Board of Contract Appeals
                    General Services Administration
                         Washington, D.C. 20405
 
                          ____________________
 
                            October 6, 1998
                         _____________________
 
 
                            GSBCA 14598-RELO
 
 
                   In the Matter of LINDA D. BRAINARD
 
 
        Linda D. Brainard, Clarksville, MD, Claimant.
 
        Jerry  W. Cochran,  Director  of  Finance, General  Services
   Administration, Washington,  DC, appearing  for General  Services
   Administration.
 
   PARKER, Board Judge.
 
        In December  1995,  Linda D.  Brainard, an  employee of  the
   General Services Administration (GSA),  was transferred from Fort
   Worth, Texas, to  Washington, D.C.  According to  Ms. Brainard, a
   pre-move estimate of the weight  of her household goods performed
   by United Van Lines, the moving  company hired by GSA to  perform
   the move, showed  that the household goods  weighed approximately
   17,849 pounds.   Because  the estimated weight  was close  to the
   maximum  allowable weight of 18,000  pounds, Ms. Brainard and her
   husband moved a number of heavy items themselves.
 
        At the time of the  move, the remaining household goods were
   weighed by  United Van Lines.   They weighed 21,480 pounds.   Ms.
   Brainard was assessed $2003.46 in excess weight charges.  She has
   asked the Board to review GSA's decision and to waive  payment of
   the debt.
 
                               Discussion
 
        By statute and regulation, the Government is prohibited from
   paying  for transportation of  a transferred employee's household
   goods  which weigh  in  excess  of 18,000  pounds.   5  U.S.C.   
   5724(a)(2) (1994); 41 CFR 302-8.2(a)  (1995).  The prohibition is
   absolute;  it   applies  even   where  the   employee  has   made
   arrangements based on an erroneous pre-move estimate.   Robert C.
   Berg, GSBCA  13655-RELO, 97-1 BCA    28,939.  Here,  Ms. Brainard
   received  the benefit of having  21,480 pounds of household goods
   moved and is responsible for paying the excess weight charges.
 
        Ms. Brainard  asks that, in  the event her claim  is denied,
   the  Board  waive payment  of  the  debt  for the  excess  weight
   charges.   We are  unable to act  on this request,  however.  The
   Administrator of General Services has not  delegated to the Board
   the  authority  to grant  such  waivers.    We will  forward  Ms.
   Brainard's request to the appropriate office within GSA.
 
                                      _________________________
                                      ROBERT W. PARKER
                                      Board Judge