VCU Qatar

1. VCU Qatar Conference and Meeting Basics: A-Z

2. Richmond Procurement Contacts VCU Qatar Support Office Senior Buyer Mary Lou Kastelburg (804)827-1900 mlkastelberg@vcu.edu VCUQatar Senior Payment and Travel Officer Karen Beebe (804)828-1078 (W) 8:00-4:30EST (804)399-2008 (Blackberry) kbeebe@vcu.edu Group E-mail for VCU-Q Invoice Communication QINVOICE@vcu.edu

3. Planning Who is attending the event? VCU-Q employees requires a TA Need a close estimate of head count Used to block off appropriate number of hotel rooms Used to accurately estimate persons for catering events What expenses are involved in this event? Meeting Rooms A/V Equipment Lodging Rooms Meal and/or Break Catering Business Services (copying, faxes, etc.) Parking

4. Planning When does the event take place? Will meals be needed or are breaks sufficient? Will overnight lodging be necessary? Do the rates change because of the time of year? Where does the event take place (City/Country)? Affects allowable per diem and lodging rates Where are people traveling from or returning to? Why is VCU paying for this event? Is it purely social or to cultivate donors/donations? (local funds required) If not, what is VCU-Q’s business purpose at this event?

5. Department Responsibilities Departments are responsible for identifying: Applicable hotel facilities: Lodging Rooms needed – must follow policy guidelines QF Per Diem Rates - GSA M&IE = Allowable Lodging Rates If expenses exceed 200% of the CONUS/OCONUS allowable for lodging, cost justification, local funds, and VP signature is required. Good Negotiation Points = no specific limitations Meeting Rooms - this is often not charged for Audio Visual/ “AV” – rates are negotiable Business Services –good negotiation point.

6. Department Responsibilities Departments are also responsible for identifying: Catering service requirements for their specific events Number of people guaranteed for event Items to be served at meal / break / reception Is the budget within allowable rates? Follows that same regulations as business meals # of attendees x 150% of per diem for meal This includes tax, tips, and service fees If >150%, local funds and VP signature required Will alcohol be served? Need Appropriate approval - Dean Local Funds (including portion of tax, tips, and service fees) – must place bartender on local even if a $$ bar

7. Department Responsibilities A few more things… Has the Banquet Event Order (BEO) been provided? This serves as your itemized receipts This is also your reference to make sure you were charged appropriately according to your contract terms Are food/beverage charges separate rather than part of a lumped fee? If food/beverage are lumped as part of a “meeting fee” or “conference fee” this must be negotiated up front with the vendor or we may not be able to pay the invoice on state funds

8. Department Responsibilities And a few more things… Service Charges / Gratuities: When establishing pricing, departments should: Attempt to negotiate a service charge / gratuity that does not exceed 18% Ensure that no service charge / gratuity is applied to lodging rooms or meeting rooms These items are no longer negotiated by Purchasing – this is your responsibility now Verify that the prices shown are inclusive of all taxes, service fees and gratuities or have these items specifically addressed in the contract In other words – read the fine print If you don’t see this information, you need to ask.

9. Department Responsibilities Contracts up to $7500 (27,300 QAR): Maintain and submit a full copy to AP; a copy is not required to be maintained by Purchasing. Contracts of $7501 (27,300 QAR)or more: Forward a copy of the approval to Purchasing with the Hotel contract document(s). This should include Ed Gibbs’ signature (or an appropriate representative from VCU Procurement) This copy should also be signed by the vendor

10. Department Responsibilities Deposits / Prepayment: Departments should advise the Hotel representative that VCU-Q does not pay deposits or prepay for an event. VCU-Q will issue a purchase order (EP#), or utilize a credit card, to reserve the event at the hotel. It is the Department’s responsibility to negotiate rates and make sure the bill is sent to AP with all of the necessary signatures and documentation. TA s if necessary BEOs (Banquet Event Orders) Individual and group folios Participant List Appropriate approvals Appropriate funding

11. Price Negotiation How to negotiate the fees for restricted items: Banquets / Meals - are treated the same as business meals Approximate at least 29% for taxes, service fees, and gratuities for meals. If food rates are higher than allowed by state, but the overall rate for the event is acceptable, ask for the amount allocated to food to be reduced Meeting Room rentals are not restricted A/V Equipment is not restricted Room rentals Don’t pay service /gratuity charges. If this is free, verify that the room rates and food rates are within the allowable per diems How do I need to be billed? Itemization for lodging and meals Direct billing for room and parking only– no extras!

12. Contract University Purchasing reviews hotel contract documents for legal sufficiency ONLY!!!!! …the rest is up to you!!!!

13. Requisitions Requisition Line Items: Separate lines for: Lodging rooms (rate and tax per night) Meeting rooms AV equipment Meals (including taxes, service fees, and gratuities) Alcohol / Bartender / Cash Bar Incidentals (e.g. porterage, parking, bartender, meat carvers, etc.) to be paid by VCU The dollar value must reflect all estimated charges, inclusive of taxes, service charges and/or gratuities. If overages of >150% for the meal, the dollar value over the 150% must be split-coded to a local fund.

14. Requisitions (Cont.) Commodity Description: Overall Business purpose If a purely social reason is given, the entire event must be placed on local Attendees Listed by name either in the EP or attached as supplemental documentation Overage reasons, business purpose for phone calls, fax / internet fees, etc.

15. Requisitions (Cont.) Local vs. State Change Orders: Can’t do a change order to switch index codes: Cancel the current EP# and create a new one with the new index codes Add a line to the current EP# with the new index code and liquidate one of the other lines If the original order amount did not exceed $7500 (27,300 QAR), but the change order results in the order exceeding $7500 (27,300 QAR), the department shall submit a copy of the Hotel contract document(s) as executed by VCU, when submitting the eVA change order.

16. Credit Card Transactions Credit Card Transactions: If paid with a credit card, the Department shall identify (on the fax coversheet submitted with the Hotel contract documents) the total maximum estimated dollar value, inclusive of taxes, service charges, and/or gratuities. Provide a breakdown for the costs associated with: Lodging rooms Meeting rooms AV equipment Meals Incidentals (e.g. porterage, parking, bartender, meat carvers, etc.) Do NOT fax the c.c. number to the Hotel or include the c.c. number on the contract document(s).

17. Hotel Contract Documents Processing Lead Times – Allow enough time: Contract Negotiation – this does not happen in 1 day Contract Review by Procurement – this is not immediate and can not be skipped - DO NOT SIGN THE CONTRACT YOURSELF! IT IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT! Gathering of supplemental documentation Securing necessary signatures Designee for meals Dean for alcohol VP for overages >150% on meals or >200% on lodging

18. Supplemental Documentation Banquet Event Orders (“BEO”s) Must be submitted – this is not optional Speak with the hotel regarding this issue from the beginning – food / beverages must be separate BEOs provide your required itemization This is an issue with some vendors It will be an issue with AP for payment if BEOs are not included BEOs also show your contracted pricing – can not reflect a $0 charge due to package pricing Steer clear of package pricing or negotiate on another basis – must show actual prices on restricted items

19. Supplemental Documentation Travel Authorizations for employees/ students Even if they are not being personally reimbursed Expenses are being incurred on their behalf Justification if an employee spends the night at an in-town/local conference site

20. Questions