[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 70 (Friday, April 11, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17831-17832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9400]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
[GSA Bulletin FTR 25]
Federal Travel Regulation; Promoting, Encouraging, and
Facilitating the Use of Firesafe Accommodations
AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, GSA.
ACTION: Notice of bulletin.
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SUMMARY: The attached bulletin informs Federal agencies of
responsibilities for complying with the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act
of 1990, Pub. L. 101-391, 104 Stat. 747 (codified as amended in
scattered sections of 15 U.S.C. and 5 U.S.C.), as amended by section
1614 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997,
Pub. L. 104-201, 110 Stat. 2739, to save lives and protect property by
promoting fire and life safety in hotels, motels, and all places of
public accommodation affecting commerce.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This bulletin is effective March 31, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane Groat, General Services
Administration, Office of Governmentwide Policy (MTT), Washington, DC
20405; e-mail, jane.groat@gsa.gov; telephone (202) 501-1538.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Subsection 4(a) of Pub. L. No. 101-391, 104
Stat. 747 (codified at 5 U.S.C. 5707a), authorizes the Administrator of
General Services, among other things, to take appropriate actions to
encourage employees traveling on official business to stay at places of
public accommodation that meet the requirements of fire prevention and
control guidelines, and require, with limited exception, agencies to
use ``approved accommodations'' for conferences. Section 5 of Pub. L.
101-391 required each agency to achieve an adequate ``approved
accommodations percentage'' beginning in Fiscal Year 1995. Further,
section 5 of the law required the Comptroller General of the United
States to conduct an audit of the compliance of agencies with the
established requirements and to submit a report to Congress describing
the results of such audit. Section 1614 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 (Pub. L. 104-201, 110 Stat.
2739) repealed the ``approved accommodations'' data collection and
reporting requirement, as well as the requirement for the Comptroller
General to conduct an audit. The law did not, however, repeal the Hotel
and Motel Fire Safety Act provisions that authorize the Administrator
of General Services to encourage employees traveling on official
business to lodge at ``approved accommodations'' or require, with
limited exception, agencies to use ``approved accommodations'' for
conferences.
[[Page 17832]]
Dated: March 31, 1997.
G. Martin Wagner,
Associate Administrator, Office of Governmentwide Policy.
Attachment
March 31, 1997.
[GSA Bulletin FTR 25]
To: Heads of Federal agencies.
Subject: Promoting, Encouraging, and Facilitating the Use of
Firesafe Accommodations.
1. Purpose
This bulletin informs agencies that pursuant to the Federal
Travel Regulation (FTR) (41 CFR 301-304) each agency is responsible
for influencing its employees who require commercial lodging when
performing official travel to stay at an approved firesafe
accommodation. Further, Federal employees traveling on official
business, and pre-employment interviewees, are strongly encouraged
to stay at an approved accommodation as defined in FTR Sec. 301-
17.2(c).
2. Background
a. The Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-
391, 104 stat. 747 (codified as amended in scattered sections of 15
U.S.C. and 5 U.S.C.) (the Act) requires the development and issuance
of guidelines, and sets standards, concerning the use and
installation of automatic sprinkler systems and smoke detectors in
places of public accommodation affecting commerce.
b. In September 1994, the General Services Administration (GSA)
issued FTR Amendment 39 (59 FR 46192, Sept. 7, 1994) instructing
agencies, among other things, to ensure that each agency achieve an
adequate ``approved accommodations percentage'' as specified in the
Act, and reflected in the FTR, to enhance the safety of Federal
employees traveling on official business. An ``approved
accommodations percentage'' is the percentage of nights that an
agency's employees traveling on official business spend in approved
accommodations, i.e., any place of public accommodation that meets
the requirements of the fire prevention and control guidelines in 15
U.S.C. 2225, relative to the total number of nights spent in places
of public accommodation.
c. Section 1614 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 1997, Pub. L. No. 104-201, 110 Stat. 2739, repealed the
``approved accommodations'' data collection and employee reporting
requirement imposed by the Act.
d. In December 1996, GSA issued FTR Amendment 53 (61 FR 64997,
Dec. 10, 1996) to eliminate the ``approved accommodations'' data
collection and reporting requirement.
e. GSA is issuing the guidelines contained in this bulletin to
inform agencies that although the data collection and reporting
requirement was repealed, the provisions that encourage agencies to
promote the use of ``approved accommodations'' or require, with
limited exception, the use of ``approved accommodations'' for
conferences were not repealed. Agencies, therefore, should continue
to effectuate policies strongly encouraging employees to use
``approved accommodations''.
3. Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Guidelines
The Act sets standards for fire prevention and control in places
of public accommodation affecting commerce. These requirements
include installation of hard-wired, single station smoke detectors
in each guest room of each place of public accommodation, and an
automatic sprinkler system in each place of public accommodation
that is more than three stories. The Act further requires each State
to submit to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) a list of places of public accommodation in the State that
comply with the Act's fire safety standards. From the State lists,
FEMA must compile and publish in the Federal Register a national
master list and distribute it to each Federal agency. The Act
requires FEMA to periodically update the master list based on
information provided by the States, and to distribute the updated
list to each agency. Any questions regarding the FEMA list may be
directed to Mr. John Ottoson, United States Fire Administration, at
(301) 447-1272. The list is available via the internet at http://
www.usfa.fema.gov/hotel/hotelindex.
4. Federal Travel Program Compliance
It is the policy of the Federal Government to save lives and
protect property by promoting fire safety in hotels, motels, and all
places of public accommodation affecting commerce. The GSA's travel
programs adhere to established fire safety guidelines and survey
accommodations that meet fire safety standards when conducting
surveys of lodging costs for the purpose of establishing locality
per diem rates.
5. Federal Agency Compliance
a. Pursuant to FTR Sec. 301-7.2(b)(2), it is the responsibility
of each agency when authorizing travel to take appropriate measures
to influence employees, and others who will procure commercial
lodging in the performance of official travel, to stay at a firesafe
approved accommodation.
b. Pursuant to FTR part 301-16, an agency may not sponsor or
fund in whole or in part a conference at a place of public
accommodation that is not an approved accommodation, unless a waiver
is granted.
6. Other Fire Safety Responsibilities
a. Pursuant to FTR Sec. 301-1.3(a)(2), employees are strongly
encouraged to stay in an approved accommodation when commercial
lodging is required.
b. Pursuant to FTR Sec. 301-1.202(b)(6), an interviewee
traveling to a pre-employment interview is strongly encouraged to
stay at an approved accommodation when commercial lodging is
required.
7. Expiration Date
This bulletin remains in effect until canceled or superseded.
8. For Further Information Contact
Jane E. Groat, General Services Administration, Office of
Governmentwide Policy (MTT), Washington, DC 20405; e-mail,
jane.groat@gsa.gov; telephone (202) 501-1538.
[FR Doc. 97-9400 Filed 4-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-34-P
