§ 101-41.203-1 - Procurement from carriers.

(a) All passenger transportation services shall be procured with a GTR, Government contractor-issued charge card, or centrally billed account unless otherwise provided in § 101-41.203-2 of this subpart. Agency heads or their designees may specify which of these Government-provided methods of payment, or combination thereof, travelers will use to procure official passenger transportation services. Such services, regardless of the procurement method specified by the agency, must be procured directly from either a carrier or a travel agent. A travel agent may be used only as prescribed in the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), 41 CFR chapters 301-304 or applicable regulations of the Department of Defense (DOD).

(b) The use of U.S.-flag vessels for travel on official business and of U.S.-flag certificated air carriers for Government-financed passenger transportation is required by statute (46 U.S.C. 1241 and 49 U.S.C. 1517) when such vessels and air carriers are available. Compliance with these statutes is mandatory whether the U.S. Government pays the transportation charges to the carrier direct or through reimbursement of an individual or other entity. Uniform standards and procedures prescribed by the Comptroller General of the United States for guidance of all departments, agencies, travelers, carriers, and others concerned in conforming to these statutes are found in 4 CFR 52.2 and in various Comptroller General decisions.