HBA to tie-in to government procurement system
BSI has struck a deal to become the first hotel booking agent (HBA) to integrate with Zanzibar, an e-procurement system used by the UK's Treasury department.
Zanzibar, delivered by software company ProcServe, is used to deliver a number of services with BSI providing hotel bookings.
BSI said the "dynamic nature of hotel bookings required a bespoke solution which ProcServe and BSI successfully implemented."
It is BSI's second UK public sector deal this year after it was awarded the Crown Prosecution Service's (CPS) accommodation contract.
BSI said Zanzibar had been singled out by British Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling as a means to support UK public sector procurement savings.
Zanzibar was also pinpointed in the UK government's Operation Efficiency Programme (OEP) and in its 2009 treasury budget.
Trevor Elswood, BSI Group's managing director, said: "Based on the OEP recommendations and 2009 budget statement we expect to see a greater take up of Zanzibar across the public sector.
"BSI is now well placed to provide superior payment processes to this market place."
ProcServe's chief executive Veera Johnson said: "The announcement by Alistair Darling is great news not only for the Zanzibar community of marketplaces but for all Public Sector suppliers such as BSI.
"Public Sector organisations have been given a clear recommendation by the Chancellor to use collaborative contracts."
www.BSI.co.uk www.procserve.com