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Chapter 02B – Government Travel Card Centrally Billed Accounts

Volume XVI - Charge Card Programs

Date Approved: May 20, 2024

Financial Documents

Volume XVI - Charge Card Programs

Chapter 02B – Government Travel Card Centrally Billed Accounts

Questions concerning this policy chapter should be directed to:

0201 Overview

This chapter establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) financial policies for payment of official travel expenses using a Government travel centrally billed account (CBA).

Key points covered in this chapter:

  • Government CBA official travel usage must be consistent with 41 C.F.R., Subtitle F, Federal Travel Regulation System (FTR), and VA Financial Policy;
  • In accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 5701, (Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries), VA shall:
    • Dispute unallowable and erroneous charges and track the status of the disputed transactions to ensure appropriate resolution;
    • Submit requests to servicing airlines for refunds of fully or partially unused tickets, when entitled to such refunds, and track the status of unused tickets to ensure appropriate resolution;
  • Beneficiary common carrier reservations are required to be made using the Travel Management Center (TMC);
  • When a CBA is used to pay for lodging, state taxes are exempt, however, some states may require additional documents upon check-in to claim the exemption;
  • Employee and beneficiary travel CBA transactions must be reconciled monthly;
  • Tracking of employee unused tickets must be performed monthly; and
  • Performance standards and job elements required to perform the duties of a CBA Agency/Organization Program Coordinator (A/OPC) must be clearly outlined in the employee’s performance plan.

Under 5 U.S.C.§ 406 (Inspector General Act of 1978 – PL 95-452), VA Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) employees will adhere to travel directives, policies, procedures, and guidance provided by VA OIG.

Union rights and privileges related to travel expenses, as defined in Union agreements, do not supersede the regulations contained in FTR Chapters 300 – 304.

0202 Revisions

Section Revision Requesting Office Reason for Change Effective Date
All Rescinded previous Volume XVI, Chapter 2 – Government Travel Charge Card Program, creating three new chapters on IBAs (Ch. 2A), Centrally Billed Accounts (Ch. 2B), and A/OPC program management (Ch. 2C). Office of Financial Policy Leadership organizational change May 2024
Various Reformatted to new policy format and completed 5-year review. Office of Financial Policy Reorganized chapter layout. May 2024
Various This is a new policy chapter on employee CBAs, adding policy on beneficiary CBA A/OPC responsibilities. Updated to reflect current CBA travel card program management requirements including use of an FSC approved CBA reconciliation process Office of Financial Policy To comply with 5 U.S.C. § 5701, (Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries) internal control requirements. Implementation of new FSC-approved CBA reconciliation system. May 2024
Various Added new or changed completion timeframes for employee and beneficiary CBA internal control requirements. Office of Financial Policy To add policy specific to beneficiary CBAs and strengthen all CBA internal controls. May 2024
Appendix A Added CBA application procedures. Office of Financial Policy To document the EAS application process and establish a change in CBA account naming conventions. May 2024

0203 Definitions

Agency/Organization Program Coordinator (A/OPC) – An appointed employee serving as the point of contact and administrator for an organization’s travel cards. The A/OPC oversees the administration of the Government Travel Card Program in accordance with law, regulation, and policy.

Approving Official (AO) – A VA travel system role with the authority to approve travel documents.

Centrally Billed Account (CBA) – A travel card/account established by the contracted bank at the request of the agency/organization. These may be card or cardless accounts.

Charge – A debit value transaction posted to a Government travel card account resulting in an amount due and payable.

Disputed Charge – A charge that the cardholder believes is erroneous that has or will be disputed with the contracted bank.

Electronic Access System (EAS) – The charge card servicing bank’s internet-based system which provides a variety of reports and assists in the effective management of the travel card program.

Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) – The FTR provides travel and relocation regulations for all Title 5 Executive Agency employees.

Hierarchy – A bank term referring to a system of assigning travel cards to A/OPCs at different levels within an organization.

Individually Billed Account (IBA) – A Government contractor-issued travel charge card issued to authorized individuals to pay for official travel and transportation-related expenses for which the contracted bank bills the employee, and for which the individual is fully liable.

Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) – A 4-digit code used to classify a business by the type of goods or services it provides.

Misuse – Use of a Government travel card in an unauthorized, illegal, or adverse manner (e.g., unauthorized cash advances, purchase of unofficial/personal expenses, or use not incident to official travel).

Official Travel – Travel under an official travel authorization (TA) to and from an employee’s official station or other authorized points of departure and a temporary duty location, travel between two temporary duty locations, or relocation at the direction of a Federal agency (FTR § 300-3.1, Official Travel).

Salary Offset – The process of deducting from a VA employee’s disposable pay the maximum allowable amount of the undisputed outstanding balance the employee owes to the contracted bank as a result of delinquency on their IBA.

Temporary Duty Travel (TDY) – Travel by an employee on official business to a designated location(s) away from their local area, as authorized by an employee’s AO through a TA.

Travel Advance – Pre-payment of authorized estimated travel expenses paid to an employee in the form of electronic funds transfer (EFT).

Travel Management Center (TMC) – A common carrier travel firm, under contract with VA’s travel system contractor, providing reservations, tickets, and related travel management services for VA Travelers on authorized official travel.

Veterans’ Benefits Administration (VBA) Veteran Readiness and Employment Travel (VR&E) – the travel of an eligible veteran or another person for vocational rehabilitation or counseling.

Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA) Beneficiary Travel – the travel of an eligible veteran or another person for medical examination, treatment, or care.

0204 Roles and Responsibilities

Financial Services Center (FSC) – is responsible for posting on their FSC Direct website a monthly unused ticket report for all VA organizations.

Level 1 A/OPCs (primary and alternates) – are responsible for the management, operation, and internal controls of VA’s Government Travel Card CBA Program, and issuing CBAs, ensuring Level 2 A/OPC’s CBAs are reconciled timely.

Level 2 A/OPCs – are responsible for ensuring the Level 3 and 4 AOPCs within their hierarchy have completed monthly CBA reconciliations and are certified timely.

Level 3 A/OPCs – are responsible for ensuring the Level 4 A/OPCs within their hierarchy have completed monthly CBA reconciliations and are certified timely.

Level 4 A/OPCs – are responsible for ensuring monthly CBA reconciliations are certified timely and completing the tracking of all employee and beneficiary unused tickets timely.

Supervisors – are responsible for:

  • Appointing a primary and alternate A/OPC to manage their organization’s CBA(s);
  • Ensuring monthly CBA reconciliations are completed timely;
  • Reviewing and approving monthly CBA reconciliation(s);
  • Reviewing and approving each month’s completed tracking of unused tickets by the specified timeframe to ensure appropriate resolution; and
  • Ensuring their appointed A/OPC’s performance standards and required job elements are clearly outlined in the employee’s performance plan.

0205 Policies

020501 General Policies

  1. All Government CBA official travel usage will be in accordance with 41 C.F.R., Subtitle F, Federal Travel Regulation System (FTR), and VA Financial Policy.
  2. In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 5701, (Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries), VA shall establish guidelines and procedures for disciplinary actions to be taken against agency personnel for improper, fraudulent, or abusive use of Government charge cards, which shall include appropriate disciplinary actions for use of charge cards for purposes, and at establishments, that are inconsistent with the official business of the Department or with applicable standards of conduct.
  3. Any VA Employees with knowledge or information about actual or possible violations of criminal law must report the instance (refer to 38 C.F.R. § 1.201). Employees may choose to report a case to their supervisor, FSC via email to VAFSCChrgCardReview@va.gov, or directly to VA OIG via the VA OIG Hotline website.
  4. CBA misuse must be reported no later than five business days after identification or notification of a violation to the next higher-level A/OPC.
  5. Employee common carrier and lodging reservations are required to use the Travel Management Center (TMC) when VA’s online travel system is unavailable.
  6. Beneficiary common carrier reservations are required to be made using the TMC.
  7. Employee and beneficiary travel CBA related documents (e.g., receipts, reconciliations, disputed charges, tracking of unused tickets, etc.), must be retained at a minimum for six years per National Archives and Records Administration requirements.
  8. Missing TMC receipts for ticketed common carrier charges and subsequent TMC transaction fees charged due to changes on ticketed reservations must be obtained through the Travel Management Center website using the Booking ID reservation number and traveler’s last name, or by contacting TMC at 866-779-6612.
  9. VA’s receipt requirements for all CBA charges will follow FTR §§ 301-52.4, 301-52.5, 301-11.306, and Volume XIV, Chapter 1 – Travel Administration.

020502 Training

  1. A/OPCs assigned to a CBA must take and complete training course VA 5508, VA Online Travel Card Training, in VA’s Talent Management System (TMS) and the self-paced GSA SmartPay Travel Training for Program Coordinators (A/OPCs) TMS course number OFD 3946996. A/OPCs must complete these training classes every three years.
  2. CBA A/OPCs must provide their current training certificates to their higher-level A/OPC. Refer to Volume XVI, Chapter 2C – Government Travel Card Program Management for policy on failure to provide training certificates timely.

020503 Centrally Billed Account Applications

  1. Supervisors are responsible for appointing a primary and alternate A/OPC to manage their organization’s CBA(s).
  2. In the absence of an appointed Level 4 AOPC the next higher-level A/OPC will be responsible for managing the CBA.
  3. Before applying for a new employee or beneficiary travel CBA an organization must obtain the approval of the responsible Level 2 A/OPC. The A/OPC appointed to oversee the new CBA account must submit the following documents to the Level 2 A/OPC:
    • A completed Travel Card CBA Application;
    • A copy of their current training certificates; and
    • VA Form 0933B, Statement of Understanding for Government Travel Card Centrally Billed Account Agency/Organization Program Coordinator, with the appointed A/OPC and supervisor’s signature and date.
  4. A Level 1 A/OPC will approve a new CBA and the assignment of an A/OPC by signing VA Form 0933B and establishing the A/OPC with access to the new CBA in the EAS. A copy of approved VA Form 0933B will be returned to the Level 2 A/OPC.
  5. Once the application is approved, the Level 2 A/OPC will ensure all new CBA applicants are instructed on the requirement to use the FSC approved reconciliation process (e.g., FSC’s CBA reconciliation automated system).
  6. A/OPCs appointed to oversee a new CBA will be responsible for activating the CBA upon issuance of the account.

020504 Appropriate Use and Misuse of Centrally Billed Accounts

  1. A CBA can only be used for authorized expenses when 100% of the travel costs will be paid using appropriated funds.
  2. VA will use employee CBAs to pay for employee TDY and relocation common carrier travel expenses and related VA travel system transaction fees.
  3. Employee CBAs may be used to pay for the following authorized official travel expenses:
    • Lodging expenses and related Travel Management Center (TMC) transaction fees for:
      • Employees who fall under an FTR or VA exemption to obtain an IBA;
      • An Invitational Traveler (e.g., pre-employment interview, a retired employee who is, or acting as, a Union representative, or when deemed necessary);
      • Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS) deployments;
      • Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) deployments; and
      • Employees who have had their IBA suspended, and use of the CBA is required for the mission;
    • Local non-exempt lodging taxes (State occupancy taxes are exempt);
    • Non-optional resort fees;
    • Other authorized lodging official expenses (e.g., hotel parking); and
    • Related TMC transaction fees.
  4. When authorized, beneficiary CBAs will be used to pay for common carrier expenses and TMC transaction fees. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 111, VA may reimburse or pay for the actual and necessary travel expense(s) of any person to or from a VA facility or other place for purposes of examination, treatment, or care (Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA) beneficiary travel) or in connection with vocational rehabilitation, counseling beneficiary travel (Veterans’ Benefits Administration (VBA) Veteran Readiness and Employment Travel (VR&E)). The actual necessary expense of travel may include the reasonable costs of airfare if travel by air is the only practical way to reach VA’s facility.
  5. Beneficiary travel CBAs will be used to purchase authorized lowest available, fully refundable common carrier transportation fares. However, when fully refundable transportation fares are not available, non-refundable tickets may be purchased to meet mission requirements.
  6. When eligible and authorized VHA (38 C.F.R. § 70.10) and VBA VR&E beneficiary travel CBAs will be used to pay for lodging expenses.
  7. A/OPCs for beneficiary travel must obtain a memorandum signed by a case manager authorizing the purchase of transportation and/or lodging as applicable, before making common carrier transportation or lodging reservations.
  8. Reference Appendix B for guidance on using an employee or beneficiary CBA to pay for lodging expenses.
  9. Hotel lodging state occupancy taxes are exempt when lodging is paid using the CBA. Certain states require additional documents to be provided to the hotel to claim the exemption. Reference the General Services Administration – SmartPay State Tax Forms website to determine by state, if the CBA tax exemption requires a form, identification, or other document(s).
  10. A/OPCs must dispute with the vendor any state taxes charged for lodging on a CBA. If the vendor fails to credit the CBA for the stated taxes paid, the A/OPC must dispute the taxes with the contract bank within 90 days of the transaction posting date.
  11. CBAs will not be used to pay for the following:
    • Training, registration or conference fees as these fees must be paid using a Government issued Purchase Card;
    • Personal expenses;
    • Meals and ground transportation (e.g., a rental car, taxi, transportation network companies, shuttles, etc.); or
    • Employee and beneficiary travel lodging state taxes.

020505 Program Management of Centrally Billed Accounts

  1. The primary Level 1 A/OPC Government Charge Card Program Manager at the FSC, will oversee the management, operations, and internal controls of VA’s Government Travel Card CBA Program, assisted by alternate Level 1 A/OPCs as directed, and lower-level A/OPCs as needed.
  2. When adding a new A/OPC or replacing an A/OPC on an existing CBA, the new CBA A/OPC(s) must complete and submit to their Level 2 A/OPC:
    • VA Form 0933B with their signature and their supervisor’s signature;
    • A copy of all required current training certificates, and
    • A completed contracted bank’s Point of Contact (POC) Maintenance Form leaving the “Form Submitted By” section blank.
  3. Level 2 A/OPCs will verify the required signatures are on VA Form 0933B, that the POC Maintenance Form has been properly prepared, and that all training has been completed before forwarding these forms to a Level 1 A/OPC for approval and processing, via email to TravelCardOps@va.gov.
  4. Level 1 A/OPCs will sign, approving VA Form 0933B, and provide the new A/OPC with access to the CBA in the EAS. A copy of completed VA Form 0933B will be returned to the Level 2 A/OPC.
  5. A/OPCs appointed to manage employee travel and/or beneficiary travel CBAs are responsible for providing, via email to travelcardops@va.gov, any change in address information to ensure the CBA account has been updated in the contracted bank’s Electronic Access System (EAS).
  6. In accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 5701, (Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries), VA will:
    1. Dispute erroneous charges appearing on all CBA monthly billing statements and track the status of the disputed transactions to ensure appropriate resolution.
    2. Submit requests to servicing airlines via the TMC for refunds of employee fully or partially unused tickets when entitled to such refunds and track the status of unused tickets to ensure appropriate resolution.
  7. An A/OPC must initiate a disputed charge(s) with the contracted bank within 90-days of the disputed charge’s transaction date, as it appears on the billing statement. Any disputed charge and any discrepancy between a receipt and other supporting documentation and the travel CBA billing statement will be resolved in the manner prescribed in the contracted bank’s Cardholder Agreement for travel charge cards.
  8. Level 4 A/OPCs must contact the TMC to obtain a receipt for credits related to invalid common carrier charges or TMC transaction fees identified during the reconciliation process. The credit should appear on the next monthly contracted bank’s CBA statement for reconciliation.
  9. Level 4 A/OPCs must attach credit receipts to the Traveler’s TA in VA’s travel system for employee CBAs. Credit receipts for beneficiary CBAs shall be retained for reconciliation purposes.
  10. CBA charges will be reconciled monthly using an FSC approved reconciliation process (e.g., FSC’s CBA reconciliation automated system).
  11. Completed CBA reconciliations will indicate the name of the A/OPC who performed the reconciliation, the date performed, as well as the date the reconciliation was reviewed and approved by their supervisor.
  12. The Level 1 A/OPC or alternate(s) will ensure:
    • Administrative actions for policy violations are initiated (refer to Volume XVI, Chapter 2C – Government Travel Card Program Management;
    • VA CBA charges will be paid directly to the contract bank;
    • Employee and beneficiary travel CBA transactions have been reconciled and certified timely;
    • Invalid CBA transactions have been disputed and the disputed charges are being tracked to ensure appropriate resolution;
    • Only appropriate Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) will be authorized for charges;
    • Data analytics have been utilized to perform oversight on the usage of all VA CBAs as required in Office of Management and Budget  Circular A-123 Appendix B, Revised August 27, 2019;
    • Operational support for the day-to-day CBA program was provided to Level 2, 3, and 4 A/OPCs, as needed.
  13. Level 2 A/OPCs will ensure:
    • CBAs under their hierarchy are reconciled and certified timely;
    • Invalid CBA transactions have been disputed as erroneous charges appearing on the CBA and the disputed charges are being tracked for appropriate resolution;
    • Support and high-level guidance was provided to Level 3 and Level 4 A/OPCs; and
    • They perform the duties of a Level 4 and/or Level 3 A/OPC, when both the primary and alternate(s) are temporarily unavailable.
  14. Level 3 A/OPCs will ensure:
    • CBAs under their hierarchy are reconciled by the 15th of each month following the billing statement date;
    • Invalid CBA transactions have been disputed and the disputed charges are being tracked to the appropriate resolution;
    • Support and high-level guidance are provided to Level 4 A/OPCS under their hierarchy; and
    • They perform the duties of a Level 4 A/OPC, when both the primary and alternate(s) are temporarily unavailable.
  15. Level 4 A/OPCs will ensure:
    • A monthly reconciliation of their respective employee and/or beneficiary CBA charges are completed by the 15th of each month following the billing statement date;
    • Beneficiary reconciliations are documented and contain sufficient evidence to allow for supervisory review and approval;
    • Invalid employee and/or beneficiary CBA transactions were disputed and tracked for appropriate resolution; and
    • When assigned, tracking of all employee unused tickets will be completed, and obtain a review and approval from their supervisor, by the last day of each month following the FSC’s monthly posting of the Unused Ticket Report on their FSC Direct website;
  16. Supervisory review and approval of reconciliations must be completed timely.
  17. No later than the 15th of each month FSC will provide on the FSC Direct website, a monthly updated list of VA’s CBA unused tickets.
  18. A supervisor may assign an employee other than an A/OPC to perform employee CBA tracking of unused tickets.
  19. Every month Level 4 A/OPCs, or other employee assigned, will sort the Unused Ticket Report posted on the FSC Direct website to extract their organization’s unused tickets to perform tracking for appropriate resolution.

020506 Beneficiary Specific Program Management

  1. Each office or organization issued a beneficiary travel CBA must establish an obligation in VA’s accounting system for their CBA at the beginning of each month, for estimated common carrier, lodging, local taxes, and TMC transaction fee expenses (refer as applicable to Volume III, Chapter 02A – Non-Contractual Obligations, or Volume III, Chapter 02B – 1358 Obligations). Each office or organization must actively manage these obligations to ensure the obligation only reflects expected activity for the current month.
  2. All beneficiary travel lodging reservations, and exceptions for using a CBA to pay for employee and an Invitational Traveler’s lodging, will be made directly with the lodging facility through the establishment of a third-party billing agreement charging the respective CBA. Refer to Appendix B for guidance on establishing a third-party billing agreement for lodging expenses.
  3. A/OPCs assigned to a beneficiary travel CBA must maintain a manual “Monthly CBA Record” of all common carrier and lodging reservations charged to the CBA.
  4. A/OPCs will reconcile monthly each charge posted to a CBA account, the reconciliation will be performed using an FSC approved reconciliation process (e.g., FSC’s CBA reconciliation automated system). The date, vendor name, and monetary amount of the CBA charge must match the source document (listed below) and the information listed in the Monthly CBA Record.
  5. For each reconciled transaction, the Level 4 A/OPC will verify a copy of the following source documents are on file and are retained as applicable:
    • A signed memo by the case manager authorizing the CBA purchase of transportation and/or lodging;
    • The TMC provided common carrier ticketed receipt;
    • TMC common carrier transaction receipts for changes to the reservation after ticketing, including additional fees;
    • A hotel receipt and hotel third-party signed billing authorization for hotel charges; and
    • TMC receipts for any credits received on disputed charges.
  6. When a charge has been disputed with the contracted bank or subsequent changes are made to a reservation affecting CBA charges, they must be documented in the respective Monthly CBA Record.
  7. Tracking and documentation retention of beneficiary travel unused tickets is only required when non-refundable tickets were purchased, and the reservation was cancelled.

0206 Authorities and References

0207 Rescissions

Volume XVI, Chapter 2 – Government Travel Charge Card Program, October 2021.

Appendix A: Government Travel Card Centrally Billed Account Application

  1. To obtain a new CBA for employee or beneficiary travel, the requesting organization’s Level 4 A/OPCmust complete the following contracted bank forms and provide them to their Level 2 A/OPC along with their required training certificates and VA Form 0933B signed by the A/OPC and their supervisor:
    • Cardholder Setup – Travel CBA; and
    • Point of Contact Maintenance Form – Travel, to establish A/OPC(s) for the CBA.
  2. Level 4 A/OPCs must correctly identify in the Cardholder Setup – Travel CBA application and in the Point of Contact Maintenance Form – Travel, the type of account in the hierarchy Level 6 position, as follows:
    1. For employee travel CBAs, enter 33333.
    2. For beneficiary travel CBAs, enter 22222.
  3. The Level 2 A/OPC will ensure:
    • The CBA applicant A/OPC(s) registers in the current FSC approved reconciliation process (e.g., FSC’s CBA reconciliation automated system); and
    • CBA reconciliations were performed as required.
  4. New CBA account names will be established based on the following guidelines and entered into the application.
    1. Employee travel CBAs at VACO will include the station number and an abbreviation of the sub-office or organization name (e.g., Station 101 OGC, Station 101 OCLA, etc.) to differentiate each CBA Station 101 from other offices or organizations located at Station 101.
    2. When applying for a new employee travel CBA for an official station with no sub-stations, offices, or organizations the account name will be the station’s number (e.g., Station 999).
    3. Employee travel CBAs for an official station with sub-stations will be established as follows:
      • Primary station level name, Station 589 Kansas City TDY;
      • Sub-station level name, Station 589 Topeka TDY; and
      • Sub-station level name, Station 589A4 TDY, etc.
    4. Beneficiary travel CBAs will be established as follows:
      • VHA Station 589 would read, Station 589 BENE; or
      • VBA Regional Office Station 318 would read, Station 318 BENE.
  5. The Level 2 A/OPC will email the completed contracted bank forms, the VA Form 0933B, and the required training certificates to the Level 1 A/OPCs with justification for the new account upon completion of the following:
    • Review the Cardholder Setup – Travel CBA application for accuracy and completeness;
    • Review the Point of Contact Maintenance Form – Travel for each A/OPC assigned to the new CBA;
    • Review the VA Form 0933B for the A/OPC and supervisor’s signature; and
    • Obtain current training certificates from all Level 4 A/OPCs who will be responsible for the new CBA (if not already on file).
  6. The Level 1 A/OPC will:
    • Approve/disapprove all forms and sign the VA Form 0933B if approved and return the signed VA Form 0933B to the A/OPC’s next higher-level A/OPC for retention;
    • Forward all approved completed forms to the contracted bank for account establishment; and
    • Add the new Level 4 A/OPC(s) to the Travel Card Contacts email group and when A/OPCs are changed by submission of a Point of Contact Maintenance Form – Travel, remove the previous A/OPCs.
  7. Upon notice from the contracted bank that the new CBA has been established, the Level 4 A/OPC will:
    • Activate the CBA;
    • For employee travel CBAs, provide the account information and CVV number to FSC VA-Wide TDY Travel Support Group for establishment in VA’s travel system; and
    • For beneficiary travel CBAs, ensure the obligation for the current fiscal year has been established in VA’s accounting system before using the CBA.

Appendix B: Payment of Lodging Using a Centrally Billed Account

  1. For employee travel, VA’s travel system has been configured to assign “CBA” as the payment method for employee CBA expenses for common carrier and travel system TMC fees. When an office or organization authorizes the use of their employee CBA to pay for a traveler’s lodging expenses, the reservation process requires a manual procedure outside of VA’s travel system. However, when paying lodging expenses, including an advance lodging deposit, using an employee CBA, the TA must be approved to obligate the total lodging expense and other expenses authorized (CBA payment method selected) before the CBA payment information can be provided to the hotel.
  2. For beneficiary travel, the A/OPC must have obtained the approval memo authorizing lodging expenses for the traveler before the CBA payment information can be provided to the hotel.
  3. The following manual procedures must be followed when an office or organization authorizes the use of their employee or beneficiary travel CBA for lodging expenses:
    1. The CBA’s A/OPC must contact the lodging facility directly to make the hotel reservation (this constitutes an exception to the required use of making reservations using VA’s travel system or Travel Management Center for employee travel) and request a third-party billing statement. The lodging facility will send the CBA cardholder an authorization form for the expense types to be charged directly to the CBA. The third-party billing information will show the traveler’s name, check-in and check-out date, the cardholder’s name, card billing address and phone number, card number and type, card issuing bank and bank phone number as well as the categories of charges authorized to be charged to the CBA (e.g., room rate, non-exempt local taxes if applicable, other authorized official expenses, and non-optional resort fees). The CBA cardholder must limit the charges to only the above-specified categories of expenses authorized for the travel. The CBA cardholder will sign and date the third-party billing form and return it to the hotel.
    2. Food and beverage charges will not be authorized on the hotel’s third-party billing form for an employee or invitational traveler whose lodging will be charged to the employee travel CBA. Following Volume XIV, Chapter 1 – Travel Administration when a mission requires a payment method for meals, a travel advance may be authorized.
    3. For employee travel, the amount of the daily lodging, local taxes, and non-optional resort fees will need to be itemized separately on the traveler’s travel authorization by selecting the applicable expense types “Lodging – CBA”, “Hotel Taxes – CBA”, and “Resort Fee – CBA”, accordingly.
    4. The traveler cannot charge any expenses to the hotel room except those authorized on the third-party billing. Once the traveler completes the official travel, the final bill will be provided to the traveler upon check-out. The traveler may wish to establish a personal hotel bill using personal funds with the hotel upon arrival (e.g., movie rentals, employee or beneficiary traveler meals). Any personal charges would then be a separate bill upon check-out.
    5. The final paid hotel bill and the third-party billing authorization must be attached to the submitted travel claim.

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