Attachemnt 8 - Questions and Answers.pdf

Questions and Answers

1. Upon further review of the SOW, it appears that “Additionally, BPAs shall be established directly with each hotel and not a “middle man” such as a booking agency.” To confirm, 3rd party submissions will not be considered?

- They will

2. Will guest names be provided approximately three weeks prior to arrival, or is there another standard timeline you typically follow?

- 2-3 weeks before

3. If we commit, for example, 100 rooms but the group ultimately needs only 75, how soon before arrival are we notified of the room reduction?

- Usually the Thursday prior to booking

4. May you please provide which day(s) are check in / out i.e. check in Friday and check out Sunday?

- Majority of the members check in hotels Friday and check out Sunday. However, we do have some members who check in 1 or 2 days early for a UTA prep or if they are doing a RUTA (pre and post UTA ops)

5. May you please provide the break down of single and double rooms needed or approximate?

- Single beds are what is standard. However, I do try to work with members who do bring their families and see if we are able to get them into a double room

6. May you please confirm if "the total minimum requirement capacity of 110 rooms" can be split across multiple hotels / multiple hotels can be submitted per proposal, or is the government planning to use multiple hotels to accommodate "the total minimum requirement capacity of 110 rooms"?

- No

7. Is there a hotel class required for this group? 3 AAA Diamond certified? 3-star or higher?

- No

8. Is there an estimate of the required number of parking spaces?

- No

9. Interior corridor rooms? Will exterior corridor rooms be acceptable?

- Both are acceptable

10. Will this be a multi-year contract?

- This will be a 5 year ordering period

11. Is it acceptable for us to submit an offer as the Prime Contractor, while the lodging services themselves are provided by a hotel partner acting as a subcontractor?

- Yes

12. Definition of a Middle Man

In relation to booking a hotel, a middleman booking agency functions as an intermediary between the hotel (the service provider) and the customer (the traveler or a travel agency). These middlemen are often called travel intermediaries, wholesalers, or bed banks. They typically purchase hotel room inventory in bulk at discounted rates directly from hotels and then resell those rooms to travel agents, online travel agencies (OTAs), tour operators, or other travel retailers who then sell to the end consumer.

Such middleman booking agencies do not usually sell directly to travelers themselves; instead, they facilitate the distribution of available rooms and travel products across a wider network, improving efficiency and helping hotels maintain steady occupancy. They also add a markup or commission to the hotels’ rate as part of their business model. These intermediaries help connect hotels with customers through various sales channels and make it easier for travelers or travel agents to book accommodations without contacting hotels directly.

In summary, a middleman booking agency in the hotel context acts as a bulk buyer and reseller of hotel accommodation inventory, bridging hotels and consumers indirectly through travel sellers, adding value by simplifying access and distribution while generating revenue through commissions or markups