ACTE corporate members joining eBuyerSolutions.com can now save 40 percent off the standard fee! eBuyerSolutions.com -- a web-based procurement site for travel buyers -- maintains corporate Requests for Proposal (RFPs) for each key area of travel management and Request for Information (RFI) data from suppliers. The site provides a vehicle and tools to expedite a supplier bid project, while enabling the buyer to completely control the process (as proposals and financial information are sent directly to the buyer, not through the site.)

ACTE members who join as "buyers" can utilize the site and its support tools to conduct research or to complete an entire supplier bid process for Travel Agency, Hotels, Technology, Payment System, etc. Buyers can select bidders from a list of participants to start a project and expedite the completion of the process by several weeks. The buyer can also utilize evaluation tools to compare proposals received from bidders. "Although many of our business decisions are still based on relationships, eBuyerSolutions will provide the forum to compare the nuts and bolts of the bids in an easier, more efficient way" said Lynn Brunner, Travel Manager from HCA Healthcare.

The supplier RFI Criteria is structured so that each key area of service is addressed with detail supporting capability. With an "RFI Response" already available for research, the buyer can select his/her bidders and send a structured RFP that addresses the parameters for a bid, details of the corporate travel program and service priorities. Bill Davidson, Travel Manager from Sematech after looking at the site and joining as a corporate buyer, said: "it looks like you've been able to pull together what we all need...a simplified method of soliciting proposals and analyzing them."

The RFPs in the site allow for domestic and multinational travel agency bids. Numerous financial proformas are also available utilizing any currency. The proformas allow the buyer to review financial offers in a structured manner with "apples to apples" comparison.

The site is now open with four components: Travel Agency, Hotel, Technology (on-line Booking) and Payment. Other components such as Auto Rental, Limousine, Airline, Air Charter and Meetings Management will be open this fall. The supplier participants include travel management companies, such as; American Express, Carlson Wagonlit, Rosenbluth, World Travel Partners, TQ3 Maritz, Navigant, Omega, Total Travel Management and Travel & Transport. Other supplier participants include: KDS, i:FAO, e-Travel, Galileo, TRX, American Express (CTO and Corporate Card), MasterCard, U.S. Bank and a database of over 20,000 hotels.

Suppliers are very supportive of the site as viewed by Ellen Mughal, vice president of marketing at TQ3 Maritz. "We at TQ3 were eager to participate in the eBuyer site. We believe it offers prospective clients the opportunity to get a high-level overview of our services in a very efficient manner", said Mughal. "e-BuyerSolutions allows buyers to easily evaluate a core set of solutions and services offered by leading providers - Rosenbluth applauds ACTE's endorsement." Hal Rosenbluth.

Colleen Guhin, Global Travel Manager for ON Semiconductor, and a board member of ACTE, said; "It's too bad we didn't have this tool a couple of years ago, when we completed several projects. I think the RFPs and other tools will prove to be a valuable resource for travel managers. I'm using the eBuyerSolutions hotel program for my RFP process this year."

The site has an electronic hotel RFP program using industry standard formats. It also offers alternative pricing with options that allow the buyer to share the cost of the bid process with selected hotel properties. Buyers only pay an RFP fee for proposals that are rejected and hotels pay a small fee for an excepted bid. "Our intent was to create a fee scenario that supported and encouraged a high quality hotel program rather than just sending out RFPs to a large number of properties that would not normally be accepted", said Ralph D. Brown, President of eBuyerSolutions.

ACTE corporate members will be able to join as buyers for an initial fee of $255, which is 40% off the publicly listed fee on the site. The annual renewal fee for ACTE members is $60. There are no other fees for conducting research or a bid project except for the hotel program fees, which are tiered based on volume and can be requested through the site. To visit the site and/or join as a buyer go to: eBuyerSolutions.com. Members must indicate that they are ACTE members when requesting information or joining the site.