6509.33_301
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FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
ALASKA REGION (REGION 10)
JUNEAU, ALASKA
FSH 6509.33 – FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
Supplement No.: R-10 6509.33_301-2016-1
Effective Date: March 23, 2016
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved:
/s/ Beth G. Pendleton
BETH G. PENDLETON
Regional Forester
Date Approved: March 23, 2016
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and
calendar year. Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this
supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last R-10
supplement to this Handbook was 6509.33-2015-2 to chapter 301.
New Document
6509.33_301-2016-1
3 Pages
Superseded Document(s) by
Issuance Number and
Effective Date
6509.33_301-2015-1
6509.33_301-2015-2
2 Pages
2 Pages
Digest:
11 – Combine supplements in this part. Update Regional policy for reduced per diem rate at
remote duty locations to define processing for field rate per diem-meals and field rate per diemincidental expenses.
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 6509.33_301-2016-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 3/23/2016
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6509.33_301
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FSH 6509.33 – FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
301-11 - Per Diem Expenses
301-11.12 - How does the type of lodging I select affect my reimbursement?
The Forest Service reimburses the cost of different types of lodging differently:
Government Quarters.
Employees are required to pay for the use of Forest Service quarters in the Alaska
Region and are authorized reimbursement on a travel voucher.
Invitational travelers, contractors and volunteers whose contract/agreement with the
Government authorizes use of quarters are required to pay for use of Forest Service
quarters in the Alaska Region. Depending on the terms of the contract/agreement, the
nightly fee for use of quarters shall be paid by the contractor/volunteer or charged to the
program area that is covering the rental costs. Refer to the Region 10 supplement to FSH
6409.11, chapter 30 for a list of Alaska posts of duty with Forest Service quarters and
processes for recording payment of quarters rent. Refer to the Region 10 supplement to
FSH 6309.32 Part 4G13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures for instructions regarding
the use of a government purchase card.
301-11.200 - Under what circumstances may my agency prescribe a reduced per
diem rate lower than the prescribed maximum?
2. Under Article 11 Negotiations between Alaska Region (Management) and National
Federation of Federal Employees, Local 251 (Union) resulted in the following agreements,
which authorize the following circumstances by which the agency may prescribe a reduced per
diem rate lower than the prescribed maximum.
The reduced per diem rate (also known as the field subsistence rate) is authorized based on a
determination that:
a. The work activity is in a remote area where a unit’s capability to transport employees
to their official station would take excessive time or would otherwise pose an
unacceptable safety hazard; or
b. The cost of travel to and from worksites, including lost productive time, exceeds the
cost of providing reduced per diem reimbursement, and
c. The work activity will last more than 12 hours, regardless of the actual miles from the
employee’s duty station.
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 6509.33_301-2016-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 3/23/2016
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6509.33_301
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FSH 6509.33 – FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION
CHAPTER 301 – TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES
A list of designated field camps where the reduced per diem rate will apply will be updated
annually, by March 1 and renegotiated with the Union by October 1. Refer to the forest
supplements to FSH 6509.33 section 301.11 for a list of these locations.
The reduced per diem rate for remote duty locations in the Alaska Region will be 60% (rounded
to the nearest dollar) of the Local Meal and Local Incidental Expense per-diem rate established
by Department of Defense. The per-diem rates can be found at:
http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/pdcgi/pd-rates/opdrates4.cgi
For example, when the local meals rate is $80 and the local incidental rate is $19, the reduced per
diem (meals) rate is $48 ($80 X 60%). The reduced per diem (incidental expenses) rate is $ 11
($19 X 60%). The proration of first and last day’s per-diem is required by the Federal Travel
Regulation and will be applied by the Travel Management System (ETS2).
This reduced rate recognizes that start up and replenishment costs for “staple goods” will be
procured outside of the Travel Management System. “Staple goods” include, and are not limited
to, paper goods and cleaning supplies. Crew supervisors should coordinate with one another to
assure that an adequate supply of “staple goods” is in place at remote duty locations. District
Rangers should establish procedures that will ensure full utilization of “stable goods” by district
field-going personnel.
301-52 – Claiming Reimbursement
301-52.1 – Must I file a travel claim?
It depends. If a traveler (employee, volunteer, cooperator, contractor) can create a travel
authorization in the Travel Management System (ETS2), they shall use the field per diem rate
(meals and incidental expenses).
If a traveler cannot create a travel authorization or obtain a travel advance through a travel
authorization as required in Travel Management System (ETS2) due to an emergency or
administrative barrier, refer to R10 Supplement FSH 6309.32 4G13 Simplified Acquisition
Procedures for instructions on purchasing field subsistence items. The field per diem rate (meals)
will be used to calculate the amount authorized for field subsistence items. Employees may
choose to complete a travel authorization and travel claim for the field per diem (incidental
expenses), only once their ETS2 profile is available.
If management provides field subsistence as part of a contract or agreement, employees may
choose to complete a travel authorization and travel claim for the field per diem (incidental
expenses) only.