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B-49430, JUN. 27, 1956

B-49430 Jun 27, 1956
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VETERANS ADMINISTRATION: REFERENCE IS MADE TO LETTER DATED MAY 16. THE CIRCUMSTANCES GIVING RISE TO THE TRAVEL ARE EXPLAINED IN THE LETTER AS FOLLOWS: "CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THIS ADMINISTRATION KNOWN AS CONTACT REPRESENTATIVES. ARE REQUIRED TO TRAVEL FREQUENTLY WITHIN THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF THEIR RESPECTIVE DUTY STATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES. THE TRAVEL IS PERFORMED UNDER PROPER AUTHORIZATION AND FREQUENTLY INVOLVES THE USE OF PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES WITH REIMBURSEMENT ON A MILEAGE BASIS.'. IT WAS HELD. PROPERLY ARE CHARGEABLE TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE. "THE ISSUANCE OF TRAVEL ORDERS COVERING LOCAL TRANSPORTATION OF EMPLOYEES AT THEIR OFFICIAL STATIONS IS NEITHER REQUIRED NOR PROPER.'.

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B-49430, JUN. 27, 1956

TO HONORABLE H. V. HIGLEY, ADMINISTRATOR, VETERANS ADMINISTRATION:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO LETTER DATED MAY 16, 1956, FROM THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, REQUESTING OUR ADVICE CONCERNING THE PROPER APPLICATION OF CHARGES--- AS BETWEEN ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE FUNDS AND A TRAVEL EXPENSE LIMITATION--- FOR THE COST OF TRAVEL PERFORMED BY CERTAIN EMPLOYEES ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS WITHIN THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF THEIR OFFICIAL STATIONS. THE CIRCUMSTANCES GIVING RISE TO THE TRAVEL ARE EXPLAINED IN THE LETTER AS FOLLOWS:

"CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THIS ADMINISTRATION KNOWN AS CONTACT REPRESENTATIVES, FIELD EXAMINERS, LOAN GUARANTY REPRESENTATIVES, ARE REQUIRED TO TRAVEL FREQUENTLY WITHIN THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF THEIR RESPECTIVE DUTY STATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES. THE TRAVEL IS PERFORMED UNDER PROPER AUTHORIZATION AND FREQUENTLY INVOLVES THE USE OF PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES WITH REIMBURSEMENT ON A MILEAGE BASIS.'

IN DECISION REPORTED AT 24 COMP. GEN. 858, REFERRED TO BY THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, IT WAS HELD, QUOTING THE FIRST AND SECOND PARAGRAPHS OF THE SYLLABUS:

"EXPENDITURES FOR STREETCAR TOKENS, PASSES, FERRY TICKETS, ETC., FOR LOCAL TRANSPORTATION OF EMPLOYEES AT THEIR OFFICIAL STATIONS, WHERE A TRAVEL STATUS MAY NOT EXIST, DO NOT CONSTITUTE TRAVELING EXPENSES AND, THEREFORE, PROPERLY ARE CHARGEABLE TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE, RATHER THAN A TRAVEL EXPENSE, LIMITATION.

"THE ISSUANCE OF TRAVEL ORDERS COVERING LOCAL TRANSPORTATION OF EMPLOYEES AT THEIR OFFICIAL STATIONS IS NEITHER REQUIRED NOR PROPER.'

THE CONCLUSIONS THUS STATED WERE BASED UPON THE VIEW THAT GENERALLY NO TRAVEL STATUS EXISTS AT OFFICIAL STATIONS, AND THAT EXPENDITURES BY EMPLOYEES FOR TRAVEL ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS VIA STREETCAR, FERRY, BUS, TAXICAB, ETC., TO POINTS NEAR OR CONTIGUOUS TO THEIR OFFICIAL STATIONS REPRESENT TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES AT OR ABOUT THE DESIGNATED HEADQUARTERS RATHER THAN TRAVEL EXPENSES, AS THAT TERM IS COMMONLY UNDERSTOOD AND APPLIED IN CONNECTION WITH TRAVEL BY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. ALSO, SEE DECISION TO YOUR ADMINISTRATION DATED MARCH 4, 1947, B-13396.

IT IS PLAINLY EVIDENT FROM THE SIMILARITY OF THE FACTUAL SITUATIONS INVOLVED THAT THE CONCLUSION TO BE REACHED IN THE PRESENT MATTER MUST BE CONTROLLED BY THE SAME PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THE REFERRED-TO DECISION WAS DECIDED. THERE, AS HERE, THE TRAVEL INVOLVED THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES AT OR NEAR THE EMPLOYEE'S OFFICIAL STATIONS; AND, OF COURSE, THE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION UTILIZED, OR THE FREQUENCY AND PURPOSE OF THE TRAVEL, MAY NOT BE VIEWED AS A SOUND BASIS FOR DEPARTING FROM THE RULE APPLIED IN THAT DECISION. SUCH BEING THE CASE, THE COST OF TRAVEL AT HEADQUARTERS, IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES HERE INVOLVED, IS PROPERLY CHARGEABLE AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE AND NOT TO A TRAVEL EXPENSE LIMITATION.

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