[Air Force Employee's Claim for Relocation Expenses]

A transferred Air Force employee claimed reimbursement at the full commuted rate for his household goods shipment, contending that the Air Force: (1) improperly limited reimbursement to the cost he would have incurred under the actual-expense government bill of lading (GBL) method; and (2) should reimburse him for such related costs as truck and trailer rental, commercial air fare, holiday and annual leave he used during his transfer, fuel, and interest on the unpaid portion of his claim. GAO held that: (1) the Air Force lacked authority to limit reimbursement of commuted-rate costs to the cost of the GBL method; (2) the Air Force should adjust the claim to exclude the costs related to the weight of the trailer that the claimant allegedly rented to move his household goods; and (3) there was no authority to reimburse the claimant for interest on the adjusted claim. Accordingly, the claim was allowed in part.