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HHS Chapter 1-10
Travel Manual
HHS Transmittal 2000.02 - December 15, 2000

Subject: HHS Travel Policies


1-10-00         Purpose
1-10-10         Federal Travel Regulation
1-10-20         HHS Travel Manual
1-10-30         Travel Guidance on the Internet
1-10-40         Delegations of Authority for Travel

Exhibit
1-10-A          Delegation of Authority Memoranda (retyped)



1-10-00         PURPOSE


The purpose of this chapter is to define the relationship between the governmentwide Federal Travel Regulation and the HHS Travel Manual and to provide a readily accessible copy of the most recent HHS delegations of travel authority.


1-10-10         FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION


HHS travel policies for employees, except Commissioned Officers of the Public Health Service, are governed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), issued by the General Services Administration (GSA). The FTR implements statutory requirements and Executive branch policies for travel by Federal civilian employees and others authorized to travel at Government expense.


The Federal Travel Regulation consists of:


• Chapter 300 - General, Introduction and Agency Reporting Requirements
• Chapter 301 - Temporary Duty Travel Allowances
• Chapter 302 - Relocation Allowances
• Chapter 303 - Payment of Expenses Connected with the Death of Certain Employees
• Chapter 304 - Payment from a Non-Federal Source for Travel Expense
  
  

Per diem rates for civilian HHS employees are set by three authorities:


• Continental United States (CONUS) - General Services Administration
• Non-foreign Areas (Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and territories and possessions of U.S.) - Department of Defense, Per Diem, Travel and Transportation Allowance Committee
• Foreign Areas - Department of State




Travel policies and per diem rates for Commissioned Officers of the Public Health Service are governed by the Joint Federal Travel Regulation (JFTR), issued by the Per Diem, Travel and Transportation Allowance Committee, chartered under the Department of Defense. Its members include the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service.


1-10-20         HHS TRAVEL MANUAL


The HHS Travel Manual, issued by the Office of Finance, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget (ASMB), is the official documentation of Departmentwide supplemental policy guidance to the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) for HHS civilian employees.


Many provisions of the Federal Travel Regulation require agencies to develop more specific internal policies, procedures, and systems to administer the regulation. The HHS Travel Manual provides supplemental policy guidance on key FTR provisions, where a Departmentwide, standard supplemental policy is deemed appropriate. Under the HHS staff manual system, Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) may then augment the FTR and/or Department level policy with their own supplemental policy and procedures guidance, which must be consistent with the FTR and Department's policy requirements.


At the Department level, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget is responsible for providing national bargaining units that have consultation rights with the opportunity to review and comment on proposed policy before it is issued in the HHS Travel Manual. Some travel policies may impact on conditions of employment for bargaining unit employees. It is the responsibility of OPDIV management to communicate with their local bargaining units on proposed travel policy changes (stemming from FTR, HHS Travel Manual, or OPDIV policy determinations) and for negotiating impact and implementation.


The HHS Division of Commissioned Personnel, a component of the Program Support Center, is responsible for developing and issuing travel and relocation policy guidance, supplemental to the Joint Federal Travel Regulation, to cover HHS employees who are Commissioned Officers of the Public Health Service. This guidance is published in separate pamphlets that are not part of the HHS Travel Manual.


The HHS Travel Manual focuses on the financial management policies pertaining to travel and relocation, as governed by the Federal Travel Regulation. The Federal Travel Regulation and the HHS Travel Manual address travel by employees; they do not address travel by contractors or grantees.


Personnel policies, including when employees are in travel or relocation status, are outside the scope of the HHS Travel Manual and the policy purview of the ASMB Office of Finance. HHS managers and employees should seek the guidance of their servicing personnel office for policies pertaining to pay, personnel benefits, and requirements for overseas assignments (such as cost of living allowances and hardship pay differentials), leave, and other personnel actions involving employees in travel or relocation status.


1-10-30         TRAVEL GUIDANCE ON THE INTERNET


HHS employees may access the HHS Office of Finance Internet Website Travel pages to obtain information on: Governmentwide Travel Guidance links (such as the Federal Travel Regulation and Joint Federal Travel Regulation), HHS Travel Guidance (such as chapters from the HHS Travel Manual, as they are updated), and Traveler Aids (such as weather, maps, etc.). The website is: www.os.hhs.gov/of/travel. Travel guidance for Commissioned Officers of the Public Health Service may be found at: http://dcp.psc.gov.


1-10-40         HHS DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY FOR ADMINISTERING TRAVEL

In separate memoranda, dated February 28, 1996, the Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget issued "Delegations of Authority - Travel" to Heads of Operating Divisions and Heads of Staff Divisions, respectively. Exhibit 1-10-A contains the text of these two memoranda.


The 1996 delegations of authority cover the authorization and approval of all domestic and foreign travel and permanent change of station for civilian employees. The other listed items, such as advance of funds, use of noncontract air carrier, etc., are actually sub-components of these higher level authorities and are intended to clarify, but not restrict, these higher level authorities.

 

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MEMORANDUM (RETYPED)


DATE: February 28, 1996
FROM: Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget
SUBJECT: Delegation of Authority - Travel; Administrative Resolution of Cash Fund Irregularities; Approval Involving Claims of $25 or Less
TO: Heads of Operating Divisions



AUTHORITY TO DELEGATE - Under the authority vested in me by the Secretary, I hereby delegate to you the following authorities:


AUTHORITIES DELEGATED:


A. Authorization and approval of the following for OPDIV personnel located at the headquarters and in the regions:

1. Domestic Travel (D)

2. Foreign Travel (F)

3. Permanent Change of Station Civilian Employees (CS)

4. Advance of Funds (AF)

5. Actual and Necessary Travel and Subsistence Expense (AN)

6. Travel Expenses Relating to Missing Persons (MP)

7. Travel Expenses Relating to Deceased and Injured Employees and Deceased Dependents (DI)

8. The Use of Noncontract Air Carrier (CA)

9. The Use of Cash to Purchase Domestic Passenger Transportation in Excess of $100 - (a) Emergency Domestic Transportation (DT) and (b) Nonemergency Domestic Transportation (NDT)

10. Acceptance of Payment in Cash or In-Kind to Cover Travel Expenses (CK)

11. Approval of Doubtful Claims of $25 or Less (DC)

12. Approval of Premium Class Travel (PC)

Authorities designated as D, F, CS, AF, AN, MP, DI, CA, DT, NDT, CK, DC, and PC may be redelegated to the level you deem appropriate. Because of the high visibility of the authorities designated as AN, NDT, CK, and PC it is anticipated that there will be continued Congressional and public inquiries of these type of authorizations. Therefore, the redelegations should be at a level that will ensure adequate review of the need for these requests.


As a matter of Departmental policy, no official may authorize or approve his or her own travel. You should designate an official from within your organization for this purpose, and notify me of this designation. In the event that someone other than the designated official approves your travel, the ASMB should be notified and provided with adequate justification as to why the travel documents were not signed by the designated official.


Requirements and instructions for exercising these authorities are contained in the Departmental Travel Manual.


Reporting Requirements and Responsibilities - As you empower your management officials with these delegated authorities, there must also be corresponding accountability. The delegated officials will be required to maintain necessary records to respond to any internal audits or external inquiries from the Congress and control agencies regarding these approvals. These officials should also be required to timely report any incident that could potentially cause criticism or have a negative impact on this Department or the Secretary.


Additionally, the authorities designated as CK and PC, both have external reporting requirements associated with them. ASMB retains the Departmental reporting responsibility for these. You should continue to submit your reports to the ASMB's Deputy Assistant Secretary, Finance 15 days prior to the due dates for consolidation and submission to GSA and OGE. The acceptance of payment in Cash or Kind report is due semi-annually (May 15 and October 15 of each year) and the Premium Class report is due annually (45 days after the end of each fiscal year).


B. I further redelegate to you the following authority:


1. To resolve by appropriate administrative action, cash and fund loss irregularities amounting to less than $750 arising from a single incident, or a series of similar incidents, occurring about the same time. This authority may be redelegated to heads of major organizations reporting directly to you and to their chief administrative officers without further redelegation.


2. To designate certifying officers and cashiers. This authority may be redelegated to the appropriate level using the Department of Treasury's TFS Form 2958.


Requirements and instructions for exercising these authorities are contained in the Treasury Fiscal Requirements Manual and the HHS Voucher Examination Manual.


Effective Date - These delegations are effective immediately.


Effect or Prior Delegations - These delegations supersede all previous delegations. Existing redelegations may remain in effect for no more than 90 days from the effective date of these delegations.



/s/


John J. Callahan


cc: Heads of Staff Divisions
Inspector General
Regional Directors





MEMORANDUM (RETYPED)



DATE: February 28, 1996
FROM: Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget
SUBJECT: Delegation of Authority - Travel; Administrative Resolution of Cash Fund Irregularities; Approval Involving Claims of $25 or Less
TO: Heads of Staff Divisions


AUTHORITY TO DELEGATE - Under the authority vested in me by the Secretary, I hereby delegate to you the following authorities:


AUTHORITIES DELEGATED:


A. Authorization and approval of the following for STAFFDIV personnel located at the headquarters and in the regions:


1. Domestic Travel (D)

2. Foreign Travel (F)

3. Permanent Change of Station Civilian Employees (CS)

4. Advance of Funds (AF)

5. Actual and Necessary Travel and Subsistence Expense (AN)

6. Travel Expenses Relating to Missing Persons (MP)

7. Travel Expenses Relating to Deceased and Injured Employees and Deceased Dependents (DI)

8. The Use of Noncontract Air Carrier (CA)

9. The Use of Cash to Purchase Domestic Passenger Transportation in Excess of $100 - (a) Emergency Domestic Transportation (DT) and (b) Nonemergency Domestic

Transportation (NDT)

10. Acceptance of Payment in Cash or In-Kind to Cover Travel Expenses (CK)

11. Approval of Doubtful Claims of $25 or Less (DC)

12. Approval of Premium Class Travel (PC)

Authorities designated as D, F, CS, AF, AN, MP, DI, CA, DT, NDT, CK, DC, and PC may be redelegated to the level you deem appropriate. Because of the high visibility of the authorities designated as AN, NDT, CK, and PC it is anticipated that there will be continued Congressional and public inquiries of these type of authorizations. Therefore, the redelegations should be at a level that will ensure adequate review of the need for these requests.


As a matter of Departmental policy, no official may authorize or approve his or her own travel. You should designate an official from within your organization for this purpose, and notify me of this designation. In the event that someone other than the designated official approves your travel, the ASMB should be notified and provided with adequate justification as to why the travel documents were not signed by the designated official.


Requirements and instructions for exercising these authorities are contained in the Departmental Travel Manual.


Reporting Requirements and Responsibilities - As you empower your management officials with these delegated authorities, there must also be corresponding accountability. The delegated officials will be required to maintain necessary records to respond to any internal audits or external inquiries from the Congress and control agencies regarding these approvals. These officials should also be required to timely report any incident that could potentially cause criticism or have a negative impact on this Department or the Secretary.


Additionally, the authorities designated as CK and PC, both have external reporting requirements associated with them. ASMB retains the Departmental reporting responsibility for these. You should continue to submit your reports to the ASMB's Deputy Assistant Secretary, Finance 15 days prior to the due dates for consolidation and submission to GSA and OGE. The acceptance of payment in Cash or Kind report is due semi-annually (May 15 and October 15 of each year) and the Premium Class report is due annually (45 days after the end of each fiscal year).


B. I further redelegate to you the following authority:


1. To resolve by appropriate administrative action, cash and fund loss irregularities amounting to less than $750 arising from a single incident, or a series of similar incidents, occurring about the same time. This authority may be redelegated to heads of major organizations reporting directly to you and to their chief administrative officers without further redelegation.


2. To designate certifying officers and cashiers. This authority may be redelegated to the appropriate level using the Department of Treasury's TFS Form 2958.


Requirements and instructions for exercising these authorities are contained in the Treasury Fiscal Requirements Manual and the HHS Voucher Examination Manual.


Effective Date - These delegations are effective immediately.


Effect or Prior Delegations - These delegations supersede all previous delegations. Existing redelegations may remain in effect for no more than 90 days from the effective date of these delegations.



/s/


John J. Callahan


cc: Heads of Operating Divisions
Inspector General
Regional Directors