The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency in charge of government property and procurement, has lowered for 2011 its per diem reimbursement rates for government travel, it announced last month.
Calculated using industry data, per diem — the maximum daily allowance given to government employees for lodging, meals and incidental expenses when they're traveling on business — will be 3.85 percent lower overall in 2011 than in 2010.
"By using the lodging industry's standard measure for lodging rates, the average daily rate, GSA maintains best value to the taxpayer when calculating reimbursement rates for official government travel," said Kathleen M. Turco, associate administrator for GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy.
GSA sets two types of per diem rates. Applicable in 2,600 U.S. counties, the standard per diem rate is an aggregate of rates in "standard" locations across the country, calculated once every three years. Despite the overall decline in reimbursement, the standard per diem rate in 2011 will be $123 ($77 for lodging and $46 for meals and incidental expenses), up from $116 ($70 for lodging and $46 for meals and incidental expenses).
The GSA's second type of per diem, nonstandard per diem rates, is reviewed annually and applies in 378 "nonstandard areas" in the United States that are frequented by federal travelers. Although nonstandard rates vary by destination, they will be down in 310 areas in 2011, up in 50 areas and unchanged in 18 areas.
For a complete list of 2011 per diem rates by location, visit www.GSA.gov/perdiem.