Reimbursement for Transporting Household Goods in Claimant's Vehicle

An employee of the Defense Contract Audit Agency requested reconsideration of his claim for expenses incurred incident to a transfer to a new permanent duty station. The original claim was denied because the employee had been reimbursed for mileage of a second car which was also used to transport personal items. These items were to be used in his temporary quarters until permanent quarters were established. GAO ruled that the employee could not be reimbursed twice for use of the same vehicle. The Claims Group disallowed the claim on the grounds that no weight certificates were submitted establishing the weight of the goods carried. In his request for reconsideration, the employee stated that he had not obtained weight certificates because the estimate he received before shipment of his household goods was more than the maximum allowable. There are no regulations which specifically allow transportation of goods by private vehicle for the sole use in temporary quarters. Also, the failure to obtain weight certificates was the result of a decision by the employee and not because of a lack of facilities to obtain such certificates. Since the employee did not demonstrate that an adequate scale was not available, he may not now use the constructive weight formula to determine the weight of the goods shipped. Accordingly, the disallowance of the employee's claim was sustained.