GSA Announces Mileage Reimbursement Rate Change for Federal Employees

GSA #10516

June 24, 2008
Contact: Viki Reath, (202) 501-1231
viki.reath@gsa.gov   
 

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) today announced plans to increase the mileage reimbursement rate for relocation of federal employees to 27 cents a mile, up from 19 cents, consistent with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rate change, effective July 1. 

IRS also increased its standard mileage reimbursement rate for privately owned vehicles (POV) used for official business to 58.5 cents a mile. GSA will determine whether to change the existing federal POV reimbursement rate of 50.5 cents a mile, only after consulting the U.S. Departments of Transportation, Defense and other stakeholders, reporting adjustments to Congress and fulfilling other legal requirements.

“Federal employees need an increase in the mileage rate due to the current cost of gasoline,” said Kevin Messner, Acting Associate Administrator of the GSA’s Office of Governmentwide Policy.  “We are quickly investigating how much of an increase is needed when federal employees use their personal vehicles for U.S. Government work.” 

The General Services Enhancement Act, submitted to Congress three months ago, includes a provision that would allow the GSA's POV mileage allowance to equal the IRS rate, automatically, which would eliminate the delay between IRS and GSA rate changes. The proposed legislation also would eliminate redundancy within the federal government and save taxpayer dollars.

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GSA provides a centralized delivery system of products and services to the federal government, leveraging its enormous buying power to get the best value for taxpayers.
• Founded in 1949, GSA manages more than one-fourth of the government’s total procurement dollars and influences the management of $500 billion in federal assets, including 8,600 government-owned or leased buildings and 208,000 vehicles. 
• GSA helps preserve our past and define our future, as a steward of more than 425 historic properties, and as manager of USA.gov, the official portal to federal government information and services.
• GSA’s mission to provide superior workplaces, expert technology solutions, acquisition services, purchasing and E-Gov travel solutions and management policies, at best value, allows federal agencies to focus on their core missions.

Did You Know? GSA’s telework goal is to enable 50 percent of eligible employees to telework by 2010.