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Travel

The Travel Services Team serves as the Headquarters POC for the following services:

For questions about Travel Services or the Travel Management Center, see the Contact Us, Travel Services Section

Travel Management Center (TMC)

The Travel Services Team oversees the Travel Management Center (TMC), which is operated by ADTRAV Travel Management.

Office Hours -  8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Office Location -  Forrestal, Room GE-180
The Reservation Center phone number is 1-888-205-2369 (same number for emergency after-hours).

In addition, travel arrangements can be made via e:mail at DOETRAVEL@adtrav.com. A transaction fee is charged for each ticket issued. It is recommended that all travelers create a traveler's profile using RezProfiler; the ADTRAV Internet-based, traveler profile system. RezProfiler resides on a secure server to ensure the security of personal information.  See further below on this page for the RezProfiler Instructions.  Send approved TA's for non-contract, deviations and non-refundables to DOEDC@adtrav.com.

Official Travel, Domestic and Foreign

Official travel is any travel by a federal or contractor employee who is conducting U.S. government business for authorized and official purposes. DOE travelers approved to travel for official purposes must make travel reservations through a Department of Energy designated Travel Management Center.

ADTRAV Travel Management is the Department of Energy’s Travel Management Center located in Washington, D.C.  ADTRAV provides a full range of travel agent services including, but not limited to, arranging and booking official travel for individuals and groups, making travel related reservations, providing travel policy support; providing customer service, reconciling central billed accounts; and providing travel related reports and information to management.  

All domestic travel for DOE requires prior travel authorization and approval in the GOVTRIP system at https://etsproweb.govtrip.com/wl/site/index.jsp

Official Foreign Travel

Official foreign travel is defined as approved travel (whether wholly or partly on official business) from the United States (including Alaska, Hawaii, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories and possessions of the United States) to a foreign country and return or travel between foreign countries by persons, including foreign nationals, whose salaries or travel expenses or both will ultimately be funded in whole or in part by  DOE/NNSA from its appropriations.  Official foreign travel also includes travel funded by non-DOE or non-NNSA from its appropriations.  Official foreign travel also includes travel funded by non-DOE or non-NNSA sources for which the traveler represents the Department or NNSA or conducts business on behalf of the U.S. Government.

The Department of State offers a free Travel Registration service provided by the U.S. Government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country.  Registration allows you to record information about your upcoming trip abroad that the Department of State can use to assist you in case of an emergency.

The Travel Registration Website is http://www.travel.state.gov/
Travel Warnings are also available at www.travel.state.gov

Foreign Travel Management System (FTMS)

The Foreign Travel Management System (FTMS) is a DOE-wide centralized system for recording, tracking, and securing approvals of all foreign travel conducted by DOE Federal employees and contractors. In order for DOE Federal employees and contractors to conduct international travel, the trip request must be entered and approved in FTMS.  Prior to final approval within FTMS, country clearance must be obtained from the respective country(ies) to be visited.  The system is located at:  https://ftms.doe.gov/

Processing Foreign Travel at DOE includes the following requirements:

  1. Approved Travel Authorization in the Gov Trip Travel System
  2. A completed trip request in FTMS
  3. Country Clearance Approval
  4. Valid Official/Diplomatic Passport
  5. Appropriate and valid Visa(s)
  6. Review of required immunizations 

Official Travel Regulations and Guidelines

U.S. Passports and Visa Services (Official and Diplomatic)

The Office of International Travel and Exchange Visitor Programs, MA-45, provides a variety of services, which facilitate DOE’s international travel for official or diplomatic purposes.  The Department of Energy is an authorized Passport Agency, and as such, processes No-Fee Official and Diplomatic Passport and Visa applications or related documents for government and contractor employees, who have been approved for official international travel. 

The Passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer.  A valid U.S. Passport is required to enter and leave most foreign countries. Effective January 23, 2007, U.S. citizens traveling by AIR between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda will be required to present a valid US passport, Air NEXUS card or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner document. U.S. Passports are issued by the Department of State.

Official and Diplomatic Passports are the property of the U.S. Government and are authorized for Official Use Only.  An Official Passport is issued to an official or employee of the U.S. Government proceeding abroad in the discharge of official duties.  Where appropriate, dependents of such persons may be issued official passports. (22 Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 1 51.3 (b)) A Diplomatic Passport is issued to a Foreign Service Officer, a person in the diplomatic service or to a person having diplomatic status either because of the nature of his or her foreign mission or by reason of the office he or she holds.  Where appropriate, dependents of such persons may be issued diplomatic passports. (22 Code of Federal Regulations Chapter 1 51.3 (b) and (c)

U.S. Passport Applications can now be completed online, in an encrypted environment; however, the completed form must be printed and submitted with an original signature, to the Passports and Visas Unit of MA-45. Typically, advance timing of 12-15 business days is requested for DOE to complete passport processing and to obtain a passport. The requirements for official passports include:

  • the passport application,
  • two photos,
  • Proof of birth (passport, expired passport, or birth certificate),
  • Cover Letter on the letterhead of the sponsoring government agency which provides information relative to the traveler’s grade, title, and pending trip.

Passport Applications and related Forms can be obtained from the U.S. Department of State web-site:  www.travel.state.gov

The Visa is a stamp placed in the passport, issued by the foreign consular officials at the Embassy of the foreign country which indicates that country’s approval of your visit and granting permission for you to enter that country for a specific time duration. Most countries require that a Passport be valid for at least six months beyond the dates of travel before a visa can be issued.

Visa requirements for official travel differ from the visa requirements for personal and private industry travel.  Processing times for visas are dictated by the various embassies.  While a 10-15 business day processing time is required to obtain visas from most countries; a 15-20 business day processing time is required to obtain visas for China, Viet Nam and Russia; and a two month processing time is required to obtain a visa for Cuba. When planning official travel, employees are reminded to allow sufficient time for the passport and/or visa application(s) to be processed and returned to DOE.

Important Notes:

  • Original signatures are required for each Visa Application.
  • Some foreign embassies will not issue a visa in Official or Diplomatic Passports without a letter from the Department of State.
  • For purposes of official travel for DOE all officials are required to use a diplomatic or official  passport for a number of reasons:
  1. A diplomatic or officials visa cannot be stamped into a tourist passport.
  2. A visa will not be granted for entry into a foreign country when the reason for travel to that country is stated as official business and the tourist passport is presented.
  3. Some countries will deny entry at the border to individuals entering the country on official government business when they arrive with only a tourist passport and not the official passport.  Further problems may also occur upon departure from that country.
  4. Violation of Sovereignty.  Use of the tourist passport when traveling in an official capacity misrepresents the true purpose for which the traveler has entered the country.  This can have serious and adverse on the U.S. reciprocal relations with foreign countries.
  5. Security concerns. Should there be a problem which in the host country, the official passport provides quicker access to officials of the host country government and greater protection.

Non-Refundable Airfare Guidance

  • Travelers need to be 99.9% certain of itinerary.
  • The closer to departure date, the higher the price of a non-refundable ticket.
  • Non-refundable airfares should be ticketed within 24 hours of booking; however, this does not guarantee the airfare will be available.  Carrier tariff’s change frequently throughout a 24-hour period and are never guaranteed until ticketed.

ADDITIONAL FEES
All changes to itinerary will result in airline penalties and fees which can consist of:

  • Minimum $150.00 change fee, i.e. change of departure/return, cancel
  • Difference between the original ticket price and the new ticket price
  • Full ticket plus cost of depart/return ticket when flight missed.

ADTRAV PROFILES
All travelers MUST have profiles in ADTRAV in order for ADTRAV to track unused tickets.

PROGRAM OFFICE ACCOUNTABILITY
The employee and approving official are to be fully aware of all of the terms and conditions of the ticket.

The program office and approving official are responsible for ensuring that the ticket is reused for official business on a future trip and is not used by the employee for personal use in the unanticipated event that the ticket is not used for the planned trip.  The program office must maintain a list of unused and tickets and provide the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Finance and Accounting, Energy Finance and Accounting Service Center when requested.

SEATS

  • Non-refundable seats are NOT upgradable.
  • Non-refundable seat map very limited, seats may not be desirable by the traveler.

TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION must include:

  1. #15 needs to show “No” to indicate that the traveler is on a non-contract carrier, (add under Other Authorizations in GovTrip);
  2. #22 needs to provide a justification for use of the non-contract.

TAs must be emailed to ADTRAV at doedc@adtrav.com for the ticket to be issued.

WEATHER, MECHNICAL AIRLINE ISSUES
If traveler is bumped or flight canceled due to weather or mechanical problems, traveler will need to stay on the alternate flight assigned by the carrier.  ADTRAV cannot assist without charging fees and assessing all penalties associated with non-refundable airfare.  Carrier must accommodate traveler.  Recommend the traveler stand in line at the same time while placing call to the carrier’s 800 number for assistance.

UNUSED NON-REFUNDABLE TICKET VALUES
Non-refundable is exactly that – if a traveler does not travel, or does not use all tickets, DOE will not receive a refund as such when using a contract fare.

Fully unused ticket – value of the ticket available usually 1 year from date of ticket issuance (not date of travel).  Some conditions vary.  Penalties and fees apply when fully unused ticket applied

Outbound used, return unused – partial used tickets have NO value for future travel.

Only fully unused tickets will receive a credit, credits are not transferrable and only valid for one year from date of ticket issuance not dates of travel.

If the outbound is not taken, the return can never be used on a non-refundable ticket.  The carrier will negate the value of the ticket and show the reservation as “no-show.” 

Reservations must be cancelled or value of ticket is lost this applies to outbound and return segments.  If you are late for your outbound flight, the carrier will indicate traveler as a “no show.”

If a traveler leaves the Department before using the credit, cost for the unused return is lost.

For further information follow this link for the FAQs on non-refundable tickets.

International Insurance for DOE Officials (MEDEX)

The Department of Energy provides insurance for DOE employees on official overseas travel, with MEDEX, a world-wide Travel Assistance & Travel Insurance company.  The Office of International Travel and Exchange Visitor Programs manages the MEDEX accounts for the Office of the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Under Secretary of Energy.  In addition, MA-45 provides information to DOE Program Offices regarding travel insurance services. The MEDEX plan includes the following coverage:

  • Travel Insurance for International Travelers and Medical Coverage
  • International Emergency Assistance
  • 24 hour multilingual emergency medical and security assistance
  • Evacuation and repatriation programs
  • Customized global travel solutions, pre-travel advice and contingency planning

RezProfiler Instructions

Creating a New Traveler Profile

  1. Start with all fields marked with an asterisk (*). Once you have filled in these fields, click save profile located at the bottom of the page. The Confirmation window appears giving you a User Name (your e-mail address) and a password. This password is case sensitive, please copy it down for future use.
  2. Complete the next third of the page, then click save profile.
  3. Complete the next portion of the page, then and click save profile.

NOTE: You can change your password at any time; however, it is recommended that you change it immediately.

Changing Your Password

  1. Connect to RezProfiler Web site at https://www.adtrav.com/adtravnuke/RezTools/RezProfiler/tabid/54/Default.aspx.
  2. Click Current User.
  3. Enter your Username (your e-mail address).
  4. Enter your password.
  5. Click Login.
  6. Click on Change Password.
  7. Enter a new password.

 

Click here to go to the Travel FAQs

Last updated 06/01/12