Department Who’s Who

Administrative Services

WHO:

For further information on this or other HUB vendors contact the University of Houston HUB Operations Department:

Sandra G. Webb – (713) 743-5662
E-mail: sgwebb@central.uh.edu

Please be sure to check out Vendor Special Offers by visiting the HUB Home Page by clicking here!





State Contracted Airfare June 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) has awarded state airfare contracts to the following vendors to provide discounted fares on 272 city-pairs effective June 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009:

American Airline – 800-433-7300**
JetBlue Airways  – 888-JETBLUE (538-2583) Prompt #3**

See the following Texas Comptroller’s website for additional information: http://www.window.state.tx.us/procurement/prog/stmp/stmp-airline-contract/

FAQs

When are we required to purchase state contracted airfare?
State contracted airfare must be purchased when state funds are used to pay for the airfare. See MAPP 04.02.01A for more information on travel with state appropriated funds: 

Note: State travel rules do not allow state contracted airfare to be purchased for independent contractors.

Are there exceptions to the use of state contracted airfare?
If non-contract airfare is purchased with state funds, the department must provide one of the following explanations on the Travel Exemption Certification Form and upload the form as a backup document for the payment of airfare:

1. Non-contract airfare is lower than the contracted airfare price.

2. Non-contract airfare is higher than the contracted airfare price, however, considering additional factors (i.e., additional lodging charges, traveler’s time, etc.), the overall total cost to the state is lower when using the non-contract airfare.

3. Contract travel airfare is not available during the time or at the location necessary for the business travel.

4. Traveler's health, safety, physical condition or disability requires accommodations not available from contract travel service contractors – approval from the appropriate Vice President or designee is required for the first class/business airfare.

5. Traveler’s schedule has to be changed during the travel and the use of contract travel services becomes impractical or unavailable. 

6. Traveler is using a group program (i.e., conference package, etc.) wherein reservations were made through a required source to obtain a particular rate or service.

Note: It is not necessary to request approval from Accounts Payable for the above exceptions. It is only necessary to document the reason for the exception.

Travel Exemption Certification From has been updated. The revised form can be located at the AP Travel website, http://www.uh.edu/finance/pages/AP_Travel.htm. MAPP 04.02.01A is also in the process of being updated to reflect this change.

How do we book contract fares?
1. Call the airline toll free reservation number** and indicate booking code “_CATX” (capacity controlled Texas fare – limited seating based on availability) or “YCATX” (unrestricted Texas fare); or

2. Go to the NTS website (http://www.nationaltravelsystems.com/state/intro2.htm) and select airfare indicated with Texas flag; or

3. Call NTS at 877-717-7768 and indicate that you want to purchase state contracted airfare.

How do we pay for the state contracted airfare?
JPMC issued Local Department Travel Card, Local Individual Travel Card, State Department Travel Card, or Individual Corporate Travel Card must be used to pay for the state contracted airfare. Personal credit cards may not be used to purchase state contracted airfare.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Sandra Silva, 713-743-5883, ssilva@uh.edu or Edwin Rodas, 713-743-8961, erodas@uh.edu

• Mitigating risk associated with campus-wide IT resources
• Enhancing the alignment of IT units,
• Leveraging synergies of IT units across campus, and
• Strengthening IT governance.

The policy clarifies four areas of specific responsibility for managing IT resources:

• Risk Management
• Resource Security
• Service Continuity Management
• Resource Management

To effectively manage their IT resources, MAPP 10.03.06 requires colleges and divisions to identify and assign leaders to serve in three roles:

• College/Division Information Resource Manager (C/D – IRM)
(Most senior administrator responsible for unit’s information resources. Often filled by assistant
/associate dean (colleges) or assistant/associate vice president (divisions)
• College/Division Technology Manager (C/D – TM)
IT professional responsible for daily IT operations. Often filled by a director or manager.
• College/Division Information Security Officer (C/D – ISO)
Employee responsible for information security compliance. Often filled by a director or manager.

Information Technology has positioned the IT Support Center to assist the colleges and divisions in implementing these requirements. The IT Support Center created a body of knowledge including best and essential practices to facilitate the development of unit-based IT policies, procedures, and internal controls.

In addition, Information Technology seeks to link arms with and support IT professionals across campus using a federated approach. Associated with the new MAPP and an emerging campus-wide IT Federation, Information Technology is:

• Organizing forums to bring together campus IT leadership at the C/D-IRM, C/D-TM and C/D-ISO
levels.
• Devising training and benchmarking opportunities.
• Planning a major kickoff event to formally launch MAPP 10.03.06.
• Augmenting IT’s website with information and resources on these topics.

For questions or additional information, please contact James McGee, IT Support Center, at 3-1571 and jpm@uh.edu

JUNE CALENDAR