[Request for Reconsideration of Claims Group's Disallowance of Claim for Delivery of Household Goods]

A former Department of Defense (DOD) employee requested reconsideration of the Claims Group's denial of her claim for delivery of household goods. The Claims Group denied the claim because she failed to provide DOD with a delivery address within 2 years of the time DOD shipped her goods to the United States after she left her overseas post. In her request for reconsideration, the claimant contended that: (1) she could not provide an address because she had extreme difficulty in determining which DOD activity was responsible for the transportation of her goods; and (2) one DOD activity gave her erroneous advice regarding the 2-year limitation on shipments at government expense. GAO held that: (1) the claimant did not begin to pursue the matter until shortly before her entitlement expired; (2) the claimant was unable to provide a delivery address until almost 6 months after her entitlement expired; and (3) while it was unfortunate that the claimant was given erroneous advice, there was no basis upon which to allow her claim. Accordingly, the denial of the claim was sustained.