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Hotels FAQ:
1. Why did the state contract with hotels?
A: Contracting with vendors for services and commodities is a common best practice that the state has been performing for many years. Contracts offer the state administrative efficiencies and better data collection for improved contract negotiations.

2. Do I contact the travel agency to book my hotel?
A: Not when you will be driving to the hotel. You will only use the travel agency when your trip involves an airline ticket(s). If you are driving to your hotel you will contact the hotel directly for reservations just as you have done in the past.

3. Will there be changes to what I do today as a traveler and/or travel arranger?
A: You will still call hotels directly, as you have done in the past, to make reservations. However, now you will first look to see if there is a contracted hotel available.

4. How many contracts does the state have with Wisconsin hotels?
A: The Wisconsin Hotel Request for Bid was sent to 3,710 properties and 325 responded. Contracts were awarded to all 325 respondents.

5. How will I know with which hotels the state has contracts?
A: The State Bureau of Procurement (SBOP) has created a lodging site where all contracted hotels are listed. The site allows the user to sort by city, zip code, property name and/or county. Information on the hotel can be found by accessing the hotels web site address, which is also shown in the SBOP lodging site. The hotels web site is to be used for informational purposes only. SBOP is working with the hotels to post the contracted rates on each property�s web site but this will take many months to accomplish. In the meantime, state employees will continue to call the hotel for reservations. That list can be accessed by going to http://vendornet.state.wi.us/vendornet/travel/LodgingInfo.asp

If you do not have access to the Internet or if you would like to have a hard copy of the contracted hotel list, an Excel spreadsheet of such is available. Please contact the Travel Office (x6651) if you would like a copy.

6. Do I have to stay at contracted hotels when I travel?
A: Section F of the Compensation Plan, The Uniform Travel Schedule Amounts, 5.08 addresses this: �If there are negotiated contracts available with hotels within the state, employees shall use these properties whenever possible�. Therefore, if you are traveling to a city where a contracted hotel is available and it is possible for you to stay there, you must utilize the contracted hotel. If it is not possible, you do not.

7. What if there isn�t a hotel listed for a city where I travel?
A: Then it may not be possible for you to stay at a contracted hotel. You and your supervisor would need to make the determination of whether or not it is possible. If determined that it is not possible, you would stay at an off-contract hotel. You would call the off-contract hotel to make your reservation as you have done in the past and secure a rate not higher than the state�s allowance.

8. What if there is a contracted hotel in a city where I�m traveling but I can find a less expensive hotel off-contract? Can I stay at the off-contract hotel?
A: The Wisconsin Hotel Request for Bid was sent to 3,710 properties. Only 325 responded. While bypassing contracts dilutes the state�s leveraged purchasing power and causes increased costs in the next negotiation stage, the SBOP understands that 325 properties are not nearly enough to give the state the geographic coverage it needs to conduct the state's business or enough to accommodate the thousands of room nights needed each year. Employees should always utilize the state hotel contracts whenever possible, however it is understood that there will be many situations where this is not possible. Employees should always exercise good judgment. If an employee can save the state money by staying at an off-contract hotel, they can do so. Again, please utilize the state's contracts whenever possible. Many of the contracted hotels offer rates lower than the state's allowance.

9. Have the state�s hotel maximums changed?
A: No. The nightly maximums for Wisconsin hotels are not changing. The allowance is still $62 for all locations other than Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha counties where the nightly allowance is $72.

10. What if I can�t find a hotel within the state�s allowance?
A: The state�s lodging allowance may never be exceeded unless the provisions for exceeding maximums in Administrative Services Manual (ASM) 5.5.2 are met. The maximum permitted allowance is $62 for all in-state counties other than Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha. The maximum permitted allowance in Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha counties is $72. You will only be reimbursed for the state�s allowance if you qualify under section C of ASM 5.5.2.

11. Several of the hotels are contracted above the state's allowance. Does this mean employees are automatically approved to stay at these hotels?
A: No. The state�s lodging allowance may never be exceeded unless the provisions for exceeding maximums in the Administrative Services Manual (ASM) are met. The maximum permitted allowance is $62 for all in-state counties other than Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha. The maximum permitted allowance is $62 for all in-state counties other than Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha. The maximum permitted allowance in Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha counties is $72. You will only be reimbursed for the state�s allowance if you qualify under section C of ASM 5.5.2. There are a handful of hotels on the list with rates above the state�s allowance. They are on the list because in some cases state employees, after exhaustive efforts, are not able to secure a room at or below the state�s allowance anywhere near their destination. These hotels provide a very limited opportunity to solve that problem. These hotels at least now provide a ceiling on the rates they can charge the state. These hotels will rarely be used and again, may not be used unless the provisions for exceeding maximums in the ASM are met.

12. What if the contracted hotel doesn�t offer me the contracted rate?
A: Just as these contracts are new to state employees, they are also new to the hotels. The hotel staff answering your telephone call or checking you in at the front desk should know they have a contract with the state and know the exact rate. However, to be sure, the State Board of Procurement (SBOP) will send each contracted hotel a letter confirming their contracted rate(s) and asking them to train their staff accordingly. But, if you do not receive the contracted rate, you must advise the hotel of the rate when you contact them. If you still experience difficulty securing the contract rate, please contact Amy Schroeder, SBOP�s travel program manager, at 608 266-3827 or via email at amy.schroeder@doa.state.wi.us. Amy will work with the hotel to correct the situation. Please note: The state�s contracts are for standard rooms. Hotels are not committed by contract to confirm a room for you above their standard room type.

13. Can I use these contracted rates for personal travel?
A: No. These contracts are only for use when state employees are traveling on official state business. You must show your state ID or a letter on official state letterhead to the personnel at the hotel�s front desk to verify that you are on official state business and may therefore receive the state rate. You may never use these contracts for personal travel.

14. I need to use a state ID? What if I don�t have one?
A: If you do not have a UWM ID, you will need to present a letter of authorization for each hotel stay. This letter must be on UWM letterhead and must be signed by your supervisor. Presenting a State of Wisconsin Purchasing Card or Travel Card will also serve as acceptable identification. This is true of in-state car rentals as well. If you are able to secure a UWM ID, you�ll find it to be a time saver.

15. Can contractors or others doing business for the state use the contracted rates?
A: Yes, but only if the hotel will be paid for using state funds or funds processed through state/university accounts. In these cases, the traveler must have a letter of authorization on official UWM letterhead stating the individual is able to use the state�s rate at that hotel and on that date. The traveler must present the letter to the hotel�s front desk personnel.

16. What is the hotel cancellation policy? If a trip is cancelled, will there be a no- show charge if a hotel is not cancelled within a specific timeframe? If so, what is the timeframe?
A: Each hotel has its own policy. Generally, hotels require a cancellation before 6:00 pm the day of arrival but many hotels have a 4:00 pm requirement and resort hotels often require three days notice. If you�re canceling a meeting at a hotel, they may require several months advance notice. It is the responsibility of each traveler and/or travel arranger to check the cancellation policy with the hotel when they are making the reservation and then follow that hotel�s policy. If a cancellation period is missed and the hotel is not used, you will be charged.

Per Administrative Service Manual (ASM) 5.5.2, �Except in unusual circumstances which must be fully justified, an employee will be held personally responsible for unnecessary room costs which result from their failure to notify the hotel/motel of cancellation of a guaranteed reservation or compliance with posted checkout hours.�

17. There is 48-hour last room availability at the contract hotels. Does this mean if you are making reservations for a week or two ahead of time, you might not be able to get the contracted rate?
A: This is correct, and it is how it has been for all the years previous to any contracts. The state employee makes phone calls to secure a hotel room. The hotel may have rooms available but will not confirm one to a state employee at the state maximum because the hotelier knows they can get a higher rate for the room from a non-state employee. This scenario has been putting the state�s employees in the situation of having to call multiple hotels, all of which may have available rooms, to find one that will confirm a room at the state's allowance. The State Board of Procurement (SBOP) has received countless complaints from employees about having to call multiple hotels. The Wisconsin Hotel Request for Bid included language requiring the hotel to confirm a standard room, if one is available, within 48 hours of arrival. This feature may not work for all of the state�s travelers / arrangers, however it will work for many when last minute reservations are needed. Please note: The state�s contracts are for standard rooms. Hotels are not committed by contract to confirm a room for you above their standard room type.

18. Our travel schedules require that we make reservations ahead of time. Do we now have to wait to within 48 hours of arrival to make hotel reservations?
A: No. Travelers should continue to make reservations in the manner than makes the most sense for their business needs. In this situation, the traveler/arranger would make reservations as far ahead of time as possible, as they have done in the past.

The state has many travelers that, due to the nature of their work, often are only able to make arrangements within 48 hours. The 48-hour guarantee will work best for these travelers. It will also work well for travelers who have been unable to confirm a room a week ahead of time, for example.

19. Some of the hotels on the lodging list indicated that there are blackout dates. What does that mean?
A: Blackout dates typically occur in peak season, such as Door County in the summer or fall. They can also occur when a festival, a sporting event or a holiday occurs. A blackout date means the hotel is not obligated to offer the contracted rate during these periods. Therefore, the hotel, by contract, is exempted from offering the contracted rate during blackout dates. This has always been the case. Many hotels have at least one blackout period but most hotels have many blackout periods throughout the year. Therefore, for example, if you are traveling to Oshkosh around the same time the Air Venture event is occurring, area hotels may have a blackout in place and you most likely will not be able to secure the contracted rate.

20. What if I�m traveling to a conference? Will I still be able to stay at the conference hotel or will I have to stay at a contracted hotel?
A: The policy stated in ASM 5.5.2 has not changed.

21. How will I book my conference arrangements? In the past I�ve contacted the hotel directly.
A: You will continue to make your in-state conference travel arrangements by contacting the hotel directly. Only if you are attending a conference that is out-of-state, and only if you are booking airfare through a traditional travel agency (i.e. not online), would you use a travel agency.

22. I plan meetings and conferences for employees in our department. Do I need to use the contracted hotels now for our meetings and conferences?
A: The State Bureau of Procurement�s (SBOP) request for bid asked hotels to bid on meeting and conference rooms as well as usual overnight business. Most of the 325 contracted hotels offer meeting room rates and meeting facilities. It�s important to use the state�s contracts for all products and services. Bypassing contracts dilutes the state�s leveraged purchasing power and causes increased costs in the next negotiation stage. Therefore, agencies must make every attempt to use the contracted hotels.

It was the intent of the SBOP�s bidding process to eliminate the need for the Purchasing Department to perform bid procedures for meetings and conferences. Therefore, your department should use a contracted hotel whenever possible for its meeting and conference needs. The Purchasing Department may still need to sign a letter of agreement with the hotel for meals or audio/visual, but the bidding work is eliminated if using a state-contracted hotel. Please keep in mind, the state will never be able to expand its list of hotels when the contracts come up for re-bid if state employees continue to use non-contracted hotels. Bypassing contracts dilutes the state�s leveraged purchasing power and causes increased costs in the next negotiation stage.

23. I already have a conference set-up for our division in February. If the state doesn�t have a contract with the hotel I�ve booked, do I need to cancel and reserve a contract hotel?
A: No. If you have already confirmed the conference space you should use that hotel.

24. Do I have to use the state�s Purchasing Card or Travel Card when I travel?
A: Administrative savings to the state and better data collection for improved contract negotiations are compelling reasons to utilize one or both of the cards for your travel-related expenditures. Effective immediately, employees are encouraged to utilize the state�s Purchasing Card for all reimbursable airline tickets, travel agency service fees, hotel room rates and car rental costs. Effective October 17, 2005, a Purchasing Card must be used for all reimbursable airline tickets, travel agency service fees, hotel room rates and car rental costs. If they choose, employees have the option of utilizing the state�s Travel Card instead of or in addition to the Purchasing Card for travel-related expenses incurred while in official travel status. The travel card is an individual liability card.

25. Will the hotel accept a Purchasing Card in the name of a program assistant in my area for my hotel rate? Will I have to have this Purchasing Card with me when I arrive at the hotel?
A: A state employee may never carry a Purchasing Card in someone else�s name. This violates the state�s liability arrangement as contracted with US Bank. However, using a program assistant�s Purchasing Card to pay for a traveler�s IN-STATE hotel room has worked very successfully since the cards inception eight years ago. In this situation, the program assistant would contact the hotel for the reservation and advise the hotel staff that his/her Purchasing Card should be charged for the hotel room rate. The hotel will charge the program assistant�s card for the room only. (The traveler may have to present a letter on official letterhead to the hotel�s front desk personnel authorizing the charge to the program assistant�s Purchasing Card.) The traveler will then pay for any meals, in-room service, telephone calls, movies, etc., via a method other than the state�s Purchasing Card. This may not work at every hotel in the state, as it has more to do with hotel policy than state policy. Please check with each hotel when you are making your reservation to determine if this arrangement can be accommodated for you. Please note: This scenario will not work for out-of-state hotels unless you work with the hotel for a third-party billing arrangement prior to arrival. Out-of-state hotels will require a card to swipe at check-in and the card must be in the name of the guest. If you need additional information on third-party billings for out-of-state hotels, please contact the hotel or Amy Schroeder at 608 266-3827.

26. What if my agency already has a direct-bill or purchase order in place with a specific hotel(s)? Can we continue to pay that way?
A: Only if the hotel does not accept Visa. In all other situations, your hotel stay must be charged to a state-issued charge card.

27. What if I�m staying at a hotel that does not accept a credit card?
A: You will then have to pay by cash or check. Most hotels accept credit cards however some do not. All airlines and car rental companies do accept credit cards.