Originally Posted by
Often1
The Federal govt. rate is not merely for federal employees or entities, it is for a very specific category defined by contract between GSA and Marriott. For instance, it might include only Federal civilian as opposed to military, or only certain agencies (although unlikely). Whether your state agency has chosen as a matter of its discretion to adopt Federal travel guidelines does not make it a Federal agency or you a Federal employee.
There is no contract between the GSA and "Marriott". Each hotel chooses whether to offer a federal per diem rate, who they will offer it to, and how many rooms they will make available at that rate. My husband has worked on contracts for the GSA, the DOD and HUD. For each of those agenices he had letters from the agency stating that he was entitled to the federal rate and a CAC. Marriott refused to honor this letter or card since he is not a federal employee. And there's nothing the GSA Inspector General can do about that.