Part 5, Chapter 8: Manual Exhibit F

Rules Governing Per Diem

Term	Definition
Calendar Days	24-hour period beginning 1 second after midnight (reflected in this section as "12:01 a.m.")
CONUS	The Continental United States, consisting of the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia
Lodgings-Plus Per Diem System	Method of Computing in which the per diem allowance is broken out into two separate amounts: - lodging - meals and incidental expenses (M&IE.) Under the lodgings-plus method, the traveler is allowed: - actual expenses for lodging, not to exceed the prescribed amount; and - three-fourths of the M&IE rate for the first and last days of travel and 100% of the M&IE rate for each whole day of travel.
Standard CONUS Rate	Per diem rate prescribed for any location within CONUS that is not included in one of the defined areas for which a specific rate is prescribed. The current standard CONUS rate is $80, which is comprised of $50 for lodging and $30 for M&IE.
Per Diem Allowance	A daily allowance for subsistence expenses incurred by an employee on TDY travel.
12-Hour Rule	Per diem shall not be paid for travel of less than 12 hours and 1 second under any situation, for either civil service or commissioned officers.