B-156315, JUL. 21, 1966
Highlights
WHICH WAS RECEIVED IN OUR OFFICE JUNE 30. HIS SUPPLEMENTAL VOUCHER IN THE AMOUNT OF $135.36 IS FOR THE COST OF DISASSEMBLING AND REASSEMBLING AN "EXPANDO" UNIT WHICH WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PARTICULAR TRAILER INVOLVED. LAMPI INCURRED THE COSTS IN QUESTION BECAUSE IT WAS NECESSARY TO DETACH THE "EXPANDO" UNIT AND SET IT IN THE HOUSE TRAILER PRIOR TO MOVEMENT AND TO REATTACH THE UNIT AT DESTINATION. WOULD NOT CAUSE THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID FOR HOUSE TRAILER TRANSPORTATION TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED HIM FOR THE TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS. PAYMENT OF THE COST OF TRANSPORTING AN EMPLOYEE'S HOUSE TRAILER INCIDENT TO A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION IS AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 1 (B) OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES ACT OF 1946.
B-156315, JUL. 21, 1966
TO AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, FOREST SERVICE, PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE:
WE REFER TO YOUR LETTER OF MAY 18, 1966, WHICH WAS RECEIVED IN OUR OFFICE JUNE 30, YOUR REFERENCE 6540, BY WHICH YOU REQUEST OUR DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT THE SUPPLEMENTAL TRAVEL VOUCHER OF MR. ALLAN O. LAMPI, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE FOREST SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN COSTS HE INCURRED IN THE MOVING OF HIS HOUSE TRAILER (MOBILE HOME) INCIDENT TO A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION.
MR. LAMPI HAS BEEN REIMBURSED THE COSTS HE INCURRED FOR THE COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION OF HIS HOUSE TRAILER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 6 OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56. HIS SUPPLEMENTAL VOUCHER IN THE AMOUNT OF $135.36 IS FOR THE COST OF DISASSEMBLING AND REASSEMBLING AN "EXPANDO" UNIT WHICH WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PARTICULAR TRAILER INVOLVED. MR. LAMPI INCURRED THE COSTS IN QUESTION BECAUSE IT WAS NECESSARY TO DETACH THE "EXPANDO" UNIT AND SET IT IN THE HOUSE TRAILER PRIOR TO MOVEMENT AND TO REATTACH THE UNIT AT DESTINATION. PAYMENT OF THE AMOUNT CLAIMED, TOGETHER WITH THE TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES WHICH MR. LAMPI HAS ALREADY BEEN REIMBURSED, WOULD NOT CAUSE THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID FOR HOUSE TRAILER TRANSPORTATION TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED HIM FOR THE TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS.
PAYMENT OF THE COST OF TRANSPORTING AN EMPLOYEE'S HOUSE TRAILER INCIDENT TO A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION IS AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 1 (B) OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES ACT OF 1946, APPROVED AUGUST 2, 1946, AS AMENDED, 5 U.S.C. 73B-1 (B) WHICH PROVIDES IN PERTINENT PART AS FOLLOWS:
"* * * UNDER SUCH REGULATIONS AS THE PRESIDENT MAY PRESCRIBE, ANY CIVILIAN OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE WHO TRANSPORTS A HOUSE TRAILER OR MOBILE DWELLING WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, WITHIN ALASKA, OR BETWEEN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES AND ALASKA, FOR USE AS A RESIDENCE AND WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE ENTITLED TO TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE ENTITLED IN LIEU OF THE TRANSPORTATION TO WHICH HE WOULD OTHERWISE BE ENTITLED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION, TO A REASONABLE ALLOWANCE, NOT TO EXCEED 20 CENTS PER MILE FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE HOUSE TRAILER OR MOBILE DWELLING IF SUCH TRAILER OR DWELLING IS TRANSPORTED BY SUCH OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE, OR, IF SUCH TRAILER OR DWELLING IS NOT SO TRANSPORTED BY SUCH OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE, TO COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION OF THE HOUSE TRAILER OR MOBILE DWELLING, AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE, OR REIMBURSEMENT TO SUCH OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE THEREFOR, INCLUDING THE PAYMENT OF NECESSARY TOLLS, CHARGES, AND PERMIT FEES, EXCEPT THAT NO PAYMENT UNDER THIS SENTENCE SHALL EXCEED THE MAXIMUM PAYMENT TO WHICH SUCH OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE WOULD OTHERWISE BE ENTITLED UNDER THIS SECTION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS IN CONNECTION WITH THIS TRANSFER.'
SECTION 6 OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56, WHICH WAS ISSUED PURSUANT TO A DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY FROM THE PRESIDENT CONTAINED IN EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 10530, MAY 10, 1954, AS AMENDED, CONTAINS BINDING REGULATIONS WITH REGARD TO PAYMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF EXPENSES INCURRED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE QUOTED STATUTE. PARAGRAPH 6.3A ENUMERATES THE EXPENSES WHICH MAY AND MAY NOT BE PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT INCIDENT TO COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION OF A HOUSE TRAILER AS FOLLOWS:
"A. WHEN A TRAILER IS TRANSPORTED BY A COMMERCIAL CARRIER,
"/1) THE ALLOWANCE SHALL INCLUDE THE CARRIER'S CHARGES FOR ACTUAL TRANSPORTATION OF THE TRAILER IN AN AMOUNT NOT EXCEEDING THE APPLICABLE TARIFF AS APPROVED BY THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION OR SIMILAR STATE REGULATORY BODY FOR MOVEMENT OF A TRAILER OF THE SIZE AND TYPE INVOLVED FOR THE DISTANCE INVOLVED, COMPUTED AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION 6.2.
"/2) THE ALLOWANCE ALSO SHALL INCLUDE FERRY FARES AND BRIDGE, ROAD AND TUNNEL TOLLS, TAXES, CHARGES OR FEES FIXED BY A STATE OR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY FOR PERMITS TO TRANSPORT HOUSE TRAILERS IN OR THROUGH ITS JURISDICTION, SIMILAR CHARGES IMPOSED BY A CANADIAN JURISDICTION FOR A TRAILER BEING TRANSPORTED BETWEEN ALASKA AND ELSEWHERE IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, AND CARRIERS' SERVICE CHARGES FOR OBTAINING SUCH PERMITS.
"/3) ALLOWANCES SHALL NOT INCLUDE COSTS OF PREPARING TRAILERS FOR MOVEMENT, MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS, STORAGE, INSURANCE FOR VALUATION OF TRAILERS ABOVE CARRIERS' MAXIMUM RESPONSIBILITY, NOR CHARGES DESIGNATED IN THE TARIFFS AS "SPECIAL SERVICE.'"
SINCE THOSE REGULATIONS SPECIFICALLY PROHIBIT THE PAYMENT OF EXPENSES INVOLVED IN PREPARING A TRAILER FOR MOVEMENT WE ARE WITHOUT AUTHORITY TO APPROVE PAYMENT OF THE VOUCHER IN QUESTION. IN THAT CONNECTION WE NOTE THAT THERE APPEARS TO BE NO VALID DISTINCTION BETWEEN THIS CASE AND B- 156315, APRIL 9, 1965, WHICH YOU CITED.
THE VOUCHER WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.