1. How can I figure out how much I am to be paid?

• The formula for the total stipend for those who have requested a moving allowance is as follows:

(Position or academic status x Total number of weeks) + ($350 x Total number of weeks) = Total stipend

• The formula for the total stipend for those who have not requested a moving allowance is as follows:

Position or academic status x Total number of weeks = Total stipend

2. How are participants paid?

• Funds are transferred electronically to Fellow and Graduate Student participants. Completion of a Direct Deposit form with voided check and W-9 will be required to establish the direct deposit of payments.

3. Do I need to submit a Voided Check with my Direct Deposit Form?

• Yes. The Direct Deposit form and a voided check must be submitted 20 days in advance of start date to ensure for on-time release of the first payment

4. Am I required to fill out a timesheet?

• No, as participants are not considered employees of Systems Plus, they are not required to fill out a timesheet. They are expected, however, to perform a sufficient amount of work in order to fulfill the requirement of the number of weeks they have indicated for their fellowship.

5. A federal holiday (Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, or Labor Day) takes place during my fellowship tenure. How does this affect my payments?

• Participants are not expected to work on federal holidays and will receive their regular stipend payments. However, as the Temporary Moving Allowance ($70 per work day) does not cover weekends or federal holidays, participants will not be paid $70 for days that fall on a weekend or federal holiday.

6. I have started my fellowship; why haven’t I received my first payment?

•  Payment will be made only after the participant’s signed Official Start Date Form has been received by Systems Plus within five days of the official start date.

7. I have finished my fellowship; why haven’t I received my final payment?

• The final week’s stipend payment and return travel reimbursement will be made only after all final paperwork (final report coversheet and abstract, final report, patent and inventions disclosure, and evaluation) has been received and validated by Systems Plus.

8. Does Systems Plus deduct taxes from the stipend payments?

• No, participants are responsible for filing their taxes for the payments they receive. Systems Plus will send each participant a 1099 tax form in late January following the summer fellowship.

9. Do participants receive a pay stub for the payments they receive?

• No, for security reasons, participants are not sent a pay stub. Please see #1 above for the stipend payment calculation.

10. How can participants claim reimbursement for their travel to and from the lab facility?

• When traveling with a personal vehicle, participants must submit the following:

                                                   i.      Travel Reimbursement Request Form

                                                 ii.      Number of miles driven (roundtrip)

                                                iii.      Two maps indicating the number of miles and which route was taken: The first map should include the mileage for your trip to the lab (or your summer accommodations), and the second map should include the mileage for your return trip.

Two maps are required as the mileage sometimes differs.

• When traveling by air, participants must submit the following:

                                                   i.      Travel Reimbursement Request Form

                                                 ii.      Airline ticket receipt

                                                iii.      Copies of boarding passes

                                               iv.      Copies of baggage fees

Please note that any air travel exceeding $500 (roundtrip) must first be approved by Systems Plus.

• When traveling via local transportation (e.g., taxi, shuttle bus, metro), participants must submit the following:

                                                   i.      Travel Reimbursement Request Form

                                                 ii.      Copies of receipts for local transportation 

Please note that the total reimbursement cannot exceed $1,500.

11. Does Systems Plus cover the expenses for a rental car during participants’ tenure at the lab?

• No, Systems Plus does not cover the cost of a rental car during participants’ tenure at the lab. With prior approval, however, participants may be reimbursed for mileage accrued if using a rental car instead of one's own private vehicle. The mileage will be reimbursed at the prevailing government rate. The rental car, insurance, additional mileage, and any other accompanying fees will not be reimbursed.

12. Does Systems Plus cover the expense of travel insurance?

• No, Systems Plus does not cover the expense of travel insurance.

13. Does Systems Plus reimburse the costs for participants’ families to travel with them?

• No, Systems Plus reimburses the costs for participants only.

14. Does Systems Plus reimburse for tolls, gas, or overnight lodging?

• System Plus reimburses at the current government mileage reimbursement rate and this amount is inclusive of all expenses incurred during automobile travel. This includes tolls, gas, and lodging. Systems Plus also does not reimburse for an overnight hotel stay if travel to the lab cannot be completed in one day.

15. Does Systems Plus reimburse for items not listed on the Relocation Allowance Request Form?

• Systems Plus reimburses for only the items listed on the form. These include: airfare, baggage fees, local transportation (bus, metro, taxi, ferry), and auto mileage when the vehicle is driven by the participant. If you wish to be reimbursed for an item not listed on the form, your request must be made in writing and sent to afsffp.pmo@sysplus.com. Only pre-approved requests are eligible for reimbursement.

16. How can participants claim a daily expense allowance?

• Participants can claim reimbursement for their daily expenses by submitting the Relocation Allowance Request Form on which they include their summer leave address.

Please note: Participants must have relocated more than 50 miles away from their home address in order to receive this allowance.

17. Can participants be reimbursed for mileage if they have not relocated but have a long commute to the lab each day?

• Participants may claim reimbursement only if they have relocated for the summer.

18. Am I permitted to receive funding from another federal source during my tenure?

• Participants may not receive funding from other federal sources (including research grants and contracts) during their fellowship appointment. They may chose to waive their SFFP stipend.