u.s. general services administration gsa federal planner toolbox [date] u.s. general services...
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U.S. General Services Administration
U.S. General Services Administration. Federal Acquisition Service.
GSA Federal Planner ToolboxTools to Help You Plan a Smart Meeting or Conference
[Date]
Guide Overview
This guide steps you through the GSA tools available
for Meeting and Conference Planning. GSA’s Travel
Management Information Service (MIS) Group Travel
Planning Tool and the FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Tool will enable you to plan a successful event and
travel experience.
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Planning smart is a two-step process
Select the best city with GSA Travel MIS’ data tool
Select the best venue with FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Step 1 GSA’s Travel Management Information Service (MIS) Group Travel Planning Tool
Before you can access this tool, a login to the GSA Travel MIS system will need to be created.
Send an email request asking for access to the conference planning tool in GSA Travel MIS to [email protected].
The reply you receive will include your user name and password and direction for accessing the tool.
After signing in, follow the path
shown to initiate a group travel
planning report.
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
Enter the event start and end date, the cities that travelers will be flying from, the desired event location, the conference fee, and
the number of travelers. (Maximums are noted.)
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
This screenshot reflects the specific conference needs. We’re planning a meeting around Earth
Day which is April 22nd. Once complete, hit the
run link at bottom of the page.
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
After hitting run at the bottom of the previous page, wait for all globes to
change from shades of gray to colors. The hyperlink to the right will change to say “view report.” Click and the report
will open in Microsoft Excel.
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
The tool should produce 4 pages, including a cover page, a group travel planning
report, a GHG emissions results page, and a data grid. The data grid allows you to
change some of your data. If you get more than four sheets or tabs, follow the
Microsoft Excel macro guidance provided in the email you received from GSA that
included your username.
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
This Group Travel Planning Report specifies both the costs and emissions for
travel to DCA (Washington). The dropdown box alongside
DCA lets you view cost details for the other sites
(Chicago and Philadelphia) you are considering.
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
This is the bottom segment of the Group Travel Planning report page. Notice the
number of travelers have been split evenly among the originating airport. The
last three lines show total costs and emissions for each proposed city.
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
This sheet show GHG emissions for the proposed event locations.
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
All numbers in yellow boxes can be adjusted on the Data Grids tab (currently shown).
Any changes will affect costs and emissions
estimates.
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
This data grid reflects adjustments to where
travelers are coming from. The length of the conference and the registration fee may be altered in this tab, as well.
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
This new report shows the dramatic difference in GHG
emissions based on the change in travelers’ originating cities.
Screenshots: GSA Travel MIS
Example Summary
In this example, based on the cost and emissions
estimates from GSA’s Travel Management
Information Service (MIS) Group Travel Planning tool
we found in step 1, we will choose to host the
conference in Philadelphia.
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Step 2 GSA’s Travel Groups & Meetings Tool
This tool does not require a login, it only required internet access and some basic information about the conference you are planning. You can access the tool via the FedRooms website, at www.FedRooms.com
From the homepage, click the “Groups & Meetings” tab
Before using the FedRooms Groups and Meetings Tool, you
might want to go to FedRooms.com to see how many
possible properties may be available for the city you have
selected.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
FedRooms offers 34 properties in
Philadelphia proper and 13 properties in
downtown Philadelphia.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Click on the groups & meeting tab at the top of any FedRooms.com page to get to the tool. Then, click “Get
Started” to begin the questionnaire.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
The questionnaire is easy to complete!
This segment of the questionnaire specifies
proposed event start and end dates, the number of
attendees, and response and decision dates.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Specify the number of
sleeping rooms and meeting rooms here.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Enter the planner’s contact information in this section.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Enter the desired location(s) in this
section.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Begin to enter the specific requirements for each
meeting room here.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Specify A/V needs here.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Specify meal and break needs in this section.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Specify sustainability needs here along with
transportation requirements and VIP
details.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Finally, upload/attach additional meeting needs, that are not
already specified in the questionnaire, before
clicking the finish button.
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
• Next, you will receive an email with a Microsoft Excel
attachment, this will happen in about 3 business days.
• The following slides include a partial sample of the
market research for an event in Philadelphia.
• The report actually identified offers from 5 properties,
here the example includes 2 of these offers.
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Next Step: Receive the Results
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
Screenshots: FedRooms Groups & Meetings
To complete the booking process, contact the
representative from your chosen conference or
meeting location. Their contact information will be
included in the Microsoft Excel attachment you will
have received in an email.
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Next Step: utilize the research
If you have any questions please email [email protected] orcall1-888-472-5585.
Contact Information