B-127527, MAY 31, 1956

B-127527, MAY 31, 1956

TO MR. FLOYD E. DOTSON, CHIEF CLERK AND CERTIFYING OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR:

YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 6, 1956, REQUESTS OUR DECISION REGARDING THE PROPER AMOUNT FOR PAYMENT ON THE ENCLOSED VOUCHER IN FAVOR OF MR. J. REFUEL ARMSTRONG. THE VOUCHER IN THE AMOUNT OF $152 REPRESENTS HIS TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES AND PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE FOR THE PERIOD OF ACTUAL TRAVEL, FEBRUARY 21 TO MARCH 7, 1956, UNDER TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION NO. 0-SOL-1956 DATED JULY 1, 1955, AS AMENDED EFFECTIVE JANUARY 31, 1956. THEREUNDER HE WAS AUTHORIZED TO TRAVEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., TO SUCH POINTS IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES AND ALASKA, AND RETURN, AS MAY BE NECESSARY "DURING THE BALANCE OF FISCAL YEAR 1956.'

MR. ARMSTRONG USED A GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST TO PURCHASE A CIRCLE-TRIP TICKET BY AIR COVERING OFFICIAL TRAVEL FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., TO ALASKA AND RETURN VIA SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. FROM SACRAMENTO HE USED PART OF THE PLANE TICKET IN GOING TO DENVER, COLORADO, THENCE TO RAWLINS, WYOMING, ON ANNUAL LEAVE. WHEN HE RESUMED HIS RETURN TRAVEL FROM RAWLINS MR. ARMSTRONG DID NOT USE THOSE PORTIONS OF THE PLANE TICKET HE HELD FROM RAWLINS TO DENVER TO WASHINGTON. THE RECORD SHOWS SUCH PORTIONS OF THE TICKET HAVE BEEN SURRENDERED FOR REFUND, WHICH WILL AMOUNT TO $60.15. TWO OTHER REQUESTS HE PROCURED RAIL TRANSPORTATION WITH BEDROOM ACCOMMODATIONS VALUED AT $113.09 ($75.84 PLUS $37.25) FOR HIS RETURN TRAVEL FROM RAWLINS VIA CHICAGO TO WASHINGTON.

AS YOU SAY THE TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION PERMITTED COMBINATIONS OF MODES OF TRAVEL, INCLUDING TRAIN AND PLANE. PARAGRAPH 16 OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROVIDES, HOWEVER, THAT ROUND-TRIP TICKETS SHOULD BE SECURED WHEN, ON THE BASIS OF THE JOURNEY AS PLANNED, IT IS KNOWN OR CAN BE REASONABLY ANTICIPATED THAT SUCH TICKETS WILL BE UTILIZED. IN CASES OF INDIRECT ROUTES OR INTERRUPTED TRAVEL FOR THE TRAVELER'S PERSONAL CONVENIENCE, PARAGRAPHS 10 AND 49 OF THE REGULATIONS PROVIDE THE REIMBURSABLE TRAVEL COSTS AND THE PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE SHALL BE BASED ONLY UPON THOSE ITEMS WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN INCURRED IN UNINTERRUPTED TRAVEL BY A USUALLY TRAVELED ROUTE. PARAGRAPH 10 ALSO PROVIDES THAT TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS SHOULD BE ISSUED ONLY FOR THAT PORTION OF THE EXPENSE PROPERLY CHARGEABLE TO THE GOVERNMENT. THEREUNDER, SINCE IT APPEARS MR. ARMSTRONG PERFORMED NO OFFICIAL DUTY AT DENVER AND RAWLINS, THE ADDITIONAL PERSONAL EXPENSE -- THAT PORTION OF THE AIRLINE TICKET PURCHASED FOR PERSONAL TRAVEL BETWEEN DENVER AND RAWLINS--- SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAID BY THE TRAVELER TO THE CARRIER IN CASH, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION TAX. THE AIRLINE HAS INFORMED US THAT THE VALUE OF THE ROUND-TRIP STUB (DENVER TO RAWLINS) AMOUNTS TO $27.20 PLUS TAX. THE AIRLINE'S SCHEDULES AND TARIFFS ALSO SHOW THAT THE UAL FLIGHT NO. 328 HE USED AT 5:10 P.M., FEBRUARY 29, FROM SACRAMENTO, HIS LAST TEMPORARY DUTY POINT, CONNECTED WITH FLIGHT NO. 730 OF THAT AIRLINE LEAVING DENVER AT 1:30 A.M., MARCH 1, WHICH WOULD HAVE PERMITTED OVERNIGHT DIRECT TRAVEL SO THAT HE COULD HAVE ARRIVED IN WASHINGTON AT 7:55 A.M. ON MARCH 1. HENCE, THE AIRPORT LIMOUSINE EXPENSE AT DENVER AND THE EXTRA SUBSISTENCE HE CLAIMS FROM DENVER VIA RAWLINS AND CHICAGO BY RAIL TO WASHINGTON APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN ENTIRELY PERSONAL.

WE UNDERSTAND THE AIRLINE HAS BILLED THE GOVERNMENT FOR $478.55 FOR THE CIRCLE-TRIP TICKET. THUS, THE NET COST ATTRIBUTABLE TO OFFICIAL TRAVEL VIA THE CIRCLE ROUTE PURCHASED, IF THE TRAVEL FROM SACRAMENTO HAD BEEN DIRECT TO WASHINGTON, WOULD HAVE AMOUNTED TO $451.35 ($478.55 MINUS $27.20).

ACCORDINGLY, BASED UPON THE PRESENT EVIDENCE, THE PERSONAL TRAVEL COSTS SHOULD BE COMPUTED AS FOLLOWS:

TABLE

COST OF AIR TICKET AS PURCHASED $478.55

DIRECT CIRCLE TRIP BY AIR 451.35

COST OF ROUND TRIP (AIR) DENVER TO RAWLINS 27.20

RAIL AND PULLMAN FARE, RAWLINS TO WASHINGTON 113.09

TOTAL 140.29

REFUND ON PARTS OF AIR TICKET NOT USED 60.15

EXCESS TRANSPORTATION COST PAID BY U. S. 80.14

FEDERAL TAX 10 PERCENT (PERSONAL TRAVEL) 8.01

AMOUNT DUE FROM EMPLOYEE $88.15

AS TO THE EXPENSES CLAIMED ON THE VOUCHER, THE AIRPORT LIMOUSINE COSTS AT DENVER AND THE EXCESSIVE PER DIEM BASED UPON RAIL TRAVEL TIME ARE NOT CHARGEABLE TO OFFICIAL PURPOSES. ONLY THREE-FOURTHS OF A DAYS' PER DIEM APPEARS ALLOWABLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE AIR TRAVEL TIME FROM SACRAMENTO TO WASHINGTON (6 P.M., FEBRUARY 29, TO 7:55 A.M., MARCH 1), IN ADDITION TO THE DAY AND A HALF CLAIMED FROM SEATTLE TO TIME OF HIS DEPARTURE FROM SACRAMENTO. THEREFORE, THE VOUCHER SHOULD BE ADJUSTED AS FOLLOWS:

CHART

AMOUNT CLAIMED $152.00

ITEMS NOT ALLOWABLE:

LIMOUSINE EXPENSE $2.50

PER DIEM 12 NOON 3/5 TO

NOON 3/7 24.00 26.50

VOUCHERED AMOUNT DUE TRAVELER 125.50

EXCESS TRAVEL COSTS DUE U.S. 88.15

AMOUNT PAYABLE TO TRAVELER $ 37.35

THE VOUCHER IS RETURNED HEREWITH, AND, IF OTHERWISE PROPER, MAY BE CERTIFIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING.