B-243745, Nov 6, 1991

B-243745, Nov 6, 1991

DIGEST: Due to a change in travel regulations which neither the Air Force nor the member were aware of when he made change of station moved which made boat shipment reimbursable as household goods, the member did not obtain authorization under the Do-It-Yourself (DITY) move program prior to transporting the board. Under AFR 75-25 para. 11-3(b), such authorization is required before incentive under DITY program is payable and therefore claim is denied. Actual expenses may be reimbursed under DITY program where prior authorization is not obtained. GAO will not object to payment of actual expenses if claimant can reconstruct them to the satisfaction of the Air Force.

Major Courtney L. Jordan, Jr., USAF,-- Do-It-Yourself Household Goods Moving Expense Claim:

Major Courtney L. Jordan, Jr., USAF, appeals our Claims Group's denial of his claim for reimbursement under a Do-It-Yourself (DITY) boat move pursuant to a permanent change of station (PCS). We sustain the Claims Group's action for the following reasons.

Major Jordan was transferred from Michigan to Germany in August 1988. Prior to departing he transported his 1,760 pound boat, motor and trailer at his own expense, without obtaining receipts, to his home of record in Louisiana. In Germany he was advised that prior to the boat move the Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTR) had been amended to include boats as household goods reimbursable under a government ordered move. Since neither Major Jordan nor transportation officials were aware of this change in the regulations at the time he moved the boat he was not advised that if he moved his boat and trailer himself he could qualify for DITY incentive payments.

The Air Force denied his claim for reimbursement of the cost of moving the boat but suggested the claim be sent to the Comptroller General for reimbursement under the DITY provisions. Our Claims Group denied the claim because the move was not authorized in advance, as required by applicable regulations. Since the Claims Group's ruling, Major Jordan has now submitted a certified weight receipt indicating a boat weight of 1,760 pounds upon which he bases a claim for $908.16 in DITY incentive payments.

The provisions for DITY moves are contained in 1 JFTR para. U5320 E., AFR 75-25, Chapter 11 and AFR 177-102;103. These provide that as an incentive to participate in the DITY program, a member is entitled to a cash payment computed at 80 percent of the cost which the government would have incurred if it moved the goods. The regulations provide that members must obtain authorization from the Traffic Management Officer before an incentive is payable. AFR 75-25, para. 11 3(b).

Here, the member failed to obtain the required authorization for a DITY move and therefore incentive payments under the program are not proper. While the regulations were amended between the time of Captain Jordan's travel orders being completed and the actual movement of his boat, the claim is still not payable without the authorization required by the regulation. AFR 177-103, para. 8-2(a)3. However, notwithstanding the lack of receipts for his actual expenses (which may be reimbursed under the program when prior authorization for a DITY move is not obtained), if Major Jordan can reconstruct his expenses for the movement of the boat to the satisfaction of the Air Force, we would have no objection to his reimbursement on this basis. Jerry W. Blevins, B-231512, Sept. 21 1989.

To: Director, Claims Group/GGD - Sharon S. Green

From: General Counsel - James F. Hinchman

Subject: Major Courtney L. Jordan, Jr., USAF - B-243745 (Z-2862383)

We are returning your file Z-2862383 along with a copy of

our decision of today's date sustaining the Claims Group

decision.

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