USA Track & Field Budget and Administrative Procedures Handbook

last updated 2/22/2008

Introduction

This handbook has been developed and updated to assist USATF committee chairs, program leaders, and other volunteers in managing resources, including budget awards, and accessing administrative services. The information in this handbook is a compilation of current procedures and practices and references certain policies and guidelines previously established by the Board of Directors and Budget Committee.

Please note that procedures and guidelines are subject to change. Usually, changes are a reaction to changes in the business and program environment. For example, airline ticketing procedures have changed significantly with the growth of paperless tickets and on-line reservations. Every effort has been made to set procedures that are flexible and can be adapted to environmental changes. If changes are needed, affected persons will be notified.

We hope this handbook is useful. If you have any questions about the service described, please contact the National Office (your staff liaison or the Staff Accountant).

Budget Committee
December 2003

Budget Procedures

The annual budget is prepared by the Budget Committee for approval at the Annual Meeting. Budgets are awarded in conformity with USATF's business and program needs, legal and contractual obligations, and the strategic plan approved by the organization.

The budget process begins in August when the Budget Request package is sent to committee chairs, program leaders and National Office staff Budget requests may only be submitted by committee chairs, national staff members, the President, and national organization members. Budgets submitted by other groups or individuals will be returned to the submitter with instructions to submit it through the appropriate committee, person, or organization.

The Budget Package includes the Funding Application, Travel & Meetings Form, Mailings Form, Conference Call Form, Monthly Expense Report, and Planned Programs and Activities Form. Samples of these forms are shown in Exhibit 1. All forms must be completed and returned to the Budget Committee (via the National Office).

The Budget Package includes several standards such as average airfare and per diem allowance. These standards are set annually by the Budget Committee and aid requestors in developing budgets. These standards are consistent with USATF's actual averages and must be used in all budget requests. In some cases, the standard mirrors current budget policy such as the maximum per diem (daily meal and incidental allowance). Standards are shown on the various forms and generally noted in the transmittal letter which accompanies the budget package.

In prior years, an accountability report or other narrative of programs was a required element of the budget request. Narratives are no longer mandatory, but are encouraged. Narratives are especially useful when funding for a new program or change in activities is requested.

The completed budget package is due in early September (date varies by year). While a majority of the submissions are electronic (via email), paper submissions are permissible. Upon submission, budget packages are reviewed by the national staff for completeness and are reproduced and distributed to all members of the Budget Committee prior to its mid-October meeting. Committees that do not meet deadlines will be given lower priority for funding. Submissions after October 1 will not be considered for funding.

The Budget Committee uses Zero Based Budgeting (ZBB) in its review of submissions and drafting of the organizational budget. ZBB means that each submission is reviewed on its own merits and against organizational priorities, without depending on previous budget awards. Simply put, the baseline of each year's budget is zero (as opposed to starting with last's year budget as the benchmark).

Subsequent to the mid-October meeting, committee chairs are notified of the Budget Committee's recommended funding. Committee chairs are given an opportunity to appeal the recommended budget award to the Budget Committee at the Annual Meeting. The Budget Committee also presents a draft organizational budget to the Board of Directors via email and at an in-person meeting. After considering the Board's input and after hearing all appeals, the Budget Committee presents the proposed budget for approval at the final general session of the Annual Meeting.

The Budget Committee reserves the right to request revised budgets if the final, approved budget varies significantly from the original submission. In some cases, the Budget Committee may specify which programs were funded (or not funded) and revised budgets must honor those specifications. If the Budget Committee does not request a revision or specify program funding, then committees and programs may fund any of the activities on the original submission. Deviation from planned activities (listed on the original submission) must be approved in advance by the Budget Committee.

The National Office sends out quarterly accounting reports that show charges against each committee's or program's budget. These reports are available more frequently if requested. Errors on these reports should be brought to the attention of the Staff Accountant in the National Office on a timely basis so that the appropriate corrections and reclassifications can be made.

Travel

USA Track & Field Travel Policy

Travel is one of USATF's largest cost centers. In order to control these costs, USA Track & Field has developed the following travel guidelines for all travel paid by USA Track & Field funds. All committees and programs are bound by these guidelines.

Travel Agency

National Travel Systems (NTS) is USATF's official travel agency. NTS provides travel agent staffing, technology and contract negotiation. Generally, we refer to the in-house travel agent and NTS as "USATF Travel Services." All USATF travelers must use USATF Travel Services. From a business perspective, this allows direct billing, volume discounts, and data collection. In addition, we are better able to track our passengers and make ground transportation arrangements (where applicable) if tickets are booked through USATF Travel. Finally, USATF travelers have a travel professional dedicated to the sport of track & field. Travel arrangements made outside USATF Travel (other agencies, internet portals, etc.) must be approved, in advance (please contact USATF Travel Services - the Travel Agent will route the request for approval). Failure to get advance approval may result in limitation or denial of reimbursement

Internet Bookings From time to time, use of internet sites such as Travelocity, Priceline or Expedia or airline-specific sites such as Delta.com or United.com can lead to considerable savings to a traveler. In light of this, USATF will reimburse travel booked through these intermediaries if USATF Travel Services first has an opportunity to meet or beat the fare. Specifically:

  • You must have a travel authorization form completed in advance and signed by your committee chair or treasurer. These forms can be mailed to the USATF Travel Services, 132 East Washington Street, Suite 800, Indianapolis, IN 46204 or faxed to the Travel Department at 317-261-0514. All travel authorizations are due in the National Office at least 25 days prior to departure.
  • You must have competing fare quotes in hand before calling the Travel Agent.
  • The USATF Travel desk is available from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm (Eastern) Monday thru Friday.
  • If you reach Travel Services' voicemail, please leave details of your itinerary (including price). If you believe the airfare will expire in a short time, please note that also. If you call during normal hours and do not receive a return call within 4 hours, you can go ahead and purchase the internet ticket.
  • The buyer assumes all responsibility for internet tickets. USATF will not reimburse change fees or the cost of unused tickets. Purchasers of these tickets should fully understand the various fees, restrictions and penalties.

Please note that standard USATF policy regarding travel itineraries is in force. Basically, USATF reimburses the cost of the lowest airfare on a given itinerary. In some cases, slightly different flight times, alternate airports and airline changes will be required if a lower fare is available. If a traveler requests a specific airline (frequent flyer preference, access to upgrade certificates, need higher class of service to use upgrades, etc.), the difference between the lowest fare and that fare must be paid by the traveler by credit card at the time of booking. In no cases may a committee chair, National Staff person or other person waive these rules. Finally, please note that last-minute ticket purchases ("walk up" fares) are not acceptable. All tickets must be purchased well in advance of departure. If your itineraries or needs change, contact USATF Travel immediately. USATF cannot reimburse any change fees (or fare differences that usually accompany changes) without prior authorization. USATF cannot reimburse passengers for costs incurred when they miss flights.

Performance problems with USATF Travel Services should be reported promptly, in writing, to USATF's CEO. The National Office monitors travel statistics (average fare, booking lead times, missed discounts, etc.) and agent performance on a continual basis.

Travel Authorizations (TAs)

USATF Travel Services will not issue tickets unless an approved Travel Authorization (Exhibit 3) has been filed with the National Office. Blank TAs are available upon request from the USATF Staff Accountant or Travel Agent. All information requested on the form should be complete and the form returned to the Travel Agent or your committee's staff liaison, as appropriate. TAs can be faxed to the National Office (317-261-0481 attention: Travel).

To assist the Travel Agent in booking reservations, it is important that you indicate on the Travel Authorization the date and time that the individuals must arrive before and depart after. For example, if you schedule a meeting to begin at 5:00 p.m. on the 29th, but don't inform the Department of the 5:00 p.m. start time, they may book individuals to arrive after your meeting has started.

Travelers should call the Travel Agent to make specific arrangements. The Travel Department does not call out to individuals listed on the authorization. It is also helpful to inform your personnel of the Travel Authorization number and they should refer to this number when calling for a ticket. If a committee chair or program leader wants to request Group TAs (more than three travelers going to the same event or activity), the requestor should contact the Travel Agent or their National Office liaison as early as possible to facilitate the ticketing process. If requested, a copy of the Travel Authorization will be returned to the committee chair or project leader listing the flight and time that each individual will arrive at the destination as well as the airfare.

Travel Lead Time

TAs should be filed as early as possible, even if exact travel specifics are not final. This allows Travel Services an opportunity to manage the ticketing process and be alert for special pricing. TAs should be filed with the National Office no later than 25 days prior to travel. It is the Budget Committee's intent that all tickets are purchased at least 21 days in advance in order to secure the most favorable pricing. Since group activity is planned well in advance, group leaders and event organizers should file TAs or notify the Travel Agent of event specifics at least 60 days in advance. In many cases, group discounts can be negotiated with the airlines. Once travel arrangements have been made, any and all changes to the ticket are the responsibility of the individual. USATF Travel Services will not reissue tickets.

Airlines

USATF Travel Services issues tickets on all major airlines at the lowest possible fare. This includes booking on airlines that offer USATF special discounts or VIK arrangements. Requests to fly on a specific airline will be honored only if the fare matches the lowest possible fare. If a traveler wishes to travel on a specific airline, they must pay any fare differential. Generally speaking, the Travel Agent will book itineraries with no more than one connection but avoids multiple connections, red-eyes or flights departing before 7:00 am. Given the growth of regional jets and commuter air services, USATF Travel Services often books on these aircraft to gain the lowest pricing and favorable itineraries.

Meeting Locations

Committee and program meetings are to be scheduled and located at a convenient and economical location for all attendees. Normally, meetings are scheduled at a site where some attendees live to avoid flying in all attendees. In addition, USATF Travel Services maintains data on low cost meeting cities - for both average airfares and hotel costs - to assist committee chairs and program leaders in setting up meetings.

All meeting arrangements (hotel selection and contracting, ground transportation, meal plans) must be coordinated through USATF Travel Services.

Class

All travel will be booked in coach class. Upgrades to Business Class or First Class are the responsibility of the individual. Travelers should note that some coach class tickets cannot be upgraded (with miles or coupons) due to the fare class. Further, some VIK tickets (from USATF or USOC) do not earn miles.

Hotel and Rental Cars

Arrangements for hotel rooms and rental cars should be coordinated through USATF Travel Services. Due to the variables in booking hotel rooms (location and price), travelers can book their own hotel rooms (directly with the hotel, through a centralized reservation service or 800 numbers, or via the internet); however, hotel arrangements should be discussed with the USATF Travel Manager or National Office staff liaison. Hotel arrangements at large events, such as National Championships, development programs, or the Annual Meeting, are usually centralized by the National Office and offer very economical rates. Accordingly, USATF travelers attending these events must use the group hotel. If an alternative hotel is used, reimbursement is limited to the room rate offered at the official event hotel.

Rental cars should be reserved and paid through USATF Travel Services. This is necessary in order to access volume discounts, take advantage of master billing, and coordinate insurance. From time to time, travelers may be allowed to reserve and pay for rental cars directly to take advantage of special rates not available to corporations. Before booking rental cars directly, travelers should contact the USATF Travel Agent in advance.

USATF carries liability insurance for drivers renting cars on the USATF master bill. This coverage is valid only for those on USATF business - travelers using the rental car for personal matters are not covered. Rental car collision insurance is not provided to USATF travelers; however, most credit cards and personal automobile insurance policies provide coverage. Rental car insurance company "add-on" policies are very expensive and usually not advisable. USATF will only pay for (reimburse) rental car insurance in very limited situations, when approved in advance.

Ground Transportation

USATF travelers should seek safe, economical ground transportation while on USATF business. Travelers should use transportation "systems" (shuttles, etc.) provided by event organizers whenever possible. If a formal system is not available, travelers should use hotel shuttles, shared ride services, etc. Taxi cabs should only be used for short distances and when no other reliable service is available. Under no circumstance will luxury or high-cost transportation, such as private cars or limousines, be reimbursed.

Meal Costs and Per Diems

USATF will set specific expense policies related to meal costs and per diem, including dollar limits, for events, programs, and committees. If a per diem is approved, individual meal receipts are not necessary for reimbursement; however, a traveler must "claim" per diem on a Request for Reimbursement by noting the dates and times of travel. Generally, the outbound travel day and return travel day count for a half day each to simplify the per diem calculation; however, specific partial-day computations may be necessary in certain situations.

It is important to note that travelers cannot receive per diem and be supplied meals for the same trip or event. Such practice is inconsistent with IRS regulations. If a traveler receives a meal (paid by USATF, event organizers, or others), the per diem amount must be reduced.

If a traveler is not on per diem and reimbursed for specific meal costs, receipts are necessary for all costs above $10. The expense policy establishes upper end limits on meal costs and, as a rule, luxury items or other high-cost meals are not reimbursable. In addition, there are specific limitations on alcohol.

Reimbursements

Any individual who is authorized to obtain a ticket from USATF Travel Services, but elects not to do so, will be reimbursed at the lowest possible fare at the time the trip was authorized. Reimbursement will be made to the individual, not to a travel agent and will be made only after the event has occurred. No advances will be granted for airline travel. A Request for Reimbursement (Exhibit 4) must be submitted with the passenger coupon or copy of itinerary. Fees paid to agencies will not be reimbursed.

If an individual elects to drive, he or she will be reimbursed at the rate of $0.35 per mile up to what the lowest possible airfare would have been. The individual must request reimbursement from the national office on the appropriate form. The request must include the purpose of the trip, the cities of departure and destination, and total miles.

Generally, reimbursements will be made within 14 days of receipt of the proper paperwork by the Accounting Department at the National Office.

USATF Travel Services: 877-203-3799
  Dorothy Hawkins, Travel Agent: 317-713-4687

Travelers encountering en-route emergencies, such as flight delays and cancellations, should call USATF Travel Services at 877-203-3799. After hours, this number is forwarded to a national 24 hour travel service. Both USATF Travel Services and the 24-hour service can advise travelers on options. These two travel services cannot issue tickets or check itineraries so travelers must call USATF Travel Services during regular business hours. Non-emergency calls to the 24-hour service are assessed a $25 charge that must be paid at the time of the call and will not be reimbursed by USA Track & Field.

Committee Administrative Budgets

Please refer to the "USA Track & Field Travel Expense and Spending Policy Guidelines" for specific policies.

Administrative Expenses

Administrative expenses include, but are not limited to, telephone calls, postage, stationery, office supplies, printing, and honoraria. A form, Request for Reimbursement, (Exhibit 4) is available from the Accounting Department to report these expenditures. When properly completed, this form facilitates the reimbursement process.

  • Telephone calls should be reported by submitting a copy of the bill from the telephone company with the USATF-related calls circled or highlighted. Note that committee chairs, program leaders and others may obtain an USATF calling card for USATF calls.
  • Conference calls are provided by a national vendor, billed to a central account, and charged to committee budgets based on actual costs. See information in the Other Services Provided to Committees and Programs section of this handbook for further information.
  • Postage costs can be receipted by the Post Office. It is recommended that stamps be purchased specifically for USATF communications and a receipt obtained. Large mailings may be eligible for significant discounts under USATF's non-profit and bulk permits. See information in the Other Administrative Matters section of this handbook for further information.
  • Stationery is provided to Committee Chairs at no cost on a limited basis. Stationery and Business Cards can be purchased by each committee member by completing an Association/Committee Order Form, and forwarding the request to our Associations Member Services Department. See information in the Other Services Provided to Committees and Programs section of this handbook for further information.
  • Office supplies are not provided by the national office. If office supplies, such as staples, paper clips, etc. are needed in large quantities, the Chair should purchase them and submit a receipt for reimbursement.
  • Honoraria may be paid for certain professional services as long as such services were requested on the annual Budget Package. The Budget Committee and/or Chief Financial Officer reserve the right to review financial arrangements. Committee chairs and program leaders may not enter into any agreements for services - the National Office must approve and execute all contracts and agreements. Honoraria will only be paid if proper tax information (social security numbers) is provided in advance. Recipients of honoraria will receive a form 1099 at the end of the year, While 1099s are currently required for recipients of $600 or more, the tax reporting form may be sent to recipients of lesser amounts (in accordance of IRS regulations).
  • Awards and recognition items are presented by many committees to honor volunteers and/or athletes. Nominal costs related to the awards (plaques, etc.) are allowable as long as the awards are requested in the Budget Package. Costs related to honoree travel, cash awards, or extravagant awards (beyond a plaque or trophy) are not allowed (even if requested on the Budget Package).

Reimbursement of Expenses

It is often necessary for committee members and chairs to incur out of pocket expenses in fulfilling their functions. Reimbursements of these expenses may be claimed by completing a Request for Reimbursement (Exhibit 4) form. The form should be filled out entirely and signed by the appropriate committee chair or staff liaison before submission to the USATF Accounting Department. Original receipts must accompany the completed forms or the request will be returned.

Every attempt will be made to see that reimbursements are paid within two weeks of receipt of properly completed paperwork by the Accounting Department.

Purchases

If a Committee wishes to make a non-travel purchase, a Purchase Order (PO) may be submitted to the Accounting Department for pre-approval. No Committee Chair has the authority to make purchase or obtain credit in the name of USA Track & Field. Any billing received for an unauthorized purchase will be returned to the vendor without payment. It is imperative that only duly authorized individuals approve purchases or complete credit applications to be charged directly to USATF.

Equipment purchased by USATF remains the property of USATF and is not available for personal use. Those entrusted with USATF equipment are obligated to care for the equipment and notify the National Office when the equipment is ready for return (or transfer to another person). If equipment is damaged or becomes unusable, the National Office should be notified immediately.

Request for Cash Advance

There are two types of cash advance - Administrative and Project. The main differences between the two types are the underlying need and the supporting paperwork that accompanies the request. All cash advance requests are transmitted to the National Office on the Request for Cash Advance form (Exhibit 5).

Each Committee Chair may request an administrative cash advance (generally no greater than $500) if he or she can demonstrate a consistent cash outlay for telephone, postage and other administrative expenses. Unused portions of the advance must be returned to USATF at the end of the year and reapplication for the advance must be made in the subsequent year. Under no circumstances will any committee be allowed to have more than $1,000 on advance.

If a cash advance is needed for a program, camp or clinic, the requesting individual must submit a program description and a detailed budget of the program along with the Request for Cash Advance. Please be aware that certain payments, notably honoraria, must be paid directly to the recipient.

Completely fill-out the top portion of the Request for Cash Advance including the social security number of the person to whom the check is made payable. Without a social security number, this request will not be processed (even if the advance is for travel expenses only). If a cash advance is not properly cleared after the event or activity, IRS regulations require that the cash advance be considered taxable income. A separate request form must be completed for each person receiving a check.

Please also note that all Requests for Cash Advance forms must include a program description or a detailed budget. Normally, cash advances are requested for travel expenses not on a USATF master bill (air, hotel and car rental are usually charged to a USATF master bill), small per diem payments and small program-related costs; therefore, a summary or budget should be easy to prepare. The Accounting Department will reduce the cash advance amount for any costs that can be direct billed.

Advances will not be issued to any individual with an outstanding advance. An advance is considered outstanding until all paperwork is received and amounts due are settled. This means receipts documenting the use of advance funds must be turned in with an Accounting for Cash Advance form even if all funds were used and no settlement is necessary.

Advances for Projects are to be accounted no later than 30 days after completion of the project. The Accounting for Cash Advance form (Exhibit 6) that accompanied the advance check should be submitted with all related receipts. Payment of cash per diem is documented on a signature sheet (signed at the time per diem to given to each traveler). The original signature sheet must be submitted with the advance paperwork.

It is important to use this form to ensure that our records properly indicate that you have accounted for the advance. To facilitate processing of your Accounting for Cash Advance form, please code or label each receipt to correspond to line items on the form. Please do not send in a collection of unorganized receipts -- it's often impossible to figure out how the receipts match up to the form. Such submissions will be returned unprocessed.

Electronic Submission of Accounting Paperwork

USATF accepts fax versions of Travel Authorizations and Request for Cash Advance as long as the required signatures are present and legible. Generally, email versions of any form are not allowed as signatures cannot be verified. Submissions that require receipts cannot be faxed or emailed since original copies of receipts are necessary.

Annual Meeting

Each Committee may use up to $4,000 of its administrative budget to defray its expenses of the Annual Meeting. Committees may use these funds at their discretion. Generally, these funds can be used for committee officer travel (airfare, double occupancy room, per diem) and meeting costs such as audio-visual rental. Please see the relevant Expense Policies for guidance on spending limits and prohibitions.

Any special needs at the Annual Meeting such as audio-visual equipment must be arranged through the Coordinator. Cost of these items will be charged against the Committee's budget.

Prohibited Expenditures

Certain cost may not be charged against Committee administrative budgets. The following cannot be funded from Committee budgets:

  1. Athlete competition or training costs
  2. Salaries, wages or other compensation other than approved honoraria
  3. Any equipment including computers or fax machines
  4. Activities that violate USATF Bylaws, Operating Rules, or Ethics Policies
  5. Activities that violate any Federal, State or local laws including IRS regulations regarding private benefit and inurement
  6. USATF membership fees, Annual Meeting registrations, or banquet tickets

This list is not intended to be all inclusive. Questionable items should be referred to the Board Treasurer, Budget Committee Chair or the National Office Accounting Department.

Value-In-Kind

Value-in-Kind (VIK) is non-cash support provided to USATF. The most common forms of VIK are donated products and services (usually from sponsors). While VIK is usually limited to specific program needs, some product may be made available to committees or programs at a discounted rate. VIK usage will be charged to committee or program budgets in accordance with contract rates or accounting rules. If committee chairs or program leaders have the opportunity to receive VIK for its use, please contact the National Office immediately. Please note that some VIK may not be accepted due to existing contractual arrangements or IRS regulations.

Subcommittees

Committees may request budgetary support for subcommittees as long as such subcommittees are properly formed and approved by the Board of Directors. Such requests are limited to the same types of administrative costs as all other committee budget requests.

Please refer to the "USA Track & Field Travel Expense and Spending Policy Guidelines" for specific policies.

Other Services Provided to Committees and Programs

Conference Calls

USATF has a national account with two teleconferencing providers--Global Crossing and Telspan-- for audio teleconferencing. Both offer competitive pricing, centralized billings and useful features. Call-in numbers and PINs can be reserved with the National Office staff (call 317-261-0500 and ask to set up a USATF conference call). Recurring calls can set up a customized PIN if desired.

Stationery

Stationery is provided to Committee Chairs at a low cost. USATF stationery should only be used for your committee business. No one is authorized to create letterhead or envelopes with the USATF logo or marks (including the phrase "USA Track & Field") other than the National Office' printing vendor under the supervision of the Communications Department.

Committee Chairs should not use USATF letterhead unless his or her name and title are on it. Furthermore, Committee Chairs should only use envelopes that do not have the USATF National Office return address. This is requested to prevent your undeliverable mail from being returned to the national office.

Books

USA Track & Field provides each such Committee Chair with current editions of the USATF Competition Rules, USATF Directory, and USATF Governance Handbook at no cost. If a chair wishes to have copies of these sent to Committee members, he or she should provide the Staff Accountant with a list of names and addresses. The cost of the materials will be charged to the committee's budget account (charged at "cost").

Centralized Purchasing - Awards, Merchandise

Due to a variety of factors - volume purchasing and discounts, taxes, shipping, continuity of look and logo use, sponsor requirements, etc. - certain items must be ordered through the National Office. Currently, all awards (medals, ribbons, trophies and plaques) and merchandise (T shirts, polo shirts, hats, other apparel, embroidery and screening on apparel, etc.) must be purchased centrally. USATF logo decals, lapel pins, and vinyl banners are also available.

Please contact your National Office liaison with the necessary information (quantity, style, size, delivery date, etc.) as soon as the details are known and no later than 90 days before the delivery date. In certain instances, specialized forms are available to assist in ordering through the National Office. Committee and program budgets will be charged actual costs (no surcharges).

Other Administrative Matters

Bank Accounts

USATF policy prohibits committee or program bank accounts and requires centralized accounts for USATF activities. The National Office maintains the bank accounts necessary to conduct business. All checks and other financial transactions should be handled by the National Office.

Contracts and Agreements

Contracts and other agreements binding USA Track & Field, Inc. (or any of its committees, subcommittees, other entities, events, facilities, or programs) can only be signed by the President of CEO. In certain cases, designated national office staff (i.e., the CFO) is authorized to sign agreements or contracts in the normal course of business, but only with the advance approval of the President or CEO. No other persons are authorized to sign contracts or other agreements or otherwise commit USATF or act as an agent for USATF.

Insurance

This summary has been prepared for USA Track & Field (USATF) for the exclusive use by its employees, Board members and certain volunteers. Its purpose is to describe and explain, in a summary manner, certain insurance policies USATF maintains. It is intended for informational purposes only and is not a contract. Only the insurance policies referred to herein can state the actual terms, coverages, amounts, conditions, and exclusions. Should there be any discrepancy between statement(s) contained in this brochure and the provisions of the insurance policy, the insurance policy will prevail.

Committee officers and other volunteers while on USATF business are an insured under USATF's general liability insurance policy.

What does the insurance cover?

Commercial General Liability will pay amounts, up to the policy limit, if an insured is legally required to pay as damages for covered bodily injury, property damage, or personal injury. The bodily injury or property damage must have occurred during a covered activity. Basically, the covered activity is the committee activity, sanctioned event, registered practice of a USATF member club, or other activity defined by the insurance policy.

Bodily injury means bodily injury, sickness, or disease sustained by a person (including death resulting from any of these at any time) from the negligent acts or omissions of an insured. The general liability policy specifically excludes medical payments for injuries suffered in a sanctioned event as this is covered under a separate accident medical policy.

Property damage means physical damage to tangible property of others, including resulting loss of use of that property from the negligent acts or omissions of an insured. Property that you own, lease, rent or borrow is not insured.

Personal injury means injury, other than bodily injury, arising out of libel, slander, defamation of character, invasion of privacy, wrongful eviction, wrongful entry, false arrest, wrongful detention or imprisonment, and malicious prosecution from the negligent acts or omissions of an insured.

What is not covered?

  • Participant medical expenses (due to accidents), including all accidents or injuries to you
  • Damage to property owned, rented or borrowed by you or your committee.
  • Auto liability and physical damage
  • Medical malpractice (volunteer medical staff)
  • Directors & Officers liability or Employment Related Practices (such as harassment)
  • Workers Compensation (for volunteers, contractors, vendors or facilities)

Certificates of Insurance

Often, athlete programs and other activities require use of facilities owned by third parties such as colleges and universities. These third parties may request that a Certificate of Insurance be provided before they'll let an outside organization use their facility. USATF is able to provide such a Certificate of Insurance for activities funded and conducted by USATF committees. A Request for Certificate of Insurance form (Exhibit 7) must be completed and returned to the Membership Services Department at least three weeks before it is needed.

If you have any additional questions or comments or when you need additional forms, please contact the National Office.

Document Processing and Mailing Services

USATF has a state of the art DocuTech for document reproduction. Committees may use these services with appropriate charges made to their committee budgets. Charges from the Xerox VIK arrangement are usually much less than the rates charged by outside vendors such as Kinko's or local print shops. A variety of document processing is available and is described more fully below.

Costs vary based on the total number of pages produced, special paper needs, bindery selections, etc. so it is not possible to publish an actual price list. Interested committees should contact the Technology Manager or Staff Accountant for further information or pricing.

It is critical that committees and programs using the National Office printing and mailing services contact the Technology Manager or Staff Accountant well in advance and set realistic timelines for delivery to the National Office, printing, and mailing. Turn-around times can vary from a few days to over a month depending on the size and nature of the job, the quality of the files delivered, and the status of other jobs planned for the Docutech.

Following are examples of materials that can be produced internally.

Signature Booklets

A signature booklet is produced by printing four original pages side by and back to back, folded in half and stapled in the middle. Original documents to be printed as a signature booklet format (minimum of 4 pages). Total pages must be a multiple of 4 or your booklet will have blank pages.

Signature booklets come in two different sizes: 5.5 x 8.5 (8.5 x 11 paper folded in half) and 8.5 x 11 (11 x 17 paper folded in half.) The turnaround time for 1,000 booklets from day of receipt to day shipped out is approximately 2-3 weeks; however, printing time will be affected by other print jobs already in queue, so please plan your requests and submit your files as early as possible.

Bound Books

Bound booklets come in one size: 8.5 x 11. Bindery is done by heating a tape that is sealed to the document. Production time is longer than for the signature booklet. The turnaround time for 1000 bound booklets is at least 2 weeks. Bound booklets may not contain less than 20 sheets. They are a little more costly than signature booklets.

GBC bindery (plastic binding) is also available for booklets.

Corner and Side-Stitching Booklets

These booklets are the most efficient and least costly. They are 8.5 x 11 booklets stapled in the upper-right hand or 2 staples on the left-hand sides of the books. The turnaround time is often as short as 1 week. This is also the least costly printing option.

Color Copies

We are able to produce 8.5 x 11 and 11 x 17 color copies. Color photos can be reproduced and enlarged.

Mailing

USATF has several low-cost mailing options for documents and publications that meet certain postal regulations (regarding content, quantity, mailing list). Large mailings that are planned in advance can use non-profit or bulk rates that save 33%-65% over regular first class postage. These rates require an electronic mailing list (Word, Excel, etc.) and sufficient notice to certify the addresses. Please note that lower cost rates must be mailed from Indianapolis and may result in slower delivery times than first class mail.

For further information regarding postal services, please contact the Technology Manager at the National Office.

Shipping

The National Office has a discounted overnight shipping contract with DHL for shipments originating from Indianapolis. Contact the National Office for further information. Please note that third party charges to the National Office DHL account are not authorized.

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This is only an overview of all of the services available. If you have a specific document processing need, please contact the National Office to discuss your requirements.

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