Travel MI&E Changes Effective 7/1/26

July 1, 2026

Effective 7/1/2026, Expenses will no longer be calculated by hourly periods that dictate per diem for the day.

Instead, on the first and last day of travel, an employee will be paid out at 75% the rate of a full travel day. A Per Diem Deduction option has been added to the Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) Expense Type in SMART to easily apply the first/last day deduction.

the per Diem Deductions pop up window, showing the deduction flag checked on the FIRST/LAST DAY DUDUCT row.

The Per Diem Deduction function on any MI&E line will continue to be used to apply deductions for any meals that were provided for the employee. Both rates will deduct from the whole per diem amount.

the Per Diem Deductions pop up with Breakfast Per Diem Deduction and First/Last Travel Day Deduct applied together by checking both boxes.

a screen shot of the MI&E expense line showing the deductions have brought the total down to $40.80. A note shows the math of '68-17-10.20 =' is next to the total. These rates are based off the standard CONUS KS rate as of 7/1/2026.

The MI&E calculator document has been updated to reflect these changes. However, agencies are still advised to double check any work done on the calculator document via their own calculation methods.

Thank you,
The SMART Team

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