This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated

 

HHS Chapter 1-20
Travel Manual
HHS Transmittal 2000.02 - December 15, 2000

Subject: Travel Planning


1-20-00         Purpose
1-20-10         General Policies
1-20-20         Conferences Involving Employee Temporary Duty Travel


1-20-00         PURPOSE


The purpose of this chapter is to emphasize the need to plan travel assignments. Travel is costly to HHS both in the expenditure of funds and in the application of human resources. The travel of HHS employees can be most effectively applied to the attainment of program goals if it is planned, coordinated, and controlled in the same manner as other program activities. This chapter also references and supplements guidance in the Federal Travel Regulation related to planning for conferences involving temporary duty travel by employees.


1-20-10         GENERAL POLICIES


HHS authorizing and approving officials will limit the authorization and payment of travel expenses to travel that is necessary to accomplish the HHS mission in the most economical and effective manner, in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation and HHS internal travel policy guidelines.


Federal Travel Regulation Guidelines:

• FTR Part 301-70.1 Agency Responsibilities, Subpart A, General Policies and Procedures


A. Planning for Official Travel




Authorizing officials should undertake the following actions to contain travel costs by emphasizing the following measures when planning for official travel:


• Plan and notify the employee far enough in advance to allow the traveler to use the mode of transportation that is most advantageous to the Department. Generally, the use of common carriers is the most-advantageous; the use of privately-owned or commercially-rented automobiles is the least advantageous.



• Direct that travel in Government-owned, commercially-rented and privately owned automobiles be held to a minimum.



• Conduct business via telephone, teleconference, or video conference in lieu of the more costly travel alternatives, when possible.
  
  
• For local travel, require prior authorization for a rental car.



• Direct the use of shuttle bus and/or mass transit service to the maximum extent possible.



• Review travel itineraries in order to:



• Combine functions that can be carried out by one employee or by fewer employees than originally scheduled;



• Accomplish in one trip several assignments at facilities in one geographical area;



• Coordinate the schedules for trips of several employees so that they can use one automobile rather than several; and



• Hold meetings at reasonably central locations to minimize travel costs.



B. Special Considerations for Permanent Change of Station Moves



Advance planning of an employee's relocation to a new official station is especially important because of the potential costs of such a move. In planning the costs of a permanent change of station, careful consideration must be given to such factors as:

• Whether the employee will be on temporary duty assignment at the new official station and thus have the opportunity to find new living quarters without the need for separate house hunting trips; and



• Whether a need for temporary quarters at the new station can be avoided by an advance house hunting trip. Consider the relative costs of the two alternatives.




1-20-20         CONFERENCE PLANNING INVOLVING EMPLOYEE TEMPORARY DUTY TRAVEL


HHS officials and staff who are responsible for planning and arranging for conferences involving the temporary duty travel of Federal employees will follow Federal Travel Regulation requirements to ensure that costs are minimized and use of Government-owned or Government provided conference facilities is maximized. They will identify opportunities to reduce costs in selecting the conference location and facility and they will consider a minimum of three sites. For each conference sponsored or funded for 30 or more attendees where the majority of attendees (more than 50 percent) are Federal employees in temporary duty travel status, they will maintain written documentation of the cost of each alternative conference site and the selection rationale. This documentation must be available for inspection by the Office of Inspector General or other interested parties for six years.


When HHS sponsors or funds, in whole or in part, a conference held at a place of public accommodation in the United States, a FEMA-approved accommodation must be used in accordance with 15 U.S.C. 2225a, unless the head of the HHS Operating or Staff Division (or his/her designated senior official) makes a written determination to waive this requirement because it is necessary in the public interest for the particular event. This requirement is cited in the FTR, but it applies to all conferences whether or not employee travel is involved. See paragraph B. below.


Conference Lodging Allowance - If necessary, Federal employees who travel to attend a conference may be authorized a conference lodging allowance of up to a 25 percent increase (rounded to the next highest dollar) in the lodging portion of the applicable per diem allowance. The M&IE portion of the per diem allowance is the same as under the lodging plus per diem method. The conference lodging allowance applies to conferences held in all locations: continental U.S., non-foreign, and foreign areas. For Government sponsored conferences, a senior official at the sponsoring agency will determine the appropriate conference lodging allowance, that will be allowable for all federal employees authorized to attend the conference. For non-Government sponsored conferences, the travel authorizing official of the federal employee may authorize the conference lodging allowance rate. Under this reimbursement method, employees will be reimbursed the actual amount incurred for lodging up to the conference lodging allowance.


Federal Travel Regulation Guidelines:

• Federal Travel Amendment 89 amends FTR Part 301-74 Conference Planning




Effective Date: January 14, 2000


A. Internal Controls Over Planning for Conferences Involving Employee Travel


Heads of Operating and Staff Divisions are responsible for establishing appropriate management controls over the conference planning process to ensure compliance with Federal Travel Regulation requirements and the supplemental HHS guidance contained in this chapter.


B. Granting Waivers of Requirement to Use FEMA-approved Accommodations for Conferences


The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) publishes a list of hotels/motels that meet fire and life requirements of the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990. Federally funded meetings and conferences cannot be held in properties that do not comply with this law, unless a written waiver is granted for a particular event based upon a public interest need.


• Heads of Operating (OPDIV) and Staff (STAFFDIV) Divisions or their designees are responsible for making a written determination on an individual case basis that waiver of the requirement to use FEMA-approved accommodations for a particular conference or meeting is necessary in the public interest.



• Each HHS Operating or Staff Division who provides federal funds through contracts or grants to non-Federal entities is responsible for notifying awardees of this prohibition.




Within OPDIVs and STAFFDIVs, authority to issue waivers of this requirement may be delegated in writing to a senior official or employee who is given waiver authority with respect to all conferences sponsored or funded, in whole or in part, by the organization.


C. Selection of Sites Within Participants Duty Area


The general rule to be followed is that, if the majority of the meeting participants are from the same metropolitan area, the meeting location should be within the metropolitan area in order to minimize the cost of per diem and transportation. Meetings may be held outside the metropolitan area under the following circumstances:


• When differences in travel and time and costs are not significant.



• When another location provides needed facilities or equipment not readily available (or available only at a high cost) in the immediate area.



• When it can be established that isolation of the participants from the immediate area is necessary for the accomplishment of the meeting's purposes.



• When the purpose of the meeting is specifically centered around a specific geographical locale, such as a site visit to inspect a grantee or a given physical facility.




D. Selection of Sites Outside Participants Duty Area


If the attendees are from scattered locations, a site should be chosen which is reasonably central to the majority of participants in order to equalize travel time. Meetings controlled by Regional and other field offices should always be held within Regional and field office boundaries. There are two exceptions to these rules:

• Meetings to be attended by the Secretary or the Deputy Secretary may be held in Washington, even if this is not a central location for the majority of attendees.



• Where an exception has been granted by a designated senior official within the Operating or Staff Division.




When meeting participants are from scattered locations, consideration should be given to timing the HHS meeting to coordinate with already scheduled professional meetings, seminars, or workshops at which the HHS meeting participants will be in attendance.


E. Special Restriction on Conferences to be Held in District of Columbia


Under 40 U.S.C. 34, Federal agencies may not directly procure lodging facilities in the District of Columbia (D.C.) without specific authorization and appropriation from Congress. (Note: this provision does not prohibit payment of per diem to an employee in travel status who is lodging in D.C.)


Under 41 CFR 101-17.101-4, HHS components must coordinate with the servicing GSA National Capital Region Office in order to obtain short-term conference meeting space in D.C. This is to ensure that available Federal conference space is considered in the selection process. For assistance in procuring conference space in D.C., contact your OPDIV Acquisition officer.


F. Meetings of Advisory Councils and Committees


Meetings of advisory councils and committees that involve attendee travel are generally subject to the Federal Travel Regulation requirements for conference planning. Supplemental guidance can also be found in the HHS General Administration Manual, Chapter 9 on Federal Advisory Committees, Section 9-00-90, Conduct of Committee Business. In the HHS Transmittal 98/01 (issued 9/30/98), Paragraph B.1., Committee Meetings, Selection of Meeting Site Locations states: "Meetings must be held at reasonable times and at places that are reasonably accessible to members of the public, including accommodations for physically challenged individuals, if requested. Whenever feasible, Government facilities must be used and meetings held in places involving the least expense to the Department." Hard copies of the HHS General Administration Manual may be obtained from the Office of Marketing, Program Support Center.


G. Appropriateness in Terms of Public Perception


It is not Department policy to automatically rule out any particular location as a meeting site. However, it is the responsibility of all who approve meeting sites and attendance at meetings to avoid, both in fact and in appearance, an impression that Federal funds are being used to finance holidays or junkets for employees. Accordingly, meeting sponsors shall not hold meetings at resort areas to which the general public is attracted because of recreational facilities, unless that area is the location best suited for the purpose of the meeting in terms of program needs and cost factors.


H. Light Refreshments at an Official Conference for Federal Employees In Temporary Duty Travel Status - Authorized under the Federal Travel Regulation


The Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) covers travel-related expenses of Federal employees in temporary duty travel status, who travel to attend conferences. The FTR authorization to use appropriated funds for light refreshments does not apply to Federal employees attending conferences at their duty station/local travel area nor to non-Federal attendees.




Definitions:

• Light refreshments are defined in the Federal Travel Regulation to include, but not be limited to: coffee, tea, milk, juice, soft drinks, donuts, bagels, fruit, pretzels, cookies, chips, or muffins. Light refreshments are not meals.
• For a definition of "employee" under the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), please see FTR 301-1.2. It includes: agency employees, experts and consultants intermittently employed by the Government and paid on a daily when-actually-employed basis (these are not contractors), and invitational travelers (individuals serving at no pay or for $1 a year on behalf of the Government)
  .




Effective January 1, 2001, it is HHS policy that the Federal Travel Regulation authority to use appropriated funds to pay for light refreshments for Federal employees may only be used at official conferences when all four conditions are met:




• The conference is being held for an official HHS mission requirement for which employee temporary duty travel has been authorized through the issuance of travel orders;



• The majority of attendees (at least 51%) are Federal employees who are in temporary duty travel status (under the FTR definition of employee stated above).



• The conference duration is at least four hours; AND



• Appropriate procurement processes have been followed to order and fund these light refreshments in advance of the conference.
  
  

NOTE:

• When light refreshments are furnished to Federal employees in travel status, there should be no reduction in the traveler's per diem Meals and Incidental Expenses allowance.
• If the official conference meets all four mandatory criteria listed above and light refreshments are provided, all Federal attendees (including Federal attendees in their local travel area) may partake at no personal cost.
• There is no legal authority under the FTR to use appropriated funds to pay for light refreshments for non-Federal attendees, even when the four mandatory criteria listed above are met.
• Heads of Operating Divisions or their designees may require a higher percentage of attendees to be Federal employees in temporary duty travel status (more than 51%) or they may determine that light refreshments will not be authorized under this authority. However, there is no legal authority under the FTR for any HHS organization to waive or lower the requirement that a majority of the attendees must be Federal employees in temporary duty travel status.




The provision of light refreshments is not a travel cost. It is a conference administrative cost (similar to reserving a conference room and equipment) and needs to be authorized through standard procurement processes. As a result, it is HHS policy that an employee may not order or pay for a conference's light refreshments using the HHS travel charge card (which should only be used for the employee's individual travel expenses related to official travel). Also, an employee may not submit a travel claim to be reimbursed for personal expenditures to pay for providing a conference's light refreshments. For budget/accounting purposes, light refreshments served at a conference under this FTR authority should be charged to sub-object class 25.2X.


Note: This section of the HHS Travel Manual does not address when other legal authorities, such as the Government Employees' Training Act (5 U.S. Code, Sections 4109 and 4110) and the Government Employees' Incentive Awards Act (5 U.S. Code, Sections 4501-4506), authorize the provision of food at conferences, meetings, etc., regardless of the travel status of the employee. HHS offices who are hosting official conferences (involving or not involving employee travel) should consult with their OPDIV Acquisition Officers for advice and assistance in procuring conference space, equipment, and/or food, as needed and appropriate, and when and how to charge registration fees for the cost of these items. Guidelines for procuring and paying for these items are outside the scope of the Federal Travel Regulation and the HHS Travel Manual. Similarly, HHS OPDIVs may wish to check with the HHS Office of General Counsel for guidance on any appropriation law questions they may have regarding the use of appropriated funds for the purchase of food to serve to federal employees at meetings, conferences, etc.