Info current as of 1/18/13

Need meeting space?

Here are recommended steps in securingmeeting space:

  1. Check the availability of your department’s meeting rooms
  1. Check out Department of General Services State-Owned Building Conference Room Directory for free to low cost meeting rooms
  1. If you are unable to secure state space:
  2. Contact your department’s contracting unit first to find out their contracting process because each agency has their own system.
  3. Meeting space is exempt from the bid process. Click on link and go to Contracts Exempt from Advertising in the CSCR and Competitive Bidding 5.80. However, it is recommended to go out to bid to receive the best overall value for the State.
  4. Info to provide when going out to bid for a meeting space:
  5. Room block
  6. Check in/out date
  7. Number of guest rooms requested each day
  8. Request state per diem rate for the area.
  9. For updates on state per diems go to the CA Department of Human Resources website:
  10. Request disclosure of all other taxes and local fees
  11. Occupancy tax (TOT)
  12. Tourism Assessment Fee
  13. Resort fee
  14. Other fees
  15. Meeting date
  16. Meeting start/end date
  17. Meeting start/end time
  18. Meeting room set-up
  19. Number of attendees
  20. Room set-up (Classroom (6x30 or 6x18 tables), Theater, Chevron, etc.Provide a room diagram if possible.
  21. Registration tables
  22. Material tables
  23. Water station
  24. Breakout space
  25. Storage rooms
  26. Meeting office
  27. Audio visual equipment
  28. Common equipment needed:
  29. Lectern (standing or tabletop)
  30. Screen package (screen, cart, cables, extension cord, and tape)
  31. Microphones (tabletop, wireless handheld, lavaliere, etc.)
  32. Channel mixer for multiple microphones
  33. LCD data projector
  34. VGA cable
  35. House sound vs. free standing speakers
  36. Flip chart package (easel, paper, and pens)
  37. Request for multiple day discounts
  1. Misc.
  2. Request the cost of daily and overnight parking.
  3. Request the name of the nearest airport and how many miles it is from the airport to the hotel.
  4. Request if the hotel has an airport shuttle and if there is a fee.
  5. Request for complimentary concessions
  6. Break service (coffee)
  1. It is recommended to contact the Convention Visitors Bureau (CVB) in the city the meeting will be held in. Check out the Convention Visitor Bureaus & Tourism Directory since 1998 link
  1. Keep the hotel up- to-date on the status of the contracting process.
  1. Once the State contract is signed by the hotel. Request the following reservation info from the hotel to provide to the attendees:
  2. Group name
  3. Group reservation code
  4. Hotel URL to book reservations online
  5. Hotel’s website
  6. Reservation phone number
  7. Guest room cutoff date
  8. Check in/out time
  9. Individual guest room cancellation policy
  10. Early departure policy
  1. Request a guest room pick up list weekly to ensure attendees are making their reservations.
  1. A week or two from the meeting date, the hotel will provide Banquet Event Orders (BEO). BEO details the meeting by date and by meeting room. Make sure everything that was contracted for is on the BEO. The BEO will have the following info:
  2. Post as (title of the meeting you would like posted outside of the meeting room and on the hotel’s daily information board)
  3. Contact person (name, phone number, and fax number)
  4. On-site meeting contact (name and phone number)
  5. Event date
  6. Event time (start/end)
  7. Room name
  8. Set-up needs
  9. Number of attendees
  10. Room rental fee
  11. Food and beverage detail and charges
  12. Audio visual equipment detail and charges
  1. Once you have confirmed everything is correct on the BEO, sign, date, and return to the hotel.
  1. Provide a copy of the BEO to whoever is going to be onsite.
  1. You may want to schedule a pre-conference meeting at the hotel to assure everyone is on the same page for the meeting. The pre-conference meeting is typically scheduled the day before and the hotel Sales Manager, Catering Manager, and Audio Visual representative attend.
  1. Once the meeting has concluded, the hotel will provide an invoice. Review the invoice to assure nothing is charged that was not authorized. If something was charged that was not authorized, work with the hotel to remove the charge, and provide the final invoice to accounting to process for payment.

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