United States Department of Agriculture
Research, Education and Economics

ARS * CSREES * ERS * NASS

Bulletin

Title: Acceptance of Travel Expenses from Non-Federal Sources
Number: 00-305
Date: March 13, 2000
Originating Office: Financial Management Division, Travel and Relocation Services Branch, ARS/AFM
Distribution: All REE employees
Expires: *September 30, 2001

 

 

This bulletin announces new Office of Ethics guidance on acceptance of travel expenses from non-Federal sources. (*The expiration date of this bulletin is extended on 5/8/01)


 

On January 7, 2000, the Office of Ethics (OE) announced the implementation of Ethics Issuance 99-2, Acceptance of Travel Expenses from Non-Federal Sources. This bulletin is issued to implement new policy and requirements from OE in a timely manner. REE Policy and Procedure (P&P) 341.2, Acceptance of Travel Funds from Non-Federal Sources, dated November 22,1999, will be updated with this new guidance at a later date.

Changes:

  1.     A Conflict of Interest Analysis form has been generated by OE.

        
  2. The Conflict of Interest Analysis form must be signed by an Ethics Advisor.

  3. The Approval and Report of Travel Funds Received from Non-Federal Sources form has been modified to require the employee's signature and date and the approving official's signature and date.

  4. The original of the Approval and Report of Travel Funds Received from Non-Federal Sources, Conflict of Interest Analysis, letter of offer, and the letter of acceptance will be forwarded to the ARS/AFM, Financial Management Division, Travel and Relocation Services Branch on the scheduled reporting dates established in Policy and Procedure 341.2.


Note: Copies will be accepted. However, every attempt should be made to submit the original documents as they will be forwarded to OE for retention for 4 years.

Forms:

Exhibit 1, Modified - Approval and Report of Travel Funds Received from Non- Federal Sources form.

Exhibit 2, New - Conflict of Interest Analysis form.

NOTE: The new and modified forms will be required for the reporting period October 1, 1999, through March 31, 2000, and must be submitted to ARS/AFM, Financial Management Division, Travel and Relocation Services Branch by
April 15, 2000.

If you have questions concerning either travel policies or ethics you may contact Linda E. Mahoney on 301-504-1307 or contact your agency, Area, or the REE Ethics Advisor, Sandra Herring on 301-504-1442.

/s/
S. M. HELMRICH
Director
Financial Management Division       

 

                                             Exhibit 1   

CONFLICT OF INTEREST ANALYSIS UNDER 41 C.F.R. § 304-1.5



ACCEPTANCE OF PAYMENT FROM A NON-FEDERAL SOURCE FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES requires in all cases that a conflict of interest analysis be performed by an authorized agency official. The “authorized official” is a designated Ethics Advisor or REE Ethics Advisor(s). To ease administration of the requirement for a conflict of interest analysis, this outline tracks the elements of the regulation. The analysis should be accomplished on this page. Additional sheets may be attached if needed.

IMPORTANT: Payment from a non-Federal source shall not be accepted if the authorized agency official determines that acceptance under the circumstances would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of all the facts relevant to a particular case to question the integrity of agency programs or operations.

In making this determination, an authorized agency official shall be guided by all relevant considerations,
including, but not limited to:

(1) The identity of the non-Federal source (see reverse for identifying information);

(2) The purpose of the meeting or similar function;

(3) The identity of other expected participants;

(4) The nature and sensitivity of any matter pending at the agency affecting the interests of the non-Federal source;

(5) The significance of the employee's role in any such matter specified in (4) above; and

(6) The monetary value and character of the travel benefits offered by the non-Federal source.

Analysis: Acceptance of the travel WOULD cause a reasonable person with knowledge of all the facts relevant to a particular case to question the integrity of agency programs or operations?

                                             Yes__________        No__________

Explain your response to the above question: _______________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

NOTE: The authorized agency official may find that, while acceptance from the non-Federal source is permissible, it is in the interest of the agency to qualify acceptance of the offered payment by, for example, authorizing attendance at only a portion of the event or limiting the type or character of benefits that may be accepted.

The qualifications on acceptance, if any, are:______________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Recommendation of Ethics Advisor:  Accept_____ Do Not Accept_____ Signature/Date:__________

 

Exhibit 2    


RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND ECONOMICS
APPROVAL AND REPORT OF TRAVEL FUNDS RECEIVED FROM NON-FEDERAL SOURCES


This form must be completed in its entirety or it will be returned. 31 U.S.C. 1353, subsequently printed in Chapter 304, Part 1, of the Federal Travel Regulations, and governs the acceptance of payment for travel, subsistence, and related expenses from a non-Federal source, but not from a prohibited source, in connection with the attendance of an employee and/or accompanying spouse when applicable, at certain meetings and similar functions. Agencies are also required to submit semiannual reports of payments which total more than $250 per event, and which have been accepted under this authority. The report is based on when payment is received rather than when travel is performed. All offices must submit their Approval and Report of Travel Funds Received From Non-Federal Sources for each event that totaled more than $250 to: USDA, ARS, Financial Management Division (FMD),Travel & Relocation Services Branch (TRSB), Room 3-2176A, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Beltsville, Maryland 20705-5114. For the period October 1 through March 31 - submit reports by April 15 and for the period April 1 through September 30 - submit reports by October 15. Each Approval and Report of Travel Funds Received From Non-Federal Sources must have a copy of the Letter of Offer, Conflict of Interest Analysis, and Letter of Acceptance attached when submitted to FMD.

Employee

1. Name:___________________________________________
                      First                 MI                       Last

2. Position Title : ____________________________________

3. Duty Station : ____________________________________

4. Telephone No.: (_______)-________-__________________

5. Beginning Date of Travel: _________-_________-________

6. Ending Date of Travel : _________-_________-__________

NOTES: __________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Spouse(If Applicable)

7. Name: ______________________________________
                                  First            MI             Last

See FTR Chapter 304, Part 1, Acceptance of Payment From a Non-Federal Source for Travel Expenses and FPM Letter 451-7, Reimbursement of Travel Expenses of Individuals Attending Awards Ceremonies and REE Policy and Procedure 341.2, Acceptance of Travel Expenses form Non- Federal Sources

8. Beginning Date of Travel: __________-_________-________

9. Ending Date of Travel : __________-_________-__________

10. Reason for Spouse's Travel___________________________

                               ____________________________

Event Information                                                 Acceptance Information

9. Kind of event:(check one):

         []  Meeting                    []    Seminar

         []   Conference            []    Speaking Engagement

10.Location of Event:

___________________________,   ______________
City                                                   State/Country

11.Title of Event: _________________________________

12.Name of Event Sponsor:___________________________
                                Address:___________________________

                                                ___________________________

13 What expenses are being paid for by the non-Federal source?

         []  Common Carrier            []  Lodging

          []  Meals                             []   Other(Itemize) ___________

____________________

______________________

14.Value (in U.S. Dollars) received from non-Federal source:

            []  In Kind                   $_____________

            []   Paid to Agency    $_____________

             []   Other (Explain) _______________________

I certify that the information provided on this form and all attached documents are true, complete, correct, and comply with the guidelines of 41 CFR Part 304-1, Federal Travel Regulations, Acceptance of Payment From a Non-Federal Source, for travel expenses, to the best of my knowledge.

      Traveler's Signature___________________________________________Date_______________________________

I certify that I approved acceptance of the above travel, subsistence and related expenses from the non-Federal source in advance of the proposed travel being accomplished by the employee and after having reviewed the conflict of interest analysis on the reverse of this sheet.

    Approving Official's______________________________________________Date______________________________
            Signature