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B-151235, MAY 3, 1963

B-151235 May 03, 1963
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HOLMES WAS ONE OF SOME FIFTY EMPLOYEES TRANSFERRED AT THE TIME. THE TRANSPORTATION OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY CRAWFORD MOVING VANS. A GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING WAS ISSUED TO THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE EFFECTS OF MR. HOLMES AT THE CONTRACT RATE AND THE EFFECTS WERE PICKED UP ON MARCH 8. THE TRAVEL ORDERS AUTHORIZING THE CHANGE OF STATION WERE DATED FEBRUARY 5. CONTAINED A STATEMENT THAT THE HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS WERE TO BE SHIPPED ON GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CONTRACT. WHICH EXPENDITURE IS THE BASIS OF HIS CLAIM. HOLMES STATES THAT HE WAS NOTIFIED ON NOVEMBER 2. BY MEMORANDUM THAT THE TENTATIVE REPORTING DATE AT THE NEW STATION WAS FEBRUARY 3.

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B-151235, MAY 3, 1963

TO MISS MARY E. SMITH, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, FEDERAL AVIATION AGENCY:

BY LETTER OF APRIL 3, 1963, FILE MS-430, THE CHIEF, ACCOUNTING DIVISION, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES, TRANSMITTED HERE YOUR REQUEST OF MARCH 21, 1963, FILE SW-24, FOR OUR DECISION AS TO WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT A VOUCHER IN FAVOR OF RICHARD L. HOLMES FOR $250.50, COVERING STORAGE OF 6,680 POUNDS OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS AT THE COMMUTED RATE OF $3.75 PER HUNDRED POUNDS, INCIDENT TO HIS TRANSFER FROM ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, TO FORT WORTH, TEXAS, IN MARCH 1963.

FROM THE PAPERS SUBMITTED IT APPEARS THAT MR. HOLMES WAS ONE OF SOME FIFTY EMPLOYEES TRANSFERRED AT THE TIME. THE TRANSPORTATION OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY CRAWFORD MOVING VANS, INC., UNDER A CONTRACT AWARDED ON FEBRUARY 21, 1963, PURSUANT TO GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION INVITATION FOR BIDS ISSUED ON JANUARY 28, 1963. A GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING WAS ISSUED TO THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE EFFECTS OF MR. HOLMES AT THE CONTRACT RATE AND THE EFFECTS WERE PICKED UP ON MARCH 8, 1963, AND TRANSPORTED TO THE NEW DUTY STATION WITHOUT COST TO THE EMPLOYEE. THE TRAVEL ORDERS AUTHORIZING THE CHANGE OF STATION WERE DATED FEBRUARY 5, 1963, AND CONTAINED A STATEMENT THAT THE HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS WERE TO BE SHIPPED ON GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CONTRACT.

THE RECORD INDICATES THAT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE CHANGE OF STATION MR. HOLMES SOLD HIS HOME IN ST. LOUIS DURING THE FIRST PART OF JANUARY 1963, AND PLACED HIS EFFECTS IN STORAGE ON JANUARY 29 WITH THE WAGNER MOVING AND STORAGE COMPANY OF THAT CITY WHERE THEY REMAINED UNTIL PICKED UP BY THE CONTRACT MOVER ON MARCH 8. FOR THIS SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDED PACKING, DRAYAGE AND WAREHOUSE HANDLING, HE INCURRED EXPENSES IN THE SUM OF $296, WHICH EXPENDITURE IS THE BASIS OF HIS CLAIM. MR. HOLMES STATES THAT HE WAS NOTIFIED ON NOVEMBER 2, 1963, BY MEMORANDUM THAT THE TENTATIVE REPORTING DATE AT THE NEW STATION WAS FEBRUARY 3, 1963, AND LATER WAS NOTIFIED ON NOVEMBER 23, 1962, THAT THE TENTATIVE REPORTING DATE WAS MARCH 4, 1963. HE ALSO STATES THAT HE DID NOT RECEIVE A COPY OF THE TRAVEL ORDERS OF FEBRUARY 5, 1963, UNTIL FEBRUARY 18, 1963, AND THAT IN VIEW OF THE LIMITED INFORMATION HE WAITED UNTIL THE LATEST POSSIBLE DATE BEFORE STORING THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND EFFECTS.

SINCE THE CONTRACT FOR THE MASS MOVEMENT OF THE HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS OF MR. HOLMES AND THE OTHER EMPLOYEES CONTAINED PROVISIONS FOR STORAGE OF THE EFFECTS WE FIND NO AUTHORITY AT THIS TIME FOR ALLOWANCE OF MR. HOLMES' CLAIM FOR CHARGES ARISING OUT OF HIS ACTION IN STORING HIS EFFECTS PRIOR TO THE AWARDING OF THE CONTRACT TO CRAWFORD MOVING VANS, INC. HOWEVER, WE NOTE THAT THE RECORD FAILS TO CONTAIN (1) INFORMATION AS TO THE AMOUNT ACTUALLY PAID TO THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE MOVEMENT OF MR. HOLMES' EFFECTS AND WHETHER SUCH PAYMENT INCLUDED ANY AMOUNT FOR STORAGE EVEN IF NO STORAGE OCCURRED UNDER THE CONTRACT (COPY OF VOUCHER COVERING PAYMENT TO CONTRACTOR NOT SUBMITTED), (2) AN ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT AS TO WHETHER MR. HOLMES OBTAINED VERBAL AUTHORIZATION TO STORE HIS EFFECTS THE LATTER PART OF JANUARY 1963, AS ALLEGED, AND IF NOT WHETHER THE PAYMENT OF SUCH STORAGE CHARGES IS NOW APPROVED AND (3) COPIES OF PERTINENT ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE STORAGE OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS SUCH AS CITED IN THE CLAIMANT'S LETTER OF MARCH 8, 1963.

THE VOUCHER AND ACCOMPANYING PAPERS ARE RETURNED HEREWITH AND THE VOUCHER MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT ON THE BASIS OF THE PRESENT RECORD.

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