[Federal Register: July 21, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 138)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 35807-35809]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21jy09-19]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
41 CFR Chapter 301
[FTR Amendment 2009-05; FTR Case 2009-305; Docket Number 2009-0001,
Sequence 5]
RIN 3090-AI93
Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); FTR Case 2009-305; Travel
Purpose Identifier
AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy (MTT), GSA.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The General Services Administration (GSA) is amending the
provisions of the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) that pertain to the
use of the travel purpose identifiers. This final rule updates the list
of travel purpose identifiers and incorporates new descriptive language
for each identifier to enhance how travel costs are indentified by
Federal agencies.
DATES: Effective Date: This final rule is effective August 20, 2009.
Applicability Date: This final rule is applicable to travel
performed on, or after August 20, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Regulatory Secretariat (VPR), Room
4041, GS Building, Washington, DC 20405, (202) 501-4744, for
information pertaining to status or publication schedules. For
clarification of content, contact Mr. Rick Miller, Office of Travel,
Transportation and Asset Management (MT), General Services
Administration at (202) 501-3822 or e-mail at Rodney.Miller@gsa.gov.
Please cite FTR Amendment 2009-05; FTR Case 2009-305.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Government began using travel
purpose identifiers in the mid-1970s as a result of Congressional
interest in the types of travel funded by the Government. Travel
purpose identifiers categorize the various types of travel that occur
in support of an agency's mission and help classify associated costs
for that mission.
The travel purpose identifiers used today and listed in Appendix C
to Chapter 301 of FTR are as follows: (1) Site Visit, (2) Information
Meeting, (3) Training Attendance, (4) Speech or Presentation, (5)
Conference Attendance, (6) Relocation, and (7) Entitlement Travel. As
the Government's missions have changed over time, it has become
questionable as to whether or not the current identifiers adequately
capture the complexity of modern Federal travel.
[[Page 35808]]
Consequently, GSA and several other agencies established a Travel
Purpose Identifier Focus Group to:
Review the current identifiers;
Recommend what, if any, changes should be made;
Develop one common list of identifiers with the
flexibility to accommodate agency-specific sub-identifiers; and
Provide definitions for the new identifiers.
During the review, the focus group evaluated the current identifiers
and discussed current travel processes to include: Trends and changes
that have occurred since the travel purpose identifiers were last
updated in 1998, how funding is appropriated, what is still relevant,
and what new processes need to be evaluated and/or implemented to
improve the travel purpose identification process. Two key points
seemed evident, namely that ``Employee Emergency'' and ``Mission''
travel should be addressed and each identifier should be better defined
and categorized.
The focus group deliberations concluded that the current travel
purpose identifiers did not adequately define the types of travel that
regularly occur today. Thus, the group recommended six new travel
purpose identifiers for use within the Federal community. Adoption of
the recommended identifiers would:
Standardize identifiers across the Government;
Provide the ability to report travel spending by purpose;
Permit the highlighting of special travel requirements in
agency budgets and missions;
Allow agencies to develop mission-specific sub-
identifiers; and
Provide a greater opportunity to develop standardized
reports Governmentwide.
The new travel purpose identifiers are as follows: (1) Employee
Emergency, (2) Mission (Operational), (3) Special Agency Mission, (4)
Conference--Other Than Training, (5) Training, and (6) Relocation.
B. Executive Order 12866
This final rule is not a significant regulatory action and,
therefore, was not subject to review under Section 6(b) of Executive
Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993.
This final rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
This final rule is not required to be published in the Federal
Register for notice and comment, and therefore the Regulatory
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., does not apply.
D. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the final
changes to the FTR do not impose recordkeeping or information
collection requirements, or the collection of information from
offerors, contractors, or members of the public that requires the
approval of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.
E. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act
This final rule is also exempt from congressional review prescribed
under 5 U.S.C. 801 since it relates to agency management and personnel.
List of Subjects in 41 CFR Appendix C to Chapter 301
Standard Data Elements for Federal Travel (Traveler Identification)
Dated: May 8, 2009.
Paul F. Prouty,
Acting Administrator.
0
For the reasons set forth in the preamble and pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
5701-5709, 41 CFR Appendix C to Chapter 301 is amended to read as
follows:
CHAPTER 301--[AMENDED]
0
Amend Appendix C to Chapter 301, in the table named ``Traveler
Identification'' by revising the entries ``Travel Purpose Identifier''
and ``Payment Method'' to read as follows:
Appendix C to Chapter 301--Standard Data Elements for Federal Travel
[Travel Identification]
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Group name Data elements Description
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* * * * * * *
Travel Purpose Identifier............ Employee Emergency..... Travel related to an unexpected occurrence/event
or injury/illness that affects the employee
personally and/or directly that requires
immediate action/attention. Examples: Traveler
is incapacitated by illness or injury, death or
serious illness of a family member (as defined
in Sec. 300-3.1 or Sec. 301-30.2), or
catastrophic occurrence or impending disaster
that directly affects the employee's home.
Emergency travel also includes travel for
medical care while employee is TDY away from
the official duty station (Part 301-30), death
of an employee/immediate family member when
performing official duties away from the
official duty station or home of record (Part
303-70), medical attendant transportation (Part
301-30), assistance travel for an employee with
special needs (Part 301-13), as well as travel
for threatened law enforcement/investigative
employees (Part 301-31).
Mission (Operational).. Travel to a particular site in order to perform
operational or managerial activities. Travel to
attend a meeting to discuss general agency
operations, review status reports, or discuss
topics of general interest. Examples:
Employee's day-to-day operational or managerial
activities, as defined by the agency, to
include, but not be limited to: hearings, site
visit, information meeting, inspections,
audits, investigations, and examinations.
Special Agency Mission. Travel to carry out a special agency mission and/
or perform a task outside the agency's normal
course of day-to-day business activities that
is unique or distinctive. These special
missions are defined by the head of agency and
are normally not programmed in the agency
annual funding authorization. Examples: These
agency-defined special missions may include
details, security missions, and agency
emergency response/recovery such as civil,
natural disasters, evacuation, catastrophic
events, technical assistance, evaluations or
assessments.
Conference--Other Than Travel performed in connection with a
Training. prearranged meeting, retreat, convention,
seminar, or symposium for consultation or
exchange of information or discussion. Agencies
have to distinguish between conference and
training attendance and use the appropriate
identifier (see Training below). Examples: To
participate in a planned program as a speaker/
panelist or other form of presentation, host,
planner, or others designated to oversee the
conference or attendance with no formal role,
or as an exhibitor.
[[Page 35809]]
Training............... Travel in conjunction with educational
activities to become proficient or qualified in
one or more areas of responsibility. 5 USC
4101(4) states that `` `training' means the
process of providing for and making available
to an employee, and placing or enrolling the
employee in a planned, prepared, and
coordinated program, course, curriculum,
subject, system, or routine of instruction or
education, in scientific, professional,
technical, mechanical, trade, clerical, fiscal,
administrative, or other fields which will
improve individual and organizational
performance and assist in achieving the
agency's mission and performance goals.'' The
term ``conference'' may also apply to training
activities that are considered to be
conferences under 5 CFR 410.404, which states
that ``agencies may sponsor an employee's
attendance at a conference as a developmental
assignment under section 4110 of title 5,
United States Code, when: (a) The announced
purpose of the conference is educational or
instructional; (b) More than half of the time
is scheduled for a planned, organized exchange
of information between presenters and audience
which meets the definition of training in
section 4101 of title 5, United States Code;
(c) The content of the conference is germane to
improving individual and/or organizational
performance, and (d) Development benefits will
be derived through the employee's attendance.''
Agencies have to distinguish between conference
and training attendance and use the appropriate
identifier (see Conference--Other Than Training
above). Examples: Job required training,
Internships, Intergovernmental Personnel Act,
and forums.
Relocation............. Travel performed in connection with a transfer
from one official duty station to another for
employees/immediate family members, as
applicable. Examples: Permanent change of
station (PCS) moves for domestic and
international transferees/new appointees, tour
renewal, temporary change of station (TCS), and
last move home.
* * * * * * *
Payment Method....................... EFT.................... Direct deposit via electronic funds transfer.
Treasury Check......... Payment made by Treasury check.
Imprest Fund........... Payment made by Imprest Fund.
* * * * * * *
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[FR Doc. E9-17128 Filed 7-20-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-14-P