Domestic and International Travel Procedures
Expense Reports
RWFM requires travel expense reports to be submitted to the RWFM Business office within 30 days of the travel end date. If a report is not submitted by the deadline, the trip is considered out of compliance with the IRS accountable plan (employee reimbursement allowance) and traveler’s expenses will be reported as taxable income in addition to suspending the travel card.
A trip-specific travel approval request must be attached to the expense report. Meal reimbursement is only available for a trip lasting more than one day. Itemized meal receipts must be included in the expense report; if an itemized receipt is not available, food items purchased must be written on the receipt.
Meal Receipts
For meal purchases, visit the Meal Per Diem Rates website at https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates/per-diem-rates-lookup to search per diem by state. The purchase of alcohol is only allowable on an unrestricted account, provided there was a legitimate business purpose (i.e. business meal).
Travel/Dart Cards
If traveling for the department, visit the Business office to complete an application for a travel or Dart card. This card is authorized for payment on airfare, hotel reservations, registration fees, and other travel expenses. Keep all receipts. If an employee pays for another employee’s expenses, a comment with specific verbiage on the purchase is required for the expense report.
Domestic Travel
Travel Requests:
Employed Students must submit a travel request in Concur prior to trip departure. Non-Employed Students must email rwfmbusiness@tamu.edu the following information for a travel request to be submitted:
- Destination
- Travel dates
- Purpose/how trip benefits TAMU
- Account number
- Classification (undergraduate/graduate student)
Foreign Travel
Travel Requests:
Travel requests for foreign travel by ALL students must be submitted to the TAMU Study Abroad office at least 30 days prior to traveling. If the deadline is missed, travel will not be approved per university guidelines.
If the traveler is an employee of AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension, or the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the proposed travel is in the course/scope of their employment, all Concur travel requests must be submitted no later than seven days in advance of the proposed trip start date. Any request submitted less than seven days in advance of the proposed trip start date will be considered out of compliance. The traveler must complete a travel request with the Study Abroad office. If the traveler is an employee and files an official travel request through Concur for a proposed travel in the course/scope of their employment, the traveler will receive an AG-710 International Travel Export Controls Certification Form by email from the COALS/AgriLife Risk and Compliance-Export Control Office to complete.
For more information on the country of destination, travelers are encouraged to visit the A&M System Weekly Country Risk Summary at http://assets.system.tamus.edu/files/safety/pdf/travelrisk.pdf to ensure the destination country or region is not under a travel ban or restriction.
If the country or region is under a travel warning as described in the A&M System Weekly Country Risk Summary, an International Travel Questionnaire for Extreme Risk Countries Form is required to be attached to the Concur travel request before it is submitted by the traveler in Concur. If the country or region is under a travel warning and A&M System Risk Management denies approval of the proposed travel, the COALS/AgriLife Risk and Compliance Office will email an AG-715 Form to be completed. As prompted by the Concur travel request, the COALS/AgriLife Risk and Compliance Office will be in contact with each traveler to obtain necessary forms and paperwork.
Employed Students must also submit travel requests in Concur prior to trip departure. Non-Employed Students must email rwfmbusiness@tamu.edu the following information for a travel request to be submitted if requesting reimbursement:
- Destination
- Travel dates
- Purpose/how trip benefits TAMU
- Account number
- Classification (undergraduate/graduate student)
All receipts must be kept for the expense report.
Non-Employed students cannot use state accounts for travel. Travel on SRS accounts must adhere to sponsor restrictions. The Fly America Act requires all air travel paid with federal funds be on a U.S. flag carrier.
Travel Advances
Only employed students are allowed travel advances. When requesting travel advance:
- Provide reason for the advance
- Complete travel advance form and submit to the department
- Submit information in Concur
- Direct deposit is the most efficient disbursement; complete direct deposit form
An expense report must be provided along with receipts in order to reimburse travel advance within 30 days of the trip end date.
If the travel advance is not settled within 30 days from the trip end date, a notice will be sent to traveler and department and the traveler will be placed on a state hold, preventing the employee from receiving any reimbursements from any state agency or receiving any subsequent travel advance until the travel advance is settled. After 120 days past due, the amount will be forwarded to payroll. The IRS requests the university treat past due travel advances as additional compensation to the employee. The department/employee will still be liable for the reimbursement of travel advance.
02 Accounts: http://fmo.tamu.edu/media/64726/travel-advance.pdf
06 Accounts: https://agrilifeas.tamu.edu/documents/ag-809.pdf
Hotel Reservations
If taxes are charged, a credit must be requested or will be marked as a personal expense. The state rate must be requested when making the reservation if paying with state funds. Shared rooms must have both names on the receipt along with both forms of payment. An itemized receipt should be requested at check-out.
Hotel Tax Exempt Form: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/forms
Vehicle Rentals
The Business office must be contacted to ensure proper tax exemption. If the reservation is not made through the department, be sure to provide the company with the Motor Vehicle Rental Tax Form: https://smartpay.gsa.gov/sites/default/files/14-305back.pdf.
The traveler can book themselves through Concur, or directly with the vendor, provided the traveler use one of the state-contracted vendors and the proper customer number. When using a rental vehicle, please use your travel card for fuel purchases. Keep all fuel receipts.
Personal Vehicle Use
Mileage can be reimbursed for personal vehicle use. A mileage calculator is available on Concur expense reports. Fuel receipts are not accepted for reimbursement as the reimbursement rate for personal vehicle usage assumes the traveler will cover all expenses, including fuel, for utilizing a personal vehicle.
Laboratory Safety and Training
Laboratory Safety Manual (PDF)
iRIS Portal
iRis Training Information
The Texas A&M University Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) must approve, prior to initiation, research that involves any of the agents/materials listed below.
Pathogens and potential pathogens of humans, animals, or plants;
Materials potentially containing human pathogens (including human blood, tissue, and cell lines; non-human primate blood, tissue, and cell lines);
Recombinant DNA (and RNA), including creation or use of transgenic plants and animals;
Select agents and toxins (selectagents.gov) including strains and amounts exempted from the select agent regulations;
Any material requiring a CDC import license or a USDA permit.
The IBC reports to the University’s Institutional Official (Vice President for Research) and serves Texas A&M researchers, staff, and educators, as well as additional researchers, staff, and educators from The Texas A&M University System members based on signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs). The Biosafety Program supports the IBC. For any questions about IBC services for your research or teaching, contact your research administrator.
Inspections for the IBC are conducted by the biological safety officers in the Biosafety Program. The Biosafety Program provides additional information and resources to help investigators with research involving biohazards:
Approval Process
Resources
Forms
More information available at https://vpr.tamu.edu/compliance/rcc/ibc.