General Questions and Answers:

E-Gov Travel, one of the five GSA-managed E-Government initiatives, was launched in response to the President’s Management Agenda’s mission to improve the internal efficiency and effectiveness of the federal government. E-Gov Travel is a collaborative, interagency program. Its purpose is to realize the cost-savings, and increased service associated with a common, automated, and integrated approach to managing the travel function of the federal government’s civilian agencies.

The E-Gov Travel Service includes an online booking engine, travel management services, and a travel authorization and vouchering system (TAVS). GovTrip is the name of the Northrop Grumman (NG) E-Gov Travel system and it provides all of the aforementioned elements with Sato Travel as the embedded TMC.

DOI is implementing the GovTrip System in two phases. The first phase is the conversion to the Stand-Alone Online Booking Engine and that has been completed as of November 30th, 2007. The second phase of the implementation is the Travel Authorization and Travel Voucher System which is to be implemented throughout FY 2008, with FFS bureaus being fully implemented by September 30th, 2008.

To find out more about E-Gov Travel, go to GSA’s webpage at: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=15807&contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW

Your first step for logging into GovTrip: www.govtrip.com as a first time user will be to create an account. Please print either the Quick Start Guide or the detailed step-by step guide found at: http://www.doi.gov/pfm/etravel.html before trying to log in the first time.

Once you enter www.govtrip.com, you must click the Change Edition link located at the top of the page to exit the GovTrip General Version. Once you click Change Edition, choose Department of the Interior from the Select Agency Name drop-down box, check the Remember my Agency checkbox, and click the Set Version button. Then, click the big green Stand Alone Online Booking Engine Button. After reviewing the privacy and ethics policy, Click the First Time User? Create an Account link. Your will be able to choose your own User id and Password.

If you get an error message when setting up your user id and password, you have either picked a user id that already exists, and have to pick another one OR you have not been loaded by GovTrip system administrators yet. For more help, click on the Help Desk Link on the left side of the www.govtrip.com webpage to find your local system administrator.

If you click on Department of the Interior in the organization search and get “No data returned”, you are still in the GovTrip General Version and must change your edition to the Department of the Interior Version. Click the Change Edition link located at the top of the page to exit the GovTrip General Version. Once you click Change Edition, choose Department of the Interior from the Select Agency Name drop-down box, check the Remember my Agency checkbox, and click the Set Version button.

The unique id is not the user id and password you selected. It historically would have been your SSN and it’s used to validate your identity the first time you log in. Once you enter your user id and password, it will ask you to activate your account. The unique ID convention is as follows:

BIA/BIE – The letters BIA or BIE, followed by the first letter of your first name, first four letters of your last name, and the last four of your SSN. If your last name only has 2 or 3 letters, just use those letters.
Example: BIAJDOE1234 (the letters must be in all caps)

BLM – The letters BLM, followed by the first letter of your first name, first four letters of your last name, and the last four of your SSN. If your last name only has 2 or 3 letters, just use those letters.
Example: BLMJDOE1234 (the letters must be in all caps)

BOR – The letters BOR, followed by the first letter of your first name, first four letters of your last name, and the last four of your SSN. If your last name only has 2 or 3 letters, just use those letters.
Example: BORJDOE1234 (the letters must be in all caps)

FWS – The letters FWS, followed by the first letter of your first name, first four letters of your last name, and the last four of your SSN. If your last name only has 2 or 3 letters, just use those letters.
Example: FWSJDOE1234 (the letters must be in all caps)

MMS – The letters DOI followed by your FBMS vendor code.
Example: DOI40000000

NPS – The letters NPS, followed by the first letter of your first name, first four letters of your last name, and the last four of your SSN. If your last name only has 2 or 3 letters, just use those letters.
Example: NPSJDOE1234 (the letters must be in all caps)

OS – The letters OS, followed by the first letter of your first name, first four letters of your last name, and the last four of your SSN. If your last name only has 2 or 3 letters, just use those letters.
Example: OSJDOE1234 (the letters must be in all caps)

OSM – Use your FBMS vendor code.
Example: 40000000

SOL – The letters SOL, followed by the first letter of your first name, first four letters of your last name, and the last four of your SSN. If your last name only has 2 or 3 letters, just use those letters.
Example: SOLJDOE1234 (the letters must be in all caps)

USGS – The letters GS, followed by the first letter of your first name, first four letters of your last name, and the last four of your SSN. If your last name only has 2 or 3 letters, just use those letters.
Example: GSJDOE1234 (the letters must be in all caps)

Your GovTrip password will expire every 90 days.

Passwords should be a minimum of eight characters with at least one number, one upper case letter, two lower case letters, and one special character (!@#$%^&*).

If you have forgotten both your password and challenge question, you will need to contact the GovTrip Help Desk at 1-866-486-6135 and press the option for password reset.

Yes.

If you must call a travel agent, you should call 1-866-486-6135.

Questions on Transactions Fees:

The following web page provides current transaction fee rates. http://www.doi.gov/pfm/etravel.html

Domestic No Touch Service ($4.60) – Reservation and booking is initiated and completed utilizing the GovTrip Online Booking Tool with no TMC Counselor support.

Domestic Touched Service ($27.75) – Services which require the assistance of a TMC Agent which may include:

• Initiating an Authorization on behalf of a Traveler
• Creating and booking reservations through a live agent
• Booking certain Airlines that do not participate in the GDS, such as Airtran and JetBlue; a complete listing of these airlines can be found at:  http://www.doi.gov/pfm/etravel/obe_guidance.html
• Changes to a reservation that might have begun as a No Touch Service transaction but later requires agent assistance
• Changes to ticketed reservations
• Adding a request or a comment while in the reservation module
• Additional support requests that require the intervention of a TMC Agent
• Rail Reservations

The transaction fee is charged when the ticket is issued. Tickets will be issued 2 business days prior to travel, unless you have purchased a restricted fare, then tickets are issued immediately. You also have the option to request tickets be issued at anytime, by using the Advanced Ticketing Date functionality on the signature page in GovTrip.

Questions on Profiles:

For most users, much of your basic profile has been done. However, when you log into GovTrip for the first time, you should verify all of your profile information to verify that it is indeed correct. You will need to enter your charge card information or verify it was loaded, before you start your first reservation. The traveler profile only has to be created one time, and the information and preferences will be stored for future travel.

Once you have logged into to GovTrip with your user name and password, activated your account, and chosen a challenge question; you will be on your GovTrip Welcome page. The third blue tool bar says Traveler Setup, and you will click on Travel Profile under that tab. Then click the link called My Account Information, and scroll to the bottom and click the Edit EFT and Credit cards button. Enter the 16 digit account number in the account number field. Leave the Routing number field blank. Use the calendar to enter your expiration date, choose the last day of the month even though your card does not display that day. Choose GOVCC from the EFT type drop down list and click the Save Permanent button. You will have to click the Return button to get back to the other Profile sections.

From your GovTrip Welcome page, roll to the third blue tool bar that says Traveler Setup, and you will click on Travel Profile under that tab. Then, click the link called My Preferences. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see three buttons call Freq Flyer, Hotel Rewards, and Car Rental Club. Click on these buttons as desired and enter information.

Your traveler profile gives Northrop Grumman (NG) and SATO Travel valuable information they need to book a trip, provide tickets, and meet your travel needs. It includes information such as your ticket delivery address, phone, e-mail address, charge card number, preferred airport, frequent flyer numbers, preferred seat request, and any special needs you may have. Your information must be in your traveler profile before you can use the Stand-Alone Online Booking Engine.

You do not have to wait. Once your traveler profile is saved in the system, you can begin making reservations.

Yes. In the traveler’s profile there is a field for alternate email addresses. You can enter more than one email address in this field, please separate email addresses by using a comma.

The emergency contact information is not a personal emergency contact, but rather the person at your agency that can help with ticketing issues in the event you can not be reached.

If this happens you can click on a tab at the top of the page called Additional Options, then click on My Account Information and then look for the small link towards the bottom that says Refresh Account Data, it will pull the credit card info into that document.

Questions on Using GovTrip for Obtaining Travel Reservations:

Effective October 15th, 2007, you should use the GovTrip System’s Stand-Alone Online Booking Engine. You can find that by going to www.govtrip.com and scrolling down to the box entitled “Stand-Alone Online Booking Engine”. If you have less than 24 hours for a trip, you should contact SATO directly at 1-866-486-6135.

From your GovTrip Welcome page, the first blue tool bar says Official Travel, and you will click on Authorizations/Orders to begin your new reservation if you are a traveler. Then, you will click the Create New Authorization/Order link to begin your reservation. Even though the wording says Authorization, DOI is only using the stand alone booking engine at this time. This will not become an authorization for your Bureau or office until you convert to the full version of GovTrip. This is just a reservation.

If you arrange travel for others, you will go to the second blue tool bar that says Official Travel-Others. Click Authorizations/orders, then a search window will open. You will search for your traveler by entering their last name and clicking Search. You will select your traveler from the listing that pops up and click the Proceed button. If you can not find your traveler you may need assistance from your system administrator to grant you group access.

You can click on the Help Desk Link found on the left side of the main www.govtrip.com page for your local system administrator and the NG Help Desk number.

For Cancellations see detailed instructions at: http://www.doi.gov/pfm/etravel.html

For Modifications see detailed instructions at: http://www.doi.gov/pfm/etravel.html

In short, the GovTrip System will allow you to make as many changes as you want for air, car and/or hotel after you have submitted for purchase.  You will click on “Amend” on the document line. Then you will go in and click edit on the item you want to change. However, once a ticket is issued (2 days prior to travel), you will not be able to make any changes online.

If a change in travel plans happens after your ticket has been issued, please call Carlson/SATO at 1-866-486-6135 to make the change. There will be a full service charge applied due to making changes to a ticketed reservation. There will not be additional charges to cancel a ticketed reservation.

The online stand alone booking engine has not been programmed with DOI specific policies yet. You can ignore this; all charges will be charged to the Government charge card that you have entered into the GovTrip profile.

 

There will be an after hours emergency number on any booked invoice and the regular number will roll to the emergency desk after hours. The phone number is the same as the regular number (1-866-486-6135) and there will be an option for “Emergencies.”

At this time you must call SATO at 1-866-486-6135 to book invitational travel. Bureaus and Departmental Offices will be working on setting up GovTrip to accommodate invitational travel in the future.

No, International travel should not be booked online until we convert to the full version of GovTrip.

Etickets are the standard issued by most airlines. If any airline requires a paper ticket to be issued, a courier fee will apply.

Fedrooms properties should be listed at or below per diem. Other hotels can post any amount as their “Government” rate. The Lodging allowance will always be posted on the lodging webpage for quick reference.

Amtrak does not allow any outside Global Distribution system to purchase tickets directly from their inventory. The Amtrak schedules are posted on GovTrip and can be reserved online, but an agent will have to contact Amtrak to actually get the ticket. This will incur the full touch fee of 27.75 until Amtrak changes their business process.

No, GovTrip is for official travel only.

Travelers should be automatically sent an itinerary once they mark their trip “Signed” in the OBE. Invoices will be sent once a ticket is issued, and both can also be accessed at www.virtuallythere.com.

No, travelers will have to call an agent and book the official trip and then trade in the value of that ticket for what they really want to do. All personal costs and fees will be charged to the traveler’s personal card.

For detailed instructions see: http://www.doi.gov/pfm/etravel.html

You can only cancel online if you have not already been ticketed.  Otherwise, you can either call 1-866-486-6135 to cancel or you can amend the document online: go to the digital signature page under the Review/Sign tab and stamp the document cancelled.

There are several carrier’s who still require manual processing by the Travel Management Center regardless of whether they are booked online or not, because they do not participate in the travel industry’s Global Distribution System (GDS). Those carriers are as follows:

• AFRICA AIR CHARTER
• AIR NORTH
• AIRTRAN AIRWAYS
• ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY
• ATA AIRLINES
• BERING AIR INC.
• BIG
• CANADIAN NORTH/AIR NORTERRA INC.
• CAPE AIR
• ERA AVIATION
• EXPRESS JET
• FJORD FLYING SERVICE
• FORTY MILE AIR
• FRONTIER FLYING
• FRONTIER FLYING SERVICE
• FS AIR SERVICE / TRANS AIR BENIN
• GREAT LAKES
• HAGLAND AIRLINES
• HOMER AIR
• ISLAND AIR
• JET BLUE
• KENMORE AIR HARBOUR INC.
• LAB FLYING SERVICE
• LARRY’S FLYING SERVICE
• MESA AIRLINES
• OLYMPIC AIRLINES
• PACIFIC COAST AIRLINES.
• PAN AM CLIPPER CONNECT/BOSTON MAINE AIRWAYS
• PENAIR (PENINSULA AIRWAYS)
• PENAIR/PENISULA AIR
• PROMECH
• SPERNAK AIR
• SPIRIT AIRLINES
• WARBELOWS AIR VENTURES
• WINGS OF ALASKA
• WRIGHT AIR SERVICE