State Travel Management Program – Hotel Contract

Group Travel Bookings is a required offering under the current 971-M1 lodging contract with Engine that allows lodging for bookings for ten (10) or more travelers.

Group Travel Booking Restrictions:

Group bookings include charges for lodging and other non-food lodging-related expenses only. Other services including meals, meeting spaces, conference planning, and audio-visual services are not permitted and must be procured by customers under the appropriate purchasing processes.

Customers booking conference or training events where associated non-lodging services at the same location are procured in coordination with lodging may still use this contract, but are not required to do so. Please follow all applicable procurement laws, rules, and procedures to secure all other services.

Group Bookings General Information:

• The contracted vendor is required to acknowledge group booking requests within 48 business hours of submission.
• Provide group travel booking options within 5 business days of request.
• Negotiate rate(s) lower than the State of Texas contract rate or ensure the State of Texas contract rate is always available.
• Negotiate cancellation policies that are advantageous for customers.
• In the event a confirmed booking is cancelled by the contracted vendor or lodging establishment, the contracted vendor shall promptly provide to the traveler equal or better lodging for the duration of the booking for no more than the confirmed lodging rate either at the same establishment or, if no room is available at the same establishment, at an alternate establishment located within five miles of the confirmed lodging.
• Travelers/organizers will agree to the negotiated rate for their group by clicking 'accept' on the corresponding proposal in the Groups portal. In the event that the information provided in the Engine Groups Portal is incorrect, the contracted vendor shall refund the difference between the correct rate and the billed rate within 30 calendar days.

Engine Group Booking Process:

1. Log into your Engine Account.
2. Under the Groups tab, fill out the required information to the best of your ability. The more information Engine has up front, the faster they can set up your group reservation.
3. After a group's request is sent and depending on the complexity, a Group Sales Manager (GSM) will reach out to verify that the information is correct and complete, within 48 business hours. For simpler requests with all required information, sourcing may begin automatically, and the GSM may not reach out until after the first hotel option has been received.
4. The Groups team will locate appropriate properties to meet the request.
5. Hotel options will be available in the Groups Tab, where customers can compare the options from the Groups dashboard on demand. Depending on the complexity of the order, within 72 hours (about 3 business days) of the original request time.
6. Users will select the preferred property from the options on their account.
7. Once a proposal has been selected, Engine will handle the contract directly with the hotel. When this has been finalized, the GSM will notify the customer and provide further instructions on managing rooming lists, making modifications, and processing payment.
8. On the day of Check-in, Engine's 24/7 support team will be available for all reservation related requests.
9. If you have any questions regarding group travel, please contact your dedicated GSM or groups@hotelengine.com.