Attachment 6 - NGA Instruction 5410-1R10.pdf

UNCLASSIFIED

NI 5410.1R10 Approved: 9 March 2010 Subgroup: Administrative Management

NGA Instruction for Travel Management

1. References.

a. Primary. NGA PD 5300R3, Policy Directive for Administrative Management, 20 April 2005.

b. Secondary. Secondary references are located in appendix 1.

2. Purpose. Establish procedures and specific responsibilities for travel documentation preparation for official travel performed by personnel on behalf of NGA. This instruction supersedes NI 5410.1R9, same title, 18 December 2008.

3. Policy. NGA will provide personnel with efficient and economical official travel processing. The JFTR (appendix 1, reference 1)) and JTR (appendix 1, reference 2) govern NGA travel activities. Personnel use the Defense Travel System (DTS) software to process travel orders. Outside the continental U.S. (OCONUS) travel must be entered in TravelNet (TNet) software also. Final decision authority for travel-related appeals is the General Services Administration Board of Appeals or the Per Diem Committee.

4. Applicability and Scope. This instruction provides guidance for unclassified official travel arrangements and applies to all Government personnel traveling on NGA DoD funds, including non-DoD personnel using NGA funds (invitational travel).

5. Definition. Definitions are located in appendix 2.

6. Responsibilities.

a. Financial Management Directorate (FM).

(1) Interprets TDY travel policy from external sources and provides detailed guidance to NGA personnel.

(2) Reviews business class travel requests for travel outside the United States and forwards to Director of NGA for approval.

(3) Provides and processes travel charge card applications and pertinent program information.

b. Security and Installation Operations Directorate (SI) provides foreign travel and counterintelligence briefings.

NI 5410.1R10

Travel Management

c. Office of International Affairs and Policy (OIP) provides pertinent information to travelers and NGA support team (NST) chiefs on current international programs and policy.

d. The Office of Global Support (OGS) manages TNet software which identifies, validates, approves and tracks OCONUS travel.

e. NST team chiefs.

(1) Approve or deny travel in TNet to and within their area of responsibility (AOR).

(2) Provide force protection reporting procedures for AOR travelers.

f. Travelers use the Government-sponsored, contractor-issued travel charge card to pay for all official TDY travel expenses.

g. CIA personnel traveling using DoD funds.

(1) Must follow TNet instruction for OCONUS travel in addition to CIA travel instructions.

(2) Must provide a Chief of Station concurrence cable.

(3) Must follow JTR rules when traveling using NGA funds.

7. Procedures.

a. Personnel use DTS to process the following types of orders: routine, confimatory, invitational, blanket, and permissive. They use TNet to enter travel itinerary, document security training requirements, accomplish post travel requirements, and report foreign contacts. Travelers must contact FM on any travel issue for which he or she can be reimbursed if the traveler is uncertain regarding the potential reimbursement.

b. Supervisors are authorized approving officials for CONUS and OCONUS.

c. FM serves as the Lead Defense Travel Administrator for DTS.

d. For all travel (CONUS and OCONUS), personnel

(1) Use the CTO to arrange scheduled carriers, rental cars, and commercial lodging for TDY.

(2) Notify the CTO to cancel or change all or part of the confirmed reservations (for example, scheduled carriers, commercial lodging, and rental cars). If canceling, personnel cancel the authorization in DTS.

(3) Ensure reservations are canceled, whether or not the reservations were made by the individual or the CTO.

(4) Return unused tickets when the trip or any portion of the trip has been canceled.

(5) Contact the CTO for changes to the travel itinerary for official reasons.

The traveler uses the least costly air or rail fare, lodging accommodations, and rental car rates available to the Government if the travel itinerary is changed for official reasons during TDY.

(6) Pay personal transportation and expenses incurred when leave is taken before, during, or after travel. Leave should be approved prior to travel.

(7) Use the Government travel charge card to charge transportation, lodging, meals, rental car, parking, and taxi expenses incurred during official TDY travel. An automated teller machine advance for travel charge card holders may not exceed the meal and incidental expense portion of the per diem rate multiplied by the number of days TDY for CONUS or OCONUS travel.

(8) Notify the travel service office and CTO when a transportation ticket in the traveler’s possession is lost or stolen. Travelers are liable for any additional expenditures incurred for lost tickets caused by employee negligence.

e. For OCONUS travel, travelers

(1) Coordinate all plans to visit Military Commands and foreign nations with the relevant NST chiefs at least 45 days prior to travel. The NST approves or denies AOR travel. Travel orders are not approved until all security requirements are met. OGS ensures all travel requirements are accomplished before personnel commence travel.

(2) Coordinate with the servicing security office for briefings prior to initiating clearances and travel arrangements for any impending OCONUS travel. If OCONUS information about a country is required, contact OIP.

(3) Request an official passport as soon as possible for OCONUS travel.

Consult the travel service office for applications and issuance. Furnish a birth or citizenship certificate with a raised seal and two passport photographs (color only, two by two inches). If the passport is requested fewer than 30 days prior to departure, a letter of emergency justification signed by the NGA passport agent must accompany the application.

Travelers must safeguard their official passports when not using them.

Many countries will not accept a passport within six months of the expiration date.

(4) Coordinate visa requests through the travel service office. Travelers should notify the travel service office of pending travel as soon as possible to allow adequate time to process the visa request. FM forwards all passport and visa applications to the DoD Special Issuance Agency (DoD/USASCAF) for processing.

(5) Determine applicable foreign travel requirements. Messages to obtain clearances will be forwarded by the traveler in accordance with the timeframe requirements in DoD 4500.54-G (appendix 1, reference 4).

(6) Obtain proper coordination (appendix 1, reference 4) for travel to overseas locations that are designated as special areas. Travelers should request special area, theater, and country clearances concurrently in the same message through message channels appropriate to their positions.

(7) Contact the travel service office for guidance on inoculations, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) tests, and physicals for OCONUS. The requirements are contained in the Country Clearance chapters of DoD 4500.54-G (appendix 1, reference 4). CIA personnel assigned to NGA should also consult the CIA Office of Medical Services.

f. NGA contractor travel. The contracting officer’s technical representative (COTR) must ensure contractors have the necessary clearances such as special area, country and theater. The NST must receive a detailed itinerary, travel dates, travel purpose, and a list of names of the contractors and subcontractors working in the respective AOR. Contractors will not be reimbursed for any travel through the NGA travel office and are not eligible to use the Government City Pair program or Government lodging rates.

g. General travel service information.

(1) Travel service office locations and telephone numbers are as follows:

(a) Bethesda (301) 227-5621, 5602, 5613, or 5627.

(b) Arnold (also services St. Louis), (636) 321-5250.

(2) Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

(a) NGA East (Washington, D.C. area)

Walter Reed (877) 557-7509 (Direct NGA line for assistance.)

Local Walter Reed number (202) 882-0303.

Office Hours: 0800 – 1630.

24-hour Emergency center: (800) 383-6732.

Overseas call collect (210) 805-3728.

(b) NGA West (St. Louis)

Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas: (866) 832-8692 (toll-free number).

Local Ft. Leavenworth number (913) 682-2351.

Office Hours: 0730-1700.

24-hour emergency center: (800) 288-5999.

Overseas call collect (210) 805-3728.

(3) Official passport, visa, and renewal applications are available at each travel service office.

(4) Travel charge card applications are available for DoD personnel at each travel service office. Applications are available for CIA personnel permanently assigned to NGA at central travel services.

(5) Washington Metro farecards are available for all travelers in Reston, Bethesda, Washington Navy Yard, and Ft. Belvoir travel service offices and may be used under the following circumstances:

(a) Farecards must be used for official business only. They may not be used for travel from home to office.

(b) Each farecard must be signed out, regardless of the amount on the card.

(c) Farecards must be returned after each business trip. If the Metro turnstile retains the farecard, the employee must so indicate in the sign-out logbook.

(d) Offices not collocated with one of the travel service offices may obtain farecards for their personnel and administer the farecards in accordance with the above procedure. The farecards can be obtained from the Bethesda travel service office.

h. Travel card delinquency.

(1) FM distributes the monthly travel charge card delinquency report for action to the Human Development Directorate (HD), Bethesda, and SI, Security Office, Personnel Security Division (SISP).

(2) FM interviews and counsels delinquent travel charge card holders on indebtedness and financial responsibility.

(3) HD consultants contact the first-level supervisor and coordinate with SISP and Office of the General Counsel (OGC) regarding personnel whose travel charge card accounts are delinquent for 60 days or more.

i. Local travel. Personnel are reimbursed for travel expenses incurred when official travel is within the local commuting area. Travel authorizations are not issued for training, offsites, and conferences within the local commuting area unless the traveler is required to stay overnight.

(1) Authorized reimbursable expenses.

(a) Commercial transportation, including bus, subway, and rail.

(b) Taxicab. Reimbursable expenses for taxicabs may include tips to the drivers. Receipts are required to support reimbursement claims of $75 or greater for any one-way trip.

(c) Privately owned vehicle (POV). Mileage expenses (including travel to local training, conferences, and offsites) exceeding the employee’s normal commuting distance are reimbursable.

Travelers may also be reimbursed for the actual costs of ferry, bridge, road, tunnel tolls, and parking fees (parking lots or parking meters) incurred in POV use.

(d) Government-owned automobile. Fees paid to park a Government-owned automobile on a commercial parking lot and parking meter fees are reimbursable. In addition, actual costs for ferry, bridge, road, and tunnel tolls are reimbursable.

(e) Registration fees. Fees for local conferences, meetings, or training may be claimed for reimbursement.

(2) Claiming reimbursement. Travelers may file a claim at any time using the “local voucher” function in DTS.

j. Travel overnight or outside the commuting area (CONUS and OCONUS). The commuting area for Wasington DC is defined as the National Capital Region (NCR) in DoD Directive 45.15.14. The NCR is defined as the “geographic area located in the following boundaries:

• District of Columbia

• Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in the State of Maryland

• Arlington, Fairfax, Loundon, and Prince William Counties and the city of Alexandria in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

• All cities and other units of government within the geographic areas of such District, those counties, and that city, as defined above.

k. Conferences/Off-sites - Refer to the Joint Travel Regulation, Appendix R, for instructions regarding conferences and off-sites. Travelers should be informed in advance of the conference/off-site of the reimbursable per diem and expenses.

(1) Travel preparations are initiated with completion of travel authorization. Authorizations of orders are made by the designated approving official in the parent organization for expenditures against a given fund. Preparers and approving officials ensure that

(a) The authorization states a purpose for the travel.

(b) The mandatory method for distributing travel cash advances is use of a Government travel charge card at an automated teller machine. Electronic funds transfer (EFT) advances are authorized by exception on a case-by-case basis.

(c) Actual expense allowance may be authorized in instances when the per diem rate will not cover authorized expenses. The authorization should be approved before travel begins. In circumstances when actual expenses need to claimed after the TDY, the approving official may approve the expenses on the voucher.

(d) Use of POV versus constructive cost of common carrier. In determining if use of POV is advantageous to the Government, the approving official must compare the overall benefits, per diem, disadvantages, comparative costs of transportation, and reimbursable items. These considerations include transportation costs (airfare, taxi, rental car, parking, and fuel, if applicable), location of temporary duty site, overall cost advantage if there are other travelers, and salary and per diem costs of additional travel time.

(e) Rental car requests are authorized when necessary for official business.

i. A rental car is authorized for Government travelers for use for official business only.

ii. When a rental vehicle is no longer being used for official business, an employee or military member is permitted to use the vehicle for personal convenience provided the individual has given advance notice to his or her supervisor of the periods of personal use.

iii. When car rental is for personal convenience, fees are the responsibility of the traveler. If the rental car is used for personal use during any portion of an official trip, the rental car rate and insurance are at those rates charged to the general public. At the time the car is rented for personal use, the traveler informs the rental car agency of the personal use dates.

iv. Only compact cars are approved, unless a larger size vehicle is justified.

v. A rental car should not be authorized when the traveler is staying at the same site where the TDY training or conference is being held.

vi. A rental car will not be authorized based on personal preference or to avoid minor inconvenience. Less expensive modes of transportation will be used when possible (for example, bus, subway, or limited taxi travel).

(2) Reservations. Arrangements for air travel, car rental, and overnight accomodations are made through the CTO.

(3) Actual travel.

(a) Rental car insurance. All rental car agencies that participate in the U.S. Government car rental agreement provide loss and collision damage waiver (CDW) insurance as part of the rental fee.

Therefore, optional insurance, if offered by the car rental company at the time of pickup, should be declined. Also, the pre-paid fuel option should not be selected. Fuel should be purchased before returning the rental car. When on OCONUS TDY, the traveler must request this coverage, and it is reimbursable to the traveler.

(b) Accidents with rental cars must be reported to the police immediately. Unless medical evacuation is required or personal safety is involved, travelers do not leave the scene of the accident until the police respond. If the police do not respond, travelers attempt to gather the following information: other driver’s name and address; the year, make, model, registration, and license plate number of the other driver’s car; other driver’s license number; and the other driver’s insurance company, policy number, and insurance agent. Accidents must also be reported to the rental car company immediately. The rental car agency will advise the traveler of its procedures. The traveler completes any reports or documents required and inform his or her supervisor and NGA OGC of the accident details. Travelers keep copies of all accident and police reports that are generated about the accident.

(c) On-the-job injury. Before traveling, CIA personnel assigned to NGA should consult the relevant CIA travel policy for a summary of rights and benefits. If a DoD employee sustains an on-the-job injury while on TDY, the employee must, on return, complete the relevant portions of a Form CA-1, Notice of Traumatic Injury. The employee forwards the completed form and all related medical receipts and documentation to the NGA site dispensary and his or her immediate supervisor. The supervisor completes the supervisory portion of the Form CA-1 and forwards the documentation to the HD unit (at Bethesda, Washington Navy Yard, or St. Louis) for processing under workers’ compensation.

(4) Applying for reimbursement. Travelers

(a) Complete a “voucher form authorization” within five workdays after returning to the permanent duty station.

(b) Update the estimated costs with actual expenditures, including updating the actual lodging cost.

(c) Brief personal calls are authorized for CONUS travel, up to $20per TDY. For OCONUS travel, up to an average of $50 is authorized. Personal telephone calls are defined in the JTR (reference 1.b.(2)) as calls to home or family and are usually made to advise of the traveler’s safe arrival, inform or inquire about medical conditions, or inform about itinerary changes.

(d) Conference and training arrangements. When preparing the travel voucher, include the registration fee as a reimbursable expense. Indicate all meals included in the registration fee under the “special meals” section in the lodging and meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) portion of the voucher. If the registration fee included lodging, that cost should be deleted in the voucher.

(5) Supplemental voucher. When additional reimbursement is due to the traveler after a settlement, the traveler prepares an amendment to claim the additional expenses.

NI 5410.1R10 Appendix 1

Appendix 1 References

1. Volume 1, Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTR), Members of the Uniformed Services.

2. Volume 2, Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), Department of Defense Civilian Personnel.

3. DoD 7000.14-R, Financial Management Regulation, Vol. 9, Ch. 3, Department of Defense Government Travel Card, current version.

4. DoD 4500.54-G, Department of Defense Foreign Clearance Guide.

5. DoD Directive 4515.14, Washington Local Commuting Area, 29 December 1998.

6. NI 5205.2R1, NGA Instruction for Foreign Travel Briefing and Debriefing Program, 24 November 2003.

7. NI 5205.3R2, NGA Instruction for Reporting Foreign Contact, 30 October 2005.

8. NI 7250.2R7, NGA Instruction for Travel Charge Cards, 4 May 2006.

UNCLASIFIED

NI 5410.1R10 Appendix 1

Appendix 2 Definitions

1. Commercial travel office (CTO). Contractor service personnel who provide air, rail, rental car, and hotel reservations for official Government travel.

2. CONUS. Continental United States.

3. Invitational orders. Orders authorized to persons who are acting in a capacity that is directly related to or in connection with official activities of DoD. These orders are not issued to Federal Government employees, members of the uniformed services, or government contractors.

4. OCONUS. Outside the continental United States (includes Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).

5. Passport. A Government document issued to a citizen for travel abroad.

6. TDY travel. Temporary duty travel to one or more places away from a permanent duty station (PDS).

7. Travel funds authority memorandum. A memorandum that authorizes travel funds for personnel assigned outside NGA (for example, a federal employee from another U.S.

Government Agency or personnel from outside the U.S. Government).

8. Travel service office. Government personnel who provide customer service to NGA travelers in accomplishing official travel.

9. Visa. An endorsement on a passport, showing that the passport has been examined by the proper officials of a country and granting entry into or passage through that country.