1. Transition to Omega World Travel
Travel Informational & Training Meeting
SSC Room 53
August 10, 2016
Good Afternoon – thank you for joining us today. I am Pam Turk, JLab Acctg Manager.
As you all are aware, we have transitioned to a new travel agency – Omega World Travel
Today’s meeting will be broken down in two sections. First, I will be presenting general information stemming from the transition.
The second part will be a demonstration of the Concur Reservation System presented by Omega representatives
Questions and time constraints hold my questions to the end,
Questions during Concur demonstration are to be asked at that time

2. Introduction of JLab Transition Team
Jenita Everett, Staff Accountant & Acting Travel Supervisor
Sasi Wojcik, Travel Accounting Specialist
Matt Krug, Financial System’s Manager
Christine Fragapane, Projects Administrator (TC Rep.)
Pam Turk, Accounting Manager
I’d like to introduce the JLab and transition team…

3. Introduction of Omega Staff
David Coffman, Implementations Manager
Jeff Embrey, Account Manager
Janice Bowser, Primary Corporate Agent
Debbie McDonald, Applications Management
From the Omega side, we have…
Debbie McDonald – Remotely
Dianne St. Amant, VA Beach Branch Manager – will be at JLab sometime during the month.

4. Introduction to Omega
Selected as JLab’s new agency based on their capabilities, experience, advantageous pricing, and customer satisfaction.
Over 43 years of experience in the travel industry.
Diversified customer base across multiple industries including several DOE Laboratories.
Effective August 1, 2016 Omega is responsible for ALL travel related matters including reservations and unused tickets originally made by CI Azumano (CIAZ).
Effective August 1st
BNL, FERMI, & Argonne

5. Differences / Changes No On-site agent.
Policy violation pop-up message during reservation process will require justification:
Drop down box of reasons available.
Established electronic approval for policy violations:
Air, Rental Car, & Hotel,
Requires Travel Services (TS) approval,
Review validity of out of policy justification(s),
Rejections will auto generate an to the Travel Coordinator and Traveler,
TS approval for tickets >$2,100 has been eliminated.
Cost coupled with agency trends such as agents working from home drove this decision.
Omega Applications Management looking to see if there is a way to remove the Traveler.

6. Differences / Changes
Streamlined Omega’s validation of Approved Travel Authorization:
Rejections will auto generate an to the Travel Coordinator. A brief description identifying the reason will be provided to the Travel Coordinator who will be responsible for correcting the T/A.
Hotels booked through Concur
Over per diem
Conference hotels
Local hotels
Duty of Care for safety and security purposes:
Mobile numbers will be required in the Traveler’s Profile,
Recommend hotels are booked through Concur.
Streamlined approval –
If TA is NOT in SUBMITTED status, Omega will not see any information and an auto generated will be sent to the TC.
Validate Traveler’s Name, Start Date, & Funds authorized for airline ticket. (Recommend increasing estimate to avoid changes to TA)
Hotels booked through Concur
Over per diem - will require a justification and approval from Travel Services. If approved, no actual lodging form is required.
Conference hotels can be booked through Concur however if being offered a special rate, you must include the rate code in the notes section. Omega will call to have the rate adjusted.
Local hotels – working with the hotels to get our rate codes programmed in Concur (expect within the next couple weeks)
Duty of Care –
Sadly, there has been an increasing number of violent or terroristic type activities world-wide. Therefore, to help locate our travelers when incidences occur, it is necessary to have contact information immediately available.
Therefore, mobile numbers are required in the traveler’s profile. If they currently do not, the system will prompt the TC to add prior to gaining access to the travel wizard and making reservations.
A note on profiles – all required fields must be populated prior to submitting a reservation. Update the traveler’s current profile (Do not create a second profile).
Hotels booked through Omega allows the agency to run a report and provide better information of your whereabouts.
If only ticketing the airline, that only indicates where you flew in/out of not a more accurate physical location.

7. Differences / Changes After Hour Services: Charged to traveler’s POA.
Travel assistance calls to Omega outside normal business hours (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm EST/DST) are charged a service fee of $15 per call so travelers should limit calls during these hours to emergencies or unforeseen changes in travel plans,
Charged to traveler’s POA.
Southwest Reservations:
Can now be reserved via Concur,
Will receive policy violation notice – DISREGARD at this time,
Will be included in determining lowest available coach fare,
No seats pre-assigned, will receive boarding zone code at time of check-in.
Check-in available 24 hours prior to departure
SW offers Early-Bird boarding pass at an additional cost,
JLab will not reimburse the traveler for this cost.
All Southwest reservations will result in a policy violation at time of booking, please disregard at this time… Omega is looking into a workaround for this.

8. Pricing Structure Year 1 Aug 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017
Agent-booked itineraries (International) $28.00,
Self-booked through Concur,
Omega $6.00
Concur $4.15
Southwest $2.00
Amtrak $2.00
Hotel $0.00
Rental Car $0.00
After Hours $15.00
We need some time to work out the billing logistics to determine the best approach in capturing these costs.
Once identified we will provide you with guidance on how to record on the ER.
In the meantime, please include the total price of the ticket plus $6.00 (if booked via Concur) as one amount under Co. Paid Airfare.

9. Airline Industry Profit Creativity
Seat Selection at Ticketing:
All seats available at time of ticketing;
Must select a seat available for no additional cost,
Yes, even if it is a middle seat.
Only seats available for purchase at time of ticketing;
Select the least expensive seat,
Even if it is in the middle, by the window, or in the back.
No seats available at time of ticketing;
Select a seat at time of obtaining boarding pass,
If unable to obtain a seat without going to the airport, go to ticket counter (not the kiosk) upon arrival. They must give you a seat at no additional cost.
Show up early for check-in
But not in the lavatory.
You might even get lucky and be assigned an aisle seat!

10. Omega Applications Management
Concur Demonstration
Debbie McDonald
Omega Applications Management
3:20-4:15 Concur Demonstration (Debbie)
Existing profiles & establishing a new profile from entry through approval,
(i.e. Cell Phone must be included)
User Experience - Creating new reservations & new features
Application of unused airfare. (CIAZ and Omega issued tickets)
Policy parameters (Air, Rental Car, & Lodging),
Out of Policy Procedures (JLab Approval),
Accept / Reject notifications.
Omega validation of Travel Authorization,
Accept / Rejection notifications.
Creating cost comparison itineraries,
Omega Alerts.

11. Travel Contact Information
Omega World Travel 
Primary Corporate Agent: Janice Bowser
Standard Business Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm
Domestic #:
International # will be included on your itinerary.
All calls to Omega outside of standard business hours will automatically drop into an After Hour Services queue and will incur additional charges per call (not issue).
Concur General & Technical support:
JLab Travel Services #: ,
Do not hesitate to contact Concur support there is no additional fee for this service.

12. Who do you call if you are traveling on a CIAZ issued itinerary?
Test Question 1:
Who do you call if you are traveling on a CIAZ issued itinerary?

13. Did you sign the meeting attendance sheet?
Test Question 2:
Did you sign the meeting attendance sheet?

14. DOE Requirements for Travel to France
Contact information at all times
Mobile Phone &
Physical Location Contact Information
Hotel & Business Venue
Stay is greater then 10 Business days
Requires Security Briefing at Embassy Paris
Offered Tuesday Mornings at 10am
Requires Appointment
Register in MIR3
FTMS & Country Clearance Submission to State Dept.
Required at least Two Weeks prior to Departure
Concur Profiles – Establish for All employee travelers
Use Guest profile only for guests
Mobile Phones – Telecommunications or Plan provider up to $10/day reimbursed
– one that you check regularly
Physical Location – Hotel, Business venue
Provide documents to travelers that are going to France
An All-Staff will be distributed this week – MUST READ
Attachments include much more required information
Web page has documents available under the Foreign Travel Tab

15. Questions?

16. Federal Acquisition Regulation
JLab required to follow Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
Part Travel Costs:
Excerpt to emphasize;
(b) Airfare costs in excess of the lowest priced airfare available to the contractor during normal business hours are unallowable except when such accommodations require circuitous routing, require travel during unreasonable hours, excessively prolong travel, result in increased cost that would offset transportation savings, are not reasonably adequate for the physical or medical needs of the traveler, or are not reasonably available to meet mission requirements.