Claim for Interest To Compensate Suggesters for Delay of Award
Highlights
An Army employee requested reconsideration of a prior decision which declined to add interest charges to a cash award which he and another employee had received for a cost-saving suggestion. The employee asserted that: (1) the Army entered into a contract with him when it accepted and implemented his suggestion, (2) he was entitled to compensation under that contract when the suggestion was implemented, and (3) interest should therefore be calculated from that time until payment was made. While GAO agreed with the employee that a commitment arose at the time the Army accepted and implemented his suggestion, GAO would not agree that he was due any interest because of the delay in the payment of his award. Accordingly, the prior decision was affirmed.