U S General Services Administration Making Informed Cost

U. S. General Services Administration Making Informed Cost Savings Travel Decisions GSA’s Integrated Travel Programs presented by Ebony White

GSA Mission, Vision, Values • Mission: Deliver value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support services across Government • Vision: Effective and efficient government for the American people • Values: Service, Accountability, and Innovation

What are GSA’s Travel Programs? • Booking: E-Gov Travel Services (ETS) • As a note, DOD uses the Defense Travel System (DTS) for bookings • Travel Management Centers (TMC) • Air: City Pair Program (CPP) • GSA’s TDY Lodging Program: • Fed. Rooms and DOD Preferred: for Temporary Duty Travel; 1 -29 nights • Long-Term Lodging: 30+ nights • Emergency Lodging Program

How Do GSA’s Travel Programs Benefit Me and My Agency? • GSA Travel Programs’ Goal: Provide agencies with programs and services that are efficient and effective to manage travel • The Travel Category managed by GSA has 4 Best-In-Class (BIC) Solutions: CPP, Fed. Rooms®, Car Rental, Employee Relocation Homesales • Supports Government-wide Category Management Goals, specifically Spend Under Management and Cost Avoidance

Smart Travel Planning • We are going to follow a Federal traveler who uses GSA’s Travel Programs to complete their mission • We will highlight the benefits using GSA’s Travel Programs • Let’s meet our Federal traveler!

Smart Travel Planning with Rob • Rob is a GS-13, Contracting Officer for the Department of Transportation • Let’s follow Rob as he prepares for a trip to his Regional Office in New York

Rob Uses E-Gov Travel Service (ETS 2) • ETS 2 is an end-to-end web based solution that provides a traveler a one stop shop to perform the following: • Online reservation services for air, rail, lodging and rental car • Authorization for TDY • Voucher processing upon completion of TDY • Travel Management Center support when necessary • Quick reimbursement of approved expenses • ETS 2 Vendors • E 2 Solutions • Concur. Gov

ETS 2 Benefits for Rob • Simple: Book all travel needs (air, hotel, rental car) at once • “Duty of Care”: ensures travelers are compliant with policy and safe/secure when on travel • Quick Reimbursement: ~4 days

Rob Books GSA’s FY 20 City Pair Program (CPP) for his Flights • CPP provides discounted air transportation services for Federal travelers government-wide • 8 Contract Carriers • Awarded 12, 015 domestic and international City Pairs • Nearly 99% of awarded markets went to nonstop carriers, where available

CPP Benefits to Rob • • One-way routes, ideal for multiple destinations No advance purchase required No min or max length of stay required No airline change/cancellation fees Tickets are fully refundable Last seat availability No blackout periods Ability to use loyalty membership to get points/miles for personally expensed upgrades, airfare and ancillary fees

Rob Should Choose the _CA Fare • Deeply discounted fare code is called _CA (“Dash C A”) • Available in 93% of markets • Example: Washington (DCA) to NYC (JFK) on Delta • YCA fare: $176 • _CA fare: $96 • Savings of $80 each way! • Airlines control inventory of _CA availability & availability is limited

Rob Should Consider Alternate Airports • Alternate airports may have lower fares - weigh the pros and cons

Lowest Available Airfare Opportunities (FTR 301 -10. 107) • Using the Concur tool (fares include taxes/fees): • A traveler should choose: Delta’s Government contract discounted _ CA fare at $192. 80 round trip • The Delta Government contract YCA fare is higher at $282. 80 • The Lowest Available Airfare to all consumers is higher at $266. 78 (also account for $150 – $200 in change fees if travel changed)

Rob Books the Fed. Rooms or DOD Preferred Rate Enjoys Benefits and Protections At or Below Per Diem • GSA’s TDY Lodging Program is branded as “Fed. Rooms” for civilian travelers and “DOD Preferred” for DOD travelers • Fed. Rooms and DOD Preferred provides hotel accommodations at or below per diem with standardized amenities to government travelers on official business. • Booking the Fed. Rooms or DOD Preferred rate provides travelers with standardized amenities: • Earn brand loyalty points • No minimum stay requirements • 4 pm day of arrival cancellation (in U. S. ) • Complimentary guest room Wi. Fi • No hidden service or resort fees • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and FEMA certified • No early check-out fees

How Rob Books the Fed. Rooms rate in ETS 2 • • Select a Fed. Rooms property from the search results in your ETS 2 booking tool. Click “View Rooms” and select a Fed. Rooms rate. The Fed. Rooms rate will be clearly labeled and you’ll see a green check mark, indicating it is within policy.

Fed. Rooms CONUS Coverage • 7, 600 properties from 135 hotel chains in 2, 500+ markets, Fed. Rooms has you covered!

• Do. D travelers can use Fed. Rooms and Do. D Preferred Lodging rates • Leverages the Fed. Rooms contract solution • Offers same benefits and negotiated rates below per diem • Expanded to 64 markets in January 2019 DOD Preferred Lodging

Note: The Fed. Rooms/DOD Preferred Rate is NOT the GOV Rate • The Fed. Rooms/DOD Preferred Rate – the ONLY rates negotiated by the Federal Government that protects the traveler and provides special amenities Buyer Beware! ✖ GOV Rate – determined by individual hotels ✖ NOT always at per diem ✖Hidden charges may apply ✖Resort or urban/destination fees ✖ 1 -5 day Cancellation fees

One Last Solution for Rob’s Longer Stays • Long Term Lodging • Available under the GSA MAS, Category L - Travel, L 02 Lodging, SIN 531110

Long Term Lodging • 30+ nights • For individuals or groups • Fully furnished, serviced apartments with the comforts of home • Many with added amenities • Ideal for: • Long term TDY • Extended training and job assignments • Rotational assignments at agency regional offices • Relocation • Available under the GSA MAS, Category L - Travel, L 02 Lodging, SIN 531110 • GSA approved vendors

Benefits of Long Term Lodging for Rob • Provides easy access to pre-qualified contractors to help support federal agency travel management needs • Streamlines the acquisition process by using GSA contracts • No additional competition at, or below, the Micro-Purchase Threshold (MPT) - currently $10 K • Above MPT, use FAR 8. 4 streamlined competition guidelines • Schedules rates are ceiling prices • Deeper discounts can be negotiated at the task order level

U. S. Government Rental Car Solution • Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) operates a government -wide car rental program that negotiates government discounts. • Travelers must use the least expensive compact car available, unless an exception for another class of vehicle is approved (FTR – 301. 10. 450) • Benefits for Agency – Unlimited mileage – No minimum rental period – Free collision/damage waiver or loss/damage waiver, – Liability insurance coverage – No charge for additional or underage drivers.

Government Savings – Rob’s Trip (DC to NY) Max. Costs Trip Costs Savings over 3 nights $352 (YCA) $192 (_CA) $160 $298/night (per diem) $179/night (Fed. Rooms) $357 Car Rental $353* $211** $142 Total Savings $1, 599 $940 $659 Airfare (Round-trip) Lodging *Most expensive compliant vendor ** Least expensive compliant vendor

Thank you! Presenter: Ebony. White@gsa. gov

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