Travel Expenses

Process Outline

Pre-travel –

1. Grantee identifies need to travel
2. Grantee submits travel pre-authorization via email to DRPT using XXX Form
3. DRPT notifies grantee of approval
4. Grantee books travel (hotel, etc)

During Travel –

1. Grantee keeps receipts for all reimbursable expenses
   1. Be sure to obtain a zero-balance receipt for hotel
   2. Keep in mind the GSA limits on expenses
      1. Ex: If hotel includes continental breakfast, that will be removed from your per diem
      2. Ex: If a conference includes meals, those will be removed from your per diem

Post-Travel –

1. Grantee submits reimbursement claim against applicable grant with all supporting documentation

Key Takeaways:

Check with DRPT BEFORE you travel! DRPT PMs can help answer questions and clarify what expenses can be reimbursed.

Purple Book Text

Section 6.3 – Travel Reimbursements 

DRPT will reimburse personnel traveling on official business or training directly related to the grant project for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred. The use of grant funds to accommodate personal comfort, convenience, and taste is not permitted. Travel expenses are open to the public and must be able to withstand the test of public review. When planning and paying for travel expenses, travelers and travel planners must seek ways to reduce the cost of travel. Economy, prudence, and necessity should be of primary concern in the decision-making process. 

For travel expenses related to training under the FTA Section 5311 Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) and Small Urban Training Program, see chapter 9.0. 

DRPT will only reimburse travel expenses in accordance with and up to the state and federal approved rates for lodging, mileage and per diem amounts. AirBnB, Vrbo, and other rentals booked through other home-sharing services are not eligible travel expenses. The Commonwealth of Virginia uses the General Services Administration (GSA) rates for Lodging and Meals & Incidentals Expenses (M&IE) and IRS mileage rate. GSA rates are generally published for the federal fiscal year which runs from October 1st to September 30th annually. The IRS updates the mileage rate annually on January 1st. DRPT’s reimbursement rules for travel expenses apply to all state and federal funding administered by DRPT, the associated local match for those grants, and consultants performing work that is charged to grants. 

Travel Meals: Reimbursement for meals is only valid when traveling overnight. Expenses for meals for same day trips are not eligible for reimbursement. Expenses for alcoholic beverages are not eligible for reimbursement. GSA’s M&IE rates and eligible reimbursement amounts vary by time of year, location, whether meals were provided or not, and travel days. Rates may vary from when the trip was scheduled to the actual travel dates. Therefore, it is important to review the GSA rates and rules to ensure the correct amounts are used in the claim. DRPT will only reimburse based on the GSA per diem rates. 

Lodging: Lodging may be reimbursed when an individual is traveling overnight on official business outside his/her work region or program/project service area. Verify with your agency’s assigned DRPT Program Manager to determine if reimbursement for overnight travel is permitted before traveling. Lodging expenses must follow GSA’s lodging guidelines and rates and be reasonable and necessary. Rates above the GSA lodging rates as well as the taxes and fees associated with the higher rates will not be reimbursed. When the lodging rate exceeds the GSA rate, taxes and fees must be prorated and the recalculation of lodging expenses must be shown in the claim. A receipt for the booking of the hotel is insufficient proof the stay took place. A receipt for actual hotel stays and payment received must be provided with the claim. 

Travel Pre-Check: Before securing travel arrangements or incurring expenses to attend conferences, workshops, training, and anything that requires an overnight stay grant recipients should contact their DRPT Program Manager for a “pre-check” of eligibility. The DRPT Program Manager will review whether the workshop, training, or conference is related to the grant project and therefore an eligible expense, verify staff attending and then review that the planned travel days are correct and valid. The “pre-check” helps ensure that grant recipients incur expenses for travel that are appropriate and eligible for reimbursement.  

Prior to arranging travel and incurring expenses, grant recipients should send their DRPT Program Manager the following information for “pre-check”:  

• Name, description, location and dates of the conference, workshop, training, etc. 
• The names of staff that plan to attend 
• The dates of overnight stays for each attendee 
• The lodging expenses, including the room rate, number of days, and estimated taxes 
• The calculation of meal per diem expenses for each day 
• Estimated cost of airfare, ground transportation (train, bus, rental car), shuttles, taxi/Uber/Lyft, and baggage fees  

This information can quickly be estimated using a DRPT-approved Pre-Authorization workbook. DRPT Program Managers can provide this workbook upon request.