Supporting documents for travel

[Boof]

I know travel has been beat around several times on this forum. I know Vern believes it can always be fixed price but some contracts are very heavy on it. While there is no one answer, what is an acceptable amount of support documentation that will satisfy both auditors and OIGs. My cost reimbursable contract involves recruiting nationwide, paying travel for him to process in and be given company orientation, returned home to await Government training, flying him to Washington area, flying him to middle east, paying for 3 R&Rs (2 regioanl and one to home of record), and finally flying him to either the company HQ or home. Now repeat that up to 700 time per task order. This is tens of millions in travel. I plan to fix some of these costs on future orders but there is still a lot of trips where the employee may be coming from anywhere in the US and going back there.

Is there a consensus as to what the firm should have to supply as proof of each flight and the incidental costs incurred. I have a COR who wants them to provide boarding passes for every flight but now that most travellers use electronic passes on their smart phones, that is unreasonable. But how do you prove the guy actually got on the plane? Do some firms provide computer printouts of some type that are accepted?

What have other COs with heavy travel contracts found acceptable to do???.

[Guest Vern Edwards]

See the Defense Contract Audit Manual at 7-1002.2, [Travel] Documentation Required. The applicable part of the Manual is accessible on line.

http://www.dcaa.mil/cam/Chapter_07_-_Selected_Areas_of_Cost.pdf

[Boof]

Thanks Vern,

I may not have been clear on why I need the information . This reference is for audit of the records. We utililize DCAA and they audit as in their manuals. What I need ot know is what should be provided with the invoice. My COR refuses to approve the invoice without boarding passes or some other proof the traveller actually got on the plane. He insists that unless he has a document in file, the OIG is going to write them up. I am just wondering what the industry standard is for providing proof of travel at time of invoice approval? Also the cost of that travel.

This is becoming a bigger issue now that we are being pressured to review invoices and pay in 15 days at the same time we get OIG reports saying we are doing enough verification prior to payment.

I want to hear from other COs facing this issue what they are requiring to be submitted and how deeply they look at it before payment. I believe the incurred cost audits conducted later should be the main enforcement method.

[Guest Vern Edwards]

OK. But what if most respondents tell you that they don't require boarding passes? Are those inputs from unidentified strangers going to convince your COR? And why is the COR looking at documentation if you are using DCAA?

Are you the CO? if so, send your representative a letter telling him to stop requiring boarding passes. Right. Now. Send a copy to his boss, your boss, and to the contractor. Point out to the idiot that possession of a boarding pass is not proof that an individual got on a plane. (You can print them out at home.) Perhaps proof is a hotel receipt, a rental car receipt, or a meal receipt from the destination.

But I'm sure you will want to wait for the input of others.

[here_2_help]

Vern's advice is solid. No other input necessary.

I would add that, if the COR does not know who travelled, where they went, and for what purpose (based either on receipt of monthly progress reports, the contractor's schedule, or the solicitation requirements) then I don't have a very high opinion of the COR.

[Boof]

Thanks,

H2H, It is not the CORs fault. It is an Agency organizational problem more than anything. The COR is forward deployed to manage the actual work in the Middle East. The invoice review of everything not performed in country and all travel is done in Washington. The GTM assigned to review invoices here in Washington insists she needs proof that the person travelled. I agree a boarding pass doesn't provide proof which is why I started this thread. I am interested in what others use as proof that has been acceptable to DCAA and OIG.

[Guest Vern Edwards]

So it's not the COR, it's the GTM. So a letter to the COR won't do it. Thanks for telling us.

I know that you are interested in what other COs have to say, and I'll get out of the way, but let me say respectfully that you have been told what is acceptable to the GTM. How hard can it be to tell travelers to print out a boarding pass (they can get a boarding pass both ways) hang on to it, and turn it in?

Don't bother answering that. I know -- it's a terrible inconvenience.

Please, COs, help Boof out. Say something. Anything. Maybe the GTM won't tell him to get lost if he reports what some anonymous person at an online discussion board had to say.

[here_2_help]

I'm not sure what GTM is -- sounds like some kind of back-office bureaucrat. Wikipedia lists several possibilities. I was tempted to post a couple of them for grins but I guess Vern has the right idea, and I'll get out of the way.

[Boof]

GTM stands for Government Technical Monitor. They are basically assistant CORs. They usually assist the COR at different geographic locations in the field but in some cases work for the program office in Washington assisting in the "back office". They have the same COR training and have to be certified as FAC-COR in order to be a GTM.

[Guest Vern Edwards]

Then we're back to the letter from the CO.

What do you COs have to say?

[ji20874]

I tmay make little difference, but I'll say my piece.

The question is not whether the person traveled.

The question is whether the contractor reasonably incurred the cost.