October 17, 1996 GSBCA 13858-RATE In the Matter of AMERICAN WORLD FORWARDERS, INC. June Standley, Supervisor, American World Forwarders, Inc., Kansas City, MO, appearing for Claimant. Jeffrey J. Thurston, Office of Transportation Audits, Washington, DC, appearing for the General Services Administration. GOODMAN, Board Judge. ORDER On July 16, 1996, claimant submitted to the Department of the Navy a public voucher requesting payment of $5,472.95 for transportation charges provided by claimant under a Government bill of lading (GBL). On July 30, the agency issued a statement of difference which disallowed $121.21 of the claim because proof of payment was not shown on the ocean bill of lading. On September 17, claimant appealed to this Board asking us to advise the agency to issue a check for the disallowed amount pursuant to the Military Traffic Management Command s (MTMC s) ruling of August 21, 1996, which deleted the proof of payment requirement. The Board requested that both the General Services Administration Office of Transportation Audits (GSA) and MTMC file a response to the claim. On September 25, GSA advised the Board that it had not had any involvement in this GBL transaction and, further, that claimant had not exhausted its administrative remedies before filing a claim at the Board and therefore requested that the matter be dismissed. The Board authorized claimant the opportunity to respond, and on October 16, 1996, claimant filed a letter which advised that the voucher had since been resubmitted directly to the agency. The Board further confirmed by telephone with claimant that there was no objection to the dismissal of the claim. Accordingly, this claim is DISMISSED. _______________________ ALLAN H. GOODMAN Board Judge