Travel and Expense Policy
Scope and Purpose
This Policy applies to all Vendors in the United States when they are traveling on behalf of, or to provide services to, Revature or any of its affiliates (“Revature”). The purpose of this Policy is to effectively manage Vendor travel-related expenditures. Our goals are to (1) provide consistency through a standard policy for Vendor travel and other travel related expenses when Revature reimburses those expenses, and (2) assist in cost-control measures. This policy supports Revature’s commitment to process efficiency and cost reduction.
Revature’s intent is that the Vendor neither suffers any unnecessary financial burden nor realizes any financial gain because of travel on behalf of Revature. The Vendor is responsible for amounts incurred above the identified limits, or for any unapproved expenses as outlined in this Policy. Revature reserves the right to modify this Policy at any time.
General Requirements
- Travel must be consistent with the needs of Revature’s business. All Vendors are expected to use common sense, discretion, and sound business judgment regarding the nature of travel and the level of expenses incurred.
- Vendors must never engage in transactions for personal gain, or which are not in the best interest of Revature.
- Travel reservations should be unbiased; the selection of an airline, hotel or rental car must in no way be based on personal benefits from frequent traveler programs.
- Vendors privy to Revature’s negotiated rates and/or information about Revature’s Travel Policy must not disclose this information to others as such information is Revature’s confidential information.
- All Vendor travel (and related expenses) requires prior written approval from Revature. The request for approval must be submitted in writing (email is sufficient) and include, at a minimum, the following information:
- Business Purpose
- Number of Travelers
- Proposed Dates
- Estimated Cost
- Full receipts (including hotel folios) are required to be submitted for ALL expenses. A credit card statement is NOT considered an original receipt.
- Time spent travelling is not reimbursable.
- Revature will only reimburse actual expenses incurred. Mark-ups to expenses are not permitted.
- Requests for reimbursement must be received within thirty (30) days of the expense being incurred or it will not be reimbursed.
Air Travel
- Vendor must choose lowest logical coach class fare on flights. Lowest logical fare is defined as the lowest direct fare offered across carriers, within two hours of the requested departure/arrival time. First or business class airfare is not reimbursable.
- Airline Reservations: All airline reservations should be made no later than 7 days in advance of the date of travel.
- Upgrades: Seat or class of service upgrades will not be reimbursed by Revature. Vendors choosing to upgrade must do so at their own expense. This includes requesting the travel agency to book a full coach fare to facilitate upgrading to another class of service versus taking a discounted fare.
- Non-Refundable Fares: Non-refundable discounted fares and/or promotional fares should be utilized whenever possible. Changes in reservations are only reimbursable when the change is at the request of Revature. Changes made for personal reasons cannot be submitted for reimbursement.
- No international travel is permitted.
Hotels
- Hotel Reservations: Rooms must be reserved at the lowest rate available (e.g., “economy”) at the time of reservation, not to exceed a total cost (room rate, taxes, and fees) of $250 per night.
- Property Quality: Revature is committed to providing its Vendors with comfortable, clean, and safe accommodations at a fair price. Revature’s “standard” in hotel properties is defined as one step below a full-service property within any hotel chain, e.g., standard – Hilton Garden Inn vs. luxury – Hilton Hotel. Any hotel above this standard will not be reimbursed.
- Room Standards: Vendors are expected to obtain comfortable and sensibly priced room accommodations while traveling on behalf of Revature. Single hotel rooms are the standard accommodation. Premium rooms, such as suites, are not reimbursable.
- “No-Show” Fees / Change and Cancellation Procedures: When travel plans change, it is the Vendor’s responsibility to cancel hotel reservations. Room costs, which are the result of a failure to cancel a guaranteed reservation, will be paid directly by the Vendor will not be reimbursed by Revature.
Ground Transportation
- Transportation Options: Cars may be rented when traveling on Revature business only when other means of transportation are not available, are more costly, or are impractical. For example, use of hotel courtesy vans or use of a taxi may be more economical than renting a car, while still meeting your needs.
- Car Size: Vendor must rent the most economical sized car, not to exceed intermediate or standard size rental cars, for groups of three or fewer people traveling together. Upgrade charges will not be reimbursed. Groups of four or more should choose the most economical option of renting two or more cars or upgrading to a larger vehicle. Luxury cars, premium cars, SUVs, and convertibles are not allowed. Automobile rentals should be reasonable and the appropriate size for the business purpose and travel/transportation requirements.
- Refueling Charge: Vendor should return the vehicle with a full tank of gas. Revature will not reimburse for pre-paid fuel charges or charges for insufficient fuel upon return.
- Change/Cancellation: When travel plans change, it is the Vendor’s responsibility to cancel car rental reservations. Car rental costs that result from a failure to cancel a guaranteed reservation will be paid by the Vendor and will not be reimbursed by Revature.
- Traffic Violations: Vendor is responsible for any fines from traffic violations or parking tickets received while driving a rental car. These expenses will not be reimbursed by Revature.
Personal Vehicles
- Personal vehicles should be used only when they are the most economical means of travel. When using a personal vehicle for Revature travel, Vendor shall be liable for any accidents or mishaps; therefore, it is Vendor’s responsibility to be adequately insured.
- Use of a personal vehicle for business-related travel must be pre-approved for reimbursement.
- Mileage for business use of personal vehicles will be reimbursed in accordance with current rates as specified by the General Services Administration (GSA) schedule (www.gsa.gov). The expense report and record of mileage must include documentation supporting and/or outlining Revature business. No additional reimbursements will be provided for use of a personal car.
- Revature will not reimburse for repairs and/or general maintenance to a personal vehicle that is used for Revature business.
Meals
- The actual cost of meals including tips are reimbursable up to $50.00 per daily travel, unless otherwise approved in advance by Revature.
- Tipping should be reasonable and not exceed 20%.
- Alcohol will not be reimbursed for any meals.
- Itemized receipts must be retained and submitted for all meal expenses.
Miscellaneous
- Internet Access: Revature will only reimburse for internet access (wifi) fees, including in-flight or hotel fees, if the usage is required for Revature business.
- Parking: Off-site parking is required, where available, when you need to leave your car at the airport overnight while traveling.
- Use of taxis is required for extended trips if the cost of off-site parking will exceed the cost of round-trip taxi fare.
- Revature’s expectation is that groups traveling together will carpool whenever possible.
Exceptions
Any requests for exceptions to the above rules must be made in advance of the expense being incurred and must be submitted and approved in writing (email is sufficient).