Defense Travel System Helpful Hints

1. Defense Travel System Helpful Hints George Greiling 2009 GSA Expo June 10 & 11, 2009

2. Agenda • Travel Regulations • Travel Agent Fees • Premium Class Travel • Lodging, Meals and Incidental Expenses • Rental Car • Miscellaneous Reimbursable Expenses • Foreign Currency • Receipts • Government Travel Charge Card 2

3. Travel Regulations • Defense Transportation Regulation Part I (DOD 4500.9-R) – for all travelers • Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) – for civilians • Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTR) – for uniformed members

4. Travel Agent Fees • Fees may be entered as an expense when it has already been automatically entered in document • Some contracts are centrally funded and individual fees are not charged • Individual fees are billed to the same form of payment as the air or rail ticket • Some travel agents return fee data electronically and DTS AUTOMATICALLY inputs the expense in air/rail reservation screen • DO NOT duplicate as an expense item (unless a second fee was charged for ticket changes) Know your local business rules

5. Premium Class Travel • High area of interest from Congress, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) • ALL first and business class air travel requires outside DTS approval IAW the JFTR/JTR • Must have prior authorization • Approval MUST be reported in a DTMO Premium Class reporting tool • Upgrades purchased with traveler’s funds or frequent flyer miles do not have to be approved or reported

6. Lodging • CONUS & non-foreign OCONUS claim for hotel taxes • Ask for government tax exemption • Claim as a non-mileage expense • Enter as one total cost for the trip or one daily cost • Foreign OCONUS • Taxes are part of the Per Diem rate – do NOT claim as a separate expense • Enter with room cost on Per Entitlements screen • Rate is based on location of TDY mission – NOT where you slept or airport used

7. Meals & Incidental Expenses • Adjust arrival date for any overnight flights • Must be adjusted for special duty conditions (e.g., leave, meals provided, field conditions) • Claim proportional meal rate on any day one or two meals are provided (via a conference registration fee, etc) • For overseas locations, AO has the authority to determine if the $3.50 incidental expense (IE) rate is sufficient rather than the locality IE rate • Must be done before the authorization is approved • If the AO does not act, the locality rate applies

8. Rental Car • Book through CTO (mandatory) • Use approved vendors, using the government rate • Rental car cost can be entered as a single cost item • Claimed on the Travel tab>Rental Car if reserved through DTS • Claimed as a non-mileage expense if NOT reserved through DTS • Gas normally claimed as a reimbursable expense • Watch for prepaid gas on the receipt and traveler claiming as a reimbursable expense • GPS is NOT reimbursable

9. Rental Car (continued) • Government rate includes insurance • Extra insurance in CONUS & non-foreign OCONUS is NOT reimbursable • Base rate is in even dollars for US locations • $5 per day Government Administrative Rate Supplement (GARS)

10. Airport Transportation • Travelers are authorized a round trip from home to airport/train terminal • Parking not to exceed round trip cab fare • Mileage and tolls for 2 round trips if someone (e.g., spouse) transports traveler and traveler incurs the cost • Mileage based on the odometer • No long term airport parking • Cab or shuttle fare • If riding with another traveler, no reimbursement authorized • Driver can claim extra mileage to pickup passengers

11. Use of Privately Owned Vehicle • If more advantageous to the government, use can be authorized by AO • Authorized mileage IAW the Defense Table of Official Distances (DTOD) • Mileage rate adjusted by General Services Administration (GSA) • Service members may claim actual gas expense in lieu of mileage rate (if AO authorizes before travel begins) BUT NOT BOTH • Can claim tolls and parking

12. Miscellaneous Reimbursable Expenses

13. Miscellaneous Reimbursable Expenses (continued) • Watch for: • Curbside baggage fees - NOT reimbursable • Airline baggage fees • Must be consistent with local business rules for excess baggage • Double claim for travel agent fee • May have been automatically entered in document • Do not duplicate as an expense

14. Foreign Currency • For cash transactions, use currency exchange rate paid at bank, hotel, airport, etc. • For travel charge card charges, use bank charge card data to determine exchange rate • Use link in DTS • Use CitiDirect • International currency transaction fees for official transactions on government charge cards are reimbursable

15. Receipts • Receipts must be submitted with voucher • Must show services provided and associated costs • Must be electronically attached to the DTS voucher • Remember to: • Consolidate smaller receipts on one page • Create multiple page scanned or faxed documents • Fax each document separately • Make sure they are readable • Air travel • Airline boarding passes are NOT sufficient • Travel agent receipt (not itinerary or invoice) is OK • Can obtain an airline receipt at airport check-in kiosk

16. Receipts (continued) • Lodging • Required for ALL lodging • Individual expenses $75 or more (includes airline and rail tickets on both IBA AND CBA) • Hotel receipts cannot be imported • Electronic receipts do not include sufficient level of detail • Receipts include charges that are paid in different parts of DTS • Charges that are NOT reimbursable expenses: • Movies • Spa services • Room service

17. Lodging Receipt - Example Per Diem Entitlement Screen Non-mileage expense Not reimbursable – get M&IE Non-mileage expense Not reimbursable Not reimbursable Non-mileage expense if authorized* Non-mileage expense if authorized* *See Appendix G for miscellaneous reimbursable expenses

18. Government Travel Charge Card • Split Disbursement • DTS has ability to add money to your individually billed account (IBA) payment to cover: • ATM advances • Meals • Balance of travel allowance is paid to the traveler’s bank account • ADDITIONAL OPTIONS > PAYMENT TOTALS

19. Still Have Questions? • Contact your Military Advisory Panel (MAP) or Civilian Advisory Panel (CAP) member with specifics http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/phdir.html