Before any travel purchases are made, a Travel Pre-Approval in Chrome River should be completely approved IN ADVANCE (BEFORE travel purchases are made).
Usage of the Internet to procure travel services is allowed. An ACTUAL RECEIPT showing total cost and confirmed service must be provided.
Regarding Air/Rail/Bus: In addition to an ACTUAL RECEIPT, confirmation (either a ticket stub or boarding pass) of the type of ticket purchased (e.g. coach) must be submitted. Read Air and Rail Regulations.
Regarding Hotels/Lodging: Often, HOTELS will not provide an itemized statement when the hotel room was purchased using the Internet (through Expedia, for example). Save the document of the Internet receipt at the time of PURCHASE. Most Internet purchases show the room rate and taxes; the state REQUIRES the room rate to be shown. Read Lodging Regulations. The receipt you provide for reimbursement MUST prove payment was made. The hotel may not be able to give you a hotel receipt that shows a zero balance due but TRY to get one. If a travel package deal (where airfare and lodging are combined) is purchased, the hotel expenses MUST be shown separately with taxes and room rate broken out. If it does not, state funds might not be allowed for reimbursement.
Use prudent judgment when choosing an Internet travel service site. The traveler must comply with procurement guidelines. When paying for services via the Internet, the following methods may be used:
1. The Departmental Credit Card (SPCC) -may be used ONLY for transportation tickets (i.e., rail, air, bus, shuttle services). (The SPCC CANNOT be used to purchase hotel–even when the hotel is part of a travel package deal. See the “Departmental Bank of America VISA Credit Card” at available credit cards for more details.) SAVE a copy of the RECEIPT! This *receipt must show the total cost and confirm service. If traveling overnight, a PDF of the Travel Pre-Approval from Chrome River (that was completed IN ADVANCE) must be attached to the receipt. *IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT RECEIPT: If the receipt does not show the ticket class type (e.g., coach, economy) the boarding pass or ticket stub should be attached to show the ticket class type.
2. Your personal charge card -may be used for all types of purchases; however, reimbursement of allowable expenditures will not be made until AFTER travel has occurred. (See Reimbursement Process for Travel.) Remember: If a travel package deal (where airfare and lodging are combined) is purchased, the hotel expenses MUST be shown separately with taxes and room rate broken out.
3. Your Bank of America TRAVEL VISA Credit Card (a “personal” credit card)-may be used for all types of official state business travel related purchases (i.e., hotel, transportation tickets) however, reimbursement of allowable expenditures will not be made until AFTER travel has occurred. (See Reimbursement Process for Travel.)
According to CAPP 20335, when an employee is reimbursed by UMW or uses the SPCC for travel expenses, “Travel credits, reduced rates, or free services received from public facilities (i.e., airline, car rental agencies, motels, etc.) by individuals for whatever reason accrue to the Commonwealth. Any such credit, reduced rate, or free service must be reported to the agency fiscal office and must be deducted from the amount of travel expenses claimed.”