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B-223848 1 (1987-07-02)

handle is hein.gao/gaobadmtg0001 and id is 1 raw text is: The Comptroller General of the United States Washington, D.C. 20548 Decision Proper Appropriation to Charge for Third Party Matterof: Relocation Service Costs File: B-223848 Date: July 2, 1987 DIGEST Amounts the Veterans Administration (VA) pays to a third party relocation firm under a contract with the firm for purchasing transferred employees' old residences should be paid from appropriations available when the purchase order under the contract is awarded. The VA typically incurs these discretionary expenses a year or two after a transfer is authorized, and thus they reflect new contractual commitments not based on preexisting obligations. DEC IS ION The Veterans Administration (VA) asks about the proper appropriation to charge for payments to third party reloca- tion firms for purchasing the old residences of transferred employees who have been unsuccessful in finding a buyer themselves. For the reasons given below, we conclude that these payments should be made from appropriations available when these expenses are incurred. BACKGROUND The VA states that when one of its employees is transferred, the estimated expenses for authorized relocation services are recorded as obligations against the appropriation current when the employee is issued travel orders. These expenses include real estate costs covering sale of the old residence and purchase of a new one. The statutory limit for the former is 10 percent of the sale price or $15,000, whichever is less; and, for the latter, the lesser of 5 percent of the purchase price or $7,500. 5 U.S.C. S 5724a(a)(4)(B). The amount initially obligated reflects the maximum which the VA estimates the transfer may cost. In addition, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. S 5724c, agencies have discretionary authority to contract with private firms for arranging the purchase of an employee's old residence. We understand that some agencies do have regular programs where employees are given the option, at the time of transfer, of

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