B-169107, APR. 21, 1970
Highlights
USE OF WHICH WAS NECESSITATED IN LIEU OF USUAL RENTAL HITCH OF CONFIGURATION OF HIS AUTOMOBILE BUMPER. IS NOT REIMBURSABLE ITEM UNDER REGULATIONS. BOYLE: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF FEBRUARY 4. THE RECORD SHOWS THAT YOU WERE AUTHORIZED TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS "NOT TO EXCEED 12. YOU WERE REIMBURSED FOR THE RENTAL FEE OF THE TRAILER AND ALLOWED MILEAGE AT THE RATE OF 12 CENTS PER MILE FOR THE USE OF YOUR PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE. YOUR CLAIM WAS DISALLOWED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AS WELL AS OUR CLAIMS DIVISION ON THE GROUND THAT THE PURCHASE PRICE OF A HITCH NEEDED FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS IS NOT A REIMBURSABLE ITEM UNDER THE REGULATIONS EVEN THOUGH THE RENTAL PRICE IS REIMBURSABLE.
B-169107, APR. 21, 1970
TRANSPORTATION--HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS--PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE, ETC.-- EQUIPMENT PURCHASE--U-HAUL TRAILER FAA EMPLOYEE WHO CHOSE TO TRANSPORT HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS IN RENTED U HAUL TRAILER MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR PURCHASE PRICE OF SPECIAL TRAILER HITCH, USE OF WHICH WAS NECESSITATED IN LIEU OF USUAL RENTAL HITCH OF CONFIGURATION OF HIS AUTOMOBILE BUMPER, INASMUCH AS HITCH PURCHASE PRICE, UNLIKE RENTAL PRICE, IS NOT REIMBURSABLE ITEM UNDER REGULATIONS. FACT THAT EMPLOYEE SAVED GOVT. SUBSTANTIAL SUM BY HAULING HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS RATHER THAN SHIPPING THEM COMMERCIALLY AS AUTHORIZED DOES NOT CONSTITUTE BASIS FOR ALLOWING ITEM NOT OTHERWISE REIMBURSABLE UNDER REGULATIONS OR GAO DECISIONS.
TO MR. ROBERT P. BOYLE:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF FEBRUARY 4, 1970, IN WHICH YOU REQUEST REVIEW OF THE SETTLEMENT OF OUR CLAIMS DIVISION DATED JANUARY 30, 1970, WHICH DISALLOWED YOUR CLAIM FOR $19.42, REPRESENTING AN AMOUNT EXPENDED BY YOU FOR THE PURCHASE OF A TRAILER HITCH USED IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD GOODS FROM MONTREAL, CANADA, TO ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.
THE RECORD SHOWS THAT YOU WERE AUTHORIZED TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS "NOT TO EXCEED 12,000 NET POUNDS" AND THAT YOU CHOSE TO PULL YOUR HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS IN A RENTED U-HAUL TRAILER. YOU WERE REIMBURSED FOR THE RENTAL FEE OF THE TRAILER AND ALLOWED MILEAGE AT THE RATE OF 12 CENTS PER MILE FOR THE USE OF YOUR PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE.
YOU POINT OUT THAT BECAUSE OF THE CONFIGURATION OF THE BUMPER OF YOUR 1969 BUICK RIVIERA YOU HAD TO PURCHASE A SPECIAL HITCH IN LIEU OF THE USUAL RENTAL OF A HITCH. YOUR CLAIM WAS DISALLOWED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AS WELL AS OUR CLAIMS DIVISION ON THE GROUND THAT THE PURCHASE PRICE OF A HITCH NEEDED FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS IS NOT A REIMBURSABLE ITEM UNDER THE REGULATIONS EVEN THOUGH THE RENTAL PRICE IS REIMBURSABLE.
IN YOUR LETTER OF FEBRUARY 4, 1970, YOU STATE THAT BY PURCHASING THE HITCH AND HAULING YOUR OWN HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS RATHER THAN SHIPPING THEM COMMERCIALLY, AS YOUR TRAVEL ORDER AND REGULATIONS AUTHORIZED, YOU HAVE SAVED THE GOVERNMENT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY. WHILE THIS MAY BE A FACT, NEVERTHELESS, IT MAY NOT BE USED AS A BASIS FOR ALLOWANCE OF AN ITEM THAT IS NOT OTHERWISE REIMBURSABLE UNDER THE REGULATIONS OR DECISIONS OF OUR OFFICE. WE POINT OUT THAT YOU ELECTED TO USE THE "U HAUL" METHOD OF MOVING YOUR EFFECTS AND THAT THE HITCH BECAME YOUR PROPERTY WHICH YOU CAN EITHER USE FOR THE LIFE OF YOUR 1969 BUICK RIVIERA OR WHICH YOU CAN SELL.
UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THE DISALLOWANCE OF YOUR CLAIM MUST BE SUSTAINED.