Terms of Reference: Travel Management Services for NESsT’s U.S.-Based Team

Engagement type: Independent contractor or travel management company

Location: Remote; provider must be able to support U.S.-based travelers

Initial term: One year, with the possibility of renewal

1. Organization Profile

NESsT is an international nonprofit organization operating across Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, and the United States. NESsT invests in social enterprises that create dignified employment and sustainable income opportunities for people facing barriers to economic inclusion, while contributing to environmental sustainability. Through business support, catalytic capital, and long-term partnerships, NESsT helps social enterprises grow their impact and strengthen local economies.

2. Objective of the Engagement

The objective of this engagement is to establish a reliable travel management service that supports NESsT’s U.S.-based staff with domestic and international travel arrangements while ensuring traveler safety, operational efficiency, policy compliance, and prudent stewardship of organizational and donor resources.

4. Scope of Services

The selected provider will coordinate flights, accommodations, travel insurance, itineraries, booking changes, cancellations, and travel-related support for authorized NESsT travelers.

4.1 Air Travel

The provider will:

Research and present flight options that balance price, total travel time, number of connections, and traveler convenience.

Prioritize the most economical option that reasonably minimizes travel time and unnecessary connections.

Recommend fully or partially refundable tickets when the additional cost does not exceed approximately 30% of the ticket price.

Manage ticket issuance, schedule changes, rebookings, cancellations, and refund requests.

Monitor significant itinerary changes and promptly notify the traveler and designated NESsT contact.

4.2 Accommodation

The provider will:

Source and book practical, well-rated, and cost-effective accommodations close to the relevant event venue, office, or meeting location.

Generally propose hotels of up to three stars for single occupancy and four stars for double.

Keep hotel rates within NESsT’s approved travel limits (below 60% of the applicable U.S. Department of State foreign per diem lodging rate for the destination).

Clearly identify cancellation terms, taxes, fees, and any non-refundable conditions before booking.

4.3 Travel Insurance

Recommend appropriate insurance options for the destination and travel circumstances.

Present several alternatives when feasible, with a clear comparison of coverage, exclusions, and price.

Arrange coverage that includes, at a minimum, medical treatment for illness arising during travel, accidents requiring medical assistance, baggage loss, and expenses related to flight delays.

Issue and provide the relevant policy documentation before departure.

4.4 Traveler Support

The provider will:

Serve as the primary travel coordination contact before and during each trip.

Prepare and share clear itineraries and booking confirmations.

Assist with delays, cancellations, missed connections, and other disruptions.

Offer a clear escalation channel for urgent assistance outside standard business hours.

4.5 Billing and Administration

NESsT prefers periodic, consolidated invoicing and payment by bank transfer rather than payment by corporate credit card. The provider will:

Confirm its ability to invoice NESsT and accept payment by bank transfer.

Provide itemized invoices showing the traveler, itinerary, base cost, taxes, fees, service charges, credits, and refunds.

Provide supporting documentation for each transaction.

Maintain accurate records of bookings, changes, cancellations, credits, and unused tickets.

Coordinate with NESsT’s Operations and Finance teams on documentation and payment matters.

5. Provider Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate:

At least three years of experience providing corporate or business travel management services.

Substantial experience arranging international travel.

Knowledge of airline fare structures, ticketing rules, refunds, exchanges, and travel logistics.

Experience arranging accommodations and travel insurance across multiple destinations.

The ability to support senior executives and frequent travelers.

Strong customer service, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.

The systems and capacity to manage multiple concurrent travel requests accurately.

Fluency in written and spoken English.

Experience supporting nonprofit, international development, consulting, or other mission-driven organizations, and experience coordinating travel in Latin America and Europe, are preferred.

6. Contract Management

The provider will coordinate primarily with NESsT’s designated Operations contact and with authorized travelers. NESsT anticipates an initial one-year agreement, subject to satisfactory performance, continued organizational need, and mutual agreement. The final agreement will define applicable fees, invoicing arrangements, service standards, confidentiality obligations, data protection requirements, and termination provisions.

This Terms of Reference does not guarantee a minimum number or value of bookings. NESsT may modify the scope of services or discontinue the selection process at its discretion.

7. Submission Requirements

Interested companies or independent consultants should submit a concise proposal containing:

Provider profile: Legal name, location, years in operation, organizational structure, and primary contact details.

Relevant experience: Description of comparable corporate or international travel assignments, including experience supporting nonprofit or mission-driven organizations where applicable.

Service model: Booking workflow, approval process, communication channels, designated account support, backup coverage, and emergency support arrangements.

Service levels: Standard and urgent response times, hours of coverage, and escalation process.

Technology and reporting: Booking, traveler-profile, invoicing, expense-documentation, and reporting capabilities.

Financial proposal: All service, transaction, emergency, cancellation, change, implementation, and other applicable fees, together with invoicing terms and available payment methods.

Billing confirmation: Explicit confirmation of whether the provider can offer periodic invoicing and accept payment by bank transfer.

References: Contact details for three current or recent clients for comparable services.

8. Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be assessed against the following criteria:

Relevant experience and qualifications.

Understanding of NESsT’s requirements.

Quality, practicality, and reliability of the proposed service model.

Responsiveness, traveler support, and emergency coverage.

Ability to provide transparent, invoice-based billing and accept payment by bank transfer.

Cost and overall value.

Quality of references.

9. Submission Instructions

Proposals should be submitted electronically in PDF format with the subject line Travel Management Services – Proposal .

Submission deadline: Oct 30, 2026

10. Equal Opportunity

NESsT is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We welcome submissions from qualified businesses and consultants from diverse backgrounds and encourage participation by minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and other underrepresented businesses.

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