Preparing for Domestic and Foreign Official Travel

1
Preparing for Domestic and Foreign Official
Travel
2
Preparing Travel Authorization (TA)

• Designed for individuals responsible for
  submitting travel requests.
• Use the most current spreadsheet to complete your
  Travel request. Bookmark the website as your
  favorites for the update alerts.
• http//bss.fnal.gov/travel/policy_updates.html
• Submit Original and Approved TA to the Travel
  Office
• If Domestic Submit to Travel Office (Nancy and
  Dan)
• If Foreign - Submit to Foreign Travel Office
  (Rosa)
• B4 you start, choose a Creation Method
• There are a couple of options for creating a
  Travel Authorization
• Open a Blank Travel Auth to start from scratch.
• Copy from existing Travel Auth -This will allow
  you to copy a prior TA that may be similar to a
  future trip.
• Avoid handwriting data (besides signatures)
• Do not use abbreviations.
• To save time, assume all fields are required.
• If a field is not applicable, enter N/A.

3
Travel Information Section

• Cost Estimate Use information from Cost estimate
  worksheet.
• Travel Advance
• Complete the Advance Requested box either with
  an amount or with 0 .
• If no advance is requested. ( Zero -)
• Travel Advance is issued only when the Cost
  Estimate is submitted with the
• Approved TA. (Applies to both Domestic Foreign
  travel)
• Itinerary information Please complete the
  itinerary as sample below . Use other tabs for
  multiple itinerary segments

4
Travel Information Section ..cont

• Car rental Justification is required for foreign
  car rental requests. Follow your internal policy
  for domestic car rentals.
• Hotel FTR max lodging rate is required regardless
  of whether the Travel Office books the hotel or
  someone else reserves lodging.
• Visa application
• If official travel is in conjunction with visa
  application process, please liaise with the visa
  office and Roy Rubinstein before entering trip.
  Directorate Approval must be obtained prior to
  committing funds for travel.
• Billing details Please provide details.
• Personal Days
• If combining official with personal, enter the
  dates and destination. All expenses related to
  personal portion of travel will be at travelers
  cost.
• Travel Office will document the charges if any on
  the invoice.

5
Traveler Division Approval SectionSignatures

• Prior to travel booking, the TA must be fully
  completed and approved by Heads
• or designee. The D/S/C Head or Designee must
  sign in the box provided.
• If D/S/C Head is same as the travelers
  supervisor, Head signs in the D/S/C Head
  Signature box provided.
• Applies to all travel( Domestic and foreign)
• Travel Authorization must be signed and approved
  by Conference Regulator
• If Domestic Conference, CAAR must be submitted
  via email to Marilyn Dixon.
• CAAR as a Word doc. Approved TA as a PDF.
• If Foreign Conference, CAAR must be attached
  within FTMS as a Word.doc.
• Conf Regulator must verify that FTMS conference
  is entered correctly before submission.

6
Changes to TA after submission

• Once TA is submitted to the Travel Office,
  desired changes must be communicated to the
  Travel Office for further action. This applies
  to both Domestic and Foreign Travel. Changes may
  require re-approval.
• Advance related changes or additions MUST be
  handled through the Travel Office.
• This applies to both Domestic and Foreign Travel.
• Car rental Addition of car rental will require
  approval from the Division. This applies to
  Foreign Travel only. For Domestic Travel, please
  follow your internal D/S/C guidelines for adding
  a car rental.

7
Preparing Travel Expense Voucher

• Voucher Settlement
• Upon completion of the trip, the Travel Expense
  Voucher and receipts must be forwarded to the
• Accounting Dept at MS 112 for settlement/payment.
  The Accounting Dept will not finalize
  settlement/payment unless the original copy of
  the approved Expense Voucher and copy of
• Travel Authorization is submitted. Be sure to
  include payments owed to Fermilab.
• Copy of the Approved TA
• Original Approved Expense Voucher
• Receipts
• Supporting Documents
• Signature requirement. Approver of Expenses must
  sign and date.

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Preparing Travel Expense Voucher cont

• If meal expenses are included in the Registration
  fees, the M IE rate is reduced per link provided
  in the Expense Voucher tabs of the TA.
• When some or all of a traveler's meals are
  provided either by the hotel, host or included in
  the
• registration fees, the per diem rate is reduced,
  regardless of whether the traveler
• chooses to eat the meals provided.  A written
  justification is required if per diem is claimed
  for meals provided.
• Continental breakfasts are not considered
  breakfast for rate reduction purposes.  Meal
  reimbursement is reduced by a portion of the
  daily per diem rate in accordance with current
  standard meals and incidental expenses (MIE)
  breakdowns per the Federal Travel Regulations for
  domestic areas, which can be accessed at the GSA
  Domestic MIE website and the GSA Foreign MIE
  website.  If an optional banquet or meal fee is
  charged at a conference, this fee is considered a
  personal expense.
• http//bss.fnal.gov/travel/meals.html

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Recap of TA/Expense Voucher Submission

• Trip Authorization
• Travel Authorization section of the form must be
  fully completed and signed by the Travelers,
• Div/Sec/Ctr Head, and/or other designated
  Approvers.
• Once the Travel Authorization Form is completed
  in Excel and the proper signatures and
  authorizations obtained, the original Travel
  Authorization Form and a Cost Estimate Sheet must
  be sent to the Travel Office prior to making
  travel plans.
• Travel Advance
• When a travel advance is requested on the Travel
  Authorization form, the Cashier will be notified
  to process the advance. Do not send the
  original or photocopies of the form directly to
  the Cashier. Accounting requires a minimum of
  five working days in order to process requests
  for a travel advance.Travel Advance will be sent
  via interoffice mail. If, other arrangements are
  needed, contact Cashier's Office at 630-840-5808.
  Retain a copy of the Travel Authorization for
  your records. It will be required for the
  settlement process. Non-employee travelers are
  generally not eligible for a travel advance.
• Voucher Settlement
• Upon completion of the trip, the Travel Expense
  Voucher, a copy of the TA, and receipts must be
  forwarded to the Accounting Dept at MS 112 for
  settlement/payment. The Accounting Dept will not
  finalize settlement/payment unless the original
  copy of the approved Expense Voucher and copy of
  Travel Authorization is submitted. Be sure to
  include payments owed to Fermilab.