Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 4 - ADMINISTRATION › Part V - Policy and Procedure Memoranda › Chapter 15 - General Travel Regulations-PPM Number 49 › Section V-1503 - General Specifications

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A.
				Department Policies
1. Department heads may
				establish travel regulations within their respective agencies, but such
				regulations shall not exceed the maximum limitations established by the
				Commissioner of Administration. Three copies of such regulations shall be
				submitted for prior review and approval by the Commissioner of Administration.
				One of the copies shall highlight any exceptions /deviations to
				PPM-49.
2. Department and agency
				heads will take whatever action necessary to minimize all travel to carry on
				the department mission.
3. All High
				Cost Expenditures (airfare, lodging, vehicle rentals, and registration) must be
				placed on the LaCarte Purchasing Card, Travel Card or agency CBA programs
				unless prior approval is granted from the Commissioner of
				Administration.
4. Contracted
				Travel Services. The state has contracted for travel agency services which use
				is mandatory for airfares unless exemptions have been granted by the Division
				of Administration, Office of State Travel, prior to purchasing airfare tickets.
				The contracted travel agency has an online booking system which can and should
				be used by all travelers for booking airfare. Use of the online booking system
				can drastically reduce the cost paid per transaction and state travelers are
				strongly encouraged to utilize.
5.
				Contracted Hotel Services. The state has a contract for hotel services, with
				HotelPlanner, which use is mandatory. This mandate is also applicable to
				authorized travelers, contractors, board members and students who are traveling
				on behalf of State of Louisiana. A one-time exemption may be granted for
				individual lodging on a case by case basis by the Agency Department Head with
				proper justification.
NOTE: Travelers will be responsible for adhering to the
				  hotel's cancellation policy that is set by the hotel when booking through
				  Hotelplanner. If a traveler does not cancel a hotel stay within the
				  cancellation time frame that is set by the hotel, the traveler will be
				  responsible for payments. No exceptions unless approval is granted from the
				  Commissioner of Administration. Travelers not booking through the portal
				  without prior approval must reimburse the agency/university/board.
a. All agency/university/board hosted
				in-state conferences that require lodging must be booked through Hotelplanner
				portal unless prior approval granted by the Division of Administration, Office
				of State Travel.
b. Group lodging
				for in-state and out-of-state bookings must be booked through Hotelplanner
				portal unless prior approval is granted by the Division of Administration,
				Office of State Travel.
6. Contracted Vehicles Rentals. The state has
				a contract for all rentals based out of Louisiana through Enterprise
				Rent-A-Car, which use is mandatory.
a. The
				state has a contract for all out-of-state rental vehicles which use is
				mandatory. Travelers shall use Hertz, Enterprise, or National for business
				travel. These contracts are also applicable to all authorized travelers, and
				contractors.
7. When a
				state agency enters into a contract with an out-of-state public entity, the
				out-of-state public entity may have the authority to conduct any related travel
				in accordance with their published travel regulations.
8. Authorization to Travel
a. All non-routine travel must be authorized
				with prior approvals in writing by the head of the department, board, or
				commission from whose funds the traveler is paid. A department head may
				delegate this authority in writing to one designated person. Additional persons
				within a department may be designated with approval from the Commissioner of
				Administration. A file shall be maintained, by the agency, on all approved
				travel authorizations.
b. Annual
				travel authorizations are no longer a mandatory requirement of PPM-49 for
				routine travel, however, an agency can continue to utilize this process if
				determined to be in your department's best interest and to obtain prior
				approval for annual routine travel. A prior approved travel authorization is
				still required for non-routine meetings, conferences and out-of-state
				travel.