ARNG Child and Youth Program: Travel Policies and Procedures

ARNG Child and Youth Program: Travel Policies and Procedures

Travel Procedures Travel expenses on temporary duty (TDY) must be at the best value to the Government The JFTR/JTR provides a guide for contractors, but should be considered as the maximum allowable claim without special approval

Pre-Approval Travel MUST be pre-approved, with required signatures, prior to actual travel beginning All travel MUST be pre-approved by your SFPD/Designated Government Point of Contact and the Regional Program Manager before travel occurs. Travel over $500, or with unique requests (as identified in the Travel Procedures document), must also be approved by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) at NGB The pre-approval process may take 2-4 weeks, depending on the current volume of travel requests and the level to which they require approval Travel requests under $500 normally take less time, but still must be submitted no later than 2-weeks prior to the start of an event Employees will make every effort to submit a COMPLETE travel request as soon as the travel requirement is identified - incomplete requests add unnecessary delays

Pre-Approval Potential Delays There may be times when the contracted location for an event is not confirmed by USPFO until a day or two prior to the event. In these situations, it is the responsibility of the employee to notify his/her respective Regional Assistant Program Manager (RAPM), as soon as possible, as to the reason for the delay in submitting a travel request form. Once the RAPM has been notified, he/she may advise the following: To proceed with submitting a travel request for approval with the anticipated location and estimated travel expenses for the pending event To wait with submitting a travel request for approval if there is a strong possibility the event may be canceled Notification to the NGB COR, if travel is expected to exceed $500 and/or includes unique expenses requiring NGB COR approval

Complete Travel Request Prior to submitting a travel request to your RAPM, please ensure you have included the following items: Travel Request Form (with all required signatures employee and SFPD/designee) Mapquest (or like analysis) of POV mileage - if applicable Cost comparison of POV mileage vs. rental car and rental fuel (if POV mileage exceeds 50 miles round-trip) Hotel Pre-Authorization Form - if applicable Exact flight requirements to include departure times and flight numbers Conference/Event Agenda Itemized packing lists if larger vehicle is requested SFPD justification if overnight lodging is requested but travel is within the 50 mile radius

Travel Request Requirements The following pieces of information are required for a travel request to be approved:

Travel Request Requirements POV Mileage If travelling on a duty day, the starting/ending location(s) for mileage will be your duty station, unless home of record (HOR) is closer to the TDY location or transportation start point (e.g., airport). If you are traveling on the weekend, or a non-duty day, the starting and/or ending location(s) will be your HOR. When POV mileage is proposed as the primary mode of travel, the employee must submit with the travel request the following: A MapQuest (or like) driving directions query mapping POV mileage to/from physical addresses A cost analysis must be performed comparing alternate travel modes (rental car and flight). This cost analysis must be submitted with your travel authorization and should be included in Section A of the Travel Request. Validation of the most efficient mode of transportation will be done by the RAPM as part of the authorization process In order to provide the best value to the Government, L/CYPCs in the same state, traveling to the same TDY location via POV (or rental) for the same dates must consider car-pooling To ensure verification of the latest available federal rate for mileage, please see http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/100715?utm_source=ogp&utm_medium=printradio&utm_term=hp_01_requested_povmileage&utm_campaign=shortcuts

Travel Request Requirements The following pieces of information are required for a travel request to be approved: Yes or No $0.54 Comparisons required if POV mileage exceeds 50 miles round-trip

Travel Request Requirements Short Distance Travel Short distance/local travel will be defined as mileage totaling less than 50 miles round trip. Short Distance Travel will not require a Travel Request Form be submitted for approval, but will require verbal approval/acknowledgement from your SFPD/government designee to maintain awareness and your LCYPC for the purpose of tracking travel budget spending. Employee must email RAPM prior to travel to make him/her aware of the travel episode. When submitting the final expense report, the employee must be sure to upload a POV mileage receipt (Mapquest or the like) and an event agenda.

Travel Request Requirements Air Travel In order to minimize excessive flight costs, travel requiring airline flights MUST BE APPROVED four weeks prior to travel. In the event that air travel is necessary, travel request documentation must be SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN four weeks prior to TDY start date. While every attempt will be made to accommodate the needs and/or wants of the traveler, the flight which is the best value to the Government will be the priority when booking. If booking your own flight and filing for reimbursement, proof of utilizing the most cost effective method will be required. There may be times when the cost difference between flying or driving, either a POV or rental car, may be minimal. In those cases, please consult with your Regional Program Manager, as loss of staff time may not be worth the minimal cost saved in mileage vs. flying. Employees should plan to return from the TDY location on the first available flight after completion of event/training requirements in order to minimize hotel and M&E charges to the Government. As a general rule, employees should not stay an additional night if they can reasonably travel home on the last event/training day without missing substantive training and/or risking their safety. TDY may not be extended for personal reasons if this results in additional cost to the Government. Any extension of travel for personal reasons cannot be charged as duty time to the contract, and additional costs (more expensive flight, additional hotel nights, additional per diem) are at the employee s expense.

Travel Request Requirements Air Travel The following pieces of information are required for a travel request to be approved: Airport Codes and Flight Numbers Must Be Accurate This information required to purchase ticket

Travel Request Requirements Lodging As a general guide, overnight lodging is authorized for single-day events with POV travel of greater than 150 miles one-way and greater than 6 hours of planned work performance (as validated by an agenda). Overnight lodging for POV travel of less than 150 miles one-way will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must be supported with justification from the SFPD, at a minimum. Please consult with your RAPM for guidance and possible exceptions. BEFORE making lodging reservations, please check the maximum allowable lodging rate for your destination. To ensure verification of the latest available federal rate for lodging, please see http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100120. Any charges that exceed that rate will not be reimbursable to you without pre-approval. If you wish for lodging expenses to be covered, please make your own reservation first and ask the hotel for a Credit Card Authorization Form. Once you have made your reservation, submit the CC Authorization Form with the reservation information (including your name, dates of arrival/departure and confirmation number) along with your signed Travel Authorization Form to the Travel Department at travel@cog-ps.com.

Hotel Credit Card Authorizations In order for Cognitive to pay for your lodging on the company AmEx, the following is required: Completed Hotel Credit Card Authorization form from the identified hotel MUST include: Confirmation number for reservation Full name of guest Accurate arrival/departure dates Completed form MUST be submitted to RAPM when submitting Travel Authorization for approval All documents MUST be submitted as a single PDF, no individual attachments In the event the reservation information is not available at the time of submission, please submit the Credit Card Authorization and APPROVED travel request to travel@cog-ps.com for processing once the event information is made available

Travel Request Requirements The following pieces of information are required for a travel request to be approved: Holiday Inn, 123 N. 5 th St., Des Moines, IA 50265 $98.00 2 $196.00 $196.00 Name and Address of Hotel Per Diem Rate # of Nights Total Per diem rate information available at: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100120 Do not put estimated lodging taxes in this section. Estimated lodging taxes will be listed in the Other box in Section D of the travel request form. If there is a resort fee associated with your lodging, please ensure that is accounted for in this section on its own line. Contact your RAPM with any questions you might have regarding assessed resort fees associated with your stay.

Travel Request Requirements Per Diem BEFORE submitting a Travel Request, make sure to check the maximum allowable M&IE for your TDY location at http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100120 The M&IE rate for travel days is 75% and 100% for Duty Days (non-travel). Be sure to adjust M&IE requests, should meals be provided during events such as conferences or camps. If meals are provided during the event/conference, make note of that in the Traveler's Comment section of the Travel Request form. The M&IE breakdown of daily rates can be found at http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/101518 In the case of day travel, where no overnight stay is required, and 12-24 hours of work is performed, 75% M&IE may be claimed IF the traveler was required to travel more than 50 miles, one way, from his/her duty station. This must be justified/validated with a support event agenda, which clearly outlines start and end times for the individual travel episode. If LESS than 50 miles one way is travelled in the course of business, mileage may be claimed, but M&IE may not.

Travel Request Requirements The following pieces of information are required for a travel request to be approved: Des Moines, IA 50265 1 $38.25 $38.25 1 $51.00 $51.00 1 $38.25 $38.25 $128.00 Need Receipt Est Hotel Tax Per diem rate information available at: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877

Travel Request Requirements The following pieces of information are required for a travel request to be approved: Accurate Total for All Sections Provide notes regarding unit(s) supported Provide notes regarding type of event Provide notes regarding role at event Provide notes regarding specific travel requirements Provide notes regarding any meals provided during event Provide notes regarding use of GSA or cheapest mode of transport

Travel Request Requirements The following pieces of information are required for a travel request to be approved: Employee and SFPD signatures are required before approval by RAPM and NGB; travel requests cannot be approved without required signatures notify RAPM if SFPD has designated another individual to grant approvals (this must also be reported to NGB COR for awareness)

Travel Request Requirements Back to Back TDY Travel Employees may have a situation where they travel to a second TDY location directly from the first TDY location, or return home only to begin the next TDY trip on the return day of the first trip. In these situations, the employee may only claim the second travel day on ONE of the TDY trips (the return day for TDY #1 and start day for TDY #2), but may claim 100% M&IE for that day. For example, the employee attends a conference in Washington, DC 3-7 May and must travel to Orlando, FL 7-10 May to support a Youth Camp. In this situation, 7 May is a travel day for both TDY trips, but can only be CLAIMED AS A TDY DAY FOR M&IE for one of these trips. One or both of the Travel Request Forms (depending on the timing of the submission of each) AND the travel voucher must note the back-to-back TDY situation.

Travel Request Requirements Submitting Documents All travel forms must be completed and submitted electronically. Handwritten documents ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE and will delay the travel request and reimbursement processes. All travel must be submitted on the Travel Request Form and should be saved (along with any necessary supporting documentation) in one PDF document. When submitting a request for travel to a conference or training event, please attach the flyer/posting for event so that event details, such as negotiated hotel rates, meals provided, stipulated travel days, etc., are readily available. Also attach the conference or event agenda, if available. When submitting a request for travel to a state/territory-level event, an event agenda MUST be included with the travel request packet. The agenda must validate required day(s) or travel, identify programming being provided and L/CYPC s role during the event. Multiple travel requests should not be combined in to one document as they cannot be effectively forwarded for authorization. Each Travel Request should be saved and uniquely named such that, when electronically filed, it will be easily found should it become necessary (ie: SJones7MAY12Auth ).

Travel Request Requirements Travel Cancellations Should you have confirmed airline or hotel reservations associated with a pending approved trip and the trip is subsequently cancelled, it is the express responsibility of the traveler to cancel the hotel and/or flight reservations, whether they were booked on a personal credit card OR on the company credit card. Should costs be incurred due to a failure to cancel reservations in a timely fashion, those costs will be the responsibility of the employee. If an airline ticket was purchased for the cancelled travel episode, the employee must notify his/her RAPM and complete the Cognitive Travel Cancellation Form. The Cognitive Travel Cancellation Form must be completed in it entirety and then submitted to the respective RAPM for signature. Once signed by the RAPM, a copy of the Cognitive Travel Cancellation Form will be emailed to the employee and the Cognitive Travel Department. This process is required so that any airline monetary credits can be documented for use on a future trip.

Travel Expense Report Requirements To begin a new travel expense report, go to the Cognitive Timekeeping Website: http://time.cogps.com For specific details on completing and submitting a travel expense report, refer to the Expense Training Manual (Silverlight and/or HTML). If you require a copy of the Expense Training Manual or have questions regarding issues with the expense reporting system, contact Cognitive Accounting at accounting@cog-ps.com The expense reporting system should automatically populate the latest available rates for Mileage, Per Diem, and Lodging from the GSA website at http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100120 The M&IE per diem rate is 75% for Travel Days and 100% for Duty Days (non-travel) For local travel trips, you may complete one expense report listing multiple trips and mileage associated with those trips following directions in the Expense Training Manual Once travel has been completed, travel expense reports should be submitted for approval WITHIN 5 DAYS OF RETURN

Travel Expense Report Requirements ALL supporting travel documents must be uploaded electronically and saved prior to submission of travel expense report Travel expense reports should be submitted per episode of travel EXCEPT when claiming mileage only and combining multiple local distance travel trips on one expense report Supporting travel documents should be saved and uniquely named such that, when uploaded, it will be easily found should it become necessary (ie: 05.07.16-AL-Jones-SymposiumReceipts ). Supporting travel documents should be submitted as ONE PDF Incomplete/incorrect travel expense reports and/or uploaded supporting documentation will result in travel expense report being rejected Receipts are required for ALL expenses claimed on the expense report, even if paid by Cognitive. It is the responsibility of the traveler to obtain hotel receipts upon checkout and provide airline confirmation email printouts with final cost(s) paid by the Cognitive AmEx to be filed with the travel expense report upon return from travel The RAPM will review and approve the submitted travel expense report for processing by Cognitive Travel and Accounting Travel will be paid within 21 days of review and approval by Cognitive. It will be paid on the 8th or 23rd of each month. If the 8th and/or 23rd land on a holiday or weekend, payment will occur on the next business day

Travel Expense Report Requirements It is the responsibility of the employee to ensure all expenses (with the exception of meal per diem) are validated with an official receipt. Any expenses listed on the final expense report which are not validated by a receipt may be removed, reducing the overall amount of reimbursement to the employee. It is also the responsibility of the employee to ensure expense reports are submitted within 5 business days from the last day of travel. This is a requirement, as delayed expense reports negatively impact payment and billing required by the Cognitive Accounting Department. If repeated delays in expense report submission occur, the respective employee may lose the privilege of utilizing the Cognitive Credit Card to cover what would typically be out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. airline tickets and hotel lodging/lodging taxes). NOTE: At any time, travel request/expense report requirements for supporting documentation may be subject to change based on feedback received from the NGB COR.

Receipt Requirements Following a trip, official receipts are required for the following: Airfare Baggage Fees Lodging/Lodging Taxes POV Mileage Rental Car & Rental Car Fuel Toll Charges Registration Fees Shuttle/Taxi Fees Parking Fees Official receipts are required even for expenses paid by the Cognitive credit card

Airline Receipt Copies Following purchase of a flight, the Travel Dept. will email a confirmation itinerary/receipt or, if purchased by individual, airline will email a confirmation itinerary/receipt. Another option is the following: When checking in at the airline s kiosk, request a printed copy of your flight itinerary and receipt This is usually the last step of the check-in process at the airport Provides you with a receipt much like your baggage fee and boarding pass Airline receipts MUST be for actual amount, not estimated amount

Expense Report Supporting Documents The following MUST be included when uploading receipts/supporting documents in your online expense report: Original, APPROVED travel request Mapquest (or the like) proof of POV mileage Rental car/rental fuel receipts (as applicable) Lodging and lodging tax receipt Airline and baggage receipts (as applicable) Parking receipt, toll charge receipt(s) (as applicable) Registration fee receipts (as applicable) Event agenda Itemized material packing list (as applicable if requesting use of larger vehicle primarily for transporting materials) NOTE: Incomplete or inaccurate support document uploads will be rejected by the RAPM for correcting, potentially delaying reimbursement payment

Assessment As evidence of completion of this course, you will need to complete the short assessment tool provided. To access the assessment, please click on the link below: CLICK HERE TO BEGIN YOUR ASSESSMENT: https://www.classmarker.com/onlinetest/start/?quiz=ycp50f444f8b32d8 Please Note: Following completion of the assessment, please print/save your certificate and then scan the document and email to your RAPM. This will serve as your documentation of completion.

You have now completed the Travel Policies and Procedures module. Congratulations!