Part 1200

§ 1200.1

Background and purpose.

The regulations in this part are issued under the authority of the International Travel Act of 1961, as amended. The purpose of the Act is to strengthen the domestic and foreign commerce of the United States; promote friendly understanding and appreciation of the United States by encouraging foreign residents to visit the States, as defined in § 1200.2; and facilitate international travel in general. On October 21, 1970, the Act was amended by Public Law 91-477. One of the amendments made to the Act by Pub

(a) "Act" means the International Travel Act of 1961, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2121 et seq.).

(b) "Assistant Secretary" means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Tourism or such official as may be designated to act in his behalf.

(c) "State" means one of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

a

(d) "Political subdivision" means unit of local government, including specifically, a county, municipality, city, town, township, or other special district created by or pursuant to law.

(e) "Private or public non-profit organizations" means an institution, organization, or association, either private or public, which has tax exempt status as defined in section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(f) "Applicant" means a State or political subdivision or combination thereof, or private or public nonprofit organiza

tion seeking a Federal grant for a travel promotional project.

project"

(g) "Travel promotional means an activity or program designed to enhance a State or political subdivision as a desired travel destination of residents of foreign countries or to inform such residents and to encourage them to visit a State or political subdivision through such means as:

(1) Preparing and disseminating materials, including brochures, leaflets, booklets, posters, and displays featuring domestic regional and local attractions in appropriate foreign languages in foreign cities and countries that constitute a potential travel market to the States;

(2) Carrying out either singly or in conjunction with other States and/or other political subdivisions and/or with U.S. Travel Service, special promotions of facilities, attractions, events and services of an area by means of exhibits, shows, films, etc.;

(3) Planning, developing and sponsoring advertising campaigns in foreign countries to inform and encourage foreign residents to visit;

(4) Undertaking projects to upgrade and improve tourist facilities and services to better serve the foreign resident;

(5) Carrying out other projects that indicate a high probability of increasing foreign tourism;

(h) "Matching funds" means funds that are provided by the State or political subdivision or by a combination thereof, or from other non-Federal sources and may include fees, contributions, donations, gifts of money, and special user charges from persons and private profit or nonprofit firms, organizations, or institutions.

§ 1200.3

Applications for Federal grant for travel promotional projects. (a) Each applicant seeking a Federal grant for a travel promotional project shall file an application, as further specified below, with the Assistant Secretary.

(b) Every application, exhibit, or enclosure, except where specifically waived by the Assistant Secretary, shall be in quadruplicate, duly authenticated and referenced, and addressed to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Tourism, U.S. Travel Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230.

(c) Every application shall be on USTS Form, "Request for Travel Promotion Project Grant," which is available

from the U.S. Travel Service. This application form incorporates assurances of compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d-1 et seq.) and implementing regulations (§ 8.1 et seq. of this title). Also, the form shall contain the date, address, and official title of the applicant and shall be signed by an authorized representative.

(d) Every application, except where specifically waived by the Assistant Secretary, shall be accompanied by the following exhibits:

(1) Exhibit No. 1. A statement setting forth in detail the current level of tourism in area in terms of (i) numbers of tourists in area, both foreign and domestic; (ii) impact of tourism on area economy (i.e., employment and income); and (iii) current efforts to develop and promote tourism in area.

(2) Exhibit No. 2. A project statement setting forth in detail the existing need for Federal assistance, the goals and objective thereof, in terms of tourism receipts and their effects on area jobs and income, the specific methods proposed for accomplishing these objectives in terms of personnel and funds and the procedures that will be used to evaluate the project.

(3) Exhibit No. 3. A statement setting forth in detail the budget proposed for the project, together with procedures for fiscal control, funding, accounting and auditing to assure proper disbursement of funds paid to the applicant.

(4) Exhibit No. 4. Documentation establishing that the applicant has coordinated the travel promotion project with other States (when regional cooperation is desirable) and with other publicly supported activities within the States or political subdivision, as appropriate, and the extent and manner in which such coordination has been carried out by identifying such projects and activities and indicating how any duplication of other travel promotion project in the area has been avoided.

(5) Exhibit No. 5. Certification by the Governor of the State or the chief political officer of the political subdivision or the president of the private or public nonprofit organization, as the case may be, that the applicant has

(i) Established adequate standards and rules to insure that no officer or employee of the State or political subdivision or their designated agencies, or private or public organization, shall re

ceive compensation from sources other than his employer for tourism development or promotional services for which funds are provided under the Act and that no such officer or employee shall otherwise maintain any private interest in conflict with his public responsibility. Each applicant will furnish a copy of the standards and rules which are established to avoid any conflict of interest in connection with the administration of a grant which may be made under the Act. Such rules shall clearly set forth the standards and procedures which officers, employees, and consultants can follow to avoid any conflict of interest.

(ii) Determined that matching funds will be available from States or other non-Federal sources. In addition, each applicant shall indicate the basis for the determination by identifying such

sources.

(iii) Determined that such travel promotional project supported by a grant under the Act does not provide or arrange transportation for, or accommodations to, persons traveling between foreign countries and the States in competition with any private business engaged in providing or arranging for such transportation and accommodations.

(iv) Planned no services specially related to a particular firm or company, public work or other capital project except insofar as the services are of general concern to the industry and commerce of the State or political subdivision. If the applicant has planned services which are specially related to a particular firm or company, public work or other capital project, a statement shall be furnished by the applicant to the Assistant Secretary describing such services and the basis for the determination that such services are of general concern to the industry and commerce of the State or political subdivision.

§ 1200.4 Action on application.

(a) Upon receipt of an application, the Assistant Secretary shall designate an employee of the U.S. Travel Service who will investigate the application and accompanying exhibits for compliance with the provisions of § 1200.3 and report his findings with respect thereto to the Assistant Secretary.

(b) The Assistant Secretary, within a reasonable time after receipt of the report referred to in paragraph (a) of this section, may authorize a grant to the applicant provided he finds that (1) the

(c) In no event shall the amount of any grant made under the regulations of this part for any travel promotion project exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the project.

§ 1200.5 Grant accounting and records.

(a) Accounting for grant funds shall consist of any generally accepted accounting system and internal control procedures, including provisions for audit, provided that they meet the following requirements:

(1) Separate ledger accounts are established for each grant or grant project which conforms to or permits ready identification with grant budget categories. Such accounts should provide separate and specific accountability of receipts, expenditures, and balances. Separate accounts may be maintained for each annual period, but are not required.

(2) Supporting records of project expenditures are maintained in sufficient detail and itemization to show the exact nature of each expenditure. Such records should clearly indicate to which major budget category and subitems within the category an expenditure is charged.

(3) Reimbursements of travel expenses are supported by vouchers containing the signature of the individual performing the travel and the person authorized by the applicant to approve such travel. Vouchers should show the starting point and destination of travel, dates of travel, itemization of amounts expended for transportation and a statement of the amounts expended for transportation and a statement of the amount of per diem due (not to exceed the per diem authorized by the State or political subdivision or the rate of $25 per day (whichever is less)).

(4) Each expenditure is referenced to a supporting purchase order, contract, voucher, invoice, or bill, properly approved. Special voucher forms are not necessary since ordinarily the documents used by a designated agency to support expenditures from its own funds will be sufficient. Whenever possible, separate orders should be issued for purchases

charged to grant funds in order that bills or invoices will not contain items charged to other funds.

(5) Grant number, account number, date, and expense classification are identified on invoices or vouchers charged to other funds.

(6) Payroll authorizations are maintained to effect control on salaries and wages charged against grant funds. These authorizations shall be approved by the appropriate authority in the State or political subdivision.

(7) Some objective evidence of time devoted to the grant project is maintained. As a minimum, a statement should be prepared at the end of each pay period showing the names of employees, the percentage of time each devoted to grant projects, the gross amounts of salaries and approval by appropriate authority in the designated agency.

(8) Adequate records are maintained supporting charges for fringe benefits, such as pensions, retirement, social security tax (FICA), etc., when included in the project budgets.

(9) All canceled checks are filed and are readily accessible for examination. When cash disbursements are made, they must be supported by receipts approved by appropriate authority.

(10) The accounting system is adequate to permit immediate identification of project balances and funds in general accounts, or separate bank accounts may be established for project funds.

(11) Inventory records are maintained for all equipment purchased with grant funds.

(12) The applicant receiving Federal funds under the Act shall require all subcontractors to provide documentation covering receipt and expenditure of grant and matching funds for which the designated agency is held responsible.

(13) The grant accounting system provides for adequate internal audits and the use of written policies and instructions defining accounting policies, procedures and controls.

(14) All income from project activity (sale of publications, entrance fees, user charges, etc.) is accounted for and clearly identified in financial reports.

§ 1200.9

Collection of information.

If the applicant collects information from the public on its own initiative in connection with a research or other general purpose project, it will not, without prior written approval of the Assistant Secretary, in any way represent that the information is being collected by or for a Federal agency.

§ 1200.10 Termination.

(a) Grants may be terminated, in whole or in part, by the Assistant Secretary if he finds that any of the following conditions exist:

(1) The applicant, or those with whom such agency has contracted or subcontracted, is not complying with the provisions of the Act, with the regulations in this part, or with any of the provisions of the grant; or

(2) Any funds paid to the applicant under the provisions of the Act or the