Thanks to Richard A. Wollney Jr., Contracts Manager, Business Contracts Office, for the following update.

Impact of New Travel Policy Requirements for Business Contracts

Those of you who attended the contracts meeting last month know that there was a lot of discussion about the new travel policy and its affect on travel reimbursements for vendors, speakers, participants, etc. with whom we have a contract.

Our partners in Financial Affairs have continued to request guidance from UT System regarding the application of this policy and have raised concerns about how it will work in a variety of circumstances.

The latest news is that UTSA will be required to enforce the new requirement to make all airline and car rental arrangements through the new provider ONLY when UTSA actually books the reservations and/or the reservations are for UTSA faculty and staff. This requirement will NOT apply to travel arrangements made by individuals or companies for which they will be reimbursed by UTSA pursuant to a contract or agreement, UNLESS the department wishes to include that requirement in the contract or agreement.

The business contracts office will offer an option in the form contracts that the department may select if the department wishes to assure that the traveler makes arrangements through the contracted travel agency. Our expectation is that including this requirement will reduce reimbursable travel costs, saving the department money.

The business contracts office recommendation continues to be to roll expected reimbursable costs into the “compensation” when possible whether or not the department requires that the traveler use the travel agency to make the reservations.

Thank you for bringing your concerns forward, and for your patience as we work through questions and concerns relating to the implementation of this new policy. The concerns of the contracts group were heard and addressed. If you have any questions or need any additional information regarding the new travel policy, please email or call me at (210) 458-4069.

Bob Miller
Associate Director of Student Affairs Budget
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Bob.Miller@utsa.edu.