B-175984, FEB 12, 1973

B-175984, FEB 12, 1973

CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE - SHIPMENT OF PERSONAL EFFECTS SAVINGS TO THE GOVERNMENT CONCERNING THE PROPRIETY OF PAYMENT OF $78.04 TO DWIGHT R. HOVLAND FOR THE SHIPMENT OF PERSONAL EFFECTS FROM BROOKINGS, S.D. TO ANCHORAGE, AK. ALTHOUGH THE SHIPMENT WAS AUTHORIZED ON A GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING WHICH WAS NOT UTILIZED, REIMBURSEMENT UNDER OMB CIRCULAR NO. A-56 IS AUTHORIZED SINCE THE SHIPMENT OF THE PERSONAL EFFECTS BY PARCEL POST RESULTED IN A SAVINGS TO THE GOVERNMENT AND SUCH SAVINGS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REALIZED HAD THE EFFECTS BEEN SHIPPED BY THE BILL OF LADING.

TO MRS. LILA B. HANNEBRINK:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF MAY 12, 1972, REFERENCE 1382 (D 832), WHEREIN YOU REQUEST OUR ADVANCE DECISION AS TO THE PROPRIETY FOR PAYMENT OF $78.04 TO MR. DWIGHT R. HOVLAND, AN EMPLOYEE OF YOUR ALASKA STATE OFFICE, WHOSE PERSONAL EFFECTS WERE SHIPPED FROM BROOKINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA, TO ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, INCIDENT TO HIS APPOINTMENT AS SOIL SCIENTIST WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT.

THE RECORD INDICATES THAT MR. HOVLAND WAS HIRED AT FAIRBANKS (COLLEGE), ALASKA, WHERE HE WAS COMPLETING HIS EDUCATION, AND WAS APPOINTED TO A SHORTAGE CATEGORY POSITION UNDER PUBLIC LAW 86-587. THE REQUIRED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED ON DECEMBER 20, 1970, AND HIS RESIDENCE, BROOKINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA, WAS DESIGNATED AS HIS POINT OF HIRE. MR. HOVLAND WAS AUTHORIZED SHIPMENT OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS NOT TO EXCEED 5,000 LBS AND STORAGE NOT TO EXCEED 60 DAYS IF REQUIRED. THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS WERE TO BE SHIPPED ON A GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING (GBL) FROM BROOKINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA. IN ANTICIPATION OF HIS EMPLOYMENT IN ALASKA, MR. HOVLAND HAD HIS PERSONAL EFFECTS SHIPPED FROM BROOKINGS TO ALASKA BY PARCEL POST THROUGH THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE.

UPON SUBMISSION OF HIS TRAVEL VOUCHER FOR THE SHIPMENT OF HIS MAIL AND PERSONAL EFFECTS BY PARCEL POST, YOU DISALLOWED THE AMOUNT OF $78.04, REPRESENTING THE SHIPMENT OF 308 LBS IN 19 PARCELS AFTER DECEMBER 20, 1970, SINCE THEY HAD NOT BEEN SHIPPED BY GBL. YOU DISALLOWED THOSE EXPENSES WHICH WERE INCURRED PRIOR TO DECEMBER 20, 1970, I.E., $3.30 FOR FORWARDED MAIL WHICH WAS SHIPPED VIA PARCEL POST AND $71.89 FOR OTHER PERSONAL EFFECTS SHIPPED BY PARCEL POST. YOU REQUEST OUR ADVANCE DECISION AS TO THE PROPRIETY OF PAYING $78.04, FOR THE SHIPMENTS AFTER DECEMBER 20, 1970, SINCE YOU HAVE NO METHOD OF COMPUTING THE COSTS OF THE SHIPMENT UNDER THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM FROM THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES TO ALASKA. YOU ALSO REQUEST OUR DECISION AS TO WHETHER THERE IS ANY BASIS FOR REIMBURSING MR. HOVLAND FOR SHIPMENTS MADE PRIOR TO DECEMBER 20, 1970.

INASMUCH AS THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS WAS FROM THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES TO ALASKA, REIMBURSEMENT MAY NOT BE MADE UNDER THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM. SEE B-160328, NOVEMBER 25, 1966, COPY ENCLOSED, AND DECISIONS CITED THEREIN. ALSO, SINCE SHIPMENT WAS AUTHORIZED ON A GBL WHICH WAS NOT UTILIZED, WE POINT OUT THAT REIMBURSEMENT SHOULD BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56, REVISED OCTOBER 12, 1966, WHICH PROVIDES IN PERTINENT PART AS FOLLOWS:

"6.6 TRANSPORTATION AND TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS BEING SHIPPED TO OR FROM POINTS OUTSIDE THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.

"D. USE OF GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING OR PURCHASE ORDER. SHIPMENT SHALL BE MADE ON GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING OR PURCHASE ORDER WHENEVER POSSIBLE; OTHERWISE REIMBURSEMENT SHALL BE MADE TO THE EMPLOYEE FOR TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES ACTUALLY AND NECESSARILY INCURRED WITHIN THE LIMITATIONS PRESCRIBED BY THESE REGULATIONS. ***"

THE RECORD INDICATES THAT BECAUSE OF THE SMALL AMOUNT OF PERSONAL EFFECTS SHIPPED BY PARCEL POST, IT WAS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT TO EFFECT THE SHIPMENT IN THIS MANNER THAN TO USE A GBL. UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO YOUR PAYING MR. HOVLAND THE $78.04 CLAIMED FOR SHIPMENTS AFTER DECEMBER 20, 1970.

THERE IS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE IN THE PRESENT RECORD TO PERMIT REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE SHIPMENTS OF PARCELS, INCLUDING THE ONE CONTAINING MR. HOVLAND'S MAIL, PRIOR TO DECEMBER 20, 1970. HOWEVER, SHOULD ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE BE SUBMITTED THAT MR. HOVLAND HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT HE WAS TO BE EMPLOYED BY YOUR AGENCY AND THE SHIPMENTS WERE MADE IN ANTICIPATION OF HIS EMPLOYMENT IN ALASKA, THE AMOUNTS OF $3.30 AND $71.89 ARE FOR ALLOWANCE. SEE 27 COMP. GEN. 97 (1947).