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How does a purchaser pay for transportation in a Foreign Military Sale?

Updated 27 September 2026Checked against the SAMM: 12 September 2026

It depends on who moves the materiel and what the materiel is. When the moves it, the purchaser usually pays a percentage of the line value set by the , charged below the line on the , or a separate case line for dedicated or special transportation. Stock from the Defense Working Capital Fund carries its first leg inside the item's price, and a contractor may deliver at a price that includes transportation. When the purchaser moves the materiel itself, it pays its own carrier or . A code with no percentage does not mean free transportation.

FIVE WAYS THE COST OF MOVING MATERIEL IS PAID fmsedge.com A zero rate moves the cost; it does not remove it. SAMM C9.T4A · C7.12.1 The cost of moving a materiel line “At zero”: the line’s rate in SAMM Table C9.T4A is zero, so the cost is paid one of the other ways. ON THE LOA, ABOVE THE LINE DELIVERY TERM CODES THAT USE IT the line ON THE LOA, BELOW THE LINE The percentage and the estimate are both paid into the FMS Trust Fund Transportation Cost Clearing Account. SAMM C7.12.1 · C9.17.1.1 OFF THE LOA Inside the item’s standard price Working Capital Fund items carry it in the price the exception in the SAMM glossary’s Accessorial Cost 2 and 5, on Working Capital Fund stock at zero: the cost is already in the price SAMM C9.T4A · Glossary, Accessorial Cost Its own transportation line a Special Assignment Airlift Mission or a One Time Only charter; special accessorials are added above the line too 7 or 9 at zero beside an airlift line; or 4 the airlift line carries the cost, not the materiel line SAMM C7.12.1 · C9.4.9.1.5 · C9.T4A The Delivery Term Code percentage a percentage of the line’s value, charged below the line; the rates are in SAMM Table C9.T4A and are not shown here 7, 8 and 9 on any stock; 2 and 5 on other stock a Transportation Bill Code, if used, overrides the code SAMM C9.T4 · C9.T4A · C7.12.1 An estimate of actual cost from the Transportation Cost Look-up Table, with an LOA note giving the amount by line item the line keeps its own code the estimate is used in place of the standard percentage SAMM C7.12.1 · C9.T4 The purchaser pays its own carrier collect or account-number shipments, and the onward movement it arranges itself 4 and E 4 is at zero in the table; E has no rate there SAMM C7.12.2.1 · C9.T4A Title 10 Building Partner Capacity cases are not assessed the Transportation Surcharge; a separate program-wide transportation case funds the movement (SAMM C9.T4, C15.3.11.2). No rates are shown. The Delivery Term Code percentages are in SAMM Table C9.T4A. FMS Edge a way the cost is paid · the line fmsedge.com · Current as of 12 September 2026 · SAMM C7.12 · C9.4.9.1.5 · C9.T4 · C9.T4A · C9.17 · C15.3.11.2 · Glossary

Transportation on an FMS case is paid in one of five ways: inside a Working Capital Fund item's price, on its own LOA line, as a Delivery Term Code percentage or an estimate of actual cost below the line, or directly to the purchaser's own carrier. Where the rate table shows zero, the cost has moved to one of the others. The rates are in SAMM Table C9.T4A.

How the purchaser pays for transportation · Current as of 12 September 2026 · SAMM C7.12 · C9.4.9.1.5 · C9.T4 · C9.T4A · C9.17 · C15.3.11.2 · Glossary · Download PNG

How does a purchaser pay for transportation in a Foreign Military Sale?

When customers use the , a percentage is applied to the line to compute an estimated amount for these costs on the . percentages are based on the transportation provided (e.g., port-to-port or depot-to-in-country destination) and the rate area where articles are being delivered. may also be billed as an above-the-line charge where an estimated amount is placed above-the-line to pay for transportation services. The price of Working Capital Funded () materiel (e.g., most -managed secondary and consumable items) includes the cost of transportation to the purchaser’s or to the . The transportation document is a commercial or government bill of lading (/GBL). Collect commercial bills of lading (CCBLs) are occasionally used for non- items shipped to the . The 7000.14-R, Financial Management Regulation () Volume 15, Chapter 7, states that, when transportation of materiel is accomplished through the use of /GBLs, normal commercial rates, not U.S. Government () rates, shall be used. The purchaser remains responsible for onward transportation.

The case transportation charges document the estimated cost to the of transporting and materiel using the including Government Bills of Lading (GBLs). Those case transportation costs include costs for labor, materiel, or services at ports of embarkation or debarkation. standard pricing includes transportation costs (for the first leg of transportation) within . If the first destination transportation is accomplished through GBLs, it must contain the funds cite. Shipping activities must clearly identify materiel as or non- to ensure the appropriate fund cite is issued for inland transportation.

If a case line item’s vendor/contractor is providing transportation services per the contract, the transportation costs may be included in the applicable case line item’s unit and total price.

The purchasing country must also determine its financial arrangements with the , particularly in the payment of freight bills and the provision of funds for the to pay CCBLs.

References

Drawn exclusively from publicly available authorities.

SAMM

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