When to Use GSA Telepresence
Use GSA Telepresence when it's cheaper than traveling
Create a cost comparison between telepresence and travel to decide if telepresence is less expensive.
Take these factors into account:
- Telepresence costs $399 per hour per location
- Telepresence is generally cost-effective when flying or driving more than half a day for a meeting
Sample scenarios
| Example | People | Hours | Rooms | Approximate cost of travel* | Cost of telepresence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region-to-region status meeting | 6 | 1 | 2 | $2,400 | $800 |
| Multi-region collaboration | 20 | 3 | 5 | $12,800 | $6,000 |
| National leadership board meeting | 45 | 2 | 15 | $33,600 | $12,000 |
| National offsite | 60 | 24 (over 3 days) | 15 | $66,000 | $144,000 |
* Includes airfare, hotel accommodations, per diem, and lost productivity.
When should I use more than two rooms?
Make sure that for every telepresence room you add to the meeting, one less person flies or drives a long distance (approximately 100+ miles).
- Don't reserve an extra telepresence room unless you are replacing a flight or a long drive with telepresence.
- It's better to travel a short distance (within a metropolitan area) and share a telepresence room than to add more rooms, especially in the Washington, DC area.
When is it better to travel?
Generally, meeting participants should travel if they are close to one another or if their meeting involves just a few people. Additionally, participants may consider travel if they are planning a very long meeting, such as a meeting that spans multiple days.
What if I need to cancel a meeting?
To cancel a meeting, contact your scheduler. You may cancel a reservation 24 hours before your scheduled meeting time without charge. Meetings that are cancelled less than 24 hours ahead of time will be charged a cancellation fee. For a scheduled meeting that is not cancelled and not attended, GSA will be charged the full hourly rate for the meeting's planned duration.
