Relocation and Forfeiture Loss on Dental Services

The issue involved was whether a reclaim voucher could be certified for payment which represented the value of forfeiture loss on a dental services contract and the transportation of household pets incident to a permanent change of station. The relocation required that the employee's daughter have her orthodontic treatment completed by another doctor at the new duty station. While the costs of forfeiture losses on dental contracts which are not transferable are authorized, the record showed that a number of factors which were unrelated to the transfer prolonged orthodontic treatments beyond the duration expected under the original contract. Furthermore, the orthodontist at the old duty station refunded part of the fee paid since results were not in proportion to payments under the contract. Therefore, the employee was not entitled to the amount claimed as a forfeiture loss due to the transfer. Since Federal Travel Regulations exclude pets as household goods, and there is no authority to ship pets at Government expense, the employee was not entitled to reimbursement for costs related to the transportation of pets. Accordingly, the reclaim voucher could not be certified for payment.