Board of Contract Appeals
                    General Services Administration
                         Washington, D.C. 20405
 
                            _______________
 
                            October 26, 2000
                            _______________
 
 
                            GSBCA 15359-RELO
 
 
                    In the Matter of CHARLIE ROGERS
 
 
        Charlie Rogers, Fort Leonard Wood, MO, Claimant.
 
        Maj.  Gen.  Robert  B. Flowers,  Commanding,  Army  Maneuver
   Support Center and  Fort Leonard  Wood, Department  of the  Army,
   Fort Leonard Wood, MO, appearing for Department of the Army.
 
   GOODMAN, Board Judge.
 
        Claimant,  Charlie Rogers,  is a  civilian  employee of  the
   Department of  the  Army.   He  is  requesting a  review  of  the
   agency s denial of an extension  of time for temporary storage of
   his household goods (HHG).
 
        In  October 1998 claimant  received transition travel orders
   from  his duty  station  of  Fort McClellan,  Alabama,  to a  new
   permanent duty  station at  Fort Leonard  Wood, Missouri, with  a
   report date of July 18,  1999.  On November 30, 1998,  he put his
   home  on the  market.  Claimant  received a full  price offer for
   purchase  on March 1, 1999, with a  closing and occupancy date of
   March 30, 1999.  
 
        On February 27, 1999, claimant s travel orders were amended,
   changing  his report date  to September 26,  1999.     He did not
   receive these orders  until March 3, 1999 -- after he had already
   signed the contract for sale of his house.   In order to meet the
   contract  terms,  his  HHG  were packed  and  shipped  from  Fort
   McClellan on March 30, 1999, and arrived at Fort  Leonard Wood on
   April 6, 1999.
 
        As of April 1, 1999,  claimant assumed the position of Chief
   of  the  Chemical  and  Military  Police  School s  International
   Military Student Office and Primary Hand Receipt Holder  for both
   offices.   Claimant  had to  remain at  Fort McClellan  until the
   class  graduated on August 13  and all international students and
   family  members departed. Claimant  was also responsible  for the
   final shipment of hand receipt items on September 15, 1999.
 
        Claimant states  that as the result of the sale of his house
   and the changing of his report date, he had no choice but to move
   his  family into  temporary  housing which  required a  six month
   lease through  September  30, 1999.   In  June he  was granted  a
   ninety-day  extension  of   time  for  storage   of  HHG.     The
   authorization for storage of HHG at Government expense expired on
   October 2, 1999.
 
        Because he  was unable to find suitable housing in Missouri,
   claimant  contracted to  have  a house  built  for his  residence
   there.  He alleges that due to construction delays, the house was
   not completed until November 25, 1999.  He therefore requested an
   extension  of an additional  sixty days for  temporary storage of
   his HHG, which was denied by the agency.  
                               Discussion
 
        Agencies  are authorized to pay the expenses for temporarily
   storing a transferred  employee s household goods.   Although the
   time  limit for  temporary  storage  is  generally  ninety  days,
   agencies,  may, under certain circumstances, approve an extension
   of the time  limit for up to an additional ninety days.  Agencies
   are not permitted to pay for temporary storage for more than  180
   days.    5 U.S.C.    5724(a)(2) (1994).   The relevant regulation
   reads as follows:
 
         Temporary  storage time limit.  The time allowable for
        temporary storage  in  connection  with  an  authorized
        shipment of household  goods shall not exceed  a period
        of 90 days.  . . .  However, upon an employee's written
        request, the initial  90-day period may be  extended an
        additional period not  to exceed 90 days  under certain
        conditions  if approved by  the agency head  or his/her
        designee.   Justification  for  an  additional  storage
        period   may  include,  but  is  not  limited  to,  the
        following reasons: 
 
        (1) An intervening temporary duty or long-term training
        assignment; 
 
        (2) Nonavailability of suitable housing; 
 
        (3) Completion of residence under construction; 
 
        (4) Serious illness of employee or illness or death  of
        a dependent; or 
 
        (5) Strikes, acts of God, or other circumstances beyond
        the control of the
        employee. 
 
    41 CFR 302-8.2(d) (1998).   
 
        We recognize claimant s position that the additional  amount
   of time  requested for   storage of his  HHG would not  have been
   necessary but  for the change in his report date and his previous
   sale  of his residence, which required that  he remove his HHG to
   temporary  storage.  However, the amendment  of his travel orders
   which  changed  his  report  date  also  extended  the  time  for
   temporary storage  of HHG  for an additional  ninety days  to the
   maximum  of  180  days  allowed   by  statute  and  regulation.  
   Accordingly,   there  is  no  basis  for  granting  claimant  the
   additional extension of  time for temporary storage  he requests.
   The claim is denied. 
 
 
 
 
                                      _______________________
                                      ALLAN H. GOODMAN      
                                      Board Judge