[BPA Employees' Entitlement to Reimbursement for Settlement Agent Fees]

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) requested a decision regarding two transferred employees' entitlements to reimbursement for certain real estate purchase expenses. BPA had denied the claims for settlement fees, since the claimant's mortgage lender charged a separate settlement fee in addition to a loan-origination fee. GAO held that the claimants were entitled to reimbursement for settlement fees, since: (1) the fee was not an integral part of the loan-origination process; and (2) purchasers typically paid this fee at that locale. Accordingly, the claims were allowed.