B-166247, MAR. 13, 1969

B-166247, MAR. 13, 1969

TO MAJOR JOSEPH J. DUBIEL, USAF:

WE REFER TO YOUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 27, 1968, YOUR REFERENCE ADCAT 3, WHICH WAS FORWARDED TO OUR OFFICE BY THE PER DIEM, TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE COMMITTEE, ON FEBRUARY 18, 1969, UNDER PDTATAC CONTROL NO. 69-7, BY WHICH YOU REQUEST OUR ADVANCE DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY PROPERLY PAY THE ENCLOSED TRAVEL VOUCHER OF MR. NOLAN L. SWANEY, A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, TO REIMBURSE HIM AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSE ALLOWANCE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 3, BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A 56, INCIDENT TO HIS TRANSFER OF OFFICIAL STATION IN SEPTEMBER 1968.

MR. SWANEY HAD A HOUSE TRAILER OR MOBILE HOME TRANSPORTED BETWEEN HIS OLD OFFICIAL STATION AND HIS NEW OFFICIAL STATION, AND HE WAS REIMBURSED ALLOWABLE COSTS INCIDENT TO THAT TRANSPORTATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 9 OF CIRCULAR NO. A-56. HE WAS ALSO PAID A MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSE ALLOWANCE OF $200 UNDER SECTION 3.2A (1) OF THAT REGULATION BUT ON THE BASIS OF CERTAIN EXPENSES HE INCURRED HE CLAIMS AN ADDITIONAL PAYMENT UNDER SECTION 3.2A (2). THE ACTUAL EXPENSES INCURRED BY MR. SWANEY WHICH FORM THE BASIS FOR HIS CLAIM FOR THE EQUIVALENT OF A FULL TWO WEEKS' SALARY ARE FOR THE DISMANTLING AND REATTACHMENT OF A PORTABLE ADDED ROOM WHICH WAS A PART OF HIS HOUSE TRAILER, FOR TRANSPORTING ITEMS OF PROPERTY WHICH COULD NOT BE CARRIED IN THE HOUSE TRAILER, AND FOR SEVERAL INCIDENTAL EXPENSES INVOLVED IN INSTALLATION OF THE HOUSE TRAILER AT THE NEW OFFICIAL STATION.

INITIALLY, WE NOTE THAT THE COST OF TRANSPORTING HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS WHICH CANNOT BE TRANSPORTED IN A HOUSE TRAILER MAY NOT BE ALLOWED SINCE REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COSTS OF TRANSPORTING A HOUSE TRAILER IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER COSTS OF TRANSPORTING HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS. B-165919, JANUARY 22, 1969, COPY ENCLOSED. FURTHER, COSTS WHICH ARE IN EXCESS OF THAT ALLOWABLE UNDER OTHER PROVISIONS OF CIRCULAR NO. A- 56 MAY NOT BE USED TO SUPPORT PAYMENT OF A LARGER MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSE ALLOWANCE.

THE COSTS OF DISMANTLING THE PORTABLE ADDED ROOM ($140) MAY BE INCLUDED AS EXPENSES JUSTIFYING THE PAYMENT OF A MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSE ALLOWANCE IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 3.2A (1) OF CIRCULAR NO. A-56. B-164357, JULY 1, 1968, COPY ENCLOSED. THE INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY MR. SWANEY SHOWS THAT THE PORTABLE ADDED ROOM WAS CONSTRUCTED IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO ALLOW DISMANTLING, TRANSPORTATION INSIDE THE HOUSE TRAILER AND REASSEMBLY AT DESTINATION. THE COMPLETED DWELLING AT THE NEW OFFICIAL STATION WAS THE SAME AS IT HAD BEEN AT THE OLD OFFICIAL STATION. SINCE THE INSTALLATION OF THE PORTABLE ADDED ROOM DID NOT INVOLVE STRUCTURAL ALTERATION OR IMPROVEMENTS, THE COST INVOLVED IN REASSEMBLY ($280) MAY ALSO BE CONSIDERED IN DETERMINING MR. SWANEY'S ENTITLEMENT TO A MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSE ALLOWANCE UNDER SECTION 3.2A (2) OF CIRCULAR NO. A- 56.

THE COSTS CONSIDERED AS MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ABOVE EXCEED THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE -- THE EMPLOYEE'S BASIC SALARY FOR 2 WEEKS. THEREFORE, IT IS UNNECESSARY TO CONSIDER THE ALLOWABILITY OF THE OTHER ITEMS OF EXPENSE INCURRED BY MR. SWANEY.

FOR THE REASONS STATED, THE VOUCHER WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH MAY BE PAID.