Travel, Transportation & Relocation Costs. Philip R. Seckman Elisabeth P. Pinsonneault May 12, 2015

Transcription

1 Travel, Transportation & Relocation Costs Philip R. Seckman Elisabeth P. Pinsonneault May 12, 2015 mckennalong.com

2 Agenda Introduction Travel Cost Restrictions Airfare Lodging, Meals and Incidental Expenses Ground Transportation Documentation Risks, Best Practices and Lessons Learned Related Cost Limitations Relocation Consultants Meetings and Conferences Ramifications 2

3 Introduction Travel Costs Directly addressed by: FAR , Travel Costs FAR Subpt 47.4, Fly America Act Implicate: General rules on allowability FAR , Entertainment Costs FAR , Recruitment Costs FAR , Relocation Costs FAR , Trade, Business, Technical and Professional Activity Costs FAR , Alcohol Costs 3

4 Introduction Travel Costs subject to the FAR Cost Principles, Part 31 All costs must be: Allowable Allocable to the contract Reasonable Contractors should be prepared to document that costs fall within the applicable allowability principles at FAR , and to justify reasonableness of costs 4

5 Airfare Restrictions FAR Key Requirement for Airfare: Costs in excess of the lowest price available to the contractor during normal business hours are unavailable (With certain exceptions) Lowest priced airfare available to the contractor DCAA Guidance: this is not the lowest price available to the general public Should reflect special fares or negotiated rates available to the contractor Should be determined consistent with contractor s policies and procedures Generally requires documentation of quotations from competing providers 5

6 Exceptions A Contractor need not choose the lowest price airfare available during normal business hours if it would: Require circuitous routing Require travel during unreasonable hours Excessively prolong travel Result in increased cost that would offset transportation savings Not be reasonably adequate for the physical or medical needs of the traveler Not be reasonably available to meet mission requirements Any such exceptions must be documented and justified 6

7 Airfare FAQs Business Class Travel No general threshold for when business class travel is allowable Contractor must show economy rates are unreasonable, using a relevant exception (i.e. physical or medical needs of traveler) 14 hour business class rule in FTR not applicable to contractors Frequent Flier Miles Contractor to establish own policy Not required to collect promotional benefits from employees If contactor obtains frequent flier credits for company use, the government should receive its applicable share of credits 7

8 Fly America Act Basics Requires that U.S. Government-financed international air travel be provided by U.S.-flag carrier, if available Contractors required to use U.S.-flag carrier if available, even though a foreign carrier may offer lower fares or more convenient travel If an origin or interchange point is not served by a U.S.-flag air carrier, foreign-flag air carrier service shall be used only to the nearest interchange point FAR Subpart 47.4 implements the Fly America Act Contract clause at automatically included where it is possible that international travel will occur in the performance of the Contract 8

9 Fly America Act (cont.) U.S.-flag air carrier service is considered unavailable when: Gateway airport in U.S. and gateway airport abroad U.S.-flag carrier would extend time in travel status by 24 hours more Require traveler to wait 6 hours or more at interchange point Travel between two points outside the U.S. Foreign-flag air carrier would eliminate two or more aircraft changes Point abroad is gateway airport & extend travel status by 6 hours Travel not part of trip in U.S. & extend travel status by 6 hours Short distance travel under two previous scenarios Elapsed travel time by foreign-flag air carrier is 3 hours or less and service by a U.S.-flag air carrier would involve twice such travel time 9

10 Fly America Act (cont.) Exceptions: Air Transportation Agreements May use foreign-flag carrier that provides transportation under an air transport agreement with the U.S. Disallowance of Expenditures Must attach memorandum adequately explaining why U.S.-flag carrier service was not available or why it was necessary to use a foreign-flag carrier May use statement similar to the one contained at FAR Code-sharing: Foreign carriers operating under a code share arrangement with a U.S. flag carrier are treated as U.S. carriers 10

11 Contractor Aircraft Contractor Owned, Leased, or Chartered Aircraft (FAR (c)) As a general rule, travel costs via private aircraft in excess of standard commercial airfare costs are unallowable Higher costs for travel by private aircraft allowable if: Travel by such aircraft is specifically required by the contract Higher costs are approved by the contracting officer When an advanced agreement has been reached Commercial travel would require circuitous routing, travel during unreasonable hours, or excessively prolonged travel 11

12 Transportation Costs Costs for transportation may be based on Mileage rates Actual costs incurred, or A combination of mileage rates and actual costs Method used must result in a reasonable charge Regular transportation to/from workplace not allowable What if an employee relocates overseas? 12

13 Lodging, Meals and incidental expenses FAR (a): Lodging and M&IE may be based on: Per diem Actual expenses, or A combination of per diem and actual expenses Method used must result in a reasonable charge Except in special or unusual situations, allowable actual costs are limited on a daily basis to the maximum per diem rates set forth in Government travel regulations 13

14 Per Diem Rates Sources for per diem rates Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) Contiguous U.S. ( GSA Rates ) Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) Alaska, Hawaii, outlying areas of U.S. Department of State Standardized Regulations (SR)--Other Contractors: single total daily cap for both components DCAA clarified that contractor maximum per diem rates are a combination of lodging plus M&IE (March 22, 2013 Audit Alert; DCAM c(2)) Even if government regulations specify a separate cap for lodging vs. M&IE Contractors must calculate downward adjustment for partial travel days 14

15 Actual Costs Contractor Cost Measurement Options: Actual Costs Documentation requirements: Track contractor policies Receipt required for expenses over $75 Retain required approvals All unallowable costs must be separately identified and excluded from billings, claims, and proposals Actual costs may exceed per diem rates but cannot exceed the higher amounts authorized for Federal civilian employees Written justification Approved by an officer of the contractor JTR/FTR specifies circumstances for approval of actual expense 15

16 Documentation Travel costs are allowable if the following information is documented: Date and place of expense (city, town, or similar designation) Purpose of trip: Should be related to directly chargeable efforts or other allowable costs Name of person on trip and that person s title or relationship to the contractor FAR silent on methodology, records DCAA approach: Information must be maintained in a book, diary, account book or similar records DCAM Approves cancelled checks, credit card receipts and hotel bills for corroboration but without diary or similar records, they may not be sufficient. DCAM

17 Government Travel Regulations: Applicability Government Travel Regulations (FTR, JTR, SR) incorporated in FAR only to the extent of: Maximum per diem rates Definitions of lodging, M&IE Special or unusual situations where higher reimbursement authorized Auditors often use Government Travel Regulations to assess whether travel costs are reasonable GSA City Pair Program Prices Flat rate per diem for long term TDY DOD recently established a flat rate per diem allowance for long term TDY what would decrease the locality per diem rate for TDY periods over 30 days to 75%, and over 180 days to 55% Should not directly apply to contractors, but may be cited by auditors questioning reasonableness of contractor per diem costs 17

18 Risk areas Documentation in accordance with FAR requirements Are receipts obtained, or only credit card charges? Subcontractor / consultant compliance Do costs comply with -46 and the FAA? Can we obtain evidence / documentation of compliance? Justifications of other than lowest price airfare: Did the contractor follow its internal approval process? Detailed assessments of whether appropriate per diems were paid and / or whether unallowable costs were excluded 18

19 Travel Best Practices Establish and implement clear travel policies Train employees on these policies Develop internal controls to support compliance / cost allowability Travel request / approval process should mirror FAR requirements Document that lowest cost airfare was used or that an exception existed Fly American Act compliance should be automatic, if required Ensure subcontractors / consultants comply with travel cost requirements Consider focused reviews or sampling of travel costs prior to billing government 19

20 Related Cost Principles In order for travel costs to be allowable, the purpose of the travel must be documented, and allowable Any costs directly associated with unallowable costs are also unallowable. FAR (a) Travel costs associated with the following are, or may be, unallowable Organization costs (acquisitions) Unallowable entertainment costs If the purpose of travel is allowable, associated travel costs still must comply with travel cost principle 20

21 Relocation Costs: FAR Relocation costs are related to the permanent change of an employee duty assignment for a period of 12 months or more of an existing employee Allowable relocation costs include: Cost of travel and transportation of household goods for the employee and immediate family members, Cost of advance trips to find a permanent residence, Expenses such as the costs of cancelling an unexpired lease and rental differential payments, Costs for acquisition of new house (for current homeowners) Continuing mortgage interest at the old residence, Miscellaneous expenses 21

22 Relocation Costs: FAR In order to be allowable, relocation costs must: Relate to a move made for the benefit of the employer Be in accordance with an established policy or practice Not exceed actual costs, except: $5,000 lump sum for miscellaneous costs in lieu of actual costs Reimbursement on lump sum basis may be allowed if supported by data building up lump some amounts based on circumstances of the particular relocation Be reasonable and allocable Costs of travel for the employee and the employee's family to the new duty station and for house hunting trips include per diem costs which are also subject to FAR

23 Consultant Costs FAR Properly supported professional and consultant service costs are generally allowable, when reasonable, subject to exceptions contained in FAR and other cost principles Contractors should be prepared to document consultant work performed by providing: 1) all agreements, 2) detailed invoices or billings, 3) work product and related documents Consultant travel costs: DCAA is known to review travel costs on legal and accounting firm invoices for unallowable costs, including travel costs DCAA views the FAR cost allowability rules as applicable to commercial contracts with professional service providers to the extent such costs are claimed as direct or indirect costs of a relevant flexibly-priced government contract 23

24 Recruitment: FAR The following recruitment costs are allowable: (1) Costs of help-wanted advertising Provided it describes specific position or classes of position and does not include irrelevant material (2) Costs of operating an employment office needed to secure and maintain an adequate labor force (3) Costs of operating an aptitude and educational testing program (4) Travel costs of employees engaged in recruiting personnel (5) Travel costs of applicants for interviews (6) Costs for employment agencies, not in excess of standard commercial rates Not Reimbursable: Local meals for recruitment purposes 24

25 Meetings and Conferences: FAR The cost of technical or professional meetings and conferences are allowable when: The primary purpose of the meeting is the dissemination of trade, business, technical or professional information, or the stimulation of production or improved productivity, and The costs meet the other requirements controlling cost allowability. Allowable costs include: Costs of organizing, setting up, and sponsoring the meetings, conventions, symposia, etc., including rental of facilities, transportation, subsistence, and incidental costs; Costs of attendance by contractor employees, including allowable travel costs; and Costs of attendance by individuals who are not employees of the contractor, in certain circumstances 25

26 Conference Costs vs. Entertainment Costs Entertainment costs are unallowable ( ) Includes costs of amusement, diversions, social activities, and any directly associated costs such as tickets to shows or sports events, meals, lodging, rentals, transportation, and gratuities Conference cost or entertainment cost? Whether expenses associated with a particular meeting or conference represent allowable business expense or unallowable social activity are made on a case-by-case basis, based on all pertinent facts. Costs associated with the spouse of an attendee are not allowable because the spouse's attendance is not essential to achieve the purpose of the meeting. 26

27 Business Meals Business Meals associated with a meeting, convention, symposia, etc. are allowed: For individuals on official travel: Assure meal expense is not included in both the claimed travel costs and subsistence costs associated with a meeting. For individuals not on official travel: Assure meal expense is an integral part of the meeting, necessary for the continuation of official business during the meal period, and not a social function (i.e., unallowable entertainment cost) Documentation: Merely providing documentation that the costs of a business meal have been incurred is not sufficient 27

28 Ramifications of Cost Principles Unallowable Costs: can lead to cost disallowance Expressly Unallowable costs Can lead to penalties for noncompliance with CAS 405 Case law establishes that expressly unallowable costs = unreasonable under all circumstances Costs are expressly unallowable costs exist if cost principle: States in direct terms that the costs are unallowable, or leaves little room for differences of opinion as to whether the particular cost meets the allowability criteria; and Identifies the specific cost or type of costs in a way that leaves little room for interpretation False Claims Act Liability 28

29 Expressly Unallowable Costs DCAA recently published Audit Alert Distributing a Listing of Cost Principles that Identify Expressly Unallowable Costs, MRD 14- PAC-021(R) (Dec. 18, 2014) Attaches a 32-page set of quotes from FAR and DFARS cost principles, which DCAA claims establish certain costs are expressly unallowable Very broad interpretation of established case law; will likely result in more frequent assertions for penalties and disputes The Audit alert includes examples that we would previously consider leave room for interpretation, such as: Lodging, M&IE expenses exceeding maximum per diem rate in government travel regulations Unjustified Airfare costs in excess of the lowest priced airfare available to the contractor during normal business hours The portion of company-furnished cars that relates to personal use by employees (including transportation to and from work) 29

30 Unallowable Costs: Statistical Sampling Statistical sampling is compliant with CAS 405 segregation requirement FAR (c)(2) provides: Statistical sampling is an acceptable practice for contractors to follow in accounting for and presenting unallowable costs Criteria : The statistical sampling results in an unbiased sample that is a reasonable representation of the sampling universe Any large dollar value or high risk transaction is separately reviewed for unallowable costs and excluded from the sampling process The statistical sampling permits audit verification Because of number of transactions, travel costs are fertile ground for sampling 30

31 Questions? Phillip R. Seckman Elisabeth P. Pinsonneault 31