GSA awards contract for e-travel data analysis

The General Services Administration has awarded TRX Data Services a five-year contract to develop systems to help the government make the best use of its E-Gov Travel Service program.The contract has a one-year base, with four one-year options, valued at $9.2 million over the five years, according to a notice published on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site.Under the contract, TRX will create tools for consolidating and analyzing travel data, so that government officials get a better understanding of the money being spent on airfare, car rentals, lodging and similar expenses.That data will help officials evaluate and refine federal travel policy and contracts, "leveraging its relationships with suppliers and optimizing the end user experience for both managers and travelers," according to the original statement of objectives.Data sources include the four travel program contractors, multiple travel charge card vendors, travel management offices and travel service companies, such as car rental firms and hotels.In the initial phase of the program, TRX will focus on consolidating data and generating basic management information reports. "The government presently has very limited capability for management information reporting of its travel usage and spend," according to the statement of objectives.In the future, however, TRX will develop business intelligence tools so government officials can dig deeper into the data, identifying trends that may not be readily apparent in standard reports.The contractor is expected to draw on both commercial and government best practices to help establish federal business intelligence and travel standards, the solicitation states.E-Gov Travel is one of President Bush’s 24 E-Gov initiatives on the President’s Management Agenda. It is an interagency initiative aimed at efficiency, cost savings and better service through an automated and integrated approach to managing government travel.