B-149582, AUG. 23, 1962

B-149582, AUG. 23, 1962

TO MR. JOHN W. FINN, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, NATIONAL

INSTITUTES OF HEALTH:

ON JUNE 26, 1962, YOU REQUESTED OUR DECISION WHETHER A REIMBURSEMENT VOUCHER IN FAVOR OF DR. ROSCOE O. BRADY, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, FOR $244.63 MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.

THE AMOUNT OF THE VOUCHER REPRESENTS THE STORAGE COST OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS INCIDENT TO A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION FROM BETHESDA, MARYLAND, TO BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ONE YEAR'S TRAINING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS WERE AUTHORIZED INCIDENT TO THE CHANGE OF STATION. DR. BRADY STORED HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS FOR A PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR, AT THE END OF WHICH TIME HIS PERMANENT STATION WAS CHANGED FROM BERKELEY TO BETHESDA.

PAYMENT FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE WAS AUTHORIZED FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED SIXTY DAYS UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9805, NOW SUPERSEDED BY BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56, APRIL 30, 1962, WHICH ALSO LIMITS THE PERIOD TO SIXTY DAYS WITH AN EXCEPTION NOT HERE RELEVANT. SECTION 12 (B) OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9805, AS AMENDED BY SECTION 2C OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-37, DECEMBER 30, 1957, IN EFFECT DURING THE PERIOD OF STORAGE, PROVIDES THAT IN LIEU OF PAYMENT OF ACTUAL EXPENSES OF TEMPORARY STORAGE (SIXTY DAYS) OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS, REIMBURSEMENT SHALL BE MADE AT A COMMUTED RATE, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE AMOUNT OF REIMBURSEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT ACTUALLY PAID BY THE EMPLOYEE FOR THE STORAGE IN QUESTION.

THEREFORE, ALTHOUGH, AS YOU POINT OUT, THE TOTAL COST FOR THE STORAGE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR IS LESS THAN THE ESTIMATED COST FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS FROM BETHESDA TO BERKELEY AND RETURN, NO AUTHORITY EXISTS FOR PAYMENT OF STORAGE CHARGES FOR A PERIOD IN EXCESS OF SIXTY DAYS INCIDENT TO ANY ONE CHANGE OF STATION OR FOR PAYMENT OF ACTUAL EXPENSES IN AN AMOUNT IN EXCESS OF THAT DUE AS A COMMUTATION OF STORAGE EXPENSES. SEE 32 COMP. GEN. 471; B-112552, DECEMBER 23, 1952. THEREFORE, THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT. HOWEVER, SINCE TWO CHANGES OF STATION ARE INVOLVED, THE EMPLOYEE MAY BE REIMBURSED FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED SIXTY DAYS TEMPORARY STORAGE INCIDENT TO HIS FIRST PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION AT THE APPLICABLE COMMUTED RATE, AND FOR AN ADDITIONAL SIXTY DAYS INCIDENT TO THE SECOND PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION, IF PROPERLY APPROVED.