Contractor Travel Reimbursement Guidelines

January 2023

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Contractor should have a policy that requires its employees to use sound business

judgment in both determining the need for travel, as well as in expending Contractor financial

resources when travel is necessary. The following guidelines are provided to assist the

Contractor in its compliance with contractual requirements to limit expense reimbursement to

those costs that do not exceed FDIC travel reimbursement guidelines. Travelers will not be

reimbursed for excess costs caused by:

• An indirect route as a matter of personal preference

• Premature departure for personal reasons from a temporary location; or

• Extending a stay for personal reasons.

2.0 APPLICABILITY

To be entitled to Lodgings-Plus per diem reimbursement, the contract must allow for travel

and the Contractor’s employee must be on a temporary assignment that is at least 50 miles in

distance from either his/her office or residence. If a temporary assignment concludes during

the workday and is located within 50 miles of the Contractor’s employee’s official station or

residence, the Contractor’s employee is expected to return to their residence, rather than

remain at the temporary location overnight. The cost of travel for spouses, other family

members, and friends is not reimbursable under any circumstances.

3.0 TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION

Contractors shall ensure that all travel on behalf of the FDIC is necessary and allowable

under the contract. A management official of the Contractor shall authorize all travel and

travel vouchers reflecting travel expenditures.

4.0 AIR TRAVEL

Air travel should be in coach class only, unless the contractor’s employee bears the cost of

the difference between coach and first class. Travel should be planned as far in advance as

possible to take advantage of discounted fares; especially if reasonable certainty exists that

the event will take place. If more than one air carrier offers service, travel should be on the

carrier that offers the lowest price. If a restricted fare is booked and the Contractor’s

employee requires a change, a reasonable exchange fee may be claimed. Contractor’s

employees are required to fly on U.S. flag carrier service under the Fly America Act, 49 USC

Section 40118, which requires employees, consultants, contractors and any other persons

traveling for the federal government outside the United States via commercial air to travel by

U.S. flag air carriers, unless an exception to the Act applies. For additional information, refer

to the Federal Travel Regulations and/or Comptroller General Decision B-138942, March 31,

1981.

5.0 RENTAL CARS

Generally, no car larger than a mid-size should be rented. The Contractor should have a

policy that requires employees to compare the cost of car rental with other forms of

transportation and to choose the cheaper mode of transportation. The use of rental cars,

even if authorized, must be justified in writing by the traveler and attached to the voucher.

Claims for rental car gasoline must be supported by original receipts.

6.0 LODGING

The Contractor is expected to have a policy that provides for reasonable but not extravagant

lodging accommodations for employees in travel status. The Contractor should make use of

government rates whenever possible; otherwise, corporate rates or other discounts should be

obtained.

If the contract allows the reimbursement of travel expenses, and the contractor must

be in the Washington, DC, area overnight, the contractor is required to stay at the L.

William Seidman Center (Seidman Student Residence Center), provided that space is

available. The contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer of the need for a

reservation, and the Contracting Officer will contact the Seidman Center to make the

reservation. If space is not available, the Seidman Center management will provide

written permission for the contractor to obtain alternate lodging. For reimbursement

of alternate lodging expenses, the contractor must provide written evidence of lack of

availability at the Seidman Student Residence Center.

Any hotel expenses considered excessive or unreasonable will not be reimbursed. Instead, in

those cases, lodging reimbursement will be limited to the GSA lodging rate for the location in

question:

GSA Lodging Rates Page

7.0 SUBSISTENCE

Employees on overnight travel status shall be reimbursed on a per diem basis. Specific per diem

rates for different localities may be found at the General Services Administration web site, the

specific citation for which is as follows:

GSA Per Diem Rates Page

8.0 MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES

While in travel status, an employee may claim the actual amount incurred, not to exceed $3

per day, for personal long-distance telephone calls while on an overnight travel assignment.

This is in addition to per diem, if applicable.

9.0 USE OF PERSONAL OWNED VEHICLE

The Contractor may reimburse an employee for use of his/her personal vehicle while on

Contractor related business. The maximum reimbursement rate will be the rate stipulated by

the IRS.

Appendix E - Mileage Reimbursement Rates

or https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates

If an employee chooses to use his/her own vehicle in lieu of air travel, the maximum

reimbursement will be the lesser of the cost of air travel or mileage reimbursement and the

per diem difference.

NOTE: FDIC does not insure contractors, their employees, or their vehicles for liability.

10.0 TAXICABS

The use of taxicabs is permitted while Contractors are on official travel for FDIC. Taxi hire is

appropriate when:

a. public transportation, airport limousine service, and/or hotel courtesy transportation is not

available or when time or other factors make it impractical to use available public

conveyances;

traveling between transportation terminals and the residence, hotel, or office while in an

official travel status; or

c. for travel from the Contractor’s residence to the official station to depart on an assignment

requiring at least one night’s lodging, and from the official station to the residence on the

day the employee returns from the trip.

Taxi fares for trips used to obtain meals will not be reimbursed.

Reimbursement for taxicab fares (plus the customary 15% tip) will be made only if an appropriate

receipt is submitted with the voucher.

11.0 NON-REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES

Examples of expenses that will not be reimbursed include the following:

a. alcoholic beverages, entertainment;

b. laundry, dry cleaning and pressing of clothing;

c. travel insurance;

d. parking fines;

e. charges incurred because of indirect travel for personal reasons;

f. gratuities and tips paid to porters, waiters, bellboys, and hotel maids inside the

lodging facility (included in the per diem reimbursement)

nonproductive time related to official travel to and from one’s temporary duty station;

and

h. any charges, fees, or other associated costs related to the making of reservations or

other accommodations for travel

12.0 RECEIPTS

Except for per diem expenses, valid original receipts are required for all expenditures

regardless of cost. If a receipt is not normally provided for the expense (metro, bus token, etc.),

the certification signed by the traveler on the voucher will justify the expense. Receipts

submitted with the voucher should indicate the name of the payee, date, amount, and the

service rendered.

13.0 TRAVEL VOUCHER COMPLETION

After completion of travel, the contractor’s travel voucher must be submitted for reimbursement.

In addition, dates and times of each departure from residence or office, arrival at and the name

of the place of temporary assignment, and arrival at the office or residence must be shown on

the travel voucher. A certification signed by the traveler must be included on the travel voucher

that states that the trip indicated was actually taken and that all expenses are accurate and

correct.

14.0 INVOICES

Contractors billing for reimbursement of travel expenses must submit an original and two (2)

duplicates of each invoice to include all supporting documents.

The penalty for invoicing a travel voucher that falsifies any item in the claim forfeits the claim

(28 U.S.C. 2514). Further, travelers who falsify a claim may be fined or imprisoned for not

more than 5 years or both (18 U.S.C. Section 1001), and a corporation may be fined up to a

maximum of $500,000 (18 U.S.C. Section 3571(c)).

15.0 PER DIEM FOR OVERNIGHT TRAVEL

AMOUNT OF PER DIEM TO BE CLAIMED:

DEPARTING: Use assignment location

with per diem rate of:

$59

.00

$64

.00

$69

.00

$74

.00

$79

.00

If you leave between:

12 Midnight to 5:59 AM

$59

.00

$64

.00

$69

.00

$74

.00

$79

.00

6:00 AM to 11:59 AM

$44.25

$48.00

$51.75

$55.50

$59.25

12 Noon to 5:59 PM

$29.50

$32.00

$34.50

$37.00

$39.50

6:00 PM to 11:59 PM

$14.75

$16.00

$17.25

$18.50

$19.75

RETURNING: Use assignment location

with per diem rate of

$59

.00

$64

.00

$69

.00

$74

.00

$79

.00

If you return between:

12 Midnight to 5:59 AM

$14.25

$16.00

$17.25

$18.50

$19.75

6:00 AM to 11:59 AM

$29.50

$32.00

$34.50

$37.00

$39.50

12 Noon to 5:59 PM

$44.25

$48.00

$51.75

$55.50

$59.25

6:00 PM to 11:59 PM

$59.00

$64.00

$69.00

$74.00

$79.00

16.0 MEAL DEDUCTIONS

If meals are provided by another person or entity, the following amounts shall be deducted

from per diem rates:

MAXIMUM PER DIEM RATES:

$59.00

$64.00

$69.00

$74.00

$79.00

BREAKFAST

$13

$14

$16

$17

$18

LUNCH

$15

$16

$17

$18

$20

DINNER

$26

$29

$31

$34

$36

INCIDENTALS

*For those destinations that are not listed, the maximum hotel expense shall be $98.00 per

day and the maximum per diem rate shall be $59.00.