NWC REU 2008
May 27 - August 1

Travel Tips

Basics:

You have an overall cap on each travel item. Be sure you know what it is. Most participants have just 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 rates for 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 $0.585/mi in 2008.

 

Going To/From Norman:

If you fly, you will typically 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 check-in) 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:

 

Going To/From a Professional Conference:

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:

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:

Look around at flight schedules and prices (keep in mind your conference allowance) and then send me the flight information that is your ideal itinerary and within your budget for your allowance. 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 that must be paid up front and reimbursed after the trip is complete:

Summary of information needed for conference travel claim: