335.4 - Employee Claims for Reimbursement of Official Business Expenditures

3/10/2017

OPR:  Office of Administration, Office of Accounting and Financial Management

Instructions:  For purposes of this chapter, employees includes volunteers. (See SM 500.23, Acceptance of Volunteer Service.) 

1.  Purpose and Scope.  This chapter provides policy and procedures for the reimbursement of USGS employees for authorized expenditures made in and around the official duty station (50-mile radius).  A signed OF-1164, Claim for Reimbursement for Expenditures on Official Business, is used to claim reimbursement. 

2.  Policy.  

A.  Authorized Uses.  USGS employees may be reimbursed for the following cash expenditures:
(1)  Mileage reimbursement, tolls, and parking fees for use of privately owned vehicle for official business.  Mileage reimbursement is for local travel only and is based on the mileage from the duty station to the place of official business and return.  An employee must deduct the normal daily commute if departing from or returning to their residence.  This deduction should be clearly notated on the OF-1164.  Volunteers are only allowed reimbursement at a rate of $0.14 per mile.
(2)  Local travel expenses such as Taxicab, bus, subway, and other similar transportation services for official business. 
(3)  Training and tuition.  The following documents are required for reimbursement for training and tuition:

• Receipt
• SF-182 Training Form or copy of training request in DOI Learn signed by the approving official
• OF-1164 with annotation that “no other payment mechanism was accepted by the vendor” (e.g., payment by government charge card with the purchase business line).

(4)  Official calls in the local area.  Employees are expected to use Government telephones or Federal Calling Cards for official business calls in the local area.  Employee should obtain prior approval for use of personal devices.  If the employee has a recurring need for wireless service, the office should consider the cost-benefit of acquiring a Government-owned device to be assigned to employees as-needed. Any official call being claimed on the OF-1164 must be supported by a copy of the phone bill with official charges clearly highlighted.  Only the cost of the service differentiated, and itemized as an additional cost actually incurred by the employee, may be claimed for reimbursement.
(5)  Professional liability insurance.  Reimbursement is for any qualified employee up to 50 percent of the cost of the professional liability insurance.  See SM 335.7 for additional guidance.

B.  Prohibited Uses.  OF-1164 shall not be used to claim reimbursement for the following:
(1)  Any official Government purchase, such as supplies or equipment, made by an employee who has not been designated with purchase authority.  Any micro purchase made in the local area should be charged to the Government charge card by an employee with purchase authority only.  In an emergency or rare situation, reimbursement may be approved by the Office of Acquisition and Grants.  See the Financial Operating Procedures Handbook Chapter 16-7 Attachment C (internal link removed) for additional details on the approval process.
(2)  Personal services of temporary, seasonal, laborer or contractor personnel.
(3)  Purchase of controlled property or equipment.
(4)  Utility bills (including wireless unless otherwise authorized by IM OA 2014-06).

3.  Procedures.  The following are procedures for the preparation and submission of a claim for reimbursement:

A.  The OF-1164 can be prepared by using the form located on the USGS Web tools and Applications site.  See the Financial Operating Procedures Handbook Chapter 16-7 Attachment C (internal link removed) for procedures on the SF-1164.  The OF-1164 form should clearly state the purpose of the claim, provide dates, and be signed and dated by the claimant and the first line supervisor, supported by any required receipts.  The OF-1164 should be presented to an accounts payable technician to be processed in the financial system.  If the office does not have an accounts payable technician, the OF-1164 can be forwarded to the Office of Accounting and Financial Management for processing.

B.  Since it is costly to process claims for small amounts, a OF-1164 will not be submitted ordinarily until the cumulative amount exceeds $10.00.  A receipt is required for all expenditures with the exception of local travel which only requires a receipt for expenses over $75.

/s/ Jose R. Aragon                                               March 10, 2017

___________________________________    _________________
Jose R. Aragon                                                    Date
Associate Director for Administration