-----Original Message-----

From: Papier, Joel (NIH/OD)

Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2003 11:01 AM

To: List ICTRAVELPOC-L

Cc: Stith, Kenneth (NIH/OD); Koitz, Barry (NIH/OD); Howard, Florence (NIH/OD); 'Mbharlow@aol.com'; Chiacchierini, Kathy (NIH/NBRSS)

Subject: Transmittal No. 100 - HHS Travel Policies and Procedures

Importance: High

All,

As you know, HHS officials recently approved 10 revised travel chapters (Effective June 10, 2003). This office issued Transmittal No. 99 which contained question and answer guidance on one of those 10 chapters, specifically Chapter 6, "International Travel". So, w/ respect to the other 9 chapters, we would like to take this opportunity to, 1) address some of the more important policy changes; and 2) reiterate some of the existing policies. Thus, we are providing the following summarization:

Chapter 3-00 "HHS Travel Accounting System Requirements. This is a new section that highlights the need to be in compliance w/ Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP) requirements and the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR). One of the key JFMIP requirements is the tracking of travel claim reimbursements which are taxable income to the employee and are to be reported on agency W-2 forms. The NIH New Business System will have this capability.

Chapter 3-10 "Travel Authorizations and Voucher Claims". Two key policy changes are: 1) a request to add excess baggage costs will require specific written or electronic authorization prior to the trip; and 2) an Amended Travel Order should be issued when the day of departure or return exceeds more than 5 days in terms of what was authorized on the original Travel Order.

Chapter 3-20 "Travel Advances". This section reiterates that travel advances will not be issued to contractors. It is also NIH policy that travel advances will not be issued to private citizens or foreign visitors on Invitational Travel Orders (See NIH MC 1500 Revised Chapter 12, pending release).

Chapter 3-30 "Travel Reservations, Frequent Traveler Programs, and OPDIV Travel Programs. You should note that HHS policy parallels NIH policy in that if a conference sponsor arranges for a block of rooms to be available for federal attendees at a specified rate, (not to exceed 25% over the lodging rate for the area), in one or more specific hotels and provides a phone number for making the reservations, the traveler may make the reservation through this method, thus bypassing the Travel Management Center. If the rooms are arranged at a cost that is over 25% of the lodging rate for the area, it is NIH policy that you make every effort to find another hotel at the government rate or conference lodging rate, before you prepare an Actual Expenses Allowance (AEA) request.

Chapter 4-10 "Miscellaneous Expense". A new policy change provides: when laundry, dry cleaning, and pressing of clothing expenses are authorized in line w/ temporary duty travel, receipts are required for ALL such expenses claimed for reimbursement (Exception: Coin-operated machine usage where receipts are not available).

Chapter 4-20 "Official Duty Travel Expense in Local Area. A significant policy change is that the definition of the Local Travel Area is now a "minimum radius of 50 miles from BOTH the official duty station AND the employee's residence." Previously, we were operating under a minimum radius of 35 miles. Since practically all of our conferences/meetings are held w/in a 50 mile radius, this change has basically eliminated the need for special policy governing the authorization of a per diem allowance in the Local Travel Area. Thus, authorization of a per diem allowance cannot be effected unless, as a first condition (See NOTE below), the temporary duty site is more than 50 miles from BOTH the employee's official duty station AND residence. (Exception: Training and Conferences/Meetings under the Government Employees Training Act).

NOTE: On occasion, there may be a scenario where the meeting is taking place more than 50 miles from both the employee's official duty station and residence. In this case, NIH policy will require that in addition to meeting the 50 mile rule, the employee will also be required to meet one of the other conditions outlined in existing policy (See NIH MC 1500 Chapter 06), e.g., the employee is scheduled to remain on official duty beyond a reasonable hour and must also return to the meeting site, early the next morning. The "compelling circumstances" justification is no longer viable and will be deleted from the manual. If the applicable conditions are met and a per diem allowance is authorized, you must enter these costs on a regular Travel Order, not a Local Travel Voucher.

Chapter 5-10 "Special Travel Situations". This section reiterates policy as it pertains to emergency travel and travel of an employee w/ special needs; and leave taken in conjunction w/ temporary duty travel.

Please make wide distribution of this message.

Should you or your staff have any questions, you can contact me at 301-496-4379.

Joel