Claim for Travel Expenses

A Marine Corps authorized certifying officer requested permission to pay a travel agent for air transportation services procured through the inadvertent use of the travel agent by two civilian employees. Because there was no airline ticket office at the point of origin of the travel, the employees used the travel agent to obtain tickets in exchange for U. S. Government Transportation Requests (GTR's). After paying the carrier in full for the tickets, the travel agent submitted two invoices and the GTR's to the Marine Corps. Regulations expressly prohibit the use of travel agents to obtain tickets for employees traveling on official business. GAO has previously permitted payment to a travel agent for tickets for Federal travelers where GTR's have been issued to the travel agent and the circumstances indicated inadvertent use of the travel agent. According to the record, it appeared that the travel agent and the employees acted in good faith on the belief that travel agents could issue tickets to Government agencies. The Marine Corps indicated that action has been taken to ensure that the problem does not recur and does not dispute that the services were rendered or that the amount billed was correct. Under these circumstances, GAO authorized the certification of the total of the two bills submitted by the travel agent for payment on condition that the certifying officer: (1) ascertain that the amounts billed were the lowest charges from any carrier for the airline services requested and furnished, and (2) obtain proof of payment to the carrier or indemnification to protect the Government from a possible claim by the carrier.