Department of the Interior
Departmental Manual
Effective Date: 6/24/94
Series: Delegation
Part 205: General Delegations
Chapter 15: Travel and Transportation
Originating Office: Office of Financial Management, Office of the Secretary
205 DM 15
1. General. The Solicitor, Assistant Secretaries, and the Inspector General are delegated the following authorities pertaining to travel and transportation. These authorities may be further redelegated unless specifically prohibited herein.
2. Travel and Transportation (Relocation Allowances).
A. Transfer or Appointment.
(1) Authorize and approve the payment of travel and transportation allowances for new appointees, student trainees, and others traveling to their first duty station at Government expense.
(2) Authorize and approve the payment of travel, transportation and other authorized relocation allowances incident to the transfer of a Government employee from one official duty station to another for the benefit of the Government (5 U.S.C. Sections 5722-5729).
(3) Approval of an employee's written request for an extension of time, beyond the initial two years authorized for the completion of the sale or purchase of a residence or lease termination.
(4) Authorize and approve an extension allowing an employee to occupy temporary quarters beyond 60 days.
(5) Authorize and approve an extension of temporary storage of household goods beyond the initial 90 days.
(6) Authorize and approve non-temporary storage of household goods.
(7) Authorize and approve the shipment of professional books and papers as an administrative expense.
(8) Authorize and approve the emergency transportation and storage of a privately owned vehicle.
B. Authorize and approve preparation and transportation of the remains of a deceased employee, (including the transportation of deceased dependents in appropriate cases) and the transportation of the immediate family and household goods of a deceased employee when permitted by the Federal Travel Regulation.
C. Authorize and approve last move home relocation allowances for eligible senior executive employees.
3. Use of Designated Agents for Signing Transportation Requests. Designate agents to sign transportation requests in lieu of travelers.
4. Evacuation of Families of Civilian Employees. Designate the zones from which the immediate families of civilian employees should be evacuated for military or other causes which create imminent danger to life or property, or adverse living conditions seriously affecting the health, safety, or accommodation of said families.
5. Travel Authorizations and Temporary Duty Travel Expenses.
A. Utilizing funds within their control or funds certified available by other fund managers which have been made available for official travel expenses:
(1) Issue trip-by-trip authorizations for travel within the United States for the travel of employees, experts, consultants, interviewees and persons serving without compensation.
(2) Issue trip-by-trip travel authorizations for travel at Government expense for attendance at an approved conference or for training.
(3) Issue limited open travel authorizations to employees that are required to perform frequent and repeated travel within a geographic area.
B. Designate employees, by position or title, that may be issued an unlimited travel authorization. This authority may not be redelegated.
C. Issue unlimited open travel authorizations to designated employees. This authority may not be redelegated below the bureau or office director.
D. Issue travel authorizations for travel to, from, within, and between the United States, the territories of the United States and foreign countries. Concurrence of the Director, Office of Policy Analysis must be obtained for all travel to foreign countries.
E. Authorize and approve fees related to travel outside the continental United States.
F. Expenses while performing official travel away from the duty station.
(1) Authorize and approve local travel at a temporary duty location to obtain meals.
(2) Authorize and approve taxicab fares for local travel at the temporary duty location and travel between residence and office on the day travel is performed.
(3) Authorize and approve the rental of an automobile or special conveyance.
(4) Authorize and approve use of privately owned conveyance when it is most advantageous to the Government.
(5) Authorize and approve the use of a privately owned vehicle when the use of a Government-furnished vehicle or common carrier transportation would be most advantageous to the Government.
(6) Authorize and approve reimbursement of miscellaneous expenses.
(7) Authorize and approve return to the official station or to an alternate location due to personal emergency situation or illness of an immediate family member.
(8) Authorize and approve the use of and/or reimbursement of expenses for travelers checks, money orders, certified checks, or contractor provided automated-tellermachines (ATM) services.
(9) Authorize and approve the payment of actual subsistence expenses, where due to unusual circumstances of a travel assignment either within or outside the continental United States, the maximum locality lodging plus per them rate is much less than the amount required to meet the actual and necessary subsistence expenses of the traveler.
(10) Authorize and approve reimbursement for use of accommodations other than premium-class transportation services, when lower cost service is/was authorized or is/was available on the same mode of transportation.
(11) Authorize and approve reduced maximum per them rates when appropriate.
(12) Authorize and approve additional per them for travel by commercial vessel when the specified rate is insufficient.
(13) Authorize and approve maximum daily reimbursement.
(14) Authorize and approve hire of a room for a purpose other than lodging.
(15) Authorize and approve additional travel expenses incurred by an employee with a disability.
(16) Authorize and approve payment of account when agency is billed direct.
(17) Authorize and approve advance of funds for anticipated out of pocket expenses.
(18) Authorize and approve the use of cash to purchase passenger transportation services costing more than $100.
(19) Authorize and approve utilization of premium-class, other than first-class, passenger transportation.
6. Conference Travel. The following authorities for approval and control of conference travel may not be redelegated below the Deputy Assistant Secretary level.
A. Authorize and approve Government sponsorship or cosponsorship of a conference involving travel of 30 or more Government employees.
B. Authorize and approve conducting a conference at a selected site involving 30 or more Government employees. Approving official must maintain the documentation supporting the site selection for future review (41 CFR 301).
7. Contractor Provided Services. The following authorities for approval and control of contractor provided services may not be redelegated below the bureau assistant director.
A. Authorize and approve Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of the Interior and a General Services Administration contract Travel Management Center (TMC) for travel services.
B. Authorize and approve task orders and agreements between the Department of the Interior and the General Services Administration contractor providing contractor-issued charge cards, centrally billed accounts, travelers checks, and automated-teller-machine services.
8. Authority Retained by the Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget. The following authority has not been redelegated below the Deputy Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget level.
A. Authorize and approve the hire of a conveyance from another employee or member of the employee's family.
B. Authorize and approve the use of a foreign flag air carrier.
C. Authorize and approve waiver of the requirement to itemize local telephone calls, local metropolitan streetcar, bus, and subway fares; and parking meter fees.
D. Authority to define the boundary of the duty station and/or vicinity of the place of abode (home), within which no per them will be paid.
E. Authorize and approve utilization of first-class train, steamer, or airline passenger accommodations.
9. Amendment Authority. This chapter does not limit the authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget by 209 DM 4. The Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget is authorized to amend, limit, suspend, or revoke any authority granted by or pursuant to this chapter. This authority may not be redelegated.
6/24/94 #3010
Replaces 10/4/83 #2524