Eat, Drink and Sleep

he new per diem rates used by federal employees traveling on government business took effect Oct. 1 and can be accessed on GSA's Web site at http://policyworks.gov/org/main/mt/homepage/mtt/perdiem/perd04d.xls. GSA published the rates in the Federal Register on Aug. 29. GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy held most lodging rates at fiscal 2003 levels, maintaining the standard continental United States rate of $55 for lodging and raising the meals and incidental expenses rate $1 to $31.

Several new cities made it onto the per diem list this year: Lemoore, Calif.; Stockton, Calif.; Brunswick, Ga.; Springfield, Ill.; Bloomington, Ind.; LaPlata/Indian Head, Md.; Starkville, Miss.; Asheville, N.C.; Tulsa, Okla.; State College, Pa.; Sumter, S.C.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Round Rock, Texas; and Warrenton, Va.

GSA is continuing to expand the 2-year-old Federal Premier Lodging Program, which guarantees that a certain number of rooms are available within the per diem rate in specific geographical areas. For a full list of the cities and properties participating in the program, go to the Office of Governmentwide Policy's Web site at www.policyworks.gov/org/main/mt/homepage/mtt/perdiem/plp/fplpcontractawds.xls.

In January, the 13-member Governmentwide Per Diem Advisory Board recommended that the government outsource its lodging program after reviewing GSA's per diem rate-setting process. The agency is still reviewing its options and plans to meet with federal travel managers to determine which recommendations should be implemented.