U S General Services Administration Office of Governmentwide

U. S. General Services Administration Office of Governmentwide Policy Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) policy changes & updates Rick Miller Program Analyst Travel and Transportation Management Policy (MTT) Office of Travel, Transportation and Asset Management

Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) v FTR Amendments v FTR Bulletins v FTR Proposed updates 2

FTR - Amendments v 2009 -01 - TDY POV mileage rate v 2009 -02 - Fly America / “Open Skies” v 2009 -03 - Furnished meals at conferences and other events v 2009 -04 - Per Diem M&IE for TDY of more than 12 but less than 24 hours v 2009 -05 - Travel Purpose Identifiers 3

FTR - Amendments v 2009 -01 - TDY POV mileage rate v. Effective 1 January 2009 v. Not to exceed rates established by IRS v. Privately owned vehicle - $0. 55 v. Motorcycles - $0. 52 v. Airplanes - $1. 24 4

FTR - Amendments v 2009 -02 - Fly America / “Open Skies” v Effective 15 January 2009 - Applies to specific countries v Allows the use of foreign flag carrier if no city-pair contract is available from “origin to destination” v Grantees and Contractors must use U. S. Flag carrier if available v Non-applicable for DOD funded travel v Travel to non “Open Skies” countries must continue to follow the policy (exceptions) for traveling on foreign flag carrier 5

FTR - Amendments v 2009 -03 - Furnished meals at conferences and other events v. Reduce M&IE for government provided meals v. Definition for “Furnished meal” v. Specific requirements for agency/employee to claim full M&IE due to medical or religious beliefs v. Update FTR 301 -11. 18 M&IE chart for “Continental Breakfast/Breakfast” 6

FTR - Amendments v 2009 -04 - Per Diem M&IE for TDY of more than 12 but less than 24 hours v. Update FTR 301 -11. 101 M&IE chart v. Per diem allowed at 75% of the applicable M&IE rate for each calendar day while in a travel status 7

FTR - Amendments v 2009 -05 - Travel Purpose Identifiers v. Updates the list of travel purpose identifiers v. Employee Emergency, Mission (Operational), Special Agency Mission, Conference – Other Than Training, and Relocation v. Incorporates new descriptive language for each identifier 8

FTR - Bulletins v 09 -01 - FY 09 CONUS per diem rates v 09 -02 - Baggage & seat choice reimbursement v 09 -03 - Relocation standard mileage rate v 09 -04 - Relocation Income Tax (RIT) Allowance v 09 -05 - Revised CONUS per diem rates v 09 -06 - Expense waivers for flooding in ND 9

FTR - Bulletins v 09 -01 - FY 09 CONUS per diem rates v Effective 1 October 2008 v Annual review of per diem rates v 400 Non-Standard areas v Conus Rate - $70 for lodging / $39 for meals and incidentals 10

FTR - Bulletins v 09 -02 - Baggage & seat choice reimbursement v Bulletin clarifies baggage expenses, seat choice options, and other miscellaneous fees v Agencies (Government interest) may approve for excess baggage v Agencies (Government interest) may authorize reimbursement for additional seat choice fee seating could still be in the coach cabin v Special needs policy still in effect: authorized upgraded seat choice, then attendant accompanying employee may also be authorized the upgrade 11

FTR - Bulletins v 09 -03 - Relocation standard mileage rate v. Effective 1 January 2009 v. Current rate - $0. 24 per mile per POV v. Not to exceed IRS standard mileage rate v. No reimbursement for family/passengers 12

FTR - Bulletins v 09 -04 - Relocation Income Tax (RIT) Allowance v Provides the 2008 Federal, State, Puerto Rico tax tables needed for calculating RIT v RIT tables are no longer published in the Federal Register – available on the GSA web site 13

FTR - Bulletins v 09 -05 - Revised CONUS per diem rates v Effective 1 April 2009 v Mid-year review determined 1 October 2009 per diem rates for certain locations did not adequately reflect the cost of lodging and/or M&IE v Locations – Idaho, Maryland, South Carolina 14

FTR - Bulletins v 09 -06 - Expense waivers for flooding in ND v Presidential Emergency Declaration affecting certain counties in the state of North Dakota due to severe storms and flooding v Effective 24 March 2008 v Informs agencies that certain provisions of the FTR governing the authorization of actual subsistence expenses for official travel (both TDY and relocation) are temporarily waived 15

FTR - Proposed Updates v. Premium Class / Other than Coach Class v. Local Travel at the TDY location v. TDY travel from/to a telework site v. Relocation Tables 16

THANK YOU It has been my pleasure speaking to you today! Rick Miller, OGP, MTT (202) 501 -3822 (voice) (202) 501 -0349 (fax) e-mail – Rodney. Miller@gsa. gov 17