StarCite Debuts RFP Tool, Lands HelmsBriscoe As Client

StarCite last month launched a new tool that allows national sales organizations of StarCite-registered hotel chains to forward meeting requests for proposals to properties that can fulfill the requirements of that meeting, allowing property contacts to respond directly to the lead. The corporate planner must enable this functionality for the NSO to be able to forward the RFP.

The functionality, likely most suitable for larger corporations that rely on national sales offices for site selection nationwide, enables property contacts to respond to forwarded leads through StarCite's Web site, which sends the response to the planner.

"Lead forwarding allows NSOs to truly play an important, consultative role in identifying the best fit of its properties and meeting objectives or culture," said David Marks, vice president of the StarCite Online Marketplace and supplier technology sales.

Separately, independent meetings management giant HelmsBriscoe of Scottsdale, Ariz., has chosen StarCite to provide quick, online site selection, RFP and reporting services. The deal allows HelmsBriscoe's 400-plus associates to use StarCite's marketplace, which will highlight HB's preferred suppliers and contracts, and offers the ability to analyze spending by meeting, supplier, chain or spend category. HelmsBriscoe estimated it will send more than 10,000 RFPs through StarCite's marketplace during the next 12 months.

The deal also calls for the companies to develop a technology platform to combine some HB back-office functions with StarCite to improve internal business flow. "Today, less than 5 percent of all meetings use HelmsBriscoe or one of our competitors, with very little of that volume serviced online," said HB president and CEO Roger Helms. "We will continue to pressure ourselves to find ways to add value to clients and associates until that number becomes 100 percent. Having the right tools and technologies is an important part of that commitment."

The deal between StarCite and HelmsBriscoe is the latest in a string of alliances allowing third parties to distribute tools developed by online portals, most notably the separate agreements reached by PlanSoft with Conferon Inc. and ConferenceDirect. Both deals allow the independent firms to private-label and offer PlanSoft's Meeting Management Solutions suite of corporate meeting cost-control and data consolidation products. PlanSoft reached agreements with Conferon in 2001 and ConferenceDirect in January 2002.