14 FAM - Logistics Management Q&A

Which regulations will be consolidated into the new Logistics Management regulation (14 FAM)?

We are moving all 6 FAM materials relating to the supply chain and employee logistics. Materials include travel, transportation and storage of HHE, procurement, shipment of official supplies, property management, and warehousing.

Which handbooks will be consolidated into the new volume?

14 FAH 1 is the Property Management Handbook (previously 6 FAH 1). Other handbooks to be moved into 14 FAH are 6 FAH 2 COR Handbook, and 6 FAH 6 Acquisitions Career management handbook.

What is the sequence of the new 14 FAM?

The basis of sequencing the new 14 FAM is an industry standard logistics model designed by the Supply Chain Council, called the SCORE model. Briefly, the SCORE model describes the following processes:

Step	Processes	Activities
Plan	Processes that balance aggregate demand and supply to develop a course of action which best meets regulatory, sourcing, production and delivery requirements	• Balance resources with requirements • Communicate plans • Manage business rules, authorities, regulatory requirements, policy • A/LM and A/OPE
Source	Processes that procure goods and services to meet planned or actual demand	• Acquisition process • Inventory, capital assets • Payments • Post GSO, A/LM/AQM, RPSOs, other acquisitions offices
Make	Processes that transform product to a finished state to meet planned or actual demand	• N/A, no production per se in DOS
Deliver	Processes that provide finished goods and services to meet planned or actual demand, typically including order management, transportation management, and distribution management	• Warehouse management from receiving and picking product to load and ship product. • Receiving and verify product at customer site • Includes, warehouse Despatch Agents, ELSO, CRP functions • Transportation • Includes inventories, capital assets, transportation, product life-cycle, and import/export requirements.
Return/ Customer Support	Processes associated with returning or receiving returned products for any reason. These processes extend into post-delivery customer support	• Return excess product steps including identifying excess inventory, scheduling shipment, receiving returns, approving request authorization, receiving excess product return, verifying excess, and recover and disposition of excess property/product. • Customer support includes tracking, problem solving, help desks

Within this framework, we sequenced the 14 FAM to flow from planning, acquisitions, distribution and transportation, property management and disposal. The employee logistics processes of travel and shipment of household effects are also included.

14 FAM	100	Logistics and Supply Chain Planning and Management
14 FAM	200	Acquisitions
14 FAM	300	Distribution and Transportation
14 FAM	400	Asset Management
14 FAM	500	Employee Logistics – Travel
14 FAM	600	Employee Logistics – Effects

Will information in the current 6 FAMs and 6 FAHs be separated in the new material? Are there other new FAMS?

Yes. Some 6 FAM texts will remain in 6 FAM, all logistics texts will move to 14 FAM, and other texts will move to other new FAM volumes. For example, 6 FAM 700 Foreign Buildings Operations has moved to 15 FAM and 6 FAM 1500 Language Services texts will NOT move to the 14 FAM.

If material is separated, what areas will be involved and how will I know where to search?

We’re going to make this as easy on users as possible. There are crosswalk documents available on line at http://lm.a.state.gov/ You will be able to track conversions from 6 FAM to 14 FAM, as well as backwards to source document from its 14 FAM.number.

Will there be any policy or procedure changes in the new 14 FAM that we should be aware of?

No. The rules remain the same; we are only moving texts at this time. Policy changes will be vetted in the normal manner through the bureaus and other foreign affairs agencies.

What changes are anticipated after publication of the 14 FAM?

Subchapter 14 FAM 100 on logistics planning will not contain any material initially; it will be added as one of the first 14 FAM updates. As part of A/LM’s efforts under the FAM-X project, we are re-writing FAM guidance on claims and the pouch and mail handbook.

Will the remaining subchapters of the current 6 FAM, such as Language Services subchapter 1500 also move to the 14 FAM? Will 6 FAM eventually be eliminated?

No, only the logistics portions of 6 FAM are moving to 14 FAM. 6 FAM will not be eliminated. Additional new FAMs will be announced by A/RPS/DIR as they are ready.

Wil1 the 6 FAM and 14 FAM materials co-exist for a transition period, or will the 6 FAM references disappear the day 14 FAM replaces them.

Texts will not be located in two places. The original reference number will be linked to the new 14 FAM text.

Will the travel regulations now in 3 FAM be moved to join the travel sections in 14 FAM?

Travel regulations are a multi functional responsibility.

- Human Resource Management oversees the travel program’s employment aspects – including PCS moves, R&R, home leave, evacuation, etc.
- A/LM implements those orders by managing your move and ticketing travel, as do posts and Bureaus. A/LM also coordinates travel policy matters with GSA and DOD.
- MED manages EVT and medevac programs.
- The Bureau of Resource management keeps a careful eye on the overall budget impact of travel policy as well as the allowability of travel costs and voucher processing.
- A’s Office of Allowances manages the Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) as well as overseas per diem and other allowances.

With so many organizations involved in travel programs, it is very important that we communicate and coordinate regulations. A/LM will link to other travel regulations outside the 14 FAM whenever possible.

What happens to shipments, documents and travelers during the transition?

They will proceed as usual. Vouchers for orders issued using old references before the move to 14 FAM should be processed with the 6 FAM references.

Why was the 14 FAH – 1 Property Management Handbook released in advance of the 14 FAM?

Conversion of 6 FAM materials and preparation of crosswalk tools took longer than anticipated. We thought it would be most useful for posts to have the newly updated 14 FAH 1 in hand, rather than waiting until the 14 FAM was ready for publication. Hopefully, there was more benefit than confusion by our doing this.

What are some strategies that supervisors at post can use to manage this change with their FSN staff and customers?

-Management Officers need to make sure that General Services, Human Resources, Finance, and Information management office are aware of the new volume for logistics matters. Each of these offices will feel some impact. Management Officers should also announce the new volume at country team so that other agency personnel are aware of the change.

-GSO, HR and Finance should look for automatically generated or boiler plate documents that include 6 FAM references. These documents will need to be revised to reflect new 14 FAM reference.

-GSO staff that work daily with the 6 FAM, including travel, shipping & customs, and warehouse should print out hard copies of the crosswalks for desktop reference.

-Other GSO sections that work sporadically with the 6 FAM, like procurement, housing, and motorpool, should be made aware of the changes and where crosswalk resources can be found.

-Travelers and other section support staff may notice a change in references cited on travel authorizations or other documents. GSO staff should explain that although the numbers may changes, the regulations have not.


Who is my contact for questions on 14 FAM matters?

Your contacts for operational matters (acquisitions, asset management, transportation, travel, etc ) in A/LM have not changed and are noted on the attached contact list. The 14 FAM Volume Coordinator is the A/LM/PMP Policy Branch Chief, Lisa Million, who is always glad to assist. If you do not have a specific contact, please email our help desk at LogisticsPolicyQuery@state.gov and we’ll make sure you get a prompt and complete answer.