[Decision Concerning Interior Employee's Entitlement to Reimbursement of Real Estate Expenses]

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requested a decision regarding a transferred employee's claim for reimbursement for real estate expenses. GAO held that the claimant was not entitled to reimbursement, since: (1) he did not settle on the real estate purchase until after the period for reimbursement had expired; and (2) the purchase contract, which he signed before the period expired, did not constitute settlement. Accordingly, the claim was disallowed.