B-142149, MAR. 14, 1960

B-142149, MAR. 14, 1960

TO MR. W. R. WILSON, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, OFFICE OF CIVIL AND DEFENSE MOBILIZATION:

YOUR LETTER OF FEBRUARY 25, 1960, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTS OUR DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT THE VOUCHER THEREWITH SUBMITTED FOR $110.02 IN FAVOR OF DONALD J. CARBONE, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE OFFICE OF CIVIL AND DEFENSE MOBILIZATION, COVERING TRANSPORTATION OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS FROM BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, TO WASHINGTON, D.C., INCIDENT TO A PERMANENT TRANSFER OF DUTY STATION.

THE FACTS, AS STATED IN YOUR LETTER AND RELATED PAPERS, ARE THAT BY TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION NO. 3105, DATED APRIL 2, 1959, MR. CARBONE WAS AUTHORIZED TO TRAVEL FROM BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, TO CLASSIFIED LOCATION INCIDENT TO A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION. TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WAS AUTHORIZED AS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. IN BLOCK 20 OF THE AUTHORIZATION THERE IS TYPED "WILL BE TRANSPORTING HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS BY POA IN LIEU OF SEPARATE SHIPMENT.' STANDARD FORM 50, NOTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ACTION, DATED APRIL 10, 1959, INDICATES THAT THE TRANSFER WAS IN THE INTEREST OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THAT REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL AND SHIPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS WAS AUTHORIZED. FOR THE TRAVEL MR. CARBONE WAS REIMBURSED IN THE AMOUNT OF $72.40 ($60.40 MILEAGE AND TOLL CHARGES, AND $12 PER DIEM). HE TRANSPORTED NECESSARY PERSONAL EFFECTS, REQUIRED FOR IMMEDIATE USE AT HIS NEW STATION, IN HIS CAR. INASMUCH AS MR. CARBONE ANTICIPATED THAT QUARTERS WOULD BE FURNISHED AT HIS NEW OFFICIAL STATION AT THE TIME OF HIS TRANSFER, HE ELECTED TO MOVE HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS AT HIS OWN EXPENSE TO HIS PARENTS' HOME IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, FOR STORAGE.

BY TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION NO. 1931, DATED DECEMBER 16, 1959, MR. CARBONE WAS AUTHORIZED TO TRAVEL FROM CLASSIFIED LOCATION TO WASHINGTON, D.C., INCIDENT TO A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION. TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WAS AUTHORIZED AS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. FOR THIS TRAVEL HE WAS REIMBURSED IN THE AMOUNT OF $8.80 ($5.80 MILEAGE, AND $3 PER DIEM).

ON DECEMBER 31, 1959, OR WITHIN 2 YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE FIRST TRANSFER MR. CARBONE REMOVED HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS WEIGHING 1,350 POUNDS FROM STORAGE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND SHIPPED THEM TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AT A COST TO HIM OF $145.40. YOU SAY THAT THE TRAVEL REGULATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF CIVIL AND DEFENSE MOBILIZATION PRESCRIBE THAT TWO TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS, EACH BEARING A SEPARATE NUMBER, ARE REQUIRED TO BE ISSUED FOR THE TRANSFER OF AN EMPLOYEE'S OFFICIAL DUTY STATION. ONE AUTHORIZATION IS TO BE ISSUED TO COVER THE TRANSFER OF THE EMPLOYEE AND HIS DEPENDENTS AND THE OTHER AUTHORIZATION TO COVER THE MOVEMENT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS, INCLUDING STORAGE CHARGES. DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE ERRORS, NO TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS WERE ISSUED TO MR. CARBONE FOR THE MOVEMENT OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS FROM BATTLE CREEK TO CLASSIFIED LOCATION OR FROM CLASSIFIED LOCATION TO WASHINGTON, D.C. HIS VOUCHER HAS BEEN ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED. WE HAVE NOTED THE EMPLOYEE'S STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF HIS REQUEST FOR PAYMENT.

SECTION 1A OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES ACT OF 1946, 60 STAT. 806, AS AMENDED, AND SECTION 4 OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9805, AS AMENDED, PROVIDE, SO FAR AS HERE PERTINENT, THAT ANY CIVILIAN OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE GOVERNMENT, WHO, IN THE INTEREST OF THE GOVERNMENT IS TRANSFERRED FROM ONE OFFICIAL STATION TO ANOTHER FOR PERMANENT DUTY, SHALL, WHEN AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED BY AN APPROPRIATE OFFICIAL, BE ALLOWED EXPENSES OF TRANSPORTATION, STORAGE, PACKING, ETC., OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS. SINCE THE TRAVEL VOUCHER AUTHORIZING THE PAYMENT OF THE HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS FROM BATTLE CREEK, TO WASHINGTON, D.C., ON A COMMUTED RATE BASIS, HAS BEEN APPROVED BY WILLIAM S. HEFFELFINGER, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, THE SAME PERSON WHO APPROVED THE ORIGINAL TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS AND WHO APPARENTLY IS THE SUBORDINATE OFFICER OF THE OFFICE OF CIVIL AND DEFENSE MOBILIZATION DESIGNATED FOR THAT PURPOSE, WE HAVE NO OBJECTIONS TO YOUR CERTIFYING THE VOUCHER FOR PAYMENT.

HOWEVER, WE NOTE THAT THE VOUCHER PROPOSES TO PAY TO MR. CARBONE $110.02 FOR SHIPMENT OF 1,350 POUNDS OF GOODS, 578 MILES, AT $8.15 PER HUNDRED WEIGHT. THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS CARRIERS BUREAU MILEAGE GUIDE NO. 6 SHOWS THE MILEAGE FROM BATTLE CREEK TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AS 575 MILES. SEE 34 COMP. GEN. 622. BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-37, DATED OCTOBER 22, 1959, IN EFFECT AT THE TIME THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE GOODS WAS MADE, PROVIDES FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF 1,350 POUNDS OF GOODS A DISTANCE OF 575 MILES AT THE COMMUTED RATE OF $11.25 PER HUNDRED WEIGHT OR A TOTAL OF $151.87. THAT SUM, UPON THE RECORD BEFORE US, WOULD APPEAR, THEREFORE, TO BE THE AMOUNT DUE THE EMPLOYEE, IF OTHERWISE PROPER.

ACTION ON THE VOUCHER, WHICH VOUCHER TOGETHER WITH RELATED PAPERS IS RETURNED, MAY BE TAKEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING HOLDING.