Section: Procurement & Contracting Number: 70.200
Title: Contractor Travel Reimbursements

Index

POLICY

APPENDIX

POLICY

.100 POLICY STATEMENT

In the absence of campus policy and procedures surrounding contractor travel reimbursements, a campus may use this OUS policy.

It is the policy of the Oregon University System (OUS) to reimburse contractors for expenses incurred while traveling on official OUS business as permitted by the contract entered in between an OUS institution and the contractor.

Note: Contracts vary and some do not allow for travel and expenses to be reimbursed.

.110 POLICY RATIONALE

OUS seeks to ensure that the high-level roles and responsibilities of the Chancellor's Office and the institutions related to contractor travel reimbursements are documented, communicated, and clearly understood and applied.

.120 AUTHORITY

.130 APPROVAL AND EFFECTIVE DATE OF POLICY

Approved by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration/Controller on May 19, 2010.

.140 KNOWLEDGE OF THIS POLICY

All institutional and Chancellors Office personnel with responsibility for monitoring contracts and related expenditures should be knowledgeable of this policy.

.150 DEFINITIONS

Institution: One of the seven universities within the Oregon University System or the Chancellor's Office.

Institution Contract Representative: The named representative in the contract or the institution Director/Manager of Purchasing and Contract Services.

Contractor: An entity awarded a contract to furnish an institution goods, services, or work.

Entity: A natural person capable of being legally bound, sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or partnership, limited partnership, profit or nonprofit unincorporated association, business trust, two or more persons having a joint or common economic interest, or any other person with legal capacity to contract, or a government or governmental subdivision.

.160 RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities relating to contractor travel reimbursements include the following:

A. CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE

Monitors and updates per diem rates.

B. INSTITUTION

  1. Vice President for Finance and Administration or designee determines if the institution will adhere to this OUS policy.
  2. If the institution adheres to this OUS policy, the institution has these additional responsibilities:
    1. Contract officer determines if there is a reasonable business purpose to authorize reimbursement of contractor travel expenses.
    2. Reviews and ensures proper documentation within contractual limits and policy.
    3. Delegates institution position to grant case by case exceptions to this policy.
    4. Vice President for Finance and Administration or designee determines institutional rates (if set below OUS-wide rates).

C. CONTRACTOR

  1. If expense reimbursements are permitted, contractor reviews the Contractor Travel Reimbursement Policy for allowable expenses.
  2. Contractor completes the institution's contractor travel reimbursement request.
  3. Contractor signs the contractor travel reimbursement request, provides required receipts, and sends it to the institution's contract representative as designated in the contract.

.200 POLICY PROVISIONS

For current rate information, see Appendix of this policy.

Instate Travel:

  • The per diem equals the federal rates using the IRS's High-Low Substantiation Method. All Oregon cities are currently low cost cities.
  • Campus policy applies regarding whether or not lodging receipts are required. No receipts are required for meals and incidental expenses (these are reimbursed on a per diem basis).
  • If meals are provided at the meeting or event, no meal per diem is allowed.
  • No meal per diem is allowed on one day trips.
  • Lodging tax is reimbursed as a miscellaneous expense.

Out-of-State & Continental US Travel:

  • The per diem equals the federal rates using the IRS's High-Low Substantiation Method (see /cont-div/fpm/trav.95.100.php#.730 for listing of high cost localities).
  • Campus policy applies regarding whether or not lodging receipts are required. No receipts are required for meals and incidental expenses (these are reimbursed on a per diem basis).
  • If meals are provided at the meeting or event, no meal per diem is allowed.
  • No meal per diem is allowed on one day trips.
  • Lodging tax is reimbursed as a miscellaneous expense.

Foreign and Non-continental US and Overseas Non-foreign Areas (e.g., Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, etc.):

  • Contact institutional contract representative for current per diem rates for these locations.
  • If meals are provided at the meeting or event, no meal per diem is allowed.
  • Lodging tax is reimbursed as a miscellaneous expense for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and US possessions. Lodging tax is included in the per diem for foreign travel.
  • Campus policy applies regarding whether or not lodging receipts are required. No receipts are required for meals and incidental expenses (these are reimbursed on a per diem basis).

Mileage, Private Vehicle:

  • Mileage can be calculated one of three ways:
    1. Mileage chart (see /cont-div/fpm/trav.95.100.php#.720)
    2. Actual mileage (from the odometer)
    3. Mapping software (e.g., mapquest.com)
  • Mileage is not reimbursable unless one way trip exceeds 25 miles from orgin to destination.
  • Mileage cannot be claimed in addition to fees for rented vehicles and fuel expenses for a rented vehicle.

Proration of Meal Per Diem for Partial Days Involving an Overnight Stay:

Meal per diems for initial day of travel and final day of travel will be based on the following schedule based on departure and arrival times:

Initial Day of Travel - Leave: Prior to

7:00 AM

 7:00 AM to 12:59 PM 1:00 PM

and after
Meal Allowance Breakfast, lunch, dinner Lunch, dinner Dinner
Final Day of Travel - Return: Prior to noon 12:00 noon to 5:59 PM 6:00 PM

and after
Meal Allowance Breakfast Breakfast, lunch Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Rented Vehicles: Vehicle rental reimbursements will only be for compact and economy cars and their equivalent green class. Liability insurance issued through the vehicle rental company may be reimbursed. Other classes of vehicles may be rented for circumstances that are approved in advance by the institutional contract representative for reasons that include space requirements or inclement weather conditions. Receipts are required.

Rental reimbursements for non-authorized vehicle classes will be reduced to the standard economy class rate for the applicable rental company and location.

Airfare: Only economy rate airfare, plus mandatory taxes and fees, will be reimbursed. Receipts are required.

Ground Transportation: Taxicab, train (coach or business class only), and airport shuttle fees will be reimbursed.

Incidental Expenses: Incidental expenses are combined with the meal into a single rate.

OUS references IRS Publication 463 (Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses) for the definition of incidental expenses.

The term "incidental expenses" means:

  • Fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, hotel staff, and staff on ships.

Incidental expenses do not include:

  • Expenses for laundry, cleaning and pressing of clothing, lodging taxes, costs of telegrams or telephone calls, transportation between places of lodging or business and places where meals are taken, or mailing cost of filing travel vouchers and paying employer-sponsored charge card billings.

Miscellaneous Expenses: The miscellaneous expenses that can be reimbursed include: fuel expenses for a rented vehicle, parking, tolls and lodging taxes, and checked baggage for up to two standard-weight bags. Other miscellaneous expenses can be reimbursed only if approved in advance by the institutional contract representative. All miscellaneous expenses must be itemized. Receipts are required if over $25 per item.

Unallowed Expenses: Expenses for laundry, cleaning and pressing of clothing, and fees and gratuities for services (e.g., waiters, taxi drivers and baggage handlers) are not reimbursable.

Hosting Expenses: If the scope of work in the contract authorizes reimbursement for hosting expenses, all expenses must be authorized prior to incurring costs. Contact your institutional contract representative for allowable expenses.

Travel reimbursement rates may periodically change. Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that travel reimbursement requests are in accordance with the rates in effect at the time the expense was incurred. The current travel reimbursement rates may be found at /cont-div/fpm/trav.95.100.php#.710.

It is preferred that requests for travel reimbursement be made by completing the Contractor's Travel Reimbursement Request.

.250 EXCEPTIONS

In the case of an exception, the campus granting the exception will document the exception in writing, including evidence of appropriate approvals. Exceptions to this system-wide policy must be approved by the campus vice president for finance & administration or designee.

.300 FORMS

A sample form for contractor travel is linked from the Appendix, section .700 Forms. Note that this form must not include confidential information such as social security number. This form is provided as a sample and is not a required template. Institutions may choose to use this form or they may create their own form(s).

.690 CONTACT INFORMATION

Direct questions about this policy to the following offices:

Subject Contact
General questions from institutional personnel Institutional director of Business Affairs
General questions from institutional central administration and Chancellor's Office personnel OUS director of Purchasing & Contracting Services or OUS director of Business Services

.695 HISTORY

05/19/10 - Approved

Policy Last Updated: 01/01/14

APPENDIX

.700 FORM(S)

This sample form is in an Excel file with four worksheets (tabs):

Sample Contractor Travel Reimbursement Request

  1. Sample Travel Reimbursement Request Form
  2. Mileage Chart
  3. Policy & Rates - January 1, 2013
  4. Example - Completed Request

.995 HISTORY

05/19/10 Approved

1/1/14 Updated

Appendix Last Updated: 01/01/14