| |
|
FTR Final Rules Address Meals and Incidental Expenses Allowance
The General Services Administration has issued two final rules amending the
Federal Travel Regulation. FTR Case 2009-303, Furnished Meals at Conferences and
Other Events, clarifies the availability of meals and incidental expenses
allowance when meals are part of a registration fee or otherwise paid by the
government, while FTR Case 2009-304, M&IE Allowance, addresses the M&IE
allowance for travel of more than 12 hours but less than 24 hours.
Furnished Meals
The final rule in case 2009-303 clarifies that travelers must deduct the
appropriate amounts from their M&IE allowance when meals are part of a
registration fee or otherwise paid by the government in conjunction with
conferences or other events while on official travel. The rule also provides
that, in limited instances, the full M&IE allowance may be claimed when an
employee is unable to consume meals furnished by the government due to medical
requirements or religious beliefs. The rule is issued in response to a March 14,
2008, Government Accountability Office report entitled "Governmentwide
Purchase Cards: Actions Needed to Strengthen Internal Controls to Reduce
Fraudulent, Improper, and Abusive Purchases," which recommended that GSA
instruct agencies to remind travelers that they must reduce the M&IE claimed
on their travel vouchers by the specified amount that GSA allocates when
travelers receive government-paid meals at conferences or other events,
including continental breakfasts. Revised FTR
300-3.1 adds a definition, revised FTR
301-2.5 addresses the exception for medical requirements and religious
beliefs, and revised FTR
301-70.200 adds a requirement for agencies to designate who will determine
when an employee may claim the full M&IE. The rule also clarifies, at FTR
301-11.18, the circumstances when employees may claim the full M&IE
allowance. This final rule is effective April 10, 2009. For the text of the
rule, see ¶70,030.121.
Short-term Travel
The final rule in case 2009-304 addresses the M&IE allowance when travel is
for more than 12 hours but less than 24 hours. GSA has discovered that agencies
are inconsistent in calculating the M&IE rate when an employee's travel is
for more than 12 hours but less than 24 hours, and spans two calendar days. As a
result, it is amending FTR
301-11.101 to clarify that travelers are to be reimbursed 75 percent of the
applicable M&IE rate for both calendar days of travel. This final rule goes
into effect May 11, 2009. For the text of the rule, see ¶70,030.122.
Bulletin Notice
GSA has also published GSA Bulletin FTR 09-06, in conjunction with the
presidential declaration of disaster areas in North Dakota. The declaration was
issued in response to severe storms and flooding and affects 34 counties and 2
Indian reservations. The bulletin waives certain temporary duty and relocation
requirements outlined in the FTR. The provisions of the bulletin are effective
though March 23, 2010, unless extended or rescinded by GSA. The text of the
bulletin may be viewed at http://www.gsa.gov/ federaltravelregulation.
For the text of the bulletin notice, see ¶70,353.104.
(The news featured above is a selection from the news covered in the Government Contracts Report Letter, which is published weekly and distributed to subscribers of the Government Contracts Reporter. )
|
|
|
|
Latest News
