New TDL Travel Authorizations

Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 14:22:10 -0500
To: "AO - All Administrative Officers"<distribution
From: "Alice A. Sabatini, Division Administrative Officer" <aasabati
Subject: New TDL Travel Authorizations

Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 11:53:27 -0500
To: "Alice A. Sabatini, Division Administrative Officer" <aasabati,
        "John J Blickley,  Reston, VA" <jblickley,
        "Susan R Sheely,  Reston, VA" <ssheely,
        "Gayle A Sisler,  Reston, VA" <gsisler@igsrsparc4.er.usgs.gov,
        "Alice A Sabatini, Administrative Officer, Reston, VA" <aasabati,
        "Carole Carter-Pfisterer,  Reston, VA" <ccarter,
        "Timothy E Calkins,  Reston, VA" <tcalkins,
        "MaryLou D Pectol,  Reston, VA" <mpectol,
        "Joseph S Pillera,  Reston, VA" <jpillera,
        "John R Caracciolo, Management Initiatives Officer, Reston, VA"
<john_caracciolo@nbs.gov,
        "Debra A Bradford,  Reston, VA" <dbradfor
From: "Susan R. Sheely" <ssheely
Subject: New TDL Travel Authorizations
Cc: "Nancy J Hill, Chief, Mgmt Support Section, Reston, VA" <njhill,
        sao@qvarsx.er.usgs.gov, ofm_ts@mailrvao1.er.usgs.GOV

The recent guidelines on the implementation of the DOI Travel Lab
recommendations contained some wording that was from the lab documentation
and I failed to make the necessary adjustments to allow for USGS specific
procedures.  The area that was of greatest concern was the traveler signing
as the requester and the supervisor signing as the authorizing official.
According to the SM 205.2 travel delegation authority, travel
authorizations approvals have specific levels within each division and it
is not necessarily the supervisor.  

Another oversight on my part was the information under item #3 which
indicated that signing the authorization the traveler acknowledged
understanding the roles and responsibilities of employees for travel.
Since we are not requiring the traveler's signature on the authorization,
this wording will be changed to: "You are authorized to travel as indicated
below and to incur necessary expenses in accordance with applicable laws
and regulations and to abide by the roles and responsibilities of employees
for travel, as described on the attachment."

On a positive note, I have been in touch with Robert Arnberg who is working
to get the new wording included on the authorization in the Travel Manager
Software.  No final information on this project at the present time.

I am planning to issue a supplement/change/update to the IM OFM 97-09 to
include the items mentioned above.  If there are other areas that are not
clear or if you have found an item in conflict with other USGS policies,
please let me know.

Susan
Susan R. Sheely, Chief
Travel Management Branch
703-648-7602   Fax 703-648-4112
ssheely@usgs.gov



******************************************************************
* Alice A. Sabatini, Division Administrative Officer            *
* Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey        *
* 442 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive           *
* Reston, VA  20192  703-648-5027; fax 703-648-5295  *
******************************************************************