<div dir="ltr">All,<div><br></div><div>Received some more guidance about the Thurs breakfast below. </div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">NOAA Finance recommended that each travel voucher that does not deduct for Thursday morning's breakfast have a note in the voucher explaining why the meal was not deducted. </span><br></div><div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br></span></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">They point out you can include a statement if you attended an official business meeting instead. I am still awaiting clarification on how to handle the breakfast if a traveler's flight was in the morning.</font></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Genene</font></div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Robert Ransom - NOAA Federal</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:robert.ransom@noaa.gov">robert.ransom@noaa.gov</a>></span><br>Date: Fri, Feb 3, 2017 at 11:08 AM<br>Subject: Re: [ACTION REQUIRED] AMS Travelers Closeout<br><br><br><div dir="ltr">All,<div><br></div><div>Several folks asked if they are required to reduce their M&IE allowance on Thursday if they didn't attend the breakfast that was provided as a part of the registration fee. In some cases, these individuals couldn't attend due to another required commitment. In this case, NOAA Finance offered the following clarification:</div><div><br></div><blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 40px;border:none;padding:0px"><div><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><i>As long as they were conducting official business that prevented them from attending the breakfast then they can receive full per diem. If they have dietary or religious reasons, they are also entitled to full per diem.</i> </div></div></blockquote><div><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br></div><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">NOAA Finance also recommended that each of travel voucher that does not deduct for Thursday morning's breakfast have a note in the voucher explaining why the meal was not deducted. This will eliminate a lot of questions down the road.<br></div></div><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br></div><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">By way of background, <span style="font-size:12.8px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">I've attached a picture from AMS' published agenda that identifies an "Exhibit Hall Breakfast." When the whole AMS conference/group travel package was initially submitted up through DOC for approval, a question was raised about why the M&IE allowance for Thursday wasn't reduced because the Thursday morning breakfast was provided as a part of our registration fee (much like the awards banquet dinner). As a result, the conference approval package was changed to reduce M&IE as required by the <a href="https://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/101518" target="_blank">Federal Travel Regulation that requires per diem to be reduced</a> if </span>a meal, such as Thursday's continental breakfast, is included as a part of the registration fee<span style="font-size:12.8px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">. </span></div><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.8px;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></span></div><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.8px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Based on the feedback from DOC, and the fact that the NOAA Finance Office has already identified the AMS conference as one they want to review our actual cost claims, it is recommended that travel vouchers be clearly documented if Thursday's M&IE allowance is not reduced.</span></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Jan 30, 2017 at 12:38 PM, Carla Wallace - NOAA Federal <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:carla.wallace@noaa.gov" target="_blank">carla.wallace@noaa.gov</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div>Group Travel POCs,</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:12.8px;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Record actual costs: Now that AMS travel is complete, please have your travelers record their ACTUAL travel expenses on the far right side of the </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14kCPeFYjjEvRVcVhGt36CSaD5X_5gLrio4fI_PXa5lk/edit#gid=360683900" style="font-family:arial;font-size:12.8px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="background-color:transparent;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Google sheet</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:12.8px;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> (columns highlighted in yellow). Also, per NOAA policy, please be sure to retain a copy of the travel voucher including invoices from your travel card or purchase card per your office's document retention policy. This information will be needed if NOAA or DOC elect to audit our actual costs.</span><br></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:12.8px;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></div><div><b><font color="#ff0000">THIS ACTION SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY COB FEBRUARY 6.</font></b></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:12.8px;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></div><div><br></div><div><p style="font-size:12.8px;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><b><font size="4">---- PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ----</font></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A few reminders regarding your travel:</span></p><br style="font-size:12.8px"><ul style="font-size:12.8px;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:disc;font-family:arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:12.8px">Adjust M&IE allowance for travel days: As required by the Federal Travel Regulation, please ensure that the M&IE allowance for the first and last days of your travel are set at 75% of the allowable M&IE.</span><br></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:disc;font-family:arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Adjust M&IE allowance for meals: A dinner will be served during the AMS Awards Banquet that be held on Wednesday, January 25th. Also, a continental breakfast will be served on Thursday morning in the exhibit hall. Since the cost of these two meals is included in the registration fee, the daily M&IE allowance for each day should be reduced as follows: </span></p></li><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:circle;font-family:arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">For the awards banquet dinner, each traveler’s M&IE should be reduced by $34.00 for that day per instructions on the GSA M&IE website. </span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:circle;font-family:arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">For the Thursday morning breakfast, M&IE should be reduced by $17.00.</span></p></li></ul><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:disc;font-family:arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In Travel Manager, travel preparers should identify the GSA travel code as "5-REPORTABLE CONFERENCE." </span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:disc;font-family:arial;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If you are an NWS employee, please ensure that "PF2" is identified as the task code in the accounting string.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:disc;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Travel cards (Individually Billed Accounts) are not exempt from Washington State tax so there is no form to provide the hotel. You will need to include the state tax for lodging in your travel authorization. </span><a href="https://smartpay.gsa.gov/content/state-tax-information" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="background-color:transparent;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> https://smartpay.gsa.gov/cont<wbr>ent/state-tax-information</span></a></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:disc;font-family:arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Record actual costs: Once your travel is complete, please note your ACTUAL travel expenses on the far right side of the </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14kCPeFYjjEvRVcVhGt36CSaD5X_5gLrio4fI_PXa5lk/edit#gid=360683900" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="background-color:transparent;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Google sheet</span></a><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> (columns highlighted in yellow). Also, per NOAA policy, please be sure to retain a copy of the travel voucher including invoices from your travel card or purchase card per your office's document retention policy. This information will be needed if NOAA or DOC elect to audit our actual costs.</span></p></li></ul></div><div><div class="gmail-m_775519434788984128m_6928618185657729053m_6131910910051417981gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Thanks,</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Darone<br clear="all"><div><br></div><br><span class="gmail-HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
</font></span></div><span class="gmail-HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
</font></span></blockquote></div><span class="gmail-HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail-m_775519434788984128gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div>Bob Ransom</div>
<div>Deputy Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer</div>
<div><a href="http://www.weather.gov/" target="_blank">National Weather Service</a></div>
<div><a href="tel:(301)%20427-6914" value="+13014276914" target="_blank">(301) 427-6914</a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
</font></span></div>
</div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>Genene Fisher, PhD</div><div>Executive Officer</div><div>National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)</div><div>NOAA/NWS </div><div>301-683-1323 office</div><div>301-452-7366 cell</div>
<div><a href="mailto:genene.fisher@noaa.gov" target="_blank">genene.fisher@noaa.gov</a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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