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Travel Update:
ASTSWMO will cover any baggage fees charged by your airlines for baggage within your carrier's size and weight limits. Be certain to get a receipt for the baggage charges, and list the fees as "other" expenses on the appropriate days.
Forms
- Multi-purpose travel exception form: Cost Worksheet for Interrupted Stopover Travel Tickets and Cost Worksheet for Reimbursement for Use of Privately Owned Vehicle in Excess of 500 Total Miles
- Sample travel reimbursement claim form
NOTE: An electronic version of the travel reimbursement form that is specifically coded for each meeting will be provided directly to travelers. This form is a sample only.
- Checklist for ASTSWMO travelers
Policies
Policies (Full Text)
ASTSWMO's General Policy
ASTSWMO's general policy is to ensure quick, equitable and accurate reimbursement of State travelers on Association or grant funded federal business. Further, it is the Association's intent that all travel performed on behalf of the Association be recognized as the voluntary and generous effort it represents, and that all State employees, and others sponsored by ASTSWMO, receive fair and complete reimbursement of all allowable travel expenses which they might claim. This requires the full cooperation of all parties in assuring the timely and accurate transfer of travel information and documentation, and in thoroughly understanding the procedures and limitations of the Association's reimbursement policies.
Travel reimbursed through the Association will follow federal guidelines for travel expenditures to the maximum extent possible, as tailored to the special needs of ASTSWMO as a non-profit, non-governmental corporate entity. These travel reimbursement procedures represent the Association's special modifications of those core federal guidelines, and explain the conditions under which the Association will reimburse all travelers who have participated in an ASTSWMO sponsored activity eligible for reimbursement of expenses.
Only allowable expenses incurred in conjunction with those Association sponsored committee, subcommittee, task force, or other sponsored meetings and activities, which are approved by the Association's member leadership, will be reimbursed. Individual travel advance payments cannot be made to State travelers through the Association, although in some circumstances and conditions it is possible for ASTSWMO to provide common carrier tickets for members through our travel service, and if you believe you may need to use this service, please contact the ASTSWMO staff member responsible for the sponsored activity or event. If you have been authorized to use the Association=s travel agency, please see the special instructions and restrictions for such use listed below.
Direct Reimbursement to Traveler or State Agency: ASTSWMO will reimburse the traveler directly if expenses have been incurred by the individual, or reimbursement can be provided to the State, if it furnishes advance payments to the traveler. It is even possible to divide the total costs, and reimburse appropriate costs directly to the State (most commonly airfare costs contracted directly by the State travel office) and other personal expenses directly to the traveler. In the latter case, two separate travel reimbursement forms, each with appropriate receipts, must be submitted for payment.
Itemized Expenses on Travel Claim Form: All reimbursable expenses will be itemized separately by date, using the current ASTSWMO Travel Claim Form. Travelers may claim reimbursement only for the travel expenses associated with their attendance and direct and reasonably timely travel to and from the approved event. Any personal time or travel interruptions must be clearly identified on the travel claim form and no reimbursements for personal expenses will be made for those periods. When exceptional circumstances require deviations or stay-overs (adverse weather, carrier breakdowns), those circumstances must be clarified by a brief accompanying note or letter outlining the special conditions encountered, in order to be eligible for reimbursement. Please use the claim form provided to you by ASTSWMO staff for the specific sponsored event, as it contains a specific code for accounting purposes, and the current per diem rate for that particular meeting location. If the travel exceeds four (4) days, copy the form as a continuation sheet, and enter the cumulative amounts on the final page. Be sure to sign the form to certify that the claim is correct. ASTSWMO cannot process a claim without this certification signature.
Required Receipts
Each item must be supported by an original receipt issued by the vendor. Failure to include these original receipts is one of the most common oversights for individual travelers, and results in a significant delay in their reimbursements. Only in those cases where ASTSWMO will be reimbursing the State rather than the individual, and the State regulations require that the original receipt be retained in the State records, are legible copies acceptable with the annotation on the form that "The State of ______ retains the original receipts". This requirement for a receipt includes such common items as meals, taxis, and airport parking charges when the total exceeds $25. If the total cost of an extended service exceeds $25 (e.g., airport parking for several days) then a receipt must be provided even if the daily cost is less than $25. In those cases where a receipt is not submitted with the request for reimbursement, the Association must limit the reimbursement for that item to no more than $25. In exceptional cases where receipts could not be obtained or are lost, please contact the Washington office to review alternative ways to present evidence of payment. While receipts are not required for items under $25, their inclusion is encouraged. Necessary receipts for lodging costs, transportation by common carrier, meals and incidentals, and other allowable expenses are discussed below. If the traveler is concerned with the presence of personal account numbers on any original receipt provided to ASTSWMO, that information may be obliterated or cut out as long as the required itemized information is fully legible. ASTSWMO accepts no responsibility for misuse of any personal credit account information provided with reimbursement claims.
Individual Expenses
Maximum Allowances for Hotel, Meals and Incidental Expenses: The maximum allowances for hotel, meals and incidental expenses incurred will be closely aligned to those set by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government (NOTE: the federal government no longer publishes per diem rates in the Federal Register. Current rates are located at the government website: http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem.
Travelers will only be reimbursed for the number of travel days/hotel nights indicated in the ASTSWMO announcement of the sponsored event. Should he/she have an individual requirement for additional days/nights based on travel distance, inadequate flight schedules, etc., it is his/her responsibility to contact the ASTSWMO office and resolve the matter prior to the travel.
Lodging: Hotel arrangements will be at the best available government, convention or corporate rate provided by hotels, and must be supported by a complete hotel receipt which itemizes the daily rate, taxes, and room-night usage claimed by the traveler. Credit card receipts, etc., which do not reflect this itemized information are not acceptable substitutes. In cases where ASTSWMO has established a special room block and meeting rate at or near the meeting location (or at an overflow hotel), those facilities must be used and will be the maximum amount of lodging costs reimbursable to an individual. If the room is shared by someone not participating in the ASTSWMO activity, only the single rate may be claimed by the ASTSWMO traveler. When the traveler cannot obtain the government rate for the area, or the negotiated rate for the hotel under ASTSWMO contract, it is his/her responsibility to discuss the situation with the ASTSWMO staff to explore lodging alternatives prior to making the travel. ASTSWMO reserves the right to limit reimbursement to either the government rate or contract rate in any case where the traveler pays a higher rate for his/her hotel room.
Meals and Incidental (M&I) Expenses: Although ASTSWMO does not pay a daily per diem rate as many States and the federal government do, the total daily reimbursements for meals and incidental expenses claimed by individuals will be made on the basis of actual costs, but capped at no more than the maximum allowable federal per diem rates for meals and incidentals per day for the city concerned. You will find that information on the GSA web site noted above. Please note that this is only a maximum reimbursable amount per day. This cap, or maximum limit, on meals and incidentals does not change ASTSWMO's basic policy of reimbursement only on the basis of actual costs. State travelers should continue to reflect actual itemized costs paid for meals and incidentals in all cases. Even if your State reimburses you on a per diem basis, we can only reimburse on the basis of actual costs paid, and the actual cost is the figure which must be entered on your reimbursement form for each meal or daily incidental total. The cap or maximum federal daily payment will come into effect only should actual expenditures exceed this federal limit for the day (e.g., your total daily M&I expenses are $67.50 on a given day spent in Washington, DC, which has a maximum cap of $64.00 per day, in which case you would receive only the federal maximum of $64.00 for that day).
Policy on Provided Meals: Claims for meals should not be made when a meal is provided by ASTSWMO, and the traveler had the opportunity to consume that meal. When a meal is provided at the sponsored event, ASTSWMO retains the right to deduct up to the actual cost for that specific meal from the total allowable daily maximum meals and incidentals rate available to the individual. Please ensure that you make an individual entry for each meal/incidental expense, by day, in the space provided for expenses claimed. Claims without itemized meal costs for each day claimed will be returned to the traveler for completion before payment can be made. Please do not include the unallowable costs of alcoholic beverages in meal costs.
Other Allowable Expenses
ASTSWMO has a limited ability to reimburse travelers for some other, allowable, individual expenses. Please note that receipts are required for any cost over $25 for any of these indicated activities.
Local Transportation: Costs of taxis, limo/van services, bus or rail transportation costs are fully reimbursable for the costs of local transportation only when required to reach and return from the sponsored activity (e.g., from the airport to/from the hotel, or from home to/from the airport). However, use of these same local transportation services for personal use (e.g., a taxi from the hotel to a restaurant) is considered an incidental expense (see below) and is only reimbursed within the daily maximum limit or cap for the area of travel. If a taxi/van trip exceeds $25, a receipt is required. Please list taxi expenses separately if the combined use exceeds $25 and would appear to require a receipt. This listing can be by pen and ink annotation at the bottom of the form.
Incidental Expenses: These include tips, gratuities, use of ATM machines and transportation for personal reasons such as travel to and from restaurants. ASTSWMO does not place dollar limits on incidental expenses, but they must be included within the daily cap or maximum payment for meals and incidental expenses for that date. For example, if a traveler uses taxis to go to and from dinner while in Washington, D.C., those costs would be listed as incidental expenses within the M&I section of the reimbursement form, along with any tips to the driver, bellmen, etc., but the day's maximum M&I reimbursement will be limited to the maximum area rate of $64 for the day.
Communications Services: ASTSWMO will not reimburse for calls or other communications services including internet or e-mail access related to the traveler's business or agency activities, even though those might be official State activities. ASTSWMO will not reimburse for personal calls home, or for other personal arrangements or activities. These include expenses for use of telephones, faxes, messenger services, etc., and can only be reimbursed when the use of that service is directly in support of the ASTSWMO sponsored activity (e.g., telephone calls to airlines regarding flight adjustments, telephone calls to speakers regarding schedules or agenda changes). If you are claiming such a communications cost incurred in support of the sponsored activity (such as a call for a taxi or shuttle reservation), list the expense under "other" expenses and annotate the actual purpose of the call in ink at the bottom of the form.
Airport Parking: ASTSWMO will reimburse for the cost of standard airport or rail station parking costs. ASTSWMO will not reimburse for the use of valet parking, or special daily rate lots, nor for any other services performed while the automobile is left with a parking service, such as carwashes, etc. See the discussion of reimbursement for private vehicle use below for ASTSWMO's limitations on reimbursement for hotel parking costs. A receipt is required when the total cost of the parking exceeds $25, regardless of the daily rate.
Other State Special Reimbursements: When ASTSWMO is reimbursing a State for the travel of an individual, it will make every effort to reimburse any expenses already paid by the State as reimbursable under the State travel regulations. However, ASTSWMO retains the right to determine whether any other expenses are allowable under the Association's interpretations of its grant responsibilities and other federal regulations. When individual travelers are requesting reimbursement directly from ASTSWMO, those reimbursements must be in accordance with these ASTSWMO procedures, without regard to their State's travel regulations.
Registration Fees for Meetings and Events: Registration fees for meetings and events are not normally reimbursable by ASTSWMO. Prior approval from the ASTSWMO Washington office is required before any payment can be made for such registration fees. Approval for registration fees will not be provided after the fact.
Unallowable Personal Expenses: Travelers should not request reimbursement for such items as purchase of personal items, alcoholic beverages, resort fees, or entertainment or pay-TV, as no reimbursement will be made for such expenses. While attending ASTSWMO sponsored activities, travelers should not expend any funds for such business services as convenience printing, secretarial services, audio-visual supplies or equipment rental and assume that reimbursement will be made. Please consult with on-site ASTSWMO staff before making any such expenditure to determine if that service can be provided in another manner, or will be allowable.
Transportation
Reimbursement for Air Travel: Reimbursement for common air carrier or railroad expenses will be paid at no more than the standard coach class rate. When a choice of common air carrier is available, expenses will be reimbursed not to exceed the lowest cost of that standard coach class in arriving at the destination. While the use of Privately Owned Vehicles (POV) for extended travel is discouraged, and the Association accepts no liability for such use in any case or instance, reimbursement is possible subject to special restrictions described in detail below.
Air travel is the most frequently use mode of transportation for State members and ASTSWMO will reimburse travelers with prior approval for reimbursement for expenses incurred in relation to ASTSWMO-sponsored meetings or activities for airline ticket fares and for reasonable agent or airline service fees for ticketing or ticket changes. Acceptable airfare receipts include the customer receipt copy of the ticket, or a paid invoice from a travel agency or airline, either of which must reflect the traveler's name, the dates and destinations of travel, and the total costs paid. If extra airfare is required (e.g., a necessary change in flights), the traveler must ensure that he/she obtains a counter receipt for the additional amount in order to receive reimbursement. More frequently, State travelers are required to use electronic airline tickets and their receipt is an e-mail confirmation of the ticket transaction. These e-mails are acceptable receipts if those documents contain the same minimum information noted above, but include all pages of the document. Some passenger airport check-in stations also allow passengers to print out a receipt that normally contains this same information. We have found that even minimum documentation intended more as a traveler itinerary can be strengthened by the inclusion of other evidence of actual use of the flight such as boarding passes in order to meet these minimum information criteria. As noted earlier, service fees charged by travel agencies and airlines are an allowable expense, but their cost must be documented on the invoice or by a separate receipt.
Airline Penalty Tickets: Due to grant rule limitations, ASTSWMO cannot be responsible for airline penalty tickets should the traveler be unable to make the flight. Travelers must understand that they are personally responsible for such non-refundable common carrier tickets, and ASTSWMO cannot reimburse for these expenses if the non-refundable ticket is not used. However, if a non-refundable airline ticket is purchased by a member and not used for the original travel, most airlines, assuming proper prior notifications are made, will allow that ticket to be applied to a future trip, with the addition of a change fee (usually around $100). ASTSWMO can reimburse a member for both the ticket cost and the change fee when that ticket is actually used. However, the traveler must be sure to obtain a receipt for that change fee amount.
Exceptions to Normal Procedures for Air or Rail: ASTSWMO recognizes that there will be occasions when travelers must engage in State business or even personal travel in conjunction with ASTSWMO-sponsored travel. For that reason, the Association has developed a process for exceptions to its normal procedures for air or rail travel that will allow State travelers to take personal time or stopover in other locations en route to or form an ASTSWMO event. However, these exceptions to policy require that prior approval has been obtained from the ASTSWMO Washington, DC office. No retroactive approval can be made, so any traveler contemplating taking personal time or making a stopover en route to or from the ASTSWMO event, should carefully read the requirements necessary for prior approval governing exceptions to ASTSWMO travel policies.
Reimbursement for Use of POV or State Vehicles: Reimbursement for use of POV or State vehicles for travel to ASTSWMO meetings or activities. If the traveler voluntarily elects to use a POV or State vehicle for transportation to a reimbursable event when the total round trip mileage does not exceed 500 miles, ASTSWMO will reimburse for such use at the Associations prevailing mileage rate for that use. ASTSWMO's mileage rate is normally the most recent federal rate for POV reimbursement, although ASTSWMO may not put a new rate into effect for its own reimbursement purposes on the same effective date as the Federal government. Please calculate your mileage at the rate indicated on the reimbursement form for the meeting attended. The traveler is responsible for any gasoline, mechanical repairs, etc., as the mileage rate is considered to cover all of those expenses. Because travel within the Continental U.S. can be made in a single day by air travel, no additional reimbursement for any individual hotel expenses will be made, and meals and incidentals will be limited to a single day. Hotel parking costs will be reimbursable up to $25 per day, but ASTSWMO will not reimburse for valet parking services. If multiple days of parking exceed a total of $25, a receipt or receipts must be submitted with the reimbursement request. Please remember that only the driver/ owner of the vehicle may claim the mileage rate, and passengers may not.
If a State vehicle is used, ASTSWMO will reimburse for tolls and hotel parking up $25 per day, and fuel costs when State vehicles are used without claim for mileage reimbursement. Travelers using this form of transportation should indicate "State Vehicle Used" in the "Transportation" section of the ASTSWMO travel form to clarify their use of that transportation mode. Mileage reimbursement for State vehicle use must be payable to the State agency concerned, and cannot be reimbursed to an individual. Out of pocket expenses for fuel, parking and tolls may be claimed by the driver on his/her individual travel form, but these expenses must be properly supported by receipts.
If the total round trip vehicle mileage for either a POV or State vehicle will exceed 500 miles, no reimbursement can be made for mileage or any other associated cost, unless prior approval has been obtained from the ASTSWMO Washington, DC office. No retroactive approval can be made, so any traveler contemplating use of either a POV or State vehicle in excess of 500 miles round trip, should carefully read the notification requirements necessary for prior approval governing exceptions to ASTSWMO travel policies.
Rental Vehicles: As a policy, ASTSWMO will not reimburse travelers for the use of rental vehicles unless the use of a rental vehicle is essential due to the location of the meeting, lack of public transportation, or other reasons. ASTSWMO will approve car rental only on a case-by-case basis, and prior approval by the Association is required in order to receive reimbursement for car rentals. If you believe that a rental vehicle is appropriate in a given travel situation, please click here for the necessary procedures which must be followed in order to obtain prior approval for the use of rental vehicles. When a prior approved rental vehicle is hired, the contract and final receipt, to include those receipts for any additional gasoline purchases, must be included with the reimbursement claim to document the use and all associated costs. ASTSWMO will not provide approval of expenses incurred for the use of rental vehicles after the travel has taken place, nor reimburse any rental-related expenses incurred in that travel, such as parking, tolls, etc.
However, as a matter of policy, ASTSWMO will recognize the use of a rental vehicle not approved by the Association as a legitimate transportation cost and an allowable expense when used for transportation from the arrival airport to the meeting location and to return to the airport. We will do so by allowing costs equal to the least expensive common carrier (shuttle service, taxi, subway or other common carrier) available in the meeting location. This cost cannot exceed $25 each way.
Use of ASTSWMO's Travel Agency
The convenience of using ASTSWMO's travel agency is offered to ASTSWMO members with the understanding that certain conditions apply to that use. First, as a matter of policy, ASTSWMO cannot approve non-refundable airfares for State travelers through its travel agency, because the Association will be the owner of record for those tickets. Should the traveler be unable to meet the ticket conditions, ASTSWMO would incur the full liability for the lost airfare as the owner of record. Federal grant rules preclude reimbursement of this cost, so ASTSWMO cannot recover the expense. Consequently, ASTSWMO will not assume financial liability for those non-refundable tickets which cannot be recovered. Neither can ASTSWMO purchase tickets through its travel agency for travel for which a stayover or stopover travel exception has been obtained. Second, ASTSWMO retains the right to adjust reservations made through its travel agency in order to reduce the costs of the airfare. This may mean that some inconveniences may result from changes in carriers, or the need for connecting rather than direct flights. Of course, State travelers may use the Association's travel agency to seek price quotes and documentation needed for travel exceptions, or to directly purchase tickets on their own which we can later reimburse with proper receipts.
Reimbursement Payments
Reimbursements by the Association will be made either to the individual or State, as indicated on the claim form. In all cases, reimbursement to individuals will be in the amount of actual costs incurred, and not at a per diem rate. As indicated above, reimbursement for each day=s meals and incidentals will be limited to maximum federal authorized levels. Direct payments made to States will be at the actual costs the State paid to employees, except that reimbursement for meals and incidentals will be subject to the same federal rate limits for meals and incidentals which apply to individuals. Payments will be made by check mailed to the individual/State office at the address specified on the claim form. It is recommended that individual travelers' checks be mailed to their home addresses to avoid delays in mail delivery through State agency offices.
Use of Travel Claim Form and Payment Guidelines: All individual reimbursement claims will be made on the ASTSWMO Travel Claim Form and must be accompanied by any required original receipts. As you complete the travel claim form, please refer to the ASTSWMO Travelers Checklist to make sure you have avoided the most common errors we encounter.
Deadlines and Limitations: All individual claims should be submitted within ten (10) working days of the completion of travel. If the individual employee obtains reimbursement from a sponsoring State, and the Association will be requested to reimburse the State, ASTSWMO also must be provided the travel claim form within ten (10) working days of the travel completion. In all cases, the traveler must personally sign the claim form certifying its correctness. If forms are received unsigned, they will be returned to the traveler for completion, and cannot be processed until the signed copy is received.
ASTSWMO will not be responsible for reimbursement of any claim made beyond 90 days of the completion of travel. Additionally, ASTSWMO notifies State program directors at the close of the Association's fiscal year (October 1 through September 30), or at the end of a specific grant, to ensure that a final opportunity for outstanding reimbursements is identified. Any claims received after those annual dates cannot be assured of reimbursement. Although we will make every effort to satisfy a claim submitted late, ASTSWMO will not be responsible when that is made impossible by budget adjustments made at the end of a grant year or fiscal year, nor for a grant which has expired and no longer has funds available. ASTSWMO will make every effort to notify all appropriate State waste program user offices of these impending deadlines, but the best solution is for the traveler to submit his/her reimbursement request within 10 days following the travel completion.
Unforeseen Events
In any unusual situations, the best course of action will always be to reach prior agreement with the Association's Washington office (telephone 202-624-5828 or fax 202-624-7875), but if that is not possible in the case of some emergency (flight cancellations for weather, medical emergency, etc.) the traveler will need to include a brief written elaboration of the point in question with the reimbursement claim form. This will allow prompt discussions of options and payment decisions and serve as record documentation for the Association's financial files. There is no requirement for any claim form or letter elaboration to be formal, or typewritten. As long as the materials are legible and clear, they will meet all Association needs for quick action. The Association will consider each case on its own merits, and wherever possible accommodate the traveler's unusual circumstances as long as those were beyond his/her control.
Instructions to Complete In-Kind Report
ASTSWMO is able to meet its grant funding match only through use of in-kind time spent by State participants at ASTSWMO sponsored meetings. To do so we must be able to document that time by number of hours, which is then converted to a dollar amount and officially documented and reported to EPA at the end of each grant year cycle. It is extremely important to the future of the Association's ability to continue to support travel to sponsored events, that State employees complete the ASTSWMO In-Kind Report Form (see sheet 2) and return it to us, preferably with the travel reimbursement claim. Allowable expenditures of time the traveler can claim include time spent in preparation for, and attendance at, meetings being sponsored by ASTSWMO and/or EPA that are funded from the grant (including travel time to and from the meeting).
The exception is when the individual's salary is already being partially or fully paid with federal grant funds being furnished directly to the State. In that case it would be inappropriate for ASTSWMO to make a match claim for that portion of the individual's time being paid from federal funding, so the traveler should prorate the non-federal funded time spent at the meeting and report that portion of time as the in-kind match contribution. This same condition would apply if part or all of the employee's State salary is being used by his/her agency as an in-kind match to a federal grant. If either of these situations is operative in your individual case, please do not report in kind hours, or reduce the hours reported appropriate to the percentage of your salary not paid by federal funds or used as a State agency match for federal grant funds.
This report requires only a couple of minutes to prepare, but is very important to continuing to find resources for the Association's work, so we ask State participants in our sponsored activities to assist us by completing the In-Kind form and sending us this important report with your reimbursement claim form.
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