The $6.2 billion plan geared toward fixing long-standing issues with shifting service members’ family items has gotten the inexperienced gentle from the Authorities Accountability Workplace, as that company has dismissed two protests from unsuccessful bidders.
However the battle might not be over.
“We’ll evaluation the GAO choice and consider subsequent steps, together with any additional authorized motion,” stated American Roll-On Roll-Off Provider Group Inc., in an announcement. That firm, together with its subcontracting companions, “are disenchanted” with the GAO’s denial of their protest, officers stated.
Protests will also be filed within the U.S. Courtroom of Federal Claims.
Whereas the GAO hasn’t but made its public announcement of the selections, it has reportedly notified all of the events concerned, together with the opposite unsuccessful bidder that filed a protest, Related International Options LLC.
U.S. Transportation Command had no rapid remark.
This course of has been within the works since early 2019, when TRANSCOM introduced plans to rent one firm to handle family items strikes around the globe.
U.S. Transportation Command on Nov. 4 awarded the brand new contract to HomeSafe Alliance, a three way partnership of KBR Providers LLC and Tier One Relocation LLC. The $6.2 billion contract spans greater than three years.
For now, service members will transfer below the present program, by which greater than 900 industrial corporations transfer about 325,000 shipments yr at a value of about $2.2 billion. Service members usually have a couple of cargo with their strikes.
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In November, after the contract was awarded and protests have been filed, TRANSCOM officers stated the chance of contract protests had been factored into their estimated timeline for implementation. With the chance of protests and the time wanted for a easy transition, strikes below the brand new program weren’t anticipated to start out till late 2022. Info was not accessible from TRANSCOM officers about modifications within the timeline.
Due to the shortage of ample numbers of high quality movers, capability has lengthy been an issue within the army shifting area, with shortages of truck drivers and labor for packing, loading and unloading. Service members have had hassle getting strikes scheduled and having their family items delivered on time, and the pandemic has exacerbated the delays. Broken and misplaced belongings have additionally been a longstanding downside.
The contract outsources, for the primary time, the administration of relocation providers now being carried out by the federal government. Whereas U.S. Transportation Command will oversee this system, the contractor will pull collectively a community of shifting corporations from throughout the shifting business and coordinate army strikes and warehouse providers from begin to end, integrating capabilities which can be at the moment carried out by greater than 900 industrial movers. The contractor can be totally chargeable for these strikes, which TRANSCOM officers imagine will carry accountability to this system.
ARC was initially awarded the worldwide family items contract in April 2020, nevertheless it was efficiently protested by HomeSafe Alliance and Related International Options. GAO directed TRANSCOM to return to the drafting board and concern an new solicitation.
Karen has coated army households, high quality of life and shopper points for Navy Instances for greater than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media protection of army households within the guide “A Battle Plan for Supporting Navy Households.” She beforehand labored for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.
