Yes, if you are an employee of an agency as defined in §301–1.1 of this chapter, you must use the E-Gov Travel Service when your agency makes it available to you. Until then, you must use your agency's existing Travel Management Service (TMS) to make your travel arrangements. If you are an employee of the Department of Defense (DoD) or of the Government of the District of Columbia, you must arrange your travel in accordance with your agency's TMS. Your agency may grant an exception to required use of TMS/ETS under §301–50.4, §301–73.102, or §301–73.104 of this chapter.

Yes, your agency head or his/her designee may grant an individual case exception to required use of your agency's current TMS or to required use of ETS once your agency has fully deployed ETS, but only when your travel meets one of the following conditions:

(a) Such use would result in an unreasonable burden on mission accomplishment (e.g., emergency travel is involved and TMS/ETS is not accessible; you are performing invitational travel; or you have special needs or require disability accommodations under part 301–13 of this chapter).

(b) Such use would compromise a national security interest.

(c) Such use might endanger your life (e.g., you are traveling under the Federal witness protection program, or you are a threatened law enforcement/investigative officer traveling under part 301–31 of this chapter).

If you do not have an approved exception under §301–50.4 or §301–73.104 of this chapter, you are responsible for any additional costs resulting from the failure to use the TMS or E-Gov Travel Service, including service fees, cancellation penalties, or other additional costs (e.g., higher airfares, rental car charges, or hotel rates). In addition, your agency may take appropriate disciplinary action.

An online self-service booking tool is an Internet based system that permits travelers to make their own reservations for transportation ( e.g ., air, rail, and car rental) and lodging. ETS and some agency TMS's incorporate a self service booking tool.

Yes, you should use the online self-service booking tool offered by ETS or your agency's TMS until ETS becomes available to you.

Note to section 301–50.7 : Some extenuating circumstances for which you may not be able to use online self-service booking are (1) when you are attending a conference where the conference sponsor has negotiated with one or more lodging facilities to set aside a specific number of rooms for conference attendees and to ensure that a set aside room is available to you, you are required to book lodging directly with the lodging facility, (2) when your travel is to a remote location and it is not possible to book lodging accommodations through the TMS or ETS, or (3) when such travel arrangements are so complex and circumstance will not allow you to book your travel through an online self-service booking tool.

[FTR Amdt. 2006–04, 71 FR 49375, Aug. 23, 2006]