Launch of Defense Travel System to be delayed

Defense travelers hoping to use the long-awaited Defense Travel System (DTS) next month may have to wait a little longer. Launch of the new system will likely be delayed beyond the Dec. 18 deadline set in October.

The first test of the new system by actual travelers began in October at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. At that time, DoD officials announced that the new system would be ready by December.

Now, DoD officials say the launch date likely will be pushed back. This won't be the first delay in the project--several DTS deadlines have slipped since the project was conceived in 1994.

Testing of the system--which allows employees to request authorization to travel, make arrangements and submit claims from a desktop computer--has been largely successful. So far, more than 155 trips have been started through the system and at least 50 have gone through the entire process to the final steps of processing vouchers and archiving records.

But several tasks critical to making the DTS work efficiently, such as providing training, system set-up, and help desk operations still need improvement, DoD officials said.

"The test yielded important results in these areas and suggest more time is needed to refine and evaluate these processes relative to DTS," according to an official statement prepared by Major Brent Calderwood, director of public affairs for DTS.

The Whiteman tests should be completed in December. Then a decision will be made on an official launch date for the system.

The DTS contract, valued at $263.7 million over five years, was awarded in May 1998 to information technology firm BDM International, which TRW later acquired. The contract initially covers DoD Travel Region 6, which includes 11 states (Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin).

DoD's current travel system uses paper vouchers, invoices and other supporting documents that make the travel reimbursement process long and laborious.

The new system will streamline everything from the number of approval signatures to auditing and voucher processing.