Cendant Corp.
[NYSE: CD] and its Galileo International subsidiary, Highwire, Inc.,
today announced the introduction of Travelport(TM) for Federal Government, an end-to-end travel procurement and expense management solution for government agencies.
Travelport provides Cendant entree to the $20 billion federal government and defense department e-travel market.
Cendant
designed the new solution to fulfill the Federal Government General Services Agency request for an integrated e-travel platform to meet the eTravel Initiative requirements outlined in President Bush`s e-Government Strategy. To drive processing efficiencies and cost savings, the eTravel Initiative calls for the use of improved technologies and one-stop, integrated travel services for all federal employees.

“Much like the private sector, government organizations are increasingly challenged to manage their travel resources efficiently and increase employee productivity,” commented Sam Katz
, Cendant`s chief strategic officer, chairman and CEO of the Travel Distribution Division. “Bringing together leading industry solutions, best practices for travel and an advanced technology framework, our new solution is designed to revolutionize government travel.”

“Based on Highwire`s success with corporate customers using our online booking solution, we`ve enhanced Travelport to meet the government`s needs and create significant value for travel agencies across the country who service the federal government,” said Highwire CEO Marka Jenkins.

Travelport for Federal Government combines Gelco Expense Management`s Gelco Travel Manager(TM), a government travel and expense management application, with Highwire`s robust online booking engine, creating an integrated, end-to-end solution on a single platform.

“Gelco is extremely pleased to be a part of Cendant`s Travelport solution,” said Jon Klem, president and CEO, Gelco Expense Management. “Cendant and Highwire bring corporate expertise and best practices to the federal market that can be applied to help all government organizations achieve positive results. Combined with Gelco`s century of travel expense management expertise working with multiple government agencies, we believe we`ve helped create a best-of-breed, comprehensive e-travel solution that will drive cost efficiencies and improve traveler satisfaction.”

Realizing that many federal agencies already have made technology investments and have current travel management contracts in operation, Travelport provides a framework that allows for the flexibility required to encourage and promote swift adoption, without displacing existing travel services contracts or current implementations of travel expense systems.

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