MCLEAN, Va., Aug. 5, 2010 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) GovTrip program achieved a significant milestone with the successful launch of GovTrip 2.0. GovTrip is a Web-based travel service that streamlines reservations, travel authorizations, expense reimbursements and management functions for federal government travel.

Based on feedback from the General Services Administration's (GSA) user group, customer satisfaction surveys and a Northrop Grumman Lean Six Sigma Study, a comprehensive 15-month project to simplify the service was launched. Utilizing a usability expert, a GovTrip 2.0 prototype was developed and agencies were engaged for feedback on navigation and workflow options with the final decision to deploy made by the GovTrip Advisory Council led by GSA.

"Northrop Grumman has been committed to customer satisfaction in developing GovTrip 2.0, working collaboratively with GSA and government end-users to provide a more intuitive service that increases online utilization through efficient travel processing," said Dan Gildea, Northrop Grumman's GovTrip program manager.

The principal focus of the project was making travel processes intuitive for the infrequent traveler, by providing step-by-step guidance, reducing clicks and eliminating pop-ups and screen refreshes.  In addition, a "power user" process has been implemented to allow experienced users to rapidly expedite common tasks.  The project also added Web 2.0 technologies into the GovTrip service and improved performance for assistive technology users while still ensuring user compliance with Federal Travel Regulation requirements.

"Customer feedback has been very positive," Gildea said. "Recently a customer wrote: 'I just wanted you to know how much I like your re-design. Someone took my suggestion to heart. Not only is the program more intuitive, it allows me to check my steps as I go.   In other words, I am able to see more clearly what I have done right after I do it. Thanks for your thoughtful efforts. I do enjoy using GovTrip and I appreciate the new graphics.'"

In 2003, GSA's Federal Acquisition Service awarded contracts to Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector and two other companies to provide the Web-enabled service. GovTrip 2.0 takes it to the next level by improving the customer's experience while providing consolidation, transparency and cost containment. It gives federal agencies access to a transaction fee-based service, eliminating the capital expense of building and maintaining separate administrative systems for travel processing. The online service replaced more than 250 independent, disconnected travel approval and reimbursement processes that were paper-based and required manual data entry into agency financial systems.

GovTrip customers include the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Treasury/Internal Revenue Service, Health and Human Services, Interior, Energy, as well as the Government Accountability Office, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Smithsonian Institution and other cross-serviced organizations.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information. 

  CONTACT:  Christy Whitman
          Northrop Grumman Information Systems
          (571) 213-5302
          christine.whitman@ngc.com