[Claim for Reimbursement of Survey Fees]

An authorized certifying officer of the Department of Agriculture requested an opinion on an employee's claim for reimbursement of survey fees incurred so that he could get financing to construct his residence at his new duty station. The claim was originally denied, since travel regulations prohibit reimbursement for construction costs. However, GAO held that, if the survey was required to obtain permanent mortgage financing for the employee's residence, reimbursement for the fees could be allowed. The amount which the employee claimed exceeded that which the Department of Housing and Urban Development stated was customary for surveying fees in the area. GAO stated that travel regulations limit reimbursement for survey costs to those usually charged in a locality and that the employee could be reimbursed the customary amount.