Before Travel

Three weeks prior to travel, complete a Travel Request/Authorization form (HJF #321). When filling out the form:

Check only the reservations that you would like HJF to arrange for you.
If you would like us to book your airline tickets, please indicate the times you would like to fly and your preferred airport.
If you would like us to pay your registration fee, be sure to attach the registration form to your travel request (321 form).
Be sure to check "yes" if you would like a travel advance.

Once the form is completed, have the Principal Investigator or other authorized person sign it. Then forward it to HJF's Travel Office. The Travel Office will then email or fax you a tentative airline reservation, with a request for you to confirm flight times. Your flights will not be ticketed until you confirm that the tentative reservation is acceptible.

Travel Advances
Travel Expenses
  Receipts
  Registration and Conference Fees
  Airfare
  Foreign Travel
  Rail Transportation
  Rented Vehicles
  Private Auto Transportation
  Ground Transportation
  Lodging
  Meals
  Airport Parking
  Telephone

Travel Advances

Foundation personnel who travel on official HJF business may request travel advances.

Advances can be up to 75% of out-of-pocket expenses that will be incurred during travel.
Advances are generally issued 10 days prior to the departure date.
Advances should be reconciled within 10 business days after return from travel.
Advances will not be issued if you have not fully accounted for an earlier advance, except with your supervisor’s permission when you must leave for another business trip within five working days following your return from the previous trip.
If you must postpone indefinitely or cancel a trip after having received an advance check, you must immediately return the advance check or remit a personal check in the equivalent amount payable to HJF, Attention: Travel Office.

Travel Expenses

Receipts

Original receipts are required for reimbursement of all expenses $75 or more. Receipts are required for all major travel expenses including air and rail, hotel, car rentals and registration fees. Monthly credit card statements and/or travel agency invoices and statements alone are not sufficient documentation.

Registration and Conference Fees

Registration fees for a meeting or conference at which attendance has been approved can be pre-paid by HJF or reimbursed to you upon submission of the Travel Expense Report (HJF #322).

Airfare

You should request coach class air accommodations, provided that these arrangements are reasonably available to meet requirements for carrying out business for HJF. Air carrier selection should not be biased by frequent flyer affiliations. The lowest cost air travel should take precedence.

Generally, HJF will not fund first class or business class air accommodations for travel in conjunction with HJF business. For overseas flights of longer than eight hours, business class travel may be authorized at the discretion of the Principal Investigator or designated authority.

Foreign Travel

Prior to submitting a request for travel to a foreign country, please check with the Foundation's Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) to see if sponsor approval is necessary. For contracts, prior approval is often required for domestic travel and always required for foreign travel. Contact your contract manager with any questions.

Foreign Air Carriers

When air travel is charged to a federal grant or contract, you are required to use a U.S. carrier by the Fly America Act (49 U.S.C. 1517) unless special circumstances, as determined in the Act, apply. This rule, however, does not apply to travel funded by a non-federal source.

Rail Transportation

HJF will reimburse the cost of rail fare, as long as it does not exceed the cost of the least expensive airfare to the same destination by more than $100. If the rail fare exceeds the least expensive airfare by more than $100, you will be reimbursed up to $100 beyond the amount of the least expensive airfare.

Rental Vehicles

Automobiles may be rented when required for business travel. Compact passenger car rates are the most economical and you are encouraged to use them when possible. All travelers on HJF business should rent cars under their names and the HJF name, for example “John Smith and The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc.” This will ensure that, in the event of an accident, the traveler is covered by the Foundation's insurance.

Vehicles may not be rented under the HJF name for non-HJF business, i.e. use for days on which no HJF business occurs. However, some incidental, non-business use might occur, and you might wish, at your own expense, to purchase additional insurance coverage for such circumstances. Expenses, injury and damage incurred while using a rental car for personal reasons are considered to be your responsibility.

Insurance Coverage for Rented Vehicles

For vehicles rented within the U.S., HJF provides automobile insurance coverage for private passenger automobiles used for Foundation business. Accordingly, you should waive the additional insurance offered by the rental agency for these types of vehicles; purchases of additional coverage of any type will be at your expense.

If an accident occurs, notify the HJF Insurance Officer at 301-424-0800 immediately.

Vehicles Rented Internationally

HJF insurance coverage does not include a collision damages waiver (CDW) or loss damages waiver (LDW) for automobiles rented outside the U.S. You should purchase this coverage and will be reimbursed.

Private Auto Transportation

Privately owned vehicles (POV) may be used on official local or domestic travel (providing the cost of driving does not exceed the least expensive airfare to the same destination by more than $100). If the cost of using a POV exceeds the least expensive airfare by more than $100, you will be reimbursed up to $100 beyond the amount of the least expensive airfare.

The rate of reimbursement is based on U.S. Government reimbursement rates. This reimbursement covers all fuel, maintenance, insurance, transportation and operating costs. Damage to a privately owned vehicle used for HJF business is covered by your private insurance. HJF does not assume responsibility for deductibles or other uninsured loss to the vehicle.

Tolls and reasonable parking charges will be reimbursed in addition to the mileage allowance. Costs for parking and moving violations are not reimbursable.

Ground Transportation

Taxi fares or shuttles are reimbursable when public transportation is not available or practical.

Lodging

The standard accommodation is a moderately priced room, unless other sponsor restrictions exist. Whenever possible, you are encouraged to make use of establishments whose rates are within a reasonable range of the federal government's per diem rate for domestic or foreign hotels. You will be reimbursed for actual hotel charges meeting these guidelines.

Meals

You are encouraged to use the federal government domestic or foreign per diem rate for meal and incidental expenses in lieu of accounting for actual meal expenses. You must, however, choose one method of accounting (per diem or actual) for meals and incidental expenses consistently for the entire trip. Travelers claiming actual meal expenses that exceed the applicable per diem must provide a justification for the variance, along with itemized receipts.

If you attend a conference where meals are provided, reduce the meal per diem accordingly.

Meal Per Diem for Travel Days

Seventy-five percent (75%) of the appropriate meal and incidental rate is paid for the day of departure and the day of return, regardless of what time you depart or return. For single-day travel longer than 12 hours, but not exceeding 24 hours, 75% of the meal and incidental rate is paid.

Airport Parking

Airport parking will be reimbursed up to the satellite or daily parking rate at the airport of the traveler’s outbound flight. Daily parking (reimbursable) is designated for long-term parking, while hourly parking (not reimbursable) is primarily for dropping off and picking up passengers. Justifications for any exceptions must be documented in the Travel Expense Report (HJF #322) and approved by your supervisor.

Telephone

Personal long distance telephone calls will be paid based on an allowance of $5 per day for domestic travel and $10 per day for travel outside North America and Hawaii. The allowance can be claimed on a per diem basis, and no receipts are necessary. You are encouraged to use a calling card, or call collect, both of which are significantly less expensive than hotel charges. Travelers will be responsible for personal telephone calls in excess of the per diem.