Government Travel Charge Card - Financial and Travel System Transition Guidance

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ALCGPSC 128/22

SUBJ: GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CHARGE CARD (GTCC) PROGRAM: FINANCIAL AND TRAVEL SYSTEM TRANSITION GUIDANCE - UPDATE

1. ALCGPSC 081/22 GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CHARGE CARD (GTCC) PROGRAM: FINANCIAL AND TRAVEL SYSTEM TRANSITION GUIDANCE
2. ALCOAST 096/22 COMMANDANT DIRECTS STAND UP OF FSMS INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM
3. Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC) Program Policies and Procedures, COMDTINST M4600.18 (series)
4. Joint Travel Regulations (JTR)
5. Personnel & Pay Procedures Manual, PPCINST M1000.0 (SERIES)

1. This message cancels reference (A). Restrictions on the use of the Centrally Billed Account (CBA)remain. The expanded use of the Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC) Individually Billed Accounts (IBA) to support travel until the Financial Systems Modernization Solution (FSMS) Incident Management Team (IMT) objectives are met as indicated in reference (B)are extended as well. These policy waivers offer a reliable means of financial support, particularly for Permanent Change of Station, Long-Term TDY, and Disaster Evacuation Orders. Members who currently do not possess a GTCC are strongly encouraged to apply for one as soon as possible to prevent unnecessary charges to the CBA.
    
2. Mission Critical (MC): MC status will expire on 30 September 2022. If your "balance due" is not paid in full by 28 October 2022 your GTCC account will become past due. Cardholders are required to file a travel voucher within three (3) days of travel completion and should use split disbursement to pay the balance. Cardholders are reminded to use the same "pay to" method on their voucher that they selected on their travel authorization. Vouchers shall be submitted for all completed travel to obtain reimbursement or identify system issues that need to be resolved for payment. Personnel experiencing voucher complications will have until 13 October 2022 to have their accounts resolved and then settled in Citibank by 28 October 2022. Personnel unable to resolve complications by 13 October shall work with travel managers to document the complication and the steps taken to attempt resolution. If system complications continue to prevent reimbursement/payment, CG PSC(BOPS) can work with Citibank to re-age the balance and escalate the help ticket for resolution. Travel managers must contact the GTCC program managers with pertinent information for a decision to re-age the account by 13 October. The list of Travel Managers is available on our site: https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/psc_spo/psc-bops/GTCC%20Library/Forms/AllItems.aspx. If system problems continue to prevent reimbursement at that point, CG PSC (BOPS) can work with Citibank to re-age the balance and escalate the help ticket for resolution. Travel managers will contact the GTCC program managers with all pertinent member and voucher information for a decision to re-age the account.
    
3. Available Resources include the Travel Assist Team, HQS-SMB-CG-1332 -TravelManagementOffice@uscg.mil, and Service Now (SNOW) help ticket: Submission - FSMS (https://dhs.servicenowservices.com/fsms.). Members should continue to monitor their GTCC using CitiManager online tools, applications, and Direct Access. You can verify the account balance and status of the payment by calling the number on the back of your card which is (800) 790-7206. Alternatively, you can view your account statement via the CITI online Account Access. To learn how to access your account online, go to the link below:http://dcms.uscg.mil/GOVTrvl/Travel_Card/#How_do_I_access_my_GTCC_account_online or visit Citi Commercial Cards https://home.cards.citidirect.com/CommercialCard/login.
    
4. Credit Limits: Travel Manager authorization to establish credit limits is returned to the maximum of $9999. Upon expiration of (MC) the GTCC program will bulk lower the credit limits of those members above $9,999 unless they have a current balance above the set credit limit. Any requests above $9,999 will be forwarded to the GTCC program managers for approval as per reference (C). Travel Managers are reminded to lower credit limits when the temporary increase is no longer needed.
    
5. Disaster Evacuation: GTCC is authorized for Member and Dependent Per Diem for the number of allowable evacuation days limited by the evacuation order and actual days evacuated. GTCC cardholders may withdraw up to $415 per week in cash at ATMs against their GTCC account to cover member and family M&IE Expenses while evacuated under evacuation orders.
    
6. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) and Long-Term Temporary Duty (TDY): The temporary waiver allowing the use of GTCC for PCS and long-term TDY remains in effect. The restrictions contained in reference (C) for PCS greater than 15 days and TDY greater than 21 days are temporarily suspended. The policy regarding authorized purchases remains in effect IAW with references (C) and (D). The GTCC is only for official travel to cover authorized expenditures; however, the temporary policy waiver also remains in effect to cover authorized dependent expenses during PCS.
    
   1. Proper use of the GTCC for PCS consists of the following:
      
      (1) Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) at the old or new Permanent Duty Station (PDS): Charges related to this expense include lodging and meals while in temporary lodging. See Chapter 5, reference (D) for additional TLE information.
      (2) Fuel for Privately Owned Vehicles (POV), but only if POV is the authorized mode of transportation for the PCS travel. This is not a directly reimbursed item; it is paid in the form of a Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation (MALT). MALT is a flat rate per mile and per vehicle entitlement based on the distance between the old and new PDS, as determined by the Defense Table of Official Distances (DTOD).
      (3) Lodging and meals en route: These items are not reimbursed directly. The member and dependents are entitled to a flat rate per diem for the number of allowable travel days based on the mode of transportation, not to exceed actual travel days as outlined in Chapter 5, reference (D).
      (4) Airfare/Train/Bus/Ferry for the member and concurrently traveling dependents and only if it is the authorized mode of transportation for the PCS travel. Personal travel arrangements made for Leave In Conjunction With Official (LICWO) travel cannot be purchased with the GTCC. See Chapter 3, reference (D) for further details regarding LICWO travel.
      (5) Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is paid for using the GTCC and purchased through the TMC service provider.
      (6) Tolls and miscellaneous fees may be charged to the GTCC.
       
   2. Misuse: Non-travel-related expenditures will still be considered misuse. GTCC may not be used for local travel, team gear, permissive orders, retirement/separation, personally procured moves, during leave, to/from leave site, LICWO travel, or for cash withdrawals exceeding reimbursable amounts. Commanders/Supervisors will ensure travel cards are used only for official travel-related expenses. Examples of misuse include, but are not limited to:
      
      (a) expenses related to personal, family, or household purposes except for authorized PCS expenses,
      (b) cash withdrawals from an ATM used during non-travel periods or not related to official government travel requirements are "not authorized." This includes, but is not limited to, any withdrawal of a credit balance remaining on the card,
      (c) intentional failure to pay undisputed charges in a timely manner, and
      (d) ATM cash withdrawals taken more than three days prior to official government travel. Cardholders who misuse their travel card may be subject to administrative or disciplinary action, as appropriate.
       
   3. Commands are reminded to pay particular attention to those newly reporting cardholders who typically would not have been issued a travel card from the departing unit. As soon as they have completed their travel claims, ensure the travel card limits are reduced to the $50 minimum limit.
       
7. GTCC Non-availability/Eligibility: If a GTCC Account cannot be established for a member then the CBA should be used to the maximum extent possible and the member may use a personal credit or debit card for related commercial lodging and M&IE costs. The Travel Management Center (CWT Sato) shall still be used for official travel reservations, including disaster evacuation reservations.
    
8. Applicability: This policy does not apply to accession, separation, or retirement travel, nor does it affect the payment of advance pay or advance Basic Allowance for Housing to pay for rental deposits. Additionally, this policy does not apply to PCS travel for civilian personnel, Selected Reserve members, or Individual Ready Reserve members as these populations do not use the same order writing and outbound interview processes.
    
9. GTCC Travel Managers may direct questions to Mr. Michael Duchossois at 703-254-7175 or Michael.A.Duchossois@uscg.mil or Mr. Matthew Falor at 703-258-5996 or Matthew.A.Falor@uscg.mil.
    
10. Released by: RDML D. C. Barata, Commander, Personnel Service Center (PSC), and RDML J. P. Hickey, FSMS Incident Commander; Director of Operational Logistics (DOL), send.
     
11. Internet release is authorized.

This is an update from the U. S. Coast Guard Pay & Personnel Center in Topeka, KS. We use this distribution list to keep our customers informed about USCG Travel policy and the ETS travel claim system. If you are no longer interested in receiving updates from PPC, please follow the link (at the end of this message) in the SUBSCRIBER SERVICES section to unsubscribe. Address any comments, concerns, or questions to PPC-SMB PPC-PD@uscg.mil. Also, please contact us by email if you have an announcement you would like to share with our customers