[Claim for Temporary Lodging Expenses]

The Agency for International Development (AID) requested a decision concerning the propriety of reimbursing an employee of an AID-funded contract for claimed temporary lodging expenses. The amount claimed did not reflect the actual costs incurred by the employee and his family, but it was figured by using an approved flat rate for daily expenses. AID argued that the total arrived at in this manner exceeded the contract's stated maximum amount. GAO was asked whether payment could be authorized if the flat rate total exceeded the maximum amount or whether the contract allowed only for actual expenses. GAO noted that the contract did not indicate that the amount stated in the contract was the maximum amount allowable, and the employee correctly used the daily flat rate in his computation. Accordingly, the claim should be paid.