How to use Emergency Lodging Services

Planning ahead

We recommend being prepared and planning ahead for emergencies. Follow the steps to become an Authorized User to get started. The program goals are to:

1. Avoid intra-government competition for scarce lodging facilities needed by survivors and responders.
2. Establish key POCs and key requirements in advance of emergency declaration.

Why you should utilize ELS

• Leverage the government’s buying power.
• Rapid response personnel deployment.
• Quickly expedite lodging orders.
• Years of experience in emergency lodging management.

The ordering process

1. Your agency places a fully executed funded Task Order (SF-1449) with CLC.
2. CLC negotiates rates with hotel(s) once your agency sends the requirements for a specific mission or emergency.
3. CLC contract negotiators locate rooms from existing hotel databases or find other hotels which meet your agency needs.
4. Reservation details are sent to your agency once the negotiators set up the hotel(s).
5. The billing process with the hotel(s) is established based on the process indicated on the task order.
6. Guests, employees, volunteers, or victims arrive at the hotel.
7. The hotel submits invoices to CLC for payment.
8. CLC audits and processes the invoices, summarizes the bill by Disaster Number/Task Order number, and then electronically bills your agency for payment, including any Service Fees, Industrial Funding Fees (IFF), and taxes.
9. Your agency pays CLC per task order requirements.
10. CLC remits payment to the hotel(s).
11. Unused funds on the task order are deobligated back to your agency.

The contractor’s responsibility

The contractor will secure accommodations and ancillary services for federal agencies, state and local governments, first responders, support personnel and any other authorized user of the service to include private citizens and their pets. The most urgent needs result from hurricanes, wildfires and declared national emergencies.

Accommodations may be, but are not limited to hotels, motels, apartments, college dormitories, cruise lines, religious camps, retreats and any other facility deemed safe and comfortable. Your agency may direct which types of accommodations are preferred in their task order with CLC.

Ancillary Services in response to an emergency, disaster or national security event may include meeting rooms, meeting services, food services, supplies, planning services, support services, and/or preparedness operations. Your agency may direct which types of ancillary services are required in their task order with CLC. The contractor is also responsible for:

• Providing a centralized service on a 24x7x365 basis to be used by your agency when placing group orders.
• Providing a documented and consistent billing and payment process.
• Tracking and reporting all lodging/housing usage, services purchased, and fees assessed.