Call for tender – Travel management platform

Deadline: 19 May 2024

Objective of this tender

To acquire a comprehensive travel management platform that enhances efficiency, optimises costs, improves employees’ experience, and streamlines ECOS travel policy compliance.

Scope

The platform will serve as a centralised solution for managing all aspects of travel booking, itinerary management, expense tracking, and reporting for employees and authorised personnel.

Tasks and outputs

The contractor will deliver a platform for travel management that guarantees the following features:

Booking and reservation management:

• Allows to book flights, trains, hotels, rental cars, and other travel accommodations directly within the platform.
• Integrates with global distribution systems for accessing real-time inventory and pricing.
• Manages travel itineraries in a centralised repository, enabling easy access to flight details, hotel reservations, and other travel arrangements.
• Ensures that every employee has a designated role set up within the platform, with the ability to customise their profile and preferences, including adding loyalty programs and membership details.
• Provides features for managing travel visa and vaccination requirements ensuring compliance with destination-specific regulations.

Policy compliance and alerts:

• Includes organisation specific travel policies, including preferred vendors, spending limits, and approval workflows.
• Provides alerts and notifications for policy violations and exceptions.

Expense management and reporting:

• Captures and categorises travel expenses, including airfare, lodging, meals, and transportation.
• Has comprehensive reporting capabilities to track travel spending, analyse booking patterns, and identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Allows administrators to create cost centres and labels within the platform to categorise and allocate travel expenses according to organisational departments, projects, or initiatives.
• Integrates features for reporting carbon emissions associated with business travel, enabling the organisation to monitor their environmental impact and track progress toward sustainability goals.

User experience and support:

• Provides a mobile-friendly interface and dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.
• Offers an intuitive and fast user interface with straightforward navigation and user-friendly design.
• Provides access to 24/7 customer support for travellers and administrators.
• Includes comprehensive training resources and user guides to facilitate platform adoption and proficiency.
• Offers mechanisms for collecting feedback from travellers and administrators to identify areas for improvement and drive continuous enhancement of the platform.

Risk management and security:

• Implements robust security measures to protect sensitive data and ensuring compliance with regulations and standards.
• Informs of any risk scenarios for travellers while also notifying them promptly of any alterations.

Project implementation

Delivery of the service will involve an active contribution from and regular coordination with ECOS. The key milestones include, but are not limited to:

• Initiation: Signature of the contract and kick-off meeting.
• Platform customisation and implementation: customise the travel management platform according to ECOS travel policy and the specific needs of the organisation.
• Training and user appropriation: develop and deliver training materials and sessions for ECOS members on how to use the platform effectively.
• Performance monitoring and reporting: establish monitoring mechanisms to track platform performance, usage metrics, and user feedback, enabling continuous improvement and optimisation.

Throughout the implementation of the project, the subcontractor will provide updates to ECOS staff when relevant and/or requested.

Timeline

The travel management platform should be operational by the end of August 2024. A kick-off meeting will be held with the successful applicant in the month of June, depending on the management team and contractor’s availability.

Tender assessment

Assessment of the tenders will be made by an appointed selection committee, using a pre-agreed evaluation template. The award criteria are:

• 70% quality:
  • Delivery team expertise (CVs + relevant experience to be provided) and efficient coordination with ECOS.
  • Company track record.
  • Relevance of application.
  • Usefulness of the expected outcome for the team.
• 30% price

The fact of publishing a procurement procedure does not oblige ECOS to award the contract to a tenderer simply because its tender fulfils those criteria. It also reserves the right to decide not to award the contract to any tenderer and to cancel the procedure at any time before award.

This contract might be subject to a framework contract with ECOS in accordance with ECOS procurement policy.

ECOS procurement and purchase policy

This tender complies with the ECOS Procurement and Purchase Policy adopted by the ECOS Executive Committee, and last updated in April 2024. This policy covers general principles relating to transparency and fairness, value for money, and non-discrimination. It specifies thresholds relating to a competitive negotiated procedure with at least a specified number of candidates either with tender or selection and sets out the procedure to be followed by ECOS.

Tender preparation

Tenderers are requested to submit a proposal by 19/05/2024 to info@ecostandard.org (with a copy to tatiana.restrepo@ecostandard.org) outlining:

• A description of anticipated activities to implement f the travel management platform.
• A description of how close coordination with ECOS will be ensured throughout the project.
• A detailed description of the proposed platform.
• A detailed timeline on milestones and deadlines.
• Budgeting for each element of the work.
• Biographies and availability of the key staff delivering the work, as well as references if available.
• Evidence of previous work setting up travel management platforms for nonprofit organisations.

NB – Only short-listed tenderers will be contacted.