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This Order provides guidance for the issuance and management of travel advances. The GSA SmartPay® travel card provides a means of funding travel advances through ATM withdrawals so that travelers do not need to separately request travel advances or use personal funds to travel on official business. However, when an employee or expense is exempt from travel card use or due to a regulatory exception or extenuating circumstances, an advance of funds may be authorized to perform official travel.
This directive provides standards, instructions and procedures governing the management, authorization, issuance, repayment, and collection of travel advances. The provisions apply to all GSA employees. This order applies to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to the extent that the OIG determines it is consistent with the OIG’s independent authority under the Inspector General Act and does not conflict with other OIG policies or the OIG mission.
This directive cancels and supersedes OAS 5735.1, Travel Advances.
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Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories and possessions are set by the Department of Defense.
Rates for foreign countries are set by the Department of State.
Rates are available between 10/1/2023 and 09/30/2026.
The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.
Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.
Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."
Per diem localities with county definitions shall include"all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."
When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.
U.S. General Services Administration