[Federal Register: August 6, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 150)]
[Notices]               
[Page 43642]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06au07-53]                         

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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

 
Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); 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 08-01, Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 
continental United States (CONUS) per diem rates.

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SUMMARY: The General Services Administration's (GSA's) annual per diem 
review has resulted in lodging and meal allowance rate changes for 
locations within the continental United States (CONUS) to provide for 
the reimbursement of Federal employees' authorized travel expenses 
covered by per diem. Per Diem Bulletin 08-01 updates the standard CONUS 
lodging per diem rate as well as the maximum per diem amounts for 
existing non-standard areas (NSAs) located within CONUS. The standard 
CONUS lodging rate will increase to $70. All CONUS per diem rates 
prescribed in Bulletin 08-01 may be found at http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem.
 GSA based the lodging per diem rates, including the updated 

standard CONUS lodging rate, on average daily rate information that the 
lodging industry reports. The use of such data in the per diem rate 
setting process enhances the Government's ability to obtain policy 
compliant lodging where it is needed. In addition to the annual lodging 
study, GSA identified two new redefined non-standard areas (NSA's), 
which prompted an out of cycle meal survey for these areas.
    For a complete listing of pertinent information that must be 
submitted through a Federal executive agency for GSA to restudy a 
location if a CONUS or standard CONUS per diem rate is insufficient to 
meet necessary expenses, please review numbers 4 and 5 of our per diem 
Frequently Asked Questions at (http://www.gsa.gov/perdiemfaqs).


DATES: This notice is effective October 1, 2007, and applies for travel 
performed on or after October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For clarification of content, contact 
Mr. Cy Greenidge, Office of Governmentwide Policy, Office of Travel, 
Transportation, and Asset Management, at (202) 219-2349, or by e-mail 
at http://www.gsa.gov/perdiemquestions. Please cite Notice of Per Diem 

Bulletin 08-01.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    After an analysis of current data, the General Services 
Administration (GSA) has determined that the current standard 
continental United States (CONUS) lodging rate, as well as lodging 
rates for certain localities (non-standard areas), do not adequately 
reflect lodging market conditions. To develop the per diem rates for FY 
2008, GSA used the same average daily rate-based methodology used for 
establishing the FY 2007 per diem rates. The use of average daily rate 
information to establish the standard CONUS lodging rate is new for FY 
2008.
    A meals study was also conducted for two new non-standard areas 
(NSAs).

B. Change in Standard Procedure

    GSA issues/publishes 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 process, implemented in 2003, ensures more 

timely changes 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: July 31, 2007.
Becky Rhodes,
Deputy Associate Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E7-15216 Filed 8-3-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6820-14-P