B-158046, APR. 5, 1966

B-158046, APR. 5, 1966

TO THE AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE:

THIS REFERS TO YOUR LETTER OF MARCH 21, 1966, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING INFORMATION WHETHER YOU MAY NOW CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT A VOUCHER IN THE AMOUNT OF $40.25 IN FAVOR OF MR. ROBERT B. NELSON. THE MATTER PREVIOUSLY WAS THE SUBJECT OF OUR DECISION OF JANUARY 11, 1966, B-158046, TO YOU.

THE $40.25 REPRESENTS THE CONSTRUCTIVE TRANSPORTATION COST FROM ATLANTA, GEORGIA, TO WASHINGTON, D.C., THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INCURRED BY ANOTHER EMPLOYEE, MR. DWIGHT L. JAMES, JR., WHO ACTUALLY TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON, D.C. FOR TEMPORARY DUTY AS A PASSENGER IN THE PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE OF MR. NELSON WHO WAS ON TEMPORARY DUTY ASSIGNMENT AT WASHINGTON, D.C., AND WHO WAS RETURNING TO WASHINGTON TO CONTINUE ON SUCH TEMPORARY DUTY AFTER SPENDING THE WEEKEND IN ATLANTA. MR. JAMES DID NOT CLAIM NOR WAS HE REIMBURSED FOR THE TRAVEL INVOLVED. IN OUR DECISION OF JANUARY 11, 1966, B-158046, TO YOU, WE DECLINED TO AUTHORIZE CERTIFICATION OF THE VOUCHER FOR PAYMENT SINCE THERE WAS NOTHING OF RECORD TO SHOW THAT MR. NELSON WAS AUTHORIZED BY HIS AGENCY TO TRANSPORT MR. JAMES AS A PASSENGER OR THAT MR. JAMES REQUESTED SUCH TRANSPORTATION.

THERE HAS NOW BEEN FURNISHED A STATEMENT FROM THE ASSISTANT REGIONAL COMMISSIONER-AUDIT STATING THAT HE HAD REQUESTED MR. NELSON TO TRANSPORT MR. JAMES FROM ATLANTA, GEORGIA, TO WASHINGTON, .C., ON AUGUST 22, 1965, IN HIS PRIVATELY-OWNED AUTOMOBILE. THEREFORE, MR. NELSON WOULD BE ENTITLED TO THE CONSTRUCTIVE TRAVEL COST OF $40.25.