Travel, Transport, Accommodation and Venue Solutions

Central government, the wider public sector and third-sector organisations can access business and emergency travel services. This includes booking air, rail, accommodation, meeting venues and transport and other travel services in the UK and overseas.

Description

This agreement provides travel, accommodation, venue solutions and support services for people under public sector care (UK and overseas). This includes groups such as rough sleepers or asylum seekers in approved civilian programmes.

Some of the solutions available include:

  • air booking services (including chartered planes and helicopters)
  • rail booking services
  • accommodation booking services
  • ground transportation (including vehicle hire)
  • ferry booking services
  • commercial accommodation, such as hotels, apartments, holiday parks, halls of residence, and vessels
  • venue hire for events
  • ancillary services such as visas, passports and currency
  • travel crisis response services such as evacuation (MEDEVAC) flights, chartered flights, accommodation to support a crisis, COVID-19 test kits and security

Services also include travel, accommodation and support services to UK and foreign nationals that are under the care of the UK Government (other authorised customers can be seen in the buyer guide). This could include (but is not limited to):

  • asylum seekers
  • refugees
  • victims of abuse
  • released prisoners
  • rough sleepers

As well as sourcing suitable accommodation this includes, welfare support, security and translation services (concerning accommodation bookings only). 

Benefits

  • price match to make sure you get the best available rates
  • CCS negotiated programmes for air, accommodation and rail to offer best market pricing
  • leading booking solutions for travel, transport, accommodation, events, venues and crisis response including civilian cohorts 
  • online booking solutions (lots 1 and 2)
  • lot 1 “one stop shop” for a wide range of travel solutions including crisis and civilian cohorts and ancillary services such as site security, transport and welfare support services
  • overseas points of sale, which means that you can book from overseas countries where you may have a departmental presence
  • all types of ground transportation, including taxi services (ad-hoc or pre-book), coaches, rail replacement bus services, non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS) and other ad-hoc or scheduled provision
  • chartering or wet leasing of aircraft, helicopters, vessels, rail and ferry services 
  • CO2 emissions reports through online booking tools, enabling you to make more sustainable choices
  • access to 24/7 traveller and programme support through agreement suppliers
  • if you need emergency accommodation for groups (exclusive and/or part use), you can benefit from the new HEART (His Majesty’s Government emergency accommodation request tool) portal (currently in design)
  • the HEART portal will provide live inventory and occupancy information to help you optimise your accommodation, sourcing and management of all types of ground transportation, including ad-hoc and pre-booked  taxi services
  • direct award or further compete options 
  • face to face virtual/ digital and hybrid venue/ meeting solution options
  • “CCS Preferred Venue Standard Terms and Conditions” which gives you better cancellation terms and other discounts or value-added services

Carbon Reduction

All suppliers for this agreement have committed to comply with the Procurement Policy Note 06/21: 'Taking account of Carbon Reduction Plans in the procurement of major government contracts' as required. If a supplier is required to publish a carbon reduction plan, you can find it on their individual supplier details page.

Products and suppliers

There are 7 suppliers on this agreement

Lot 1: UK and Overseas Booked Business Travel, Civilian Programmes & Emergency Response
This lot offers various travel, transportation, accommodation, and venue booking solutions. It covers traditional business travel bookings as well as bookings for asylum seekers, rough sleepers, victims of abuse, and other approved civilian programmes. For customers needing civilian accommodation solutions, additional services such as welfare and security provisions can also be arranged through this service if needed. This covers UK and overseas points of sale (which means that you can book from overseas countries where applicable) and specialist booking solutions for the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Provides crisis response travel such as chartered or wet-leased aircraft or vessels for either staff or civilians under an approved customer’s care or responsibility. Examples of this are MEDEVAC services, evacuation of UK nationals from conflicts or natural disasters, among others. Key features:
  • single lot solution for all Business Travel, Civilian Accommodation Programmes and Crisis Response requirements
  • travel services including air, rail (including Eurostar) and ferry (including Eurotunnel) services, transport (an extensive range including ad-hoc and scheduled services), accommodation and commercial venue sourcing for meetings, conferences and events
  • overseas points of sale are included in this lot
  • civilian accommodation with optional ancillary services and service management
  • crisis response including chartering, wet leasing of aircraft, shipping vessels and ground transportation
  • group and executive travel services and implants (this is where an employee of a supplier will work at a customer’s premises)
  • currency, visa and passport services

Expires:

1 suppliers

Lot 2: UK Booked National and International Business Travel
Provides a UK point of sale booking solution for national and international travel business travel needs and includes:
  • scheduled air travel, such as helicopters
  • rail travel (UK, Europe and International), including Eurostar
  • ferry travel plus travel via Eurotunnel
  • ground transport: including but not limited to:
    • Taxis and minibus (ad-hoc or pre-book )
    • vehicle hire
    • NEPTS
    • pre-booked and regularly scheduled ground transport services
  • accommodation such as hotels, bed and breakfasts (B&B’s), serviced apartments
  • group bookings
  • currency, visa and passport services
Optional Services: (available to the buyer) Supporting travel management services including but not limited to:
  • travel risk management web-based and mobile platforms
  • travel data reporting tools
  • duty of care tools including but not limited to risk alerts, mobile trip booking, traveller tracking platform, mobile safety “check-in” facility
  • parking services
  • tools to influence more sustainable travel choices and CO2 reporting
  • implants, this is where an employee of a supplier will work at a customer’s premises
  • executive services

Expires:

3 suppliers

Lot 3: Venue Find and Supporting Services For Meetings, Conferences and Events
Lot 3 is for business travel customers who need services to find and book venues for meetings, conferences and events and includes:
  • venue find for face-to-face, virtual and hybrid meetings
  • UK and overseas venues and events
  • residential or non-residential basis
  • accommodation find (including group booking) for an associated event including accommodation choices, such as hotels, B&Bs, serviced apartments, vessels, sites, parks and resorts
  • venue-provided services which may include:
    • food, beverage and catering services
    • delegate management and delegate registration services,
    • audio-visual, internet
    • room set-up, break out rooms, timings, liaison with venue staff
    • copying, printing and staging
    • collection point or staff to hand out PPE/test kits, for example
  • ground transport (for an associated event) such as taxis, coaches, minibuses, and
  •  “CCS Preferred Venue Standard Terms and Conditions” which gives you better cancellation terms and other discounts or value-added services
  • supporting ancillary services like PPE, and test kits including for COVID

Expires:

1 suppliers

Lot 4: Accommodation and Venues For Approved Civilian Programmes
Lot 4 is a brand new lot, offering accommodation and venue solutions for civilian cohorts, but does not include services for business travellers. Services in this lot are for civilian cohorts and any contracting authority with a duty of care for a civilian cohort. The services on this lot include the following: Venues for accommodation, gatherings and events
  • the core service of this lot is for the supplier to source (and if required book) a venue for accommodation and/or gatherings/events purposes, regardless of whether it is required for exclusive or non-exclusive use
  • accommodation types can include but are not limited to hotels, serviced apartments, holiday parks, student accommodation, commercial housing, conference centres, vessels
  • any venue type can be booked for the required number of days, weeks, months or years.
  • food and beverage services, laundry services, are included as core services should they be required in addition to the venue
Ancillary services to support civilian accommodation programmes
  • in support of the venue booking, buyers may also request ancillary services such as ground transportation, security services, welfare services, case management and gatherings or events equipment (including PPE and virus test kits)
Service Management:
  • venue management
  • ancillary service management
  • full-service management (venue management and ancillary service management combined)
Please note that the ancillary services and service management options can only be procured in addition to the core service of accommodation and venues, but not as stand-alone services.

Expires:

3 suppliers

How to buy

Before using this agreement you should carry out appropriate research and engagement to help you understand all of your needs, this will inform your statement of requirements. You should also consider which lot(s) will best meet your needs. To help you do this, read our buyer guide (found in the documents section below) and Framework schedule 1 (specification).

If you are considering using Lots 1 or 4 of this agreement to procure a solution for your travel, venues and accommodation needs during your next crisis, unplanned activity and/or civilian accommodation programme, please see our RM6342 Crisis and unplanned civilian programmes buyer welcome pack v1 included within the Documents’ section below. The aim of this pack is to inform you of how Crown Commercial Service (CCS) can support you with, and add value to your requirement

Further information on using this agreement and how to access pricing can be found in the buyer guide. Framework schedule 7 (call-off award procedure) outlines further information on further competition and the direct award processes.

Direct award can be used for all lots if applicable and is a quicker and more straightforward route than further competition.

Further competition is for customers who have additional service requirements that are not covered by the original terms of the agreement, for example, need to amend or refine the terms and is allowed for all lots. Please be aware that whilst lots 1 and 3 are sole lot suppliers any additional service requirements would still need to be agreed with a sole supplier lot similar to the further competition process between multiple suppliers.

Direct award

Direct awards are allowed if:

  • you develop a clear statement of requirements
  • your requirements can be met within the standard terms of the agreement and no changes or additions are needed
  • tendered agreement prices must be used (there is no scope to lower prices to secure business). 

Direct award is usually the best route to market for urgent requirements and low value goods and services. Remember that you can still engage with suppliers before using a direct award. CCS always encourages you to seek your legal advice if required and cannot advise on specific cases.

For more information, read the direct award buying process section in the buyer guide.

Further competition

You can run your own further competition using your own template and/or processes or the template provided in the CCS eSourcing Tool.

You can also contact CCS to discuss how we can help you run your further competition. For more information, read the buyer guide.

Further Competition is the best route for customers who have additional service requirements that are not covered in the original terms of the agreement and customers:

  • need the supplier to develop additional proposals or a solution
  • need to make changes to or refine the call-off contract to reflect your needs
  • need additional provisions that are not already included in the contract, for example:
    • security needs over and above those set out in Call-off schedule 9 including staff security clearance
    • additional service levels

While lot 1 and 3 are sole lot suppliers any additional service requirements would still need to be agreed with a sole supplier lot similar to the further competition process between multiple suppliers.

To run a further competition you will need to:

  1. Identify suppliers capable of meeting your needs by developing a statement of requirements.
  2. Complete the order form to reflect your needs.
  3. Invite suppliers identified to submit a tender in writing.

You need to set a deadline for suppliers returning tender submissions. This deadline should take into account the complexity of your needs and the time needed to submit tenders. Each tender must be kept confidential until after the deadline. Suppliers do not have to bid, but must advise in writing by the deadline date.

Paying for these services using your procurement card and increase rebate-earning potential for your organisation.  If you do not have a procurement card, you can set one up using RM6248 Payment Solutions 2.

Documents