TRAVEL COORDINATOR ROLE

Each enitity has an assigned Travel Coordinator who is the representative for travel. It is the Travel Coordinator’s job to ensure all travelers in the agency or university are informed about policies, contracts, and so on, which affect state business travel. If you don’t know who your Travel Coordinator is, please call our office and we will provide the contact information for the Travel Coordinator for your state agency or university.

NOTE: Ignorance of the travel rules is NOT an allowable exception for not following them.

You may submit feedback on the Vendor Feedback/Incident Form. STMP staff will discuss with the contract vendors any difficulties you report to us.

Please contact your Travel Coordinator and/or the STMP if you have difficulties with any of the State's contract travel vendors:

COMMONLY USED TERMS

City-Pair - A one-way airline flight between two cities, from origin to destination, regardless of stopovers or connections.

Discount Rate - A price for a travel service established by the STMP.

Exception - Apply to the use of any contract travel service and may be required on payment documentation for reimbursement. (see T.A.C. § 125.3)

State of Texas Contract Rate - The rate travelers should ask for when making reservations for services and when obtaining those services from the contract airlines, rental car companies, and lodging establishments. It is the traveler’s responsibility to ensure the rate given is correct during the reservation/booking process.

Transient Travel - Travel by an individual passing through a destination for a short stay; not joining others to participate in a convention or group meeting in which the lodging facility is participating.

Traveler - A person who, under Section 125.1 of the TBPC's travel rules, is eligible to use the contract services or rates including those eligible pursuant to the Comptroller’s Travel Allowance Guide.

TRAVEL AUDITS & EXCEPTIONS

The Comptroller of Public Accounts (Comptroller) is statutorily required to audit travel vouchers for compliance with TBPC's rules for contract travel services. The Comptroller audits state agencies that are required to participate in the STMP for two purposes: (1) to ensure that agencies are using the contracts; and (2) to ensure that agencies comply with rates established for contract travel services.

T.A.C. rule § 125.3 provides exceptions to use of contract travel services. These exceptions apply to the use of any contract travel services. When travel services are obtained at al lower total cost than the cost of contract travel services, no reporting of receptions is required. Exceptions must be documented only when the total cost is greater than contract travel services rates.