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Presidential Initiatives

E-Gov Travel

Program Managers

  • Timothy Burke
  • Frank Robinson, Deputy

Managing Partner

General Services Administration (GSA)

Description

A government-wide, web-based service that applies world-class travel management practices to consolidate federal travel, minimize cost and produce superior customer satisfaction. The E-Gov Travel Service is commercially hosted to minimize technology costs to the government and guarantee refreshed functionality. From travel planning and authorization to reimbursement, this end-to-end service streamlines travel management and will enable the government to capture real time visibility into the buying choices of travelers and assist agencies in optimizing their travel budgets while saving taxpayers money.

Progress to Date

  • Developed government-wide inventory and business case defining cost benefits and high-level agency requirements
  • Agencies submitted E-Gov Travel Service (ETS) migration plans
  • Awarded ETS master contracts
  • Published amendment to the Federal Travel Regulation requiring full deployment of ETS by September 2006
  • Granted Full Operational Capability to ETS vendors
  • Over 70 agencies have placed ETS task orders and have begun deployment or plan to deploy in FY 2006-7
  • Established ETS User Groups
  • Service Level Agreements were developed with the ETS vendors
  • Began monitoring customer satisfaction and measuring performance goals

Next Steps

  • Continue customer service support from the E-Gov Travel Program Office to ensure agencies experience a successful migration to ETS
  • Continue monitoring customer satisfaction and measuring performance goals
  • Begin to utilize the data generated through ETS to support world-class travel management practices
  • Full implementation of ETS

Web Site

www.gsa.gov/egovtravel

Performance

E-Travel Metrics

Exhibit 300

Managing Partner Agency Exhibit 300

 

President Bush’s E-Government Initiative reflects his commitment to employ the latest technology to create a more efficient, citizen-centered Federal government. E-Government makes good business sense by making it simpler for citizens, business and government to receive timely, quality services. Through the use of Web-based technologies, government and citizens can now be closely linked, rapid access to the government information realized, and real efforts undertaken to streamline agency operations to eliminate bureaucratic waste by consolidating duplicative services and programs.

The E-Gov Travel Initiative, launched in response to the President’s Management Agenda to improve the internal efficiency of the Federal government, addresses the challenge of reengineering the government’s travel function. It is a collaborative, inter-agency initiative whose purpose is to realize the efficiencies, cost-savings and increased service associated with a common approach to managing Civilian Agency’s travel function.

Background:

Prior to E-Gov Travel there was a decentralized model for handling travel operations within the Federal Government. The administrative structure was labor intensive, inconsistent in its ability to deliver common processes & procedures, and unable to effectively monitor travel operations at an agency-level. Individual agencies, in fact, operated standalone travel information systems that were duplicative in functionality and, in many cases, unable to handle integrated electronic voucher processing. Other agencies, by contrast, relied heavily on antiquated, paper-based systems for travel planning, vouchering, and reimbursement -- all of which can lead to errors, approval delays and payment delinquencies.

The Vision for E-Gov Travel

E-Gov Travel Service is leveraging proven industry practices with best-of-breed technologies to deliver a common, automated approach for managing the Government’s travel function. The new E-Gov Travel Service will significantly improve the efficiency of the Government’s travel management function by:

  • Creating a common platform and eliminating inefficient, stovepipe systems
  • Broadening the range of travel-related services available to federal employees while complying with travel policy
  • Providing immediate agency cost savings through on-line transaction processing
  • Creating a self-service environment that is both easy-to-use and customer focused
  • Unifying data government-wide and maximizing distribution channels

Embracing the Future

E-Commerce has enabled the development of the E-Gov Travel Service- from travel authorization & reservations to payment of travel claims & voucher reconciliation. Both federal travelers and travel arrangers will be able to prepare and submit travel information electronically through a PC, laptop, or handheld electronic device-anytime, anywhere. On-line budget information, standardized audit reports and expedited approvals will now be possible. In sum, the E-Gov Travel Service provides significant value through its consolidation, standardization, and automation of federal travel planning and management.