Travel Tips

Basics:

Be sure to fill out the direct deposit form for the most efficient payments!

 

You have an overall cap on each travel item. Be sure you know what it is. Most participants have two trips: to/from Norman for the REU itself, and one trip to a professional conference.

There are one or more caps on each reimbursable travel item. Be sure you know what those are!

Food and gas receipts are NOT needed. Food costs are covered (for any travel event lasting over 18 hours) as Meals & Incidental Expences (MI&E) at the Federal government per diem ratesfor the city/state applied to that day of travel. Ask me if you're not sure how to determine the relevant city/state for your trip. Go to http://gsa.gov/ and click on Per Diem Rates - it's the Travel, Plan & Book, in the upper left of the page. Gas is covered within the mileage reimbursement, which is $0.50/mi in 2019.

 

Going To/From Norman:

Pro tip: Let the program purchase your airline ticket so that you are not waiting for reimbursement.

If you fly, you may be reimbursed for mileage to/from your home airport, any parking/toll receipts, and any normal baggage fees (up to two bags! be sure to distribute the weight among your bags to avoid excess weight charges).

If you drive, your mileage will be determined by putting your departure address (e.g. home) and destination address (e.g. Traditions checkin) into some neutral site like randmcnalley.com. Mileage for business trips is usually capped at what it would have cost to fly, but because you are here for 10 weeks and your overall costs are capped, you can justify needing a car. OU has allowed mileage reimbursement (and any other costs), but only up to the cap I've placed on your travel. If you stay in a hotel on your drive here, be sure to find a hotel at or under the federal per diem rate for whatever city/state you are staying overnight in. Hotel can only be reimbursed the night before you arrive (coming here) and the night you depart (going home).

If your flight turns sour, allow the airline to re-route you as they will be doing for your fellow passengers. If your delay is due to weather, and thus any extra expenses like overnight hotel are not covered by the airline, be sure to keep any hotel/taxi/etc. receipts and be sure to get a room at or below the government per diem rate (find Per Diem information on http://gsa.gov/) for the city/state you are in. Call me or my assistant and we'll help you as much as we can.

Summary of what we need to file a travel claim for getting to/from Norman:

• day/time/address you departed from (e.g. home)
  • why: you are considered to be in official travel status from the time you left home to the time you arrive at your destination
• note the airport name/city (if applicable)
• license plate number of the vehicle that took you to the airport or drove you to Norman
  • why: to reimburse for mileage
• receipt for parking (if applicable)
• receipts for any tolls (if applicable)

 

Going To/From a Professional Conference:

Pro tip: Let the program purchase your airline ticket, and book your lodging in a way that 1) does not require payment up front, and 2) allows cancellation (e.g., use the official conference hotels). Be aware that travel subsistence is not provided until close to the conference date.

Conferences are unbelievably expensive, so watch out! Use the spreadsheet I will provide to help you plan your travel. If you pay for anything up front that could have been directly billed or done by PO, you may be reimbursed, but only after the travel is complete.

Flying is as above. But conferences have some extra expenses.

Things that can sometimes be paid by purchase order:

• abstract/paper fee
• conference registration

How POs work:
1. you request a unique PO # from me for each item! PO numbers are sort of like check numbers, in that every PO (or check) has a unique number.
2. put that # into the PO payment blank.
3. e-mail the receipt/confirmation to me! Important!!!

Things that can be directly billed:

• airfare, if I book it for you

Look around for the best prices for your flight schedules and then send me the flight information. Be sure to alert me to any errors within 24 hours of the ticket being issued! After that we would have to cancel the flight, start over, and pay a fee.

Things you must always pay for directly:

• hotel at the conference site
  • remember: use an official conference hotel and price --or-- be aware that travel is capped at the federal per diem rate for that city/state
    
  • your hotel receipt must show that (1) YOU stayed in the room and that (2) YOU paid all or part of the bill... most hotels will do separate bills if they know ahead of time that you need one
    
  • the receipt must show zero balance / or the payment you made. This usually means revisiting the front desk to check out, even if they have a leave-the-key-in-the-room option.
    
• any driving costs like tolls, parking, etc.
  • remember, gas is wrapped into the mileage rate for your personal vehicle (no receipts needed)
  • if you drive to the conference location, your cost will be capped at the cost of what airfare would have been because a car was not necessary to get you there
• you may receive 2 round trips to the airport if someone drops you off, or you can receive parking at your home airport - get a receipt
• food costs
  
  • you'll receive the MI&E rate for the city/state of the conference site
  • MI&E starts when you leave your home and ends when you return home, with the following caveats:
    • it is assumed you won't be in travel status more then 24 hours before or after your business ends
    • if you don't just go straight to the airport or straight home afterward (e.g., you stop to eat), give the times as if you did
• costs for things like printing a conference poster and buying a mailing tube to transport it in
  
  • it is no problem to carry these poster tubes on the airplane! However, airlines generally count it as one of your carry-ons. The poster tubes can fit in overhead bins. When going through security, put the poster tube on the x-ray belt along with your other carry-on. If you choose to mail it ahead (call your hotel for info) any cost for that will come out of your conference allowance.