GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION [FTR Per Diem Bulletin 03-3] Federal Travel Regulation; Maximum Per Diem Rates for Colorado, New York, Texas, and Utah AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, General Services Administration (GSA). ACTION: Notice of revised continental United States (CONUS) per diem rates. SUMMARY: 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. An analysis of FPLP contracting actions and the lodging rate survey data reveals that the maximum per diem rate for the State of Colorado, city of Colorado Springs, including El Paso County; State of New York, borough of Brooklyn; State of Texas, city of Austin, including Travis County, and city of Houston, including Harris County; and State of Utah, city of Salt Lake City, including Salt Lake County, should be adjusted to provide for the reimbursement of Federal employees’ lodging expenses covered by the per diem. This bulletin amends the final rule published in the Federal Register on August 30, 2002 and amended on November 18, 2002, May 9, 2003, and May 28, 2003, by adjusting the maximum lodging amounts in the prescribed areas. This bulletin also eliminates seasonal rates for the State of Colorado, City of Colorado Springs, Colorado. DATES: This bulletin is effective August 19, 2003, and applies to travel performed 15 days after this date. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For clarification of content, contact Joddy P. Garner, Office of Governmentwide Policy, Travel Management Policy, at (202) 501-4857. Please cite FTR Per Diem Bulletin 03-3. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A. Background In the past, properties in high cost travel areas have been under no obligation to provide lodging to Federal travelers at the prescribed per diem rate. Thus, GSA established the FPLP to contract directly with properties in high cost travel markets to make available a set number of rooms to Federal travelers at contract rates. FPLP contract results along with the lodging survey data are integrated together to determine reasonable per diem rates that more accurately reflect lodging costs in these areas. In addition, the FPLP will enhance the Government’s ability to better meet its overall room night demand, and allow travelers to find lodging close to where they need to conduct business. After an analysis of this additional data, the maximum lodging amounts published in the Federal Register at 67 FR 56160, August 30, 2002 and amended at 67 FR 69634, November 18, 2002, 68 FR 25034, May 9, 2003, and 68 FR 31706, May 28, 2003, are being changed in those areas listed in the Summary, above. This bulletin also eliminates seasonal rates for the State of Colorado, city of Colorado Springs, including El Paso County, and also gives the State of New York, borough of Brooklyn, a separate per diem rate. Previously, the per diem rate for Brooklyn was included in the per diem rate for Bronx and Queens. B. Change in standard procedure Per diem rates change more frequently than other information contained in the FTR. Effective April 28, 2003, GSA changed the travel procedure to allow the Office of Governmentwide Policy (OGP), GSA, to issue/publish Appendix A per diem rates on the GSA website. FTR Per Diem Bulletins supersede Appendix A to Chapter 301 (41 CFR Chapter 301). This will ensure timely notification of any increase or decrease in per diem rates established by GSA for Federal employees on official travel within the continental United States (CONUS). Per diem rates will be published on the internet at www.gsa.gov/perdiem as an FTR Per Diem Bulletin and published in the Federal Register on a periodic basis. This bulletin gives notice of a revision in per diem rates prescribed by OGP for CONUS. Per Diem Bulletins published periodically in the Federal Register now constitute the only notification of revisions in CONUS per diem rates to agencies. The text of the Bulletin follows: Maximum per diem rates for official travel in the continental United States (CONUS) by Federal Government employees as prescribed in FTR Per Diem Bulletin 03-2: Maximum Lodging M&IE Per Diem Locality Amount Rate Rate (A) + (B) = (C) COLORADO (Remove the seasonal entries) Colorado Springs (El Paso County) $79 + $42 = $121 NEW YORK (Remove "Brooklyn" from the entry that includes Bronx and Queens and add the following separate entry for Brooklyn.) Brooklyn $198 + $46 = $244 TEXAS Austin (Travis County) $83 + $42 = $125 Houston (Harris County) $87 + $46 = $133 UTAH Salt Lake City (Salt Lake County) $80 + $38 = $118 Dated: G. Martin Wagner Associate Administrator