOLUME FOR WHICH BULK PURCHASE OF TICKETS IS TO BE MADE.

ALTHOUGH NOT MENTIONED IN THE LETTER FROM THE COMMANDER, DEFENSE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICE, THE PROCEDURES OUTLINED APPEAR ADEQUATE FOR UNIFORM APPLICATION THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND WHEN ADOPTED WILL RENDER THE SEPARATE AUTHORITY GRANTED TO THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE UNNECESSARY. ACCORDINGLY, EFFECTIVE UPON ADOPTION OF THE PROCEDURES PROPOSED THE AUTHORITY SO GRANTED BY OUR LETTER OF NOVEMBER 4, 1955, IS RESCINDED IN CONSIDERATION THAT THE AIR FORCE'S REQUIREMENTS FOR BULK PURCHASE OF TICKET AUTHORITY WILL BE MET BY COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS SPECIFIED IN THE PROPOSED REVISION TO CHAPTER 311 OF DSAR 4500.3.

REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR TRANSPORTATION DIVISION WILL BE AVAILABLE IF NECESSARY FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE MATTERS COVERED HEREIN.