Contracting for Conference/Meeting Facilities

University Policy on Continuing Education (Policy Memorandum No. 140) states that all university-sponsored non-credit continuing education programs (seminars, workshops, short courses, conferences, symposia, and professional association meetings) are the administrative responsibility of the Outreach Program Development, except for those administered by 4-H Centers. Outreach Program Development is responsible for obtaining services for all university sponsored or co-sponsored programs held either on-campus or off-campus. Off-campus includes the town of Blacksburg, Commonwealth of Virginia, other states, and other countries.

Individuals planning a continuing education program should first contact the program planning unit of Outreach Program Development at 231-9982 before any arrangements are made. A program development faculty member will be specifically assigned to assist with all phases of developing and offering your program.

Purchasing Procedures:

  1. If the procurement involves ONLY the use of lodging and/or meeting rooms, process as a Direct Payment on an Departmental Order for Purchases/Payments (DOPP) form.
  2. If conference/meeting facilities are available from another government entity (federal, state, local, state college or university, etc...), regardless of the dollar amount, process as a Direct Payment on a DOPP form
  3. If the procurement involves the use of lodging and/or meeting rooms and additional services (meals, audio-visual equipment, etc...) and the value of the additional services does not exceed $20,000, the entire transaction may be processed as a Direct Payment on an DOPP form regardless of the value of the lodging and/or meeting rooms.
  4. Submit a Requisition For Purchase to the Purchasing Department if the value of the additional services (meals, audio-visual, etc...) is expected to exceed $50,000; since competition must be obtained for the entire scope of the transaction, including rooms. Purchasing will solicit bids or proposals for the requirement and issue a purchase order.
  5. If the transaction requires signing of a contract, regardless of dollar amount, remember that Legal Counsel review is required. Please refer to Policy 3015 for a description of authorized signatories.

 

Last Updated: October 19,2006