Travel on Grants and Contracts
Travel charged to federally or non-federally funded grants and contracts must comply with federal regulations (if applicable) and Idaho State University (ISU) travel policies. Below is a summary of key requirements.
The Principal Investigator (PI) should always prepare a travel pre-approval before travel. Pre-approvals should be submitted at least 30 days in advance for international travel and 2 weeks in advance for domestic travel.
Allowable Business and Travel Expenses
ISU may directly pay or reimburse individuals for travel expenses that are:
- Necessary,
- Reasonable, and
- Appropriate to conduct university business related to the sponsored project.
Allowable expenses may include:
- Meals
- Lodging
- Ground transportation
- Airfare
Unallowable expenses include:
- Travel insurance
- Alcohol
- Luxury accommodations unless fully justified and pre-approved
All costs must directly support the goals of the sponsored project.
Air Travel Regulations
Before booking air travel on any sponsored award, consider the following:
Lowest Economy Fare Class
Federal regulations (2 CFR §200.475(e)(1)) require the lowest economy airfare for travel. At ISU, this includes:
- One reserved seat
- One personal item
- One carry-on bag
- One checked bag
Upgrades (e.g., Business Class) are not allowable unless:
- No reasonable alternative is available (e.g., circuitous routing, excessive travel time)
- The traveler has a documented medical condition
- Additional costs of lower fare options outweigh the savings
Fly America Act
The Fly America Act applies to domestic and international travel. Travelers must use a U.S. flag air carrier or a foreign carrier operating under a U.S. carrier’s codeshare agreement, unless an approved exception applies.
Open Skies Agreements
Open Skies Agreements allow exceptions to the Fly America Act under agreements between the U.S. and certain countries, including:
- European Union
- Switzerland
- Australia
- Japan
Meals
Meals during travel are reimbursable if they occur during official university travel:
- No additional justification is needed if meals occur during the documented business travel period
- Costs must be reasonable and in accordance with ISU per diem policies
- Alcohol is an unallowable expense.
Lodging
ISU reimburses reasonable lodging expenses necessary to conduct university business:
- Travelers should book standard rooms and review cancellation and rate restrictions
- Excessive or luxury accommodations are not allowable unless fully justified and pre-approved