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Travel
Travel

Travel

2022-2023 State of Louisiana Travel Guide
State of Louisiana Travel Training

Travel Authorization

  • Travel requests must be submitted and approved by all parties (including the Chancellor) at least three weeks before the proposed time of departure.
  • All University employees, including travel with students on official University off-campus business, are required to submit a travel request. This includes all in-state (including New Orleans and surrounding parishes) and out-of-state conferences, conventions, meetings, summits, symposiums, training, games, recruiting fairs, etc. If the travel is being paid by another organization, the travel request must still be submitted with zero dollar amount.
  • Include the Banner “U” number for each employee on all travel requests. Include student ID # when applicable.
  • All supporting documentation MUST be included with each travel request – conference lodging site and cost, registration form including cost, and conference agenda.
  • If you are using the university’s CBA and/or a State of Louisiana issued travel card, write CBA and/or Travel Card at the upper right of the travel request.
  • No advance purchases for travel expenses should be incurred until the travel request has been approved by the Chancellor, including hotel reservations and registration fees.
  • Note, students travelling with the designated SUNO employee must sign an attendance roster confirming their participation in the travel. This roster must be submitted to the Travel Specialist Office immediately upon return along with other required documents.

Mandatory Use of a State Card Program for Specific Higher Cost Travel Expenses

All airfare, lodging, pre-approved vehicle rentals, and registration must be placed on a State of Louisiana issued travel card or the university’s CBA. Departmental invoices or university checks are not processed for any of those mentioned above. Nor will employees have the option to request a reimbursement for any of these expenses.

Once a travel request has been approved, it is the responsibility of the traveler to communicate all needs with the appropriate parties for payment via CBA or travel card.

Airfare: Travelers are to seek airfare allowing an ample amount of lead time before the departure date. The lead time should be between 20 – 30 days in advance of travel dates to ensure the lowest fares are available. Reservations should only be made surrounding the dates of the conference. Travelers cannot arrive a day or days earlier nor depart a day or later by choice. Only proven, documented instances where the traveler should arrive a day prior or depart a day later will be approved. A conference agenda verifying the beginning date and time as well as ending date and time must be provided. The State of Louisiana has stated, travel outside of conference dates or times is considered personal travel, and the traveler will bear the cost of such personal expense.

Lodging: Reservations for conference lodging should be made early to secure rates under the conference room blocks. In the event the conference hotel does not have availability, allowable lodging rates will revert to routine lodging rates established in PPM 49. For travelers needing the CBA to pay for their lodging, a credit card authorization form must be obtained. Documentation verifying the conference hotel(s) and the cost must be submitted.

Rental Cars: Prior approval must be granted for a rental car authorization. Rental cars can only be driven by the employee approved and authorized to drive. Only employees or students approved to travel on the travel request are authorized to be in the rental car. Family members, unauthorized employees, unauthorized students, or any additional passengers not approved on the travel authorization are prohibited from traveling in rental cars. The driver must have completed the State of Louisiana’s Defensive Driving course and have a current certificate on file. Please contact Facilities Management for assistance with the course. Pre-paid fuel options or replacement of gasoline, in any way, from the rental car company is not allowed.

Registration Fees: Requests to pay registration fees should be made timely. Travelers should not wait until online registration has closed to request their registration fee to be paid. In all instances, try to take advantage of early-bird registration when possible, and avoid paying additional costs for late registration. If the conference host does not accept payment via credit card, we can process the registration with a University check. Check requests for registration fees must be accompanied by a departmental invoice, a W-9, the registration form, and written documentation stating credit card payments are not accepted. For all methods of payment, the registration information must reflect the cost, an invoice alone will not suffice.

 

Travel Reimbursements

  • All claims for reimbursement shall be submitted on the State’s Travel Expense Form BA-12 and shall include all details provided for on the form. DO NOT ALTER THIS DOCUMENT. travelexpense-2024-02-05.docx (live.com)
  • This form must be completed and attached to the departmental invoice, along with the pre-approval through DocuSign within 5 business days of return from the trip. If students were traveling, the signed roster of students should be included.
  • In all cases, the date and hour of departure from and return to domicile must be shown, along with each final destination throughout the trip clearly defined on the form.
  • Meals should be identified specifically as B, L, D – breakfast, lunch or dinner – or 1 = breakfast, 2 = lunch, 3 = dinner, and claimed for the actual expense amount not to exceed PPM 49 (ppm49-2023-07-01-update3.pdf (la.gov)). Note: If a meal is included in a conference schedule, it is part of the registration fee. Therefore, an employee cannot request/receive additional reimbursement for that meal.
  • If your flight is delayed and you incur additional meal and/or parking expenses, documentation verifying the flight delay must be included with your reimbursement request.
  • Reimbursements should be submitted within 5 business days following travel.
  • Original receipts must be submitted to the Comptroller’s Office for all expenses except food. However, all original receipts must be submitted to the Comptroller’s Office for student travel and advances, along with the signed student roster.
  • Any person who submits a claim pursuant to these regulations and who willfully makes and subscribes to any claim which he/she does not believe to be true and correct as to every material matter, or who willfully aids or assists in, or procures, counsels or advises the preparation of presentation of claim, which is fraudulent or is false as to any material matter shall be guilty of official misconduct. Whoever shall receive an allowance or reimbursement by means of a false claim shall be subject to disciplinary actions as well as being criminally and civilly liable within the provisions of state law.

 

Quick Tips – Plan, Plan, Plan

  • Ensure travel authorization is completed and approved at least three weeks before the departure date. All supporting documentation for the travel MUST be included – conference lodging site and cost, registration form including cost, conference agenda.
  • On each travel request, employees must indicate their “U” number. Please only list a maximum of 4 employees per travel request.
  • Students traveling on behalf of the University must be accompanied by faculty or staff personnel unless written approval has been granted by the Chancellor. Be sure to indicate the corresponding “U” number for each student. Each student must sign an attendance roster.
  • Review all information on travel requests for accuracy, verifying dates, name(s) of all travelers, etc. Revisions cannot be made to the request after the travel has taken place.
  • Rental cars must be approved and requested before travel. The expense must be reflected on the travel request; also, an automobile request form must be submitted. There are mandatory contractors in place who must be utilized for rental vehicles.
  • Verify dates and times for air travel before finalizing payment. This will reduce any additional costs corresponding to changing air reservations.
  • Christopherson Travel is the mandatory contracted travel agency which must be used for all airfare.
  • The state’s current contract is with Park ‘N Fly for Louis Armstrong International (MSY) airport parking, and the rate, inclusive of all allowable and approved taxes/fees, etc. will not exceed $8.50 per day and $59.50 per week. While this use is not mandatory, the maximum reimbursement amount for parking at Park ‘N Fly or any other airport parking site will not exceed the Park ‘N Fly contracted rate. Promotional code 0050056 must be used to obtain this contract rate. For online reservations, no other documentation will be required to receive this rate. For all “pay when you exit” employees, a state-issued ID, or a valid ID with a state business card along with the tax-exempt form are required to receive the state-contracted rate. Receipts are required for all parking expenses.
  • While the State of Louisiana does not recommend the usage of an employee’s personal vehicle, if you must utilize your personal vehicle, it must be indicated on your travel request, and you must have completed the State of Louisiana’s Defensive Driving course and have a current certificate on file. Please contact Facilities Management for assistance with the course. Mileage reimbursements are capped at a maximum of 99 miles and must be accompanied with a Mapquest printout and an MV-7 (Personal Vehicle Use.xls (la.gov)) form. Personal vehicle mileage reimbursements and taxi reimbursements for local/vicinity travel (e.g., to and from the airport, bus terminal, train depot, etc.) are not allowed.

Please visit https://www.doa.la.gov/doa/ost/ for additional information.