B-166619, MAY 7, 1969

B-166619, MAY 7, 1969

TO MR. JOHN H. BRANSBY:

WE REFER TO YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 3, 1969, WITH ENCLOSURES, REFERENCE NABCT-F, REQUESTING OUR DECISION WHETHER MR. ARTHUR PRIGAL, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, MAY BE REIMBURSED AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT ($18.87, AS SHOWN ON ATTACHED COPY OF VOUCHER) FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS FROM HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK, TO WHEATON, MARYLAND, INCIDENT TO A TRANSFER OF OFFICIAL STATION.

THE ENCLOSURES TO YOUR LETTER SHOW THAT MR. PRIGAL HAS BEEN REIMBURSED AT THE RATE OF $7.30 PER CWT. FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF 10,620 POUNDS (NET WEIGHT) OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS FOR A DISTANCE OF 227 MILES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMMUTED RATE SCHEDULE SET FORTH IN SECTION 1 OF GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION BULLETIN FPMR NO. A-2, ATTACHMENT A (SUPPLEMENT 12). THE DISTANCE USED -- 227 MILES -- WAS THE MILEAGE SHOWN ON THE COMMERCIAL BILL OF LADING COVERING THE SHIPMENT OF MR. PRIGAL'S GOODS. HOWEVER, MR. PRIGAL NOW CLAIMS REIMBURSEMENT OF AN ADDITIONAL 10 CENTS PER CWT. FOR SUCH SHIPMENT ON THE BASIS THAT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK, AND WHEATON, MARYLAND, IS 252 MILES, AS DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS MILEAGE GUIDES FILED WITH THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION.

YOU QUESTION WHETHER THE COMMUTED RATE PAYMENT IS TO BE COMPUTED ON THE BASIS OF THE MILEAGE SHOWN ON THE CARRIER'S BILL OF LADING OR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS MILEAGE GUIDES. YOU ALSO QUESTION WHETHER MR. PRIGAL IS ENTITLED TO BE PAID A SURCHARGE ALLOWANCE OF $8.25 FOR THE SHIPMENT IN QUESTION.

SUBSECTION 6.4D (1) OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56, REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES UNDER THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM, PROVIDES, IN PERTINENT PART, AS FOLLOWS:

"WHEN THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM IS USED, THE AMOUNT TO BE PAID TO THE EMPLOYEE FOR TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED SERVICES IS COMPUTED BY MULTIPLYING THE NUMBER OF HUNDREDS OF POUNDS SHIPPED (WITHIN THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT ALLOWANCES STATED IN SECTION 6.2) BY THE APPLICABLE RATE PER HUNDRED POUNDS FOR THE DISTANCE SHIPPED AS SHOWN IN THE COMMUTED RATE SCHEDULE. THE DISTANCE SHALL BE DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH HOUSEHOLD GOODS MILEAGE GUIDES FILED WITH THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION. THE RATE IS NOT SHOWN IN THE COMMUTED RATE SCHEDULE FOR THE EXACT MILEAGE, THE RATE SHOWN FOR THE NEXT GREATER DISTANCE APPLIES. * * *"

ACCORDING TO HOUSEHOLD GOODS CARRIERS' BUREAU MILEAGE GUIDE NO. 9, EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, 1968, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK, AND WHEATON, MARYLAND, IS APPROXIMATELY 252 MILES, AS CLAIMED BY MR. PRIGAL. THAT MILEAGE MUST BE USED FOR PURPOSES OF COMPUTING THE COMMUTED RATE NOTWITHSTANDING THAT THE CARRIER BASED HIS CHARGES ON A DISTANCE OF ONLY 227 MILES. THEREFORE, THE EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED TO BE REIMBURSED AN ADDITIONAL 10 CENTS PER CWT. FOR THE SHIPMENT OF HIS GOODS OR $10.62.

WITH RESPECT TO THE SURCHARGE ALLOWANCE, SECTION 3 OF GSA BULLETIN FPMR NO. A-2, PROVIDES AS FOLLOWS:

"IN ADDITION TO ALL OTHER APPLICABLE ALLOWANCES PROVIDED IN THIS COMMUTED RATE SCHEDULE, AN ALLOWANCE OF 75 CENTS PER 1,000 POUNDS OR FRACTION THEREOF SHALL BE MADE ON EACH SHIPMENT, BASED ON THE ACTUAL WEIGHT OF THE SHIPMENT OR THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS WHICH THE EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED TO MOVE, WHICHEVER IS LESS.'

SINCE MR. PRIGAL SHIPPED 10,620 POUNDS OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS, HE IS ENTITLED TO BE PAID A SURCHARGE ALLOWANCE OF $8.25 (75 CENTS X 11,000 POUNDS).

THE VOUCHER, COPY OF WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE PROCESSED FOR PAYMENT IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.