Per diem rates raised in several metro areas, including D.C.

The General Services Administration has updated the per diem rates for several major metropolitan regions, including the Washington, D.C., area, where the seasonal rate for fall lodging will rise by $32 to $192 a night.

The rate changes will apply to all government travel starting Feb. 1, according to a Federal Travel Regulation per diem bulletin released Monday and published in the Federal Register. GSA adjusted the rates after determining that lodging and meals and incidental expenses allowances for the localities failed to adequately reflect costs.

Much of the United States is covered under a standard rate, based on Consumer Price Index data, which is $60 for lodging and $39 for meals and incidental expenses. But a number of locations, including nearly all major metropolitan areas, are assigned per diem rates that differ from the standard.

Twelve areas were moved off the standard rate and assigned higher per diem rates, including: Butte County, Calif.; Richmond County, Ga.; Twin Falls, Idaho; the Indiana cities of Hammond, Munster and Merrillville; Carson City, Nev. and Will County, Ill.

Meals and incidental expense rates were reviewed in locations in Illinois, Michigan, Montana and New Mexico.

The seasonally adjusted per diem rate for lodging in Washington was raised significantly for the fall months. From Sept. 1 through Nov. 30, it will be $192; for Dec. 1 through June 30, the rate will be $180; and the rate for July 1 through Aug. 31 will be $150.

The adjusted rates cover hotels in the District of Columbia; the Virginia cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax; the Virginia counties of Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun; and the Maryland counties of Montgomery and Prince Georges.

GSA also announced some smaller increases.

The rate for lodging in Los Angeles, which includes Orange and Ventura counties and Edwards Air Force Base, was raised from $96 to $104 year-round while Detroit's allowance rose from $90 to $93 for the year.

The seasonal lodging rates for Santa Barbara, Calif., were increased from $100 to $133 for Sept. 1 through June 30 and from $117 to $173 for July 1 to Aug. 31.

The yearlong lodging rate for Denver was raised from $119 to $124, and in Pensacola, Fla., it went from $61 to $68. The lodging rate for Minnesota's Dakota County increased from $65 to $78 year-round and in El Paso, Texas, the rate increased from $66 to $69. The Frederick, Md., rate went from $71 to $78.

Arizona's Grand Canyon region, which was combined with the Flagstaff, Ariz., region, will have rates of $60 for Nov. 1 through Feb. 28 and $77 for the rest of the year. The old rate was $68 for the entire year.

GSA last adjusted per diems in November when it announced changes to the 2006 rates published on Sept. 1, 2005.

All per diem rates are published on GSA's domestic per diem Web site.