Research and Sponsored Projects Manual (RSP)
| Effective: 6/21/1983 |
Revised:5/22/2008 |
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RSP 504–01: Sponsored Projects Travel for ASU Employees |
Purpose
To describe how foreign, domestic, and in-state travel costs incurred by ASU employees are authorized and reimbursed
Sources
United States. Office of Management and Budget. OMB Circular A-21 (revised), Cost Principles for Educational Institutions
United States. Office of Management and Budget. OMB circular A-110 (revised 9/30/99). Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations
Federal Travel Regulation, November 13, 1998 Edition of the Federal Register (Vol. 63, No. 219). The amendment relates to the use of U.S. flag carriers under the provision of 49 USC 40118, which is commonly referred to as the Fly America Act
Arizona Revised Statutes §§ 38–621 to –627
Arizona Board of Regents Policy Manual 3-603
Financial Services
Office for Research and Sponsored Projects Administration
Policy
Authorization
Allowable and approved foreign, domestic, and in-state travel for work related to a sponsored project is governed by university travel regulations, unless the sponsor’s regulations are more restrictive and cannot be waived.
| Note: | Travel under federal contracts includes specific regulations
that are rarely waived.
Some federal agencies require principal investigators (PIs) to request written approval, prior to travel, for each foreign trip whether or not it was itemized in the proposal and included in the awarded budget. The foreign travel request must be countersigned by an authorized official in the Office for Research and Sponsored Projects Administration (ORSPA). Other federal agencies have provided expanded authorities to ASU that allows the university to approve foreign and domestic travel if the proposed trip is in accordance with the scope of work. This approval process is implemented through ORSPA. |
Transportation expenses cannot exceed the cost of an economy roundtrip fare except when such accommodations would result in:
- circuitous routing
- travel during unreasonable hours
- excessively prolonged travel
- greatly increased flight time
- additional costs that would offset benefits of the economy fare
or
- inadequate accommodations for the traveler’s medical needs.
Requests to incur airfare costs in excess of the economy fare must be justified on a case-by-case basis to the ASU Travel Office.
Use of U.S. Flag Air Carriers Required for Foreign Air Travel on Sponsored Project Awards
Section 5 of the International Air Transportation Fair Competitive Practices Act of 1974 (49 USC §1517, commonly known as the “Fly America Act”), as implemented in the United States Comptroller General’s guidelines (Comp. Gen. Decision B-138942, dated June 17, 1975 as amended March 31, 1981) applies to ASU’s federally sponsored project awards. Under that Act, all federally financed foreign air travel must be performed by a U.S. flag air carrier if service provided by such a carrier is “available.” Indeed, even when a nonfederal account is being charged for official travel, the university prefers that a U.S. flag air carrier be used.
Under the Fly America Act, a U.S. flag air carrier service is considered “available” even though:
- a comparable or different kind of service can be provided at less cost by a foreign flag air carrier
- foreign flag air carrier service is preferred or is more convenient
or
- service by a foreign flag air carrier can be paid for in excess foreign currency.
In determining availability of a U.S. flag air carrier, travelers should use the following rules unless their application would result in the first or last leg of travel from or to the U.S. being performed by a foreign air carrier:
- a U.S. flag air carrier must be used to destination or, in the absence of direct or through service, to the farthest interchange point on a usually traveled route
- if a U.S. flag air carrier does not serve an origin or interchange point, a foreign flag air carrier shall be used only to the nearest interchange point on a usually traveled route to connect with a U.S. flag air carrier
or
- when a U.S. flag air carrier involuntarily re-routes the traveler via a foreign air carrier, the foreign air carrier may be used notwithstanding the availability of alternative U.S. flag air carrier service.
The use of a foreign flag air carrier is permissible for travel to and from the U.S. if the airport abroad is:
- the traveler’s origin or destination airport, and use of U.S. flag air carrier service would extend the time in a travel status by at least 24 hours more than travel by a foreign flag carrier
or
- an interchange point, and use of U.S. flag air carrier service would
- increase the number of aircraft changes the traveler must make outside of the U.S. by two or more
- require the traveler to wait four hours or more to make connections at that point
or
- extend the time in a travel status by at least six hours more than travel by a foreign flag air carrier.
Between points outside the U.S., use of a foreign flag air carrier is permissible if:
- travel by a foreign flag air carrier would eliminate two or more aircraft changes en route
- travel by a U.S. flag air carrier would:
- extend the time in a travel status by at least four hours more than travel by a foreign flag air carrier and the travel is not part of the trip to or from the U.S.
or
- require a connecting time of four hours or more at an overseas interchange point.
- extend the time in a travel status by at least four hours more than travel by a foreign flag air carrier and the travel is not part of the trip to or from the U.S.
For all short-distance travel, regardless of origin and destination, use of a foreign flag air carrier is permissible if the elapsed travel time on a scheduled flight from origin to destination airport by a foreign flag air carrier is three hours or less and service by a U.S. flag air carrier would double the travel time.
The United States Comptroller General has issued a decision concerning the code-sharing (Airline Alliances) of flights by U.S. and foreign flag carriers utilizing the equipment of the foreign flag carrier (Comp. Gen. Decision B-240956, dated September 25, 1991). According to that decision, an arrangement by a U.S. flag air carrier to provide passenger service in international air transportation on the aircraft of a foreign air carrier under a “code-share” arrangement would meet the requirements of the Fly America Act.
Federal regulations have been revised to indicate that the ticket (or documentation for an electronic ticket) must identify the U.S. flag air carrier’s two-letter designator code and flight number, which is located on the right-hand section of the passenger receipt. This indicates that the flier is in a U.S. flag carrier seat, regardless which air carrier owns the aircraft.
The key to meeting the requirements is whether the ticket is purchased through the U.S. air carrier. If the ticket is issued through the U.S. air carrier, the expense will, in most cases, be eligible for reimbursement, provided the U. S. air carrier is identified on the ticket. If the ticket is issued by a foreign air carrier, even under a code-sharing arrangement, the ticket is not eligible for reimbursement on a federal award.
| Note: | You may contact ORSPA to determine an airline’s flagship status. |
For more information on air travel or travel on other common carriers, see FIN 512, “Transportation.”
Reimbursement
When faced with conflicting federal, sponsor, and institution policies, the more restrictive policy is followed. However, to ensure consistent and equitable treatment of ASU students and employees, if the restriction results in a lesser reimbursement from a sponsored account, the university should cover the difference from a nonsponsored account.
Foreign travel is typically reimbursed according to the U.S. Department of State’s published rates (www.state.gov/m/a/als/prdm/ ).
The traveler is responsible for obtaining the proper passports or visas. Expenses for securing passports and visas are rarely allowable costs.
Cross-Reference
For complete information on university travel regulations, see the policies in the Financial Services Policies and Procedures Manual—FIN 500, “Travel.”
For more information on foreign travel, see the Financial Services Policies and Procedures Manual—FIN 506, “Foreign Travel.”skip navigation bar