State of California M E M O R A N D U M REFERENCE CODE: 99-010 DATE: February 23, 1999 TO: Accounting Officers Travel and Relocations Liaisons Employee Relations Officers Personnel Officers FROM: Department of Personnel Administration Labor Relations Division SUBJECT: Delegation of Approval for Excess Lodging - Represented Employees That Have No New Contracts CONTACT: Terrie J. Jordan, Statewide Coordinator (916) 324-9377, CALNET 454-9377 FAX: (916) 322-0765 OFFICE VISION: DPA(TJJORDAN) INTERNET: TERRIEJORDAN@DPA.CA.GOV Effective March 1, 1999, through December 31, 1999, the Department of Personnel Administration (DPA) is delegating the following authority to all appointing powers: Represented employees on regular State business travel to Alameda County, San Francisco County, Santa Clara County and San Mateo County, lodging in excess of $79.00 up to a maximum of $110.00, plus tax, based on the conditions, procedures and requirements set forth below. This delegation is temporary and limited specifically to travel to work in the above locations only, and does not represent an increase in the statewide maximum lodging rate of $79.00. DOCUMENTATION Departments are to use the STD 255C, Excess Lodging Rate Request/Approval, or a departmental form that includes the same information. All exception requests are to include a list of the moderately priced establishments contacted, dates of the contacts and the results of the contacts. Exception requests are to be completed and approved or denied prior to travel. Documentation is to be maintained in the department and is to be kept available for review upon request. LODGING CONTACTS Employees are required to make a good faith effort to use moderately priced establishments that cater to the general public. A good faith effort consists of contacting such establishments for State business travel lodging, and requesting their California State employee rate. Submission of printouts of internet advertisements for lodging establishments does not constitute a contact, nor does contacting high-end hotels that are unlikely to offer State rate lodging. NEW LODGING GUIDE All employees are to use the 1999-2000 American Express State Employee Lodging Guide for all of their in-state business travel lodging. This guide directs travelers to lodging establishments that have committed to provide lodging at the rate of $79.00 or less. The guide should be the primary, but not exclusive, tool used in obtaining lodging statewide. The guide can be located on the internet at www.travelcsg.com. An area is provided at this site for comments and suggestions. Instructions for use are at the beginning of the guide. Always contact the establishment directly and always request the California State government rate. A hard copy edition of the guide will be published soon. Content and distribution are governed by American Express and the Department of General Services Fleet Office. In the meantime, copies from the internet may be distributed to your staff. Many lodging establishments in the lodging guide have committed to allowing the State rate on a Last Room Available basis. This means that if the traveler calls for lodging 72 hours in advance, the establishment will honor the State rate up to and including the last available room for the date(s) of travel. Other establishments have established a Room Block. This means that they will allow a given number of rooms per night at the State rate. Many establishments allow the State rate with less than 72 hours notice. The guide contains lodging establishments that offer Last Room Availability and are identified with "LA"; those with a Room Block are identified by "RB" and the number of rooms available at the stated rate, such as "RB 100". Efforts to obtain lodging should be directed toward those establishments that offer last room availability and a significant room block. For example: In Sacramento, eight establishments offer LA, one offers RB 120, one offers RB 50, one offers RB 10, two offer RB 1 and one is unstated. Clearly, the 10 establishments that offer LA or higher RB will likely have lodging available for any given travel. In Los Angeles, at the airport area, three establishments offer LA. In Los Angeles, city area, five offer LA and one offers RB 100. In San Diego, eleven offer LA and one is unstated. In Anaheim, six offer LA. In Santa Ana, three offer LA, one offers RB 32. In Long Beach, two offer LA. In Ontario, three offer LA. When traveling to smaller towns and cities, check for listings in neighboring communities. OTHER LODGING RESOURCES If possibilities in the new lodging guide are exhausted, departments are encouraged to use other resources, including their travel agents and other travel guides. Travel Agents need to be aware of the State's commitment to use moderately priced establishments and make contacts accordingly. Your own department's records of lodging establishments used by traveling employees should be of special assistance for the four delegated counties. Lodging exception requests for rates above $79.00 for travel to any locations not in the counties of San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo will continue to be submitted in advance to the DPA. All such requests must include substantiation of the good faith effort that was made to obtain State rate lodging. While we understand that there will be some exceptional circumstances, it is expected that this delegation and the dedicated use of the 1999 2000 lodging guide will result in a marked reduction in lodging exception requests that require DPA approval. In the following months, DPA will be auditing the use of this delegation and that of lodging in excess of $79.00 for excluded employees. Other travel delegations may also be audited during this time. Individual departments will be notified of the dates and specific delegations to be included in their audits. All employee questions regarding travel reimbursements and exceptions are to be directed to their departmental travel liaison or other designated knowledgeable departmental authority. Michael T. Navarro Labor Relations Officer