[Decision Concerning HHS Employee's Claim for Reimbursement of Travel Expenses]

The Department of Health and Human Services requested a decision regarding whether it should reimburse an employee at a higher mileage rate for use of his privately owned vehicle (POV) for temporary duty travel. GAO held that: (1) although the employee's travel orders specified POV reimbursement in lieu of common carrier travel, he was committed to use a government-owned vehicle whenever possible; (2) HHS informed the employee that use of his own vehicle would limit his travel allowance to 9.5 cents a mile; and (3) a clerical error on the travel order did not negate the employee's mileage allowance. Accordingly, HHS should pay the employee the lower rate.