Board of Contract Appeals
                    General Services Administration
                        Washington, D.C. 20405
 
 
            _______________________________________________
 
                          September 18, 1998
            _______________________________________________
 
 
                           GSBCA 14602-RELO
 
 
                     In the Matter of ED GONZALEZ
 
 
       Ed Gonzalez, San Juan, PR, Claimant.
 
       Lee  Lofthus,  Chief,   Finance  Branch,  Federal  Bureau  of
  Prisons,  Department  of Justice,  Washington, DC,  appearing  for
  Department of Justice.
 
  BORWICK, Board Judge.
 
       Mr. Ed Gonzalez, claimant,  an employee at  the United States
  Bureau of Prisons,  seeks reimbursement of hotel   parking charges
  totaling $343 during claimant's period  of occupancy of  temporary
  quarters at  the hotel.   The agency  denied the reimbursement  as
  not  authorized  by  the  Federal  Travel  Regulation (FTR).    We
  conclude  the agency  correctly denied  the request  because under
  the FTR local  transportation expenses  for non-business  purposes
  are not reimbursable during occupancy of temporary quarters.
 
       On May 20,  1997, the agency authorized claimant's  permanent
  change of station (PCS) from Miami,  Florida, to Guaynabo,  Puerto
  Rico.   The agency initially authorized  thirty days of  temporary
  quarters  subsistence  expense  (TQSE),  but  amended  his  travel
  authorization  to extend the  period of  TQSE to  sixty days.   As
  part  of  his   relocation  entitlement,  the  agency   authorized
  shipment  of claimant's  privately owned  vehicle (POV)  to Puerto
  Rico.
 
       Claimant  stayed in the  Caribe Hilton  from August 1 through
  September 19,  1997.  The  Caribe Hilton  charged claimant $7  per
  day for parking; claimant  incurred parking charges of $343.   The
  hotel  explains that  the  hotel is  situated  on a  one-way  main
  avenue between the metropolitan area of San Juan and old San  Juan
  City, and that there is no legal street parking near the hotel.  
 
       Claimant sought reimbursement of  the parking expenses at the
  hotel; the  agency denied reimbursement  as prohibited by the FTR.
  Claimant filed a claim at this Board.  
 
                              Discussion
 
       The FTR,  in answer to the  question whether an employee  may
  be reimbursed for  local transportation  expenses while  occupying
  temporary quarters, states:
 
       Generally  not.   Local transportation  expenses are not
       TQSE and  there is  no authority  to pay  them as  such.
       You may,  however, be  reimbursed  under  part 301-2  of
       this subtitle  for necessary transportation expenses  if
       you  perform local  official  business travel  while you
       are occupying temporary quarters.
 
  41 CFR 302-5.18 (1997).   Once the employee has reported for  duty
  at the  new official station and  is receiving TQSE,  non-business
  local transportation  may not be authorized  for any purpose.   41
  CFR 302-5.2;  Brian  P.  Gariffa,  GSBCA 13798-RELO,  97-2  BCA   
  29,033.   The cost  of parking a  POV at  temporary quarters  is a
  non-reimbursable local transportation expense, not  a reimbursable
  subsistence expense.   Robert  E.  Ackerman,  B-223202 (Sept.  25,
  1987).  The agency acted correctly in denying the claim. 
 
                                ___________________________
                                ANTHONY S. BORWICK
                                Board Judge