Grantee Travel Information
Grantee Travel Guide
The following guide provides information regarding the application of the Tennessee Travel Policy when TDMHSAS Grantees are invoicing for travel expenses.
General Principle
All grantees should use the most appropriate and cost-effective method of travel. Appropriate methods of travel mean staff can use personal vehicles, rental cars, and, if traveling out-of-state, airplanes. Cost-effective means that the travel should occur in a manner that does not cost a lot of money or incur unnecessary staff time. Staff should use the most economical option for travel whenever possible.
Personal Vehicle Usage
Agency staff may use their personal vehicles if travel is within their standard duties or responsibilities. Agency management should ensure that staff job descriptions acknowledge that travel is required for the positions. If travel is not a job requirement but a staff member’s temporary duties require travel, the agency should document its prior approval of the travel.
Staff should consider using agency fleet vehicles (owned/leased by the agency) or a rental vehicle as an alternative to a personal vehicle. If there is no rental car agency in the agency’s home city, staff need not consider using a rental car.
If several staff members are traveling to the same site, carpooling is the most cost-effective method of travel.
Mileage is calculated based on the lesser distance between a staff member’s home or office and the destination. Staff will only be reimbursed for the most direct route.
Staff should document their personal vehicle’s starting and ending mileage and the address of the site traveled to as part of their travel expense report. Staff and the agency should keep a copy (hard-copy or electronic) of the travel mileage report. Weekend and holiday travel needs to be by the most direct route, but actual distance reimbursement (from home or office to destination) is not required
Official Station
Travel between staff’s home and office is considered commuting and is not reimbursable. Mobile work arrangements (e.g., staff working from home) have specific IRS reimbursement rules. The agency should contact its tax advisor to determine if these rules apply to the staff member.
Out-of-State Travel
All out-of-state travel requires written approval two weeks prior to the trip. The approval must be from TDMHSAS program staff and agency management.
Conference Attendance
Staff attendance at a sponsored conference or participation in staff training events requires prior written approval from TDMHSAS program staff and agency management. For conferences, the agency should submit to the TDMHSAS program staff a copy of the event announcement, agenda, and menu of costs (registration, attendance, lodging (if applicable)) with the email seeking approval. For training events, the agency should submit to TDMHSAS program staff a copy of the training agenda, training syllabus, menu of costs, date and site of training, and names of staff attending the training with the email seeking approval. The agency should maintain a copy (electronic or hard copy) of all material sent to the TDMHSAS program staff seeking approval.
Overnight Travel
No pre-approval is necessary for overnight travel if the travel falls within a staff member’s standard duties or responsibilities and the hotel reimbursement is at or below CONUS rates. However, a staff member’s job description should acknowledge that overnight travel may be required for the position.
Prior written approval from the TDMHSAS program staff and agency management is required if
- The reason for which the staff member is traveling and needing to stay overnight is not considered standard duty or responsibility of the staff member’s position;
- Hotel reimbursement is above the established CONUS rate (i.e., lodging is unavailable at CONUS rates due to limited lodging availability; or
- A staff member is staying at a hotel hosting an approved conference and whose room rate is above the established CONUS rate.
Staff should attach a copy of the written approval to their expense report. Staff and agency management should keep a copy (hard-copy or electronic) of the travel approval and the staff member’s expense report.
Out of State Travel
All out-of-state travel requires written approval two weeks prior to the trip. The approval must be from TDMHSAS program staff and agency management.
Reimbursement Rates
Reimbursements are based on the IRS mileage rate, and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) CONUS rates for lodging and meals. Daily lodging rates and per diem information may be found at https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates. Receipts are required for airfare, lodging, ground transportation costs, and parking.
- Lodging and Meals: Lodging is reimbursed up to the maximum CONUS rates, and meals are reimbursed based on per diem rates. Partial day travel (first day of travel to site/last day of travel home) is reimbursed at 75% of the per diem rate.
- Miscellaneous: Parking, baggage fees, and telecommunications costs are reimbursable under specific conditions.
- Rental Vehicle- Standard size is allowable.
Travel Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is intended as a resource to help providers as they submit travel claims. Click a topic below to see the FAQs in that section.
Q: We are paying a speaker to come to a training session; what can we reimburse the speaker for travel?
A: Non-state employees are to be reimbursed the same as State employees - per the State Travel Regulations. Non-state employee travel must be approved by the department head.
Q: Are early boarding fees reimbursable?
A: No. Early boarding fees are considered a personal convenience item, not a required fee.
Q: I like to fly first class; is first class reimbursable? Is business class?
A: Economy class is reimbursed unless sold out. Seating above economy class can be reimbursed if you have documentation showing that economy class is not available on the day you are flying. Otherwise, if you reserve seating above economy class, you must submit documentation showing the cost of economy for same flight. You will be reimbursed for the cheaper of the two.
Q: I do not like to drive the interstate, and going the side roads is more miles; do I get reimbursed the extra miles?
A: No. Per regulations, mileage for the most direct route will be reimbursed; in this scenario it would be interstate mileage.
Q: We are a subrecipient agency and own a company vehicle. Can we charge the fuel, oil changes, tires, and general maintenance to a grant?
A: Yes. The actual expenses of the company owned vehicle may be charged to the grant. If actual expenses are charged to the grant, you may not also charge the State standard mileage rate.
Q: We are a subrecipient agency; we pay our employees at a rate in excess of the State employee mileage rate for travel. Can we charge the grant the mileage rate we pay our employees?
A: No. If using an employee-owned vehicle, the State will only reimburse the approved State employee mileage rate which is found at this link: Standard Mileage Rate.
Q: We are a subrecipient agency; can we charge to the grant the actual fuel costs for an employee-owned vehicle that the employee uses for travel?
A: No. If using an employee-owned vehicle, the State will only reimburse the approved State mileage rate found at this link: Standard Mileage Rate.
Q: We are a subrecipient agency and we have a special incentive for certain members of our upper management. Can we charge the mileage rate we pay our upper management or flat monthly incentive for vehicle usage to the grant?
A: No. The State will not reimburse any special incentives for employees. The State will only reimburse the approved State employee mileage rate (found at Standard Mileage Rate) for business purposes only.
Q: I use my vehicle for agency business. What is the start and stop point when calculating business mileage?
A: The start and stop point when calculating business mileage in an employee-owned vehicle is the shorter of your place of residence or your agency's location to the client.
Q: Is valet parking reimbursable, or must I self-park?
A: No, valet parking is only reimbursable at the hotel if self-parking is not available and there is not another lot within walking distance of your lodging. You should make a note on your expense report that self-parking at the hotel and/or another nearby lot was not available.
Q: I want to try a restaurant downtown while in Nashville for work; will I get reimbursed for parking?
A: No.
Q: Can I be reimbursed for short-term parking at the airport?
A: No. Parking is reimbursed at the standard rate for long term or economy parking at the airport.
Q: Parking was $15.00, but I do not have documentation. Can I be reimbursed for the full amount?
A: No, maximum amount reimbursable for parking without a receipt is currently $8.00 per the rate schedule.
Q: Are hotels required to honor the state rate?
A: No, there is not a contract with the hotels. If the state rate is not available at your chosen hotel, you are expected to try other hotels and other locations close to your destination.
Q: What if the hotel I usually stay at will not honor the state rate?
A: You are expected to try other hotels in the area. If you choose to stay at a hotel that does not have a room available at the state rate, you will only be reimbursed the state rate.
Q: If the hotel rate where a conference is being held is higher than the CONUS rate, can we be reimbursed the higher rate?
A: Yes, but only if the hotel name and rate is published in the conference brochure. Otherwise this may be treated as a lodging exception which can only be reimbursed if approved by the Commissioner.
Q: If the lodging rate is lower, do we bill the State the higher rate?
A: No, reimbursement is at the lower of the lodging receipt or the State/CONUS rate.
Q: For calculating the days of travel, does it matter what time we leave or return?
A: No. Days of travel are 3/4th (75%) of daily location rate. If leaving after dinner or returning early, employees can choose to only claim actual expenses rather than the per diem for those days.
Q: I left before 5 am and returned after 7 pm; how much can I claim in meals?
A: Nothing. Per an IRS ruling, meals are not reimbursable for one day of travel.
Q: How are meals rates determined if you travel to more than one city/town?
A: CONUS rates can be found on the gsa.gov website.
Q: Is the Per Diem Rate for meals the same for every day?
A: No. The first and last day per diem is 3/4th (75%) of the full daily per diem rate. Each additional day is at the full per diem rate. Please note: if your trip is only one day, per an IRS ruling, meals are not reimbursable for one day of travel.