About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

B-118678 1 (1976-03-02)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaddfc0001 and id is 1 raw text is: OLLE R Q THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL DECISION '~OF THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTO'N. O.C. 20548 FILE: B-118678 DATE: MATTER OF: Refunds of less than $1 by Geological Survey DIGEST: 1. Procedure whereby Geological Survey would wail cash refunds of less than $1 to map purchasers when use of alternative method of refund is impractical is not in violation of law. 2. Where cash refund procedure is not in violation of law, this Of-fice would not object to implementation of pro- cedure for 6-month trial period for evaluation of pos- sible problems and will not object to use of appropriate agency appropriation for making additional refund where initial refund is not received. This decision to the Secretary of the Interior is in response to an inquiry by Posey B. Lowell, Chief, Branch of General Services, Admin- istrative Division, Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior, concerning cash refunds. The Publication Division of the Geological Survey processes mail orders for topographic, geologic, and orthophoto maps at three centers in Arlington, Virginia; Denver, Colorado; and Fairbanks, Alaska. Orders are filled after receiving advance payments from customers. We have been advised that it is the general policy to require advance payments since there are a number and variety of individual customers served and the cost of operating a complex billing and collection system for small sales is prohibitive. The Geological Survey states that a large volume of orders are received by ceniters from individual customers, often on a one-time basis. These customers include school children, college stu- dents, Boy Scouts, farmers, etc. The Geological Survey has also stated that: As to be expected, small refunds to advance payment cus- tomers are generated when some btaps are found out of stock or the customer errs on price. Understandably, because of cost and other factors, the U. S. Treasury does not wish to issue checks for less than $1.00. But to refuse refunds to the public of less than $1.00 as a matter of policy would, in our judgment, reflect unfavorably, especially where small, individual orders are involved.

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most