Travel

Important Resources

Travelers Handbook A Guide to TDY Travel

Federal Travel Regulations

Department of State Standard Regulations
Peace Corps Manual

Peace Corps Intranet, Policy and Reference Tab

OFMH Overseas Financial Management Handbook

Peace Corps Intranet, Policy and Reference Tab, General

Reference

Peace Corps Intranet, Policy and Reference Tab

PC/W

Office of Transportation
OGAP travel voucher examiner(s)
Financial Management Officer(s) = certifying officials

Traveler's Handbook
Temporary Duty (TDY) Travel
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
4.1
4.1.1
4.1.2
4.1.3
4.1.4
5.0
6.0
7.0
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.3.1
7.3.2
7.3.3
7.3.4
7.3.5

Introduction
Regulations
Preparing to Travel
Government Travel Card
Individually Billed Account (IBA) Travel
Cards
Responsibility
Misuse
Delinquencies
Centrally Billed Account (CBA) Travel
Card vs. Individual Travel Card (IBA)
Travel Authorization
Travel Advances
Per Diem
Maximum Per Diem reimbursement rate
Reduced Per Diem
Actual Expense
Entitlement start/stop
Lodging
Lodging taxes
Lodging plus per diem
Crossing the international dateline (IDL)

7.3.6
7.3.7
8.0
9.0
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
10.0
10.1
10.2
10.3
11.0
12.0
13.0
14.0
15.0
16.0

Rest period
Layover
Miscellaneous Expenses
Transportation
Airlines
Use of US Flag Air Carriers
Train
Special conveyances
Rental Cars and Privately Owned Vehicles (POV)
Government automobiles
Rental automobiles
Privately owned vehicle (POV)
Travel Vouchers
Reclaim or Supplemental Vouchers
Helpful Hints
Glossary of Terms
Instruction for Completing a TA - PC-840
Travel Voucher Review Checklist

Staff Travel

Travel Authorization (TA)

SF 1537/PC 840

Required prior to all travel

Individual for international travel
Quarterly for in-country travel
Normally done for all staff, with list attached
One line for all travel vs. a line per quarter

Obligation numbers: typically one to the traveler (per

diem) and the other to the airline with sufficient funding
and fiscal coding

Fly America Act

Requires

all air travel funded with federal

dollars be performed on US flag carriers
Waivers may be granted only by Director
Transportation in advance of travel
41CFR 301-10.131 to 301-10.10.143
For additional guidance see OFMH 55.5.6
or speak with your FMO

Travel Authorization (TA)

SF 1537/PC 840

Please be sure to reflect the following information:

International Staff Travel - Name and address of the

employee & dependants (if app.) / Include DOB or ages of
dependants. Examples: Conference or training travel.

If home leave, end of tour, re-assignment, educational, staff medevac,

ordered departure authorizing cable must be attached.

In Country Staff Travel - Name and address of the staff

member (amended each quarter to extend period of travel
and to add funds). Examples: all in- country travel (for staff
who travel); use one TA but provide multiple coding, as
appropriate, e.g., PC 11, PC 14, PC 16.

Travel Authorization (TA)

SF 1537/PC 840

Please be sure to include:

Any authorized expenses such as excess baggage, official phone

calls, internet, use of POV, rental car, employee purchase of
airline/train/other transportation tickets to comply with Fly America
Act.

Rather than using Other or Miscellaneous, be specific.

Cost construct travel, if authorized and the not-to-exceed amount

Purpose of Travel and places to be visited
Any vacation days to be taken (3 or more)

Travel Authorization (TA)

SF 1537/PC 840

Continued

Estimated per diem (Allowances for PCVs), Airline, Lodging, etc.

NOTE: No information (neither the full number, the last 4 digits or
other info) of a travelers Social Security Number should be included
on any documentation
Authorizing signatures as necessary. The CD or delegate must sign
the Certificate of Authorization line plus the AO on the Travel
Approved line. Dual signatures are always necessary.
Its important that the Traveler review and be aware of the MI & E
and Hotel (Lodging) rates to ensure they remain within the allowable
amounts for reimbursement.

Travel Advances

SF2053

In-country travel interim advances used

International travel HCNs yes, USDH - no

Amount: may advance up 100% for HCNs, 80% is

suggested
As per CFR 301.51.1 (Code of Federal Regulations) all
US direct hires must use Citibank Government Travel
Card, unless otherwise approved by their FMO
(exceptions are rare)
Method of payment should be paid in USD thru noncashier vouchers (for international travel)
No advances should be issued to a traveler until
previous advances are cleared

Travel Voucher Preparation

It

is the responsibility of the traveler to put

together their travel reimbursement
voucher.
Travel Vouchers should be prepared and
submitted for processing within 5
business days following the completion of
travel.

Travel Voucher Preparation

Travel voucher worksheets (SF 1012) can be found on the Peace
Corps Intranet under CFO / OGAP/Office of Global Accounts
Payable or Peace Corps Forms.

List all authorized costs by date

In addition, please include the following documentation:

Travel Authorization PC 840 (previously SF 1537)
All original Lodging Receipts
All receipts over $75.00 (mandatory)
Advance Application - SF 2053 (if applicable)
Conference letter and/or invitation letter (if appropriate)
Itinerary
Rates of exchange used when paying in a foreign currency

Tips and Common Errors to Avoid

All travel vouchers MUST BE entered into the FOR POST system
before submission to OGAP
Once ENTERED, please write the invoice/voucher number clearly in
the designated area of the cover sheet
Remember to clear the TV against the Travel Advance, when
applicable
International per diem rates are updated on a monthly basis
please be sure to check for any updates
Verify if any meals are provided & calculate the proper deduction
Each day should be accounted for to include any annual leave days
taken
Calculation for Per Diem is 75% on 1st and last day of travel; 100%
on all other days

Travel Voucher Links

Per Diem rates should be researched by the traveler BEFORE

travel begins:

1. http://aoprals.state.gov Foreign rates

2. www.gsa.gov/perdiem Domestic Rates including breakdown for
breakfast, lunch, dinner, and incidentals.
3. http://www.oanda.com/ Currency conversion by date
4. http://coinmill.com/ (for currency codes, if unknown)
5. http://www.state.gov/www/perdiems/breakdown.html FTR appendix
B with breakdown for meals and incidentals, if provided.

Before Travel Voucher (TV) is

submitted to OGAP
Approving Official should check for the following:

Travel dates are within the timeframe approved on the TA

All required supporting documents are attached (all original hotel
receipts, receipts for any expense over $75)
Per Diem rates used are correct
Exchange rates are provided and calculations are correct
Original signature of the traveler on the travel voucher (mandatory)

THEN,
Approving Official reviews and approves the travel voucher by
signing the cover sheet of the TV
Approving Official approves the voucher in FOR POST and syncs w/
HQ

Once the Travel Voucher arrives at

OGAP

Travel Voucher (TV) is date & time stamped

TV is then audited by the Voucher Examiner for accuracy &
correctness
FMO then re-reviews & certifies the TV for payment and returns it to
the Voucher Examiner for processing
If all entries on the TV are correct, it is processed for EFT or Check,
if a balance is due the traveler. Payment from imprest can also be
authorized but this is rare and must be authorized by the FMO.
Post receives notification via email and travel voucher approval in
their FORPOST
If the traveler owes PC, the Voucher Examiner will notify post and
post will issue a BOC bill of collection.

Reimbursement

In country staff travel paid through imprest

(and interim advance cleared)

International US staff travel vouchered through

OGAP (Office of Global Accounts Payable)/HQ
and paid via EFT
International HCN staff travel vouchered
through OGAP (Office of Global Accounts
Payable)/HQ but amount owed paid through
EFT, check or imprest

Volunteer Travel

Travel Authorization (TA)

SF 1537

International Volunteer Travel - Name and address of the

Volunteer. Examples: home leave, medevac, emergency leave
travel.

In Country Volunteer Travel Blanket TA, covering all

Volunteers/Trainees, with list of PCVs/Ts attached (amended each
quarter to extend period of travel and add funds). Examples: all incountry travel (for Volunteers); use one TA but provide multiple
coding, as appropriate, e.g., PC 0012, PC 0014, PC 0016.

Reimbursement
Volunteer

travel paid by allowance in

advance or by reimbursement after the
fact using VICA

Current rates are in OFMH 2.0 In-Service Allowances for

Volunteers and Trainees

Imprest

may be used only for emergencies

and/or unanticipated travel

QUESTIONS ??