Announcements

Any questions or concerns related to Payment Services should be directed to the El Paso staff at PaymentServicesElp@ttuhsc.edu.

Reminder: El Paso Finance tab should used to access TTUHSC El Paso forms.

Accounts Payable

OP 72.09 states that all receiving information for TechBuy purchase orders must be submitted through TechBuy. Although departments are not receiving paper invoices or requests from Accounts Payable to complete receiving documentation for e-invoices, receiving must still be completed timely for all items and services received.

Direct Pay

All TTUHSC El Paso direct pay expenditures must be processed through TechBuy using the appropriate TTUHSC El Paso direct pay form.

Purchasing Card

CitiBank expense report transactions from January 4, 2020 through February 3, 2020

Tuesday, February 4: The expense report is available to print starting February 4.
Wednesday, February 12: FOAP reallocations and descriptions to be updated in Citi must be processed by 2 p.m. Wednesday, February 12.
Wednesday, February 19: The expense report with all supporting documentation is due for review by 5 p.m.Wednesday, February 19.

Please review the checklist to ensure all required documentation is sent.
Click here for checklist.

Mail to: TTUHSC El Paso - Payment Services ELP - PCard

Note: The card will be suspended if the records are not received by the due date and/or there is documentation missing in order to complete the monthly review.

Travel

Coronavirus Communication Feb. 4, 2020

Message from the Office of the President: Travel Guidance for Universities and State Agencies - 2019 Novel Coronavirus

"The State of Texas encourages everyone to heed the advice of the State Department and the CDC and avoid travel to China. Universities, schools, and state agencies who have employees or students in China should arrange to return their people to the United States or move them to another area without ongoing coronavirus spread."

Please read the attached letter from Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt, M.D., for travel guidance and online resources related to the respiratory illness outbreak caused by 2019-nCoV.

Mileage Reimbursement Rate Effective Jan. 1, 2020

The State of Texas Comptroller's office announced that the state mileage reimbursement rate effective Jan. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020 is 57.5 cents per mile. This is a 0.5 cent decrease from the current rate of 58.0 cents per mile.

Reminder: If mileage reimbursement crosses the end of the calendar year (2019 and 2020), list as two separate lines on the voucher so that the correct rate is processed in the travel system.

Update on Airbnb Lodging Expenses

On May 8, 2019, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts updated a list of companies that boycott Israel as required by Texas Government Code Chapter 808. That list no longer includes Airbnb. This notice revokes the notice below which was sent earlier in March about Airbnb lodging expenses.

Original Notice of Airbnb Ban

On March 1, 2019, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts updated a list of companies that boycott Israel as required by Texas Government Code Chapter 808. That list now includes Airbnb, Inc., which operates the Airbnb online lodging rental marketplace. The intent of this statute, together with a related provision in Texas Government Code Chapter 2270, is to prevent state funds from being expended with companies that boycott Israel.

As a result, an expense for a stay in Airbnb lodging on or after April 1, 2019, is not reimbursable, nor is it an eligible expense, on state or grant funds. An Airbnb lodging expense is reimbursable if the stay occured and was completed before March 31, 2019. If Airbnb lodging has already taken place, the Travel Office will reimburse all allowable expenses; however, state or grant funding may not be used.

It is highly recommended that you cancel any upcoming bookings that you have already arranged. Cancellation fees will be permiteed on your travel voucher. Any Airbnb lodging booked after April 1, 2019 (our initial notification date of the ban) will not be reimbursable to the traveler.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Travel Office at travelelp@ttuhsc.edu.

New State Travel Agency and State Grant Fund Travel Requirements

The Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Section 20.413 directs the use of a state-issued travel card for all travel expenditures using state grant funds (funds beginning with 22).

Beginning September 1, 2018, all TTUHSC El Paso employees should use the state-issued travel card to purchase travel services when traveling on state grant funds. Travel services for airfare shall be charged to the state-issued travel card. Travel services for lodging, rental vehicles and other necessary travel expenses shall be charged to the state-issued travel card, when feasible.

A TTUHSC El Paso employee who expects to travel on official state business using state grant funds should apply for a state travel card (HSCEP OP 79.11). Instructions outlining the application process can be found on the Payment Services website under Helpful Links - Travel - Application Procedures.

To meet the requirements of TAC Section 20.413, employees who are denied a travel card and are traveling on official state business using state grant funds, will be instructed to use the state-contracted travel agent National Travel Systems (NTS). The airline ticket will be charged to the Business Travel Account (BTA) (HSCEP OP 79.05).

If your department will be arranging the travel for a prospective employee or non-employee regardless of the type of funding, the BTA should be used along with the state-contracted travel agent National Travel Systems (NTS).

Contact the TTUHSC El Paso Travel Office concerning questions about obtaining/using a state-issued travel card or use of the contracted state travel agency at travelelp@ttuhsc.edu.

Rental Car Contracts: Rental car contracts have been extended with Avis (including their Budget brand locations and cars) and Enterprise (including their national brand locations and car) extended through August 2015.

Airline Contract:	American Airlines and JetBlue Airways	Term Oct. 1, 2015 through Aug. 31, 2016
Rental Car Contract:	Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. and Enterprise Rent-A-Car	Term June 1, 2016 through Nov. 30, 2016

TRAVEL EXPENSES (60 days old) are TAXABLE to the EMPLOYEE EFFECTIVE 09/01/12

In accordance with IRS regulations, effective Sept. 1, 2012, any travel voucher not approved by the Travel Office that is over 60 days old will be taxable to the traveler. The Travel System will calculate based on the trip end date and will automatically record the taxable expense to Payroll. An email notification will be sent to the traveler should this occur.”