Travel
Information and Instructions for Panelists
TRAVEL
ORDERS
You
are authorized to travel on behalf of NSF, a Federal government
agency. You will receive an email notification with travel information
and instructions. This notification is to be used as a substitute
for traditional Government travel orders. Please take a copy
of this notification to the airport and to the hotel to insure government
rates.
DAILY
COMPENSATION
If
you are a non-government employee you will be provided with round-trip
transportation and receive $480 compensation per day for
each meeting to cover lodging, meals, parking, local transportation
incurred during the entirety of the trip, and incidental expenses.
You need not submit receipts.
Participants
will receive compensation of $280 for the travel day immediately
preceding and following the meeting.
Please
be advised that NSF is required to issue IRS Form 1099, "Miscellaneous
Income," to participants for Federal tax filing purposes when annual
total compensation exceeds $600.
EXTENDED
STAY AND COMPENSATION
We
encourage Panelists to arrive in Washington on the evening prior
to the day of the panel meeting and return home on the evening of
the last day of the panel.
If
your circumstances require an extended day, you will receive additional
compensation to cover lodging, meals, parking, and incidental expenses.
However, you MUST obtain prior approval by contacting
the Travel Coordinator, at (703) 292-7199 to validate this
option.
TRAVEL
ARRANGEMENTS
Your
FastLane travel request is received by the SATO Travel Agency
via the travel information button at the NSF Panelist Travel System.
SATO will issue your ticket.
Do
not purchase your own ticket:
REIMBURSEMENT
IS NOT GUARANTEED.
NSF
will provide a roundtrip ticket to you and you have the option to
exchange the ticket at your discretion. You, the panelist,
will be responsible for all additional costs incurred, if any.
TRAVEL
OPTIONS:
Your
options are as follows--
Airline
–
An electronic round-trip airline ticket will be provided, based
on the closest airport to your place of residence. Panelists
normally arrive via Reagan National Airport.
Train
- A
round-trip train ticket will be provided, based on the closest train
station to your place of residence. Panelists arrive at Washington's
Union Station. Upon arrival at Union Station, you may take
a cab or the Metrorail to the Foundation. The Metrorail
(Washington's subway system) runs under Union Station. Take
the Metrorail to the Metro Center station and transfer to
the Orange Line train (bound for Vienna). The
Foundation is at the Ballston Metro stop.
Personal
Vehicle
- You
may elect to drive to the NSF, but only if it is cost effective
to the government. Typically, cost effectiveness is based
on the cost of a round-trip airline ticket compared to the number
of miles round-trip times 36 cents per mile.
HOTEL
INFORMATION
On
occasion, a block of rooms will be reserved for panelists.
In such instances, you will be advised by the SBIR Travel
Manager via the routine logistics e-mail. You are encouraged
to take advantage of these accommodations.
If
a block of rooms are not reserved, or if you choose not to take
advantage of this service, please contact any hotel of your choice
and make the necessary reservations at least
TWO
WEEKS prior
to the panel meeting. For your convenience, we have
included a list of local hotels which are accessible to the Foundation
via Metro or in walking distance. Hotels marked with
an asterik (*) are in close proximity to the Foundation.
Hotel
Listings
DAILY COMPENSATION FOR LOCAL PARTICIPANTS
Local
participants who are non Federal government employees will receive
$280 compensation per day for each panel meeting. Please be
advised that NSF is required to issue IRS Form 1099, "Miscellaneous
Income," to participants receiving annual total compensation exceeding
$600.
Local
compensation will cover costs associated with driving your personal
vehicle or use of the METRO, MARC, or AMTRAK, local
mileage expenses, parking, and meals. Local participants include
anyone who lives in the Washington-Metropolitan Area as defined
below:
- Maryland:
Prince Georges and Montgomery counties
- Virgina:
Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax cities, and Arlington, Loudoun,
and Fairfax counties.
TRAVEL
QUESTIONS? Contact
the Travel Coordinator, e-mail:
djackson@nsf.gov,
telephone:
(703) 292-7199.
How
to Use FastLane for Panel Travel and Electronic
Funds Transfer
The
Directorate for Engineering
REQUIRES
all
SBIR panelists to use the
"Panelist
Function"
component of NSF's FastLane system. FastLane
is an on-line application using the World Wide Web to facilitate
information exchange with the research community. We request
that you submit your travel information and your banking information
via FastLane.
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