B-114365, MAR. 16, 1964

B-114365, MAR. 16, 1964

TO THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO A LETTER OF OCTOBER 17, 1963, FROM MR. R. S. WALLEIGH, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, REQUESTING AN EXCEPTION TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 2040.10, TITLE 5, OF THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL. SEE ALSO PARAGRAPH (24) OF APPENDIX A, CHAPTER 2000, TITLE 5 OF THE MANUAL. THESE PROVISIONS OF THE MANUAL REQUIRE THE TRAVELER'S SIGNATURE ON THE STANDARD FORM 1169, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TRANSPORTATION REQUEST, BEFORE IT IS VALID FOR PRESENTATION TO OBTAIN TRANSPORTATION AND/OR ACCOMMODATION.

WE ARE ASKED TO GRANT THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, BOULDER LABORATORIES, BOULDER, COLORADO, AUTHORITY TO DEVIATE FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE CITED REGULATION, IN ORDER THAT THE TRAFFIC MANAGER AT THE BOULDER LABORATORIES MAY SIGN AS ISSUING OFFICER AND FOR THE TRAVELER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED THEREFOR ON THE TRANSPORTATION REQUEST. THE BUREAU LETTER OF OCTOBER 17 SETS FORTH REASONS WHY IT IS IMPRACTICABLE TO REQUIRE TRAVELERS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES TO BE AVAILABLE TO SIGN THE TRANSPORTATION REQUEST AT THE TIME THE REQUEST IS SURRENDERED TO THE CARRIER IN EXCHANGE FOR A TICKET COVERING THE REQUESTED SERVICE.

IT IS EXPLAINED THAT TECHNICAL PERSONNEL OF THE BOULDER LABORATORIES, SUCH AS ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS, FREQUENTLY TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND, WHILE IN SUCH STATUS, REQUEST THE TRANSPORTATION UNIT TO OBTAIN TRAVEL TICKETS PRIOR TO THEIR RETURN TO THEIR HOME STATION. IT IS SAID THAT, UPON RETURN TO THE BOULDER LABORATORIES, SUCH TECHNICAL PERSONNEL ARE FREQUENTLY SCHEDULED WITHIN ONE OR TWO DAYS TO ATTEND ANOTHER CONFERENCE OR TO MAKE A FIELD INSPECTION AND THAT, IN THESE INSTANCES, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE TRAVELER TO BE AVAILABLE TO SIGN THE TRANSPORTATION REQUEST UNLESS THE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE OBTAINED AT THE LAST MINUTE.

IT IS FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT THE TRAVEL REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE REQUIRE THAT RESERVATIONS BE REQUESTED AT LEAST ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE OF TRAVEL, AND THAT SAVINGS WOULD BE GAINED BY OBTAINING LOWER CLASS ACCOMMODATIONS IN ADVANCE WITH THE TRAVEL REQUEST SIGNED BY THE TRAFFIC MANAGER RATHER THAN FIRST CLASS ACCOMMODATIONS RESULTING FROM "LATE" REQUESTS.

THE REGULATIONS INVOLVED WERE FORMULATED AFTER CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION WITH THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY AS BEING BEST DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE GOVERNMENT, THE TRAVELERS AND THE CARRIERS. THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE OFFICIAL TRAVELER SIGN THE TRANSPORTATION REQUEST IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING DOCUMENTARY CERTIFICATION BY THE TRAVELER THAT THE SERVICE TO BE FURNISHED, AS EVIDENCED BY THE TICKET RECEIVED IN EXCHANGE FOR THE REQUEST, IS OF THE SAME KIND OR CLASS OF SERVICE AS THAT COVERED BY THE REQUEST. CARRIERS ARE FORBIDDEN TO FURNISH SERVICE OF A HIGHER CLASS THAN THAT REQUESTED, BUT MAY FURNISH SERVICE OF A LOWER CLASS IF OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND THE TRAVELER ACCEPTS THE AVAILABLE LOWER-CLASS SERVICE.

HOWEVER, THE PARTICULAR SITUATIONS SET FORTH IN YOUR LETTER OF OCTOBER 17, APPEAR TO JUSTIFY AN EXCEPTION TO THE SIGNATURE REQUIREMENTS. THEREFORE, WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE USE OF A DESIGNATED AGENT WHO IS A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE, PROVIDED THAT NECESSARY AND ADEQUATE CONTROLS ARE MAINTAINED. THESE CONTROLS SHOULD INSURE THAT ONLY DULY AUTHORIZED TRANSPORTATION IS PROCURED, THAT ANY VARIATION BETWEEN THE SERVICE REQUESTED AND THAT FURNISHED IS NOTED ON THE TRANSPORTATION REQUEST, AND THAT APPROPRIATE ADJUSTMENTS ARE OBTAINED FOR UNUSED TICKETS.

ACCORDINGLY, WE APPROVE THE REQUEST BY THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, THAT THE BOULDER LABORATORIES, BOULDER, COLORADO, BE GRANTED AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH THE DESIGNATED AGENT PROCEDURE FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS REQUIRED TO TRAVEL UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE BUREAU LETTER OF OCTOBER 17, AND THE TRAFFIC MANAGER AT THAT INSTALLATION MAY SIGN AS ISSUING OFFICER AND FOR THE TRAVELER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED THEREFOR ON THE TRANSPORTATION REQUEST.

IN SITUATIONS IN WHICH THE DESIGNATED AGENT PROCEDURE IS AUTHORIZED, IT WILL BE NECESSARY THAT THE NAME OF THE ACTUAL TRAVELER BE PLACED IN THE SPACE FOLLOWING THE WORDS "FOR USE OF" ON STANDARD FORM 1169, RATHER THAN THE NAME OF THE TRAFFIC MANAGER WHOSE NAME WILL APPEAR IN THE SPACE DESIGNATED FOR THE TRAVELER'S SIGNATURE. THE WORDS "DESIGNATED AGENT" SHOULD BE PLACED ON OR BELOW THE LINE OF WHICH THE TRAVELER'S SIGNATURE ORDINARILY APPEARS.

THE APPROVAL IS GRANTED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT NECESSARY AND ADEQUATE CONTROLS OVER THE PROPER PROCUREMENT OF THE SERVICES INVOLVED WILL BE MAINTAINED BY YOUR DEPARTMENT TO PRECLUDE THE APPROVED EXCEPTION FROM BEING GIVEN BLANKET APPLICATION.