Travel Policy for ARIN-Region NRO NC Members

Updated as of 03 September 2019

Overview

• Travel expenses incurred by members of the ARIN-Region NRO NC (NRO NC Member) are reimbursed to the NRO NC Member upon request, if their company is not able to absorb the cost.
• Travel must be approved by ARIN in advance in order to receive reimbursement.
• All travel arrangements should be coordinated through ARIN’s Administrative Coordinator.
• Additionally, the President of ARIN must approve any single estimated expense exceeding $5,000.00 (USD) in advance, in order to qualify for reimbursement for such expense.
• Travel Expense Reports must be received by ARIN within thirty (30) days of the conclusion of the travel.
• Travel Expense Reports submitted after sixty (60 days will be considered for reimbursement only if accompanied by a letter to the President of ARIN detailing the reason for the delay in submission. The President of ARIN will review the letter and will determine, based on the circumstances outlined, whether to approve the reimbursement.

Allowable Expenses

Air Travel

Allowable expenses for round-trip travel will be based on 14-day advance purchase rates on full-fare, refundable Coach Class flights, and flex fare Coach flights on Canadian airlines, within North America, the Caribbean Islands, and other locations to be determined at ARIN’s discretion.

Business class flights will be made on most International flights in excess of seven (7) hours inclusive of stopovers and change of planes.

Making Air Travel Arrangements

It is preferred that airline tickets be purchased directly through ARIN. Please remember that this would not be a reimbursable expense, since ARIN is purchasing the ticket.

If the NRO NC Member prefers to make his/her own arrangements, ARIN will provide a round-trip quote for airfare to the NRO NC Member prior to the Member making his/her arrangements. This quote will be used as a budgetary ceiling for the NRO NC Member to purchase his/her airline tickets. The quote will be based on full-fare and/or flex-fare Coach class flights, or business class flights, depending on the destination.

Actual cost must be equal to, or less than, the budget provided for each trip.

Should an NRO NC Member purchase their own e-ticket, they will provide ARIN with a copy of the ticket receipt to include payment detail.

Any and all fees associated with changes to purchased itineraries will be paid by ARIN (or reimbursed to the NRO NC Member) only if said changes have been requested and authorized by ARIN.

If an NRO NC Member is reimbursed in advance of the travel dates for a ticket that they purchased and, for any reason, they do not travel using the ticket, the NRO NC Member will be financially responsible for reimbursing ARIN any refundable portion within 30 days after cancellation of their travel plans, and coordinating their use of non-refundable tickets for future ARIN travel.

Upgrading Air Travel Class of Service

Upgrades can be obtained upon request at time of booking, using the NRO NC Member’s personal frequent flyer miles/certificates or, by the NRO NC Member paying the difference between the fare that ARIN will provide and the cost of the fare for the class of service the NRO NC Member wants. Please remember: Every effort is made to ensure a flawless itinerary to include hotel accommodations. However, it is each NRO NC Member’s ultimate responsibility to make sure, prior to their approval of said itinerary, that it is accurate.

Lodging

Hotel rooms will be paid by ARIN on the Master Account for any ARIN Public Policy & Members Meetings held, either alone or jointly with another organization. All hotel reservations will be arranged directly through ARIN to include arrival one day prior to the meeting, departing the day after the meeting, or for a shorter stay of time if applicable.

If, for any reason, the Member cannot stay in the venue hotel, (ex., venue hotel is sold out) the following applies: Reimbursement for lodging at another hotel will be based on published room rates for a standard room at that hotel. Rates in excess of the rate for a standard room must be approved in advance, or the excess will not be reimbursed. All hotel in-room services are the responsibility of the individual - including, but not limited to: use of in-room phone, room service, laundry, movies, mini-bar (if available). When needed to perform work, travelers may submit in-room Internet access expenses.

In the event that an NRO NC Member reserves their own hotel room, ARIN will reimburse hotel costs no greater than the published, discounted group rate of the meeting.

Meals and Incidental Expenses

Expenses are covered one of two ways:

1. 100% per the current published U.S. Government standard per diem rates for meals and incidental expenses for domestic and international destinations; or,
2. Keep all reasonable meal receipts (excluding alcohol), and be reimbursed for actual meal expenses.

Per Diem Rates

The Administrative Coordinator will inform the NRO NC Members of the approved per diem rate for each destination.

NRO NC Members are entitled to full per diem reimbursement for each day of ARIN-related travel.

Conference Registration

NRO NC Members are responsible for their own conference registration, except to RIR meetings where ARIN is given complimentary registrations. ARIN’s Administrative Coordinator will inform those traveling that they have been registered.

ARIN will not reimburse conference registration costs in excess of the conference “Early-bird Registration” rates. Registration should be done at the earliest possible date, as the price increases after the “Early-Bird’ rate cut-off.

Transportation

Reimbursement will be made for reasonable ground transportation to and from the airport and hotel; and, from hotel to conference location when necessary. If driving a personal vehicle to an ARIN event, tolls, parking, and mileage will be reimbursed, with the applicable receipts. If circumstances warrant renting a car, ARIN’s President must approve the request in advance.

Variable Expenses

ARIN will reimburse the following variable expenses, provided they are itemized on a signed (original signature or electronic) Travel Expense Report; and, the original or photocopied receipts for all expenses greater than $25.00 (USD) are submitted with the report.

• Reasonable cab fare for meeting-related transportation; and,
• Airport transportation costs including: tolls, parking, cab fare, and the current published U.S. Government per diem rate for mileage when using a personal vehicle; and,
• Airline Baggage Fees: 1 bag up to $35 (USD) per trip, for each leg of air travel.

Allowable Travel

ARIN is responsible for coordinating travel arrangements for ARIN-Region NRO NC Members as follows:

• Travel for all ARIN-Region NRO NC Members to attend the two (2) ARIN Public Policy & Member Meetings per year to include attendance at the NANOG meeting when held in conjunction with an ARIN Meeting.
• Travel for all ARIN-Region NRO NC Members to attend one (1) face-to-face meeting of the ICANN Number Resources Organization’s Number Council, domestic or international.
• Travel for all ARIN-Region NRO NC Members to ICANN meetings held within the ARIN Region.
• When the NRO NC Chair is an ARIN-Region NRO NC Member, he/she can travel to ICANN meetings held in non-ARIN regions.

In the event that the NRO NC Chair (regardless of Region) is not available, and the Vice Chair is an ARIN-Region NRO NC Member, the Vice Chair may travel to ICANN meetings held in non-ARIN regions.

Note: The Number Resources Organization (NRO) funds the travel of the NRO NC Chair (or Vice-Chair if the Chair is unavailable), to each ICANN meeting.

The President and CEO must approve any additional trips in advance.
 

Instructions and Information for Submitting Travel Expense Reports

The Travel Expense Report must detail all travel-related expenses and the purpose of the trip, together with all supporting documentation. Individual expenses can be recorded daily. The Travel Expense Report must have an original or electronically inserted signature of the NRO NC Member, in order for said Member to be reimbursed. NRO NC Members may submit original or photocopied receipts with their Travel Expense Report.

The current published U.S. government per Diem rates for lodging and meals and incidental expenses will be obtained from the Administrative Coordinator. The current published U.S. government Mileage Reimbursement Rates for Privately Owned Vehicles (POV) can be obtained from the Administrative Coordinator.

Hotel lodging rates, or a link to the conference hotel’s website where hotel lodging rates can be found, are published on the website for each conference.

Reimbursement

• For U.S. citizens: Reimbursements can be made by check or ACH in U.S. dollars
• For Non-U.S. citizens: Reimbursements can be made by check in U.S. dollars; or, by wire in NRO NC Member’s resident country’s currency (when permitted by resident country) in accordance with information supplied by the NRO NC Member on their Travel Expense Report.

Submit the Travel Expense Report together with all supporting documentation to:

• Via email to the Administrative Coordinator;
• Via U.S. Mail to the Director, HR/Administration at:
  ARIN
  P.O. Box 232290
  Centreville, Virginia 20120 USA; or,
• Via secure fax to: 1 (703) 997- 6200