How We Vet Formal Planners

Why publish a vetting standard?

So chapters can see exactly what "vetted" means before our matching service opens, and hold us to it. Any partner we match with a chapter will have met every requirement below. The standard applies whether a partner is a planning company, a hotel, a venue or a charter carrier.

What must a partner show?

1. Registration where it's required. Planners that sell travel must hold any state registration their business needs — California requires sellers of travel to register with the Attorney General[1], and Florida requires registration too.[2]
2. Insurance, in writing. A current certificate of insurance, with the chapter named as an additional insured when the partner provides a service at the event. Being a certificate holder isn't enough, because only additional insureds are extended coverage.[3]
3. Safe transportation. Every charter carrier a partner uses must be authorized to operate, have an acceptable safety record and be licensed and insured, checked in FMCSA's records.[4]
4. Risk-policy compliance. No packages that buy alcohol with chapter funds and no open parties, in line with FIPG-style policies[5] — plus respect for each chapter's own national rules.
5. Honest marketing. No fake reviews or testimonials, which the FTC's rule prohibits[6], and clear disclosure of any paid relationships.[7]
6. Written terms. Itemized quotes, written contracts, and clear deposit and cancellation terms.
7. References. Recent chapter clients we can call.

How do we keep the standard?

• We check before matching, and again at least once a year.
• Chapters can report problems to us, and we follow up on every report.
• We remove partners who stop meeting the standard or who treat chapters unfairly.

The matching service isn't open yet. When it opens, this page will show the date the standard was last updated.