February 8, 2012

February 8, 2012

NBS Travel HPOCs

Agenda

NBS Travel System Updates OFM Policy Updates Booking the Lowest Price Airfare Duplicate Obligations for Airfare Troubleshooting Rejections Payment Hold for Banking/ACH Dos and Don’ts General Q&A Q&A Session

NBS Travel System Updates

Changes Introduced by the Revised HHS Travel Manual (Jan 2012)

HPOC MEETING – February 8, 2012Barry Koitz, OFM

Background Information:

• Representatives from all HHS OPDIVS and some of the larger STAFFDIVS participated in updating HHS’ Travel Manual.

• Senior Travel Officials (STOs) of all the OPDIVS and STAFFDIVS were invited to comment on the changes prior to its release.

Impact on the ICs and Travelers

• Acceptance of Sponsor Reimbursable Expenses• Leave Policy while on TDY• Use of Non-Contract Fares Due to Lower Cost• First Class Travel• Capping of Per Diem and Transportation Expenses• Actual Expense Allowance (AEA)• Markets Served by More Than One Airport• Possible Disciplinary Actions

– Untimely Submission of Travel Vouchers– Not using the Travel Management Service (Omega)– Use of Personal Funds in lieu of CBA and IBA

Sponsor Reimbursable Expenses (#1)

• For trips commencing April 1 or later, only in-kind sponsor travel is allowed unless waived by the STO.

• Waivers need to meet one of these exceptions:– Travel is to a third world country where commerce is

routinely done on a cash basis.– Sponsor has demonstrated history of paying and their

internal processes can’t support in-kind arrangements.

Leave Policy While on TDY (#2 & #3)

• For both domestic (new) and foreign travel, for each night of lodging, one day of annual or compensatory leave may be taken up to a maximum of three days. No leave is allowed for a TDY trip not having an overnight stay.

• The STO can modify for long-term TDY.• No leave is allowed when trip is funded,

either partially or fully by a Sponsor.

Use of Non-Contract Fares Due to Lower Cost (#9)

• The previous bar requiring at least a 40% savings still remains for domestic flights, but is lowered to 15% for international flights.

• These tickets MUST be booked through Omega.

First Class Travel (#7)

– Requires STO approval.• Is not permitted except for one of the

following reasons:– To accommodate a medical disability or other special need

(requires physician letter and documentation)– Exceptional travel situation exists, such as security or mission

critical.– When Other than Coach Class (Business Class)

accommodations are not reasonably available and the requirements and approval for Other than Coach Class (Business Class) travel have previously been met and approved. (new)

Capping of Per Diem and Transportation Expenses (#8)

• Employees cannot waive transportation and per-diem for mission travel as this would be considered augmentation of an appropriation.

• An exception to this capping policy may occur when the travel is being conducted in conjunction with training activities under the GETA. In this case, an OPDIV has the discretion to pay for all, a portion, or none of the transportation and per diem expenses, and may authorize payment only for those expenses it deems necessary to achieve the objectives of the training program.

Authorization of Actual Expense Allowance (AEA) (#11)

• Requesting AEA requires including cost comparisons from three hotels, with one of the hotels at the maximum lodging rate set by GSA.

• If there is no hotel available at the maximum per diem rate, as provided by the TMC, the traveler must provide this information as part of the justification; and three quotes are still required.

• The manual provides a template memorandum to be used as documentation for making and approving the request.

Markets Served by More Than One Airport (#10)

• For a market such as DC which is served by multiple airports, the airport with the lowest constructed cost is to be used.

• In preparing the cost comparison, both round-trip airfare and ground transportation must be included.

• The cost comparison should be uploaded into GovTrip as supporting documentation.

Possible Disciplinary Actions – Untimely Submission of Travel Vouchers (#4)

Time Frame Action

After 5 working days Email to traveler and delegated AO that voucher is late and needs to be filed

After 10 calendar days of earlier e-mail

Follow up email to traveler and delegated AO similar to the earlier e-mail

After 20 calendar days of second e-mail

Traveler is given 45 additional days to file and notified that if this is not accomplished, a formal letter of disciplinary action will be prepared

After 45 calendar days Employee supervisor notified and required to prepare a letter similar to an adverse impact (personnel action) and will remain in the employee’s file for one year

Possible Disciplinary Actions – Not Using the Travel Management Service (#5)

• If an employee uses an unauthorized travel agent, unauthorized TMC, or unauthorized travel service such as Orbitz, etc., the employee will be responsible for all additional costs that result from the unauthorized use including service fees, cancellation penalties, or other additional costs (e.g. higher airfares, rental car charges, or hotel rates.)

• Employees can be subject to possible disciplinary action.• There are specified exceptions to using the TMC such as if

Omega is unable to arrange for common carrier transportation, lodging, and/or car rental for travel in remote areas of developing nations.

Possible Disciplinary Actions – Using Personal Funds for Common Carrier

Charges (#6)

• For passenger transportation services costing $100 or less, an employee may use personal funds to pay for the services only when use of the IBA or CBA cards are not practicable.

• If a new employee/infrequent travel/invitational traveler who is unaware of proper procedures uses personal funds, reimbursement to the employee will be limited to the constructed cost of such transportation using the City Pair Fare (if no City Pair is available, the fare provided by the TMC will be used).

• After the first offense, an employee who continues to use personal funds for common carrier tickets will be subject to disciplinary action.

Rental Cars (#17, #18 and #35)

• Default is compact or economy. Larger size requires pre-authorization.

• Traveler cannot enter into pre-paid fuel agreement.

• GPS requires pre-authorization. After the fact authorization allowed only if an emergency situation and requires STO or her designee approval.

Relocation Allowances (#44)

• A new section has been added to the HHS Travel Manual for this.

• HHS HR Instruction 572-1– Payment for travel expenses for new employee if

GS-13 (equivalent) or above.– Discretionary expenses requires STO approval (i.e.,

house hunting per diem and transportation, temporary qtrs. subsistence allowance, etc.)

– Doesn’t apply to $3k allowances paid to IRTAs

Travel and Transportation Cost Comparison under an IPA (#46)

• Manual provides a worksheet for a constructive cost comparison involving relocation cost, per diem and repeated trips to the worksite.

• Deviation from the lowest cost option will be capped at 110% and requires EO approval

Record Retention (#48)

• Original receipts must be kept by the traveler for 2 years.

• Scanned images of original travel orders, original vouchers and supporting documentation must be maintained for six years and three months.

• NIH servers (ETS may not be available to access when documentation requirement is known).

Some Other Changes

• Federal Advisory Committee Members must use Omega for Car Rentals to be covered in case of an accident (#25)

• Transportation gratuities when there is no service charge assessed has been raised to $5. If S/C present, then remains at NTE 15% . (#15)

• Section 10.3 of the manual is a new section that discusses roles and responsibilities of the IBA card.( #22)

• Emphasis on using the FedRooms program for lodging (#31 & #32)

Some Other Changes (con’t)

• Acceptance for sponsor funded long-term travel and training that is 14 or more nights requires STO approval (#14)

Booking the Lowest Cost Airfare

Booking the Lowest Cost Airfare, cont.

Duplicate Obligations for Airfare

Troubleshooting Rejections

Payment Holds for Banking/ACH

Travel Dos and Don’ts

General Q&A

Q&A Session

February 8, 2012

Documents

Transcript of February 8, 2012