Global Household Goods Contract

U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) awarded the Global Household Goods Contract (GHC), worth an estimated $6.2 billion, to HomeSafe Alliance, LLC, of Houston, Texas, on Nov. 4, 2021.

The Fixed-Price with Economic Price Adjustments, Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity contract provides complete door-to-door global household goods relocation transportation and warehouse services worldwide for Department of Defense (DOD) personnel, U.S. Coast Guard members, and other federal employees. The initial contract transition period and base period of performance were from Dec. 1, 2021, to Aug. 31, 2025. The Dec. 1 start date was delayed while protests were reviewed. USTRANSCOM and HomeSafe Alliance LLC began a planned transition period on Mar. 4, 2022. USTRANSCOM voluntarily agreed to a stay of performance beginning on Mar. 23, 2022 after a complaint was filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) challenging award of the GHC. On Oct. 28, 2022, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims denied the protests and USTRANSCOM and HomeSafe Alliance LLC resumed the planned transition period on Nov. 3, 2022.

The GHC is one aspect of a broader plan to improve the relocation process for service members, civilian employees, and their families, and integrates functions currently performed by more than 900 commercial entities. The transition to a single move manager with an enduring contract is a key part of the reforms TRANSCOM is leading to deliver improvements to service members, DOD employees, and their families.

Quotes from U.S. Air Force General Jacqueline Van Ovost, Commander, U.S. Transportation Command

• “The strength of our service members starts at home. Change is required in order to keep faith with military families, and our strategy to improve the relocation process will deliver credible improvements to military families.”
• “This is an opportunity to raise the standard for our families, attract quality capacity to the program, and introduce a level of accountability absent today. Once implemented, this contract will positively impact thousands of service members, civilian employees and their families each year.”
• Gen. Van Ovost addresses service members, civilians, and their families (video).

GHC Updates

On Nov. 3, 2022, USTRANSCOM and HomeSafe Alliance LLC resumed contract performance and the planned transition period.

On Oct. 28, 2022, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims denied the complaints, clearing the way for USTRANSCOM and HomeSafe Alliance LLC to resume contract performance. See the court ruling here.

On Mar. 23, 2022, U.S. Transportation Command began a stay of performance for the Global Household Goods Contract (GHC) after complaints were filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) by Connected Global Solutions LLC and American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier Group Inc., challenging award of the GHC. Compliance with the stay of performance meant that the GHC transition period was put on hold until COFC litigation concluded.

On Mar. 4, 2022, USTRANSCOM and HomeSafe Alliance LLC began contract performance and a planned nine-month transition period.

On Mar. 3, 2022, the GAO denied protests made against the award of the Global Household Goods Contract, allowing for USTRANSCOM and HomeSafe Alliance LLC to begin contract performance and a planned nine-month transition period. See the GAO findings here and here.

On Nov. 23, 2021, USTRANSCOM was notified that protests were filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) by American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group and Connected Global Solutions for the November 4, 2021, award of the global household goods contract. Start of the transition phase of the contract will be delayed until the GAO protest decisions are issued.

On Nov. 4, 2021, USTRANSCOM awarded the Global Household Goods Contract. See the OSD/PA award announcement here.

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Frequently asked questions

Q: Why did you choose this Prime Contractor?

A: Following the criteria outlined in our Request for Proposal, the awardee presented the overall best value to the DOD that will deliver the quality improvements we seek for service members, DOD employees, and their families. USTRANSCOM considered all offerors’ business proposals, technical capabilities, past performance, and price.

Q: What is the scope of this contract? Does this cover the whole Defense Personal Property Program?

A: The contract is focused on those tasks associated with packing and moving household goods, storage-in-transit warehouse services, and unaccompanied baggage shipments. This contract does not replace the existing programs for long-term storage or the movement of personally owned vehicles.

Q: What improvements can customers expect to see?

A: Implementation of GHC is one aspect of a broader DoD reform plan to improve the relocation process for service members, DoD civilians, and their families. GHC is expected to deliver quality, on-time packing, shipping, and delivery of customer’s household goods. GHC is also expected to provide modern, digital tools to improve communication between the move manager and the customer, and settle claims quickly in the event of loss, damage, or inconvenience. We are focused wholly on delivering an improved relocation experience for service members, DoD civilians, and their families.

Q: How will performance of the contract be monitored?

A: A dedicated team of personal property experts and acquisition professionals at USTRANSCOM, in coordination with DOD’s existing network of more than 240 personal property offices operating around the globe, will provide contract oversight and compliance. The Contracting Office Representatives (CORs) and Quality Assurance Evaluators will monitor the contractor’s performance using the performance objectives listed in the Performance Work Statement. The CORs will prepare monthly performance assessments and provide the data to the Contracting Officer and Program Manager for continuous review. Within the contract, we will apply a combination of financial penalties and incentives to ensure the GHC single move manager provides service members, DOD employees, and their families the best moving experience.

Current Efforts:

As we have awarded the GHC, we aren’t waiting to implement the contract to enhance other aspects to the personal property program.

Improvements in 2022

IMPROVING INVENTORIES - We are working with the moving companies to shift from paper copies of inventories and use electronic inventories to the greatest extent possible. This will provide an improved record of the household goods pack-out and the condition they were in when packed. This effort is to accelerate – offering better services to members and families when moving. Electronic inventories will be mandatory in 2023.

PICK UP DATE CHOICE - We’re refining how customers input their desired pickup dates, adding the ability for customers to pick a preferred day inside their requested 7-day pickup window.

MOVING COMPANY CONTACT - The moving company will identify points of contact and email the member/family (customer) with that information to facilitate better communication before, during and after the move, improving the overall PCS experience.

SIMPLIFYING CLAIMS - We’ve also created a standardized form to simplify filing an inconvenience claim across the DOD. Military claims offices will be able to declare a catastrophic loss of a shipment regardless of the percent of inventory lines lost, damaged, or destroyed. In the past, the threshold was 60 percent of those lines.

SECURING YOUR PROPERTY - Moving companies are already required to place seals on containers, but we’re adding a requirement that customers be notified if any seals are broken, that seals be replaced, and that these actions and communications are noted in the record.

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