United States Department of Agriculture

Research, Education, and Economics

ARS CSREES ERS NASS

Bulletin

Title:	New Coding for Authorizations and Travel Vouchers when using Bank of America Corporate/Transaction Accounts for Common Carrier Tickets

Number:	03-308

Date:	July 29, 2003	Expiration: July 29, 2004

Originating Office:	Travel and Relocation Services Branch, Financial Management Division, AFM/ARS

Distribution:	Mid South Area Employees (MSA)

Mid West Area Employees (MWA)

North Atlantic Area Employees (NAA)

Northern Plains Area Employees (NPA)

Pacific West Area Employees (PWA)

South Atlantic Area Employees (SAA)

Southern Plains Area Employees (SPA)

Effective August 1, 2003, the National Finance Center will eliminate the Transportation System and the use of the Government Transportation Requests (GTRs). Therefore, Bank of America Visa Corporate and Transaction accounts have been established for seven of the ARS Area and their Locations. Common carrier tickets for those individuals that do not have an individually-
issued travel charge card will have their tickets charged to the Transaction account through their applicable Travel Management Center (TMC).

This bulletin applies to the following Area offices and their Locations:

Mid South Area

Mid West Area

North Atlantic Area

Northern Plains Area

Pacific West Area (*excluding Corvallis, Oregon)

South Atlantic Area

Southern Plains Area

* The Corvallis, Oregon, Location will continue to use their current Government Transportation System (GVTS) account using a "GV" Method of Purchase/Payment for the common carrier tickets and TMC fee.

The above Area offices and their Locations will continue to use "TR" as the Method of Purchase on travel authorizations in the "Common Carrier Tickets" block and as the Method of Payment in Block 22 on the travel voucher when the Transaction account is used for common carrier tickets. However, the "TR" now means, "Transaction" account, instead of GTR. The National Finance Center will issue a bulletin at a later date.

A common carrier ticket and applicable TMC fee are to be coded in Section C, Transportation Costs, on the travel voucher on two separate lines and added together on the back of the travel voucher under air, plane, bus. The actual common carrier ticket number shall be entered in block 24, Identification Number, on one line, and the number assigned to the TMC fee, or "TMCFEE/862333", on another line. The first eight digits of Transaction accounts are 4486-
1600, whereas individually-issued travel charge card accounts begin with 4486-1200. If the ticket is purchased with an individually-issued travel charge card you will continue to use "CC" as the Method of Purchase/Payment.

If you have any questions pertaining to the information published in this bulletin, contact your Area Transportation Assistant (ATA) or Linda E. Mahoney, Chief, Travel and Relocation Services Branch on 301-504-1307.

S. M. HELMRICH

Director

Financial Management Division