B-103315, AUG. 10, 1967

B-103315, AUG. 10, 1967

TRANSPORTATION - TRAVEL AGENTS DECISION TO SECY. OF COMMERCE CONCERNING TRANSPORTATION OF EMPLOYEE VIA GROUP CHARTERED AIR FLIGHT TO ATTEND CONFERENCE IN TOKYO ARRANGED THROUGH TRAVEL AGENTS. SINCE CONTEMPLATED TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS FOR EMPLOYEE IS SHOWN TO SAVE GOVERNMENT OVER $200, EXCEPTION TO GAO 2085.10 IS AUTHORIZED. TRAVEL OF EMPLOYEE FROM WEST COAST TO MEET GROUP FLIGHT SHOULD BE PROCURRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TRAVEL REGULATIONS. FARES SHOULD BE PAID IN CASH BY TRAVELER AND CLAIM MADE FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO AVOID ISSUANCE OF TRANSPORTATION REQUEST TO TRAVEL AGENT.

TO MR. SECRETARY:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO THE LETTER DATED JULY 27, 1967, FILE 127.0, COPY ATTACHED, FROM R. S. WALLEIGH, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR ADMINISTRATION, NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, REQUESTING A DECISION AUTHORIZING A DEVIATION FROM OUR REGULATIONS COVERING THE PROCUREMENT OF OFFICIAL PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. MR. WALLEIGH IS, OF COURSE, NOT ENTITLED TO AN AUTHORITATIVE DECISION ON SUCH A MATTER. HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT HIS LETTER INDICATES THAT ONLY A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME REMAINS BEFORE NECESSARY TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS LIKELY MUST BE MADE, AND SINCE MR. WALLEIGH INDICATES THAT THE TRAVEL INVOLVED WILL BE ON OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT BUSINESS, WE ADDRESS THIS LETTER TO YOU WITH A COPY TO MR. WALLEIGH.

IN OUR DECISION OF JULY 17, 1967, B-103315, TO YOU, WE CONSIDERED A SIMILAR REQUEST FOR A DEVIATION FROM OUR REGULATIONS. WE THERE STATED THAT SECTION 2013 OF TITLE 5 OF THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE MANUAL, COVERING THE PROCUREMENT OF OFFICIAL PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, GENERALLY PLACES RESTRICTIONS ON THE ISSUANCE OF GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS TO TRAVEL AGENCIES, AND THAT SECTION 2020.10, IN EFFECT, PRECLUDES THE USE OF CASH TO PROCURE OFFICIAL PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION SERVICES WHEN THE COST OF THE TRANSPORTATION, WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION TAX, IS OVER $15. COMPARE SECTION 4.2 OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-7- REVISED, ENTITLED STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS (SGTR).

WE ALSO NOTED THAT THE RESTRICTIONS IN OUR REGULATIONS ON THE USE OF TRAVEL AGENCIES AND THE REQUIREMENT THAT GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS (5 GAO 2010.20) BE USED TO PROCURE OFFICIAL PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, WHENEVER THE COST OF THE TRANSPORTATION EXCEEDS $15, ARE CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO INSURE PROPER ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL OVER THE EXPENDITURE AND AUDIT OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS AND APPLY GENERALLY THROUGHOUT THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE. SECTION 2085.10 OF TITLE 5 OF THE GAO MANUAL PROVIDES THAT EXCEPTIONS MAY BE MADE "ONLY AFTER OBTAINING THE WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.'

IN THE PRESENT CASE MR. WALLEIGH STATES THAT A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OF THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND, ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS, THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR STRUCTURE TO BE HELD IN TOKYO, JAPAN, SEPTEMBER 7 THROUGH 13, 1967, AND THAT THE DIVISION OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY HAS MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR CHARTERED FLIGHTS TO TOKYO THROUGH THE DON-EM TRAVEL CENTER, 68 POST STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. MR. WALLEIGH INDICATES THAT THE ROUND TRIP FARE ON THE CHARTER FLIGHT FROM THE WEST COAST TO TOKYO IS $555 WHEREAS THE REGULAR ROUND TRIP AIR FARE IS $760; THAT THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN THE COST OF ROUND TRIP TRAVEL FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., TO THE WEST COAST; AND THAT THERE WOULD BE A CONSIDERABLE SAVING TO THE GOVERNMENT.

ALTHOUGH MR. WALLEIGH STATES THAT ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR CHARTER FLIGHTS, WE NOTE THAT $555 IS THE COST OF THE GROUP TRAVEL FARE PROVIDED BY TARIFF FOR ROUND TRIP AIR TRAVEL BETWEEN THE WEST COAST AND TOKYO FOR GROUPS OF FROM 25 TO 69 PASSENGERS.

THE FACTS OF THIS CASE, BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BEFORE THE TIME OF THE CONTEMPLATED TRAVEL, SHOW THE AVAILABILITY OF AN ECONOMICAL GROUP TRAVEL FARE THROUGH THE TRAVEL AGENCY AT A SAVING OF OVER $200 FOR EACH TRAVELER. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND SINCE THE PROCUREMENT WILL APPARENTLY SERVE TO PROMOTE THE MORE ECONOMICAL USAGE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS (SEE SECTION 1.2 OF THE SGTR), AN EXCEPTION TO THE REGULATIONS IS WARRANTED.

ACCORDINGLY, WE APPROVE THE EMPLOYEES' USE OF THE GROUP FLIGHT FOR THE TRIP, WHICH WE UNDERSTAND IS TO BE ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS. WE ASSUME THAT THE DOMESTIC TRAVEL TO THE WEST COAST TO MEET THE GROUP FLIGHT WILL BE PROCURED IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR REGULATIONS GOVERNING SUCH TRAVEL. AVOID ISSUANCE OF GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS TO A TRAVEL AGENCY, WE SUGGEST THAT THE GROUP FARES ON THE FLIGHT FROM THE WEST COAST TO TOKYO BE PAID IN CASH BY THE TRAVELERS AND THAT THEY CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT OF THE FARES ON THEIR TRAVEL VOUCHERS. ALSO, WE WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION TO YOUR DEPARTMENT MAKING WHATEVER TRAVEL ADVANCE IT MAY DEEM APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY TO COVER THE PROCUREMENT OF THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICE.