4013.1 The District will generally provide reimbursement only for the lowest available lodging rate at the travel destination.

1. (a) To determine and obtain the lowest available lodging rate, the employee shall:
2. (1) Use at least one (1) major hotel pricing comparison website to determine the lodging rates at the travel destination; and
3. (2) Arrange for the purchase of lodging as far as practical in advance in order to ensure that the lowest prices are available.
4. (b) To determine whether a lodging rate is the lowest available, the agency may take into account factors such as:
5. (1) Additional expenses that are likely to be incurred for transportation between the place of lodging that has the lowest available lodging rate and the airport, train station, or bus depot, places of business, and other authorized places; and
6. (2) Inclusions in the lodging rate, such as parking or meals, which will offset other reimbursable travel costs.
7. (c) In determining the lowest available lodging rate, the employee shall request the government lodging rate, if lower than the standard guest rate or conference rate.
8. (d) If the lowest available hotel lodging rate exceeds the per diem lodging rate established by the GSA or the Department of State (DoS) for the destination, the employee must receive approval from the agency, prior to travel, to book at the higher rate. A request for approval must be supported by rate quotes showing the cost of rooms exceeding the GSA or DoS per diem lodging rate.
9. (e) An employee may request that the employee's agency head, or the agency head's designee, waive the lowest available hotel lodging rate requirement. Such a request may be approved if:
10. (1) The time to travel back and forth from the location of lodging available at or below the per diem rate to the airport, train station, bus depot, places of business, and other authorized places is excessive relative to the added cost of staying at or near the place of business;
11. (2) Lodging is procured at a prearranged place such as a hotel where a Government Personnel

meeting, conference, or training session is held (“on-site lodging”), the on-site lodging is no more than one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the lowest available lodging rate, and the presence of the employee at the on-site lodging is important to the employee obtaining the full benefits of the meeting, conference, or training;

(3) The waiver is necessary to ensure that the lodging is of an acceptable quality; or

(4) The waiver is necessary to ensure the personal safety of the employee.

(f) Mere preference or convenience is not an acceptable factor for an agency to take into account when determining whether a lodging rate greater than the lowest available lodging rate may be approved or reimbursed.

(g) The lodging rate approved pursuant to a waiver must be the lowest available hotel lodging rate taking into consideration the circumstances under which the waiver is being approved.

(h) Waivers are at the discretion of the agency head, provided that in no case shall the approved rate exceed one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the GSA per diem rate without the approval of the City Administrator, upon the recommendation of the personnel authority.

4013.2 An employee shall be reimbursed the single occupancy rate actually paid for the lodging at the approved rate. If the employee shares a room with another person, the employee’s reimbursement is limited to one-half (½) of the double occupancy rate if the person sharing the room is another government employee on official travel. If the person sharing the room is not a government employee on official travel, the employee’s reimbursement shall be limited to the single occupancy rate.

4013.3 If the employee stays with a friend or relative, with or without charge, the employee may be paid a flat “token” amount or be reimbursed for additional costs the host incurs in accommodating the employee only if the employee is able to substantiate the costs and the employee’s agency determines the costs to be reasonable. The employee shall not be reimbursed the cost of comparable conventional lodging in the area.

4013.4 An employee may upgrade his or her approved lodging at the employee’s personal expense. The employee shall be responsible for the payment of the cost of any upgrades.

4013.5 An agency may use its purchase card only to purchase employee lodging at the rates authorized by this section. If the employee is purchasing more expensive

lodging, the employee must purchase the lodging with his or her own funds and thereafter request reimbursement of an amount equal to the price of the lodging authorized by this section and approved by the agency.

4013.6 If the agency determines that a lower price for lodging would have been available if the employee had arranged for the purchase of his or her lodging at an earlier point in time or used a comparative pricing website, the agency may refuse to approve payment or reimbursement in excess of the lower price.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 7860 (June 26, 2020).