GSA releases new per diem rates

The General Services Administration on Wednesday announced per diem rate adjustments for fiscal 2007.

Changes will include the removal of Loudoun County, Va., from Washington, D.C., area and the removal of the Queens borough of New York City from the Manhattan area. Loudoun County and Queens, along with a handful of other areas, will now have their own per diem rates, effective Oct. 1, 2006, through Sept. 30, 2007.

The announcement was posted in the Federal Register Wednesday and the rates are available on GSA's Web site.

Much of the United States is covered under a standard rate, based on Consumer Price Index data. That rate will remain the same as for fiscal 2006, and will be $60 per night for lodging and $39 for meals and incidental expenses.

But a number of locations, including nearly all major metropolitan areas, are given a per diem rate that differs from the standard.

According to the Federal Register announcement, GSA made two methodological changes in developing the fiscal 2007 rates. These were excluding hotel properties judged below industry standard, and redefining its hotel selection method based on charge card data and agency input to better capture actual destinations.

The new rate for Washington, which includes Virginia's Arlington and Fairfax counties, and Maryland's Montgomery and Prince George's counties, will differ across four seasons, down from five in fiscal 2006.

From Oct. 1 through Nov. 30, the lodging per diem rate will be $195 per night; from Dec. 1 through May 31, it will be $188; from June 1 through Aug. 31, it will be $162; and from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30, it will be $195.

Previously, the Washington lodging per diem rates ranged from $150 to $192 a night, depending on the season. The meals and incidentals expenses rate will remain unchanged at $64 throughout the year.

The new Loudoun County lodging per diem rate is $131 a night year-round.

The new lodging rates for the Manhattan area, which includes the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island, also will change over four seasons for fiscal 2007, down from five in fiscal 2006.

From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, the lodging per diem rate will be $274; from Jan. 1 through June 30, it will be $214; from July 1 through Aug. 31, it will be $196; and from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30, it will be $274.

Previously, the Manhattan lodging rate ranged from $201 to $282 a night, depending on the season. The meals and incidentals expenses rate remained unchanged at $64 throughout the year.

The new Queens borough lodging rate will be separated into five seasons ranging from $152 to $177 a night.