Overview of the STSI
What is the Shared Travel Services Initiative
(STSI)?
What service does the STSI provide?
What made the STSI necessary?
How is the contract for the government travel services
being managed?
What
is the Shared Travel Services Initiative (STSI)?
The STSI provides improved travel services for travellers,
streamlined travel processes for departments, and savings for taxpayers.
As one of the first shared services for the Government of
Canada, the STSI has brought together all of the government’s travel needs
into one integrated end-to-end solution.
The Shared Travel Services Initiative (STSI) is a Government
of Canada initiative jointly led by Public Works and Government Services
Canada (PWGSC) and the Treasury Board Secretariat.
Under the STSI, the contract for the delivery of government
travel services was awarded to Accenture and its team of subcontractors,
which includes American Express, Concur Technologies and Bell Canada. Collectively,
the services provided by the contractor are known as Travel AcXess Voyage
(TAV).
The key objectives of the initiative are to:
- Provide a user experience and business insight like never
before;
- Improve the travel process for employees;
- To actively manage travel commodity, which will enable the Government
of Canada to negotiate better rates and share these benefits with employees.
What
service does the STSI provide?
The Shared Travel Services Initiative (STSI) provides all
travel services for the Government of Canada with the TAV solution.
The travel services are integrated and automated, and include
all steps of the travel process from planning and booking a trip through
to expense claim settlement.
In 2004, the STSI introduced the Designated Travel Card (DTC),
the Travel Call Centre, and the On-line Booking Tool (OBT). The Expense
Management Tool (EMT) is currently being introduced to departments and agencies
and is expected to be fully implemented by end-of-year 2006.
This final piece will make the travel solution fully integrated
with the added benefit of providing a current and full picture of travel
spending in departments and agencies.
What made the STSI necessary?
The policies, structure, tools and business processes underlying
the previous travel program were seen to be creating an unnecessary labour
and administrative burden for employees, managers and administrative personnel,
while failing to address the government's full information, oversight and
decision-making requirements.
In addition, the travel industry has undergone a period of
unprecedented change in recent years. The events of September 11, 2001, combined
with economic downturn, served to accelerate the restructuring of the travel
industry that began in the mid-1990s.
Against this backdrop, the government moved to modernize its
travel policies and practices. On October 1, 2001, the Treasury Board of
Canada Secretariat (TBS) implemented a new Travel Directive, developed in
conjunction with the National Joint Council (NJC). The National Joint Council
is a forum for employer and unions to work together on labour and management
issues.
The STSI is one of several non-legislated initiatives related
to the modernization of human resources management.
How is the contract for the government
travel services being managed?Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is responsible
for government procurement and together with the Shared Travel Services Initiative
(STSI) is managing the contract for the government travel services.
The contract is being closely monitored and the STSI is working
collaboratively with Accenture and its partners to identify and correct any
issues that may arise. Additionally, an Assistant Deputy Minister-level Senior
Project Advisory Committee (SPAC), with the participation of several key
departments, has been established to ensure that user interests and issues
are addressed.
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