[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 168 (Friday, August 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52035-52036]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22107]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION


Maximum Per Diem Rates for the Continental United States (CONUS)

AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, General Services 
Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Notice of Per Diem Bulletin 04-1, Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 
continental United States (CONUS) per diem rates.

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SUMMARY: An analysis of lodging and meal cost survey data reveals that 
the FY 2004 maximum per diem rates for locations within the continental 
United

[[Page 52036]]

States (CONUS) should be updated to provide for the reimbursement of 
Federal employees' expenses covered by per diem. Per Diem Bulletin 04-1 
increases/decreases the maximum lodging amounts in certain existing per 
diem localities, adds new per diem localities, and increases the 
incidental expenses from $2 to $3 for all per diem localities. The per 
diems prescribed in Bulletin 04-1 may be found at http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem. In an effort 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. The FPLP continues to grow as 
GSA has awarded virtually all contracts in the top 70 Federal 
metropolitan travel destinations. The FPLP enhances the Government's 
ability to better meet its overall room night demand and allows 
travelers to find lodging close to where they need to conduct business. 
If a CONUS per diem rate is insufficient to meet necessary expenses 
bulletin 04-1 also contains a listing of pertinent lodging and meal 
cost data that must be submitted through an agency requesting a 
location be resurveyed.

DATES: This notice is effective October 1, 2003, and applies for travel 
performed on or after October 1, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For clarification of content, contact 
Patrick McConnell, Office of Governmentwide Policy, Travel Management 
Policy, at (202) 501-2362. Please cite Notice of Per Diem Bulletin 04-
1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    After an analysis of additional data, GSA has determined that 
current lodging and meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) allowances for 
certain localities do not adequately reflect the cost of lodging in 
those areas.

B. Change in Standard Procedure

    GSA will issue/publish the CONUS per diem rates, formerly published 
in appendix A to 41 CFR chapter 301, solely on the Internet at http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem. This new process ensures timely increases or 
decreases in per diem rates established by GSA for Federal employees on 
official travel within CONUS. Notices published periodically in the 
Federal Register, such as this one, now constitute the only 
notification of revisions in CONUS per diem rates to agencies.

    Dated: August 22, 2003.
John Sindelar,
Deputy Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 03-22107 Filed 8-28-03; 8:45 am]
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