B-173668, OCT 18, 1971

B-173668, OCT 18, 1971

CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE - STORAGE OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS ADVANCE DECISION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF THE CLAIM OF FREDERIC E. HUGO FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS IN A NONCOMMERCIAL FACILITY INCIDENT TO AN AUTHORIZED PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION. WHEN HOUSEHOLD GOODS ARE STORED AT A PLACE OTHER THAN A WAREHOUSE GAO HAS NOT QUESTIONED REIMBURSEMENT OF SUCH CHARGES IF NONCOMMERCIAL FACILITIES ARE USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A REASONABLE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE AND THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY WHERE THE GOODS ARE STORED. THE AMOUNT CLAIMED IS WITHIN THE LIMITATION OF SUBSECTION 6.4D(2), AND THE RECEIPT AS QUOTED ABOVE MAY BE ACCEPTED AS MEETING THE REQUIREMENT OF SUBSECTION 6.4D(3) OF OMB CIRCULAR NO. A-56. ACCORDINGLY, THE VOUCHER AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE RETURNED, AND PAYMENT IS AUTHORIZED IN THE AMOUNT CLAIMED.

TO MR. J. J. DOOLEY:

THIS WILL REFER TO YOUR LETTER OF MAY 28, 1971, WITH ENCLOSURES, REFERENCE NEDDC-F, FORWARDED HERE BY THE PER DIEM, TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE COMMITTEE ON JULY 21, 1971, PDTATAC CONTROL NO. 71-28. AN ADVANCE DECISION IS REQUESTED ON THE CLAIM OF MR. FREDERIC E. HUGO IN THE AMOUNT OF $725 FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS IN A NONCOMMERCIAL FACILITY INCIDENT TO AN AUTHORIZED PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION.

THE RECORD DISCLOSES THAT INCIDENT TO A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION FROM ASHBURN, VIRGINIA, TO WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, MR. HUGO PLACED 11,000 POUNDS OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS (HHG) IN TEMPORARY STORAGE AT HIS MOTHER-IN- LAW'S SUMMER RESIDENCE LOCATED AT ASHBURNHAM, MASSACHUSETTS. MR. HUGO STATES THAT HE "CONTRACTED" FOR THIS METHOD OF STORAGE "IN LIEU OF A COMMERCIAL WAREHOUSE AND PAID HER (MOTHER-IN-LAW) FOR STORAGE." THE HHG WERE PLACED IN STORAGE ON OR ABOUT OCTOBER 18, 1970. IN SUPPORT OF HIS CLAIM FOR $725, HE FURNISHES A STATEMENT DATED FEBRUARY 19, 1971, AND SIGNED BY HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW WHICH READS AS FOLLOWS:

"I HAVE RECEIVED PAYMENT AS STATED BELOW FOR STORAGE OF 11,030 LBS. OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS OF FREDERIC E. HUGO AS ESTABLISHED BY WEIGHT CERTIFICATES. THE GOODS HAVE BEEN STORED AT 395 SPRUCE DRIVE, CITY OF ASHBURNHAM, WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS. THE CHARGE FOR THE FIRST THIRTY DAYS WAS $625.00 BEGINNING 18 OCTOBER 1970 AND EACH SUCCESSIVE THIRTY DAY PERIOD AT $100.00."

YOU QUESTION WHETHER TEMPORARY STORAGE CHARGES ARE REIMBURSABLE WHEN THE STORAGE IS IN A NONCOMMERCIAL FACILITY AND THE EXPENSE IS NOT DOCUMENTED BY A RECEIPTED WAREHOUSE BILL SHOWING THE WEIGHT OF THE GOODS STORED AND THE RELATED SERVICES INVOLVED. IF SUCH STORAGE IS PERMISSIBLE, YOU FURTHER QUESTION THE PROPRIETY OF PAYMENT WHERE THE SAME FACILITY IS ALSO OCCUPIED AS A TEMPORARY RESIDENCE BY THE EMPLOYEE'S DEPENDENTS.

MR. HUGO WAS REIMBURSED FOR HIS TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES UNDER THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM AUTHORIZED BY 5 U.S.C. 5724. IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS IN OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56, REVISED JUNE 26, 1969, SUBSECTION 6.4D(2), PROVIDE AS FOLLOWS:

"REIMBURSEMENT FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE EXPENSES. WHEN THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM IS USED FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE, THE AMOUNT TO BE PAID TO THE EMPLOYEE SHALL BE DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TABLE OF STORAGE ALLOWANCES IN THE COMMUTED RATE SCHEDULE. HOWEVER, THE AMOUNT OF REIMBURSEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT ACTUALLY PAID FOR THE STORAGE."

SUBSECTION 6.4D(3) GENERALLY REQUIRES THAT A CLAIM FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE BE SUPPORTED BY A RECEIPTED WAREHOUSE BILL.

WHEN HHG ARE STORED AT A PLACE OTHER THAN A WAREHOUSE WE HAVE NOT QUESTIONED REIMBURSEMENT OF SUCH CHARGES IF NONCOMMERCIAL FACILITIES ARE USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A REASONABLE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE AND THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY WHERE THE GOODS ARE STORED. THE AMOUNT CLAIMED IS WITHIN THE LIMITATION OF SUBSECTION 6.4D(2), AND THE RECEIPT AS QUOTED ABOVE MAY BE ACCEPTED AS MEETING THE REQUIREMENT OF SUBSECTION 6.4D(3) OF CIRCULAR NO. A-56.

ACCORDINGLY, THE VOUCHER AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE RETURNED, AND PAYMENT IS AUTHORIZED IN THE AMOUNT CLAIMED.