ESBD_472044_1763756194065_1_Part A 304T-26-961M1 Travel Agency Services.pdf

9.2-2024 Solicitation No. 304T-26-961M1 Page A1

TEXAS COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

STATEWIDE PROCUREMENT DIVISION

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Travel Agency Services

RFP No. 304T-26-961M1

NIGP CLASS-ITEMS

958-92 961-78 962-87 962-88

975-44

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

ESBD Posting Date November 21, 2025 Pre-Proposal Conference Date and Time December 4, 2025, at 11:00 AM CST Questions Submission Deadline Date December 5, 2025 Response to Questions through Addendum Date, or as soon thereafter as practical December 12, 2025

RESPONSE DUE DATE January 6, 2025 RESPONSE DUE TIME 1:30 pm Central Time in Austin TX

**NOTE** This Solicitation is composed of two parts: (1) Part A: Special Instructions, (including attachments and appendices, if any) and (2) Part B: General Instructions and Contract Terms and Conditions (including attachments and appendices, if any). In the event an instruction or term in Part A conflicts with an instruction or term in Part B, the instruction or term in Part A prevails, and any addenda or amendments to either Part A or Part B control over the original versions.

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SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

COMMUNICATIONS WITH ANYONE OTHER THAN THE POINT OF CONTACT LISTED

IN SECTION A.12.4 MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION OF A RESPONSE.

CPA will disqualify any response received without the required documentation identified below.

ATTACHMENT A - EXECUTION OF RESPONSE

MANDATORY PRICE SHEET

CPA may disqualify any response received without the required documentation identified below.

IDENTIFICATION OF CLAIMED CONFIDENTIAL/PROPRIETARY INFORMATION, if any

ATTACHMENT B - RESPONDENT INFORMATION

ATTACHMENT C - PREFERENCES

ATTACHMENT D - INSURANCE STATEMENT OF INTENT

ATTACHMENT E - SELF INSURED RETENTION CERTIFICATION AND REQUEST FOR

APPROVAL (only if the Respondent intends to use SIR)

IDENTIFICATION OF ALL EXCEPTIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS to terms of this Solicitation or Contract, if any

CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE, if applicable – Reference Part B.1.1.

PROPOSAL – Reference Part A.17.7 SIGNED COPIES OF ALL ADDENDA to this Solicitation, if any

REFERENCE SECTION A.16 AND SECTION A.17 FOR SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

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PART A: SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

Table of Contents

A.1 DEFINITIONS

A.2 DESCRIPTION

A.3 TERM OF THE CONTRACT

A.4 PRICING

A.4.1 PRICING STRUCTURE – FIRM PRICE WITH ESCALATION

A.4.2 SERVICE FEES

A.4.3 ALTERNATE PRICING PROPOSAL

A.5 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

A.5.1 PRICE DECREASES OR DISCOUNT INCREASES

A.5.2 PRICE ADJUSTMENT CALCULATION

A.5.3 PRICE ADJUSTMENT REQUESTS

A.5.4 TARIFFS

A.6 INSURANCE

A.7 RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS

A.7.1 TRAVEL RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS

A.7.1.1. Air Travel A.7.1.2. Car Rentals A.7.1.3. Hotel Reservations A.7.1.4. Other Reservations A.7.1.5. Group Travel A.7.1.6. Penalties, Restrictions, and Requirements A.7.1.7. Passenger Documentation A.7.1.8. Accounting Information A.7.1.9. Procedural Requirements

A.7.2 STATEWIDE TRAVEL PERFORMANCE REPORTS

A.8 CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

A.8.1 RESPONDENT QUALIFICATIONS

A.8.2 CUSTOMER SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

A.8.2.1. Phone Contact Performance Criteria and Reports A.8.2.2. Email Performance Criteria

A.8.3 ONLINE BOOKING TOOL

A.8.4 ONLINE RECONCILIATION TOOL

A.8.5 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR CURRENT CUSTOMERS

A.8.6 OTHER CONTRACTOR REQUIRED SERVICES

A.8.7 PROCESSING IN CONJUNCTION WITH TRAVEL MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

A.8.8 ADDITIONAL SERVICES

A.9 CUSTOMER DATA REQUIREMENTS

A.9.1 ACCESS TO CUSTOMER DATA

A.9.2 LOCATION OF CUSTOMER DATA

A.9.3 ENCRYPTION STANDARDS

A.9.4 AUDITABLE INFORMATION SECURITY FRAMEWORK

A.9.5 DEFECTS AND VULNERABILITIES

A.9.6 SUPPLY CHAIN RISK MANAGEMENT

A.9.7 INDEPENDENT INFORMATION SECURITY ASSESSMENT

A.9.8 MEDIA SANITIZATION

A.9.9 THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS

A.9.10 PAYMENT CARD INDUSTRY STANDARDS

A.9.11 STATE AGENCY WEBSITE REQUIREMENTS

A.9.12 STATE AUTHORIZATION AND RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (TX-RAMP)

A.9.13 SERVICE PROVIDER, OUTSOURCED, AND CLOUD COMPUTING

A.9.14 PASSWORD REQUIREMENTS

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A.9.15 SECURITY INCIDENT NOTIFICATION

A.10 CANCELLATION

A.11 PURCHASE ORDERS, INVOICES AND REPORTING

A.11.1 CUSTOMER PURCHASE ORDERS

A.11.2 INVOICES AND EXPEDITED PAYMENT DISCOUNTS

A.11.3 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

A.11.4 CUSTOMER REPORTS

A.11.5 STATEWIDE CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT REPORTING

A.12 RESPONSE INFORMATION

A.12.1 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

A.12.2 SOLICITATION ADDENDA

A.12.3 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

A.12.4 POINTS OF CONTACT

A.12.5 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

A.12.6 DOCUMENTS AND ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED WITH THIS SOLICITATION

A.13 DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTED PARTIES

A.14 EVALUATION OF RESPONSE

A.14.1 RESPONSIVENESS

A.14.2 RISK OF NON-PERFORMANCE

A.14.3 EVALUATION PROCESS

A.14.4 EVALUATION FACTORS OF PROPOSAL CRITERIA

A.15 AWARDS

A.15.1 AWARD APPROACH

A.15.2 NON-AWARD

A.15.3 AWARD NOTICE

A.16 ORGANIZATION OF THE RESPONSE FOR SUBMISSION

A.16.1 CONFIDENTIAL/PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

A.16.2 ATTACHMENT A – EXECUTION OF RESPONSE

A.16.3 ATTACHMENT B – RESPONDENT INFORMATION

A.16.4 ATTACHMENT C – PREFERENCES

A.16.5 ATTACHMENT D – INSURANCE STATEMENT OF INTENT

A.16.6 ATTACHMENT E – SELF INSURED RETENTION CERTIFICATION AND REQUEST FOR APPROVAL

A.16.7 PROPOSAL CRITERIA

A.16.8 MANDATORY PRICE SHEET

A.16.9 NEGOTIATIONS, ASSUMPTIONS, AND EXCEPTIONS

A.16.10 SIGNED ADDENDA TO SOLICITATION

A.17 SUBMITTING THE RESPONSE TO CPA

A.17.1 ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION (PREFERRED)

A.17.2 HARD COPY SUBMISSION

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A.1 DEFINITIONS

In this Contract, the following terms and acronyms have the meaning set forth below.

TERM DEFINITION

CATX

An airline-controlled capacity City-Pairs ticket. CA fares have a limited number of seats, but no other restrictions. _CA seat availability on a particular flight varies carrier-by-carrier and market-by-market. (see https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/programs/travel-management/airline.php)

Central Billed Accounts

(CBA)

A travel charge card which is billed to the governmental entity and issued by the State charge card services contractor at the request of a participating government entity.

City-Pair A one-way airline flight between airports, from origin to destination, regardless of stopovers or connections.

Contract Any Contract resulting from this Solicitation, consisting of the Contract documentation as provided in Section B.3.2.

Contractor Any Respondent awarded a Contract based on this Solicitation.

CPA The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the state agency issuing this Solicitation.

Customer State of Texas agencies, institutions of higher education, and cooperative purchasing members, including CPA, that are required or permitted by law to purchase goods and services under contracts established by CPA.

Customer Data

All information and data (1) created by or in any way originating with the Customer or Traveler, and (2) about a Customer or Traveler, or specific to a Customer or Traveler that is created or maintained by the Contractor in performance of the Contract. For purposes of the Contract, the terms “CPA Data” and “CPA Confidential Information” include, but are not limited to, Customer Data.

ESBD The Electronic State Business Daily, which is available online at http://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd

Global Distribution System (GDS)

A computerized network system that enables transactions between travel industry service providers, primarily airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and travel agencies.

Group Travel Bookings of ten (10) or more Travelers, traveling to the same place at the same time.

Individual Billed Accounts

(IBA)

A travel charge card account which is billed to an employee and issued by the State charge card services contractor under contract with CPA, at the request of a participating agency/organization.

Official Business Travel

The travel undertaken by a participating entity official or employee to conduct official business or to represent the entity in an official capacity.

Party or Parties Either CPA or Respondent, separately or collectively.

Passenger Name Records (PNRs)

Refers to reservation information contained in an air carrier's electronic reservation system and/or departure control system that sets forth the identity and travel plans of each passenger or group of passengers included under the same reservation record

Respondent Any person or company that submits a Response to this Solicitation.

Response A bid or proposal submitted to CPA in response to this Solicitation.

RFP Request for Proposals, which is the type of solicitation embodied in this document.

https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/programs/travel-management/airline.php https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/programs/travel-management/airline.php http://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd

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TERM DEFINITION

Solicitation This document, along with all other documents incorporated in this document and posted to the ESBD, soliciting responses for the proposed commodities and services.

Traveler An employee, ward, or guest of a Customer authorized by that Customer to use the services under the Contract for official business.

YCATX An unrestricted City-Pair class of ticket.

A.2 DESCRIPTION

The Statewide Procurement Division (SPD), a division of CPA, requests sealed responses for travel agency services.

All Texas state agencies, higher education institutions, and Texas SmartBuy members will have the ability to utilize the services provided by this Contract.

A.3 TERM OF THE CONTRACT

The initial term of this Contract commences on the effective date set out in a Notice of Award issued by CPA and automatically expires on May 31, 2027.

1st Renewal Option: June 01, 2027, through May 31, 2028 2nd Renewal Option: June 01, 2028, through May 31, 2029 3rd Renewal Option: June 01, 2029, through May 31, 2030 4th Renewal Option: June 01, 2030, up to one (1) additional year

CPA may unilaterally renew the Contract.

A.4 PRICING

A.4.1 Pricing Structure – Firm Price with Escalation

Response prices must be firm, all-inclusive, fixed prices. Contract pricing may only change in accordance with the Price Adjustments provision of the Contract, provided however, that if a Contractor offers or provides a lower price to any customer for the same goods or services, under the same terms and conditions provided for CPA and its Customers, the Contractor must provide the same lower price under the Contract.

A.4.2 Service Fees

All fees and costs must be listed in Mandatory Price Sheet. The description column in the Tab 1.1 Pricing Grid provides information on the various fee types. If needed, there is space available at the bottom of the form for entering additional fee types not listed. If a service is provided at no cost, enter $0.00 (zero) in the cost column. If additional room is needed, please submit an additional Mandatory Price Sheet.

Service Description Pricing Structure Airline Ticket Only Transaction

Fee charged when Customer booking an airline ticket only. Per Transaction

Rental Car Only Transaction Fee charged when Customer booking a car rental only. Per Transaction

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Service Description Pricing Structure Rail Ticket Only Transaction Fee charged when Customer booking a rail ticket only. Per Transaction

Bus Ticket Only Transaction Fee charged when Customer booking a bus ticket only. Per Transaction

Combination Booking

Fee charged for any combination of airline, car rental, lodging, rail, and bus tickets. Per Transaction

Group Tickets Ten (10) or more tickets issued for the same origin and destination and for the same travel dates. Per Person Flat Fee

Ticket Exchange Fee

Any change to tickets that have already been issued by the Travel Agent. Per Transaction

Ticket Refund Fee

Any refund for tickets that have been issued by the Travel Agent. Per Transaction

Group and Meeting Planning Fees

Fee charged for assistance in planning group outings or meetings. Per Planned Person

After Hours Service

Assistance from the Travel Agency which happens after the hours of operation specified in Part A, Section A.8.2. Per Call

VIP Customer Service Line

Priority service and call back priority. Additional Requirements included in Part A, Section A.8.2. Per Call

A.4.3 Alternate Pricing Proposal

CPA recognizes that there may be alternative pricing structures or adjustments that could be made to achieve optimal pricing and service levels. If you believe CPA and its Customers could benefit from adjustments to the Mandatory Price Sheet Pricing Grid on Tab 1.1, please utilize the free form box on Tab 1.2 Alternative Pricing Proposal, to describe in detail what changes should be made. However, Respondents must still complete the Pricing Grid on Tab 1.1 to be considered responsive to this RFP.

A.5 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

A.5.1 Price Decreases or Discount Increases

Contractor shall immediately implement any price decrease or discount increase that becomes available. Contractor shall notify CPA of price decreases or discount increases by email to:

spd.cmo@cpa.texas.gov

A.5.2 Price Adjustment Calculation

Prices may be adjusted annually at time of renewal or at the sole discretion of CPA throughout the term of the Contract upwardly or downwardly when correlated with the index specified below and published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

BLS website: http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/srgate

Producer Price Index: PCU561510561510 – Travel Agencies

Note: Enter the index number in the Series ID box and click Next and “Retrieve Data.”

mailto:spd.cmo@cpa.texas.gov http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/srgate

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For a price adjustment request, after the initial contract term, the Contractor will calculate the maximum allowable Contract price using the following formula:

Maximum Allowable Contract Price = (Original Awarded Price ÷ Original Index) x New Index, where:

(1) “Original Awarded Price” is the price at which the item was initially awarded to the Contractor;

(2) “Original Index” is the index value for the month and year that Responses to this Solicitation were submitted; and

(3) “New Index” is the index value for the month and year that the price increase request is submitted.

If the Respondent can demonstrate that the price index lags behind costs of performance or does not account for significant costs of performance, Respondent may request CPA to consider other documentation of its cost to perform the Contract, such as quotes or invoices. CPA may consider cost documentation that in its sole discretion is acceptable. Acceptable cost documentation must at a minimum be (1) clearly related to Contract performance, (2) verifiable by an external or third-party source, (3) certified as complete and accurate by the Respondent, under penalty of perjury, and (4) include the proportion or amount of the respective cost (i.e., fuel is 15% of the total cost or fuel cost is $30.00 of the total cost). CPA may reject cost documentation in its sole discretion.

A.5.3 Price Adjustment Requests

Proposed pricing must remain firm for the initial term of the Contract. After the initial term of the Contract, price adjustments may be requested based upon the formula in Section A.5.2.

CPA may accept, reject, or negotiate price adjustments. The Contractor will receive written notification from Statewide Contract Management (SCM) documenting action taken, including effective dates, when appropriate.

If a complete, properly submitted price increase request is rejected, the Contractor may request to cancel the Contract for those items covered by the request. CPA may approve or reject item cancellation requests. CPA will specify the effective date of item cancellation in its written notice of approval. Purchase orders dated prior and up to the effective date of approval or cancellation, as applicable, must be honored at the Contract price in effect when issued.

Price adjustment requests and cancellation requests under this section should be sent by email to:

spd.cmo@cpa.texas.gov

A.5.4 Tariffs

The parties may agree to adjust prices periodically to reflect changes in tariffs implemented after the Response Due Date that affect the cost of supplying goods under this Contract. Any existing tariffs at the time of the response should be considered as part of the response price. To request a price increase related to tariffs, Contractor must provide documentation that includes the effective date, amount, and scope of the tariffs. Contractor must demonstrate with specificity the effect of tariffs on its necessary and reasonable cost of supplying goods under this Contract, including its commercial reasons for using a source subject to tariffs. Any adjustment is at CPA’s sole discretion. If CPA grants an adjustment related to tariffs, Contractor shall monitor tariff levels and notify CPA within five business days of any reduction or repeal. CPA may reduce or retract a tariff adjustment it has granted at any time by notifying the Contractor of the new prices.

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A.6 INSURANCE

The Response must include a statement that Respondent intends to obtain and maintain for the term of the Contract and any renewal periods, the minimum insurance coverage specified in the table below.

The Response should also describe other insurance coverage maintained by Respondent in the ordinary course of business and provide proof of same in its Response. If Respondent’s normal and customary insurance coverage exceeds the minimum required amounts in this Solicitation, the Contract will require those normal and customary types and amounts of coverage. Proof of insurance may be provided in the form of current certificates of insurance.

Respondent may propose alternate insurance amounts or coverages in the form of an exception. See Section A.16.9. If CPA rejects the exception, the Respondent shall obtain the minimum coverage listed.

Minimum Required Amounts of Insurance Coverage Type of Insurance Each Occurrence/Aggregate

Commercial General Liability (Occurrence based) Required types of coverage: Blanket, Broad Form Property Damage, Premises and Operations Hazards, Products and Completed Operations Hazards, Independent Contractor’s, and Contractual Liability

Bodily Injury and Property Damage $1,000,000 Each Occurrence Limit $2,000,000 Aggregate Limit $2,000,000 Products/Completed Operations Aggregate Limit $1,000,000 Personal Injury and Advertising Liability

Workers’ Compensation (Required if the Contractor has one or more employees)

Statutory Limits

Employer’s Liability Bodily Injury by Accident Bodily Injury by Disease Bodily Injury by Disease

$1,000,000 Each Accident $1,000,000 Each Employee $1,000,000 Policy Limit

Umbrella or Excess Liability

$1,000,000 of additional coverage (either Umbrella or Excess Liability) for all liability policies required for this Contract (excluding Workers’ Compensation insurance)

Additional Insurance

Additional insurance and related provisions may be required by Customer depending on Customer’s particular circumstances.

Customer will identify any additional insurance requirements when placing a purchase order

Cyber Liability Coverage $5,000,000 Aggregate Limit $5,000,000 per Occurrence

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Any subcontractor performing work under this Contract must meet the same minimum insurance requirements. Contractor shall ensure its subcontractors’ compliance with all requirements.

All required insurance policies must be issued from a company or companies with a Financial Strength Rating of “A-” or better and a Financial Size Category of VIII or larger from AM Best. CPA may consider other sources of information and reserves the right to determine whether an insurer is acceptable in its sole discretion.

All insurance policies must be issued by companies authorized to do business under the laws of the State of Texas and in a form satisfactory to CPA. Except as specified below, all of the Contractor’s insurance policies must:

(1) be written on a primary and non-contributory basis;

(2) name the state of Texas as a certificate holder on all certificates of insurance;

(3) name the state of Texas, its officers and employees as additional insureds on all policies other than workers’ compensation and professional liability; and

(4) include a waiver of subrogation in favor of the state of Texas, its officers and employees for bodily injury (including death), property damage or any other loss arising from this Contract or any purchase order.

Contractor shall submit current certificates of insurance to CPA within five business days of receiving a request from CPA. In its sole discretion, CPA may allow Contractor to satisfy insurance requirements with coverage of a third-party providing goods or services under the Contract, such as products liability coverage provided by a manufacturer, that will provide comparable protection to CPA and Customers. However, the Contractor shall maintain at least $1,000,000 of commercial general liability coverage for itself.

The Contractor must provide proof of coverage. Notices shall be sent to the contact listed in Section A.12.4, Points of Contact. Failure to submit acceptable proof of insurance may result in termination.

Contractor shall maintain the required insurance throughout the Contract.

Contractor must disclose on its insurance certificate whether any of the coverage required under the Contract is being satisfied with a Self-Insured Retention (SIR) and list the amount of the SIR. CPA may, in its sole discretion, accept or reject any SIR in excess of $100,000, and Contractor shall provide any documentation requested by SPD. If the Respondent intends to use SIR, Respondent must complete and return Attachment E - Self Insured Retention Certification and Request for Approval.

Contractor shall:

(1) provide written documentation to Statewide Contract Management (SCM) by email at spd.cmo@cpa.texas.gov at least 30 calendar days prior to any cancellation, non-renewal, or material change of a required policy;

(2) ensure all insurance policies and certificates of insurance for required coverage are written to include all products, services, and locations related to Contractor’s performance under the Contract; and

(3) deliver proof of all renewal policies prior to any expiration of a required policy to SCM by email at spd.cmo@cpa.texas.gov. All renewal policies and corresponding certificates of insurance must meet all terms set forth in the Contract.

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Contractor must ensure that all provisions of the Contract concerning liability, duty, and standard of care, together with the indemnification provision, are underwritten by contractual liability coverage sufficient to include such Contractor’s obligations under the Contract.

A.7 RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS

A.7.1 Travel Reservation Requirements

Contractor shall make reservations for both domestic and international travel as requested by Customers. Contractor shall comply with all applicable legal and industry requirements for reservation systems for: (1) airline, rail, bus or ground transportation; (2) hotel; and, (3) rental car reservations. In addition, Contractor shall coordinate and make reservations for groups of travelers as requested by CPA or its Customers.

Contractor shall make travel reservations in accordance with Texas law, CPA rules and policies established by the State. Contractor shall book travel services with state contracted air carriers and rental car firms, unless a better value is available to the Customer by utilizing non-contracted entities.

Contractor shall use their own internal hotel booking rates. Contractor must consider in its proposed pricing all potential costs that may be incurred from complying with any booking or ticketing procedures required to obtain the state of Texas’s contracted rates. The Contractor shall ensure that each travel arrangement is the most cost-effective option and must consider all relevant circumstances.

In Section A.16.7, Respondent shall describe in their Response their reservation qualifications including how services would meet or exceed the minimum requirements stated. Response shall also include how Respondent will ensure that Customers will receive the best value for the state of Texas for all travel reservations.

A.7.1.1. Air Travel

In the course of booking air travel reservations for Customers, Contractor shall:

(1) Offer the lowest available airfare applicable to the Customer’s requirements. In determining the lowest available airfare, the Contractor shall evaluate available state contracted City-Pair airfares, (both Y and capacity-controlled class) and percentage discount off published fares, as well as all other airfares available to the general public.

(2) Offer alternate routings and times and wait-list reservations on lower fares.

(3) Monitor fares on a daily basis; and in the event that lower airfares become available through waitlist clearance prior to departure, confirm reservations at such lower fares and reissue tickets.

(4) Refund the difference in cost if not booking the lowest available fare with all comparable features and class of service, including available seats. Ticket must reflect lowest available applicable fare at ticketing.

(5) Arrange seating assignments at the request of the Customer when the option is available from the airline at no additional cost, unless requested seat has an additional charge by the airline.

(6) Not be held responsible for changes made by the airlines or other carriers that are out of the Contractor’s control. Contractor should be familiar with the Fly America Act, all relevant open skies agreements, and advise Customers to ticket in compliance with the Act and agreements when applicable.

https://fmx.cpa.texas.gov/fmx/travel/textravel/ https://fmx.cpa.texas.gov/fmx/travel/textravel/

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(7) Not charge an additional fee for a round-trip flight.

A.7.1.2. Car Rentals

In the course of booking rental car reservations for Customer, Contractor shall utilize the state contract rental car companies and contract rates. If the state contract rental car companies or contract rates are not available or if other lower rates are available, Contractor shall use automated methods to seek out the best value for the Customer and advise the Customer of all differences in the provisions and costs, including but not limited to charges for loss/damage insurance, liability insurance, mileage, drop-off fees, or any other fees and policies.

A.7.1.3. Hotel Reservations

Contractor shall only book hotel reservations for Customers when bundled with another service provided by the Contractor. Contractor shall not provide bookings under this contract solely consisting of a hotel reservation for the Customer.

A.7.1.4. Other Reservations

Contractor shall book rail, bus, and any other ground transportation or travel services as requested by the Customer using automated methods to find the best value for the Customer and advise the Customer of all rules and provisions of utilizing such rates and services.

A.7.1.5. Group Travel

Contractor shall assist Customers in negotiating with travel vendors for any group fares and rates including, but not limited to, athletic, study abroad and team travel. This includes securing sub-blocks at host hotels for certain heavily attended medical, athletic and professional conferences each year.

Contractor will maintain sub-block by booking, tracking, and releasing unused rooms prior to release dates. Contractor shall book reservations at lowest cost for Customers.

A.7.1.6. Penalties, Restrictions, and Requirements

Contractor shall clearly communicate and document penalties, restrictions, advance purchase requirements, late arrival guarantees and cancellations for all travel reservations to Customers at the time such reservations are made and with issuance of the ticket and reservation documentation. Any penalties or other fees that may be assessed as a result of any error or omission on the part of the Contractor shall be borne entirely by the Contractor and at no cost to the Customer . Contractor shall comply with any booking procedures necessary to obtain discounts or reservations, including direct long-distance telecommunications, if necessary, at no additional cost to the Customer.

A.7.1.7. Passenger Documentation

Contractor shall provide documentation in all Passenger Name Records (PNRs) reflecting the type of reservations booked. This documentation shall consist of the codes established by CPA to identify Customer refusals of the lowest available fare and the exception conditions for non-utilization of CPA contracts. Contractor shall provide this documentation to the Customer on the traveler invoice and itinerary for each ticket issued and, if requested, to CPA.

https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/programs/travel-management/rental/

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A.7.1.8. Accounting Information

If requested, Contractor shall obtain accounting or approval coding information from the Customer and enter this information into the PNR to be reflected on the invoice and itinerary or other documentation, as required by the Customer.

A.7.1.9. Procedural Requirements

Contractor shall promptly accommodate an increase in usage of the Contract by participating Customers. Contractor shall ensure all booked travel is authorized in accordance with the individual Customers’ requirements and procedures and maintain sufficient staffing levels and any needed technology enhancements to facilitate this process.

A.7.2 Statewide Travel Performance Reports

A performance report may be generated due to a complaint received by CPA from a Traveler or Travel Coordinator. If there is a complaint of failure to provide a service in violation of the requirements of this Contract, the Contractor must respond to the complaint within ten (10) business days.

A.8 CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

A.8.1 Respondent Qualifications

The Respondent shall:

(1) Be a company or an individual or whose partners or principals or both have a minimum of

5 years of experience providing Travel Agency Services to Federal or State government agencies.

(2) Be a company or an individual whose partners and participants have not filed for bankruptcy within the last 10 years.

NOTE: A start-up business is defined as a new company that has no previous operational history or expertise in the relevant business and is not affiliated with a company that has that history or expertise. Two companies are affiliated if the two companies have a common parent company or if one is the parent or subsidiary of the other.

Per Section A.16.7, Respondent shall describe its qualifications including how services meet or exceed the minimum qualifications stated. Respondent shall include the experience of its key employees which meet or exceed the above requirements.

A.8.2 Customer Service Requirements

The state of Texas considers normal business hours Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time, excluding weekends and state holidays. Contractor shall provide a twenty-four (24) hour toll-free number that is available to Customers seven (7) days a week which will allow immediate access to a reservation agent to perform services. The Contractor shall also ensure that any subcontractor providing such service complies with all conditions of this RFP.

Contractor shall answer all calls within 20 seconds and provide a recorded message for those calls not answered in 20 seconds. The recorded message shall give the Customer two options: 1) to hold; or 2) to leave a message for a call back. Return calls by Contractor shall be made within one (1) hour, with a goal of returns within 30 minutes.

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Contractor shall provide electronic capabilities for receiving and sending reservation requests or other communication related to services provided to the Customer. Contractor shall also accept Customer’s email request forms.

Contractor shall offer the option of a dedicated VIP customer service line that Customers may choose to use at an additional cost. In addition to any value-added services that the Contractor can offer to the Customer, the Contractor must return calls on the VIP line within 5 minutes, twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week.

Contractor shall provide automated feedback systems to receive information from Customers regarding problems and experiences encountered during travel. This information shall be provided to the Customer’s travel coordinator and to CPA.

Included within the established fees, Contractor agrees to provide Customers or CPA with trained agents at all times. Agents shall be trained and well versed in booking policy and procedures in accordance with Texas law and CPA’s rules and policies established by the state. Furthermore, all agents (business hours and after-hour agents) will be subject to the same expectations and requirements of this RFP and shall be located within the United States of America.

Contractor shall provide to CPA upon request a copy of their procedures to continually monitor service quality with the goal of providing the highest level of customer service and satisfaction.

Per Section A.16.7, Respondent shall describe its customer service qualifications including how services meet or exceed the minimum requirements stated. Response shall also include how Respondent will monitor and measure the listed standards, and Respondent’s plans to recover from a natural disaster or unforeseen event.

A.8.2.1. Phone Contact Performance Criteria and Reports

Contractor will provide CPA Contract Management with monthly phone contact reports. These reports will be reviewed jointly by CPA and the Contractor as needed so that any necessary staffing and/or telephone procedure changes can be made in a timely fashion. As measured on a monthly average basis, Contractor shall meet or exceed the following standards:

Phones will be answered by a human voice, or a recorded human voice within 20 seconds or no more than four (4) rings

>95%

The average length of time on hold for incoming calls <15 seconds Number of calls requiring a call-back (because agent was not available when call was initiated)

<15%

Call backs returned within 30 minutes >95% VIP Call Backs returned within five (5) minutes >95%

A.8.2.2. Email Performance Criteria

Contractor agrees to dedicate the necessary resources to achieve the identified service criteria below regarding response time to itinerary inquiries via email or online services.

All email inquiries receive a return response noting receipt of request within two (2) business hours All email inquiries receive a complete itinerary within eight (8) business hours All online helpdesk email requests pertaining to online booking assistance will be returned within two (2) business hours

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Contractor shall maintain a business continuity plan designed to enable Contractor to recover normal business operations and data within twenty-four (24) hours of any disaster or event. Reference Part B, Section B.2.2 Disaster Recovery Plan.

A.8.3 Online Booking Tool

Contractor shall provide an automated online reservation booking tool capable of:

(1) Fare searching.

(2) Displaying contracted airline fares and regular published fares and identifying with unique icons whether the fare is a contracted fare or published fare.

(3) Booking one-way trips, round trips, multi-segments and build custom trips.

(4) Booking car rental and hotel rooms, either with a flight or separately in the case of car rentals.

(5) Displaying contracted car and federal government hotel rates and regular published rates, identifying with unique icons whether the rate is a contracted rate or published rate.

(6) Maintaining traveler profiles, and adding, changing or deleting profiles per the request of

Customer's authorized travel coordinators.

(7) Saving trips and cloning trips.

(8) An authorization process to prevent unauthorized travel from being purchased per

Customer guidelines.

(9) An automatic process to detect travel policy violations of the state of Texas or Customer travel policies.

(10) A field with drop down and custom options (to be set by Customer) for users to explain why the lowest price options are not being used.

(11) Customized fields as determined by the Customer or CPA to track required data (i.e.

travel approval numbers, cost center or accounting codes, etc.).

(12) Providing online user support and a printable user guide.

(13) Ensuring a secure website, password protected and contain a ticket and payment authorization system (Reference Section A.9).

(14) Availability twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week for reservation and ticketing.

Contractor will provide training as needed at no additional cost for Customer’s Site Administrators as to the administration of their Online Booking system, specifically as to the functionality of the different access permissions. This training shall be in person or virtual depending on the Customer’s request. Contractor shall also provide reference videos to be made available for Customer self-assistance. Additionally, Contractor will provide support throughout the term of the Contract for purposes of troubleshooting any issues arising during the administration of the Online Booking system.

Customer’s Site Administrator shall sign an acknowledgment and agreement form certifying that i) they have received Customer’s training about how to administer the access permissions and ii) agree to configure the system according to the purposes intended by the Customer, including but not limited to a certification that Customer agrees to exercise exclusive responsibility for correctly setting-up traveler’s profiles desired by the agency. Customer’s Chief Information Security Officer

Page A16 shall co-sign this form. Customer will maintain the forms and will provide Contractor with updates in the event Site Administrators are changed. Contractor agrees to submit copies of all documents to the State Travel Management Program within three (3) business days after being signed by all parties.

Contractor shall be able to handle travel vouchers, unused tickets, and any Customer-related resource pools from all travel-related vendors, including but not limited to airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and rail when applicable.

If any Customer implements a different travel management system in the future to complement the Contractor’s services, Contractor agrees to assist in all aspects of support and administration of any online travel management tool selected by the Customer.

Per Section A.16.7, Respondent shall describe in its Response its Online Booking Tool. Description must include how Respondent’s Online Booking Tool meets or exceeds the minimum requirements listed above.

A.8.4 Online Reconciliation Tool

Contractor will provide, at no cost to Customers or CPA, an online data retrieval tool allowing on-demand access to itineraries and e-ticket receipts for current and past travel for the life of the Contract term.

Contractor shall provide an online reconciliation tool to track used tickets and reconcile completed trips. The tool shall also have the following capabilities:

(1) spend analysis and management;

(2) supplier management;

(3) activity management;

(4) reconciliation;

(5) policy and risk management reporting.

The tool shall be accessible to each Customer with the ability to view only its data. However, CPA- SPD Contract Management and the Statewide Travel Management Program shall always be able to view all data on demand. CPA will have a dedicated account allowing maximum visibility of all Customer data and shall be allowed to authorize additional entities the same or lesser privileges as needed. If requested, Contractor shall provide training on the use and functionality of the online reconciliation tool at Customer locations at no additional charge to the Customer or CPA.

Per Section A.16.7, Respondent shall describe in their Response their Online Reconciliation.

Description must include how Respondent’s Online Reconciliation Tool meets or exceeds the minimum requirements listed above.

A.8.5 Implementation Plan for Current Customers

Services must be available beginning June 1, 2026.

Contractor will work closely with CPA to implement Contractor’s proposed seamless transition strategy. Within five (5) business days from contract award, Contractor shall submit to CPA a detailed final implementation plan consisting of Contractor’s plan to perform the required

Page A17 responsibilities of the Contract. The plan shall include timelines for all implementation elements with final implementation for Customers’ use no later than May 15, 2026.

Contractor shall dedicate reasonable resources to assist in a smooth transition from the outgoing travel agency vendor. During the implementation phase and early contract months, Contractor will conduct orientation and training sessions with Customers prior to operational start-up and additionally upon request. Such sessions shall address procedures to be followed by applicable Customer personnel in utilizing the services provided by Contractor. All orientation and training sessions shall be coordinated with CPA.

Per Section A.16.7, Respondent shall describe their company’s previous experiences with implementations, including integration, with travel management software, such as Concur.

Additionally, Respondent shall include of list of systems and software that Respondent is currently able to integrate with.

A.8.6 Other Contractor Required Services

(1) Provide assistance to Customers with visa and passport processing, as requested.

(2) Provide assistance to Customers to locate and recover lost and stolen baggage.

(3) Provide dedicated agents, on-site access to a Global Distribution System (GDS) and personnel for Customer. Respondent must define any volume threshold limitations for this requirement in its Proposal.

(4) Provide a dedicated Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC) numbers for all Customers.

(5) Ability to access Apollo GDS by Travelport, Amadeus, and Sabre and any other systems needed to integrate with other state travel contracts throughout the term of Contract.

(6) Process credits and/or refunds to Customers for travel services not utilized within twenty-four (24) hours of the cancellation or change from Customer.

(7) Provide operations necessary to support CPA and Customers in the event of emergencies

(e.g. Governor-declared disasters, forest fires, evacuations, floods, hurricanes, etc.). This includes manning the office twenty-four (24) hours as required by Customers or CPA in responding to the emergency/evacuation and providing necessary delivery of tickets.

(8) Customers may require conference or meeting planning assistance beyond ticketing and reservations. Contractor shall provide Customer with cost estimates for such services.

Service fees must be mutually agreed upon between the respective Customer and Contractor prior to being incurred.

(9) Provide international travel agency services to Customers for locations outside the United States. Contractor shall provide foreign origination of tickets and services to international and/or domestic employees on medium to long term international travel.

(10) Have management plans for addressing and mitigating issues that may arise with emergencies and crisis situations such as, but not limited to, COVID-19.

Per Section A.16.7, Respondent shall describe their ability to perform the aforementioned required services. Description must include how Respondent’s services will meet or exceed the minimum requirements above.

A.8.7 Processing in Conjunction with Travel Management Software

Contractor shall have sufficient staffing levels and technology resources to handle and accommodate individual Customer requirements and procedures. Customers utilizing travel management software

Page A18 shall provide all information and details to the Contractor as per Customers’ profile needs. Contractor shall promptly accommodate an increase in usage of travel management software by participating Customers. Respondent must define any volume threshold limitations in its Response.

(1) Customers may use different types of software. CPA does not guarantee a specific level of use of the Contract. Each Customer is responsible for making cost effective business decisions related to the best overall value to the state relating to travel.

(2) Contractor shall provide dedicated staff with proposed experience to incorporate system integration and hierarchy necessary for proper functioning of the system at no cost to the Customers or CPA. Contractor should be familiar with the functions and capabilities of Concur in order to provide travel recommendations and service enhancements.

(3) Contractor should also have access to the Concur Travel and Expense Cloud, or CPA approved equivalent services, providing cloud-based tools and services such as GDSX and TRX, enabling mid-office automation and data analytics. At a minimum, the Contractor shall:

a. Show local policy violation reason codes as provided by Customers on expense report.

b. Provide direct booking with Concur Travel or an equivalent, CPA-approved industry-accepted service; and

c. Be able to sync Customer profiles in real time.

Per Section A.16.7, Respondent shall describe its experiences collaborating with travel management companies and how these experiences will benefit Texas Customers. Description must include how Respondent’s services will meet or exceed the minimum requirements listed above.

A.8.8 Additional Services

Respondent is encouraged to propose innovative, creative, and new ideas that would streamline the travel reservation process for the state. Respondent should list all other services it can offer to Customers if awarded a Contract. Additional services must be defined in detail in the Proposal and all costs and fees associated with these additional services shall be separately quantified in the Mandatory Price Sheet.

Per Section A.16.7, Respondent shall describe the additional services and how they will benefit the state of Texas and its Customers.

A.9 CUSTOMER DATA REQUIREMENTS

A.9.1 Access to Customer Data

Contractor represents and warrants that it will implement, maintain, and use appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to preserve the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of Customer Data. Contractor will not collect, access, use, disclose, or retain Customer Data other than as necessary to perform the services specified in a contract resulting from this solicitation or as otherwise authorized in writing by Customer. Contractor will restrict access to Customer Data to only those personnel who must have the information on a “need to know” basis.

Contractor will not use Customer Data, or any information derived from Customer Data, for its own benefit or the benefit of any other person or entity. Contractor will not share Customer Data with its parent company or other affiliate without express written consent.

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A.9.2 Location of Customer Data

Contractor shall ensure that Customer data (i.e., primary and backup) remains, at all times, within the continental United States. Contractor shall receive, process, transmit, and store all Customer data within the continental United States. Contractor’s point of access to Customer Data shall be within the continental United States.

A.9.3 Encryption Standards

(1) Contractor shall encrypt Customer Data in transit and at rest. Data in transit means data is moving via email, in applications, or through browsers and other web connections. Data at rest (including data backups) means data is stored in databases, the cloud, removable media, or mobile devices.

(2) Contractor shall utilize encryption standards that are FIPS 140-2 compliant or shall meet the intent of the standards as described in FIPS 140-2.

(3) The minimum cryptographic algorithm used by Contractor must be Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128 or higher (256 AES is preferred).

(4) Contractor shall encrypt Customer Data transmitted over a public or private network.

Customer approved data encryption transmission protocols include the following: (1) SFTP (FTP over SSH), (2) FTPS (FTP over TLS), (3) HTTPS (HTTP over TLS), and (4) virtual private network.

A.9.4 Auditable Information Security Framework

Contractor shall secure its own and its third-party service providers’ systems (e.g., IT service provider, Cloud Service Provider) in a manner consistent with an auditable information security framework e.g., National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), International Organization for Standardization

(ISO) 27001.

A.9.5 Defects and Vulnerabilities

Upon Contract award and during the term of the Contract, Contractor shall provide CPA with prompt, written notice upon Contractor’s discovery of any product defects and vulnerabilities of the proposed Licensed System/Software/Solution that allow an attacker to violate any security policy to achieve some impact or consequence. Examples of vulnerabilities include defects that allow intruders to gain increased levels of access or interfere with the normal operations of information systems.

Vulnerabilities caused by insecure configurations, design choices, and changing environmental conditions are additional examples.

A.9.6 Supply Chain Risk Management

Contractor shall provide a description of how it manages supply chain risks. Specifically, Contractor shall describe its established agreements and procedures with entities involved in the supply chain for the notification of supply chain risks, compromises, and the result of assessments or audits. During the term of the contract, Contractor shall provide Customer’s Contract Manager prompt, written notice of supply chain risks that impact the delivery of the products and services of the Contract. Examples of supply chain risks include supplier financial failure, production control/product quality, market supply and demand, labor disputes/shortages, cybersecurity threats, natural disasters. Contractor shall notify Customer of a supply chain compromise and potential compromise in accordance with the Section A.9.15 Security Incident Notification.

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A.9.7 Independent Information Security Assessment

If Contractor has access to a CPA Information System or receives, processes, transmits, or stores Customer Data, then Contractor shall provide Customer Contract Manager with its most recent information security assessment conducted by an independent third-party (e.g., SSAE-18 SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27002) upon Contract award and annually thirty (30) days prior to the anniversary of the Contract award date thereafter.