March 25, 2008
SUBJECT: FNM - Request for Approval of Actual Subsistence for Lodging
Purpose: To provide information and instructions
on how to request approval of actual subsistence for lodging for temporary duty
travel
Expiration Date: September 30, 2008
It is the responsibility of the traveler to request authorization and to provide necessary justification consistent with the prudent traveler provision of the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR). If the traveler will be staying at a motel/hotel that exceeds the maximum lodging rate, the traveler must get this approved in advance of the travel. At this time, Donna Coleman, Budget Officer and Elana Cass, State Administrative Officer, are authorized to approve individual trip authorization for actual subsistence and post approval of travel vouchers for actual subsistence expenses. Prior to asking for approval, please contact and document at least three (3) motels/hotels to determine if a cheaper rate is available. Post approvals will be made only for emergencies or unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the traveler.
Below are some examples of travel
assignments or situations that may warrant authorization or approval of actual
and necessary expenses. These include
but are not limited to the following:
(1) The employee attends a
meeting, conference, or training session away from the official duty station
where lodging and meals must be procured at a prearranged place (such as the
hotel where the meeting, conference, or training session is being held) and the
lodging costs incurred, because of these prearranged accommodations, absorb all
or practically all of the applicable maximum per diem allowance.
(2) The travel is to an area
where the applicable maximum per diem allowance is generally adequate but
subsistence costs have escalated for short periods of time during special
functions or events such as missile launching periods, international or
national sports events, world's fairs, conventions or natural disasters.
(3) Based on a situation
described in (2) above, affordable lodging accommodations are not available or
cannot be obtained within a reasonable commuting distance or the employee's
temporary duty point and transportation costs to commute to and from the less
expensive lodging facility consume most or all of the savings achieved from
occupying less expensive lodging.
DIST: 0
(4) The employee, because of
special duties of the assignment, necessarily incurs unusually high expenses in
the conduct of official business, such as to procure superior or extraordinary
accommodations including a suite or other quarters for which the charge is well
above that which he/she would normally have to pay for accommodations.
(5) The employee necessarily incurs unusually
high expenses incident to his/her assignment to accompany another employee in a
situation as described in (4) above.
This bulletin distributes an
attachment that will be used to provide the written justification to the Budget
Officer or State Administrative Officer for approval.
Approval In Advance Of Travel: The Budget Officer or State Administrative Officer must approve travel involving actual subsistence in advance of travel. The employee will prepare a written request for actual subsistence and must justify why actual subsistence is required. Employees will use the attached form Actual Costs Justification for this purpose. The approved Actual Costs Justification will be attached to the Indiana Travel Information Sheet.
It is the employee’s responsibility to assure that every effort has been made to locate lodging within regular per diem rates. Employees must contact their Travel Management Center (TMC) Fed Traveler (877-698-2472) to determine if the Government rate is available within the temporary duty (TDY) location.
Post Approval: Post approval shall be limited to emergency situations. Actual subsistence shall not be post approved for expenses that could or should have been foreseen. The employee is responsible for determining total cost of hotels prior to requesting travel. Employees will use Actual Costs Justification form when submitting travel vouchers requesting actual lodging costs, to provide the Budget Officer or State Administrative Officer with the justification required for post approval. Justification should include the actions taken to acquire lodging that was within the per diem rates for the area. Follow the request and approval procedures in paragraph (2) or this section for approval of emergency situations. The approved Actual Costs Justification form will be attached to the Form AD-616, Travel Voucher.
If you have any questions concerning actual subsistence, please call Donna Coleman at (317) 290-3200, ext. 331.
/s/
JANE E. HARDISTY
State Conservationist
Enclosures