September 09, 2005

MEMORANDUM FOR Bureau Travel Managers

FROM: Darren P. Collins, Sr.

Chief, Travel Management Division

Office of Administrative Services

SUBJECT: Travel at the End of the Current Fiscal Year

and the Beginning of the New Fiscal Year

As is the case each year, bureaus and operating units should institute
appropriate procedures for ensuring that all year-end obligations for
travel for FY 2005 and obligations for FY 2006 are made in accordance
with the provisions of Title 31 of the United States Code and General
Accounting Office guidelines. Specifically, 31 U.S.C. 1341 [does
not]{.underline} allow an officer or employee of the U.S. Government to
make or authorize an expenditure or obligation exceeding an amount
available in an appropriation or fund, or to involve the Government in a
contract or obligation for the payment of money before an appropriation
is made. Employees should be advised to check with their budget or
finance offices to determine the availability of funds before scheduling
travel during the early part of October.

The following rules apply to travel at the end of the current fiscal
year and the beginning of the new fiscal year unless statutory
authorizations allow otherwise:

[Travel Orders]{.underline}

> Travel orders prepared in FY 2005 for travel beginning or ending in FY
> 2006 should be annotated with the following statement:
>
> \"Approval of travel scheduled to be accomplished on or after October
> 1, 2005, is contingent upon the availability of FY 2006 funds.\"

[Purchase of Transportation Tickets]{.underline}

> Roundtrip transportation tickets for travel beginning in FY 2005 and
> ending in FY 2006 will be chargeable to the current FY 2005
> appropriation, whether procured using a Citibank centrally billed
> travel account or individually-billed travel charge card. However, if
> the return portion of the ticket cannot be used and a separate return
> ticket for travel on or after October 1, 2005, must be purchased, the
> FY 2006 appropriation will be charged.
>
> FY 2005 funds **cannot** be used to purchase transportation that
> begins and ends in FY 2006.
>
> [Temporary Duty Per Diem, Mileage, and Other Expenses]{.underline}
>
> Charges for per diem, mileage, and other expenses are chargeable to
> the fiscal year in which the expenses are actually incurred, e.g., per
> diem expenses are incurred daily. Travel vouchers filed for travel
> spanning the two fiscal years should allocate the expenses accordingly
> and indicate the appropriate fiscal year accounting classification
> codes chargeable as shown on the travel order.
>
> FY 2005 funds **cannot** be used to pay for any travel expenses
> incurred on or after October 1, 2005. For example:
>
> [All]{.underline} per diem, mileage costs, ground transportation, and
> other travel-related costs that are incurred in September 2005 will be
> chargeable to the FY 2005 appropriation.
>
> [All]{.underline} per diem, mileage costs, ground transportation, and
> other travel-related costs that are incurred on or after October 1,
> 2005, will be chargeable to the FY 2006 appropriation.

[Permanent Change of Station Moves]{.underline}

> Operating units shall obligate the estimated amount of all travel and
> transportation expenses of a transferred employee to the appropriation
> current at the time the employee is issued a valid travel order (see
> 64 CG 45).

[Advances]{.underline}

> Personnel not in receipt of a travel credit card should request travel
> advances early. Travel advances shall be calculated using the given
> instruction above.

[Special considerations]{.underline}

This fiscal year rollover introduces special circumstances resulting
from Hurricane Katrina. Many volunteers to the relief effort will be
traveling under government guidance for the first time. Travel Managers
are encouraged to pay special attention to these brave individuals'
travel requests to ensure their travel requests are correct. TMD also
asks that travel managers place their office contact information on
these travel orders. This is an unstable time for these travelers so
please be prepared to assist them at a moment's notice.

Please ensure that your employees prepare travel orders and travel
vouchers in accordance with these guidelines.

If you or members of your staff have any questions, please call us on
(202) 482-1818.

cc: SATO