41 C.F.R. PART 301–74—CONFERENCE PLANNING
Title 41 - Public Contracts and Property Management
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707.
Source: FTR Amdt. No. 89, 65 FR 1327, Jan. 10, 2000, unless otherwise noted.
Note to subpart A: Use of pronouns “we”, “you”, and their variants throughout this subpart refers to the agency. When planning a conference, you must: (a) Minimize all conference costs, including administrative costs, conference attendees' travel costs, and conference attendees' time costs; (b) Maximize the use of Government-owned or Government provided conference facilities as much as possible; (c) Identify opportunities to reduce costs in selecting a particular conference location and facility (e.g., through the availability of lower rates during the off-season at a site with seasonal rates); and (d) Ensure that the conference planner or designee does not retain for personal use any promotional benefits or materials received from a travel service provider as a result of booking the conference (see §§301–53.2 and 301–53.3 of this chapter); and (e) Develop and establish internal policies to ensure these standards are met. [FTR Amdt. No. 89, 65 FR 1327, Jan. 10, 2000, as amended by FTR Amdt. 2003–04, 68 FR 27937, May 22, 2003] When planning a conference, you should consider all direct and indirect conference costs paid by the Government, whether paid directly by agencies or reimbursed by agencies to travelers or others associated with the conference. Some examples of such costs are: (a) Authorized travel and per diem expenses; (b) Hire of rooms for official business; (c) Audiovisual and other equipment usage; (d) Computer and telephone access fees; (e) Light refreshments; (f) Printing; (g) Registration fees; (h) Ground transportation; and (i) Employees' time at the conference and on en route travel. To determine conference expenditures, you must: (a) Assure there is appropriate management oversight of the conference planning process; (b) Always do cost comparisons of the size, scope, and location of the proposed conference; (c) Determine if a Government facility is available at a cheaper rate than a commercial facility; (d) Consider alternatives to a conference, e.g. teleconferencing; and (e) Maintain written documentation of the alternatives considered and the selection rationale used. Cost comparisons should include, but not be limited to, a determination of adequacy of lodging rooms at the established per diem rates, overall convenience of the conference location, fees, availability of meeting space, equipment, and supplies, and commuting or travel distance of attendees. (See Appendix E to Chapter 301, Guidance for Conference Planning.) Site selection is a final decision as to where to hold your conference. The term “site” refers to both the geographical location and the specific facility(ies) selected. In determining the best site in the interest of the Government, you should exercise strict fiscal responsibility to minimize costs. The actions in §301–74.3 must be followed. Cost comparisons must cover factors such as those listed in §301–74.4. As part of the cost comparison, you must use the established per diem rate for the locations for which you are comparing costs. While it is always desirable to obtain lodging facilities within the established lodging portion of the per diem rate for the chosen locality, it may not always be possible. In negotiating lodging rates with the properties in the chosen location, you may exceed the established lodging portion of the per diem rate by up to 25 percent under §§301–74.8 and 301–74.9, if necessary. This will provide flexibility in selecting an appropriate property at the most advantageous location. It will also permit agencies to reimburse their employees' subsistence expenses by using the conference lodging allowance method as prescribed in §301–74.8 for a Government sponsored conference and in §301–74.9 for non-Government sponsored conferences, rather than the actual expense method prescribed in subpart D of part 301–11 of this chapter. The conference lodging allowance is a pre-determined maximum allowance of up to 25 percent greater than the applicable locality lodging portion of the per diem rate. Under this reimbursement method, employees will be reimbursed the actual amount incurred for lodging up to the conference lodging allowance. The approval authority for the conference lodging allowance is the Government agency sponsoring the conference. The sponsoring agency will determine the appropriate conference lodging allowance, up to 25 percent above the established lodging allowance for the chosen location, and that rate shall be allowable for all employees of any agency authorized to attend the conference. The determination must be made by a senior agency official at the sponsoring agency. The travel approving official of a Government employee authorized to attend a non-Government sponsored conference may authorize the employee to be reimbursed for lodging expenses incurred up to the conference lodging allowance rate. No, the conference lodging allowance may not exceed 25 percent above the applicable locality lodging per diem rate. Yes. Agencies sponsoring a conference may provide light refreshments to agency employees attending an official conference. Light refreshments for morning, afternoon or evening breaks are defined to include, but not be limited to, coffee, tea, milk, juice, soft drinks, donuts, bagels, fruit, pretzels, cookies, chips, or muffins. No. You must only use one reimbursement method per day in accordance with §301–11.4 of this chapter. No. Per diem is intended only to reimburse the attendee's subsistence expenses. You must pay conference registration fees separately, either directly or by reimbursing employees who pay such expenses and submit travel claims. Yes. When you sponsor or fund (see 15 U.S.C. 2225a), in whole or in part, a conference at a place of public accommodation in the United States, you must use an approved accommodation (see §300–3.1 of this title), except as provided in §301–74.15. This provision also applies to the government of the District of Columbia when it expends Federal funds for a conference and any non-Federal entity which uses Government funds to sponsor or fund a conference. Yes, if the head of your agency makes a written determination on an individual case basis that waiver of the requirement to use approved accommodations is necessary in the public interest for a particular event. Your agency head may delegate this waiver authority to a senior agency official or employee who is given waiver authority with respect to all conferences sponsored or funded, in whole or in part, by your agency. (a) Any advertisement or application for attendance at a conference described in §301–74.14 must include: (1) Notice of the prohibition against using a non-FEMA approved place of public accommodation for conferences; and (2) Notice that the conference lodging allowance applies to Federal attendees, if applicable. (b) In addition, any executive agency, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105, shall notify all non-Federal entities to which it provides Federal funds of this prohibition. In addition to the general rules provided in this part, the following special rules apply: (a) You may not directly procure lodging facilities in the District of Columbia without specific authorization and appropriation from Congress (see 40 U.S.C. 34); and Note to (b) It is no longer mandatory that you contact GSA for meeting or conference facilities in the District of Columbia. However, you are encouraged to contact the GSA Public Buildings Service (PBS) of the National Capital Region to inquire about the availability of short-term conference and meeting facilities in the District of Columbia. For additional information see the Customer Desk Guide for Real Property Management, Chapter 1. The Customer Desk Guide can be found on the worldwide web at http://www.gsa.gov/attachments/GSA_PUBLICATIONS/pub/CustomerGuidebookmarkedversion.pdf. [FTR Amdt. No. 89, 65 FR 1327, Jan. 10, 2000, as amended by FTR Amdt. 108, 67 FR 57968, Sept. 13, 2002] You must establish policies that reduce the overall cost of conference attendance. The policies and procedures must: (a) Limit your agency's representation to the minimum number of attendees determined by a senior official necessary to accomplish your agency's mission; and (b) Provide for the consideration of travel expenses when selecting attendees. For each conference you sponsor or fund, in whole or in part for 30 or more attendees, you must maintain a record of the cost of each alternative conference site considered. You must consider at least three sites. You must make these records available for inspection by your Office of the Inspector General or other interested parties. Note to subpart B: Use of pronouns “we”, “you”, and their variants throughout this subpart refers to the agency. When meals or light refreshments are furnished by the Government or are included in the registration fee the applicable M&IE will be calculated as follows: (a) If meals are furnished, the appropriate deduction from the M&IE rate must be made (see §301–11.18 of this chapter). (b) If light refreshments are furnished, no deduction of the M&IE allowance is required. [FTR Amdt. No. 89, 65 FR 1327, Jan. 10, 2000, as amended by FTR Amdt. 2005–06, 70 FR 60222, Oct. 17, 2005] An employee, authorized to attend a conference, may be authorized the conference lodging allowance as prescribed in §§301–74.8 and 301–74.9. No. The conference lodging allowance is a separate method of reimbursement for lodgings expenses. If the conference lodging allowance still is inadequate, you may authorize actual expense reimbursement under §301–11.300 of this chapter in lieu of the conference lodging allowance method. Yes, you may reimburse travelers for an advanced discounted payment for a conference or training registration fee as soon as you have approved their travel to that event, and they submit a proper claim for the expenses incurred. [FTR Amdt. 2006–02, 71 FR 24598, Apr. 26, 2006] In all cases where a traveler is unable to attend an event for which a discounted registration fee was paid and reimbursed in advance of the event, the traveler must seek a refund of the registration fee and repay the agency with any refund received. If no refund is made, the agency must absorb the advanced payment if the traveler's failure to attend the event was caused either by an agency decision or for reasons beyond the employee's control that are acceptable to the agency, e.g., unforeseen illness or emergency. If no refund is made, and the traveler's failure to attend the scheduled event is due to reasons deemed unexcusable by the agency, the traveler must repay the agency for the amount advanced. [FTR Amdt. 2006–02, 71 FR 24598, Apr. 26, 2006]
Title 41: Public Contracts and Property Management
PART 301–74—CONFERENCE PLANNING
Section Contents
§ 301-74.1 What policies must we follow in planning a conference?
§ 301-74.2 What costs should be considered when planning a conference?
§ 301-74.3 What must we do to determine which conference expenditures result in the greatest advantage to the Government?
§ 301-74.4 What should cost comparisons include?
§ 301-74.5 How should we select a location and a facility?
§ 301-74.6 What can we do if we cannot find an appropriate conference facility at the chosen locality per diem rate?
§ 301-74.7 What is the conference lodging allowance?
§ 301-74.8 Who may authorize reimbursement of the conference lodging allowance for a Government sponsored conference?
§ 301-74.9 Who may authorize reimbursement of the conference lodging allowance for a non-Government sponsored conference?
§ 301-74.10 May the conference lodging allowance ever exceed 25 percent above the lodging per diem rate?
§ 301-74.11 May we provide light refreshments at an official conference?
§ 301-74.12 May we use both the conference lodging allowance method and the actual expense method of reimbursement concurrently?
§ 301-74.13 May we include conference administrative costs in an employee's per diem allowance payment for attendance at a conference?
§ 301-74.14 Are there any special requirements for sponsoring or funding a conference at a hotel, motel or other place of public accommodation?
§ 301-74.15 May we waive the requirement in §301–74.14?
§ 301-74.16 What must be included in any advertisement or application form relating to conference attendance?
§ 301-74.17 What special rules apply when a conference is held in the District of Columbia?
§ 301-74.18 What policies and procedures must we establish to govern the selection of conference attendees?
§ 301-74.19 What records must we maintain to document the selection of a conference site?
§ 301-74.21 What is the applicable M&IE rate when meals or light refreshments are furnished by the Government or are included in the registration fee?
§ 301-74.22 When may an employee, attending a conference, be authorized the conference lodging allowance?
§ 301-74.23 Is the conference lodging allowance an actual expense reimbursement?
§ 301-74.24 When should actual expense reimbursement be authorized for conference attendees?
§ 301-74.25 May we reimburse travelers for an advanced payment of a conference or training registration fee?
§ 301-74.26 What is the traveler required to do if he/she is unable to attend an event for which they were reimbursed for an advanced discounted payment of a conference or training registration fee?
Subpart A—Agency Responsibilities
top
§ 301-74.1 What policies must we follow in planning a conference?
top
§ 301-74.2 What costs should be considered when planning a conference?
top
§ 301-74.3 What must we do to determine which conference expenditures result in the greatest advantage to the Government?
top
§ 301-74.4 What should cost comparisons include?
top
§ 301-74.5 How should we select a location and a facility?
top
§ 301-74.6 What can we do if we cannot find an appropriate conference facility at the chosen locality per diem rate?
top
§ 301-74.7 What is the conference lodging allowance?
top
§ 301-74.8 Who may authorize reimbursement of the conference lodging allowance for a Government sponsored conference?
top
§ 301-74.9 Who may authorize reimbursement of the conference lodging allowance for a non-Government sponsored conference?
top
§ 301-74.10 May the conference lodging allowance ever exceed 25 percent above the lodging per diem rate?
top
§ 301-74.11 May we provide light refreshments at an official conference?
top
§ 301-74.12 May we use both the conference lodging allowance method and the actual expense method of reimbursement concurrently?
top
§ 301-74.13 May we include conference administrative costs in an employee's per diem allowance payment for attendance at a conference?
top
§ 301-74.14 Are there any special requirements for sponsoring or funding a conference at a hotel, motel or other place of public accommodation?
top
§ 301-74.15 May we waive the requirement in §301–74.14?
top
§ 301-74.16 What must be included in any advertisement or application form relating to conference attendance?
top
§ 301-74.17 What special rules apply when a conference is held in the District of Columbia?
top
§ 301-74.18 What policies and procedures must we establish to govern the selection of conference attendees?
top
§ 301-74.19 What records must we maintain to document the selection of a conference site?
top
Subpart B—Conference Attendees
top
§ 301-74.21 What is the applicable M&IE rate when meals or light refreshments are furnished by the Government or are included in the registration fee?
top
§ 301-74.22 When may an employee, attending a conference, be authorized the conference lodging allowance?
top
§ 301-74.23 Is the conference lodging allowance an actual expense reimbursement?
top
§ 301-74.24 When should actual expense reimbursement be authorized for conference attendees?
top
§ 301-74.25 May we reimburse travelers for an advanced payment of a conference or training registration fee?
top
§ 301-74.26 What is the traveler required to do if he/she is unable to attend an event for which they were reimbursed for an advanced discounted payment of a conference or training registration fee?
top
