E-GOV Travel System Implementation Update Four

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FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 360/22
SSIC 7000
SUBJ: E-GOV TRAVEL SYSTEM (ETS) IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE FOUR

A. ALCGFINANCE 035/22, GUIDANCE FOR TEMPORARY DUTY TRAVEL ORDERS CROSSING FISCAL YEARS
B. ETQC ADVISORY, CHANGE TO C-SCHOOL ORDERS PROCESSING FOR REMAINDER OF FY22

1. This ALCOAST provides guidance for ETS use in preparation for FY23 and required actions for users and approvers.

2. Preparation for FY23:

a. To better support the traveler, CWT Sato Travel will turn off the funds check function in ETS while funds are loaded into FSMS, between 01 October and 15 October 2022. ETS bulletins will provide updates on the funds check status. Travelers should obtain travel approvals using the normal routing process to ensure reservations are ticketed. Travel crossing into or originating in FY23 cannot be vouchered until the Office of Resource Management (CG-8) applies funds to the funding reference data (POET). During the remainder of FY22, travelers should not create any new ETS open authorizations (blanket orders) or group authorizations.

b. Travel originating in FY23 travel should not be obligated until October 2022. When booking travel that crosses fiscal years, lodging and rental car reservations should be for the entire TDY period to avoid interruption. Lodging must be set to no reimbursement for the FY23 dates and later adjusted via an amendment, to reflect expenses in the correct fiscal year. REF (A) discusses airfare procurement.

c. Open Authorizations (OA) from Direct Access: Members in receipt of PCS, Separation, or Reserve orders must check ETS for an OA to use for planning travel. Reserve members will see an OA for Active Duty for Training - Annual Training (ADT-AT) periods, however, contingency travel requires direct entry of a POET to create authorizations. REF (B) provides guidance on the transition from OAs to direct entry of a POET for reimbursement to attend C-schools. Similar guidance is forthcoming for A-school and Accession training travel.

3. Required actions for users:

a. Travelers must use ETS to book official travel. To minimize travel costs and meet system goals for electronic booking, calls to CWT Sato Travel should be limited to complex travel needs such as international flights without contracted fares, urgent travel within 48 hours, and booking the Alaska Marine Highway System.

b. Mission Critical (MC) status expires 30 September 2022, and any unpaid Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC) balances will become past due at the end of October 2022. Cardholders are required to file a travel voucher within three (3) days of travel completion and should use split disbursement to pay the balance. Personnel with unreimbursed travel must notify AOs to take corrective action. 

c. Travelers should immediately notify the Funds Approver when travel is canceled so unit funds managers can de-obligate the funds. Funds approvers or funds managers must manually de-obligate unused travel obligations for trips canceled after ticketing.

4. Required actions for approvers:

a. Approving Officials (AOs) and funds approvers are reminded of their responsibilities as Treasury Funds Certifying Officials. Funds approvers must ensure the POET is accurate and, where applicable, ensure documentation supporting the use of a POET belonging to another organization is uploaded. AOs should verify the form of payment, to wit: Traveler, Travel Charge Card, or Agency Billed, is properly selected and allowed by policy. Additionally, AOs should scrutinize the class of airfare selected and, before vouchering, account for any upward adjustment in costs to ensure the travel remained within policy.

b. AOs should poll their members to identify authorizations or vouchers that do not have final approval or are no longer needed and delete unnecessary claims. Command Travel Managers should use available GTCC balance reports to encourage reconciliation before the end of the FY.

5. PCS travel claim guidance. Military personnel must continue to submit PCS travel claims using TPAX. Pay and Personnel Center (PPC) auditors will review the travel claim and send travelers an email directing them to perform actions in ETS and DA, if necessary, to process their reimbursement. The PPC website provides guides on the PCS travel claim process.

6. Travel assistance is available through the online help tool in ETS, guidance on the PPC website, and from the AO supporting the unit. The Travel Assist Team (TAT) remains a resource for AOs and is available through 24 April 2023. The ETS website remains the best resource for ETS-related news, training, and tips for processing travel. Users can access the website at: https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/ppc/travel/ets/

7. For other related ETS or Travel Management Officer (TMO) questions, contact CDR William Suter, TMO Implementation (CG-133) at (202) 758-9116 or William.W.Suter@uscg.mil.

8. RADM B.K. Penoyer, Assistant Commandant for Human Resources (CG-1), sends.

9. Internet release is authorized

 

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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

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