Government Relocation: How to Simplify the Process, Reduce Downtime and Improve Cost Management

Government relocations can be complex, time-bound, very personal, and expensive. Complexity, urgency, and cost can cause relocating employees to suffer from lost productivity and unscheduled downtime during work assignments.

Government agencies increasingly rely on relocation management companies to streamline the process, reduce lost productivity, and manage relocation costs efficiently. Relocation management companies (RMCs) offer outsourced relocation logistics management, including assistance in selecting the best household goods (HHG) mover. They excel in these services.

Government Regulations You Need to Know

Most government agencies adhere to the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), granting employees entitlement to ship or store up to 18,000 pounds of household goods (HHG) at government expense. For uncrated or van line shipments, a 2,000-pound allowance is added. Shipments exceeding 18,000 lbs. necessitate written notification to the employee, who must reimburse any incremental costs.

It’s easy to see how factors like price, quality of service and experience need to be considered by RMCs when selecting the best HHG mover for a transferee.

“Knowing that a move or relocation will be handled by an experienced professional can go a long way toward reducing the stress and anxiety of an interstate move – which can help minimize lost productivity and downtime.”

Differentiating between van line agents, moving brokers, and private moving companies is crucial when comparing prices. Private moving companies often offer the best value and have their own trucks, drivers, and labor. Full-service movers handle packing, loading, storage, transportation, and delivery. Interstate move costs depend on distance, time of year, and shipment weight.

Customer Satisfaction Index Score

To gauge a mover’s service quality for government relocations, review annual Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores via the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) CHAMP program. CHAMP ranks domestic and international movers based on CSI, measuring satisfaction against program averages.

Find a Reputable Relocation Management Company

Knowing that an experienced professional will handle a move or relocation can go a long way toward reducing the stress and anxiety of an interstate move – which, in turn, can help transferees minimize lost productivity and unscheduled downtime when relocating for a new work assignment. Common evaluation criteria for choosing a mover include pricing estimates, client references, Google reviews and Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, quality credentials like ISO 9001:2015 and the American Trucking Associations ProMover certifications, industry-specific affiliations with organizations like Worldwide ERC® and, of course, the mover’s ability to meet the agency’s or RMC’s needs and requirements.

Working with a reputable RMC and choosing the right household good mover can go a long way toward simplifying and expediting the relocation process, reducing lost productivity and unscheduled downtime, and better managing the costs of a government employee’s relocation.