When you work in public service, relocation comes with the job. A new agency office, a promotion into a different district, a transfer across the country, or an overseas posting all put the same pressure on employees and the HR teams supporting them. A federal move isn’t just a change of address. It’s a process governed by federal travel policy, tight timelines, reimbursement rules, and the real needs of the family making the move.
That’s where ARC comes in. We provide full-service government and federal relocation services for agencies, civilian employees, and contractors, built around the Federal Travel Regulation and designed to keep every move compliant, on schedule, and as affordable as possible. With decades of experience supporting the public sector, our team handles the logistics and the paperwork so your people can stay focused on the mission.
What ARC’s Government Relocation Services Include
Our government relocation services are built for federal agencies and the employees they move, whether the assignment is domestic or overseas. We manage the full relocation lifecycle under one point of contact, so nothing falls through the cracks between HR, the transferee, and the vendors involved. Every engagement is customized to your agency’s authorization, budget, and policy.
Depending on your agency’s requirements and each employee’s situation, ARC coordinates:
- Household goods shipping through vetted van lines with domestic and international capacity, including storage in transit
- Temporary housing for short and long-term stays while the permanent home is arranged
- Real estate support for buying, selling, or renting, including access to our realtor rebate program
- FTR-compliant expense tracking and reporting for reimbursement and audit
- Policy consulting for agency HR and program managers building or updating a relocation program
- Spouse career support and school search guidance for relocating families
- International relocation for overseas assignments, covering customs clearance, visa coordination, and destination support
Whether the person moving is a field agent, an administrative lead, or a mission-critical specialist, our government moving assistance is set up to get them settled and productive quickly.
Federal Relocation Services Built Around the FTR
Federal relocation services carry rules that corporate moves don’t. Reimbursements, timelines, and eligibility are governed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), Title 41 CFR Chapter 302, and the details matter. A misfiled voucher or a missed authorization window can cost an employee thousands they were entitled to recover.
ARC’s team works fluently in the vocabulary and mechanics of a federal Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move, both CONUS and OCONUS:
- Entitlement counseling so employees understand exactly what they qualify for before the move starts
- Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expense (TQSE) coordination
- Miscellaneous Expense Allowance (MEA) processing
- Withholding Tax Allowance (WTA) and Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) support, since most relocation benefits are taxable income
- Home sale and home purchase programs, including our Buyer Value Option and Guaranteed Buyout structures
- Service agreement tracking and audit-ready documentation
One note worth flagging for agency HR teams: civilian federal relocations and military PCS moves run on different tracks. Military household goods move through the Centralized Household Goods Traffic Management Program (CHAMP), while civilian relocations follow the FTR. ARC’s government relocation services are built for the civilian federal side and for agency-managed programs.
Work With a Government Relocation Specialist: Complete This Form
Why Government Moves Require a Specialized Partner
Federal employees are often relocated on short notice, under budget caps, and without the flexibility a private-sector move might allow. At the same time, agency program managers answer to compliance requirements that a general moving company simply isn’t built to handle.
That’s why government relocation assistance from ARC goes well beyond booking a truck. We work directly with HR departments, contracting officers, and transferees to manage authorization compliance, budget tracking, and destination support as a single coordinated program. You get one accountable partner instead of a stack of disconnected vendors.
Government Relocation Cost Ranges: What to Expect
There’s no single price for a federal move, because the authorized amount depends on the employee’s entitlements, homeowner status, distance, family size, and what the agency approves under the FTR. That said, here are realistic ranges based on GSA rates and current industry benchmarks, so you can budget with your eyes open.
| Cost component | Typical range | Notes |
| Household goods shipment (up to 18,000 lbs) | $5,000 – $20,000+ | GSA example: ~10,000 lbs over ~1,485 miles reimburses around $21,591 for transportation |
| Temporary housing | $3,500 – $10,000 / month | Varies by location and length of stay |
| Former-home closing costs | Up to 8% of sale price | FTR/FAR cap; roughly $32,000 on a $400,000 home |
| New-home purchase closing | Up to 5% of purchase price | FAR cap, where authorized |
| Miscellaneous Expense Allowance | Lump sum up to $5,000 | In lieu of itemized incidental costs |
| Full managed package | ~$21,800 (renter) to ~$63,700 (homeowner) average | Industry benchmark for civilian domestic moves; complex or executive moves run higher |
Two things to plan for. First, relocation benefits are generally taxable, so tax gross-up (WTA/RITA) can add a meaningful percentage to the total program cost. Second, a managed program almost always costs less in total than an unmanaged one, because expense oversight, vendor negotiation, and compliance catch the errors and overpayments that quietly inflate a self-run move.
For a number tied to a specific move rather than a range, use our relocation cost calculator or contact us for a no-obligation estimate.
Government Agencies ARC Supports
ARC works with federal agencies under the Multiple Award Schedule contract. Our team has supported relocations for agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency, and FEMA, handling government moving cases across all 50 states and abroad.
We treat compliance, efficiency, and transparency as the baseline, not the upsell. For agencies that manage relocation internally and for those that outsource the entire program, ARC provides the tools, reporting, and single point of accountability to get it done correctly.
ARC vs. Other Relocation Companies
Not every “government relocation” provider does the same job. Broadly, agencies choose among three types of partner, and the difference shows up in how much of the process actually gets managed for you.
| Traditional van line | Large-volume RMC | ARC Relocation | |
| Core focus | Moving household goods | High-volume move processing | End-to-end managed relocation |
| Single point of contact | Rarely | Sometimes | Yes, every move |
| FTR expense compliance | No | Yes | Yes |
| Real estate + home sale support | No | Yes | Yes |
| Realtor rebate for employees | No | Rarely | Yes, cash back at no cost to agency or employee |
| Service model | Transactional | Volume-driven | Personalized, accountable |
Traditional movers stop when the boxes arrive. Large processors get the compliance right but can treat a federal move as one line item in a very long queue. ARC sits in the middle in the best way: full FTR compliance and reporting, plus the hands-on, single-point-of-contact service that keeps a stressed employee and a busy HR team from having to chase anyone.
The clearest ARC-only advantage is the realtor rebate. On most federal moves involving a home purchase or sale, that rebate puts real money back in the employee’s pocket at no cost to the agency, which most competitors don’t offer and rarely promote.
Real Estate Support and Realtor Rebates for Federal Employees
Housing is usually the most complicated and most expensive part of any relocation, which is why ARC gives qualifying federal employees access to our realtor rebate program. When you buy or sell with one of our referred agents, you receive cash back after closing, sometimes totaling thousands of dollars, at no cost to you or your agency.
It’s a practical way to offset moving and closing costs, and it matters most in higher-cost markets. Our agents work regularly with federal employee relocations, so they understand the timelines, the urgency, and the local conditions that shape a government move. If you’re renting rather than buying, we help with short and long-term rental searches, lease negotiation, and area orientation instead.
Government Relocation Services: Frequently Asked Questions
How is government relocation different from corporate relocation?
Government relocations must follow the Federal Travel Regulation, with reimbursement rules, budget caps, and eligibility requirements that don’t apply to the private sector. Corporate moves allow more flexibility in how benefits are structured. ARC manages both and brings specific expertise to the federal side, including entitlement counseling and FTR-compliant reporting.
How much does a federal relocation cost?
It depends on the employee’s entitlements, homeowner status, distance, and what the agency authorizes. As a benchmark, household goods shipping typically runs $5,000 to $20,000 or more, temporary housing runs $3,500 to $10,000 per month, and full managed packages average roughly $21,800 for renters and $63,700 for homeowners. You can get a move-specific figure from our relocation cost calculator.
Do I qualify for relocation assistance if I’m a contractor, not a direct federal employee?
Often yes, depending on your employment agreement and the agency’s policy. ARC works with both direct employees and contractors and can walk you through eligibility before anything is committed.
Does ARC handle international and overseas assignments?
Yes. Our international relocation team coordinates overseas shipping, customs clearance, visa support, and destination services for both permanent and temporary foreign assignments, including OCONUS PCS moves.
Can ARC help if I’m renting instead of buying?
Absolutely. We assist with short and long-term rental searches, lease negotiation, and area orientation, and we can arrange temporary housing while you get settled.
What reporting and compliance support does ARC provide?
ARC delivers FTR-compliant expense reporting, budget tracking, service agreement management, and customizable dashboards for HR and relocation program managers, with audit-ready documentation on demand.
Can ARC run an agency-wide program, not just individual moves?
Yes. ARC designs and manages scalable relocation programs for federal agencies, from a single executive transfer to hundreds of moves tied to restructuring or an office relocation, all tailored to your policies, budget, and compliance requirements.
Start Your Government Move With ARC
If you’re relocating under a federal assignment or managing an internal government relocation program, you don’t have to run it alone. ARC offers a full suite of government and federal relocation services designed to take the complexity off your plate and deliver measurable results.
Contact us to speak with a relocation specialist. We’ll walk you through your options, connect you with experienced real estate professionals, and help you claim every benefit you’re entitled to, including our realtor rebate program. Let us handle the logistics so your team can stay focused on the mission ahead.