[Propriety of Purchasing Pen Refills]

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) requested a decision on the propriety of using appropriated funds to purchase refills for pens not originally purchased at government expense. GAO determined that OPM may use appropriated funds to maintain employee-owned items used almost exclusively for government business if it first receives a General Services Administration (GSA) waiver stating that similar GSA stock items would not sufficiently serve the same purpose. Accordingly, the refills may be purchased using appropriated funds if GSA grants a waiver.