B-191539, JUL 5, 1978

B-191539, JUL 5, 1978

DIGEST: TRANSFERRED EMPLOYEE CLAIMS REIMBURSEMENT UNDER COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM FOR COSTS OF COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION AND TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS. HIS CLAIM MAY NOT BE ALLOWED SINCE HE CANNOT PRESENT RECEIPTED COPIES OF BILL OF LADING OR BILL FOR STORAGE COSTS.

KURT P. GOEBEL - TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS:

THIS ACTION RESULTS FROM A LETTER DATED MARCH 22, 1978, FROM MS. ARLENE TATIGIAN, MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL FINANCE OFFICER FOR THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE ENTITLEMENT OF MR. KURT P. GOEBEL, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COSTS OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS, INCURRED INCIDENT TO HIS TRANSFER FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., TO GATEWAY NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, IN SEPTEMBER 1975.

MR. GOEBEL, BY TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION NO. 1600-6-0105, DATED SEPTEMBER 5, 1975, WAS AUTHORIZED SHIPMENT OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS TO HIS NEW DUTY STATION, AT A COMMUTED RATE. MR. GOEBEL STATES THAT HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS WERE TRANSPORTED AND TEMPORARILY STORED BY BEKINS MOVING AND STORAGE COMPANY FROM SEPTEMBER 17, 1975, TO APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER 23, 1975. HE CLAIMS $1,326 FOR THE TRANSPORTATION AND $702.95 FOR THE TEMPORARY STORAGE. HOWEVER, HE IS UNABLE TO PROVIDE COPIES OF THE BILL OF LADING, HIS RECEIPT FOR THE STORAGE, OR THE CHECK BY WHICH HE PAID FOR THESE SERVICES.

MR. GOEBEL HAS STATED THAT HE SENT THE ORIGINAL COPY OF HIS RECEIPTED BILL OF LADING TO THE PARK SERVICE'S MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL FINANCE OFFICE IN APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER 1975. HOWEVER, THAT OFFICE HAS NO RECORD OF HAVING RECEIVED IT AND, FURTHERMORE, HAS NOT, AFTER SEARCHING, BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT.

MR. GOEBEL HAS STATED THAT HE CONTACTED THE BEKINS AFFILIATE IN LAUREL, MARYLAND, WHICH HANDLED THE TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS, ABOUT OBTAINING A COPY OF HIS RECEIPTED BILL OF LADING. THE BEKINS AFFILIATE INFORMED HIM, HOWEVER, THAT WITHOUT THE BILL OF LADING NUMBER IT COULD NOT LOCATE ITS COPY OF THE BILL.

THE PARK SERVICE'S MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL FINANCE OFFICE IN DECEMBER 1977, ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN A COPY OF MR. GOEBEL'S BILL OF LADING BY CONTACTING THE BEKINS CENTRALIZED ACCOUNTING OFFICE IN GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA. THE REGIONAL FINANCE OFFICE WAS INFORMED THAT WITHOUT THE BILL OF LADING NUMBER IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO OBTAIN A COPY. BEKINS ALSO ADVISED THAT BECAUSE MORE THAN 2 YEARS HAD ELAPSED SINCE THE MOVE TOOK PLACE, BEKINS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPLY ANY INFORMATION ABOUT IT.

MR. GOEBEL STATED FURTHER THAT HE HAD NOT HAD TIME TO OPEN A CHECKING ACCOUNT IN BROOKLYN WHEN HE HAD TO PAY FOR THE STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION AND, THEREFORE, HE OBTAINED A "BANK CHECK" FROM A BANK LOCATED THERE, TO PAY BEKINS. HOWEVER, MR. GOEBEL DOES NOT HAVE EITHER A RECEIPT FOR, OR A COPY OF, THIS "BANK CHECK", AND HE DOES NOT REMEMBER FROM WHICH BANK HE OBTAINED IT.

PARAGRAPH 2-8.3A(3) OF THE FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS (FTR) (FPMR 101-7, MAY 1973), REGARDING THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS OF AN ELIGIBLE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE, PROVIDES:

"CLAIMS FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM SHALL BE SUPPORTED BY A RECEIPTED COPY OF THE BILL OF LADING (A REPRODUCED COPY MAY BE ACCEPTED) INCLUDING ANY ATTACHED WEIGHT CERTIFICATE COPIES IF SUCH A BILL WAS ISSUED. IF NO BILL OF LADING WAS INVOLVED, OTHER EVIDENCE SHOWING POINTS OF ORIGIN AND DESTINATION AND THE WEIGHT OF THE GOODS MUST BE SUBMITTED. ***"

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS REGULATION, MR. GOEBEL'S CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COST OF TRANSPORTING HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., TO BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, MAY NOT BE ALLOWED. SEE B-180897, APRIL 21, 1975.

WITH REGARD TO MR. GOEBEL'S CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COST OF THE TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS, FTR PARA. 2-8.5B(1) PROVIDES:

"IN CONNECTION WITH TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES UNDER THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM, COSTS OF TEMPORARY STORAGE WITHIN THE APPLICABLE WEIGHT LIMIT WILL BE REIMBURSED TO THE EMPLOYEE IN THE AMOUNT OF HIS COSTS FOR STORAGE INCLUDING IN AND OUT CHARGES AND NECESSARY DRAYAGE, BUT NOT TO EXCEED THE COMMUTED RATES FOR STORAGE IN GSA BULLETIN FPMR A-2. A RECEIPTED COPY OF THE WAREHOUSE OR OTHER BILL FOR STORAGE COSTS IS REQUIRED TO SUPPORT REIMBURSEMENT."

SINCE MR. GOEBEL HAS NOT PRESENTED A RECEIPTED COPY OF THE BILL FOR THE TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS INCIDENT TO HIS TRANSFER FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., TO GATEWAY NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, HIS CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF THIS STORAGE MAY NOT BE ALLOWED, EITHER. SEE 53 COMP.GEN. 513 (1974), AND B-173557, AUGUST 30, 1971.

ACCORDINGLY THE ABOVE ITEMS ON MR. GOEBEL'S TRAVEL VOUCHER MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.