Board of Contract Appeals
                    General Services Administration
                         Washington, D.C. 20405
 
 
 
            _______________________________________________
 
                           September 28, 1999
            _______________________________________________
 
 
                            GSBCA 15062-TRAV
 
 
                    In the Matter of DONALD LEAVITT
 
 
        Donald Leavitt, Metairie, LA, Claimant.
 
        Gwendolyn B. Nachman,  Army Corps of Engineers,  New Orleans
   District, New Orleans, LA, appearing for Department of the Army.
 
   GOODMAN, Board Judge.
 
        Claimant, Donald Leavitt, is a civilian employee of the Army
   Corps of Engineers.  In March 1999, claimant traveled to attend a
   training  seminar. Before  commencing  travel, claimant  received
   authorization  from his supervisor  and the New  Orleans District
   Transportation Officer to purchase an airline ticket from  a non-
   contract  carrier (Delta  Airlines).    The  discounted  fare  of
   $211.40 was  $378 less than  the contract carrier s fare  for the
   same route.   In order to receive this  discounted fare, claimant
   joined  the Delta  Senior Select Savings  Plus Club for  a fee of
   $40.
 
        Claimant   submitted  his   travel  voucher   and  requested
   reimbursement of the cost of the airline ticket and the  $40 fee.
   The agency  reimbursed the claimant  the cost of the  airline but
   did not reimburse the $40 fee.   Claimant requests review of  the
   agency determination.
 
   The relevant regulations read as follows:
 
        Should I join  a frequent traveler program?   Yes.  You
        are encouraged  to join frequent  traveler programs  to
        realize cost savings or reduce official travel cost.
 
 
   41 CFR 301-53.2 (1998).
 
        May my agency  reimburse membership fees in  a frequent
        flyer program?   Yes, if the  benefits are expected  to
        exceed the cost of membership.
   Id. 301-53.3. 
 
 
        Under the above regulation, it is a discretionary act by the
   agency to allow reimbursement of the membership fee of a frequent
   flyer program.   The  Delta Senior Select  Savings Plus  Club, as
   described  by claimant,  is a  frequent  travelers program  which
   claimant joined in order to reduce official travel costs. 
 
        Under the  circumstances of  this case, it  was an  abuse of
   discretion for the  agency not to allow  reimbursement.  Claimant
   was  given  prior  authorization  to  purchase  the  ticket,  and
   presumably  would  not have  done  so  if  he would  not  receive
   reimbursement for the  cost of joining the program  that made the
   purchase possible.   The benefits (the  savings of $378)  clearly
   exceeded  the cost of  membership ($40).  For  the agency to give
   claimant prior approval and then  refuse to reimburse the cost of
   joining  the program  is an  abuse  of discretion.   Claimant  is
   entitled to reimbursement  of the $40 fee as long as the benefits
   of  the program  that he  joined are  accepted on  behalf of  the
   United  States Government,  and  claimant  does  not  accept  the
   benefits of the program for personal use.  41 CFR 301-53.7.
 
 
                                 __________________________
                                 ALLAN H. GOODMAN
                                 Board Judge