Road Warriors Win Awards

ederal travel, an $8 billion a year business, is getting an overhaul. Agencies are stripping out layers of bureaucracy and piles of paperwork, saving time and money and simplifying government workers' lives. As they do, many are finding new and better ways to accomplish their missions.

To encourage travel innovation and to credit agencies that have made great strides in reengineering government travel,
Government Executive this year launched the Travel Managers of the Year awards. "Our goal is to educate people throughout government about good practices and to recognize good work," says Timothy B. Clark, the magazine's editor and publisher.

A panel of experts rewarded the best travel systems, regardless of size. Judges looked for programs that:

• Adhered to the concept and principles of government reinvention.
• Saved money.
• Used staff time well.
• Improved accuracy, productivity and morale.

The first-ever winners of the Travel Managers of the Year Awards share a commitment to these goals and unprecedented success in reaching them.

Cradle to Grave

The judges honored two military bases that have developed travel systems that are paperless from order to payment. Both systems had their roots in the Defense Department's travel reengineering initiatives. "They went beyond the system to things like delegation of approval authority," says one judge.

The Travel Redesign Office at the Combined Arms Center in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and the U.S. Navy Personnel Support Activity in Norfolk, Va., each use all the elements of streamlined, paperless travel: commercial off-the-shelf software, electronic routing and signatures, automated reservations and confirmations, an electronic interface with the commercial travel office, supervisory approvals with only one signature, prepayment audits, virtually universal use of the government travel card, no submission of receipts, and electronic funds transfer reimbursements. Fort Leavenworth also has in place random audits and split disbursement systems.

Begun in November 1995 as a travel reengineering pilot, the Fort Leavenworth system has reduced processing costs by 49 percent and travel reimbursement time by 50 percent. "It was a big team effort," says Capt. J.D. Burdick, project officer.

As a result of the changes, temporary duty travel "is a mission support activity at Fort Leavenworth instead of a mission unto itself," he says. "It uses all of the travel redesign initiatives in a total 'cradle to grave' approach, [starting] with the creation of travel authorizations and ending with electronic payment of the traveler's reimbursement voucher."

In fiscal 1997, Leavenworth saved an estimated $286,000 in processing the site's 5,200 travel vouchers. Processing time fell from 5.44 hours to 1.26 hours per trip. "Our happier travelers are paid 50 percent faster than before," says Burdick.

Effect on morale has been enormous. The system "allows travelers to focus on the mission without having to worry about tedious rules and lengthy gaps between filing vouchers and payments," says Burdick.

Like the Leavenworth center, the Navy Personnel Support Activity in Norfolk, Va., was a travel reinvention test site. However, it began almost a year later, in June 1996. But even in that short time, reinvention has paid off handsomely for the 50 travelers in the organization: Time processing per voucher fell 82 percent, from 2.11 hours to 0.75 hours; costs fell 62 percent, from $43.54 to $16.56. The cycle from voucher submission to payment is down to three workdays.

"The system is much easier and faster to use than the manual system we were using," says Capt. D.L. Crisp, commanding officer. "Our travelers enjoy being able to prepare their vouchers without a great deal of keying in data. They also like being able to see where their orders or vouchers are at any given time. This lack of black holes has lowered their frustration level and saved time spent in paper chases."

Fort Leavenworth contact: Col. Al Fleumer, (913) 684-3100 or fleumera@leav-emh1.army.mil

Norfolk contact: Judy Krol or Chief Petty Officer Mark Marchwicki, (757) 444-2452

Flight Mission

By contracting with airlines for services for federal travelers, the General Services Administration has saved the government billions of dollars since the City Pairs program began in 1980. The judges lauded GSA for its long-term commitment to this innovative program.

Much blood, sweat and tears went into putting together the contracts. "It was very tough on staff," says Sue McIver, acting director of GSA's Services Acquisition Center. "Awards were often made late [in the year], numerous protests were received and GSA and the airlines frequently clashed."

GSA started laying the groundwork for changes in 1995. The agency stopped attempting to define what services each carrier offered and instead required the airlines to demonstrate what they could offer. GSA concentrated on the markets with the highest volume and those where at least one company offered nonstop service.

The judges found the results inspiring:

• GSA announces awards earlier. In previous years, awards were made in late September or early October. In 1996, GSA announced the City Pair awards in August; in 1997, the announcement came in July.
• Discounts are deeper. In the past, contracts averaged 50 percent to 56 percent less than the standard walk-up fare. In fiscal 1997 and 1998, fares have averaged 62 percent and 70 percent less, respectively.
• More flights are direct. Nonstops used to make up 90 percent to 92 percent of City Pair contracts. In 1997 and 1998, they're 95.5 percent and 99.5 percent of markets where they're offered.
• The government and the airline industry are getting along better. "We're much more responsive in working out each other's concerns," says Jeffrey Koses, director of GSA's services contract division. GSA hasn't had an airline protest in three years.
• Morale is up.

During the contract cycle, GSA employees used to put in 80- to 100-hour weeks for four to six months. Now, they work a "very full" 40 to 45 hours a week.

The City Pair program will save the federal government $2.6 billion this year, compared to the cost of full fares.

Contact: Jeffrey Koses, (703) 305-3051 or jeffrey.koses@gsa.gov

The winners of the Travel Managers of the Year Awards were honored Nov. 18 at an awards ceremony in Washington.

To enter the 1998 Travel Managers of the Year Awards, call Joanna Reddick at (202) 739-8458.