4268 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 15 / Tuesday, January 23, 2024 / Proposed Rules 

Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 

Michael S. Regan, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2024–00747 Filed 1–22–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

GENERAL SERVICES 

ADMINISTRATION 

41 CFR Part 302–16 

[FTR Case 2022–04 Docket No. GSA–FTR– 

2023–0017, Sequence No. 2] 

RIN 3090–AK65 

Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); 

Relocation Allowances— 

Miscellaneous Expenses Allowance 

AGENCY: Office of Government-wide 

Policy (OGP), General Services 

Administration (GSA). 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The United States General 

Services Administration (GSA) is 

proposing to amend the FTR by 

removing the relocation miscellaneous 

expenses allowance (MEA) lump sum 

amounts from the FTR. These lump sum 

amounts will be published in FTR 

Bulletins on an intermittent basis, much 

like what is done for per diem and 

mileage rates. The relocation MEA 

actual (as opposed to lump sum) 

amounts are unchanged and will remain 

in the FTR. The proposed rule would 

also update the types of expenses that 

may or may not be reimbursed by 

relocation MEA when employees 

itemize under actual expense. The 

proposed rule would also update and 

clarify other relocation MEA regulatory 

sections and rearrange them into a more 

sequential order. 

DATES: Interested parties should submit 

written comments to the Regulatory 

Secretariat Division at the address 

shown below on or before March 25, 

2024 to be considered in the formation 

of the final rule. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in 

response to FTR Case 2022–04 to: 

Regulations.gov: http://

www.regulations.gov. Submit comments 

via the Federal eRulemaking portal by 

searching for ‘‘FTR Case 2022–04’’. 

Select the link ‘‘Comment Now’’ that 

corresponds with ‘‘FTR Case 2022–04.’’ 

Follow the instructions provided on the 

screen. Please include your name, 

company name (if any), and ‘‘FTR Case 

2022–04’’ on your attached document. If 

your comment cannot be submitted 

using https://www.regulations.gov, call 

or email the points of contact in the FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 

this document for alternate instructions. 

Instructions: Please submit comments 

only and cite FTR Case 2022–04, in all 

correspondence related to this case. 

Comments received generally will be 

posted without change to https://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal and/or business confidential 

information provided. To confirm 

receipt of your comment(s), please 

check www.regulations.gov, 

approximately two to three days after 

submission to verify posting. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

clarification of content, contact Mr. 

Rodney (Rick) Miller, Program Analyst, 

Office of Government-wide Policy, at 

202–501–3822 or travelpolicy@gsa.gov. 

For information pertaining to status or 

publication schedules, contact the 

Regulatory Secretariat Division at 202– 

501–4755 or GSARegSec@gsa.gov. 

Please cite FTR Case 2022–04. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

A. Summary of Significant Changes 

GSA is proposing to amend the FTR 

by removing the relocation MEA lump 

sum amounts, providing that lump sum 

amounts will be published in FTR 

Bulletins on an intermittent basis, 

rearranging the relocation MEA sections 

into a more sequential order, clarifying 

and modifying relocation MEA sections 

by updating employee eligibility for 

relocation MEA, and updating examples 

of expenses for which relocation MEA 

may be authorized or not. 

Pursuant to 5 United States Code 

(U.S.C.) 5738, the Administrator of 

General Services is authorized to 

prescribe regulations necessary to 

implement laws regarding Federal 

employees when assigned a temporary 

change of station (TCS) or when 

otherwise transferred in the interest of 

the Government. The overall 

implementing authority is the FTR, 

codified in title 41 of the Code of 

Federal Regulations, chapters 300 

through 304. 

GSA’s OGP continually reviews and 

adjusts policies and regulations under 

its purview to address Government 

relocation needs and to incorporate best 

practices, where appropriate, as a part of 

its ongoing mission to provide policies 

for travel by Federal civilian employees 

and others authorized to travel at 

Government expense. 

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5724a(f) and 

5737(a)(6), an employee transferred in 

the interest of the Government from one 

official station to another, assigned to a 

TCS location, or who has completed a 

TCS assignment and returned to their 

previous official station is authorized a 

relocation MEA. 

The purpose of the relocation MEA is 

to defray some of the costs incurred due 

to relocating. The allowance is related to 

expenses that are common to living 

quarters, such as fees for disconnecting 

and connecting appliances; cutting and 

fitting rugs, draperies, and curtains 

moved from one residence to another; 

utility fees or deposits that are not offset 

by eventual refunds; forfeiture of 

medical, dental, and other nontransferrable contracts; and the cost of 

changing automobile registration(s) and 

driver’s licenses. 

The FTR provides that a relocation 

MEA may be paid using one of two 

methods: lump sum or actual expense. 

Under the lump sum method, the 

agency pays a lump sum amount 

without requiring employee 

documentation of expenses. Under the 

current regulatory language, the lump 

sum amounts are ‘‘either $650 or the 

equivalent of one week’s basic gross 

pay, whichever is the lesser amount’’ for 

an employee without immediate family 

members relocating with them, and 

‘‘$1300 or the equivalent of two weeks’ 

basic gross pay, whichever is the lesser 

amount’’ for an employee with 

immediate family members relocating 

with them. 

Under the actual expense method, the 

agency may authorize the employee to 

claim actual costs depending on the 

type of expenses incurred, in an amount 

in excess of the prescribed lump sum 

amount. The employee justifies any 

actual expenses by itemizing with 

supporting documentation. 

Reimbursement is limited to one or two 

weeks’ basic gross pay depending on 

whether or not the employee has an 

immediate family relocating with them, 

not to exceed the maximum rate payable 

for a position at GS–13, Step 10, of the 

General Schedule (base) (see 5 U.S.C. 

5332). 

The proposed rule would amend the 

FTR by removing the relocation MEA 

lump sum amounts from the FTR and 

directing readers to an FTR bulletin 

with the relocation MEA lump sum 

amounts. GSA would publish the initial 

FTR bulletin with the relocation MEA 

lump sum amounts prior to the final 

rule effective date. Agencies are advised 

that the relocation MEA lump sum 

amounts are expected to increase since 

they were last updated in 2011. Moving 

forward, GSA will publish FTR 

bulletins to update the relocation MEA 

lump sum amounts, as needed, based on 

changes to the Consumer Price Index. 

The proposed rule would also clarify in 

the regulatory text that ‘‘basic gross 

pay’’, as referenced in FTR part 302–16, 


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1 General Schedule (opm.gov), OMB Memo M–08– 

13, dated March 11, 2008, and Computing Hourly 

Rates of Pay Using the 2,087-Hour Divisor 

(opm.gov). 

2See Attachment C of OMB Circular A–76 

Revised, dated May 29, 2003. 

does not include ‘‘locality pay.’’ See 5 

U.S.C. 5302 and 5304. 

This proposed rule would also update 

and clarify the relocation MEA sections 

in the FTR and rearrange them into a 

more sequential order, to include 

replacing the table at FTR 302–16.2 with 

an updated list of examples for which 

the relocation MEA may be authorized, 

and updating the list of examples for 

which the relocation MEA may not be 

authorized. It would also remove the 

relocation MEA employee eligibility 

table at FTR 302–16.3 and reformat it as 

an employee eligibility listing. 

B. Regulatory Impact Analysis 

The following section is a list of 

activities related to the regulatory 

compliance that GSA anticipates will 

occur during the first and subsequent 

years after publication of the final rule. 

GSA estimates this cost by multiplying 

the time required to conduct these 

activities (publication of a proposed 

rule, final rule, FTR bulletin, and 

increase in the relocation MEA lump 

sum amounts) by the estimated 

(rounded) compensation. GSA 

calculates the estimated hourly 

compensation using the U.S. Office of 

Personnel Management’s 2023 General 

Schedule (GS) Rest of United States 

Locality Pay Table, the full fringe 

benefit cost factor of 36.25 percent,1 and 

a 12 percent 2 overhead factor to arrive 

at an overall adjustment factor of 52.6 

percent. 

1. Government Costs 

GSA estimated the total cost each year 

to issue a FTR bulletin with the new 

relocation MEA lump sum amount, 

based on the number of GSA full-time 

employees (FTEs), the average hourly 

rate for each grade level, and the 

number of hours to draft the FTR 

bulletin by program managers, hours to 

review by General Counsel, and hours to 

review and approve by senior 

management. 

GSA estimates it will take 8 GSA 

employees on average, with a GS–14 

step 5 with an average hourly rate of 

$96.45/hour, 1 hour each in year 1 to 

draft the initial FTR bulletin with the 

relocation MEA lump sum amount. 

Therefore, GSA estimates the total 

estimated cost for this part of the rule 

to be $772 (= 8 × $96.45 GS–14 step 5 

rate × 1 hour). 

GSA estimates it will take 1 GSA 

employee on average, with a GS–15 step 

5 with an average hourly rate of 

$113.46/hour, 1 hour in year 1 to review 

the initial FTR bulletin with the 

relocation MEA lump sum amount. 

Therefore, GSA estimates the total 

estimated cost for this part of the rule 

to be $113 (= 1 × $113.46 GS–15 step 5 

rate × 1 hour). 

GSA estimates it will take 1 GSA 

General Counsel staff on average, with 

a SES Level 3 with an average hourly 

rate of $142.59/hour, 1 hour in year 1 

to review the initial FTR bulletin with 

the relocation MEA lump sum amount. 

Therefore, GSA estimates the total 

estimated cost for this part of the rule 

to be $143 (= 1 × $42.59 SES Level 3 rate 

× 1 hour). 

Therefore, GSA estimates the total 

estimated cost for this part of the rule 

to be $1,027 for the initial FTR bulletin 

and each additional year a FTR bulletin 

is issued for new lump sum amounts 

($1,027 × 10 years = $10,270). 

A relocation MEA is a mandatory 

relocation entitlement to those current 

employees that transfer from one official 

duty station to another. Agencies are 

advised that the relocation MEA lump 

sum amounts are expected to increase 

since they were last updated in 2011. 

Therefore, after publication of the final 

rule, GSA will publish a FTR bulletin to 

change the relocation MEA lump sum 

amounts, with projected increases, from 

$650 to $750 for an employee without 

immediate family members relocating 

with them and from $1,300 to $1,500 for 

an employee with immediate family 

members relocating with them. 

GSA requires Federal agencies to 

track general relocation data regarding 

entitlements but not the specific data 

regarding types of expenses authorized 

within the relocation entitlement 

category. GSA used data from the 

Business Travel and Relocation 

Dashboard, which only accounts for the 

overall MEA claims and does not 

differentiate between the types of MEA 

or if MEA is authorized for a single 

employee or an employee with family 

members, to calculate average annual 

relocation MEA costs per claim across 

Federal agencies from fiscal year 2018 to 

fiscal year 2022. 

GSA calculates the average relocation 

MEA lump sum amount between the 

employees without immediate family 

members and employees with 

immediate family members amounts to 

be $1,125 (= $750 + $1,500/2). 

GSA assumes the average relocation 

MEA lump sum amount across Federal 

agencies will increase to $1,125. GSA 

multiplied the difference between 

$1,125 and the average annual 

relocation MEA cost per claim for those 

Federal agencies with an average annual 

MEA cost per claim less than $1,125 by 

the number of average annual MEA 

claims for the respective Federal agency. 

Therefore, assuming the number of 

relocation transfers entitled to MEA on 

average will stay consistent, with the 

current overall agency average at less 

than the current rate of $1,300, and an 

increase in the MEA lump sum rate, for 

years 1 through 10, GSA estimates the 

total overall increase in associated 

transfer payments to be $312,973 each 

year for years 1 through 10 ($312,973 × 

10 years = $3,129,730). 

1. Government Savings 

GSA estimated the total cost it will no 

longer be required to take to issue a FTR 

proposed rule and final rule with new 

relocation MEA lump sum amount, 

based on the number of GSA full time 

employees (FTEs), the average hourly 

rate for each grade level, and the 

number of hours to draft the FTR 

proposed and final rule by program 

managers, hours reviewed by General 

Counsel, and hours to review and 

approve by senior management. 

GSA estimates it will no longer take 

3 GSA employees on average, with a 

GS–14 step 5 with an average hourly 

rate of $96.45/hour, 8 hours each in year 

1 to draft a proposed rule for relocation 

MEA lump sum changes. Therefore, 

GSA estimates the total estimated cost 

savings for this part of the rule to be 

$2,315 (= 3 × $96.45 GS–14 step 5 rate 

× 8 hours). 

GSA estimates it will no longer take 

3 GSA employees on average, with a 

GS–15 step 5 with an average hourly 

rate of $113.46/hour, 8 hours each in 

year 1 to review a proposed rule for 

relocation MEA lump sum changes. 

Therefore, GSA estimates the total 

estimated cost savings for this part of 

the rule to be $2,723 (= 3 × $113.46 GS– 

15 step 5 rate × 8 hours). 

GSA estimates it will no longer take 

4 GSA General Counsel staff on average, 

with a SES Level 3 with an average 

hourly rate of $142.59/hour, 8 hours 

each in year 1 to review a proposed rule 

for relocation MEA lump sum changes. 

Therefore, GSA estimates the total 

estimated cost savings for this part of 

the rule to be $4,563 (= 4 × $142.59 SES 

Level 3 rate × 8 hours). 

These estimated costs do not account 

for other agencies who review the rules 

prior to publication in the Federal 

Register. Therefore, GSA estimates the 

total estimated cost savings for this part 

of the rule by not issuing a proposed 

and final rule to increase the relocation 

MEA lump sum amounts to be $8,572. 


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1. Total Government Net Impact 

The total undiscounted estimated 

Government costs of drafting a FTR 

bulletin and eliminating drafting a 

proposed and final rule is $1,698 over 

a 10-year period. The total 

undiscounted estimated associated 

transfer payments, assuming the number 

of relocation transfers entitled to MEA 

on average will stay consistent, the 

current overall agency average is less 

than the current rate of $1,300, and the 

increase in the MEA lump sum rate, is 

$3,129,730 over a 10-year period. The 

total present value estimated 

Government costs calculated for a 10- 

year time horizon at 3 percent is $438 

and at 7 percent is ¥$798. The total 

discounted estimated associated transfer 

payments calculated for a 10-year 

horizon at 3 percent is $2,328,813 and 

at 7 percent is $1,590,996. 

II. Executive Orders 12866, and 13563, 

and 14904 

Executive Orders (E.O.s) 12866 

(Regulatory Planning and Review) 

directs agencies to assess all costs and 

benefits of available regulatory 

alternatives and, if regulation is 

necessary, to select regulatory 

approaches that maximize net benefits 

(including potential economic, 

environmental, public health and safety 

effects, distributive impacts, and 

equity). E.O. 13563 (Improving 

Regulation and Regulatory Review) 

emphasizes the importance of 

quantifying both costs and benefits, of 

reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, 

and of promoting flexibility. E.O. 14094 

(Modernizing Regulatory Review) 

supplements and reaffirms the 

principles, structures, and definitions 

governing contemporary regulatory 

review established in E.O. 12866 and 

E.O. 13563. OIRA has determined this is 

a significant regulatory action and, 

therefore, was subject to review under 

section 6(b) of E.O. 12866, Regulatory 

Planning and Review, dated September 

30, 1993. 

III. Regulatory Flexibility Act 

GSA does not expect this proposed 

rule to have a significant economic 

impact on a substantial number of small 

entities within the meaning of the 

Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, 

et seq., because it applies only to 

Federal agencies and employees. 

Therefore, an Initial Regulatory 

Flexibility Analysis was not performed. 

IV. Paperwork Reduction Act 

The Paperwork Reduction Act does 

not apply because the changes to the 

FTR do not impose recordkeeping or 

information collection requirements, or 

the collection of information from 

offerors, contractors, or members of the 

public that require the approval of the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq. 

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Part 302–16 

Government employees, Travel and 

Transportation expenses. 

Krystal J. Brumfield, 

Associate Administrator, Office of 

Government-wide Policy. 

■ For reasons set forth in the preamble, 

GSA proposes to revise 41 CFR part 

302–16 as set forth below: 

PART 302–16—ALLOWANCE FOR 

MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES 

Subpart A—General Rules 

Sec. 

302–16.1 What is the purpose of the 

miscellaneous expenses allowance 

(MEA)? 

302–16.2 Who is and who is not eligible for 

a MEA? 

302–16.3 Must my agency authorize 

payment of a MEA? 

302–16.4 How will I receive the MEA? 

302–16.5 May I receive an advance of funds 

for MEA? 

302–16.6 What amount may my agency 

reimburse me for miscellaneous 

expenses? 

302–16.7 May I claim an amount in excess 

of that prescribed in this part? 

302–16.8 What are examples of types of 

costs covered by the MEA? 

302–16.9 What are examples of types of 

cost not covered by the MEA? 

302–16.10 What standard of care must I use 

in incurring miscellaneous expenses? 

Subpart B—Agency Responsibilities 

302–16.100 What governing policies must 

we establish for MEA? 

302–16.101 How should we administer the 

authorization and payment of 

miscellaneous expenses? 

302–16.102 Are there any restrictions to the 

types of costs we may cover? 

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5738; 20 U.S.C. 905(a); 

E.O. 11609, as amended, 3 CFR, 1971–1975 

Comp., p. 586. 

Subpart A—General Rules 

Note to subpart A: Use of pronouns ‘‘I,’’ 

‘‘you,’’ and their variants throughout this 

subpart refers to the employee, unless 

otherwise noted. 

§ 302–16.1 What is the purpose of the 

miscellaneous expenses allowance (MEA)? 

The miscellaneous expenses 

allowance (MEA) is intended to help 

defray various costs incurred due to 

relocation, assignment to a temporary 

official station (TCS), and return to the 

previous official station upon 

completion of a TCS assignment. 

§ 302–16.2 Who is and who is not eligible 

for a MEA? 

(a) You are eligible for a MEA if: 

(1) Your agency authorized or 

approved a transfer or a TCS; 

(2) You discontinued and established 

a residence in connection with your 

transfer or TCS; 

(3) You meet the applicable eligibility 

conditions in part 302–1 of this chapter; 

and 

(4) You signed a required service 

agreement in part 302–2 of this chapter, 

if transferred. 

(b) You are not eligible for a MEA if 

you are: 

(1) A new appointee; 

(2) A Senior Executive Service (SES) 

employee authorized ‘‘last move home’’ 

benefits upon separation from 

Government service; 

(3) Assigned under the Government 

Employees Training Act (5 U.S.C. 4109); 

(4) Returning from an OCONUS 

official station to place of actual 

residence for separation from 

Government service; or 

(5) Returning from an OCONUS 

official station to a new CONUS official 

station if relocation expenses have not 

been authorized to the new CONUS 

official station. 

§ 302–16.3 Must my agency authorize 

payment of a MEA? 

Yes, if you meet the applicable 

eligibility conditions in § 302–16.2, your 

agency must authorize payment of a 

MEA. 

§ 302–16.4 How will I receive the MEA? 

You will be reimbursed your MEA in 

accordance with your agency’s internal 

relocation policy. 

§ 302–16.5 May I receive an advance of 

funds for MEA? 

No, your agency may not authorize an 

advance of funds for MEA. MEA may be 

paid after you have transferred to the 

new official station, upon assignment to 

your TCS, or upon completion of your 

TCS and return to your previous official 

station, as applicable. 

§ 302–16.6 What amount may my agency 

reimburse me for miscellaneous expenses? 

The following amounts will be paid 

for miscellaneous expenses without 

support or documentation of expenses: 

(a) Either a lump sum amount set in 

an FTR bulletin or the equivalent of one 

week’s basic gross pay, whichever is the 

lesser amount, if you have no immediate 

family relocating with you; or 

(b) Either a lump sum amount set in 

an FTR bulletin or the equivalent of two 

weeks’ basic gross pay, whichever is the 

lesser amount, if you have immediate 

family relocating with you. 


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Note 1 to § 302–16.6: GSA publishes the 

lump sum amounts in an FTR bulletin on an 

intermittent basis at https://gsa.gov/ 

ftrbulletins. 

§ 302–16.7 May I claim an amount in 

excess of that prescribed in this part? 

Yes, you may claim an amount in 

excess of that prescribed in § 302–16.6 

if authorized by your agency; and 

(a) Supported by acceptable 

statements of fact, paid bills or other 

acceptable evidence (documentation) 

justifying the amounts claimed; and 

(b) The aggregate amount does not 

exceed your basic gross pay (at the time 

you reported for duty, at your new 

official station) for: 

(1) One week if you are relocating 

without an immediate family; or 

(2) Two weeks if you are relocating 

with an immediate family. 

(c) The amount authorized cannot 

exceed the maximum rate of grade GS– 

13, Step 10 General Schedule (base) 

salary (excluding locality pay) (see 5 

U.S.C. 5332) at the time you reported for 

duty at your new official station. 

§ 302–16.8 What are examples of types of 

costs covered by the MEA? 

Miscellaneous expenses are costs 

associated with relocating that are not 

covered by other relocation benefits 

detailed in chapter 302. Expenses 

allowable include but are not limited to 

the following, and similar, items: 

(a) Fees for disconnecting and 

connecting utilities (such as gas, water, 

electricity), appliances, equipment 

(such as a security system or electric 

vehicle charging station), or conversion 

of appliances for operation on available 

utilities; 

(b) Fees for cutting and fitting rugs, 

draperies, and curtains when they are 

moved from one residence to another; 

(c) Deposits or fees for utilities not 

offset by eventual refunds; 

(d) Losses that cannot be recovered by 

transfer or refund and are incurred due 

to early termination of a contract (e.g., 

medical, dental, private institutional 

care for immediate family members with 

disabilities, nonrefundable education 

enrollment fee, real estate expenses 

connected with the cancellation of a 

contract when the agency prevented the 

employee from completing a purchase 

of a residence due to a new transfer); 

(e) Automobile registration, driver’s 

license, and use taxes imposed when 

initially bringing privately-owned 

vehicles (POVs) into certain 

jurisdictions; 

(f) Reinstalling or removing 

automobile parts upon vehicle reentry 

into the United States or entry into a 

foreign country, when removal or 

installation of those automobile parts 

was required by host country law; 

(g) Post office box rental fee when 

rented to provide a constant mailing 

address between the time an employee 

departs the old residence and occupies 

a residence at the new official station; 

(h) Rental agent fees customarily 

charged for securing housing in foreign 

countries; 

(i) Reassembly, set up, and tuning of 

a piano moved for relocation; 

(j) Pet care (for cats and dogs only), 

child care, or adult care for dependent 

parents or other adult dependents 

incapable of self-care at home while the 

employee or spouse are away on a 

househunting trip, or are packing or 

unpacking; 

(k) Rental car fees while awaiting a 

delayed POV shipment to or from 

OCONUS if the transportation service 

provider (TSP) has not arranged for the 

employee’s use of a rental car at TSP 

expense. Reimbursement may be 

authorized starting after the shipping 

company designated delivery date, shall 

not exceed 10 days, and does not 

include the days after the POV is 

delivered or a new POV is purchased at 

location. The rental car for the employee 

and immediate family members must be 

the same or comparable size or model as 

the POV the employee shipped; 

(l) Transportation and quarantine of 

pets (cats and dogs only). Costs 

normally associated with the 

transportation, quarantine fees, and 

handling of dogs and cats. This includes 

pet-related costs due to air carrier rules 

or imposed by the law of the 

jurisdiction of the employee’s new 

residence as an integral part of the 

process of admissions and licensing; 

(m) Professional relicensing fees 

required by the new official station that 

are directly related to the employee’s 

occupation, such as fees required to take 

the bar exam or teaching certification; 

and professional relicensing fees or 

business costs (including exam, 

continuing education courses, business 

license, permit, and registration fees) 

that are directly related to the 

immediate family member’s occupation, 

when the immediate family member 

was licensed or certified in a profession, 

or owned a business, at the employee’s 

previous official station and is required 

to secure or maintain a new professional 

license or certification, or business 

license or permit, to engage in that 

profession in a new jurisdiction because 

of unique licensing or certification 

requirements and authorities; or 

(n) Specialized shipment of hazardous 

materials, such as lithium batteries, 

when Federal, state, local, and foreign 

country laws or carrier regulations 

prohibit commercial shipment of certain 

articles not included as part of 

household goods, which cannot be 

otherwise transported to the new official 

station because of shipping and 

transportation restrictions. 

§ 302–16.9 What are examples of types of 

costs not covered by the MEA? 

Examples of costs that are not 

reimbursable from the MEA are: 

(a) Losses in selling or buying real and 

personal property and costs related to 

such transactions; 

(b) Cost of additional insurance on 

household goods while in transit to the 

new official station or cost of loss or 

damage to such property; 

(c) Additional costs of moving 

household goods caused by exceeding 

the maximum weight limitation; 

(d) Costs of newly acquired items, 

such as the purchase or installation cost 

of new rugs or draperies; 

(e) Higher income, real estate, sales, or 

other taxes as the result of establishing 

residence in the new locality; 

(f) Fines imposed for traffic 

infractions while en route to the new 

official station locality; 

(g) Accident insurance premiums or 

liability costs incurred in connection 

with travel to the new official station 

locality, or any other liability imposed 

upon the employee for uninsured 

damages caused by accidents for which 

the employee or their immediate family 

is held responsible; 

(h) Losses as the result of sale or 

disposal of items of personal property 

(such as lithium batteries, gasoline, and 

natural gas) not considered convenient 

or practicable to move; 

(i) Damage or loss of clothing, luggage, 

or other personal effects while traveling 

to the new official station locality; 

(j) Subsistence, transportation, or 

mileage expenses in excess of the 

amounts reimbursed as per diem or 

other allowances under this regulation; 

(k) Medical expenses due to illness or 

injuries while en route to the new 

official station or while living in 

temporary quarters at Government 

expense under the provisions of this 

chapter; 

(l) Costs incurred in conjunction with 

structural alterations (such as 

remodeling or modernizing of living 

quarters, garages or other buildings to 

accommodate privately-owned 

automobiles, appliances or equipment 

[e.g., a security system or electric 

vehicle charging station]); or replacing 

or repairing worn-out or defective 

appliances, or equipment shipped to the 

new location; 

(m) Costs incurred in connection with 

preparing a residence for sale or 


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purchase (e.g., maintenance, repairs, 

cleaning); 

(n) Delivery charges or costs 

associated with newly-acquired items 

(such as appliances, security systems, 

locksmith service, or new vehicle) at the 

new official station for reasons of 

personal taste or preference and not 

required because of the relocation; 

(o) Costs unrelated to the quarantine, 

transportation, and handling of pets. 

Additional costs for lodging for a second 

room or boarding fees, micro-chipping, 

veterinary expenses (e.g., inoculations, 

examinations, medical care and 

certification fees), routine care and 

grooming of pets, and purchases of 

crates and tags for the pets. Expenses for 

other animals (horses, fish, birds, 

reptiles, rodents, etc.) are not authorized 

because of their size, exotic nature, 

restrictions on shipping, host country 

restrictions, and special handling 

difficulties; or 

(p) Costs related to obtaining a visa, 

passport, immigration green card, birth 

certificate or other acceptable evidence 

of birth when required for official travel 

to foreign locations; charges for 

immunization, inoculations, other 

disease-preventative medical 

prophylaxis, including disease testing, 

that are required for official travel if not 

obtained through the agency. The 

expenses in this paragraph may be 

reimbursable as part of the employee’s 

relocation en route travel miscellaneous 

expenses as specified in § 301–12.1 of 

this chapter. 

§ 302–16.10 What standard of care must I 

use in incurring miscellaneous expenses? 

You must exercise the same care in 

incurring expenses that a prudent 

person would exercise if relocating at 

personal expense. 

Subpart B—Agency Responsibilities 

Note to subpart B: Use of pronouns ‘‘we,’’ 

‘‘you,’’ and their variants throughout this 

subpart refers to the agency. 

§ 302–16.100 What governing policies 

must we establish for MEA? 

For MEAs, you must establish policies 

and procedures governing: 

(a) Who will determine whether 

payment for an amount in excess of the 

lump sum MEA is appropriate; and 

(b) How you will pay a MEA in 

accordance with §§ 302–16.2 and 302– 

16.3. 

§ 302–16.101 How should we administer 

the authorization and payment of 

miscellaneous expenses? 

You should limit payment of 

miscellaneous expenses to only those 

expenses that are necessary. 

§ 302–16.102 Are there any restrictions to 

the types of costs we may cover? 

Yes, a MEA cannot be used to 

reimburse: 

(a) Costs or expenses incurred which 

exceed maximums provided by statute 

or in this subtitle; 

(b) Costs or expenses incurred but 

which are disallowed elsewhere in this 

subtitle; 

(c) Costs reimbursed under other 

provisions of law or regulations; 

(d) Costs or expenses incurred for 

reasons of personal taste or preference 

and not required because of the move; 

(e) Losses covered by insurance; 

(f) Fines or other penalties imposed 

upon the employee or members of their 

immediate family; 

(g) Judgments, court costs, and similar 

expenses growing out of civil actions; or 

(h) Any other expenses brought about 

by circumstances, factors, or actions in 

which the move to a new official station 

was not the proximate cause. 

[FR Doc. 2024–01214 Filed 1–22–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6820–14–P 

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL 

DEVELOPMENT 

48 CFR Parts 701, 702, 704, 705, 706, 

715, 719, 725, 731, 742, 750, and 752 

RIN 0412–AA88 

U.S. Agency for International 

Development Acquisition Regulation; 

Administrative Updates 

AGENCY: U.S. Agency for International 

Development. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Agency for 

International Development (USAID) 

seeks public comment on a proposed 

rule that would revise the Agency for 

International Development Acquisition 

Regulation (AIDAR) to maintain 

consistency with Federal and Agency 

regulations, remove obsolete material 

and internal Agency procedures, and 

make editorial amendments to better 

clarify the regulation. 

DATES: Comments must be received no 

later than February 22, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments, 

identified by the title of the action and 

Regulatory Information Number (RIN) 

through the Federal eRulemaking Portal 

at https://www.regulations.gov by 

following the instructions for submitting 

comments. Please include your name, 

company name (if any), and ‘‘0412– 

AA88’’ on any attachments. If your 

comment cannot be submitted using 

https://www.regulations.gov, call or 

email the point of contact in the FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 

this document for alternate instructions. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lyudmila Bond, Telephone: 202–916– 

2622 or Email: policymailbox@

usaid.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Providing Accountability Through 

Transparency Act of 2023 

The Providing Accountability 

Through Transparency Act of 2023 (12 

U.S.C. 553(b)(4)) requires that a notice 

of proposed rulemaking include the 

internet address of a summary of not 

more than 100 words in length of the 

proposed rule, in plain language, that 

shall be posted on the internet website 

under section 206(d) of the EGovernment Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 

note). In summary: ‘‘USAID seeks public 

comment on a proposed rule that would 

revise the AIDAR to maintain 

consistency with Federal and Agency 

regulations, remove obsolete material 

and internal Agency procedures, and 

make editorial amendments to better 

clarify the regulation. For detailed 

information on these revisions, please 

see a final rule with the same RIN and 

title.’’ 

The proposal, including the summary 

provided herein, can be found at https:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

B. Additional Information 

USAID is publishing in the ‘‘Rules 

and Regulations’’ section of this Federal 

Register a final rule with the same title 

that identifies administrative and 

editorial revisions to the AIDAR. USAID 

is publishing these changes in the direct 

final rule because the Agency views it 

as a conforming and administrative 

amendment and does not anticipate any 

adverse comments. A detailed 

discussion of revisions proposed to the 

AIDAR is set forth in the preamble of 

the direct final rule. 

If no significant adverse comment is 

received in response to the direct final 

rule, no further action will be taken 

related to this proposed rule. 

If significant adverse comment(s) are 

received on the direct final rule, USAID 

will publish a timely withdrawal in the 

Federal Register informing the public 

changes to what AIDAR part(s) or 

subpart(s), as announced in the direct 

final rule, will not take effect. Any 

portions of the final rule for which no 

significant adverse comment is received 

will become final after the designated 

period. All public comments received 

on the direct final rule will be addressed 

in a subsequent final rule based on this 

proposed rule. USAID will not institute 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS