The Drake University Procurement Office, with the assistance of an evaluation committee of cross-representative faculty and staff, conducted a competitive RFP process to evaluate travel management service providers. As a result of the evaluation, Drake University will be transitioning all non-athletic travel management services to Travel Leaders beginning August 22, 2023.  Over the last few months, we have been working closely with Travel Leaders to ensure a seamless transition with minimal impact to our travelers. Please note this change does not impact our current travel policy.

Travel Leaders/Destinations Unlimited (TLDU) has over 35 years of experience managing higher education travel and is familiar with the various types of travel we have and our unique challenges. This partnership will provide numerous benefits to our traveling faculty, staff, and students. 

Traveler Benefits: ·       Access to air, car, hotel discounts ·       Quick and simple reservations ·       Expert agent team – NOT a call center ·       24/7 traveler support ·       Online booking tool help desk

University Benefits: ·       Savings – air, car, hotel ·       Spend Analytics & Reporting ·       Enhanced Duty of Care ·       Carbon emission reporting ·       Travel industry guidance

Travel Leaders will be offering several virtual training sessions to prepare travelers for this change and answer questions you may have about the program.

August 22, 10:30-11:30am
August 23, 9-10am and 2-3pm
August 24, 1-2pm

If you have not already received a meeting invitation and would like to attend a training session, email procurement@drake.edu to request an invitation. Please indicate in the email the date that works best for you.

The Procurement website is currently under construction and is scheduled to be updated with FAQ and other travel specific information prior to scheduled training noted above. Please check back to the website for pertinent information in the weeks to come. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email procurement@drake.edu.  

— Adam Voigts, Chief Financial Officer