London universities name four TMCs on £130m framework

Mark Smulian | Aug 20, 2010 | Comments 0

London Universities Purchasing Consortium (LUPC) is to include four companies on its new business travel framework contract.

It has chosen Ian Allan Travel, Egencia, Co-operative Travel Management and Key Travel from some 20 bids.

The new four-year framework is set to go live on 1 January and covers air, rail and hotels but not car hire and could be worth up to £130 million over its duration. The new framework was originally due to be in place this summer but delays in the award process has seen the existing contract, with Key Travel, extended until the end of the year.

“Each supplier offers slightly different services but it is up to institutions to choose which supplier they want for each service,” LUPC senior contracts manager Darran Whatley said.

“There is no guarantee to suppliers of any set level of business arising from the framework contract, since universities cannot predict their demand.”

The contract could be used for student travel if institutions choose to offer this, but is not intended to compete with student travel services.

Ian Allan Travel has been working with a number of universities for several years through its Academic Travel service. It recently won the contract for the University of Bath.

Ian Allan Travel’s deputy managing director Pat O’Neill told Public Sector Travel: “Over a number of years we have focused on the academic sector and our expertise is recognised in this area. We have more than 15 other universities belonging to different consortia. We are delighted to be on the LUPC framework.”

O’Neill says that Ian Allan will bring specialist account management expertise and sophisticated automation and booking processes driving significant cost efficiencies to LUPC members, which includes institutions as diverse as the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and the Imperial War Museum alongside London’s universities. In all, there are more than 60 members of the consortium.

Steve Summers, chief operating officer of Key Travel, said: “Key Travel is delighted to continue our relationship with the LUPC framework and look forward to continuing to support them drive savings, at a time of tough budgetary pressure across the university sector.”