335.4 - Employee Claims for Reimbursement of Official Business Expenditures

335.4 - Employee Claims for Reimbursement of Official Business Expenditures

12/14/07

OPR: Office of Administrative Policy and Services, Office of Accounting and Financial Management

Instructions: This chapter replaces Chapter 335.4, dated October 25, 1991

1. Purpose and Scope. This chapter provides policy and procedures for the reimbursement of USGS employees for authorized expenditures made in and around the official duty station (50 mile radius). A signed SF 1164, Claim for Reimbursement for Expenditures on Official Business is used to claim reimbursement.

A. Authorized Uses. USGS employees may be reimbursed for the following cash expenditures:

(1) Mileage reimbursement, tolls, and parking fees for use of privately owned vehicle for official business. Mileage reimbursement is from the duty station to the place of official business and return. An employee must deduct the normal daily commute if departing from or returning to their residence. This deduction should be clearly notated on the SF-1164.

(3) Registration fees for attendance at meetings within the local area - receipt required.
Note: Payment using the Government charge card – Purchase business line is the preferred method of payment for registration fees.

(4) Training and tuition - receipt and training form required. Training form must be signed by the approving official and the SF-1164 should be annotated that no other payment mechanism was accepted by the vendor.

(6) Official calls in the local area. Employees are expected to use Government telephones or Federal Calling Cards for official calls in the local area. The Department of the Interior telecommunications policy states:

“Employees should not expect reimbursement when using personal wireless services for Government business without prior approval of managers and supervisors. If an employee has a recurring need for wireless services and if cost-benefit reviews support the requirement, the office should consider acquiring Government-owned wireless technologies that can be checked out or assigned to employees on an as-needed basis.”

Any official call being claimed on the SF-1164 must be supported by documentation with official charges clearly highlighted. Only the cost of the service differentiated, and itemized as an additional cost actually incurred by the employee may be claimed for reimbursement.

(7) Professional liability insurance, the lessor of 50 percent of the cost or $150.00 per year.

B. Prohibited Uses. SF 1164 shall not be used to claim reimbursement for the following:

(1) Any official Government purchase, such as supplies or equipment, made by an employee who has not been designated with purchase authority. Any micro purchase made in the local area should be charged to the Government charge card by an employee with purchase authority only.

3. Procedures. The procedures for the preparation and submission of claim for reimbursement follow:

A. The SF 1164 can be prepared either in Travel Manager as a local voucher or by using the Lotus Electronic Forms package at: https://gsvaresa01.er.usgs.gov/welcome.nsf. The SF 1164 form should clearly state the purpose of the claim, provide dates, and be signed and dated by claimant and the first line supervisor, supported by any required receipts. SF 1164s should be presented to an official with Remote Data Entry (RDE) capability for payment as an 8V document. If the office does not have an official with RDE capability, the SF 1164 can be forwarded to the Office of Accounting and Financial Management for processing.

B. Reimbursement for employee claims for official business expenditures is limited to $500.00. Since it is costly to process claims for small amounts, a SF 1164 will not be submitted ordinarily until the cumulative amount exceeds $10.00. A receipt is required for all expenditures over $75.

C. Claims for reimbursement of miscellaneous expenditures made in and around the official duty station should not be made on travel vouchers.

D. All payments will be made by Electronic Funds Transfer to the banking information recorded in the Federal Financial System.

(signed) Karen D. Baker                                                                   12/14/07
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Karen D. Baker                                                                                    Date
Associate Director for Administrative Policy and Services