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

From: Papier, Joel (NIH/OD)

Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2003 3:39 PM

To: List ICTRAVELPOC-L

Cc: NIH Executive Officers; Stith, Kenneth (NIH/OD); Koitz, Barry (NIH/OD); Howard, Florence (NIH/OD); 'Mbharlow@aol.com'; Jaffe, Holli Beckerman (NIH/OD); Miller, Richard (NIH/FIC); Smith, Marcia (NIH/FIC)

Subject: Transmittal No. 99 - HHS Approved Chapter 6 "International Travel"

Importance: High

All,

As per my presentation at the Principal Travel Assistant Meeting last Thursday, June 19, we are attaching, 1) An electronic version of the Approved Chapter 6; and 2) the corresponding NIH Question and Answer guidance. Please be aware that for trip requests entered into either the ADB or the NFT automated systems, on or after

June 10, 2003, the OS/Office of Global Health Affairs (OGHA) will begin enforcing these new policies and procedures, including the two day annual leave policy and the premium class common carrier justification requirement. As a reminder, the NIH has existing forms in place (NIH MC 1500 Appendix 7 and Appendix 8) that provide justifications for premium class airfare accommodations. These forms essentially mirror the HHS Justification Memorandum and are acceptable to the OGHA, w/ one exception. The new Chapter 6 has a Cost Analysis Form that must be completed when you are justifying such accommodations for cost benefit reasons. This Cost Analsyis Form is contained w/in the Chapter 6. It now becomes imperative for you to complete the applicable justifcation form (Appendix 7 or 8) and the Cost Analysis Form, accordingly. As such, the following procedures will apply:

On the NFT request under the "Business Class Explanation Field", you will, 1) indicate the reason that premium class (either first class or premium other than first class) accommodations are being requested, e.g., no space available in coach class; and 2) include the following statement: "The applicable Appendix 7 or 8 and/or Cost Analysis Form has been properly completed and signed and has been entered into our IC travel files." All such requests must be maintained in your files in case OGHA staff or the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management/OS initiates a request to review these documents.

Please be aware of two sections of the Approved Chapter 6 that will need to be modified.

1) Section 6-00-30 - the statement "for all travel categorized under Section 6-00-50 of this Manual", is to be deleted. Please see the Q and A guidance for trip report information.

2) Section 6-00-60 - the statement "A justification memorandum must be attached to the travel request (see attached sample) and must accompany the travel authorization", is to be deleted. Please see the Q and A guidance for information in this regard.

In addition, there may be an additional requirement concerning Sponsored Travel. Currently, there are two conditions that must be met as outlined in Q and A NO. 17. The OGHA may also require that one of the conditions outlined in the HHS Chapter 6 Justification Memorandum first be met, before the other two aforementioned conditions can be applied. We are currently waiting to receive word from the OGHA on this issue and will keep you apprised of further developments. If the requirements are changed, the

HHS Chapter 6 will have to be amended accordingly.

Even though there may still be some unsolved issues, we wanted to transmit this guidance as quickly as possible since we were informed the other day that OGHA was beginning to return NFT requests to the Fogarty Center, in cases that were e.g., reflective of more than two days of annual leave. Towards this end, I spoke to OGHA staff yesterday and Dr. Steiger has agreed to go along w/ our June 10 proposal date above. Therefore, if you had trip requests in the pipeline (prior to June 10) w/ e.g., in excess of two days of annual leave, those requests will not be impacted by the new policies and procedures. The above June 10 proposal date will also apply to trip reports.

Please make wide distribution of this information to your Administrative Officers, traveler preparers, and travelers.

Should you or your staff have any questions, I can be contacted on 496-4379.

Joel

Joel