The Texas A&M University SystemOffice of Budgets & Accounting

Employee Travel Training February 25, 2009

Presenters: Tracy Crowley & Jennifer Montgomery

Class ObjectivesLearn where to find the information

regarding travel rules and regulationsLearn how to use the Texas

Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) online travel resource, Textravel

Learn how to complete request for travel reimbursement form

AgendaAgency and employee responsibilitiesState Travel Management Program

(STMP) STMP Travel ContractsTravel Planning Travel Rates and RequirementsState of Texas Web Resource,

TextravelTravel Reimbursement Process

TimelineTravel Reimbursement Form

DemonstrationQ&A

Agency and Employee Responsibilities

Agencies must properly train employees on travel regulations and keep them informed of any changes in travel rules. Agencies must ensure that all travel reimbursements are examined prior to payment to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations and limitations. Employees must ensure that their travel complies with applicable laws and rules and must not seek reimbursement for travel expenses that the employee should reasonably know are not reimbursable. The Comptroller is required by law to properly audit all claims submitted for payment. Therefore, all payment transactions are subject to audit regardless of amount or materiality.

Source: Textravel https://fmx.cpa.state.tx.us/fmx/travel/textravel/index.php

State Travel Management Program (STMP) The Texas Procurement and Support Services (TPASS)

is a division of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts that awards and manages statewide contracts.

TPASS has a wide variety of functional areas to assist vendors with how to do business with the state and to support other state agencies and cooperative purchasing members in procuring goods and services.

The program area for travel is the State Travel Management Program (STMP). http://www.window.state.tx.us/procurement/prog/stmp/

STMP Travel ContractsTPASS has negotiated the

following travel contracts:◦ Airlines ◦ Corporate Charge Card ◦ Hotels ◦ Rental Car ◦ Travel Agency

State agencies must use contract travel services whenever those services provide the most efficient travel resulting in the total lowest cost

Exceptions are detailed on the travel reimbursement form

Report problems with contract vendors to STMP

STMP Travel ContractsContract Exceptions:

◦Lower Cost to the State◦Unavailability of Contract Travel

Services◦Special Needs◦Custodians of Persons◦In Travel Status◦Group Program◦Emergency Response◦Legally Required Attendance

STMP Travel Contracts

Airlines Contract Term: June 1, 2008 – March 31, 2009

◦ American Airlines◦ JetBlue Airways

Provide maximum flexibility, but are not always the lowest cost

Designed for last minute and/or fully refundable travel requirements

Utilize 14-day advance or other lower cost airline fares for planned travel requirements to obtain the lowest possible cost to the state

Mandatory form of payment is a state issued-JPMorgan Chase corporate travel charge card account

STMP Travel Contracts

Hotels Contract Term: Fiscal year September 1 – August 31 In order to be awarded a contract with the State of

Texas, hotels must offer a 20-25 % discount off their standard rack rates for single room.

STMP web site offers searchable contract hotel listing◦ http://portal.cpa.state.tx.us/hotel/hotel_directory/index.cfm

State contract rates are available based on the hotel's available inventory

State contract rates may not be available during holidays or special events

STMP Travel ContractsRental Car Contract Term: March 31, 2004 through March 31,

2009◦ Avis Rental Car System, Inc. ◦ Enterprise Rent-A-Car

When making a reservation, provide the name of the state entity of which you're employed and the state entity contract rate identifier number (For System employees, Avis F999710 or Enterprise TX710)

Verify the rental is booked on the State of Texas (SOT) contract rate to insure the contract provisions are included:◦ SOT daily contract rate includes both LDW (loss

damage/waiver or comprehensive) and liability coverage. Some exceptions for specific Avis locations.

◦ Additional or secondary driver fees waived for SOT contract

STMP Travel ContractsCorporate Charge Card

◦ Contract term: June 13, 2003 through August 31, 2009◦ JPMorgan Chase (JPMC) MasterCard

JPMC Individually Billed Accounts (IBA) Eligibility criteria:

take, or be expected to take, three (3) or more trips per fiscal year, or spend at least $500.00 per fiscal year for official state business travel.

Applications available on SOBA web site Individual corporate travel charge cards issued through

the State of Texas are to be used for official state business travel expenses only.

Cardholder is responsible for paying the balance and seeking reimbursement

Typically, travelers use this card for meals, lodging, incidentals.

IBA’s, continuedBenefits of the State-Issued IBA:

◦ Credit limits and payment information are not reported to the credit reporting bureaus, thus affecting personal credit history, unless the JPMC account is charged off.

◦ No Account Fees◦ Travel Accident Insurance ◦ Lost Luggage Insurance

State Designated Limitations:◦ $200 limit per billing cycle on non-travel (retail)

charges(In some instances, charges for travel-related expenses such as parking, taxis, and gasoline may be coded by the merchant as "retail." )

JPMC Central Billed AccountsJPMC Central Bill Account (CBA)◦SOBA works with each department to

establish a CBA for their specific travel needs

◦Bills directly to department◦Monthly billing cycle ends on the

10th◦For air, rail, and bus charges only

In some cases, may include lodging also For hotel CBA:

No State Taxes Allowed No Meals Allowed

Travel PlanningAvoid making plans through online travel

services (Priceline, Travelocity, Orbitz, etc.)◦ Lack of sufficient documentation◦ Difficulty in getting itemized receipts◦ In-State Taxes charged in error, very difficult to

reverseFor in-state hotel stays, present Texas Hotel

Tax Exemption Certificate at check-in ◦ Review receipt at check-out to confirm State Tax

was not charged. (City/Local Taxes are reimbursable.)

For registration fees, charge to departmental purchasing card or submit a request for payment. Employee reimbursements cannot be reimbursed until event occurs.

Textravel, the new State of Texas Travel ResourceThe Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

created Textravel to provide information on state travel laws and rules to state agencies and institutions of higher education. Textravel is based on Texas Government Code Chapter 660, General Appropriations Act, Article IX, Part 5 , and Texas Administrative Code, Title 34, Part 1, Chapter 5, Subchapter C, Section 5.22.

This Web resource is designed to be an easy reference for state agencies and their employees. Links to applicable laws and rules are included. Source: https://fmx.cpa.state.tx.us/fmx/travel/textravel/index.php

Agency Travel RulesState agencies have the

authority to establish more restrictive rules but not less restrictive rules. For more information regarding System Offices rules, please refer to the Disbursement of Funds Guidelines located on our website at:

http://www.tamus.edu/offices/budgets-acct/acct/general/index.html

Travel ReimbursementsRequest for Travel Reimbursements

must be completed and signed by the traveler. Departmental contact information should also be provided. The form is on our website:

http://www.tamus.edu/offices/budgets-acct/acct/centralsvc/index.html

In-state Travel Reimbursement Rates

New mileage rate effective January 1, 2009 - $0.550/mile

Meal rate - $36/day Meal reimbursement amount based on actual meal expenses incurred not to exceed the maximum reimbursement rate. No meal reimbursement unless it is an overnight stay.

Lodging reimbursement rate - $85/day

Out-of-State TravelEmployees traveling Out-of-State

receive up to a maximum flat rate for meals and lodging based on federal regulations. The current Out-of-state Meal and Lodging Rates schedule is available at:

Out-of-State Meal and Lodging Rates - FPP S.003

Documentation for Travel Reimbursements

Where applicable, the following information should be included with the request for travel reimbursement form:• Receipts for lodging costs, showing a zero balance

Please do not use “express check-out” at the hotels. The wording “will be charged to XXXX” and “effective balance of $0” on a hotel bill is not a zero balance receipt.

• Meal cost breakdown per day• Receipts to support claims for reimbursement of

public transportation, airfare, registration fees etc.• Point to point mileage breakdown

When claiming mileage that is different from the State Comptroller’s Mileage Guide, you must include beginning and ending odometer readings.

• Requests for reimbursement of local mileage should be submitted at least monthly.

ReceiptsOriginal lodging receipt required. It must be

complete and show that payment has been made. Present the hotel occupancy tax exemption certificate when checking into the hotel. This is available on our website at:

http://www.tamus.edu/offices/budgets-acct/documents/texas-hotel-occupancy-exemption.pdf

Receipts for meals are not required. However, employees are encouraged to keep a record of meal expenses incurred since they will be reimbursed only for actual expenses incurred, up to the maximum rate allowed.

Airline TicketThe original airline ticket receipt should be

attached to the payment request. An itinerary alone is unacceptable. If the ticket is in the form of an E ticket, the

passenger itinerary or receipt must be attached to the payment request.

The name of the employee and airline, the ticket number, the class of transportation, the fare basis code, the travel dates, the amount of the airfare, and the origin and destination of each flight must be included on the receipt.

Parking ReceiptsReceipts are not required for parking.

Charges must be itemized on a daily basis and must include information on where the parking expense was incurred and the date.

Original receipt must be attached when requesting reimbursement for a rental car. The receipt must separately itemize all charges, including the starting and ending dates of the rental, the name of the renter and any other charges.

Combining State and Personal BusinessIf a traveler combines personal travel

with official state business travel, the traveler is only allowed reimbursement up to the rate published by Textravel.

Any meal, lodging or car rental expenses that were incurred on personal days cannot be reimbursed.

Foreign TravelAppropriated funds may not be used to pay

or reimburse a state employee for travel expenses incurred while traveling to or from a duty point in a foreign country other than Canada and Mexico, unless the Chancellor has approved the travel before departure.

A request for Foreign travel must be completed and submitted to the Chancellor no later than 30 days prior to travel. There is the link to the form on our website:

http://www.tamus.edu/offices/budgets-acct/acct/travel/index.html

Washington, D.C. Travel

Starting with fiscal year 2006, only travelers who intend to confer on legislative or appropriations issues with U.S. Congressmen, or other Federal Government Staff or Officials should submit travel information to the Office of State -Federal Relations (OSFR).

Notification can be made online. The link to the form can be found on our website at:

http://www.tamus.edu/offices/budgets-acct/acct/travel/travel_DC.html

Common IssuesBenefit to the State Requirement

The traveler must provide a statement explaining how their travel benefited the state of Texas. Providing this statement ensures the travel expenses were incurred while conducting state business. “Part of job duties” is not sufficient.

Common Issues cont.“Accompanied By” Requirement

Section 660.030 of the Texas Government Code pertains to the examination of vouchers and reimbursement forms for travel expenses. In order to comply with this code, the traveler is required to provide information regarding who else from the department traveled to the same duty point and why it was necessary for more than one person to travel.

Common Issues cont.4 Per Car Rule

Direct from Textravel: When employees from the same agency travel on the same dates with the same itinerary, they must coordinate travel. When four or fewer employees travel on the same itinerary, only one may be reimbursed for mileage. When more than four employees travel on the same itinerary, only one out of every four may be reimbursed for mileage.

Travel VouchersMost Common Problems

• Missing signature by the traveler• Amounts do not match • Exceptions not checked when non-

contracted hotel/airfare/rental cars used

• Lack of description on second page • Benefit to the state statement not

sufficient• Missing receipts

Timeline for Travel Reimbursement RequestsTraveler makes travel

arrangements and is careful to make arrangements based on the System Office guidelines.

After traveling to their duty point where state business is conducted, the traveler returns to headquarters.

Traveler goes through receipts, then completes and signs the travel reimbursement form.

Timeline for Travel Reimbursement Requests cont.The completed reimbursement

form, along with the required receipts, is submitted to the bookkeeper.

The bookkeeper audits the form and the receipts, then processes an online document to prepare the request for payment.

After receiving departmental approval, the bookkeeper submits the form and receipts to Accounts Payable for processing.

Timeline for Travel Reimbursement Requests cont.Accounts Payable’s goal is to process

vouchers within five business days. The reimbursement request is audited by Accounts Payable. If information is missing, the bookkeeper is notified so the situation can be resolved. The five day turnaround starts over when the missing information is received. Around the time of the holidays, we will announce a submission date that guarantees reimbursement before the holiday break. Any requests received after that date are not guaranteed to be processed before the holiday break

Timeline of Travel Reimbursement Requests cont.Payment Request is processed

and traveler receives travel reimbursement. Direct Deposit, or ACH, is the preferred method of payment. The link to the Employee Direct Deposit Form is on our website at:

http://www.tamus.edu/offices/budgets-acct/acct/general/index.html

Questions?