My agency selected an E-Gov Travel System (ETS) in June 2004. Once the selection was made, we had to develop an implementation plan that not only included the ETS itself but also to switch to a new travel management center (TMC). My agency decided to go with the imbedded TMC that is partnered with the vendor of our ETS.
Throughout the implementation, we had to create business rules that the TMC would follow. A couple topics that are included in our business rules are:
- Centrally Billed Accounts (CBA)
- Non-Refundable Tickets
Some of the agencies that we service still use CBA’s for airline reservations. Usually if the CBA is going to be used, the airline reservation is for a new traveler that does not yet have a government issued individually billed credit card. However, many agencies require that a specific individual be contacted regarding any charges to the CBA. During the implementation, we had to provide the contact information for each CBA to the TMC so that this procedure could remain intact.
Another item that we addressed during implementation was Non-Refundable tickets. Each of the agencies that we service is very different depending on their agency mission. Some agencies require special approval for non-refundable tickets but other agencies just require the normal approving official. We also had to determine the rules for how this situation would be handled if the traveler called the TMC directly versus selecting the flight within the ETS. All of this information needed to be documented by the TMC prior to deployment.
The business rules are a very important part of our relationship with the TMC and therefore are continually updated to cover new situations.
By Kim Fordyce
Disclaimer: The contents of this message are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the Government or my agency. Use of this equipment is consistent with the agency’s policy governing limited personal use.