[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 21, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 35807-35809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17128]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Chapter 301

[FTR Amendment 2009-05; FTR Case 2009-305; Docket Number 2009-0001, 
Sequence 5]
RIN 3090-AI93


Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); FTR Case 2009-305; Travel 
Purpose Identifier

AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy (MTT), GSA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The General Services Administration (GSA) is amending the 
provisions of the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) that pertain to the 
use of the travel purpose identifiers. This final rule updates the list 
of travel purpose identifiers and incorporates new descriptive language 
for each identifier to enhance how travel costs are indentified by 
Federal agencies.

DATES: Effective Date: This final rule is effective August 20, 2009.
    Applicability Date: This final rule is applicable to travel 
performed on, or after August 20, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Regulatory Secretariat (VPR), Room 
4041, GS Building, Washington, DC 20405, (202) 501-4744, for 
information pertaining to status or publication schedules. For 
clarification of content, contact Mr. Rick Miller, Office of Travel, 
Transportation and Asset Management (MT), General Services 
Administration at (202) 501-3822 or e-mail at [email protected]. 
Please cite FTR Amendment 2009-05; FTR Case 2009-305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Government began using travel 
purpose identifiers in the mid-1970s as a result of Congressional 
interest in the types of travel funded by the Government. Travel 
purpose identifiers categorize the various types of travel that occur 
in support of an agency's mission and help classify associated costs 
for that mission.
    The travel purpose identifiers used today and listed in Appendix C 
to Chapter 301 of FTR are as follows: (1) Site Visit, (2) Information 
Meeting, (3) Training Attendance, (4) Speech or Presentation, (5) 
Conference Attendance, (6) Relocation, and (7) Entitlement Travel. As 
the Government's missions have changed over time, it has become 
questionable as to whether or not the current identifiers adequately 
capture the complexity of modern Federal travel.

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    Consequently, GSA and several other agencies established a Travel 
Purpose Identifier Focus Group to:
     Review the current identifiers;
     Recommend what, if any, changes should be made;
     Develop one common list of identifiers with the 
flexibility to accommodate agency-specific sub-identifiers; and
     Provide definitions for the new identifiers.

During the review, the focus group evaluated the current identifiers 
and discussed current travel processes to include: Trends and changes 
that have occurred since the travel purpose identifiers were last 
updated in 1998, how funding is appropriated, what is still relevant, 
and what new processes need to be evaluated and/or implemented to 
improve the travel purpose identification process. Two key points 
seemed evident, namely that ``Employee Emergency'' and ``Mission'' 
travel should be addressed and each identifier should be better defined 
and categorized.
    The focus group deliberations concluded that the current travel 
purpose identifiers did not adequately define the types of travel that 
regularly occur today. Thus, the group recommended six new travel 
purpose identifiers for use within the Federal community. Adoption of 
the recommended identifiers would:
     Standardize identifiers across the Government;
     Provide the ability to report travel spending by purpose;
     Permit the highlighting of special travel requirements in 
agency budgets and missions;
     Allow agencies to develop mission-specific sub-
identifiers; and
     Provide a greater opportunity to develop standardized 
reports Governmentwide.

The new travel purpose identifiers are as follows: (1) Employee 
Emergency, (2) Mission (Operational), (3) Special Agency Mission, (4) 
Conference--Other Than Training, (5) Training, and (6) Relocation.

B. Executive Order 12866

    This final rule is not a significant regulatory action and, 
therefore, was not subject to review under Section 6(b) of Executive 
Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993. 
This final rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This final rule is not required to be published in the Federal 
Register for notice and comment, and therefore the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., does not apply.

D. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the final 
changes to the FTR do not impose recordkeeping or information 
collection requirements, or the collection of information from 
offerors, contractors, or members of the public that requires the 
approval of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.

E. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This final rule is also exempt from congressional review prescribed 
under 5 U.S.C. 801 since it relates to agency management and personnel.

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Appendix C to Chapter 301

    Standard Data Elements for Federal Travel (Traveler Identification)

    Dated: May 8, 2009.
Paul F. Prouty,
Acting Administrator.

0
For the reasons set forth in the preamble and pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
5701-5709, 41 CFR Appendix C to Chapter 301 is amended to read as 
follows:

CHAPTER 301--[AMENDED]

0
Amend Appendix C to Chapter 301, in the table named ``Traveler 
Identification'' by revising the entries ``Travel Purpose Identifier'' 
and ``Payment Method'' to read as follows:


Appendix C to Chapter 301--Standard Data Elements for Federal Travel 
[Travel Identification]

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              Group name                    Data elements                          Description
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                                                  * * * * * * *
Travel Purpose Identifier............  Employee Emergency.....  Travel related to an unexpected occurrence/event
                                                                 or injury/illness that affects the employee
                                                                 personally and/or directly that requires
                                                                 immediate action/attention. Examples: Traveler
                                                                 is incapacitated by illness or injury, death or
                                                                 serious illness of a family member (as defined
                                                                 in Sec.   300-3.1 or Sec.   301-30.2), or
                                                                 catastrophic occurrence or impending disaster
                                                                 that directly affects the employee's home.
                                                                 Emergency travel also includes travel for
                                                                 medical care while employee is TDY away from
                                                                 the official duty station (Part 301-30), death
                                                                 of an employee/immediate family member when
                                                                 performing official duties away from the
                                                                 official duty station or home of record (Part
                                                                 303-70), medical attendant transportation (Part
                                                                 301-30), assistance travel for an employee with
                                                                 special needs (Part 301-13), as well as travel
                                                                 for threatened law enforcement/investigative
                                                                 employees (Part 301-31).
                                       Mission (Operational)..  Travel to a particular site in order to perform
                                                                 operational or managerial activities. Travel to
                                                                 attend a meeting to discuss general agency
                                                                 operations, review status reports, or discuss
                                                                 topics of general interest. Examples:
                                                                 Employee's day-to-day operational or managerial
                                                                 activities, as defined by the agency, to
                                                                 include, but not be limited to: hearings, site
                                                                 visit, information meeting, inspections,
                                                                 audits, investigations, and examinations.
                                       Special Agency Mission.  Travel to carry out a special agency mission and/
                                                                 or perform a task outside the agency's normal
                                                                 course of day-to-day business activities that
                                                                 is unique or distinctive. These special
                                                                 missions are defined by the head of agency and
                                                                 are normally not programmed in the agency
                                                                 annual funding authorization. Examples: These
                                                                 agency-defined special missions may include
                                                                 details, security missions, and agency
                                                                 emergency response/recovery such as civil,
                                                                 natural disasters, evacuation, catastrophic
                                                                 events, technical assistance, evaluations or
                                                                 assessments.
                                       Conference--Other Than   Travel performed in connection with a
                                        Training.                prearranged meeting, retreat, convention,
                                                                 seminar, or symposium for consultation or
                                                                 exchange of information or discussion. Agencies
                                                                 have to distinguish between conference and
                                                                 training attendance and use the appropriate
                                                                 identifier (see Training below). Examples: To
                                                                 participate in a planned program as a speaker/
                                                                 panelist or other form of presentation, host,
                                                                 planner, or others designated to oversee the
                                                                 conference or attendance with no formal role,
                                                                 or as an exhibitor.

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                                       Training...............  Travel in conjunction with educational
                                                                 activities to become proficient or qualified in
                                                                 one or more areas of responsibility. 5 USC
                                                                 4101(4) states that `` `training' means the
                                                                 process of providing for and making available
                                                                 to an employee, and placing or enrolling the
                                                                 employee in a planned, prepared, and
                                                                 coordinated program, course, curriculum,
                                                                 subject, system, or routine of instruction or
                                                                 education, in scientific, professional,
                                                                 technical, mechanical, trade, clerical, fiscal,
                                                                 administrative, or other fields which will
                                                                 improve individual and organizational
                                                                 performance and assist in achieving the
                                                                 agency's mission and performance goals.'' The
                                                                 term ``conference'' may also apply to training
                                                                 activities that are considered to be
                                                                 conferences under 5 CFR 410.404, which states
                                                                 that ``agencies may sponsor an employee's
                                                                 attendance at a conference as a developmental
                                                                 assignment under section 4110 of title 5,
                                                                 United States Code, when: (a) The announced
                                                                 purpose of the conference is educational or
                                                                 instructional; (b) More than half of the time
                                                                 is scheduled for a planned, organized exchange
                                                                 of information between presenters and audience
                                                                 which meets the definition of training in
                                                                 section 4101 of title 5, United States Code;
                                                                 (c) The content of the conference is germane to
                                                                 improving individual and/or organizational
                                                                 performance, and (d) Development benefits will
                                                                 be derived through the employee's attendance.''
                                                                 Agencies have to distinguish between conference
                                                                 and training attendance and use the appropriate
                                                                 identifier (see Conference--Other Than Training
                                                                 above). Examples: Job required training,
                                                                 Internships, Intergovernmental Personnel Act,
                                                                 and forums.
                                       Relocation.............  Travel performed in connection with a transfer
                                                                 from one official duty station to another for
                                                                 employees/immediate family members, as
                                                                 applicable. Examples: Permanent change of
                                                                 station (PCS) moves for domestic and
                                                                 international transferees/new appointees, tour
                                                                 renewal, temporary change of station (TCS), and
                                                                 last move home.
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
Payment Method.......................  EFT....................  Direct deposit via electronic funds transfer.
                                       Treasury Check.........  Payment made by Treasury check.
                                       Imprest Fund...........  Payment made by Imprest Fund.
 
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[FR Doc. E9-17128 Filed 7-20-09; 8:45 am]
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