Guideline for Lodging Rates for Domestic Travel
July 26, 2006
FROM: Karen Triplett, Director, Purchasing Services
SUBJECT: Added to University Financial Policy. "Traveling on University
Business" Guideline for Lodging Rates for Domestic Travel
Effective immediately, for non-conference travel, the University will now
employ a formula, using the US Government General Services Administration
(GSA) lodging per diem rates (www.gsa.gov), to determine reasonableness of
rates. The University has established a guideline of 150% of the GSA rate
(excluding applicable taxes) as reasonable. For example, the GSA rate for
Atlanta, Georgia is $115. 150% of the GSA rate is $173. This means that
rooms that are less than $173 (excluding applicable taxes) for Atlanta would
be within the guideline. (Note: The GSA site shows multiple rates for some
destinations, due to pricing fluctuations based on the time of the year.)
For non-conference travel, if the lodging rate will exceed the guideline,
pre-approval from a supervisor/manager who is at least one level higher in
authority than the traveler or the appropriate designee must be obtained. If
a request for reimbursement is made for non-conference lodging which exceeds
the guideline, and the request was not pre-approved, the supervisor/manager
may deduct the overage from the reimbursement request.
A new Request for Domestic Lodging Exception (UM 1636) form is available to
facilitate and document requests to exceed the Guideline, and to document
approval if the request is approved. The new form can be found in Financial
Policy 3.8.3, in the Forms/Instructions section.
This guideline does not apply to conference travel where there is a
prenegotiated conference lodging rate.