Before we had per diem, we looked at the receipt, and if there was no
separate listing for alcohol, assumed there was none.  However, if the cost
seemed unreasonable, we often asked for a good reason.  Sometimes the
reason was that the meal was for more than one person, and we had to
determine if the additional person(s) had a business relationship that a)
we could reimburse, and b) reimburse wholly from the project account or
split code with another account.  Many meal receipts (originals, not just
the charge card receipt) showed the meal and the bar bill separately.  Of
course for tip the charge slip usually has it on it; else the traveler
writes a note on the receipt regarding tip.

There is no guaranteed way to be really sure, but stating a standard method
and following it consistently will generally protect the institution.  Of
course any individual can find a way to "diddle" the record, but if you use
your method consistently, that makes it an individual, not institutional,
non/compliance (or even fraud).

At 02:36 PM 7/12/2004, you wrote:
>This is for institutions that use actual costs rather than Per Diem for
>travel reimbursement purposes.
>
>What kind of documentation do you require from a faculty member traveling
>on federal money to show that alcohol (heaven forbid!) is not part of the
>meal cost?
>
>Thanks!
>
>Pam Miller
>
>Pamela F. Miller, Ph.D.
>Director, Office of Sponsored Projects
>The University of San Francisco
>2130 Fulton Street
>San Francisco, CA  94117-1080
>TEL  415-422-5368
>FAX  415-422-6222
>EMAIL  xxxxxx@usfca.edu
>
>
>======================================================================
>Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
>subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
>via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
>======================================================================

Herbert B. Chermside, CRA
Special Asst. to VP-Research
Virginia Commonwealth University
PO BOX 980568
Richmond, VA  23298-0568
Voice:  804-827-6036
Fax     804-828-2051
e-mail xxxxxx@vcu.edu

======================================================================
 Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
 subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
 via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
======================================================================