GSA: Per diems for conferences may be too low

Government travelers attending conferences may be in line to receive higher per diem rates than regular travelers.

The General Services Administration, which sets federal travel rules, has asked a group of government and industry experts to review federal per diem rates and decide if they are adequate to cover travelers' costs at work-related conferences.

Bill Rivers, acting director of the travel management policy division at GSA, said federal travelers and conference organizers have raised concerns that per diem rates need to be higher when employees attend such events. Conferences are often held at three- and four-star hotels, while government per diem rates are based on lodging costs at two- and three-star hotels.

Two-star hotels often don't have the meeting facilities necessary for conferences; hotels that can handle conferences are often outside of federal per diem limits.

GSA will review the group's recommendation on whether a special per diem rate factor for conferences is necessary, Rivers said.