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Hospitality Contracts for Meetings, Events or Room Blocks

Last Updated: October 21, 2024 3:21:59 PM PDT
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Learn more about processing hotel contracts for meetings, events or room blocks.

Hospitality Contracts

Hospitality Contracts are for hotels, venues, or restaurants that are requesting a signature containing terms and conditions.

12-Step Checklist for Hosting Off-campus Events

Hospitality Contracts has created a 12-step checklist for campus clients hosting off-campus events. Given the complexity of planning off-campus events, the guidance checklist is a valuable tool for simplifying and streamlining the process. Use the 12-Step Checklist for Hosting Off-campus Events to guide you from the initial planning phases to vendor payments and reconciliation.

10-Step Checklist for Hosting On-campus Events

Hospitality Contracts has created a 10-Step Checklist for Hosting On-campus Events. We understand that organizing events on campus can be complex and overwhelming, with many moving pieces. This checklist, designed to simplify the on-campus event planning process, will bring a new level of efficiency and organization to your events, benefiting all campus departments. 

Individual Business Travel

*For individual business travel, visit Concur: Booking Travel or to set up payment for department meetings visit Meetings and Entertainment for additional details.

UC San Diego has streamlined the process for booking local hotels for meetings, events and room blocks through the Local Agreement Hotel Program. 

Local Agreement Hotels

By using the Local Agreement Hotels, you can expect the below benefits: 

  • Expedited contract execution process, by allowing campus to sign and execute their own group/ event contracts (note: for hospitality contracts with vendors that are not part of the Program, you'll need to continue to route the contracts through HospitalityContracts@ucsd.edu for signature.)
  • Simplified payment process
  • At least 2 menu options for each meal type, aligned with UC Maximum Meal Allowances
  • Negotiated rates for parking and daily fees
  • More desirable attrition terms
  • More desirable cancellation terms
  • Knowledgeable and helpful Hotel contacts
  • Training and Hotel tours

 

Who Are The Local Agreement Hotels?

The Local Agreement Hotel Program proudly announces our partnerships with the below hotels. 

Review this Informational Sheet for the hotel's standard concessions, hotel rates and additional value adds. 

How To Setup A Group/ Event Contract With An Agreement Hotel

To maximize the effectiveness of the Agreement Hotel Program, please follow the below steps:

  1. Contact Hotels in the Local Agreement Hotel Program.
    • For easy access and quick quotes to compare prices, use the Mini-Bid Form.
    • Pro tip: Contact the Hotels prior to finalizing your date; often times if your dates are flexible, you can receive better prices and offers.
  2. Review the proposed contract, ensure all terms and pricing are understood and approved by your department.
    • If your contract includes food and beverage, ensure you have the necessary approvals if exceeding the UC Maximum Meal Expenses.
  3. Execute the contact once finalized and approved by your department by signing and returning the contract to the Hotel. Once the Hotel returns a countersigned copy to you the contract is fully executed. 
    • You can ONLY execute contracts for yourself when using Hotels in the Local Agreement Hotel Program, as all terms are pre negotiated and approved by IPPS.
      • If you're using a Hotel not in the program, send the contract to HospitalityContracts@ucsd.edu to review and sign on your behalf. 
      • If your contract is for a local non-Agreement Hotel and exceeds $10,000 you will be asked for justification as to why you are not using a Hotel in the Local Agreement Hotel Program.
  4. Issue a deposit payment to the Hotel if the contract requires one.
    • Pro tip: you are encouraged to use a Travel and Entertainment Card (T&E) for deposit and final balance payments. Don't have a T&E Card? Visit the Travel and Entertainment Card page for more information. 
    • If you decide not to use a T&E Card, payments can be processed through Concur. Be sure to select the correct event type to ensure your request is processed timely. Visit the Concur: Event Examples page for guidelines.
  5. Issue the final balance payment to the Hotel once the event is over. 
    • Pro tip: you are encouraged to use a T&E Card for deposit and final balance payments. Don't have a T&E Card? Visit the Travel and Entertainment Card page for more information. 
    • If you decide not to use a T&E Card, payments can be processed through Concur. Be sure to select the correct event type to ensure your request is processed timely. Visit the Concur: Event Examples page for guidelines.

How To Setup A Group/ Event Contract With A Non-Agreement Hotel

If the hotel you've selected is NOT an Agreement Hotel, or if you are booking a restaurant or other hospitality related venue, please follow the below steps:

  1. Contact your selected hotel or venue supplier and acquire a competitive quote.
  2. Receive and review the contract for event related accuracy. DO NOT SIGN THE CONTRACT.
  3. Send the contract to Hospitality Contracts at HospitalityContracts@ucsd.edu along with the completed Hospitality Contract Form at least two weeks prior to your event. 
    • Hospitality & Contracts will review and modify the contract terms as needed. Please allow 3 - 5 business days for processing. Once reviewed and signed, you will then be able to return the signed contract to the supplier for final execution. 
  4. Request a copy of the Addendum to Hotel/Venue Contracts from HospitalityContracts@ucsd.edu and ensure the vendor signs it. It is the governing document when working with vendors.
  5. Once the vendor signs the Addendum to Hotel/Venue Contracts and is returned to us, Hospitality Contracts will sign the vendor contract.
  6. Once the supplier returns a countersigned copy of the contract, the contract is fully executed. 
  7. Issue a deposit payment to the Hotel if the contract requires one.
    • Pro tip: you are encouraged to use a Travel and Entertainment Card (T&E) for deposit and final balance payments. Don't have a T&E Card? Visit the Travel and Entertainment Card page for more information. 
    • If you decide not to use a T&E Card, payments can be processed through Concur. Be sure to select the correct event type to ensure your request is processed timely. Visit the Concur: Event Examples page for guidelines.
  8. Issue the final balance payment to the Hotel once the event is over. 
    • Pro tip: you are encouraged to use a T&E Card for deposit and final balance payments. Don't have a T&E Card? Visit the Travel and Entertainment Card page for more information. 
    • If you decide not to use a T&E Card, payments can be processed through Concur. Be sure to select the correct event type to ensure your request is processed timely.

FAQ's

How do I pay a hotel deposit? 

  • You are encouraged to use a T&E Card for deposit and final balance payments. Don't have a T&E Card? Visit Travel and Entertainment Card for more information. If you decide not to use a Travel card, payments can be processed through MyPayments. Be sure to select the correct event type to ensure your request is processed timely. Visit Concur: Event Example for guidelines.

  • Note that if you contracting for a room block only with one of the Agreement Hotels (i.e. no meeting or event), you will not be required to pay a deposit.  This may not be the case if you use a non-Agreement Hotel.

What can I use my Travel & Entertainment Card for? 

  • You are encouraged to use a T&E Card for deposit and final balance payments. Don't have a T&E Card? Visit Travel and Entertainment Card for more information. If you decide not to use a Travel card, payments can be processed through MyPayments. Be sure to select the correct event type to ensure your request is processed timely. Visit Concur: Event Example for guidelines.

I'm trying to book individual business travel, is this the same thing? 

I thought only Procurement could sign contracts on behalf of the University?

  • You are correct in that only Procurement should be signing contracts on behalf of the University.  Group/event contracts with Agreement Hotels are an exception though, since all of the terms are pre-negotiated and approved by IPPS.  For any questions about terms, please don’t hesitate to reach out to HospitalityContracts@ucsd.edu.

What if the hotel I want to use isn’t part of the Program?

  • If you’re looking to book a local hotel for a meeting, event, or room block, it’s highly encouraged to use one of the Agreement Hotels.  However, if you chose to use a different hotel, or if your event is not local, you will need to submit your contract to HospitalityContracts@ucsd.edu along with the completed Hospitality Contract Form at least two weeks prior to your event.

I have questions about the contract I signed with an Agreement Hotel, who can I ask?

What Is Mini-Bid Form?

  • The Mini-Bid Form is a new resource for campus to help quickly and easily get comparable quotes/pricing from Agreement Hotels.  All of the Agreement Hotels are familiar with this form, and will respond to your request as quickly as possible with a price quote based on the event information you provided.

What are some of the definitions of common hospitality terms that I should be familiar with?

  • Attrition: Defined as the minimum obligation of the reserved total number of room nights that must be booked. This is typically associated with hotel room block contracts.  For example, if a hotel room block is for a total of 50 guest rooms and the contract has 90% attrition, this means the group is required to fill at least 45 guest rooms (90% of 50 guest rooms). With this example, if 40 guest rooms are booked, the Department is contractually obligated to pay the hotel for 5 rooms.
  • Cancellation Charges: Defined as the amount of money the Department will owe to the hotel or supplier if the event is cancelled after executing the contract. Typically contracts will define various timeframe's and amounts owed depending on when the cancellation occurs.
  • Food & Beverage Minimum: This is the minimum obligation the supplier must receive on food and beverage expenditures, and does not include other costs associated with the venue. Keep in mind, the actual F&B spend often times exceeds the minimum amount.  The total F&B amount is taxable (tax rate is currently 7.75% in San Diego and La Jolla) and will typically incur a service charge fee (commonly between 20-24%).
  • Service Charge: Most contracts containing food and beverage, or some form of service, will have a service charge noted as a percentage. Typically the service charge is taxable.
  • Courtesy Block: Some hotels will offer a courtesy block, meaning the hotel is blocking the rooms without any obligation for the rooms to be utilized. While completing this form is still required for courtesy block contracts, please be sure to make note on the form if you believe the contract is a courtesy block to ensure Procurement can review accordingly.
Find answers, request services, or get help from our team at the UC San Diego Services & Support portal.