eTravel Is Ready to Take Flight

fter a few bumps along the way, including a bid protest from Electronic Data Systems Corp. arguing that the original $450 million eTravel contract was awarded unfairly, the federal eTravel program is set to make its debut later this year.

Many agencies have their own electronic travel systems, but they don't integrate reservation, voucher and approval applications. Travelers must deal with multiple stand-alone systems. By centralizing travel operations, eTravel remedies problems arising from inconsistent processes, duplicative systems and tasks, and the inability to quickly gather travel data. eTravel is expected to generate savings of $1 billion over the next 10 years, 40 percent of which are actual cost savings and the rest are gains in efficiency.

Three contractors-CW Government Travel Inc., EDS and Northrop Grumman Corp.-were selected to develop eTravel systems for federal agencies (see GSA's eTravel Web site at egov.gsa.gov). The products may vary in aspects such as user interface and architecture, but they all must offer a core, integrated set of functions: travel authorization and voucher processing, reservations and ticketing, and travel and financial reporting. Each agency must choose one of the systems once they become available.

Implementation is scheduled to begin by Dec. 31, 2004, and agencies are required to finish migrating to the new systems by September 2006.

Surprisingly, everything seems to be going according to plan. When the eTravel initiative was launched in the summer of 2002, skeptics anticipated a repeat of Defense Travel System disappointments. That highly touted system began development in the mid-1990s and still is not fully implemented. The eTravel rollout was originally scheduled for December 2003, but was pushed back as a result of EDS' bid protest. Nevertheless, eTravel deployment seems imminent enough that the Society of Government Travel Professionals devoted most of its February 2004 conference in Northern Virginia to the topic.

RULE CHANGES

GSA recently changed the Federal Travel Regulation to require agencies to adopt eTravel and employees to use the system their agencies choose. The new rules clarify details such as when employees may be granted exceptions to using eTravel (such as invitational trips or the need for special accommodations). They also state that travelers must use eTravel to file all travel claims once their agencies migrate to their new systems. In turn, agencies must use eTravel to authorize and pay travel claims.

By March 31, agencies must submit to GSA their plans for migrating to eTravel. Seventeen of the 24 agencies required to adopt eTravel already have submitted their plans, according to GSA.

Travelers don't have to worry that their favorite travel agents no longer will be able to help them once eTravel is in place. Although travelers will rely primarily on eTravel for making reservations and filing expense vouchers, they can work with their designated travel agencies to handle complex itineraries and receive other assistance with arrangements. Agencies must ensure, however, that any travel service with which they do business supports eTravel.

In January, the contractors began live testing-real travelers making real reservations-at the Federal Aviation Administration's Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City. So far, the three contractors seem happy with the results.

"We've received positive results, positive feedback," says Soo Morehouse, E-Travel Solution program manager for U.S. Government Solutions at EDS. "People are very anxious to be part of the test."

Leo Hergenroeder, program manager for Northrop Grumman's FedTrip system, says, "We're very pleased with these first live transactions. We were most impressed with the FAA's organization and enthusiasm, and the speed with which they've embraced the system." According to Northrop Grumman, travelers say eTravel is intuitive and easy to use.

Kay Anderson-Hager, vice president of marketing and sales for CW Government Travel, agrees: "Within minutes of training, users are using the system with a minimum of business process interruption." She and Hergenroeder both expect eTravel to be up and running sooner than expected. In Hergenroeder's view, "there is a lot of pent-up demand" for an integrated travel management program like eTravel.

In addition to live testing, eTravel is undergoing "independent verification and validation" (IV&V), which began in December 2003 at the Transportation Department in Washington. Unlike live testing, independent verification uses predefined travel scenarios and designated testers from 14 agencies to challenge the three eTravel systems to handle a variety of situations.

Live testing in Oklahoma City is only the beginning. Each eTravel product must fulfill IV&V requirements and undergo security certification and accreditation to reach "full operational capability" (FOC) and become available to agencies.

The three contractors are receiving many requests from agencies for system demonstrations. Although they may show their systems to potential customers, EDS' Morehouse emphasizes that no task orders can be signed until the program is in full operation. In the meantime, GSA is coordinating with the contractors to provide demonstrations of the three eTravel systems at agencies in Washington this spring.

WITHER PAPER?

When asked what the average traveler will most notice about eTravel, the three contractors speak as though they were one. "Less paper," says Morehouse. "It is faster, easier and paperless," says Anderson-Hager. "It's a completely integrated and paperless system," says Hergenroether, who adds that travelers will see much faster voucher processing.

All three eTravel products will allow travelers to book airline tickets and make hotel and rental car reservations. They also will retain travel authorization information and other data so travelers can easily submit their vouchers upon their return. The products' voucher systems will permit split disbursements, so payments can be divided between travel card issuers and individual travelers. Because the products are Web-based, travelers will be able to access their itineraries from any location-a helpful feature for dealing with last-minute changes on the road. In addition, like most online booking systems, all three vendors' systems will provide a variety of resources, such as links to information about travel destinations, and will store information about travelers' preferences, such as window or aisle seating. Of course, all three systems comply with requirements for accommodating users with disabilities.

The eTravel program seems destined to raise expectations for e-government services. After all, what's not to like about an integrated, Web-based, governmentwide travel program launched within three years? That's lightning speed.