ARIN Volunteer Travel Procedures

Updated October 2024

Overview

• ARIN is committed to funding safe, comfortable, and timely travel for its volunteers at fair, market-based costs. Volunteers have the responsibility to follow this travel policy and procedures to help manage and minimize travel costs in alignment with these policies.
• Travel expenses incurred by volunteers are reimbursed upon request, if their company or other organization does not reimburse them.
• Volunteers will follow their group’s “allowable travel” guidelines and any list of approved trips resulting from a travel schedule or input from their Chair.
• Travel must be approved by ARIN in advance in order to receive reimbursement by working with ARIN’s Volunteer Support Specialist, who will provide the necessary instructions and assistance for the approval process.
• All travel arrangements should be coordinated through ARIN’s Volunteer Support Specialist as indicated below.
• Additionally, the President and CEO of ARIN must approve any single estimated expense exceeding $5,000.00 in advance in order to qualify for reimbursement for such expense.
• Travel Expense Reports should be received by ARIN within thirty (30) business days of the conclusion of the travel.
• Travel Expense Reports submitted after sixty (60) business days must be accompanied by a letter to the President and CEO of ARIN detailing the reason for the delay in submission. The President and CEO of ARIN will review the letter and will determine, based on the circumstances outlined, whether to approve the reimbursement.
• In order to engage in ARIN-sponsored travel, volunteers are required to self-certify as “Fit for ARIN Travel.” All volunteers who travel on behalf of ARIN must complete a required Certification as Fit for ARIN Travel Form provided by the Volunteer Support Specialist. The form is valid for a period of 12 months.
• Active attendance at conference/meeting is required for all ARIN sponsored travel. If the volunteer is unable to attend meeting sessions due to unforeseeable circumstances, the volunteer should coordinate with other ARIN representatives to ensure coverage.

Allowable Expenses

Air Travel

ARIN recognizes that volunteer schedules can change, and sometimes last-minute ticket purchases are often unavoidable. To the extent that schedules permit, allowable expenses for round-trip travel will be based on 14-day advance purchase rates on Economy Class flights with a “preferred seat” within North America, the Caribbean Islands, and other locations to be determined at ARIN’s discretion. In general, flights to meetings in and near our region will be Economy Class with a “preferred seat” upgrade at a nominal cost of approximately $150 or less per segment.

Business Class is permitted on international flights and flights outside continental North America that include any individual segment in excess of seven (7) hours.

Making Air Travel Arrangements

A) Volunteers may book their own airfare directly. All airfares must be purchased at least 14-days in advance of travel dates. Any exceptions must be coordinated with the Volunteer Support Specialist. If a volunteer wishes to purchase travel insurance, that cost must be included in the initial approval process prior to booking.

ARIN will provide a round-trip airfare quote to the volunteer. This quote will be used as a budgetary ceiling for the volunteer to purchase their airline tickets. Actual cost must be equal to, or less than, the budget provided for each trip. The amount of reimbursement will be based on the cost of a 14-day advance purchase round-trip ticket from the volunteer’s home location, or the actual cost of the ticket, whichever is less. Should a volunteer purchase their own airline ticket, they will provide ARIN a copy of the ticket receipt including payment details.

If the itinerary should include flights to other locations or extended travel dates, ARIN will reimburse the volunteer in the amount of a quote provided by the Volunteer Support Specialist for a round-trip/direct flight that pertains only to the ARIN-related meeting that the volunteer is attending.

If a volunteer is reimbursed in advance of the travel dates for a ticket that they purchased and, for any reason, they do not travel using the ticket, the volunteer will be financially responsible for reimbursing ARIN any refundable portion within 30 days after cancellation of their travel plans and coordinating their use of non-refundable tickets for future ARIN travel.

B) The volunteer may also utilize the Volunteer Support Specialist to book their airfare, which will be paid for by ARIN directly. In this case, the airfare is not reimbursable.

The Volunteer Support Specialist can request upgrades at the time of booking, using the volunteer’s personal frequent flyer miles/certificates, or by the volunteer paying the difference between the fare that ARIN will provide, and the fare for the class of service the volunteer wants.

C) Fees associated with changes to purchased itineraries will be paid by ARIN (or reimbursed to volunteer) only if said changes have been requested and authorized by ARIN.

Lodging

Hotel reservations will be arranged directly through ARIN. The length of the hotel stay for ARIN-related travel includes arrival one day prior to meetings and departure one day after the meeting, or for a shorter stay of time, if applicable.

• Hotel reservations for ARIN Public Policy and Member Meetings will be made and paid for by ARIN on the Main ARIN Account, to include ARIN meetings held jointly with another organization.
• For industry-related meetings with respective room blocks, hotel reservations can be made by the Volunteer Support Specialist at the published group rate (when applicable) for the respective meeting. Payment for these reservations will be the responsibility of the volunteer upon check out of the hotel. If volunteer wishes to make their own reservations, please indicate that in advance to the Volunteer Support Specialist. Room rates in excess of the published discounted group rate of a standard room at a conference hotel must be approved in advance or may not be considered an allowable expense.
• For conferences or miscellaneous business meetings that do not have room blocks, the Volunteer Support Specialist can assist with making hotel reservations or the volunteer can make their own reservations with a pre-approved hotel.
• Hotel in-room services are the responsibility of the volunteer, such as: room service; laundry; movies; and mini-bar (if available).

Meals and Incidental Expenses

Meals and incidental expenses for each day of ARIN-related travel are covered one of two ways:

1. Either: 100% per the current published U.S. Government standard per diem rates for meals and incidental expenses for domestic and international destinations; or,
2. Keep all reasonable meal receipts (excluding alcohol) and be reimbursed for actual meal expenses.

The Volunteer Support Specialist will inform volunteers of the approved per diem rate for each destination. Volunteers are entitled to full per diem reimbursement for each day of ARIN-related travel.

ARIN will reimburse for necessary and reasonable, business-related expenses incurred by the volunteer as a result of performing ARIN duties including, but not limited to telephone; facsimile; Internet access; and teleconference calls. Any such expense expected to be greater than $100, must be pre-approved by the ARIN President and CEO.

ARIN staff sometimes arranges a business dinner for the Board and AC for the week of their scheduled in-person meetings. These dinners are considered a continuation of the elected body’s business meeting and is only intended for elected members of the body and the staff members who support them, unless otherwise specified by the President and CEO in coordination with the respective Chair.

Transportation

Reimbursement will be made for reasonable ground transportation to/from the airport and hotel, from hotel to conference location, and offsite locations such as restaurants or planned company/meeting social events when necessary. If driving a personal vehicle to an ARIN event, tolls, daily (non-valet) rate airport parking, and mileage will be reimbursed, with the applicable receipts. If circumstances warrant renting a car, ARIN’s President and CEO must approve the request in advance. Rental car costs, tolls, parking, and fuel purchases for rental cars will be reimbursed.

Variable Expenses

ARIN will reimburse the following variable expenses; provided they are itemized on a signed (original signature or electronic) Travel Expense Report and the original, or photocopied, receipts for expenses greater than $25.00 are submitted with the report:

• Conference registration fees, if required by the volunteer’s ARIN duties.
• Please see the Volunteer Support Specialist for details on the RIR Meeting Registration Fees and instructions. ARIN will only reimburse “Early-bird” conference registration costs, as the price increases after the “Early-Bird” rate cut-off.
• International cell phone or Sim Card charges incurred for duration of ARIN-sponsored international travel.
• Reasonable transportation/taxi fare, in and around the city for transportation.
• Airline standard baggage fees up to one bag at the standard airline cost.
• Airport transportation costs (including tolls, daily (non-valet) rate airport parking, cab fare, and the current published U.S. Government rate for mileage when using a personal vehicle).
• Required vaccinations for ARIN sponsored international travel.

Allowable Travel

Selection for travel has been performed resulting from a travel schedule or their Chair’s guidance. Volunteers will attend Internet industry meetings such as ICANN, Internet Governance Forum (IGF), RIR, and other Internet Governance or technical events as selected. This travel allows volunteers to be more informed of the Internet ecosystem in which ARIN operates, and thus improves decision-making as a volunteer.

Board of Trustees

• The two ARIN Public Policy and Members Meetings per year, to include attendance at the NANOG meeting when held in conjunction with the ARIN meeting.
• Attendance of ICANN, IGF, RIR, other Internet Governance or technical events as selected.
• In-person Board meetings typically held in January and August of each year.

Advisory Council

• The two ARIN Public Policy and Members Meetings per year, to include attendance at the NANOG meeting when held in conjunction with the ARIN meeting.
• One member of the ARIN AC is allowed travel reimbursement to each stand-alone NANOG meeting per year.
• Two members of the ARIN AC are allowed travel reimbursement to each of the other RIR’s meetings.
• AC members, as determined, may attend ARIN Outreach events (i.e., ARIN on the Road, etc.)
• In-person annual AC meeting typically held in January of each year.

Number Resource Organization Number Council (NRO NC)

• The two ARIN Public Policy and Members Meetings per year, to include attendance at the NANOG meeting when held in conjunction with the ARIN meeting.
• Travel for all ARIN-Region NRO NC Members to attend one face-to-face meeting of the NRO NC, domestic or international.
• Travel for all ARIN-Region NRO NC Members to ICANN meetings held within the ARIN Region.
• When the NRO NC Chair is an ARIN-Region NRO NC Member, they can travel to ICANN meetings held in non-ARIN regions.
• When the NRO NC Chair is not an ARIN-Region NRO NC Member, travel for one ARIN-Region NRO NC Member to ICANN meetings held in non-ARIN regions will be made (which ARIN-Region NRO NC Member will travel, will be determined by them).
• In the event that the NRO NC Chair (regardless of Region) is not available, and the Vice Chair is an ARIN-Region NRO NC Member, the Vice Chair may travel to ICANN meetings held in non-ARIN regions.
• The NRO funds the travel of the NRO NC Chair (or Vice-Chair if the Chair is unavailable), to each ICANN meeting.

Instructions and Information for Submitting Expense Reports

The Travel Expense Report must detail all travel-related expenses and the purpose of the trip, together with all supporting documentation. Individual expenses can be recorded daily. The Travel Expense Report must have an original or electronically inserted signature of the volunteer, in order for said volunteer to be reimbursed. Volunteers may submit original or photocopied receipts with their Travel Expense Report.

The current published U.S. Government per diem rates for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses will be obtained from the Volunteer Support Specialist. The current published U.S. Government Mileage Reimbursement Rates for Privately Owned Vehicles can be obtained from the Volunteer Support Specialist.

Hotel lodging rates, or a link to the conference hotel’s website where hotel lodging rates can be found, are published on the website for each conference.

Reimbursements

• For U.S. citizens: Reimbursements can be made by check or ACH in U.S. dollars
• For Non-U.S. citizens: Reimbursements can be made by check in U.S. dollars; or, by wire in volunteer’s resident country’s currency (when permitted by resident country) in accordance with information supplied by the volunteer on their Travel Expense Report.

Submit the Travel Expense Report together with all supporting documentation via email to the Volunteer Support Specialist. If available, the travel expenses can also be submitted through ARIN’s expense system, Concur Expense.