Alexandria, VA – The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) today provided a first look at the new Online Booking Tool request-for-proposal (RFP) template, which will be made available to attendees of the 2009 NBTA International Convention & Exposition in San Diego, August 23-26. Designed to serve as an industry standard, the new RFP will serve as a comprehensive guide to the key considerations when choosing online booking tool alternatives.

The new NBTA Online Booking Tool (OBT) RFP template was created by the NBTA Technology Committee with valuable industry insight from OBT vendors, travel management companies (TMCs) and corporate travel managers to serve companies of all sizes with both domestic and global reach. Businesses can customize the RFP to include only necessary features based on the specific needs and demographics of a company.

NBTA Technology Committee Chair Dianne Bradley said, “This is the first of its kind that we’re aware of. For years our colleagues have sought a standardized form to use when considering online booking tool vendors. We listened and, after carefully gathering insights from all industry sectors, we have not only a flexible, customizable template, but one also built to address the rapid pace of technology development and transition.”

The RFP template has 19 sections that cover issues such as profile management, implementation, non-travel services, security and privacy, and mobile services. The template also offers insights into the role of OBTs in a managed travel program, the benefits of using an OBT, and other important considerations regarding content.

NBTA Technology Committee Vice-Chair Theo Szymanski commented, “As we all know, technology advances faster than most can keep up with. We designed the RFP with this mind and plan to review the template annually to address any vital updates to keep pace with functionality changes.”

The Online Booking Tool RFP will be available on USB drive wrist bands to attendees of the 2009 NBTA Convention at the Discover NBTA booth (#1127). The Technology Committee will offer a detailed look at the RFP in Educational Session MB5 – Announcing the NBTA Model RFP for Online Booking Tools, to be held Monday, 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. in the San Diego Convention Center. The toolkit will also be available on NBTA’s website: .

About the 2009 NBTA International Convention & Exposition | Widely recognized as the must-attend event for business travel buyers, suppliers, industry leaders and business travel journalists, the 2009 NBTA International Convention & Exposition will be held in San Diego August 23-26, 2009. More than 5,000 travel professionals are expected to take advantage of the Convention’s programming, designed to empower attendees to maximize value for their companies, including more than 65 seminars on the most important topics in business travel, more than 400 companies exhibiting in the Expo and countless opportunities for networking with peers. For details, visit .

About the Global Business Travel Association

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world's premier business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents. GBTA's members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA delivers world-class education, events, research, advocacy, and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts.

About the GBTA Foundation

The mission of the GBTA Foundation, the US 501c3 charitable arm of GBTA, is to help the global business travel industry create a positive impact and a better future for people and the planet. The GBTA Foundation focuses on the strategy and execution of GBTA's global sustainability programs, supporting initiatives related to climate action; diversity, equity and inclusion; and other talent-related topics via education, research and advocacy.

Nicole Hayes
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