PLEASE BE SURE TO SEND ALL COMPLETED APPLICATIONS VIA SECURE E-MAIL TO NMFS.TRAVELCARD@NOAA.GOV VIA ACCELLION

FAQ'S

Am I required to have a travel card? If you travel more than 5 times per year on official NOAA travel, yes, you must use a travel card.

How do I apply for a travel card? In order to receive a travel card you must first complete the GSA Smart Pay training (link below) and complete a travel card application signed by applicant approving official. Must be wet signatures, digital signatures will not be accepted.

How long is my Smart Pay certificate valid for? The certificate willbe valid for three years from the date received.

Will my credit be affected by applying for the card? No, a credit worthiness check is performed on all travel card applicants, per OMB Circular A-123, Appendix B, in order to mitigate the risk of fraud, misuse, and abuse of the government travel card program. The credit checks performed are considered a ‘soft hit’ to the cardholder’s credit, which means it, will not count as an actual hit against their credit.

I have an upcoming work trip but my card limit won't cover my expenses. You may have your credit limit temporarily increased by sending a copy of your Travel authorization (TA) to nmfs.travelcard@noaa.gov. Your limit will be increased to the amount listed in the travel authorization. Once the mission has been completed, the limit will revert to the original amount.

When must I pay off my travel card balance? The travel card is an account issued to an employee to pay for his or her official travel-related expenses when performing official temporary duty (TDY) travel away from their official duty station (ODS). The cardholder is liable for all charges placed on their card and must be paid in full on or before the ‘payment due date’ shown on the travel card statement, regardless of whether they have been reimbursed by NOAA or not.

What can I charge with my travel card? The travel card is an account issued to an employee to pay for his or her official travel-related expenses when performing official temporary duty (TDY) travel away from their official duty station (ODS).

May I withdraw cash from my travel card account? Yes, you may withdraw cash no more than three days prior to official travel or to pay for travel related expenses. All receipts must be submitted with travel voucher.