Bank charges an allowable cost under FAR 31.201-2?

Rose2010,

Are these charges for currency conversion, or just the normal ATM charges? If the former, I usually claim them as allowable; if the latter I usually do not claim them as they are more in the nature of personal expenses.

Hope this helps.

The are for both. Thanks this does help.

According to the FTR Chapter 301-12.1 transaction fees for use ATMs are allowable. The Far requires compliance with the FTR for related travel expenses.

Hi George_wickersham,

I agree with you that FTR Chapter 301-12.1 states that transaction fees for ATM use are reimbursable. But that's as far as I can go.

Consider, if you will,

1. The Travel Cost Principle at 31.205-46 does NOT "require compliance with the FTR for related travel expenses". Instead, it states that the FTR lodging and M&IE ceilings establish amounts considered to be reasonable for contractor employee travel reimbursement.

2. 31.205-46(a)(4) specifically limits the parts of the FTR that are applicable to contractors. 301-12.1 is not among the FTR sections made applicable to contractor travel by the FAR.

3. Even if 301-12.1 were made applicable by the FAR, it would not be applicable to TDY travel reimbursement. 301-12.1 pertains to reimbursable expenses related to Federal employee Income Tax Reimbursement Allowance (ITRA) -- which is associated with a long-term assignment to a single duty station, and NOT to TDY travel.

Thus, in my view, you cannot support the allowability of contractor employee ATM transactions fees by citation to FTR 301-12.1, at least for routine TDY-type travel.

Hope this helps.

If the TDY is in a foreign country, the FTR would not apply,but the DSSR would be the applicable regulation.

Retreadfed,

Yep. FTR, JTR, DSSR. As applicable.

H2H

Thank you all- this is very helpful!