Business Process Review of USAID/Washington Travel Authorizations

The review was initiated in response to concerns about inconsistent and inefficient travel authorization processes, which were affecting both travelers and the Agency as a whole. The review focused on two types of travel authorizations: electronic TAs, generated, processed, and approved within the E2 Travel Management System, primarily for temporary duty (TDY) travel, and paper TAs, generated, processed, and approved outside the E2 Travel Management System, primarily for entitlement travel. The review did not include a review of processes related to the submission or liquidation of travel vouchers, travel authorizations within overseas missions, or storage and shipment of household effects. Key observations from the review included inconsistent review of TAs, insufficient travel training and guidance help documents, and system limitations that impact user experience. The review found that the substantive review of TAs for TDY travel was inconsistent across the Agency, depending on factors such as the Bureau or Independent Office (B/IO) and the knowledge of those involved in the approval. Additionally, the timing of the review of entitlement TAs was unpredictable due to the complex nature of the travel. The review also found that the lack of training on the end-to-end travel process, combined with a lack of up-to-date, centralized help documents, led to traveler confusion and frustration, which may further increase the risk of policy violations. Furthermore, the review found that the E2 Travel Management System lacked customization and consistency in its use, impacting its utility across stakeholders. The Business Process Review aimed to improve the quality of TAs approved and the user experience, promote transparency in reporting, and increase policy compliance. The review used a four-phase approach, consisting of diagnosis, optimization, implementation, and assessment. The team conducted key informant interviews with travel staff, entitlement travel arrangers and approvers, AMS and Budget staff, E2 Help Desk staff, and Travel Management Center staff. The review also mapped the "as-is" authorization process for TDY and entitlement travel, identified stakeholders for all parts of the process, and delineated roles and responsibilities. The review analyzed E2 and manually collected TA data for TDY and entitlement travel, respectively, and examined Department of State and select overseas USAID mission travel authorization processes. The review developed recommendations to improve the efficiency (time and resources) and effectiveness of the travel authorization process, including modifications to roles and responsibilities, finalizing and expanding planned or existing training, and publishing more detailed policy and help documents. The review's expected impacts include improving the quality of TAs approved and the user experience, promoting transparency in reporting, and increasing policy compliance. The review's methodology ensured standardization, consistency, and replicability, and the team completed the diagnosis and began the optimization phases of the BPR approach.