Index
A
A/OPC. See agency/organization program coordinator
actual expenses versus standard rate, per diem, 61
advances, 78–79
agency lodging programs, 90–92
agency/organization program coordinator (A/OPC)
best practices, 74–75
GSA SmartPay2 Master Contract lists, 72–73
importance, 71
preventing abuse, risk, and delinquencies, 75
airline expenses, 96–99
airline ticket upgrades, 101
airports, 100
allowances, 52, 163–164
Appendix B, OMB Circular A-123, 16
approved accommodation, 1
attendants, 131
automated teller machine (ATM), 1, 131
B
baggage, 131–133
beginning and ending dates, per diem, 53–54
birth certificates, 131
blanket authorizations, 106
budgeting, conferences, 148
business class, 103–105
C
cablegrams, 131
capacity control fare, 47–48
car rental, 17–18. See also rental car expenses
cardholder responsibilities
advances, 78–79
co-worker lodging and dining, 80–81
disciplinary action, 83
exempted expenses, 77–78
government shutdown, 83–84
helpful hints, 82–83
misuse and abuse, 81–82
overview, 75–76
payment combinations, 80
permanent duty stations, 80
personal travel, 76
room deposits, 79
CBDA. See Civilian Board of Contract Appeals
certifications, Fly America Act, 109–110
certified checks, 131
City Pair Program (CPP), 17, 47
civil disturbances, 39–40
Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA)
advance decisions, 21
cases heard by, 20
Comptroller General, 21
disputes regarding travel within an official duty station, 20–21
importance, 13, 19
claimed items, 134
classes of air travel accommodations, 101–102
co-worker lodging and dining, 80–81
code-share agreement, Fly America Act, 106
common carrier, 1
Comptroller General (CG), 21
computers, 131
conference centers, 131
conference memory book, 147
conferences
budgeting, 148
cost-saving tools, 146–147
definition, 2, 146
formal attire costs, 147
inappropriate spending practices, 149
light refreshments, 147–148
meals for non-federal employees, 147
meeting, compared to, 146
overview, 145
promotional materials, 148
training, compared to, 146
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2006, 16
constructive cost, 2
continental United States (CONUS), 2
contract carriers, 2
contract city pair fares, 99
contract fares. See also City Pair Program
capacity control fare versus YCA fare, 47–48
last seat availability, 47
non-contract fares, 48–49
personal travel, 49–50
requirements, 47
contractor-issued government travel charge card, 72
CONUS. See continental United States
cost-saving tools, conferences, 146–147
CPP. See City Pair Program
D
data processors, 131
Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), 17–18
Department of Defense (DoD), 16
Department of State Standardized Regulations for Government Civilians in Foreign Areas, 16–17
dependents, 2, 86
diplomatic passports, 36–37. See also passports and visas
disability. See employee with a disability
disallowed expenses, 134–135
disciplinary action, 83
DoD. See Department of Defense
domestic partner, 3
domestic partnership, 3–4
drivers, 131
DTMO. See Defense Travel Management Office
E
E-Gov Travel Service (ETS), 4, 14, 18
eligibility, per diem, 52–53
employee, 5
employee types, relocation, 164
employee with a disability, 4–5. See also special needs
energy surcharge, 131
entitlements, relocation, 168
ETS. See E-Gov Travel Service
evacuation expenses, 40
executive agency, 6
extra travel days, per diem, 57–59
F
fax machines, 131
FDA. See Food and Drug Administration
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 1
federal relocation managers, 162
Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), 1, 16, 24
Fedrooms, 90
fees, passports and visas, 36
FEMA. See Federal Emergency Management Agency
fifty-mile distance test, 177–178
first class transportation, 102–105
flight insurance, 99
Fly America Act
certifications, 109–110
code-share agreement, 106
exceptions, 107–108
foreign carriers, 106–108
importance, 16
reimbursement, 110–112
ticket price, 109
U.S. flag air carrier, 106
violating, 108–109
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 13–15
foreign air carrier, 6, 105–108
foreign area, 6. See also non-foreign area
foreign country exit fees, 131
foreign currency, 88–89, 131
formal attire costs, 147
FTR. See Federal Travel Regulation; Government Transportation Request
G
GARS. See government administrative rate supplement
General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator, 24, 50–51, 160–161
General Services Board of Contract Appeals, 19
government administrative rate supplement (GARS), 121–122
government automobiles, 115–116
government contract-issued individually billed charge card, 6
government shutdown, 83–84
Government Transportation Request (GTR), 7
government-furnished automobile, 7
government-furnished vehicle, 7
GSA. See General Services Administration Administrator
guidance documents, relocation, 158–160
guides, 131
H
health certificates, 131
health information, passports and visas, 37
hotel rooms, 131
I
identity certificates, 131
immediate family, 7–8
improper costs, responsibility for, 13–15
inappropriate spending practices, conferences, 149
incurring travel expenses
dependents, 86
mixing personal and official travel, 86–87
overview, 84
parking, 87–88
unconverted foreign currency, 88–89
verbal authorization, 84–85
inoculations, 131
interpreters, 131
interrupted travel, 62–63, 135–136
interviewee, 8
interviewee travel, 64–68
invitational travel, 8, 68–69, 69
J
JTR. See Joint Travel Regulations
L
last seat availability, contract fares, 47
laundry, 131
light refreshments, conferences, 147–148
lodging
agency programs, 90–92
Fedrooms, 90
overview, 90
recreational vehicles, 95
sharing rooms with co-workers, 92
staying with family and friends, 93–95
taxes, 92
lodging taxes, 131
lodging-plus per diem system, 8
lost passports, 39
M
mandatory and discretionary benefits, relocation, 168
meals
adjusting per diem for, 128–129
at duty stations, 129–130
during training, 129
exceptions, 129
non-federal employees, 147
overview, 127
medical disabilities, 103–104
meetings, 146
mileage rates, 116–117
miscellaneous and incidental expenses, 130–135
mixing personal and official travel, 86–87
money orders, 131
N
new appointee, 165
new appointee relocation tables, 185–187
non-contract fares, 48–49
non-foreign area, 9
O
official passports, 36–37. See passports and visas
official station, 9
OMB Circular A-123, 16
Open Skies, 112–113
P
parking, 87–88
passports and visas
civil disturbances, 39–40
diplomatic, 36–37
evacuation expenses, 40
fees, 36, 131
health information, 37
host country clearance, 38
importance, 35
official, 36–37
photographs, 131
reporting lost or stolen, 39
transportation cost reimbursement, 37
travel risk management, 40–41
U.S. embassy clearance, 38–39
valid dates, 37
payment combinations, 80
PDS. See permanent duty station
per diem
actual expenses versus standard rate, 61
allowances, 52
beginning and ending dates, 53–54
eligibility, 52–53
extra travel days, 57–59
GSA, 50–51
interrupted travel, 62–63
overview, 50
permanent duty station versus official residence, 55–56
policies, 51–52
reimbursable expense methods, 60–61
standard CONUS location, 52
temporary duty location versus lodging location, 62
transportation, 114–115
travel claims, 56–57
travel less than twelve hours, 59–60
travel less than twenty-four hours, 60
travel time, 54–55
permanent change of station, 164
permanent duty station (PDS), 55–56, 80. See also official station
personal passports. See passports and visas
personal travel, 49–50, 76
personally owned vehicle expenses, 114–118
premium class accommodations, 100–101
printers, 131
privately owned vehicle (POV), 9
promotional materials, conferences, 148
R
radiograms, 131
recreational vehicles, 95
references, 183–184
reimbursable expense methods, per diem, 60–61
reimbursement, Fly America Act, 110–112
relocation. See also service agreements
agency-specific mission, 179–180
duplicate reimbursement disclosure statement, 169–170
employee types, 164
entitlements, 168
expenses, 164
federal relocation managers, 162
fifty-mile distance test, 177–178
GSA policy, 160–161
guidance documents, 158–160
mandatory and discretionary benefits, 168
mandatory elements, 169
new appointee, 165
overview, 157
permanent change of station, 164
relocation allowances, 163–164
resource centers, 161–162
revoking allowances, 180–182
separation relocations, 166–168
shipper’s estimate, 178–179
temporary change of station, 164
transfer types, 166
transferred employees, 166
vacancy announcements, 175–177
rental car expenses
car accidents, 123–124
damage fees, 121
DTMO rental program, 122–123
global positioning systems, 120–121
government administrative rate supplement, 121–122
insurance, 118–119
locked-car fees, 126–127
reimbursements, 119–120
temporary duty extended for personal reasons, 124–126
texting while driving, 126
resource centers, relocation, 161–162
responsibilities. See also travel policies
agency, 25
approving official, 29–31
authorizing official, 30
importance, 24
traveler, 28–29
rest periods, 100
returning from travel
constructive costs, 139–140
contractor-issues government travel charge card, 140
disallowances, 138
disposable pay, 142
erroneous charges, 142–143
late payments, 141
lost receipts, 137
refusing reimbursement, 143
required receipts, 138
retaining receipts, 138
split disbursement, 140–141
split pay, 140–141
travel claims, 137
travel vouchers, 138–139
room deposits, 79
S
scanners, 131
separation relocations, 166–168
service agreements
breaking, 173–175
definition, 169
failure to sign, 175
length, 170
minimum period of service, 170–171
multiple, 175
requirements for, 170
violating, 171–173
voiding, 175
sharing rooms with co-workers, 92
shipper’s estimate, 178–179
special conveyance, 10
special needs, 10, 64, 104
Standard Form 1169. See Government Transportation Request
staying with family and friends, 93–95
stolen passports, 39
storage property, 131
suspended driver’s licenses, 115
T
taxes, lodging, 92
TDY. See temporary duty location
telegrams, 131
telephone calls, 131
temporary change of station, 164
temporary duty (TDY) location, 1, 10
ticket price, 109
tips, 134
Title 5 (5 U.S.C Chapter 57), 17
TMS. See Travel Management Service
train expenses, 113–114
training, 146
transfer types, 166
transferred employees, 166
transferred employees relocation tables, 187–194
transportation cost reimbursement, 37
travel advances
accounting for, 42–43
accounting system, 44
collecting outstanding, 46
employees accounting for, 44
exceptions, 45–46
expenses, 41–42
importance, 41
maximum amounts, 42
paying back, 46
policies governing, 46–47
reimbursement for stolen travel advances, 44–45
room deposits, 43
time periods, 43
using, 42–43
Travel and Transportation Reform Act (TTRA) of 1998, 15
travel authorization
conditions, 33
date changes, 35
limitations, 33
mode of transportation, 33
prior approval requirements, 34–35
process, 31–32
required information, 32
types, 32
written, 33
travel authorization/orders, 10
travel claims, 10, 56–57
travel less than twelve hours, 59–60
travel less than twenty-four hours, 60
Travel Management Service (TMS), 11
travel policies
required, 26–27
stringency, 28
written, 25–26
travel preparation, 31
travel reward programs
airline compensation, 151–153
car rentals, 155
flight coupons, 155–156
frequent-flyer miles, 154–155
lodging benefits, 153
overview, 151
travel risk management, 40–41
travel time, per diem, 54–55
traveler’s checks, 131
TTRA. See Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998
typists, 131
U
U.S. embassy clearance, 38–39
U.S. flag air carrier, 106
unconverted foreign currency, 88–89
United States, 11
V
vacancy announcements, 175–177
valid dates, passports and visas, 37
verbal authorization, incurring travel expenses, 84–85
visas. See passports and visas
voucher. See travel claim
W
Washington Post test, 23
websites, 183–184