Workbook on Acceptance of Travel Expenses from Non-Federal Entities (Feb 2018)

Legal authority - 31 U.S. Code § 1353

Implementing regulations 41 CFR Chapter 304

Form DI-2000

31 U.S.C. § 1353enables USGS to accept reimbursement or in-kind donations from non-Federal sources for an employee's travel expenses (including transportation, food, lodging, incidental expenses, and registration costs) to certain events related to the employee's official duties.

Acceptance of travel expenses from non-Federal sources under 31 U.S.C. § 1353is only permitted when the employee's travel is for attendance at an event for which an employee will be in official Travel Authorization status.

The event can be a

  • conference
  • meeting
  • seminar
  • workshop,
  • training course (as an participant or instructor)
  • speaking engagement
  • OR SIMILAR EVENT

This authority may not be used for events required to carry out USGS’ statutory functions, such as fieldwork, to perform research, investigations, inspections, audits, site visits, or to attend vendor promotional training. If an entity offers to provide travel expenses for field work, it may be able to be accepted as a contribution to the USGS, using the legal authority of 43 U.S. Code § 36c (and documented on a Form 9-3089)

An ethics form DI-2000 must be approved by the Ethics Officein advance of travel and the approved DI-2000must be submitted with the employee's travel authorization.

31 U.S.Code § 1353 is the only legal authority for accepting travel expenses that requires a DI-2000.

Approval for accepting travel expenses is subject to conflict of interest considerations.

Acceptance of travel expenses from non-Federal sources will not be approved if it would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of all the relevant facts to question the integrity of the programs or operations of the Department or its offices or bureaus.
It is not permissible for an employee to personally accept reimbursement of travel expenses (cash, checks or bank wires) from an outside source. All checks and bank wires must be made out to USGS.Employees may not "signover" or endorse a check for deposit into a USGS account.Employees may, however, accept "in-kind" items such as airline tickets, meals, or hotel accommodations that are purchased or paid for directly or “in-kind” by the non-Federal entity.

The DI-2000 should not be used:

1)when another Federal agency or bureau is providing payment of travel expenses,

2)for acceptance of an honorarium (see Contributions, above)

3)for travel to provide technical assistance or related to a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA).

4)for lodging when an employee is staying with a friend, colleague or family (i.e., when no lodging cost incurred)

5)when travel expense funding is otherwise provided for under an agreement

Reimbursements must be made payable to the USGS and a Bill for Collection (DI-1040) must be requested through Receivables Management Section (RMS) in order for reimbursement to occur.See the Financial Operating Procedures Handbook (FOP) Chapter 17.10 information on billing. For questions regarding billing, please

Do not use a DI-2000 when the source of payment is part of the United States Government. Follow the policies and procedures in the Financial Operating Procedures Handbook Chapter 4.11 ( when travel funds are being reimbursed byanotherFederalagencyor bureau (links below).Ethics forms or approvals are not needed.
Inter/Intra-Agency Travel Agreement (ITA)(Updated 1/2016)
·Attachment A - ITA Form(updated 1/2016)
·Attachment B - NewNSFProcedures(updated 12/2015)
·Attachment C - New DOI International Technicial Assistance Program (ITAP)(new 1/2016)
If you have any questions regarding the ITA policy or the procedure, contactPamKutsko, (703) 648-4449, Chief, Accounts Payable and Travel Branch or Carol Davis, (916) 278-9365, Chief, Funds Management Branch Office of Accounting and Financial Management (OAFM).

DI-2000

Revised Jan. 2013

* Indicates Required Field

DI-2000 REPORT OF PAYMENT ACCEPTED FROM A NON-FEDERAL SOURCE UNDER 31.U.S.C. §1353U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

For Period Beginning October 1,and Ending March 31,

For Period Beginning April 1,and Ending September 30,

Bureauor Office:* / Report of this Event:* Page 1 of 2
Event (Identify meeting or similar function for which payment was accepted under 31 U.S.C. §1353.) Forms documenting payments of $250 or more per employee and/or accompanying spouse must be sent to the Department Ethics Office.)Do not enter more than 3 lines.*
Sponsor of Event: *

Location of Event:*
StartDate of the Event:*
EndDate of the Event:*
Nature of Event:Do not enter more than 3 lines.*

Employee Information:

/

Accompanying Spouse Information

(If Applicable):

Name:* / Spouse Name:
Employee Title: / Govt. Employee (Spouse):
YesNo
Employee's Office:* / Govt. Position (Spouse):
Beginning Travel Date (Employee):*
/ Beginning Travel Date (Spouse):
Ending Travel Date (Employee): *

/ Ending Travel Date (Spouse):
Non-Federal source of Payment (Identify all non-Federal sources from which payment was accepted under 31 U.S.C. §1353 for this employee and/or accompanying spouse in connection with this event.)
A.* / / B.
C. / / D. /
(a)*
Nature of Benefit (Itemize below) / (b)*
Check ($) /
(b)*
Kind ($) / (c )*
Employee or
Spouse / (d )*
Payment Source
If no dollar amount, enter0.00
/ Select... / Select...
/ Insert item
Nature of Payments: Indicate total payments to be accepted under 31 U.S.C.§1353 for this employee and/or accompanying spouse in connection with this event.
Total Payments to Agency by Checks
/ Total Payments Provided in Kind

Electronic Signatures

To approve and electronically sign this DI-2000, click the "Approve &Sign" button, then click "Submit" button. To cancel or disapprove, go to the bottom of the form and fill out the "Cancel or Disapprove" section.

Employee certification

The statements in this report are true, complete, and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Supervisor/Approving Official

Title:

Ethics Official

I have determined that this travel situation complies with the ethics conditions for acceptance of travel payments under 41 CFR 304-1.4.
Title: / USGS Ethics Official
Comments: /

Tips for completing the DI-2000:

A DI-2000 form is required whenever the USGS is accepting travel expenses from a non-Federal source using the legal authority of 31 U.S.C. § 1353. The DI-2000 indicates that acceptance of $250 or more per employee must be reported to the Department of Interior Ethics Office. This is refers to the semi-annual report that the USGS Ethics Office sends to the Departmental Ethics Office. The report is forwarded by DOI to the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) and is posted on the OGE website.

Travelers should add the name of their Administrative Officer (or other person)as a reader on the DI-2000. This will enable that person to view and print the DI-2000.

The DI-2000 must be filed (and approved) PRIOR to travel, so travel expense amounts must be estimated. Refer to the per diem rates on the GSA website for domestic travel or Department of State for foreign travel to assist in your estimation of travel expenses.

It is best to estimate high on the cost of travel expenses. The Ethics Office has limited capability to make corrections on the DI-2000.

1)If the estimated total amount of expenses is more than the actual total amount of travel expenses received from the non-Federal entity, the DI-2000 does not need to be corrected.

2)If estimated total amount of travel expenses is less than the actual total amount of travel expenses received from a non-Federal entity, the DI-2000 should be corrected to reflect the actual amount of expenses received from the non-Federal entity.

When sending an e-mail to the Ethics Office () regarding a DI-2000 question, please include the traveler’s name, dates of travel, location of travel and reason for travel. More information is always helpful.

If a non-Federal source offers to pay the registration fee for a USGS employee who will not be in travel status, do not use a DI-2000. Instead, use a Form 9-3089 and consider this to be a contribution to the USGS (using the legal authority of 43 U.S.Code § 36c and documented with a Form 9-3089)

Non-Federal source of Payment (Identify all non-Federal sources from which payment was accepted under 31 U.S.C. §1353 for this employee and/or accompanying spouse in connection with this event.)
A.* / / B.
C. / / D. /
When completing this section of the DI-2000, insert the name or names of the entity (or entities) that will be reimbursing the USGS for the travel expenses or providing the travel expenses “in-kind.”

Travel expenses MUST be itemized on the DI-2000. Do not just state “travel expenses” with a total amount. A breakdown of the travel expenses being reimbursed or provided and the value of each expense must be shown on the DI-2000.

  • Describe each expense in the section “Nature of the Benefit (Itemize below)
  • For each expense, insert the value in the appropriate column – either Check ($) or Kind
  • If you have no entry in a column, insert $0.00 in the column
  • In section c), select Employee
  • In section d) select A.B. C. D. (as applicable from the Non-Federal source of Payment section)
  • To add additional lines to the Nature of Payments section of the DI-2000, click the “insert item” button.

If an employee’s spouse is traveling with him/her, the employee MUST send an e-mail to the Ethics Office confirming that the employee will be personally paying for all travel expenses incurred by the spouse and that no reimbursement for the spouse’s travel expenses will be provided by the USGS or the non-Federal entity.

A spouse’s travel expenses may only be provided by a non-Federal source if the spouse’s presence at the meeting or similar function is determined to be in the interest of the USGS. A spouse’s presence at the event could be determined to be in the interest of the USGS if the spouse will:

  • support the mission of the USGS or will substantially assist the employee in carrying out the employees official duties
  • attend a ceremony at which employee will receive an award or honorary degree; or
  • participate in substantive programs related to the USGS programs or operations.

For foreign travel (except for Canada)

The employee MUST file aDI-1175 "DOI Foreign Travel Certification Form in SharePoint."OntheDI-1175 there will be a question regarding informationonpayment of travel expenses from an outside source:

Check here to recordNON-USGSpayment for costs associated with this travel.

The employee must enter the name of the non-Federal entity or source that will be either reimbursing the USGS or providing travel expenses “in-kind” and list the value of the travel expenses.

The employee must select the legal authority for the USGS acceptance of the travel expenses. There is a drop-down menu that explains the various legal authorities. Selection of the legal authority of 31 U.S.C. § 1353 will route the DI-1175 to the Ethics Office. The form is only reviewed by the Ethics Office when this legal authority is selected.

Do not select 31 U.S.C. § 1353 if the employee is not traveling to attend ameeting, conference, workshop, seminar, or similar event.

After selecting 31 U.S.C. § 1353, the Ethics FormDI-2000willpop-upat the bottom of theDI-1175. The form will not have the "DI-2000" numberonit but must be completed. Both theDI-1175 and theDI-2000will be electronically sent to all approving officials and to the Ethics Office for review.

For domestic travel (and Canada ONLY), the employee must use the DI-2000 found in Webforms. At the top of the Webforms DI-2000 it indicates in red text: Note: This form is used for DOMESTIC TRAVEL only. For FOREIGN TRAVEL, please fill out a DI-1175.

Questions regarding the acceptance of travel expenses from non-Federal entities should be directed .

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