GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
Summary: To improve the ability of the per diem rates to meet the lodging demands of Federal travelers to high cost travel locations, the General Services Administration (GSA) has integrated the contracting mechanism of the new Federal Premier Lodging Program (FPLP) into the per diem rate-setting process.
Action: An analysis of FPLP contracting actions and the lodging rate survey data reveals that the maximum per diem rate for the State of Texas, city limits of Fort Worth, Arlington/Grapevine, Dallas; State of California, Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo/Redwood City, Santa Monica, and Sunnyvale/Palo Alto/San Jose, should be adjusted to provide for the reimbursement of Federal employees’ lodging expenses covered by the per diem. This bulletin amends the final rule published in the Federal Register on August 30, 2002 and amended on November 18, 2002, May 9, 2003, and May 28, 2003, by adjusting the maximum lodging amounts in the prescribed areas. This bulletin also eliminates seasonal rates for Santa Monica, California.
Effective: This bulletin is effective September 2, 2003, and applies to travel performed 15 days after this date.
Point of Contact: For clarification of content, contact Patrick McConnell, Office of Governmentwide Policy, Travel Management Policy, at (202) 501-2362. Please cite FTR Per Diem Bulletin 03-4.
Background Information
(A) In the past, properties in high cost travel areas have been under no obligation to provide lodging to Federal travelers at the prescribed per diem rate. Thus, GSA established the FPLP to contract directly with properties in high cost travel markets to make available a set number of rooms to Federal travelers at contract rates. FPLP contract results along with the lodging survey data are integrated together to determine reasonable per diem rates that more
accurately reflect lodging costs in these areas. In addition, the FPLP will enhance the Government’s ability to better meet its overall room night demand, and allow travelers to find lodging close to where they need to conduct business. After an analysis of this additional data, the maximum lodging amounts published in the Federal Register at 67 FR 56160, August 30, 2002 and amended at 67 FR 69634, November 18, 2002, 68 FR 25034, May 9, 2003, and 68 FR 31706, May 28, 2003, are being changed in the areas listed above.
(B) Per diem rates change more frequently than other information contained in the FTR. Effective April 28, 2003, GSA changed the travel procedure to allow the Office of Governmentwide Policy (OGP), GSA, to issue/publish Appendix A per diem rates on the GSA website. FTR Per Diem Bulletins supersede Appendix A to Chapter 301 (41 CFR Chapter 301). This will ensure timely notification of any increase or decrease in per diem rates established by GSA for Federal employees on official travel within the continental United States (CONUS). Per diem rates will be published on the internet at www.gsa.gov/perdiem as an FTR Per Diem Bulletin and published in the Federal Register on a periodic basis. This bulletin gives notice of a revision in per diem rates prescribed by OGP for CONUS. Per Diem Bulletins published periodically in the Federal Register now
constitute the only notification of revisions in CONUS per diem rates to agencies. These are the changes constituted by this Bulletin:
Maximum per diem
rates for official travel in the continental United States (CONUS) by Federal
Government employees as prescribed in FTR Per Diem Bulletin 03-2:
Maximum
Lodging M&IE Per
Diem
Locality Amount Rate Rate
(A)
+ (B)
= (C)
TEXAS
Arlington/Grapevine (Tarrant
County) $112 + $38
= $150
Dallas (Dallas County) $95 + $46 =
$141
Fort Worth (City Limits of
Fort Worth)
$96 + $42 = $138
CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles (including Los Angeles;
Orange, and Ventura Counties;
Edwards AFB; Naval Weapons Center
And Ordinance Test Station, China
Lake (see Santa Monica))
$106 + $50
= $156
Oakland (Alameda County) $105 + $42 =
$147
Sacramento (Sacramento County) $93
+ $46 = $139
San Francisco (San Francisco County)
$139 + $50 = $189
San Mateo/Redwood City (San
Mateo County)
$102 + $46
= $148
(Remove the seasonal entries)
Santa Monica (City limits of
Santa Monica)
$125 + $42
= $167
Sunnyvale/Palo Alto/San Jose
(Santa Clara County)
$106 + $50
= $156
Dated:
G. Martin
Wagner
Associate
Administrator