STATE DEPARTMENT GUIDELINES FOR TRAVEL, TRANSPORTATION, PER DIEM AND RELATED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH EXCESS AND NEAR-EXCESS CURRENCY DESIGNATED COUNTRIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88G01332R000700700005-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 1, 2011
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: October 1, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

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MEMORANDUM
REFERENCE: Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin A-20
May 21, 1966 (as amended).
SUBJECT : STATE DEPARTMENT GUIDELINES FOR TRAVEL, TRANSPORTATION,
PER DIEM, AND RELATED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH
EXCESS AND NEAR-EXCESS CURRENCY DESIGNATED COUNTRIES.
FROM : Foreign Currency Staff (M/COMP/FO/FC) n
Office of the Comptroller
U.S. Department of State
United States Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520'
DATE: October 1, 1986
TO EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ESTABLISHMENTS
1. BACKGROUND
The United States Treasury is holding large balances of
certain foreign currencies designated as excess_ and near-excess
currencies. Failure-._=to-~fully-utilize these funds in the past has
resulted in large losses in value due to devaluations and general
loss of purchasing power. Special efforts should be made to see
that obligations for goods and services in countries whose
currencies are excess or near-excess are made payable in those
currencies rather than in U.S. dollars. Payments for travel,
transportation, per diem and related costs afford an excellent use
of these currencies and every effort should be made to encourage
their use.
2. PURPOSE
The information contained in these guidelines is being issued
to clarify OMB Circular No. A-20 in the use of US-owned foreign
currencies for the payment of transportation, per diem and related
travel expenses of employees, uniformed personnel, grantees,
employees of contractors or others whose travel is on official
government business or in connection with activities financed by the
U.S. Government, including travel of. dependents where authorized.
These guidelines concern the use of US-owned currency of the
countries designated as excess and near-excess currency countries.
(REF 4 FAM 360, 471.8 and 6 PAM 128.1). The Department of Treasury
determines on an annual basis which countries are designated as
excess or near-excess currency countries. M/COMP/FO/FC will update.
these guidelines each October to indicate current conditions-and
countries (See Attachment A). Inquiries should be addressed to the
Foreign Currency Staff (M/COMP/FO/FC) U. S. Department of State,
Washington, DC. 20520, Tel. [phone].
V
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3. RESCISSION OF PRIOR BULLETINS
These guidelines rescind and supersede State Department
Guidelines for Travel, Transportation, Per Diem, and Related Costs
Associated with Excess and Near-Excess Currency Designated Countries
dated June 18, 1986.
4. DESIGNATION OF EXCESS AND NEAR-EXCESS CURRENCY COUNTRIES
Excess currencies. This term refers to US-owned foreign
currencies in n excess of the normal requirements (generally a
two-year supply) of U.S. Government agencies within the country
involved.
Near-Excess Currencies. This term refers to US-owned foreign
currencies which exceed the U.S. Government's immediate needs within
the-country involved, but are not sufficient to be declared excess.'
In some excess or near-excess currency countries the national
governments have agreed to allow airlines to convert these foreign
currencies to US dollars. At present INDIA, PAKISTAN AND-POLAND
have negotiated agreements which allow the conversion of local
currency to US dollars. Due to these agreements Pan American
Airways and TWA can convert their foreign currency receipts to US
dollars. These airlines should be used when 75% of the travel or
transportation services to or from these countries is provided by
these airlines. In other countries the national governments do not
allow this type of conversion and the US government cannot require
local currency payments for these transportation costs. Local
currencies should be utilized to the maximum extent for the payment
of in-country per diem, shipments and travel.
5. UTILIZATION OF EXCESS AND NEAR-EXCESS CURRENCIES
Every effort should be made to see that travel related
obligations in excess and near-excess currency countries are made
payable in the currencies of those countries rather than in U. S.
dollars, no matter what appropriation or fund is to be used for
payment.. This should include transportation and travel related
obligations for American contractors, to the extent that the
contractor may be expected to require such currencies for necessary
expenses in the country involved. Provision should be inserted in
contracts requiring that U.S. dollars not be expended for
transportation and travel related costs in the country concerned.
6. LIMITATIONS FOR PAYMENT OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL IN FOREIGN
CURRENCIES (India, Pakistan and Poland)
(a) TRANSIT PASSENGERS
An employee must have bona-fide official business requiring an
official stop-over (24 hours minimum) in the excess or near-excess
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country to qualify for payment in that excess or near-excess
currency.
(b) SHIP TRAVEL
Ship travel originating or terminating in INDIA, PAKISTAN and
POLAND must use excess or near-excess currency up to the travel
expenses authorized. The U.S. Government costs are limited to those
which would accrue by authorized air travel.--
(c) CONNECTING TRAVEL
The agreements with INDIA, PAKISTAN and POLAND provide for
connecting air travel in the United States as part of the authorized
international travel. To include such connecting travel in the
through ticketing payable in foreign currency the GTR should be
presented to the international carrier involved in the travel.
Tickets purchased from such a carrier may of course provide
connecting air travel to or from any point in the United States. At
this time only PAN AMERICAN and TWA will accept payment in. excess or
near-excess foreign currencies. In order to charge the GTR to the
foreign currency, 75% of the designated travel must be for travel on
Pan Am or TWA. GTRs specifying payment in excess currencies should
not be presented to other airlines unless the airline is authorized
to use PAN AM or TWA ticket stock.
7. PROCUREMENT OF INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION FOR PAYMENT IN
FOREIGN CURRENCY (India, Pakistan and Poland)
The Government Transportation Request (GTR, SF 1169),
Government Bill of Lading (GBL, SF-1103) and other procurement
documents are used to procure travel charged to foreign currencies.
It is extremely important that 'PAYMENT IN (foreign currency)'
appear on the GTRs, GBLs, etc. If this statement is not included
then the carrier has the legal authority to demand a US dollar
payment. The 'BILL TO' portion of the GTR, GBL or other procurement
document must contain three instructions:
1. The name of the requesting agency
2. The address to be billed
3. The instruction on payment in foreign currency.
EXAMPLE: 'USIA, c/o American Embassy NEW DELHI, Dept.
of State, Washington, DC. 20520, PAYMENT IN INDIAN RUPEES.'
The Embassy billing addresses and corresponding foreign
currencies are:
United States Embassy
New Delhi
Budget and Fiscal Section
Dept of State
Washington, DC 20520
INDIAN RUPEES
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United States Embassy
Islamabad PAKISTAN RUPEES
Budget and Fiscal Section
Dept of State
Washington, DC. 20520
United States Embassy
Warsaw POLISH ZLOTYS
Budget and Fiscal Section
Dept of State
Washington, DC. 20520
Any preprinted information in the 'Bill to' space of GTRs and
GBLs inconsistent with the above instructions should be deleted.
The correct address may be shown in the fiscal block of the GTR if
additional space is needed.
Photocopies of these procurement documents should be forwarded
to the appropriate Embassy as soon as the purchase is made. The
receiving Embassy will maintain these copies in a suspense folder
until the billing is received. The copies should be forwarded as
follows:
a. 'Documents originating in the United States should be
mailed to the United States Embassy, ( ) (indicate
capital city of foreign country), ATTN Budget and Fiscal Section,
C/o Department of State, Washington, DC. 20520.
b. Documents originating from overseas posts should be sent
via air pouch to the appropriate Embassy as soon as the obligation
is established.
Such documents should be sent through official channels
whenever possible. A.P.O. addresses may be used where available.
If feasible to personally deliver documents to an American Embassy
or Consulate for forwarding to another country, this should be done
in preference to use of open mail.
The present approved uses for transportation in India,
Pakistan and Poland follow:
Country Currency General Approved Use
India Rupee Air travel originating
or terminating in India or
transiting with stopover (24
hours minimum) for official
business in India. Surface-travel
originating or terminating in
India. Air or surface freight
shipments* originating or
terminating in India.
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Pakistan Rupee Air travel originating or
terminating in Pakistan or
transiting with stopover (24 hour
minimum) for official business in
Pakistan. Surface travel
originating or terminating
Pakistan. Air or surface freight
shipments* originating or
terminating in Pakistan.
Poland Zloty Air travel originating or
terminating in Poland or
transiting with stopover (24 hour
minimum) for official business.
Air or surface freight shipments*
originating or terminating in
Poland.
* Includes but not limited to baggage, household effects,, motor
vehicles and supplies.
8. PER DIEM AND PERSONAL EXPENSES (all excess and non-excess
currency countries)
Agencies should instruct travelers to minimize use of U. S.
dollars for travel and per diem expenses in all the excess and
near-excess currency countries, whether or not that currency is
available for payment of international transportation. If a U. S.
dollar travel advance (by GAsh, Treasury check, or traveler's check)
is made to the traveler to include official travel expenses while in
these countries, he should be told to convert these U. S. dollars
plus any other funds he intends to use for personal expenses into
US-owned foreign currency of such countries upon arrival by
utilizing the accommodation exchange service provided by the
American Embassy or U. S. Consulate or other location listed in the
attachment to this document.
Embassy cashiers may exchange US-owned foreign currency of the
country where located for U.S. currency, Treasury checks, personal
checks, traveler's checks or other negotiable instruments drawn in
U.S. dollars. A passport or other adequate identification must be
shown when requesting accommodation exchange.
Travelers should be advised to purchase all their local
currency needs in the excess and near-excess countries by
accommodation exchange prior to paying hotel bills, buying
transportation tickets, etc.
Travelers should take a supply of personal or traveler's checks
for conversion to local currency by accommodation exchange for
official costs and--personal expenses while in an excess or._
near-excess currency country.
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9. DELEGATION OF CERTIFYING AUTHORITY
Any agency designating an Embassy for payment of travel and
transportation bills which does not have its own authorize3
certifying officer stationed there, must in accordance with Volume
4, Foreign Affairs Manual, Sec. 068, authorize Department of State
certifying officers at the appropriate Embassy to certify vouchers
against its appropriations or funds cited on GTRs, GBLs or other
documents. With such delegation the carrier bills will be certified
and submitted to the U. S. Disbursing Officer (USDO) for payment.
Many agencies have already delegated unlimited certifying
authority to Department of State certifying officers at overseas
posts, and others have delegated limited authority. Agencies making
delegations should forward them in writing to Office of Financial
Operations, Department of State, Rosslyn Station, P. 0. Box 9487,
Arlington, Virginia 22209. Information regarding delegations may be
obtained from Office of Financial Operations, Telephone No. (703)
235-9309. Agencies whose activities fall under the provisions of
this bulletin are encouraged to delegate certifying authority for
use in all appropriate excess and near-excess currency countries.
10. EXCHANGE RATE
For carrier bills presented to Embassies for payment in local
currency, agencies will be charged the U. S. Dollar equivalent at
the rate used by the USDO for official U. S. expenditures prevailing
at the time of payment. US-owned foreign curency purchased by
travelers offers a rate at-least as favorable as the most favorable
rate legally available in the country. Under no circumstances
should any traveler representing the U. S. Government become
involved in black market transactions. To do so subjects the
traveler to disciplinary actions. Government per diem rates in
foreign countries are related to rates of exchange legally available
to U.S. employees in the country.
11. MONTHLY REPORTS
The USDO for each Embassy will render a 'Statement of
Transactions'. SF-1221, monthly to each agency to account for
disbursements made on its behalf. Agencies which have not already
done so should provide the Office of Financial Operations,
Department of State, Washington, D. C. 20520, with the address to
which the SF-1221 is to be mailed.
If a department or agency using this service has multiple
bureaus or office addresses for receipt of SF-1221's this must be
clearly stated and each 'bureau' or 'office' abbreviated designation
should be associated with each address just as it will appear in the
'Bill to' space on GTRs, GBLs or other procurement documents.
SF-1221's will be prepared and mailed to these separate addresses if
the carrier provides the billing separately on Voucher Form
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SF-1171. Where carriers do not bill separately it will not be
feasible for the USDO to provide separate SF-1221's. In this case
it will be up to each agency in Washington to distribute these
charges to their internal offices and bureaus.
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ATTACHMENT A
EXCESS AND NEAR-EXCESS CURRENCY COUNTRIES FOR FY 19'87
EXCESS CURRENCY COUNTRIES
COUNTRY
Burma
Pakistan
Po14nd
CURRENCY
Kyat
Rupee
Zloty
NEAR-EXCESS CURRENCY COUNTRIES
COUNTRY CURRENCY
India Rupee
Taiwan
Dollar
EMBASSY
Rangoon
Islamabad
EMBASSY
CONSULATE
Karachi
Peshawar
Lahore
CONSULATE -
New Delhi Bombay
Khartoum
Calcutta
Madras
American Institute of
? Taiwan
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