265 FW 1, Temporary Duty Travel - Definitions and Responsibilities, Fish and Wildlife Service Manual, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

265 FW 1
Temporary Duty Travel – Definitions and Responsibilities

Supersedes 265 FW 1, FWM 334, 11/03/98

Date: December 10, 2009

Series: Finance

Part 265: Travel

Originating Office: Division of Financial Management

1.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? This chapter provides an overview of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) requirements and responsibilities governing temporary duty (TDY) travel and introduces the policies in Part 265 of the Service Manual.

1.2 What is the scope of Part 265?

A. Part 265 provides guidance to people conducting TDY travel on behalf of the Service, as well as other employees with other travel-related responsibilities. Part 265 does not cover local travel, travel associated with a permanent change of station (PCS), or travel associated with a temporary change of station (TCS).

B. Table 1-1 shows the differences between TDY, local, PCS, and TCS travel and where employees can find guidance on each type of official travel.

Table 1-1: Types of Official Travel
Travel Type	Definition	Guidance
TDY Travel	Official travel that includes airfare, or fulfills both of the following criteria: § Greater than 12 hours in duration. § Further than 50 miles from the employee's permanent duty station and residence.	265 FW TDY Handbook
Local Travel	Travel that does not meet the duration and distance requirements of TDY travel. Employees performing local travel: § Must use the Claim for Reimbursement for Expenditures on Official Business form (SF-1164) to claim reimbursement for transportation costs. § Are not entitled to per diem reimbursement.	Memorandum that the Assistant Director - Business Management and Operations issued on 02/23/2009
PCS Travel	Travel required as part of an employee's permanent relocation from one official duty station to another.	266 FW Employees on the Move Handbook
TCS Travel	Relocation to a new official station for a temporary period while performing a long-term assignment and subsequent return to the previous official station after completing that assignment. We use this status as an alternative to remaining in travel status for an extended period of time.	Department of the Interior Implementing Instructions Federal Travel Regulation Part 302, Subpart E

1.3 How is Part 265 organized? We organized the chapters in Part 265 in the same order that someone would complete the travel process. Table 1-2 summarizes the content of Part 265.

Table 1-2: Summary of Part 265
Chapter Title	Topics
265 FW 1: Definitions and Responsibilities	§ Types of official travel § Authorities for Part 265 § Responsibilities during the travel process § Resources for more information
265 FW 2: Electronic Travel System	§ Obtaining a user profile § Using the electronic travel system to book and document travel
265 FW 3: Travel Payment Methods	§ Eligibility for a Government charge card § Appropriate use of a travel card § Procedures for cash withdrawals and advances § Requirements for paying a travel card bill
265 FW 4: Travel Authorizations	§ Different types of travel authorizations (e.g., Limited Open Travel Authorization, Trip-by-Trip Authorization) § Obtaining approval to travel § Amending an authorization § Obtaining approval for emergency travel
265 FW 5: Transportation	§ Methods of transportation and appropriate use of each § Premium class upgrades § Calculating mileage reimbursement for use of a privately owned vehicle § Use of a rental car § Combining personal and official travel
265 FW 6: Lodging, Meals, and Incidental Expenses	§ Eligibility for per diem reimbursement § Calculating reimbursement for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses using the Lodgings-Plus method § Other methods of reimbursement (e.g., actual subsistence, camp rate, flat rate)
265 FW 7: Employee Reimbursement	§ Allowable travel-related expenses § Preparing and submitting a travel voucher § Amending a voucher § Approving a voucher
265 FW 8: Non-Employee Travel and Travel Arranger Responsibilities	§ Travel requirements for the following types of travelers: o Invitational travelers o Interviewees o Employees of other Government agencies o Volunteers o Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) participants o People in Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignments o Contractors § The role of the Travel Arranger in the TDY process
265 FW 9: Extended Assignments	§ Defining an extended assignment § Allowable transportation and per diem costs § How to arrange and document TDY travel when an extended assignment is interrupted
265 FW 10: Emergency, Illness, Injury or Death	§ Handling an emergency, illness, or injury during TDY travel § The Service's responsibilities when an employee dies while in TDY travel status
265 FW 11: TDY Travel for Meetings and Conferences	§ Getting approval and reimbursements for travelling to a meeting or conference § Sponsoring a meeting or conference

1.4 What is the Service policy on TDY travel? We authorize official TDY travel as a program and mission enabler. Employees should read the chapters in Part 265 and consider the following principles when planning, performing, or approving official travel:

A. The traveler must:

(1) Conduct official travel in the most cost-effective and efficient manner necessary to accomplish Government business.

(2) Exercise the same care when incurring expenses on official travel that a prudent person would exercise if traveling at personal expense.

(3) If you have a Government charge card with the travel business line (i.e., a travel card), use the travel card to incur travel-related expenses (see 265 FW 3 and 265 FW 7).

(4) Document all travel arrangements, travel authorizations, and travel vouchers in our electronic travel system.

B. The traveler's supervisor must issue written authorization in advance of all official travel, except in emergencies. Emergency travel includes both official emergencies (e.g., fire-related travel) and personal emergencies (e.g., immediate return from a TDY trip due to a family member's hospitalization or death).

1.5 What are the authorities for Part 265?

A. Department of the Interior (Department) Travel Policy Issuance System (347 DM 1).

B. Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) (41 CFR 301-304).

1.6 Who is responsible for the travel process?

A. The Director approves:

(1) Policy about travel,

(2) Unlimited Open Travel Authorizations as appropriate (see 265 FW 4), and

(3) Sponsorship or co-sponsorship of large meetings and conferences (see 265 FW 11).

B. The Assistant Director – Business Management and Operations:

(1) Approves requests for per diem reimbursement for travel 30-50 miles from the traveler's residence or permanent duty station, and

(2) Issues extended exceptions to the 50-mile requirement for specific TDY locations.

C. Regional Directors, Assistant Directors, and the Chief - Office of Law Enforcement:

(1) Initiate Unlimited Open Travel Authorizations as appropriate (see 265 FW 4),

(2) Approve some discretionary entitlements, including actual subsistence at 101-300% of the per diem rate for the TDY location and allowable use of business class transportation (see 265 FW 5 and 265 FW 6),

(3) Approve sponsorship or co-sponsorship of small meetings and conferences, and

(4) Issue guidance on travel-related issues as necessary.

D. Regional Travel Coordinators:

(1) Give employees guidance on Regional and Servicewide travel policies,

(2) Assist employees who encounter travel-related issues,

(3) Review and approve travelers' User Access Forms, and

(4) Work with the Division of Financial Management - Headquarters to identify and resolve travel policy issues.

E. Regional Federal Agency Travel Administrators (FATA):

(1) Assist travelers in obtaining user profiles for the electronic travel system,

(2) Perform administrative tasks in the system, and

(3) Run reports from the system to meet management needs.

F. Approving Officials (i.e., supervisors or officials at least one level above the traveler):

(1) Issue Limited Open Travel Authorizations (see 265 FW 4);

(2) Approve Trip-by-Trip Authorizations and discretionary entitlements by digitally signing the authorization in the electronic travel system, by signing a printed copy of a Trip-by-Trip Authorization, or by signing a copy of FWS Form 3-2388 (see 265 FW 4);

(3) Review travel vouchers, receipts, and supporting documentation (see 265 FW 7); and

(4) Give employees guidance on the travel process or tell them who to call for help (see section 1.8).

G. Travelers and Travel Arrangers:

(1) Complete a User Access Form to obtain a traveler profile in the electronic travel system,

(2) Request approval to conduct official travel before taking a trip (see 265 FW 4),

(3) Arrange transportation and lodging and estimate other travel-related expenses in the electronic travel system (see 265 FW 5 and 265 FW 6),

(4) Travel in compliance with the FTR and Departmental and Service policy (see 265 FW 4-7),

(5) Provide receipts and documentation in the electronic travel system after a trip (see 265 FW 7),

(6) Submit a travel voucher for reimbursement in the electronic travel system (see 265 FW 7), and

(7) Issue payment to the Government charge card vendor for individually billed travel-related costs within the required timeframe (see Service Integrated Charge Card Program Guidance).

1.7 What terms do you need to know to understand Part 265? You can find any travel-related terms used in Part 265 in the glossary of common travel-related terms in Appendix A of the Temporary Duty Handbook: A Guide to the TDY Process.

1.8 What resources are available to assist employees with the TDY travel process? We have many resources to help you with the TDY travel process. If you need help with a specific travel-related issue, see Appendix D of the Temporary Duty Handbook: A Guide to the TDY Process for contact information.

For information on the content of this chapter, contact the Division of Financial Management. For more information about this Website, contact Krista Bibb in the Division of Policy and Directives Management.

Directives Home

PDM Web sites: Centralized Library of Servicewide Policies | FWS Forms | PDM Services

Privacy, Disclaimer and Copyright Information | Information Quality Act