Our office works with a variety of vendors very frequently to provide various products, services and supplies for events and general use of student organizations and clubs. Below is a list of vendors we use most frequently and are the preferred vendors for our office due to our frequent use and existing relationships with the vendors. While you can use vendors not on this list, using them may slow down the process of obtaining your product, service or supplies. For a full list of our vendors, check out the OCA SORC Vendor Database.

Preferred Vendors 

• EZ Cater - EZ Cater is an online website that allows you to view a variety of restaurants that provide catering and large food options to be delivered to campus. You can look at all the options on EZ Cater and many of the household restaurants you order from are on EZ Cater. OCA has their own EZ Cater account, with delivery and tax exempt information already included, which makes the ordering process seamless. To order food through EZ Cater, you can review the restaurants you want to order from, add the items to your cart, take a screenshot of the cart, and then add that to your purchase request so OCA knows what to order for you. Note that you should put in an EZ Cater order at least 5 business days before your event.
• Amazon - Amazon is the fastest and typically cheapest option for ordering products and supplies to campus. Amazon has a variety of items that they offer and also include items that are approved to order by the University. OCA has their own Amazon Business account, with delivery and tax exempt information already included, which makes the ordering process seamless. To order items from Amazon, you can add the links for the items you'd like to be purchased to a purchase request and then OCA will complete the order for you. Note that you should put in an Amazon order at least 5 business days before your event to ensure it arrives in time. 
• Staples - Staples provides a variety of products like special paper, office supplies, school supplies, phamlets, and postcards, all of which can be personalized to the needs of your group. OCA has their own Staples Advantage account, with delivery and tax exempt information already included, which makes the ordering process seamless, and provides items at a discounted price. To order items from Staples, you can review items on Staples Advantage (you won't see the discounted price without our login), add the links for the items you'd like purchased to a purchase request and then OCA will complete the order for you. Note that depending on what you are ordering, you may need more than a week for the items to be delivered.
• Sticker Mule - Sticker Mule offers a variety of products that can help clubs and organizations promote their organization or event, which includes custom stickers, labels, magnets, buttons, t-shirts and more. OCA has their own Sticker Mule account, with delivery and tax exempt information already included, which makes the ordering process seamless. To order items from Sticker Mule, you can view the products on their website and then attach the product links and your graphic to a purchase request for OCA to complete your order for you. Note that standard delivery for Sticker Mule is a week. 
• Forbes Marketing Group - Forbes Marketing Group is a small business which offers a wide variety of promotional materials including t-shirts, sweatshirts, cups, bags, pens and more. OCA has their own Forbes Marketing account, with delivery and tax exempt information already included, which makes the ordering process seamless. To order items from Forbes Marketing, you can view the products on their website and then attach the product links and your graphic to a purchase request for OCA to complete your order for you. Note that the shipping times may vary depending on which products you are ordering. 
• Promotions and Unicorns Too - Like Forbes Marketing Group, Promotions and Unicorns Too is another small business which offers a wide variety of promotional materials including t-shirts, sweatshirts, cups, bags, pens and more. OCA has their own Promotions and Unicorns account, with delivery and tax exempt information already included, which makes the ordering process seamless. To order items from Promotions and Unicorns, you can view the products on their website and then attach the product links and your graphic to a purchase request for OCA to complete your order for you. Note that the shipping times may vary depending on which products you are ordering.
• Gift-O-Gram - Gift-O-Gram is the University's system for sending online gift cards to recipients and is the only website authorized to do so through the University. Participants receive an online gift card through the system and then they get to choose from hundreds of retailers to use it at (through this system you can’t send a gift card from a specific retailer). OCA manages a Gift-O-Gram account and can facilitate the sending out of the gift cards. To send a gift card from Gift-O-Gram, you need to complete a purchase request and attach an excel sheet with the recipient's first and name, email address and then the purpose of the gift card. Please note that if you are sending multiple gift cards, please have the complete list ready when you complete your purchase request. 
• Curated Events - Curated Events is a full service event rental company that provides a variety of rental items for events, including tables, chairs, tents, linens, lights, and more. OCA has their own Curated Events account, with delivery and tax exempt information already included, along with an assigned contact at Curated Events which makes the ordering process seamless. To rent event items from Curated Events, you can view the products on their website, create a list of items needed for your event and then attach that list to a purchase request so OCA can complete the order for you. You should do this as soon as you can for your event and depending on the size of your event, you should also meet with the Assistant Director for Student Organization Services to help plan your event.  

A printable version of this timeline can be found here!

Suggested Event Planning Timeline

• At least five to six weeks before your event, determine if your event falls under our definition of a complex event.
  • A complex event includes but is not limited to an event that is expecting over 75 people, requires coordination between catering, vendors, speakers, and/or requires a contract. If your event meets those qualifications, then you should meet with the Assistant Director, Student Organization Services to discuss and plan your event.
• At least five weeks before your event, complete the following:
  • If your event requires a contract, determine a fee with your vendor and acquire proof of a written agreement for their services. This should be submitted to the Office of Campus Activities (OCA) through a Purchase Request.

• At least four weeks before your event, complete the following:
  • Submit a space request in 25live. If you do not hear from ECS within a week of submitting your initial request, please email the Assistant Director, Scheduling and Event Planning for assistance.
  • Submit a speaker or presenter request on the Nest. Your request will be reviewed by the OCA and if you are requesting funds from Treasury Board for your event related to your speaker, the speaker should be approved before your presentation. 
  • Submit movie rights quote request form on the Nest. In order to show a movie on campus, you need to purchase the rights to the movie and the OCA can facilitate this process. If you are requesting funds from Treasury Board for the movie rights, secure the rights and determine the price with OCA before your presentation.  
  • Reach out to Chartwells. If you plan on using the University’s Catering services, reach out to them to discuss your event, your budget and menu. If requesting funds from Treasury Board, a finalized budget should be presented to them. 

• At least three to four weeks before your event, complete the following: 
  • Connect with your ECS point of contact assigned to your event. With more complex events, please reach out to ECS more than 30 days prior to the event. 
  • If you are a student organization or club, connect with your Treasury Board Liaison. Your Liaison is a great wealth of knowledge about the funding process and they can answer any questions that you may have, so be sure to reach out to them.

• At least two to three weeks before your event, complete the following: 
  • Finalize the event setup and audio-visual details with the ECS point of contact assigned to your event. 
  • Confirm your catering contact with Chartwells and receive a final BEO. 
  • Submit a Funding Request on the Nest and present to Treasury Board (if applicable). 
  • If your event requires a contract, check in with OCA about your contract and ensure everything is on set to be completed before your event. 

• At least one to two weeks before your event, complete the following: 
  • Submit Purchase Requests on the Nest for event supplies. It can take up to a week for supplies to be delivered, so be sure to order ahead of time. Specialty orders can take longer, so be aware of shipping when planning your event. 
  • Submit your final Catering BEO in a Purchase Request on the Nest for payment processes, which is done by the OCA professional staff. This must be completed at least 5 business days before your event. 

• On the day of your event: 
  • Check in at OCA and collect any supplies you would like to use at your event - just make sure to return them after your event or the next day if we are closed. 
  • ECS will facilitate or coordinate the space’s equipment and audio-visual setup.
  • After your event, make sure to remove your belongings, including materials from external caterers, from the space so ECS can prepare for the next event.
  • If you have any concerns or need to follow up about your event, check in with the OCA Professional Staff.

Visit http://events.cua.edu to reserve most campus rooms and outdoor areas as well as CU vans*. For more information or assistance with reserving space on campus, please contact Conference Services at 202-319-5291.

*Only certified University drivers are permitted to drive the CU vans. In addition, student organizations must complete the appropriate trip forms before using one of the vans. The CU Vans are managed by the Department of Transportation and Parking Services and for more information, visit the forms page.

Notes on the Request Process

• Requests are reviewed on a first come, first served basis. Events taking place in the current semester have priority over events later in the year.
• Requests for classrooms are reviewed starting on the business day after the add/drop period ends. Any co-curricular event requests that specifically ask to use classroom space and take place prior to or during the add/drop period will not be confirmed.

Notes on the Request Review Process

• Upon receiving a request, the ECS scheduling team places the event into the tentative state. 
  • Event requesters will receive an email notifying them of the state change.
  • The scheduling team will reach out with questions, if applicable.
• If the event can be approved, the scheduling team changes the event state to confirmed, and sends a confirmation email to requesters with their ECS point of contact copied on the message. 
  • Spaces are not reserved until the requesters receive a confirmation email from ECS.

Notes on the Request Confirmation Process

• After an event is confirmed, event organizers should reach out to their ECS point of contact to coordinate logistics, including setup needs and AV support.
  • Setup and AV needs should be finalized NLT two weeks before the event.
• ECS will submit all Facilities, AV, DPS, and Tech Services requests on your behalf.

Tips to Expidite the Request Process

• Check the 25Live Availability Grid before filling out the event form.
• Provide an accurate estimate for your expected attendance.
• Clearly define the event start and end time of your program.
• Use the repeating pattern function rather than submitting separate event forms.
• Be as detailed as possible when describing your setup and tech needs for an event. 
• Submit the event form with plenty of notice, especially if you are requesting a space that requires additional approval.
  • Submitting your request further in advance increases the likelihood that your preferred space is available.

When requesting space for your event, you also have the availabilty to utlize various event equipment through Events and Conference Serivces. Arrange for this equipment through your ECS point of contact. Please note that items are in limited supply and vary based on event space. 

• Round tables (5 ft. or 6ft.)
• Rectangular tables (6ft. x 30 in.)
• Chairs
• High-top tables
• Podiums
• Staging
• Backdrops
• Table linens (only white linens are available)
• Easels
• Stanchions
• Microphones
• Speaker systems
• Projectors
• Laptops
• Webcams

In addition to the equipment from ECS, the student organization, Program Board, has some larger equipment that is available for all student organizations to use free of charge. If you are interested in a Fender sound system, microphones, a hand truck, or any of the equipment used to set up Movies on the Mall, please fill out this form on The Nest. All questions related to the Program Board equipment can be directed to Program Board's Vice President of Administration at cua-programboard@cua.edu.

Decorations

The following items are not permitted in event spaces: open flames, including candles and votives, glitter, confetti, fine sand or powders, helium filled balloons, and balloons filled with confetti or glitter, bubble machines, and fog machines. Decorations cannot be taped to walls or windows. ECS allows decorating but you may only use 3M command strips to affix items to the wall; however, your decorating plan must be approved by ECS in advance.

Activity Supplies

OCA has a variety of butcher paper, construction paper, markers, crayons, die-cuts, glue, as well as color printing that you can utlize for your event. Activities that use paint, dye, dirt, etc. require the use of a tarp or plastic covering for tables and floors to minimize damage to equipment and event spaces. OCA can provide a tarp or plastic floor covering for your event. 

Sports Equipment (Kane Fitness Center)

Through the Kane Fitness Center, students can rent/reserve lawn games such as Cornhole, KanJam, and Spike Ball, as well as other sporting goods such as soccer balls, footballs, frisbees, bocce, and more! To reserve these items, please fill out the necessary information found on this form.

The Office of Campus Activities (OCA) is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the Presentations Policy, as it applies to presentations proposed by registered student organizations. Please refer to the Implementing Procedures for guidance on the approval process and expectations of attendees of presentations. To request approval for a presenter, visit the forms page. 

Notes on the Presenter Approval Process

• If you plan on requesting funding from Treasury Board for your Presenter, please have your speaker approved before your presentation. 
• If you are bringing a Speaker to campus, it is reccomended to meet with OCA to discuss the potential requirements for bringing a Speaker to campus. 
• If the speaker has a rider or security needs, please be sure to share this information with your ECS point of contact.

For any official student organization event involving a film screening, the student organization must purchase the rights to screen the film on campus. If you are a student organization requesting funds for a movie screening, please ask OCA for a quote of the movie you have in mind along with the size of the audience you expect before requesting money for other parts of the event from the Treasury Board.

The Office of Campus Activities frequently works with Swank Motion Pictures or Criterion Pictures USA to procure rights to films being screened on campus. The Office of Campus Activities staff can assist student organizations with contacting our representatives. You can submit our quote request form on the Nest here.

The University reserves the right to deny a movie rights request if the content does not align with the values and principles of the Catholic Church. When submitting an event with a movie request, The Office of Campus Activities is committed to actively reviewing all events with movies, to ensure alignment with University values.

The University has a system that we use called "Ticket Spice" (we no longer use eventbrite) that allows for us to have a managed system with unlimited customizable storefronts. Your organization can work with the Office of Campus Activities to create a custom page for any number of uses. Some exmple uses might include:

• Event Registration beyond the capabilities of the Nest RSVP function (more complex questions needed to be asked, cost involved, etc.)
• Selling items like t-shirts or sweatshirts in advance online

A site can be setup in as little as minutes and you will have the ability to customize the site yourself by adding images, setting up the questions you want asked, etc. 

If you'd like to get a site setup for any needs, please email PJ Connolly at 68connolly@cua.edu to schedule a meeting to learn more about this resource.

There are a few ways to provide food at your on campus events. You will want to consider the size and scope of your event, as well as your budget, when deciding what type of food and how you will provide food at your event. 

• Chartwells Carved & Crafted Catering
  • There are drop-off (contactless) or full service options.
    • If you are having a small and casual event, drop-off is a great option because it is more cost effective. 
    • If you want food served at your event you should choose full-service. 
  • You have 2 options for setting up a Catering Order with Dining Services:
    1. Placing an Order through their online system Catertrax.
       • After completing your entire order be sure to select "Internal Account" as your payment method and enter the following:
         
         • Account - 1111
         • Fund - 11
         • Deptid - 111111
         • Program - 1111
         • Sub-Class - 11111
         • Department/Organization Name - Your student organization name
         • 25Live Reservation # - Enter the reservation number
       • Once you've completed the order, wait for final invoice from Dining Services and then follow the steps on the Finance Guide for submitting Dining Services Catering 
    2. Placing an Order directly with the Dining Services Catering Director, Mohammad "Moe" Bawab.
       • Moe will work with you to build out your invoice the way you want it and will provide a final invoice which you can use to submit by following the steps on the Finance Guide for submitting Dining Services Catering. If Moe shares that he needs additional prep space or additional serving tables, groups should loop ECS in as soon as possible to ensure the request(s) can be accommodated.  
  • For assistance with using Catertrax, check out this great training video
• Reserving a p-card to buy food at a grocery store
• Reserving a p-card to order pizza
• Putting in a purchase request to order food from a restaurant
  • Take a look at ezCater for vendors that easily deliver and work with our tax exemption (you just have to check a box!).
• Food trucks 
  • You will need to begin the booking process for food trucks via this Google Form at least 3 weeks before your event date.
  • Additional fees may be associated with sourcing food trucks.
  • See the section below for more information.

Our office is more than happy to help you bring food trucks to campus for your event. To see what trucks we already have active contracts with, please follow this link. A minimum of three weeks before your event, please fill out this Google Form to request your desired food trucks. Once this form is submitted, OCA will organize your information and they will reach out to you about booking the food trucks.

There are a few things to consider when booking food trucks:

• Additional fees may be associated with sourcing food trucks.
• How many people are coming to the event and how many food trucks do I want to bring to campus?
• How are we paying the food trucks? Some examples:
  1. There are only 50 people attending the event and we are paying for all the food.
  2. We are giving the first 50 event attendees a voucher for free food. Anyone else who comes to the event can pay for food themselves. 
  3. We are giving 100 event attendees $5 vouchers to put towards a food purchase. 
• Where is my event located? Where would I like to park the food trucks? 
  • It will be important to let your ECS contact know that you are bringing food trucks. 
• Have I considered dietary restrictions? Do any of my desired food trucks have vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, etc. options? 

If you have any questions about this process, please email cua-activities@cua.edu and we will be happy to help. 

During and after your event, make sure that all waste is sorted into the proper waste bins.
Food waste should go in the green compost bins. If compost bins are not available, food
waste should go in the trash. Recyclables, including cardboard, paper, metal, and glass,
should go in the blue recycling bins. All other waste, and any waste you are unsure about,
should go in the trash bins.

Food and Drinks

• All food scraps (vegetables, fruits, breads, meats, dairy): Compost
• Dirty paper or plastic plates: Trash
• Greasy pizza boxes: Trash
• Plastic silverware: Trash
• Snack and candy wrappers: Trash
• Water or soda bottles: Recycling

• Balloons: Trash
• Decorations with glitter or foil: Trash
• Empty pens or markers: Trash
• Flyers and handouts: Recycling
• Nametags: Stickers go in trash, paper go in recycling, plastic go in recycling
• Paper decorations or posters: Recycling
• Tablecloths: Plastic go in trash, cloth should be stored and reused
• Tape: Trash