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Procurement and Contract Services

Travel FAQs

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In-state and out-of-state trips for organized conferences, conventions, and association meetings require approvals of the chair or next higher level of expenditure authority and Travel Office. The PTT form is required.

In-state and out-of-state informal business trips/meetings require approval of an immediate supervisor in oral or written form (check with next higher level of authority for their policy). The PTT form is NOT required by the Travel Office for these meetings.

If you are on USM payroll and your trip is in the scope of your employment conducting business for the University, you are covered by workers compensation.
The P-card will be the preferred method for payment of Employee Conference Registration fees. When the P-card is either not accepted or not available as an option, the second option is for the employee to pay via their personal credit card and be reimbursed through Travel. When the registration fee is for a group of employees and the P-card is either not accepted or not available as an option, a Registration Check Request Form can be submitted to Travel for payment. A pre-approved Permission to Travel (PTT) will be required prior to using the P-Card for Registration Fees. The travel form has been updated to allow for identification of the P-Card expenses. (See the Travel Website-Registration Fees for detailed instructions; see the following link). 
No, Employees of the State are reimbursed the allotted per diem.
Yes, you can change the date. Either send an email to verify the date that you would like changed so that it can be attached to your Permission to Travel (PTT), or return a copy of your signed PTT with the new dates identified.
If you are approved for an advance (See Advance Policy) we will call you to inform you when it is ready for pick up. We issue advances two weeks before the scheduled trip start date.
Travel advances outstanding in excess of 15 days after return from the trip will be payroll deducted from the employee’s paycheck. If it should become necessary to do a deduction from a payroll check the employee will not qualify for future travel advances. The payroll deduction instituted will be the amount of the outstanding travel advance, not to exceed one-half of the employee’s net pay. This payroll deduction will continue until the outstanding travel advance is settled in full.
Yes. You will need to complete a travel voucher and attach any credit card statements or receipts that will confirm your payments made. Attach a copy of your Approved PTT. On the travel voucher make sure that you put the date of travel (same date on permission).

Though you are allowed to stay as long as you would like, the university will not reimburse you for expenses outside the conference dates, i.e., for personal vacation time.

The individual that paid is the person that needs to be reimbursed. Attach the PTT of the person(s) who is traveling to the Travel Voucher of the individual who paid (even if they are not traveling).

You’ll need to call the Travel Office at x64131. We will have to pull your voucher and see what changes were made.

Email us to cancel your PTT if the trip has not occurred and/or you have no expenses to claim. If you paid for airfare, you will need to fill out a cancelled airfare refund form to attach to your Travel Voucher for reimbursement.

If you used a University Vehicle and paid with a personal credit card, send an Employee Reimbursement Voucher to Accounts Payable, as it cannot be reimbursed by the Travel section.

Reimbursements are automatically sent to the department box. Travel advances must be signed for and picked up in person. Send a memo authorizing your designee to pick up your travel advance.

The following items are commonly missed areas when travel paperwork is submitted. Please use the checklist below to verify that you have all the documentation required for your request. This will help ensure that your paperwork is processed in a timely manner.

  • Each Chartfield (change or split) needs to be approved by each Expenditure Authority.
  • W-9 FORM (if never reimbursed by travel)
  • Chair or Next Higher Expenditure Authority Signature is not legible – Print below signature as required.
  • Signature Authority not authorized for the chartfield used. (check Eagle Vision to avoid delays)
  • “Original” Itemize Hotel bill required (Express check out not allowed by State)
  • “Original” Itemize Rental Car receipt required. Handwritten or Summary not accepted. (also required for proof of rental for fuel reimbursement)
  • All rental cars should be booked through State Contract Provider. A waiver is required for booking that exceeds the contract rates. (See website for link and instructions)
  • Waiver Required: Hotel exceeds conference rate; Authority to pay a hotel other than the conference hotel; Amount greater than state contract rate for rental car
  • Mileage reimbursement cannot exceed the cost of airline economy ticket and total cost of flying. (Obtain cost of airfare, along with other justification to support your total costs of driving is less) Attach to travel voucher. (See website for policy)
  • All foreign travel receipts must be converted in US Dollars written on the receipt (use conversion rate for date trip starts) by traveler. Attach proof of official rate of change for the date of travel voucher.
  • Submit conference literature showing the conference hotel rates or a copy of the registration form that includes the housing reservation information. (A state requirement)
  • Submit to Accounts Payable on an Employee Reimbursement Form for reimbursement of webinars, other supplies, non per diem meals (cannot be reimbursed on a travel voucher)
  • Submit to Purchasing on a P.O to be reimbursed (Dues, abstracts, memberships cannot be reimbursed by travel)

Requesting the items above, helps the UNIVERSITY stay in compliance with the State travel requirements in preparation for annual audit.

  • Submit your completed Permission to Travel form at least three weeks prior to travel (90 days for international travel)
  • Employee Travel Vouchers and Remittance Vouchers received in the Travel Office by 5 PM Wednesday will be paid within three weeks after submission UNLESS the voucher has to be returned to the employee for a correction or missing documentation. Reimbursement checks will be mailed to the Department's box number.
  • In order to pay conference or workshop registration fees the Pcard can be used as the preferred method. Another method is to complete the Registration Check Request with a copy of the approved Permission to Travel form and the completed registration form to the Travel Office. To insure that the payment is received on time for the conference, send the Registration Check Request to the Travel Office at least 1 month prior to the due date of registration.
  • In order to reimburse a non-university employee for travel expenses, submit a Remittance Voucher. Receipts are required for airfare (passenger receipt), car rental, hotel, parking, and supplies. Send to Procurement Box 5104.
  • Complete a Business Related Expense form and attach to the Employee Travel Voucher if employee pays for one or more non-university person's meal expenses while on university travel.
  • In order for an employee to be issued payment for airfare costs prior to completion of the trip, the university will require submission of a completed Employee Travel Voucher. A copy of the airline E-ticket reflecting payment, a copy of the passenger receipt, or copy of the credit card statement (credit card number should be marked out) reflecting the airline charge MUST be attached to the Employee Travel Voucher.
  • When in doubt, get original itemized receipts for all purchases related to travel. Keep all email confirmations, ticket stubs, credit card statements, and receipts for all transactions related to travel to be submitted with your travel reimbursement forms.
No, the expense and travel reimbursements system depends upon banking information already provided by employees for payroll. If a payroll direct deposit relationship does not already exist, a check will continue to be issued.
Yes, changes to your payroll direct deposit account will affect expense and travel reimbursements. The request will automatically update A/P & Travel expense reimbursement records.
Yes, (see website for Travel Advance qualifications)

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Procurement and Contract Services
214 Bond Hall

Hattiesburg Campus

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Email
procurementFREEMississippi

Phone
601.266.4131

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GCRL Procurement Services
Oceanography Building
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

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Email
procurementFREEMississippi

Phone
228.872.4245