United States Department of Agriculture

Research, Education, and Economics

ARS CSREES ERS NASS

Bulletin

Title:	Payment of Registration Fees for Conferences, Seminars, Meetings or Similar Events

Number:	99-304

Date:	September 2, 1999	Expiration: August 31, 2001

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

Distribution:	All REE Employees

Registration fees are defined as costs incurred for conferences, seminars, meetings or similar events. Registration fees may include a meal(s). Registration fees may also include lodging when the event is outside of the employee's duty station.

There are two methods for paying registration fees:

NationsBank Visa Travel Charge Card

NationsBank Visa Purchase Card/Convenience Check

Registration fees should generally be paid through use of the NationsBank Visa Travel Charge Card. Since the majority of events that require a registration fee also entail traveling to the event and, for the convenience of the employee, use of a travel charge card is the preferred method of payment. The registration fee cost applied to the Travel Charge Card is subsequently claimed as a miscellaneous expense on the employees travel voucher.

However, there are certain circumstances when it is advisable to use the NationsBank Visa Purchase Card/Convenience Check as the vehicle for financing registration fees. The NationsBank Visa Purchase Card/Convenience Check should be used in lieu of the Travel Card when any of the following conditions exist:

First, when the registration fee is in excess of $1,000;

Second, when there is approved travel associated with the event and the event's registration fee must be paid in advance of the trip; or,

Third, when the event is in the local commuting area or when there is no travel expense associated with the event.

Understanding the rationale and limiting factors within each of these special conditions will assist you in determining when to use the Purchase Card/ Convenience Check in lieu of the Travel Charge Card.

Under the first condition, the Department has established a "retail" block on use of the Travel Charge Card. REE has obtained a special exemption to the retail block which enables payment of registration fees up to, but not exceeding, $1,000. Attempts to charge registration fees in excess of $1,000 to the Travel Charge Card will be denied by NationsBank. Therefore, registration fees in excess of $1,000 should be paid by Convenience Check or charged to the Purchase Card.

Under the second condition, NationsBank requires settlement of charges applied to the Travel Charge Card within 60 days from issuance of the travelers statement. If the registration fee must be paid two or more months in advance of the event, employees may be placed in a situation where the NationsBank charge becomes due prior to receipt of reimbursement for the travel expense by the employee. This places an undue burden on the employee. Use of the Purchase Card/Convenience Check, for advance registration fee payments, will preclude this from occurring.

Under the third condition, the Travel Charge Card should only be used when charges applied to the card will be subsequently reimbursed to the employee through submission of a travel voucher. If the trip is in the local commuting area or if there is no travel authorized with the event, the employee will have no basis to file a travel voucher and therefore no means to get reimbursed for the charge incurred. Use of the Purchase Charge Card/Convenience Check, in lieu of the Travel Charge Card, is therefore the appropriate method to pay registration fees for events within the commuting area or those that do not involve other travel expenses.

The previous procedures are options for financing various types of registration fees. This guidance does not preclude use of the SF-182, Request, Authorization, Agreement and Certification of Training, where appropriate, to finance tuition and other training related costs.

Special Note for Travel Approving Officials: Travel approving officials must ensure that appropriate deductions or adjustments for meals and lodging expenses, if contained as part of a registration fee, are made to the employees travel voucher when claiming reimbursement.

This bulletin has been coordinated with Property and Procurement Division (PPD) and will be incorporated into future PPD and Financial Management Division, Policy and Procedures (P&P's) on the use of the purchase and travel charge cards, respectively. If there are questions regarding this bulletin please feel free to contact Linda E. Mahoney, Travel and Relocation Services Branch, Financial Management Division, AFM on 301-504-1307.

/s/

S. M. HELMRICH

Director

Financial Management Division