Travel Guide 2 2018

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Updated January 2018

Family Medicine Research
Travel Expense Reimbursement Guide
Overview
Family Medicine (FM) employees who are required to travel for business purposes related to research are
eligible to receive reimbursement for expenses incurred for travel events approved by both their supervisor
and our Grants/Contracts (GC) team through the FM Travel Request and Reimbursement System. This guide
identifies typically allowable expenses, as well as standard calculation methodologies for certain expenses (e.g.
per diem and mileage). Departmental travel practices must align with OHSU’s Travel Policy No. 06-60-020.
Funding agencies for Sponsored Projects may impose greater restrictions that supersede our departmental
practices. Some cases may warrant exceptions, and these requests will be reviewed on an individual basis by
our GC team. For examples of possible exceptions, please refer to Appendix A: Special Cases and Examples.
Related documents:
Grant-funded Expense Reimbursement Process Diagram
FM Travel Request and Reimbursement System User Guide

Responsibility of Travelers
A. Submit Travel Request via Family Medicine Leave and Travel Request Site at least four weeks prior to the
travel event (Refer to Appendix A: Service Level Understanding for Travel Requests), providing adequate
information (e.g. event website, travel preferences, etc.) to ensure administrative support staff can
effectively forecast and approve expected expenses and also coordinate requested travel logistics.
B. For non-standard expenses anticipated during travel, acquire documentation and include in request (Refer
to Appendix B: Special Cases and Examples).
C. Submit Reimbursement Request via Family Medicine Leave and Travel Request Site within one week of
return for expenses incurred during the travel event.
D. Submit all receipts for travel expenses paid for by personal accounts and/or OHSU Purchase Cards (P-card)
to receipts@ohsu.edu within 24 hours of submission of Reimbursement Request (Refer to Appendix C:
Receipt Email Content Requirements). Timely submission of receipts aligns with OHSU fiscal requirements
for reimbursement.
E. Approve Oracle Expense Report within one week of receiving notification. Without traveler approval,
expense reports will not be submitted. Note: per IRS regulations, expense reports for reimbursement not
submitted within 3o days from date of purchase are considered taxable income.

Expense Types
This section outlines allowable expense types, conditions, and instances of pre-approval required for travel. For
information regarding special circumstances within allowed expense categories, please see Appendix A: Special
Cases and Examples.

Event Registration Fee
Whenever possible, attendees should register in a timely manner to qualify for an early-bird rate if offered by
the event organizers. This practice will ensure the most effective use of grant funds for this type of purchase.
Note that some organizations offer a discounted event registration rate in combination with a membership fee
(e.g. NAPCRG). Prior to registering for a conference, pre-approval must be received from G/C Manager or
Coordinator due to restrictions imposed on membership purchases by the terms and conditions of grant funds.

Lodging
For events that require overnight lodging, attendees are encouraged to coordinate shared accommodations
when appropriate. Attendees should notify the RSS staff of their shared accommodation plans via the
Additional Details section of their Travel Request Form. Note that grant funds may not be used to pay for
incidentals such as Wi-Fi or pet fees; please see Appendix A: Special Cases and Examples for information
regarding exceptions.

Meals
The cost of meals is calculated on a per diem basis using the current Department of Defense (DoD) standard
city rates. Meal per diem is dependent on location and business purpose (Refer to Appendix D: Meal Per Diem
Guide). Times of departure and return determine which, if any, travel-day meals will be included in the per diem
calculation. Please refer to Appendix D: Meal Per Diem Guide for travel-time-based inclusion criteria for meals on
travel-days.

Airfare
The only allowable airfare rate is Economy class. Any upgrade fees are the responsibility of the traveler. Fees
for flight changes due to personal reasons and/or in-flight amenities such as Wi-Fi or entertainment devices,
may not be charged to grant funds. Please see Appendix A: Special Cases and Examples for information
regarding exceptions. Standard airline baggage fees are typically allowable on grant funds, especially if
required to carry meeting materials (e.g. posters).

Ground Transportation
Rental vehicles are normally an allowable expense on grant funds if used in pursuit of project aims (e.g. site
visit). If the traveler requires a vehicle upgrade from lowest-standard cost (e.g. 4-wheel drive vehicle due to
winter travel in the mountains), fees associated with vehicle upgrades must be pre-approved by G/C Manager
or Coordinator and exception must be submitted in the Travel Request Form (Refer to Appendix E:
Documentation Requirements).
Taxi or Ride-Hailing Service (e.g. Lyft) are allowable expenses when travelling for business purposes, such as
travelling between the airport and lodging location.

Mileage for Use of Personal Vehicle
Reimbursement for the use of a personal vehicle is calculated based on U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Standard Mileage Rates, using an approved travel itinerary (Refer to Appendix E: Documentation Requirements)
and multi-stop Google Map directions to determine the number of miles. All locations and stops must be
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included in the multi-stop Google Map directions for requested mileage reimbursement (e.g. Start at home
address, travel to clinic location, travel to second clinic location, travel to home address).

Parking
All pay-for-parking expenses are reimbursable if parking occurs during the travel itinerary. All parking expenses
must be submitted with a receipt of purchase, or a documentation of the rates for the parking location
combined with bank statement/payment confirmation if no receipt is available.
If parking at the airport, the long-term lot must be used; all reimbursement requests for airport parking will be
processed with the long-term parking rate.
Parking expenses outside of the travel itinerary (e.g. parking at OHSU for a morning meeting prior to departing
for a site visit) are not reimbursable unless the expense receives pre-approval by G/C Manager or Coordinator.

Hosting (Providing Food and/or Beverage for Event Participants)
Federal agencies typically do not allow hosting costs on sponsored projects. Exceptions must be reviewed by
our GC team. Please see Appendix A: Special Cases and Examples for more information.

Research Participant Incentive
Research participant incentives are typically allowed on sponsored projects. Coordination with the G/C
Manager or Coordinator is required, refer to Appendix E: Documentation Requirements. Please see Appendix A:
Special Cases and Examples for more information.

Process for Reviewing and Updating this Guide
The GC Manager will review this guide on an annual basis, updating as needed due to changes in federal
funding regulations, institutional policies, and feedback from various stakeholder groups.

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Appendix A: Special Cases and Examples
This appendix provides examples of different types of travel situations that may require additional approval
from the Grants/Contracts Manager or Coordinator and/or additional documentation to gain approval.
Contact the Grants/Contracts Manager (Jennifer Reed reeje@ohsu.edu) or Grants/Contracts Coordinator (Amy
Franco francam@ohsu.edu) via email prior to submitting your travel request to obtain approval for special
cases and exceptions.

Example 1: Hosting
Definition: Refreshments, including non-alcoholic beverages or food provided by OHSU employee for nonOHSU collaborators, event attendees, or research participants.
Federal agencies typically do not allow hosting costs on sponsored projects. However, there are some
exceptions. This type of expense must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis prior to the occurrence by the G/C
Manager or Coordinator. Additional documentation will be required (Refer to Appendix E: Documentation
Requirements).
Example: Travelers may wish to purchase meals for their non-OHSU colleagues when conducting a site visit
(e.g. a working lunch with a physician from a study site). This meal purchase would be considered hosting and
would not normally be allowable on grants.

Example 2: Research Participant Incentive
Definition: A tangible incentive (including food, gift cards, cash) provided to a research participant in return for
their participation in research. Incentive format, amount, and disbursement process are generally reviewed
and approved by an institutional review board as part of the human subjects research protocol approval
process.
Research participant incentives typically take the form of small denomination gift cards. The purchase of gift
cards requires a purchase order and must be coordinated through the G/C Coordinator. Gift cards can never be
purchased using a P-Card and should not be purchased using personal funds. Each research team is responsible
for tracking the distribution of participant incentives.

Example 3: Additional Expenses – Airfare
Fees for flight changes and/or in-flight amenities, such as Wi-Fi or entertainment devices, may not be charged
to grant funds. In special circumstances, department funds may be used to cover these expenses.
Example: The traveler needs to use in-flight Wi-Fi to remotely attend a high-priority meeting or event. The
department may be able to cover the cost of in-flight Wi-Fi.
Example: The study team has taken every reasonable measure to organize a study site visit and confirm dates
of travel. After receiving confirmation of travel dates, the study site changes the site visit dates. The
department may be able to cover the cost of the flight change fees in this instance.

Example 4: Additional Expenses – Lodging
Grant funds may not be used to pay for incidentals such as Wi-Fi or pet fees. If traveler needs include these
type of amenities, they must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether departmental funds
can be used to pay these additional expenses.
Example: The traveler needs to use additional-cost Wi-Fi to remotely attend a high-priority meeting or event.
The department may be able to cover that Wi-Fi charge.

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Appendix B: Service Level Understanding for Travel
Requests
Goals of Service Level Understanding
1)

To ensure travelers submit their requests for travel and booking assistance in a timely manner for the
purpose of providing information that will enable the RSS staff to meet the needs of travelers while
ensuring regulatory compliance for both the institution and sponsor.
2) To ensure understanding of available assistance from the RSS staff to travelers based on length of time
from request to desired travel date.

For travel requests
received more than
eight (8) weeks prior to
travel…

RSS will coordinate your travel request as follows:
Event Registration
- Pay early-bird rate for registration (if available through event coordinators)
- Pay membership fees associated with event if needed and allowable
Airfare
- Provide multiple options for itineraries in order to select optimal travel schedule
- Ensure best rate, seat selection
- Accommodate group travel
- Utilize traveler profile preferences in booking process
Lodging
- Ensure reservation in event site hotel and/or optimal location for event
- Utilize traveler profile preferences in booking process
- Provide multiple lodging options (e.g. hotel, AirBnB, etc.)
- Accommodate group travel (e.g. block reservations)
Car Rental
- Ensure reservation with preferred vendor
- Ensure type of vehicle needed for road/travel conditions
Meal Reservations
- Book preferred restaurant for group dining
Travel Itinerary Document
- All booking confirmations, schedule, etc. provided in a single document that can be
accessed easily by the traveler(s)

For travel requests
received at least four (4)
weeks prior to travel…

RSS will coordinate your travel request as follows:
Event Registration
- Pay early-bird rate for registration (if available through event coordinators)
- Pay membership fees associated with event if needed and allowable
Airfare
- Provide multiple options for itineraries in order to select optimal travel schedule
- Ensure best rate, seat selection
- Accommodate group travel
- Utilize traveler profile preferences in booking process

5

Lodging
- Ensure reservation in event site hotel and/or optimal location for event
- Utilize traveler profile preferences in booking process
- Provide multiple lodging options (e.g. hotel, AirBnB, etc.)
- Accommodate group travel (e.g. block reservations)
Car Rental
- Ensure reservation with preferred vendor
- Ensure type of vehicle needed for road/travel conditions
Meal Reservations
- Book preferred restaurant for group dining
Travel Itinerary Document
- All booking confirmations, schedule, etc. provided in a single document that can be
accessed easily by the traveler(s)

For travel requests
received two (2) to four
(4) weeks prior to
travel…

RSS will coordinate your travel request as follows:
Event Registration
- Pay early-bird rate for registration (if available through event coordinators)
- Pay membership fees associated with event if needed and allowable
Airfare
- Provide multiple options for itineraries in order to select optimal travel schedule
- Ensure best rate, seat selection
- Accommodate group travel
- Utilize traveler profile preferences in booking process
Lodging
- Ensure reservation in event site hotel and/or optimal location for event
- Utilize traveler profile preferences in booking process
- Provide multiple lodging options (e.g. hotel, AirBnB, etc.)
- Accommodate group travel (e.g. block reservations)
Car Rental
- Ensure reservation with preferred vendor
- Ensure type of vehicle needed for road/travel conditions
Meal Reservations
- Book preferred restaurant for group dining
Travel Itinerary Document
- All booking confirmations, schedule, etc. provided in a single document that can be
accessed easily by the traveler(s)

For travel requests
received less than two
(2) weeks prior to
travel…

RSS will coordinate your travel request as follows:
Event Registration
- Pay early-bird rate for registration (if available through event coordinators)
- Pay membership fees associated with event if needed and allowable
Airfare
- Provide multiple options for itineraries in order to select optimal travel schedule
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-

Ensure best rate, seat selection
Accommodate group travel
Utilize traveler profile preferences in booking process

Lodging
- Ensure reservation in event site hotel and/or optimal location for event
- Utilize traveler profile preferences in booking process
- Provide multiple lodging options (e.g. hotel, AirBnB, etc.)
- Accommodate group travel (e.g. block reservations)
Car Rental
- Ensure reservation with preferred vendor
- Ensure type of vehicle needed for road/travel conditions
Meal Reservations
- Book preferred restaurant for group dining

For travel requests
received < 5 business
days prior to travel…

Travel Itinerary Document
- All booking confirmations, schedule, etc. provided in a single document that can be
accessed easily by the traveler(s)
RSS will coordinate your travel request as follows:
Event Registration
- Pay early-bird rate for registration (if available through event coordinators)
- Pay membership fees associated with event if needed and allowable
Airfare
- Provide multiple options for itineraries in order to select optimal travel schedule
- Ensure best rate, seat selection
- Accommodate group travel
- Utilize traveler profile preferences in booking process
Lodging
- Ensure reservation in event site hotel and/or optimal location for event
- Utilize traveler profile preferences in booking process
- Provide multiple lodging options (e.g. hotel, AirBnB, etc.)
- Accommodate group travel (e.g. block reservations)
Car Rental
- Ensure reservation with preferred vendor
- Ensure type of vehicle needed for road/travel conditions
Meal Reservations
- Book preferred restaurant for group dining
Travel Itinerary Document
- All booking confirmations, schedule, etc. provided in a single document that can be
accessed easily by the traveler(s)

7

Appendix C: Receipt Email Content Requirements
All receipts (including P-card receipts not for travel) must be submitted to receipts@ohsu.edu and include the
following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Attached itemized receipt (any file type, e.g. pdf, jpeg, etc.)
Method of purchase (e.g. P-card or personal expense card)
Funding source for expense (e.g. specific grant title)
General Business Purpose for the Expenses (e.g. travel, participant incentive, etc.)
Ad hoc: list of meal attendees for hosted events/incentives

Example: Lyft/Taxi receipt attached to email.
Email body:
• My P-card
• To be charged to [Grant name]
• Travel from airport to hotel in [destination name]
Example: Bagel Shop receipt AND Attendee List attached to email
Email body:
• My P-card
• To be charged to [Grant name]
• Breakfast incentive for practice site visit

Appendix D: Meal Per Diem Guide
Family Medicine employees who are required to travel for business purposes related to research are eligible to
receive full per diem for event days, and partial to full per diem on travel days to and from the business event.
The cost of meals is calculated using the current U.S. Department fo Defense (DoD) standard city rates. Meal
per diem eligibility is dependent on location and appropriate business purpose. Traveler will submit their
request for per diem in the Reimbursement Request Form. Once the Reimbursement Request Form is
submitted, changes to requested per diem reimbursement will not be possible. The RSS staff may request
additional detail from traveler regarding their per diem, which may affect the final per diem reimbursement.

Local Travel (close to, but outside the Portland Metro Area)
In order to be eligible for per diem for local travel, the travel must meet all the following criteria:
1. Appropriate business purpose
2. The location of the travel is outside of Portland Metro Area
3. The travel is within one business day (no overnight travel)

Non-Local Travel
All travelers traveling more than a day’s drive outside of the Portland Metro Area are eligible for per diem.

Non-Allowable Per Diem Meals
•

If a meal(s) is(are) provided at the event attended, traveler is not eligible for per diem for that(those)
meal(s)

8

If a meal(s) is(are) provided at the event attended and the traveler is unable to eat it due to
dietary restrictions, the traveler is eligible for per diem for that meal provided they have a
dietary memo on file with RSS.
If a meal is eaten with study participants (e.g. lunch group interview), the meal should be paid for with
a P-Card and the traveler is not eligible for per diem for that meal.
Travel-days to and from event locations have restrictions on what meals are eligible for per diem.
Please see timeline below.
o

•
•

Per Diem Timetable
On travel-days – days in which traveler is traveling to or from the event destination – per diem is provided on a
departure and arrival time basis. (Event days include all three per diem meals with the exception of provided
meals, see above). The below table illustrates the eligible meals for travel-days based on departure and arrival
times:
Departure/Arrival Time
**5:00am – 9:59am
10:00am – 1:59pm
2:00pm – 8:59pm**

Departure Day*
Breakfast
✓

Lunch
✓
✓

Return Day*
Dinner
✓
✓
✓

Breakfast
✓
✓
✓

Lunch

Dinner

✓
✓

✓

*Departure and Return time and location must be listed on event agenda and/or itinerary. For information regarding
itinerary requirements, refer to Appendix E: Documentation Requirements
**For departures and arrivals between 9:00pm and 4:59am, there is no per diem without documented reasonable
exception

Appendix E: Documentation Requirements
As a part of the Reimbursement Request Form in the FM Travel Request and Reimbursement System, the
event agenda and itinerary must be provided. Additional documentation (e.g. approval of unusual expense,
extenuating circumstances, etc.) should also be provided at the time of Reimbursement Request submission.
The following information outlines the content requirements and additional information for agendas,
itineraries, and special circumstances documentation. If one document contains all 6 of the required
documentation elements below, the single document may be submitted in both the Agenda and Itinerary
document upload locations in the Reimbursement Request Form.

Agendas Must Include
1. Time, date and location of each business purpose activity
2. Activity description and purpose
3. Activity Attendees
Agendas outline the events of the business travel during the working hours of the event (e.g. conference
agenda). Agendas do not include travel information or location(s) of events outside of the business purpose
(e.g. business purpose is a practice site visit, the agenda does not include information regarding the hotel
location or flight information).

9

Example: Simple Practice Site Visit Agenda
Wednesday July 1st, 2020
Time

Location

Activity

Attendees

9:00am – 12:00pm

Practice #0214

Data Collection: Observe and
Interview Practice Members

Lucy, Charlie, Patty

12:00pm -1:00pm

Bernie’s Dinner

Lunch and Morning Debrief

Lucy, Charlie, Patty

1:3opm – 3:3opm

Practice #0235

Data Collection: Observe and
Interview Practice Members

Charlie, Patty

Itineraries Must Include
1. Time and date of each travel event
2. Activity title/description
3. Location (exact address) of each event
Itineraries must include all destinations and times of the travel event and should begin with the first travel
event (e.g. leaving home location). Inclusion of information such as home address and departure time from
address, ensures that proper allocation of per diem is provided to traveler. Each stop on an itinerary (e.g. one
stop between home address and practice location to pick up other visit attendee) must be included for proper
reimbursement of mileage (personal car only).
Example: Simple Practice Site Visit Itinerary
Wednesday July 1st, 2020
Time

Location

Activity

Attendees

7:15am

456 SW Home Ave
Portland, OR 97238

Patty drive to OHSU to pick
up team members

Patty

7:30am

OHSU Emma Jones Hall: 3181
SW Sam Jackson Park Rd
Portland, OR 97239

Attendees Meet at OHSU

Lucy, Charlie, Patty

Attendees Drive in Patty’s car
to Practice #0214

Lucy, Charlie, Patty

7:30am – 9:00am

NA

9:00am

1234 N Practice Ln
Small Town, OR 97011

Arrive at Practice #0214

Lucy, Charlie, Patty

12:00pm

987 S Lunch Dr
Town Town, OR 97101

Drive to Bernie’s Dinner

Lucy, Charlie, Patty

Drive to Practice #0235

Lucy, Charlie, Patty

Arrive at Practice #0235

Charlie, Patty (Lucy
work in break room)

Drive to OHSU

Lucy, Charlie, Patty

Patty drive home

Patty

1:00pm – 1:30pm
1:3opm
3:30pm – 5:30pm
5:45pm

NA
357 S Practice Ave
Town Town, OR 97101
NA
456 SW Home Ave
Portland, OR 97238

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Special Circumstance Documents
There are two circumstances in which documentation of Special Circumstances must be provided: 1) Preapproval, and 2) Unexpected change to travel plans.
1.

2.

Pre-approval
• When pre-approval is required, as outlined in the Family Medicine Research Travel Expense
Reimbursement Guide, approval should be sought via email.
• The email correspondence must be attached to the Travel Request form in the Special
Circumstance section in order for documentation to be complete.
Unexpected change to travel plans
• If an unexpected change to travel plans occurs, a memo must be created upon return from travel
that summarizes the circumstances of the change (e.g. was booked on last return flight of the
day, but flight was canceled due to weather and thus accrued additional hotel and meal
expenses).
• The memo must be attached to the Reimbursement Request form in the Special Circumstance
section in order for documentation to be complete and for reimbursement for unexpected
expenses.

11



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