Board of Contract Appeals

                 General Services Administration

                      Washington, D.C. 20405





                      _____________________



                        February 26, 2003 

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                         GSBCA 15998-RELO





               In the Matter of CHARLES J. CLEMENS





     Charles J. Clemens, Portland, OR, Claimant.



     Cynthia R. Blevins, Acting Deputy Director, Finance Center, United States Army

Corps of Engineers, Millington, TN, appearing for Department of the Army.



PARKER, Board Judge.



                            Background



     Charles Clemens, an employee of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, was

transferred from San Luis Obispo, California, to Portland, Oregon, in early February 2002. 

During his stay in temporary quarters in Portland, Mr. Clemens parked his car in the hotel's

parking facility and was charged parking fees totaling $273.03.  The Corps denied Mr.

Clemens' claim for reimbursement of the fees on the basis that reimbursement was

prohibited by applicable regulations.  Mr. Clemens has asked the Board to review the Corps'

determination.



                            Discussion



     The Corps was correct in declining to reimburse Mr. Clemens.  Paragraph C4652 of

the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) provides in pertinent part as follows:



     B.  Privately Owned Automobiles

     

          1.  When use of a privately owned automobile is advantageous to the

     Government, parking costs are reimbursed unless prohibited by the travel

     order. 

          2.  When official travel is by verbal order, parking fees are

     reimbursable when the travel-approving/directing official approves the claim.

          3.  Reimbursement is allowed only for parking fees related to official

     business.

          4.  Parking fees are not allowed for PDT [permanent duty travel].



JTR C4562-B (Feb. 1, 2002) (emphasis added).



     It is well settled that once an employee has reported for duty at the new official

station and is receiving an allowance for temporary quarters subsistence expenses, non-

business local transportation, including parking, may not be authorized for any purpose.  Ed

Gonzalez, GSBCA 14602-RELO, 98-2 BCA   30,041; Brian P. Gariffa, GSBCA 17398-

RELO, 97-2 BCA   29,033.  Moreover, "the cost of parking a [privately owned vehicle] at

temporary quarters is a non-reimbursable local transportation expense, not a reimbursable

subsistence expense."  Gonzalez; Robert E. Ackerman, B-223202 (Sept. 25, 1987). 

Accordingly, the claim is denied.









                                   ________________________

                                   ROBERT W. PARKER

                                   Board Judge