B-160548, JUL. 9, 1970
Highlights
PROPOSAL BY NASA TO PROCURE THROUGH A COMBINED AIR TRANSPORT OFFICE OPERATED BY CONTRACTOR AIRLINE PASSENGER AIR SERVICE IS APPROVED FOR TEST PERIOD PROVIDED THAT CERTAIN SUGGESTED CONTROLS AND SAFEGUARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSAL. AN EARLIER SIMILAR PROPOSAL WAS THE SUBJECT OF OUR LETTER OF MAY 14. IN WHICH WE ADVISED HIM THAT OUR DECISION WOULD BE PREMATURE BECAUSE AMERICAN AIRLINES REPRESENTATIVES HAD INDICATED TO US THAT THE COMPANY WAS NOT PREPARED TO ENTER INTO SUCH AN AGREEMENT WITHOUT FURTHER STUDY. IN THE PRESENT REQUEST IT IS STATED THAT A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE PROCEDURE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PROPOSAL HAS NOW BEEN DEVELOPED WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES. THE NASA TRAVEL OFFICE WILL FURNISH THE ATO AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH WEEK THE TRANSPORTATION REQUEST NUMBER ASSIGNED TO COVER TICKETS TO BE ISSUED DURING THAT WEEK.
B-160548, JUL. 9, 1970
TRANSPORTATION -- PROCUREMENT OF AIR PASSENGER SERVICE DECISION TO ADMINISTRATOR, NASA, APPROVING ON A TEST BASIS PROCUREMENT OF AIR PASSENGER SERVICE THROUGH A COMBINED AIR TRANSPORT OFFICE OPERATED BY AMERICAN AIRLINES. PROPOSAL BY NASA TO PROCURE THROUGH A COMBINED AIR TRANSPORT OFFICE OPERATED BY CONTRACTOR AIRLINE PASSENGER AIR SERVICE IS APPROVED FOR TEST PERIOD PROVIDED THAT CERTAIN SUGGESTED CONTROLS AND SAFEGUARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSAL.
TO MR. PAINE:
IN A LETTER DATED DECEMBER 24, 1969, FILE BFH, WITH ENCLOSURES, MR. H. FRANK MANN, DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, REQUESTS OUR REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF A PROPOSAL FOR ELIMINATING THE REPETITIOUS PREPARATION OF TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS FOR AIR TRANSPORTATION PROCURED FOR THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) AT ITS HEADQUARTERS.
UNDER THE PROPOSAL, TO BE USED ON A TEST BASIS, AIR TRANSPORTATION WOULD BE PROCURED THROUGH A COMBINED AIR TRANSPORT OFFICE (ATO) OPERATED BY THE CONTRACTOR-AIRLINE, AMERICAN AIRLINES. AN EARLIER SIMILAR PROPOSAL WAS THE SUBJECT OF OUR LETTER OF MAY 14, 1969, B 160548, TO MR. MANN, IN WHICH WE ADVISED HIM THAT OUR DECISION WOULD BE PREMATURE BECAUSE AMERICAN AIRLINES REPRESENTATIVES HAD INDICATED TO US THAT THE COMPANY WAS NOT PREPARED TO ENTER INTO SUCH AN AGREEMENT WITHOUT FURTHER STUDY. IN THE PRESENT REQUEST IT IS STATED THAT A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE PROCEDURE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PROPOSAL HAS NOW BEEN DEVELOPED WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES.
UNDER THE REVISED PROPOSAL, THE NASA TRAVEL OFFICE WILL FURNISH THE ATO AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH WEEK THE TRANSPORTATION REQUEST NUMBER ASSIGNED TO COVER TICKETS TO BE ISSUED DURING THAT WEEK. FOR EACH RESERVATION OR TICKET REQUESTED, THE ATO WILL BE GIVEN A NASA FORM 154 WHICH WILL BE RETURNED WITH THE REQUESTED TICKET OR RESERVATION. THE TICKET OR RESERVATION WILL BE TURNED OVER TO THE TRAVELER UPON THE PRESENTATION OF TWO COPIES OF THE PROPERLY AUTHENTICATED TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION. AT THE END OF EACH WEEK THE ATO WILL BE FURNISHED A TRANSPORTATION REQUEST (SF 1169) COVERING ALL TRAVEL FOR WHICH THE ATO HAS ISSUED TICKETS DURING THAT WEEK, SHOWING THE NUMBER OF TICKETS USED AND THE TOTAL COST. THE ATO WILL SUBMIT THE PUBLIC VOUCHER FOR TRANSPORTATION OF PASSENGERS (SF 1171) TO NASA AT THE SAME TIME THEIR AUDITOR COUPONS ARE SUBMITTED TO THE AIRLINES' CENTRAL BILLING POINT, AND COMPLETED UNUSED TICKETS ARE TO BE RETURNED BY NASA TRAVEL OFFICE TO THE ATO TO BE VOIDED. CERTAIN ADDITIONAL STEPS WILL ALSO BE TAKEN TO CARRY OUT INTERNAL ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES.
AFTER REVIEW OF THE PROPOSAL, WE BELIEVE THAT CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN SHOULD BE REVISED OR CLARIFIED, AS FOLLOWS:
1. EACH PAID SF 1171, PROPERLY SUPPORTED BY THE PERTINENT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST AND A COPY OF EACH TICKET ISSUED THEREUNDER (EXCLUDING VOIDED AND UNUSED TICKETS FOR WHICH NO PAYMENT WOULD BE MADE), WHEN SUBMITTED TO OUR OFFICE FOR AUDIT, SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY A NUMERICAL LISTING OF THE TICKETS AND THE CHARGES APPLICABLE TO EACH TO SERVE AS A CONTROL IN THE EVENT THAT ANY OR ALL OF THE TICKETS BECOME DETACHED EITHER BEFORE, DURING, OR AFTER AUDIT.
2. UNUSED TICKETS THAT ARE NOT VOIDED PRIOR TO THE CARRIER'S PROCESSING OF THE TICKET COPY FOR PAYMENT AND PARTIALLY UNUSED TICKETS SHOULD NOT BE RETURNED TO THE ATO, AS PROPOSED IN ITEM 5 ON PAGE 2 OF YOUR LETTER, BUT SHOULD BE PROCESSED TO THE CONTRACTOR-AIRLINE'S REFUND DEPARTMENT UNDER THE UNUSED TRANSPORTATION REFUND PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN 5 GAO 2054.
3. THE CONTRACTOR-CARRIER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ANY REQUIRED CONCURRENCE OF THE AIR TRAFFIC CONFERENCE OF THE AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA.
ACCORDINGLY, AND IF THESE CONDITIONS ARE SATISFACTORY TO NASA, APPROVAL IS HEREBY GIVEN FOR A TEST OF THE PROPOSED SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF AIR TRANSPORTATION. THE TEST MAY EXTEND OVER A ONE-YEAR PERIOD UNLESS SOONER TERMINATED BY NASA OR BY OUR OFFICE AND OUR APPROVAL IS GIVEN WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT A JOINT EVALUATION BY THIS OFFICE AND BY NASA WILL BE MADE AT OR NEAR THE END OF THE TEST PERIOD TO ENABLE A DETERMINATION TO BE MADE AS TO WHETHER CONTINUED USE OF THE PROCEDURES IS JUSTIFIED AND SHOULD BE APPROVED.