B-144444, AUG. 3, 1961

B-144444, AUG. 3, 1961

TO BURNHAM VAN SERVICE:

FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 11, 1960, IN WHICH YOU REQUESTED A REVIEW OF OUR SETTLEMENT CERTIFICATE DATED OCTOBER 19, 1960 (CLAIM NO. TK-703963), DISALLOWING YOUR CLAIM FOR ADDITIONAL CHARGES ALLEGED TO BE DUE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY FOR THE ACCOUNT OF THE GOVERNMENT.

THE SHIPMENT CONSISTED OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS BELONGING TO M/SGT. DONALD F. BURNS, TRANSPORTED UNDER GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING NO. WY 9851404, FROM ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, TO MIAMI, FLORIDA, AND THENCE BY AIR FREIGHT TO QUITO, ECUADOR. ON YOUR ORIGINAL BILL NO. 115225, YOU CLAIMED CHARGES OF $812.31 FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE SHIPMENT FROM ARLINGTON TO MIAMI, PLUS ACCESSORIAL CHARGES CONSISTING OF APPLIANCE SERVICE AND PACKING AND CRATING CHARGES. ALTHOUGH THE DELIVERY CERTIFICATE ON THE BILL OF LADING SHOWS DELIVERY BY YOUR COMPANY, YOUR ORIGINAL BILL DID NOT INCLUDE CHARGES FOR THE SHIPMENT BY AIR FROM MIAMI TO QUITO. YOUR SUPPLEMENTAL BILL, ALSO NUMBERED 115225, FOR AIR FREIGHT CHARGES, IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,947.93 WAS DISALLOWED FOR THE REASON THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE IN THE RECORD TO SHOW THAT THE AIR CARRIER WAS ACTUALLY PAID BY YOUR COMPANY FOR THE MOVEMENT FROM MIAMI, FLORIDA, TO QUITO, ECUADOR.

UPON REVIEW OF THE MATTER, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE COPY OF PAN AMERICAN-GRACE AIRWAYS WAYBILL NO. 026-0-758421, CITING GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING NO. WY-8951404, IS ACCEPTABLE AS EVIDENCE OF THE AIR TRANSPORTATION SERVICE FOR WHICH PAYMENT HAS NOT BEEN MADE. HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE ABSENCE OF ROUTING INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BILL OF LADING OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF SPECIFIC AUTHORIZATION, THE PRESENT RECORD DOES NOT SATISFACTORILY ESTABLISH THAT SUCH SERVICE WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY AUTHORIZED. WE ARE RETURNING THE FILE TO OUR TRANSPORTATION DIVISION FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE MATTER AND APPROPRIATE SETTLEMENT ACTION. NOTICE OF SUCH SETTLEMENT SHOULD REACH YOU IN DUE COURSE.