[Decision Concerning Customs Service Employee's Claim for Reimbursement of Broker's Commission Fee]

The U.S. Customs Service requested a decision regarding a transferred employee's claim for reimbursement for additional real estate broker fees. The employee contended that: (1) Customs informed him that it would reimburse an 8-percent fee, if the total cost of the sale was under 10 percent; and (2) federal agencies and private mortgage companies usually paid between 8 and 10 percent in his geographic area. GAO held that the claimant was not entitled to an 8-percent fee, since there was no evidence that the customary charge in the claimant's area was higher than the 7-percent fee that Customs reimbursed him. Accordingly, the claim was denied.