Senate Protects Small Firms on e-Travel The Senate voted to reserve 23% of contract dollars under GSA’s e-Travel program for small businesses. The House earlier voted to block GSA from spending any money on the program after small travel agencies complained that they would be shut out. A House-Senate conference committee will craft the final language in the Transportation Treasury appropriations bill. The three companies that were awarded e-Travel contracts — Northrop Grumman Corp., EDS and CW Government Travel Inc. – maintain that smaller firms will be able to access their systems, but many small travel agencies say that would leave them at the mercy of the larger companies. The Society of Government Travel Professionals, made up of travel agencies and federal travel managers, has opposed e-Travel. The group contends it would cost agencies more to deal with small business under the program.