Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
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e-CFR data is current as of January 15, 2021 |
Title 41 → Subtitle F → Chapter 301 → Subchapter B → Part 301-10 → Subpart B → Subject Group |
Title 41: Public Contracts and Property Management
PART 301-10—TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES
Subpart B—Common Carrier Transportation
Use of Contract City-Pair Fares
§301-10.106 When must I use a contract city-pair fare?
If you are a civilian employee of an agency as defined in §301-1.1 of this chapter, you must always use a contract city-pair fare for scheduled air passenger transportation service unless one of the limited exceptions in §301-10.107 exist. An Internet listing of contract city-pair fares is available at https://www.gsa.gov/citypairs.
Note to §301-10.106: Employees of the Government of the District of Columbia, with the exception of the District of Columbia Courts, are not eligible to use contract city-pair fares even though these employees otherwise may be covered by the FTR.
[FTR Amdt. 2006-04, 71 FR 49374, Aug. 23, 2006, as amended at 85 FR 39848, July 2, 2020]
§301-10.107 Are there any exceptions to the use of a contract city-pair fare?
Yes, your agency may authorize use of a fare other-than a contract city-pair fare when—
(a) Space on a scheduled contract flight is not available in time to accomplish the purpose of your travel, or use of contract service would require you to incur unnecessary overnight lodging costs which would increase the total cost of the trip;
(b) The contractor's flight schedule is inconsistent with explicit policies of your Federal department or agency with regard to scheduling travel during normal working hours;
(c) A non-contract carrier offers a lower fare to the general public that, if used, will result in a lower total trip cost to the Government (the combined costs of transportation, lodging, meals, and related expenses considered);
Note to paragraph (c): This exception does not apply if the contract carrier offers the same or lower fare and has seats available at that fare, or if the fare offered by the non-contract carrier is restricted to Government and military travelers performing official business and may be purchased only with a contractor-issued charge card, centrally billed account (e.g., YDG, MDG, QDG, VDG, and similar fares) or GTR where the two previous options are not available;
(d) Cost effective rail service is available and is consistent with mission requirements; or
(e) Smoking is permitted on the contract air carrier and the nonsmoking section of the contract aircraft is not acceptable to you.
Note 1 to §301-10.107: Any group of 10 or more passengers traveling together on the same day, on the same flight, for the same mission, requiring group integrity and identified as a group by the travel management service upon booking is not a mandatory user of the Government's contract city-pair fares. For group travel, agencies are expected to obtain air passenger transportation service that is practical and cost effective to the Government.
Note 2 to §301-10.107: Contractors are not authorized to use contract city-pair fares to perform travel under their contracts.
Note 3 to §301-10.107: If the Government contract city-pair carrier offers a lower cost capacity-controlled coach class contract fare (MCA, QCA, VCA, etc.) in addition to the unrestricted coach class contract fares (YCA), the traveler should use the lower cost capacity-controlled fare when it is available and meet mission needs.
[FTR Amdt. 2006-04, 71 FR 49374, Aug. 23, 2006, as amended by FTR Amdt. 2007-05, 72 FR 61537, Oct. 31, 2007]
§301-10.108 What requirements must be met to use a non-contract fare?
(a) Before purchasing a non-contract fare you must meet one of the exception requirements listed in §301-10.107 and show approval on your travel authorization to use a non-contract fare; and
(b) If the non-contract fare is non-refundable, restricted, or has specific eligibility requirements, you must know or reasonably anticipate, based on your planned trip, that you will use the ticket; and
(c) Your agency must determine that the proposed non-contract transportation is practical and cost effective for the Government.
Note to §301-10.108: Carrier preference is not a valid reason for using a non-contract fare.
[FTR Amdt. 2006-04, 71 FR 49374, Aug. 23, 2006]
§301-10.109 What is my liability for unauthorized use of a non-contract carrier when contract service is available and I do not meet one of the exceptions for required use?
Any additional costs or penalties incurred by you resulting from unauthorized use of non-contract service are borne by you.
§301-10.110 May I use contract passenger transportation service for personal travel?
No.
§301-10.111 When may I use a reduced group or charter fare?
You may use a reduced group or charter fare when your agency has determined, on an individual case basis prior to your travel, that use of such a fare is cost effective. Chartered aircraft are subject to the same rules as Government aircraft, and agencies in the executive branch of the Federal Government are subject to the requirements of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-126 and 41 CFR part 101-37 in making such cost effectiveness determinations.
[FTR Amdt. 108, 67 FR 57964, Sept. 13, 2002]
§301-10.112 What must I do when different airlines furnish the same service at different fares?
When there is no contract fare, and common carriers furnish the same service at different fares between the same points for the same type of accommodations, you must use the lowest cost service unless your agency determines that the use of higher cost service is more advantageous to the Government.
§301-10.113 What must I do if I change or do not use a common carrier reservation?
If you know you will change or not use your reservation, you must take action to change or cancel it as prescribed by your agency. Also, you must report all changes of your reservation according to your agency's procedures in an effort to prevent losses to the Government. Failure to do so may subject you to liability for any resulting losses.
§301-10.114 What must I do with unused Government Transportation Request(s) (GTR(s)), ticket(s) or refund application(s)?
You must submit any unused GTR(s), unused ticket coupons, unused e-tickets, or refund applications to your agency in accordance with your agency's procedures.
[FTR Amdt. 108, 67 FR 57964, Sept. 13, 2002]
§301-10.115 Am I authorized to receive a refund or credit for unused transportation?
No. You are not authorized to receive a refund, credit, or any other negotiable document from a carrier for unfurnished services (except as provided in §301-10.117) or any portion of an unused ticket issued in exchange for a GTR or billed to an agency's centrally billed account. However, any charges billed directly to your individually billed Government charge card should be credited to your account.
[FTR Amdt. 70, 63 FR 15955, Apr. 1, 1998; 63 FR 35537, June 30, 1998]
§301-10.116 What must I do with compensation an airline gives me if it denies me a seat on a plane?
If you are performing official travel and a carrier denies you a confirmed reserved seat on a plane, you must give your agency any payment you receive for liquidated damages. You must ensure the carrier shows the “Treasurer of the United States” as payee on the compensation check and then forward the payment to the appropriate agency official.
§301-10.117 May I keep compensation an airline gives me for voluntarily vacating my seat on my scheduled airline flight when the airline asks for volunteers?
Yes:
(a) If voluntarily vacating your seat will not interfere with performing your official duties; and
(b) If additional travel expenses, incurred as a result of vacating your seat, are borne by you and are not reimbursed; but
(c) If volunteering delays your travel during duty hours, your agency will charge you with annual leave for the additional hours.