GSA Office of Governmentwide Policy Office of Transportation and Personal Property Per Diem & Federal Premier Lodging Program A Premier Partnership with the Lodging Industry IACVB Professional Development Institute February 2, 2004

Per Diem … Patrick McConnell General Services Administration Travel Management Policy Lodging Team (202)

What is Per Diem? … An allowance for lodging (excluding taxes), meals and incidental expenses. The CONUS (48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia) per diem rates are reviewed and established by GSA for travelers on official Government business. Standard CONUS Per Diem Rate Designated Per Diem Rates

Why does GSA establish per diem rates? … Provide sufficient allowance for Government travelers to stay at safe and comfortable rooms while on official business. Provide sufficient allowance for Government travelers to eat in full service restaurants While protecting the Government and taxpayer’s financial interest.

How many locations does GSA set per diem rates for? … Federal travelers travel to approximately 8,000 destinations across the CONUS GSA sets designated per diem rates for approximately 450+ locations Standard CONUS rate is one base per diem rate that is set for the balance of approximately 7,500 travel locations

How does GSA establish these rates … Review standard CONUS per diem every 3 years. Review Designated per diem rates every year! By law, per diem rates most be set based on information collected from FEMA approved properties! Old way: Annual telephone survey of lodging rates conducted by an independent Contractor –Called properties randomly –Focus on 2/3 star-diamond, FEMA approved properties –Lodging rate generally based on the average Federal government lodging rate for properties surveyed and available room night for each location New Way: Average Daily Rate data from Smith Travel Research

Do properties have to honor the per diem lodging rate? … No! The Per Diem lodging rate is a maximum allowance established for the Federal traveler to spend up to in a specific travel location.

What happens when travelers can’t get a room at per diem? … Actual Expense Authority –Must obtain in advance of travel –Up to 300 percent of the per diem rate Conference Lodging Allowance –Up to 25 percent of the per diem rate The Federal Premier Lodging Program!

CVBs & Per Diem … We want to work with you to better serve federal travelers! Let us know of major events that may affect room availability. Requests to review per diem rates: Must come from Federal agencies Should be in writing Work with local properties: Encourage them to get FEMA approved Encourage them to submit data to STR, other industry data collection activities. We are willing to pay a visit and talk with local properties!

FPLP … Rick Freda, CMP General Services Administration Travel Management Policy Lodging Team (202)

FPLP Is… A Governmentwide program administered by GSA Establishes contractual relationships with hotels Rates are at or below Per Diem (CONUS) For use by all Federal/Military transient travelers Required by the Federal Travel Regulation – (FTR Amendment 108 – September 13, 2002) “First Consideration” program for official lodging

FPLP Partners… Federal Executive Boards (FEB’s) Office of Management and Budget (OMB) GSA’s Federal Technology Service (FSS) GSA’s Federal Supply Service (FSS) Federal Agencies Department of Defense (DoD) Interagency Travel Management Committee (ITMC) Society of Government Travel Professionals (SGTP) National Business Travel Association (NBTA) American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) Hotels and Hotel Management Companies Convention & Visitors Bureaus

WHY FPLP?… Complaints from Federal travelers in downtown locations Concern from the Federal Executive Boards…(feb.gov) Not enough hotels on the FEMA list to set per diem rates No guaranteed rooms from the lodging industry No guaranteed rates from the lodging industry Best practices pointed to “corporate type” lodging program

FPLP Benefits… Guaranteed Guaranteed Rates (must book rooms at least 5 days prior to travel) At or below Per Diem rates More lodging choices in “TOP” Federal areas Quality hotels in convenient locations Compliance with FEMA, Fire, Safety, and Security Requirements

FPLP Current Status… Completed Phase One in FY 2003 FPLP is in 70+ U.S. cities Project Team will make changes in 2004 Test Pilot Program for Outsourcing the Program Expand to non-FPLP cities, extended stay, conference Work with eTravel Service vendors/on-line booking Work with 4 major GDS’s to ensure program integrity Work with program hotels to ensure rate integrity

FPLP Hotel Status… As of February hotel contracts

FPLP Policy Change… FTR policy change – Amendment 108 Lodging accommodations. Travelers 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, as amended (see 5 U.S.C. 5707a). When selecting a commercial lodging facility, first consideration must be given to the commercial lodging facilities contracted by GSA under the Federal Premier Lodging Program (FPLP) that meet the fire safety requirements, where available, unless one or more of the following conditions exist. (A list of FPLP facilities may be found at If a FPLP facility is not available in the location the traveler needs, the traveler’s designated travel management system must provide the traveler with a list of alternative facilities that meet the fire safe requirements of the Act. (1) There are no FPLP facilities under contract within a reasonable proximity of your temporary duty location; (2) There are no vacancies at the available FPLP properties; (3) The traveler’s agency has other contractual arrangements with commercial lodging facilities that meet FEMA fire safe requirements; (4) The traveler’s agency determines on a case-by-case basis that it is not practical to use FPLP facilities to meet mission requirements; (5) The traveler is attending a conference with prearranged lodging accommodations and to ensure that the set aside rooms are used attendees are required to book lodging directly with the lodging facility; or (6) The travel is OCONUS.

FPLP usage… FTR policy change – Amendment 108 “First Consideration” hotel program in FTR Partnering with Travelers to raise awareness Partnering with TMCs to raise awareness Partnering with Hotels to raise awareness Promoting GDS access code - XVU

Traveler/TMC Involvement… Travelers MUST use TMC per FTR TMCs may use XVU rate access code to book FPLP hotels FPLP = XVU rate code = Government Rate GSA’s goal: to educate the end users – Travelers and TMCs

FPLP message for 2004 Guaranteed rooms Guaranteed rates In just the right places

GSA announces……….. National Travel Forum 2004 June 28 – July 1, 2004 Wyndham Anatole Hotel Dallas, Texas “Traveling on the Frontier of Change”

Partners National Travel Forum 2004 GSA / Office of Governmentwide Policy Interagency Travel Management Committee (ITMC) Government Executive magazine

Keynote Speakers National Travel Forum 2004 Opening Keynote Speaker James Champy, Chairman of Perot Systems X-Engineering: The Next Frontier Closing Keynote Speaker Loretta LaRouche, Stress Management Therapist, Humorist, Author, and Lector

Educational Opportunities National Travel Forum Educational Workshops 12 sponsored by GSA Travel 4 sponsored by e Travel Service 4 sponsored by Department of Defense 2 sponsored by State Department 3 Motivational speakers 3 Meeting Planning 4 Relocation

Networking Opportunities National Travel Forum 2004 Great Frontier Exhibit Hall 125+ travel related vendors (7 hours of exhibit time) Opening Night Reception Network with travel industry professionals GovExec – “Travel Manager of the Year Awards”