Audit of USAID's Controls Over the Use of Premium-Class Travel

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, prepare a written checklist for its travel assistants to confirm that travel authorization packages for premium travel are reviewed under the same standards. The checklist should, at a minimum, include determining whether:
Based on the final itinerary, the flight meets all requirements, as applicable, for the 14hour rule or as recommend by the Office of Civil Rights and Diversity.
Trips categorized as "Travel in excess of 14 hours TDY" provide an adequate justification for not taking a rest stop in lieu of traveling premium class and confirming that the traveler does not take a rest stop.
The business-class certification form is completed, has the supervisor's signature for approval, and is uploaded into E2.
Trips in the "No space available in coach air accommodations" exception include documentation to show that the airline carrier did not have coach accommodations and that travel at that time was critical.
Trips include documentation to show that busi

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, provide training to its travel assistants to use the checklist so travel authorization packages are reviewed using the same standards.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, revise Automated Directives System 522 to include an explicit list of documents that need to be uploaded into E2 with the travel request. At a minimum, that must include:
Completed, approved business-class travel certification forms.
Final flight itineraries when the traveler is requesting premium-class travel because of a disability and the 14-hour rule.
Documentation to show that the airline carrier did not have coach accommodations and that it is critical for them to travel at that time, when applicable.
Office of Civil Rights and Diversity documentation stating that premium travel was needed to reasonably accommodate the traveler, when applicable.
Documentation to show that business class was necessary for security reasons, when applicable.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, make a written determination whether the premium-class travel costs for trip number 5737485-1 are allowable, and recover any amount that is not allowable.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, make a written determination whether the premium-class travel costs for trip number 5978583 are allowable, and recover any amount that is not allowable.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, make a written determination whether the premium-class travel costs for trip number 5687541-1 are allowable, and recover any amount that is not allowable.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, make a written determination whether the premium-class travel costs for trip number 6128085-1 are allowable, and recover any amount that is not allowable.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, make a written determination whether the premium-class travel costs for trip number 5969238-2 are allowable, and recover any amount that is not allowable.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, make a written determination whether the premium-class travel costs for trip number 6406982 are allowable, and recover any amount that is not allowable.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, make a written determination whether the premium-class travel costs for trip number 5709101-3 are allowable, and recover any amount that is not allowable.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, make a written determination whether the premium-class travel costs for trip number 6412021 are allowable, and recover any amount that is not allowable.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, make a written determination whether the premium-class travel costs for trip number 6228535-1 are allowable, and recover any amount that is not allowable.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, make a written determination whether the premium-class travel costs for trip number 5671134-3 are allowable, and recover any amount that is not allowable.

USAID's Chief Financial Officer, in coordination with the Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, include in the Automated Directives System an explicit list of documents required for travel vouchers so the Agency can fully validate whether charges for airfare are accurate. At a minimum, that list must require supporting documentation for the cost of all issued airfare tickets.

USAID's cognizant contracting officer for contract no. AID-OAA-M-11-00006 work with the contracting officer's representative and the Cash Management and Payments Division staff to develop and include in the contract with Duluth Travel Inc. a clear description of the data that should be presented in the monthly reconciliation report of the centrally billed account.

USAID's Chief Financial Officer, in coordination with the Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, develop and implement a written process for reviewing each centralized Citibank travel card airfare expense to supporting documentation for the issued ticket before approving the payment. That process should include requirements for supporting documentation to prevent questioned costs.

USAID's Chief Financial Officer, in coordination with the Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, implement a written process for reviewing agent fees before approving payment in accordance with the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act of 1982. This process could include a monetary threshold for reviewing details of the agent fees, as necessary.

USAID's Chief Financial Officer, in coordination with the Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, include an explicit requirement in the Automated Directives System for travelers to document and report all requests for the travel management center to issue airfare tickets. The requirement must include:
Justification of all issued tickets requested.
A limit to the number of times a traveler can do the following without a supervisor's approval: make changes to issued tickets that result in agent fees, and use after-hour and weekend travel management center services.
Consequences for not following the Agency's agent fee requirements.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, in coordination with the Chief Financial Officer, provide training to all USAID staff regarding traveler actions that result in agent fees to the Agency, traveler's responsibilities, and all applicable related policies.

USAID's Chief, Travel and Transportation Division, obtain approval from the Information Records Division for the revised business-class certification form. At a minimum that form must be:
Marked as "sensitive but unclassified once filled in," in accordance with ADS 505.
A fillable form to allow travelers to complete the required information.