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340.1 – Temporary Duty Travel

This chapter establishes the policies and  responsibilities for U.S. Geological Survey temporary duty travel.

Date:  12/23/14

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

Instruction:  Chapter is revised to reflect current U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) temporary duty travel (TDY) policies.

1.  Purpose and Scope. This chapter establishes the policies and  responsibilities for U.S. Geological Survey temporary duty travel.

2.  Authorities.

A.  General Service Administration issued Federal Travel Regulations.

B.  U.S. Department of the Interior Temporary Duty Travel Policy.

C.  U.S. Geological Survey Temporary Duty Travel Handbook.

D.  SM Chapter 205.2, Travel Delegations.

3.  Policies.  The Department of the Interior (DOI) Temporary Duty Travel Policy provides overall travel policies.  The USGS complements the DOI TDY policy with USGS-specific guidance provided in the USGS Temporary Duty Travel Handbook.  General guidelines are as follows:

A.  Authorization for travel will be limited to that travel which is essential to the transaction of the USGS mission in the most effective and economical manner.  Authorizing officials must take into consideration the need for the travel and the use of travel substitutes (e.g., mail, teleconferencing, etc.).

B.  Travel will be by the most expeditious means of transportation practicable and be commensurate with the nature and purpose of the duties of the employee requiring such travel.  Travel must be conducted in the most effective and efficient manner and only when necessary to accomplish the mission of the Government (e.g., travel by direct route on common carrier in coach class).

C.  Employees traveling on official business are expected to exercise the same care in incurring expenses that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business.  Travelers may not use premium accommodations or obtain unnecessary service at Government expense.

D.  Travel expenses which will be reimbursed are confined to those expenses essential to the transacting of official business.

E.  Travel expenses are properly chargeable to the appropriation current at the time such expenses are incurred.

3.  Responsibilities.

A.  The Chief, Office of Accounting and Financial Management, is responsible for developing and implementing USGS policies and procedures relative to the management of travel and for providing staff advice and financial services in support of such matters.

B.  USGS officials, to whom authority to authorize travel is delegated, are responsible for exercising this delegation in compliance with the requirements of all travel authorities.  (See SM Chapter 205.2, Travel Delegations, for specific travel authorities.)  For the most part, first-line supervisors and managers involved in the travel process are authorized to approve necessary travel and provide the primary management controls over the approval of travel expenses and  review travel vouchers to ensure that the travel was properly authorized, amounts claimed are reasonable, and voucher is complete.

C.  Employee is responsible for submitting a travel voucher for approval within 5 workdays of completion of the travel, or every 30 days if in an extended temporary duty travel status.

4.  Guidelines for Issuing Travel Authorizations.  Travel authorizations (TA) must be issued in advance of travel and approved at least one supervisory level above the traveler.  The TA constitutes the legal basis for performing the travel.  The TA includes the purpose, place, dates, conditions, limitations, allowances, and estimated costs of the travel, as well as accounting information.




/s/ Katherine McCulloch                                                        December 23, 2014
______________________________________________    __________________________
Katherine McCulloch                                                                                     Date
Acting Associate Director for Administration