Does JTR apply to contractors?

No, JTR generally does not apply to contractors directly, as JTR stands for Joint Travel Regulations which govern Department of Defense military members and civilian employees, not private contractors. Contractors working for DoD are governed by Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR and their specific contract terms, not JTR. However, some contracts include a clause that contractor travel must be in accordance with JTR or Federal Travel Regulation FTR for reimbursement purposes, meaning contractor can only bill government for travel that would be allowable under JTR, such as economy airfare and per diem limits. In that case, JTR applies indirectly as a cost ceiling. For example, many DoD service contracts state contractor travel will be reimbursed in accordance with JTR rates, so contractor must follow per diem and receipt rules to get paid. But contractor is not required to use Defense Travel System DTS or get military orders. So direct answer is JTR does not apply to contractors as personnel, but contract may reference JTR to limit reimbursable travel costs. If contract does not reference JTR, contractor follows company travel policy and FAR Part 31 cost principles. Government employees cannot authorize contractor travel under JTR. So contractors should check contract for travel clause, if it says in accordance with JTR, then they must follow JTR per diem and economy airfare rules for reimbursement, otherwise they follow company policy.