Hi Lori,
My first thought on the trip home to China (and back), is what benefit will the NSF grant receive from the trip? Whenever charges are charged to a grant, it
must be reasonable, allowable, and allocable. How will the PI determine the benefit of this cost to the grant? This could also be considered a taxable fringe benefit if paid on his behalf depending on the nature of the travel to/from China(check with your
payroll office). If the PI is just traveling home as in a very long “commute”, I would not consider that necessarily an NSF approved trip. I would personally contact NSF for approval for this trip as is this travel “business related to an NSF supported project
as allowable? (GPM614. Expenses for transportation, lodging, subsistence and related items incurred by project personnel and by outside consultants employed on the project (
GPM 616.1, "Outside Consultants") who are on travel status on business related to an NSF-supported project are allowable as prescribed in the governing cost principles. The requirements for prior approval detailed in the governing cost principles
are waived.)
The trip to Korea for the conference, if it met the criteria for NSF travel, and it benefited the project, perhaps more likely to be allowable on the NSF project.
In reviewing the flagship policy for travel as listed below, would travel by the American Flag Ship carrier result in the items 1-3 below or item C?:
b. Travel Between Points Outside the U.S. Use of a foreign-flag air carrier is permissible if travel by a:
1. foreign-flag air carrier would eliminate two or more aircraft changes en route;
2. U.S.-flag air carrier would extend the time in a travel status by at least four hours more than travel by a foreign-flag
air carrier and the travel is not part of the trip to or from the U.S.; or
3. U.S.-flag air carrier would require a connecting time of four hours or more at an overseas interchange point.
c. Short Distance Travel. For all short distance travel, regardless of origin and destination, use of a
foreign-flag air carrier is permissible if the elapsed travel time on a scheduled flight from origin to destination airport by a foreign-flag air carrier is three hours or less and service by a U.S.-flag air carrier would double the travel time.
Best,
Linda
From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@lists.healthresearch.org]
On Behalf Of Lori Johnson
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015 12:20 PM
To: xxxxxx@lists.healthresearch.org
Subject: [RESADM-L] Fly America act
Hello,
I have a situation I've not encountered before and would appreciate some help. A PI will be flying "home" to China for the off-contract summer time (from IHE) and will be doing his research while there for the summer. He would like
to charge the travel to an NSF grant. The travel from USA to China and back is an American Flag airline. While he is there, however, he would like to go from China to Korea and back to a conference and charge that trip to the NSF grant. No American Flag
airline is available for that trip. He is going into China first because if he goes from USA to Korea, his VISA won't allow his departure. But if he travels from China to Korea it will not be an American Flag airline.
Are both trips allowable on the NSF grant?
Thanks for any input.
--
Lori Johnson, MBA
Director, Sponsored Proj Accounting
Idaho State University
PO Box 8219
Pocatello, ID 83209
PH: 208-282-3899
FAX: 208-282-5923
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