WASHINGTON -- Carlson Wagonlit Government Travel, Electronic Data
Systems and Northrop Grumman Mission Systems can vie for their
share of a $450 million, 10-year contract to provide automated
travel services to federal government workers now that the U.S.
General Services Administration declared that the "E-Travel Service
vendors are ready to go."
The much-delayed ETS booking solution was supposed to be ready
for rollout in the first quarter. But, the GSA said May 17 that
eight government agencies are expected to place orders for the
service by the end of June.
All federal government agencies are required to begin implementing
ETS by the end of the year, with full deployment slated for Sept.
30, 2006.
The initiative is expected to halve federal travel management
costs over the next decade, the GSA said.
The government agency noted that since January it conducted a
pilot ETS program with Federal Aviation Administration employees in
Oklahoma City. Some 200 FAA staffers used ETS to book foreign and
domestic trips and 75% booked online, the GSA said.