Let’s address a key issue that hasn’t gotten much attention — temporary storage in transit (SIT). Has anyone heard anything from TRANSCOM about how storage capacity will be handled under the new Global Household Goods Contract (GHC)? We certainly haven’t.
Almost all military members are entitled to 90 days of storage when they move, and about half of military shipments will go into storage for about 30 days while servicemembers get the logistics of their new homes situated, or take time off. So, does the new GHC program have a plan to meet this critical storage demand?
How many SIT warehouses are approved for storage under the GHC, and what is their actual capacity? How many storage vaults are available under the GHC? Is there a capacity plan? Are warehouses actually being visited by a qualified inspector to ensure that the warehouse meets minimum security requirements to keep items safe from theft and the elements?
We know that some of the agents who have done local moves aren’t able to get their warehouse approved in the current program – are they being approved by anyone in the new program? Are the standards being lowered in order to include them? How will the contractor deploy enough resources to complete the inspection of thousands of warehouses prior to the scheduled ramp up? These are all questions that should be easy for the contractor to answer and TRANSCOM should know.
We also understand that the number, name, and storage capacity of the agents who have signed on aren’t being made available to the service branches. How can the parties who are paying the bill not have access to this basic information about the contractors’ ability to carry out their implementation plan?
Adequate storage is an integral part of keeping the belongings of our servicemembers safe and secure. Why are we still waiting on answers to basic questions?
