July 2007-Please be advised that while general policies described below will remain active, meal and mileage claims for travel occurring on or after July 1, 2007 should be paid at Florida Statutory rates instead of GSA.  Please click here  for details regarding state rates.

TRAVEL PROCEDURES OVERVIEW      (rev. March 2007)

   I       General Guidelines

All travel performed at the expense of the University of South Florida (USF) must be for the benefit of USF and have a business purpose supporting the academic programs and support activities of the University and its various organizations. Vice presidents, deans and other accountable officers are ultimately responsible for complying with this policy in their expenditure of USF funds. Travelers are to choose the most practical and economical transportation and lodging available.  With approval of the USF Finance Council, operating units have the authority to employ more          conservative reimbursement practices than University-wide policy dictates, based on the operating needs, budget and available funding of a particular unit.  The appropriate accountable officer approval on the Travel Expense Report also indicates compliance with all operating unit restrictions.

II         Sponsored Travel

Travel reimbursements are generally limited to those allowed by these directives and procedures that govern University-related travel. However, certain sponsored projects (including State grants) may contain provisions that further limit the amount and type of reimbursable travel expenditures. Travelers and appropriate sponsored projects personnel should ensure any proposed travel is in accordance with the sponsored project agreement before the travel begins. A copy of the grant language allowing any exception is required with the reimbursement request.  Accountable officers guarantee by their approval signature that all conditions of the pertinent contract have been met.  When the maximum amount allowable for reimbursement of travel expense under the sponsored project and the maximum amount allowed by USF directive are different, the lesser of the two shall apply.

III       Non-Employee Travel

The provisions of these directives apply to all University of South Florida employees as well as non-employees (e.g., students, prospective employees, speakers, consultants) when traveling at the University's expense.

IV        Travel Authorization

Travel on University business must be authorized in advance and travelers are not to make commitments to travel or to incur travel expenses without first obtaining the appropriate approvals.  A Travel Authorization Request  (TAR) must be completed and approved prior to undertaking travel to conferences, conventions and organized meetings and for all foreign travel.  Other travel requires less formal approval, but should be written in the form of an email or letter to be maintained in the department. 

If the department head wishes to set an overall dollar limit on the amount the University will reimburse a traveler for specific elective travel, the limit should be agreed to by the traveler and documented in writing before the trip. A statement should be included on the TAR or an attached memo, before signatures, indicating the predetermined amount.

The Travel Expense Report (TER), submitted after travel occurs, must be signed by the traveler, the traveler’s supervisor and the appropriate accountable officer.  A signature must appear on the line marked “Supervisor.” The accountable officer’s signature also certifies that the supervisory signature on the Travel Reimbursement Request is appropriate.

V          Travel Advances

Travelers are encouraged to obtain a USF Pcard to avoid the need for a travel advance. For information on USF's Pcard program, please go to the USF Procurement Card Program  website.
Travel advances are issued only in the following situations:

A.  Travel destination is to a remote area where credit cards are not accepted.

B.  Travel is performed for an extended length of time (30 days or more).

C.  The traveler has been denied a credit card.

D.  The traveler is a student. 

E.  The traveler is incurring expenses for students accompanying traveler          

     on the trip.

In these cases the University will authorize payment of up to 100% of airfare plus 80% of remaining estimated expenses on an approved Travel Authorization.  In order to receive a travel advance, a traveler must personally request the advance using the Travel Advance Request Form  and must preauthorize the University to garnish wages if they do not settle their advance within the defined timeframe of 30 workdays after the return to the official headquarters.  Only University employees and students are eligible to receive an advance unless a grant specifically states otherwise.  Current travel advance directives and procedures provide for the following: 

A.     A traveler shall not have more than one advance at a time. 

B.     The advance must be settled no later than 10 workdays from the travel ending date. 

C.     If not settled within 30 workdays, USF will garnish a traveler’s wages through Payroll.

D.     The traveler may make payment arrangements for a garnishment deduction until the cash advance is settled completely.

If the travel advance results in payroll garnishment, then the traveler will not qualify for future travel advances.

VI        Reimbursable Travel Expenses

Transportation

Airfare:   The traveler should procure airline travel in accordance with good purchasing procedures and Chapter 112.061, Florida Statutes.  The University President designates the most economical method of travel. Currently, there is no contracted Airline for USF travel. The University will only pay for coach/non-refundable airfare.  A traveler may be reimbursed the actual and necessary expense incurred for changing flight plans for business reasons.  It is the responsibility of the traveler to substantiate that the charges were proper and necessary.  Any additional charge for changing flight plans due to personal reasons or for the convenience of the traveler will be borne by the traveler.

Rental Car: The State of Florida has entered into a contract with Avis Rent a Car for the rental of cars to employees traveling on State business. The contract reference number is AWD #A113400 and should be provided at the time of reservation and/or pick-up. The contract applies to rentals originating at any on-airport or off-airport rental location except in Alaska, Hawaii, New York on weekends and holidays, other countries, and specified out-of-state cities.  To avoid incurring unallowable expenses it is strongly recommended that all travelers on State business utilize Avis Rent a Car.  The State of Florida Contract allows for the reimbursement for the rental of sub-compact or compact class cars.  An exception to the vehicle class rule is allowed when the automobile is shared with other travelers on State business or when transporting materials or equipment, resulting in a cost savings to the State.  When renting a car that is not provided by Avis Rent a Car or is not considered a sub-compact or compact car, a justification must accompany the TER stating that an appropriate Avis Rent a Car is not available or that a cost savings is realized by use of another vendor.  Refer to the Rental Car Justification Form for more information.   Any expenses incurred for personal reasons, including personal accident insurance, will not be reimbursed unless fully justified.

Private Automobile:  A traveler may use his/her own automobile when it is in the best interest of the University. The University authorizes reimbursement to the traveler for the official map mileage between cities or the contracted airfare, whichever is less.  Cost of operation, maintenance and ownership of a vehicle are the responsibility of the traveler. The University is not authorized to reimburse a traveler for repairs, fines for violations of the law, or other related costs incurred while traveling on official business of the University. 

Travelers utilizing their own automobiles are authorized to be reimbursed at the federal rate published by the General Services Administration (GSA). A record of miles must be accurately maintained and shown on the TER.  The Travel Expense Report must show the number of miles of travel from the point of origin to the point of destination. Whenever possible, mileage between cities must be obtained from the Florida Department of Transportation map mileage chart or some other source such as Mapquest, Expedia or Yahoo.  Print the results, because documentation of the source used to obtain mileage between cities must be included with the TER as support documentation. Times of departure and return must be shown for each point of travel.  Mileage reimbursement for longer distances is limited to the amount that would have been allowed had a common airline been used.  An exception to this rule is normally taken when the automobile is shared with other travelers resulting in a savings to the University on airfare, or when the cost of renting an automobile in the city where business is conducted exceeds the mileage allowance claimed. The traveler is not authorized to claim a mileage allowance when transported gratuitously by another person.  A traveler may claim the cost of gas in lieu of mileage in order to achieve a cost savings for USF.  In this case, receipts with the gas station’s imprint will be required.

**July 2007-Meal and mileage claims for travel occurring on or after July 1, 2007 should be paid at Florida Statutory rates instead of GSA.  Please click here  for details regarding state rates.**

Meals and Lodging

The maximum amount reimbursable for meals and lodging will be based on the rates posted by the federal agencies indicated in the following table.   

Lodging:  Whenever possible, the traveler should secure lodging at rates at or below the published maximum for the area. Unless the conference/convention hotel is used, requests for reimbursement at rates that exceed $200 per night must include justification for the additional expense, as well as the explicit approval of the department head or above. If the rate published for the area exceeds $200, the traveler may claim up to the published amount without additional justification and approval.  

Lodging will be reimbursed at the single occupancy rate unless a room is shared by multiple USF travelers resulting in a cost savings to the University.  Late checkout or guarantee reservation fees that cannot be canceled will not be reimbursed unless a business reason is provided and it is in the best interest of USF to do so.  Lodging within 50 miles of headquarters will not be reimbursed without a full justification. An itemized receipt showing zero balance due must be provided with the TER.

Meals:  When seeking meal expense reimbursements, USF travelers must adhere to the rates published by the federal agencies above.  Deviation from the rates outside of sponsor stipulation or the enumerated exceptions will require special approval from the USF Finance Council. (See below: Help, Meals Exceptions.) When there are multiple destinations, meals will be reimbursed at the published federal rate for that travel day based on where the traveler will be lodging that night.

Meals for all days of domestic travel will be reimbursed at the published GSA rate for the destination city.  The allowance for incidentals should be subtracted from the published federal Meals & Incidental (M&I) rates to arrive at the meal allowance.  Meals included in the cost of registration fees or otherwise paid by USF will be deducted from the daily meal allowance.  The GSA meal allowance on the first and last day of travel will be paid at a flat rate equal to 75% of the meal allowance (M&I less the incidental rate and any meals provided) for the destination city.  Traveler must depart prior to 7 p.m. in order to claim the GSA meal allowance on the first day of travel.  Travelers arriving home prior to 7 a.m. are not eligible for the GSA meal allowance on the last day of travel. (See below: Help, Instructions for calculating GSA meals.)

Meals for all days of foreign or non-contiguous travel will be reimbursed at the published Department of State or Department of Defense rate, respectively.  The allowance for the incidentals should be subtracted from the published federal meals and incidental rates to arrive at the meal allowance.  Meals included in the cost of registration fees or otherwise paid by USF will be deducted from the daily meal allowance. Meals for first and last days of foreign or non-contiguous travel are based on times of departure and return.  On first and last days, travel must begin before 6am or extend past 8am to qualify for breakfast; begin before Noon or extend past 2pm to qualify for lunch; and begin before 6pm or extend past 8pm to qualify for dinner

Alcoholic beverages are not reimbursable. Room Service is not reimbursable.  As provided in Florida Attorney General Opinion 081-53, continental breakfast is a meal and must be deducted from reimbursable meals if provided as part of a conference registration fee or otherwise paid for by USF.  Breakfast provided by an airline or hotel need not be deducted.

**July 2007-Meal and mileage claims for travel occurring on or after July 1, 2007 should be paid at Florida Statutory rates instead of GSA.  Please click here  for details regarding state rates.**

Meal and lodging rules for travel of a short distance and/or duration:  The cost of lodging within 50 miles of the traveler’s headquarters will not be reimbursed without justification.  There is no meal allowance for travel with duration of twelve hours or less.

**July 2007-Meal and mileage claims for travel occurring on or after July 1 , 2007 should be paid at Florida Statutory rates instead of GSA.  Please click here  for details regarding state rates.**

Flat Pier Diem Allowance (in lieu of actual expenditures): In certain cases, it may not be practical or possible to establish actual reimbursable expenses for lodging and/or meals. In such cases, a per diem charge in lieu of actual expenses may be reimbursed. Flat Per Diem reimbursement for these expenses is the payment to the traveler of a fixed amount per day to cover the cost of lodging and/or meals.  The University of South Florida’s per diem rate is $80 per day for both domestic and foreign travel. With a flat per diem allowance, the traveler is not required to provide documentation or itemization of actual lodging. Meals and actual lodging may not be claimed in combination with per diem for the same day.  Traveler may not switch to per diem on the last day of travel.  All meals provided to the traveler at USF expense must be deducted from the per diem rate of $80 per day at the rate of $6 for breakfast, $11 for lunch and $19 for dinner.  (See below: Help, Instructions for calculating Flat Per Diem rates.)

Incidental Expenses

Actual incidental expenses will be reimbursed.  Incidental allowances must be deducted from combined meal and incidental rates on federal websites when calculating amounts for meals.  Most incidental expenses under $25 do not require a receipt; however, there are a few which do require receipts.         

Receipts are required for:

All taxi or shuttle expenses, regardless of the amount

Parking or tolls in excess of $25 per transaction

Train or bus fares

Communication (telephone, internet, fax)

Passport/Visa fees

Traveler’s checks or currency exchange fees

Laundry expenses when official travel extends beyond seven days

Receipts are not required for:

Parking fees, storage, and tolls in amounts of $25 or less

Portage charges of $1 per bag / $5 per incident, or less  

These expenses are not reimbursable: 

Childcare costs

Pet care costs

Expenses for non-business related activities such as sightseeing

Taxi or other transportation to restaurants for meals when meals are      available near the hotel

Expenses incurred by spouse or family

Extra baggage charges for personal items, i.e. golf clubs or skis

Laundry, cleaning, pressing cost for trip of six days or less  

Lost or stolen cash or personal property

Parking expenses at assigned workplace  

Pay-for-view movies in hotel/motel room

Personal entertainment

Personal phone calls, including calls home

Repairs, towing service, etc. for personal vehicles

Fees for the use of a hotel safe, unless mandatory by the hotel

Tips in restaurant

Traffic citations, parking tickets, and other fines

Registration fees

University employees are frequently required to pre-register for conferences and workshops. Prepayment for registration fees may be done with a USF pcard, by personal funds or the department may request an unencumbered voucher payment through Accounts Payable. Whether registration fees are paid by pre-payment or paid at the conference or workshop, the registration form and/or conference brochure stating the amount of the registration and what is included (meals, lodging, etc.) must accompany a properly completed TER. The method of payment used to pay the registration fees must be clearly communicated within the Travel Expense Report. All travelers who attend a conference, convention, workshop, seminar or meetings requiring a registration fee are required to submit a copy of the agenda with the Travel Expense Report.  Banquets or other meals that appear as separate items with the registration fee may not be paid in advance.  These meals/banquets may be paid after the trip is complete with appropriate justification.

VII      Timeliness of Travel Expense Report Submission

Travel Expense Reports should be submitted within 30 calendar days after return to home office.  Reports submitted more than 60 calendar days after the last day of travel require a dean or director level approval. When a travel advance has been issued, reports must be submitted within ten work days of the last day of travel.  A Travel Expense Report must be completed and filed with the Travel Department for all travel performed on USF business, regardless of whether the traveler is due a reimbursement.

VIII    Forms, Links and Travel Department Contacts

Forms

Payment Request Form
Travel Expense Report (TER)
Travel Authorization Request (TAR)

Travel Advance Request Form
          Rental Car Justification Form

Help

USF Travel Policy Meals Exceptions

Instructions for calculating GSA meals

Instructions for calculating Flat Per Diem rates

Checklist for Preparers of the Travel Expense Report

Links and Contacts

Travel Department Contact List

US General Services Administration (GSA)

US Department of State

Subscribe to Travel ListServ

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