Argonne National Laboratory’s Global Travel Services is updating the travel policy manual and will complete this work by the end of this calendar year as part of its commitment to continuous improvement. These efforts align with policy updates stemming from the Laboratory Management System (LMS) Improvement Project and the Improving How We Work initiative for Financial Management Get to Green. The first policy to change is Travel Manual Section 3.3: Booking Lodging, which took effect on July 26, 2019.
Some key changes are:
- Travelers must use the laboratory-designated travel-management company ADTRAV or the online booking tool GetThere to make lodging reservations.
- Exceptions will be very limited and tailored to circumstances where the preferred systems cannot meet the traveler’s need; for all exceptions, the traveler must provide lodging details (including location name, address, phone number, and confirmation number) to the laboratory-designated travel-management company.
- Home-sharing networks, including but not limited to Airbnb, HomeAway, and VRBO, are prohibited and will not be reimbursed.
The new policy establishes parity for all users and allows for better record-keeping, relationship-building, and efficiencies with our established partners. Additionally, these changes will help assure the safety of travelers and assist the laboratory in meeting all federal laws governing lodging. Lodging arrangements that do not comply with the revised policy will not be reimbursed.
Please review the full lodging policy before you plan travel.
Additional policy changes (addressing topics including rental cars and airfare) will follow.
For policy-related assistance, contact the Global Travel Office at GlobalTravel@anl.gov. For reimbursement-related assistance, contact Financial Management and Procurement Services at ocftravel@anl.gov.