[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 198 (Thursday, October 14, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63103-63104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25880]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Parts 301-10, 301-11, 301-50, 301-73, and Appendix D to 
Chapter 301

[FTR Amendment 2010-05; FTR Case 2010-306; Docket Number 2010-0018, 
Sequence 1]
RIN 3090-AJ08


Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); Lodging and Transportation 
Amendment

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The General Services Administration (GSA) is amending the 
Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) by revising and updating its policy on 
lodging and transportation. This final rule also updates an acronym and 
references to such in the FTR.

DATES: Effective Date: This final rule is effective November 15, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 
Room 4041, GS Building, Washington, DC, 20405, (202) 501-4755, for 
information pertaining to status or publication schedules. For 
clarification of content, contact Ms. Cheryl D. McClain, Office of 
Governmentwide Policy (OGP), at (202) 208-4334 or e-mail at 
[email protected]. Please cite FTR Amendment 2010-05; FTR case 
2010-306.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy (OGP) is updating the Federal 
Travel Regulation (FTR) by removing section 301-50.8. Section 301-50.8 
contains language regarding limitations on travel arrangements for 
common carriers, commercial lodging, and car rental usage. 
Consequently, parts 301-10 and 301-11 will be revised to include the 
language pertaining to common carriers, commercial lodging and car 
rental accommodations. Specifically, OGP is revising section 301-10.105 
regarding the basic requirements for using common carrier 
transportation and revising section 301-10.450 to provide guidance to 
travelers regarding renting vehicles under the Defense Travel 
Management Office's (DTMO) U.S. Government Car Rental Agreement. Also, 
section 301-11.11 is being revised to provide guidance to travelers who 
choose to obtain commercial lodging under a Government lodging 
agreement.
    This final rule also updates references in section 301-73.106 and 
Appendix D to Chapter 301 to change ``Surface Deployment Distribution 
Command'' (SDDC) to ``Defense Travel Management Office'' (DTMO).

B. Executive Order 12866

    This is not a significant regulatory action, and therefore, was not 
subject to review under Section 6(b) of Executive Order 12866, 
Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This final 
rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities within the meaning of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., because the 
revisions are not considered substantive. This final rule is also 
exempt from the Regulatory Flexibility Act per 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2) 
because it applies to agency management or personnel. However, this 
final rule is being published to provide transparency in the 
promulgation of Federal policies.

D. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the final 
changes to the FTR do not impose recordkeeping or information 
collection requirements, or the collection of information from 
offerors, contractors, or members of the public that require the 
approval of the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501, 
et seq.

E. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This final rule is also exempt from congressional review prescribed 
under 5 U.S.C. 801 since it relates to agency management and personnel.

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Parts 301-10, 301-11, 301-50, 301-73, 
and Appendix D to Chapter 301

    Government employees, Lodging and transportation programs.

    Dated: August 25, 2010.
Martha Johnson,
Administrator of General Services.
    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, under 5 U.S.C. 5701-
5709, GSA amends 41 CFR parts 301-10, 301-11, 301-50, 301-73, and 
Appendix D of Chapter 301 as set forth below:

PART 301-10--TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES

0
1. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 301-10 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5707, 40 U.S.C. 121(c), 49 U.S.C. 40118, 
OMB Circular No. A-126, revised May 22, 1992.


0
2. Remove the undesignated center heading ``Airline'' that appears 
immediately before Sec.  301-10.105.


0
3. Revise Sec.  301-10.105 to read as follows:


Sec.  301-10.105  What are the basic requirements for using common 
carrier transportation?

    The basic requirements for using common carrier transportation fall 
into three categories:
    (a) Using contract carriers, when available, and if your agency is 
a mandatory user of GSA's city-pair contracts for air passenger 
transportation services, unless you have an approved exception (see 
Sec. Sec.  301-10.106 through 301-10.108 of this subpart);
    (b) Using coach-class service, unless other than coach-class 
service is authorized under Sec.  301-10.123 or Sec.  301-10.162, and 
when travelling by ship, using lowest first-class accommodations, 
unless other than lowest first-class accommodations are authorized 
under Sec.  301-10.183 of this subpart; and
    (c) You must always use U.S. Flag Air Carrier (or ship) service for 
air passenger transportation or when travelling by ship, unless your 
travel circumstances meet one of the exceptions in Sec. Sec.  301-
10.135 through 301-10.138 or Sec.  301-10.183 of this subpart.


0
4. Amend Sec.  301-10.450 by revising the section heading, designating 
the existing paragraph as paragraph (a), and adding paragraph (b) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  301-10.450  When and from whom may I rent a vehicle for official 
travel when authorized?

* * * * *
    (b) When authorized to use a rental vehicle, you should consider 
renting a vehicle from a vendor that participates in the Defense Travel 
Management Office (DTMO) U.S. Government Car Rental Agreement to avail 
yourself of the Agreement's benefits, including the insurance and 
damage liability provisions, unless you are OCONUS and no agreement is 
in place for your TDY

[[Page 63104]]

location. The advantages of renting a car through the DTMO rental car 
program are:
    (1) Rental car agreements are pre-negotiated;
    (2) The agreement includes automatic unlimited mileage and 
collision damage insurance; and
    (3) The rates established by the car rental agreement cannot be 
exceeded by the vendor.

PART 301-11--PER DIEM EXPENSES

0
5. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 301-11 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5707.


0
6. Revise Sec.  301-11.11 to read as follows:


Sec.  301-11.11  How do I select lodging and make lodging reservations?

    (a) You must make your lodging reservations through your agency's 
travel management service.
    (b) You should always stay in a ``fire safe'' facility. This is a 
facility that meets the fire safety requirements of the Hotel and Motel 
Fire Safety Act of 1990 (the Act), as amended (see 5 U.S.C. 5707a).
    (c) When selecting a commercial lodging facility, first 
consideration should be given to government lodging agreement programs 
such as FedRooms[supreg] (http://www.fedrooms.com). The advantages of 
obtaining lodging using the FedRooms[supreg] program are:
    (1) Lodging rates are set at or below per diem rates;
    (2) There are no add-on fees;
    (3) The room cancellation deadline is 4 p.m. (or later) on the day 
of arrival;
    (4) Most hotels offer last standard room availability rates;
    (5) There are no early departure fees; and
    (6) Rates are available using all booking channels (e.g., E-Gov 
Travel Service, Travel Management Service, FedRooms[supreg] Web site, 
and hotel reservation call centers). The FedRooms[supreg] rate code 
(XVU) must be entered to get the program benefits.

    Note to Sec.  301-11.11:  5 U.S.C. 5707a does not apply to the 
District of Columbia government.

PART 301-50--ARRANGING FOR TRAVEL SERVICES

0
7. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 301-50 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5707; 40 U.S.C. 121(c).


Sec.  301-50.8  [Removed]

0
8. Remove Sec.  301-50.8.

PART 301-73--TRAVEL PROGRAMS

0
9. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 301-73 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707; 40 U.S.C. 121(c).

Sec.  301-73.106  [Amended]

0
10. Amend Sec.  301-73.106, paragraph (a)(3) by removing ``Surface 
Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC)'' and adding ``Defense 
Travel Management Office (DTMO)'' in its place.

Appendix D to Chapter 301--[Amended]

    11. Amend Appendix D to Chapter 301 by removing the entry 
``SDDC: Surface Deployment and Distribution Command'' and 
alphabetically adding the entry ``DTMO: Defense Travel Management 
Office''.

[FR Doc. 2010-25880 Filed 10-13-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-14-P