BNUMBER:  B-260380
DATE:  June 10, 1996
TITLE:  Patricia H. Songer

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Matter of:Patricia H. Songer

File:     B-260380

Date:June 10, 1996

DIGEST

Employee, incident to transfer, moved onto privately owned boat and 
continued to occupy the boat after the period for which she had been 
authorized Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expenses (TQSE).  Employee 
is entitled to TQSE for the period authorized, since the record 
supports the determination that she intended to occupy the boat only 
temporarily.  She may not, however, be reimbursed for monthly purchase 
payments on the boat, or the cost of shipping the boat.

DECISION

This decision is in response to a request for an advance decision from 
M.D. Greenblatt, Director for Finance and Accounting Policy 
Implementation, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Indianapolis, 
Indiana. 

The issues presented are whether Ms. Patricia H. Songer, a transferred 
employee of the Department of the Army, may be reimbursed Temporary 
Quarters Subsistence Expenses (TQSE) for certain expenses incurred 
while lodging in her privately owned boat, and whether she may be 
reimbursed for shipment of the boat.  For the reasons that follow, we 
determine that Ms. Songer may be reimbursed TQSE, including dockage, 
live aboard, electric, and sewage removal fees as lodging expenses.  
Since Ms. Songer shipped her household goods in lieu of transporting 
the boat, and intended its use as temporary quarters, she may not be 
reimbursed for the cost of moving her boat.

BACKGROUND

Ms. Patricia H. Songer, an employee of the Department of the Army, was 
issued travel orders on March 15, 1994, authorizing her transfer from 
Watervliet Arsenal, Training and Development Division, Watervliet, New 
York, to the United States Army Civilian Personnel Evaluation Agency, 
Washington, DC.

On June 18, 1994, Ms. Songer moved out of temporary commercial lodging 
and onto her privately owned boat, which she had acquired pursuant to 
a divorce settlement.  Ms. Songer stated that she did this because she 
could not afford both the boat payments and rent for an apartment, and 
that her intention was to move to other quarters as soon as she could 
find a purchaser for the boat.  She further stated that since that 
time her boat has been consistently advertised for sale.  
Notwithstanding, as of January 1996, Ms. Songer had not yet found a 
purchaser and was still living on the boat moored in a marina.

Ms. Songer sought reimbursement for various expenses that she incurred 
between June 17 and August 4, 1994, i.e., the period during which she 
had been authorized to receive TQSE and was occupying her boat. These 
included monthly purchase payments for her boat[1], and dockage, live 
aboard, sewage removal, and electric fees.  The agency is in doubt as 
to whether payment may be made for TQSE claimed by Ms. Songer after 
she had moved onto her boat because it appeared the boat was her 
permanent quarters.

ANALYSIS

When an employee, in connection with a permanent change of station, 
assumes as a temporary residence permanent type quarters, but 
ultimately occupies those quarters indefinitely, the determination of 
whether these quarters were initially temporary or permanent quarters 
is based on the intent of the employee at the time he/she moved into 
the lodging.  Hubert Mitchell, B-192343, Nov. 15, 1978.  In 
determining whether the intent of the employee was to occupy the 
quarters on a permanent or temporary basis, we have considered such 
factors as the type of quarters, the duration of a lease, the movement 
of household effects into the quarters, efforts to secure a permanent 
residence, expressions of intent, and any other pertinent facts and 
circumstances surrounding the occupancy.  See Federal Travel 
Regulations (FTR), 41 C.F.R.  sec.  302-5.2(c) (1995).  If on the basis of 
these considerations it is objectively determined that at the time the 
employee moved into the residence, he/she clearly manifested the 
intent to occupy the quarters only on a temporary basis, we have 
allowed payment of TQSE, even though the quarters could be occupied 
permanently or did, in fact, become permanent.  Robert D. Hawks, 
B-205057, Feb. 24, 1982.

In the present case, while Ms. Songer has continued to live on her 
boat, she has also made consistent attempts to sell her boat since the 
time she moved onto it.  She also states that she could not afford to 
make boat payments in addition to rent payments.  Furthermore, Ms. 
Songer moved into smaller quarters than she occupied at her former 
duty station and this fact made it necessary for her to place her 
household goods in storage.  For these reasons, we conclude that Ms. 
Songer intended to occupy the boat as temporary quarters, and she may 
be reimbursed for otherwise appropriate TQSE incurred while living on 
her boat during the period for which TQSE had been authorized.

In computing the amount of TQSE due Ms. Songer, reimbursement should 
be made for dockage, live aboard, sewage removal, and electric fees 
since they are analogous to those incurred for employee's use of a 
mobile home or travel trailer while on temporary duty for which we 
have allowed reimbursement to employees.  Billy W. McDonald, B-199462, 
Aug. 12, 1981.  However, Ms. Songer may not be reimbursed for the 
monthly purchase payments for the boat since they are of a personal 
nature and not related to her duty assignment.  Cf., Jerry G. 
Witherspoon, B-189392, Aug. 23, 1977; Lieutenant Robert G. Stentz, 
USN, B-196968, July 1, 1980, regarding use of private recreation 
vehicles at a temporary duty station.

As regards Ms. Songer's request for reimbursement for the shipment of 
her boat, this would require a certification on her part that the boat 
was intended to be a permanent residence.  FTR, 41 C.F.R.  sec.  302-7.1 
(1995).  This would preclude a determination that Ms. Songer was 
entitled to TQSE for her temporary quarters.  Further, she shipped her 
household goods under a government bill of lading at government 
expense which precluded her from receiving additional reimbursement 
for shipping the boat.  5 U.S.C.  sec.  5724(b) (1996); Adam W. Mink, 62 
Comp. Gen. 289 (1980).

Ms. Songer may be reimbursed in accordance with the above.

/s/Seymour Efros
for Robert P. Murphy
General Counsel

1. Ms. Songer claimed $644.40 for boat rental fees, i.e., $322.20 per 
month.  However, the Defense Accounting Officer determined that these 
fees were actually monthly purchase payments for her boat.