Foreign Travel* is considered a restricted expense category by several Federal sponsors (and all NH state agencies), to the extent that sponsor written prior approval is required even in the rare case when foreign travel is specified and justified in the final, approved award budget. Other Federal sponsors, under codification of OMB Circular A-110, give awardee institutions the authority to approve foreign travel even if the travel was not itemized in the final, approved award budget. Because sponsor prior approval requirements for foreign travel vary so much, the reviewer/approver should consult the sponsor terms/conditions of the particular award and/or, for federal programs, the SPA-maintained “Matrix of Requested Actions and Federal Sponsor Requirements.”
Because the Project Director (PD) shares in the institution’s financial responsibility for sponsored programs expenditures, the Business Service Center (BSC) must have the PD’s documented request, justification, and authorization before the PD makes foreign travel plans. The BSC is responsible for obtaining and maintaining all necessary documentation to support the approval of the proposed foreign travel and for adherence to all USNH policies, specific sponsor award terms and conditions, and other prevailing regulations. Questions about prior approval for foreign travel should be addressed to the responsible SPA Grant and Contract Administrator (GCA) before initiating travel plans.
If sponsor prior approval is required, SPA’S GCA works with the PD to document the need for the travel and seek sponsor approval. Sponsor approval notices are maintained at SPA in the official University award files. SPA provides the BSC and PD with copies of all such sponsor approvals, as well as notifications of SPA’s approval or denial of each request for prior approval processed by SPA. Approved travel is processed according to standard USNH Purchasing policies and procedures. For further information see UNH Travel procedures at: http://www.finadmin.unh.edu/pol_proc/chapter_07/toc_07.html
If sponsor prior written approval is required or if any of the conditions below exists, the BSC administrator should not approve the request but, rather, contact the responsible GCA for review and assistance.
