Earth Sciences Division Travel

 

Workplace Resources

Business Practices

Workforce Services

Our Community

FAQ

Quicklinks

Back to ESD Home

LBNL
Privacy and Security Notice

 

 

(DOC ID: ESD-BPT-001 REV00)

OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND

In 2003 LBNL instituted a new web-based software module called “Travel Manager GELCO” (current Version is 8.1). This program allows LBNL to collect travel data and tie it into various Lab-wide systems, such as Peoplesoft and IRIS. The Earth Sciences Division has slowly migrated users to GELCO this past January.  Essentially the travel process remains the same; however, the tools are different.  As a traveler for the ESD, you can decide to use GELCO or continue using the older system programs for processing your travel authorizations and paperwork. ESD will continue to perform travel practices to the best extent possible.

FIRST TIME TRAVELERS

PRE-APPROVAL

Traveler: Obtain estimate information for travel costs from travel agency or other web site (you must try to obtain Y-Cal Fares) and discuss with your supervisor/PI/Program Head to obtain funding sources (Project ID).

Foreign travel requests require at least 30 days advance notice and must be approved by the Division Director, Bo Bodvarsson prior to purchase of airline tickets. Provide the Division Director with a memo with a detailed summary of your foreign trip, which includes: date(s), business city, activities to be conducted, and the name of the DOE Program Manager who is familiar with the research area and Project ID being charged.

Late Requests

A request that is less than 21 days prior to departure date, for travel to non-sensitive countries, or 30 days for travel to sensitive countries, please provide a statement which includes:

1. A justification for exception of delayed submission
2. A statement to what impact to the laboratory, program, project, or DOE, if travel does not occur.

TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS & APPROVALS

Traveler: Process a Travel Authorization form. You are responsible for ensuring timely approvals for your travel. If you are processing hard copy forms, please forward them to the ESD Travel Coordinator, Marie Butson, for further processing.

GELCO

  1. Use GELCO for all your Domestic/Local/Foreign Travel. Go to Berkeley Lab Travel and click on “Travel Manager” to create a new document for Authorization (you must have a LDAP-email access!!).
  2. Electronically route Travel Authorization or hard copy to obtain approval from Program Head (provide the approved hard copy of form to the ESD Travel Coordinator, Marie Butson).

Approver(s): Sign the hard copy form – or – approve electronically (stamp in GELCO). (NOTE: Foreign Travel requires Program Head and Division Director approval.)

Non-GELCO

  1. Use Berkeley Travel forms for Domestic/Local/Foreign Travel
  2. Obtain travel authorization from appropriate approver(s)
  3. Forward the approved copy of the travel forms (with appropriate documentation, as needed) to the ESD Travel Coordinator (Marie Butson) for further processing

RESERVATIONS*

Traveler: will make reservations as usual using the entire TA# (i.e., “TA000001234”).To direct-bill ticket to LBNL:

  1. BTS (on-line booking BTS) saves overcharge fees $$ and you can direct-bill to the Lab when using the TA#
  2. Carlson (direct call 1-888 243-1125) costs more $$ and you can direct-bill to the Lab when using the TA#

To pay ticket on personal credit card or LBNL charge card:

  1. Book on-line with Southwest using Lab’s ID #99373772, paid by the traveler.
  2. Book with preferred web-site when a lower reimbursable fare is found (within Y-cal fares), paid by traveler. NOTE: you must confirm that the fare is not over the Y-cal limit.


* For Foreign Travel: Federal Travel Regulations require that U.S. carriers must be used for travel that is to be reimbursed from federal grants and contracts. Read more on the Fly America Act and/or contact the Travel Office, x4500.

VOUCHERS (Reimbursements)

Traveler: Process a Travel Voucher form:

Foreign Travel: Remember to convert the currency to US$. Use the OANDA Currency Converter. Use the date of 1st night’s lodging for the rate unless you have other documentation such as a conversion rate shown on a receipt.

GELCO

  1. Go to http://travel.lbl.gov/index.htm and click on “Travel Manager” to create a Voucher from Authorization and go through and fill actual values.
    • Print a hard copy from the Preview Document link and attach original receipts, including your itinerary.
    • Obtain approval from the appropriate Program Head.
    • Give approved voucher to ESD Travel Coordinator to cross check information
    • ESD Travel Coordinator will send travel voucher and receipts down to Travel Office
    • Traveler is reimbursed within 1-3 days

Approver(s): Sign the hard copy form

Non-GELCO

  1. Use current Excel spread sheet or FileMaker Pro for travel voucher (Go to bottom of http://travel.lbl.gov/Forms/tvlauth_exp.htm)
    • Print a hard copy and attach original receipts, including itinerary
    • Obtain approval of voucher from appropriate Program Head
    • Give approved voucher and original receipts (including itinerary) to ESD Travel Coordinator to cross check information
    • ESD Travel Coordinator will send travel voucher down to Travel Office
    • Traveler is reimbursed 3-5 days

Approver(s): Sign the hard copy form

FOREIGN TRAVEL TRIP REPORTING

Traveler: The post-travel trip report is required for foreign travel when salary and/or travel expenses are funded from DOE monies. The trip report should be submitted to the Berkeley Lab Travel office within 25 days after the completion of your trip. Please review LBNL requirements.

PROCESSING ESD GUEST TRAVEL (Non-Employee)

If you decide to pay for a guest’s travel, you must complete the travel process as you normally would yourself. However, to begin this process, please provide traveler’s name, e-mail address, company and/or mailing address, phone number and Project ID to the ESD Travel Coordinator, Marie Butson. If foreign travel is involved, please refer to IRSO’s detailed discussion on Allowable Payments.  For further discussion on this issue please refer to the Guidelines for Non-Employee Travel.

DELINQUENT TRAVEL

Travelers who do not initiate their vouchers for reimbursement will go on the delinquent list.  At 30 days after the trip has occurred, the airfare will be costed out and the liens for the cost of the other expenses will be kept open until the traveler has supplemented the voucher which must be done before close out for the FY.

UNAUTHORIZED TRAVEL

In the event of unauthorized travel, you must immediately fill out a TA form and get it signed along with your Travel Voucher.  You will be asked to document why you did not obtain approval prior to taking the trip to attach with the TA or risk the possibility of not being reimbursed.

REQUEST FOR FUNDS

The request for funds may be used if the traveler is interested in reimbursement prior to the actual trip taken. This mainly applies to early registration fees, conference fees, etc. that the traveler may personally pay. In order to receive these funds the traveler must obtain a Travel Authorization number. Travelers must submit their request with a Project ID to the Berkeley Lab Travel Office via email (travelehotline@lbl.gov).

** Approval is required from the appropriate Program Head.

Travel Charge Card (Corporate Card)

The Travel Charge Card is for travel purposes only. You must treat it as your own personal credit card. Any delinquent payments may result in harming your credit report and any fees are considered interest, which is an unallowable cost under the Laboratory's contract with the DOE. They may not be reimbursed with Laboratory funds.

** Approval is required from the traveler's supervisor or Department Head.

DO'S AND DON'TS

  • Do: print out a hard copy (“Preview Document” in GELCO) for Program Head approval of Travel Vouchers (Reimbursements)
  • Do: forward your travel documentation including receipts to ESD’s Travel Coordinator, Marie Butson for final processing.
  • Don’t: send anything to the Berkeley Lab Travel Office (Mailstop 937) by yourself.
  • Don’t: take any trip(s) without discussing it with your supervisor/PI and/or Bo Bodvarsson (Division Director)
  • Don’t: route your Travel Voucher (in GELCO) for approval. The Program Heads will only sign hard copies with receipts attached.

KEY CONTACTS

  • Berkeley Lab Travel Hotline: x4500 (travelhotline@lbl.gov)
  • Berkeley Lab Travel Directory
  • ESD Travel Coordinator: Marie Butson, x6455 (mlbutson@lbl.gov)
  • ESD Foreign Travel Questions: Maryann Villavert, x7357 (mvillavert@lbl.gov)
  • Approvers for ESD travel are the Scientific Program Heads.
    • Climate Change and Carbon Management – Margaret Torn
    • Energy Resources – Mike Hoversten
    • Environmental Remediation – Susan Hubbard
    • Fundamental and Exploratory Research – Ernie Majer
    • Nuclear Waste – Bo BodvarssoN

OTHER RESOURCES

FAQ's

If you have any questions or comments, contact:

Maryann Villavert, x7357