RFx Glossary

Plain English definitions of corporate travel procurement terms, including RFI, RFP, RFQ, TMC, evaluation criteria, and weighted scoring.

  • RFx: The umbrella term for the formal requests a buyer sends to suppliers: RFI, RFP, RFQ, and EOI. The “x” stands for whichever type of request is being run.
  • RFP: Request for Proposal — a formal document asking TMCs to submit detailed proposals covering service, technology, pricing, and implementation plans.
  • RFI: Request for Information — a discovery exercise to understand TMC capabilities before committing to a full RFP.
  • RFQ: Request for Quote — asks pre-qualified TMCs to provide comparable pricing for specific services.
  • EOI: Expression of Interest — a quick check to see which TMCs are interested in your program, before launching a formal process.
  • Bidder's Conference: A structured Q&A session where all invited suppliers receive the same answers simultaneously — ensures fairness.
  • Intent to Respond: A formal signal from a supplier confirming they plan to submit a response. Helps buyers gauge participation before the deadline.
  • Shortlist: A reduced list of suppliers who passed initial evaluation and will proceed to detailed assessment or presentations.
  • Evaluation Criteria: The categories and weights a buyer uses to score proposals. Industry best practice is to share these with suppliers.
  • Weighted Scoring: An evaluation method where each criterion has a percentage weight reflecting its importance. Weights must sum to 100%.
  • Award: The formal decision to select a TMC. Triggers contract negotiation and transition planning.
  • Debrief: A post-award feedback session where the buyer explains scoring outcomes to non-winning suppliers.
  • TMC: Travel Management Company — a company that manages corporate travel bookings, policy compliance, and traveler support.
  • Managed Travel: A corporate travel program where employees book through approved channels, usually a TMC, so the company can apply travel policy, support travelers, and report on spend.
  • GDS: Global Distribution System — platforms like Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport that connect travel suppliers with booking agents.
  • NDC: New Distribution Capability — an airline industry standard enabling direct booking connections, bypassing traditional GDS.
  • OBT: Online Booking Tool — software travelers use to search and book flights, hotels, and cars (e.g., SAP Concur, Navan).
  • Duty of Care: An organization's obligation to protect employees during business travel — includes tracking, alerts, and emergency support.
  • City Pairs: Common origin-destination routes in a travel program (e.g., NYC-LON). Used mainly in airline-specific RFPs.
  • IATA: International Air Transport Association — the trade association for airlines. IATA codes identify airports and cities.
  • SLA: Service Level Agreement — measurable commitments from the TMC (e.g., 95% of calls answered within 20 seconds).
  • Preferred Supplier: A hotel chain, airline, or car rental company with a negotiated corporate rate.
  • Program Compliance: The percentage of bookings made through approved channels and within policy guidelines.
  • Transaction Fee: A fee charged per booking (air, hotel, car). The most common TMC pricing model for mid-market programs.
  • Per-Trip Fee: A single fixed fee per trip, covering all bookings and services. Simpler than per-transaction pricing.
  • Management Fee: A flat monthly fee covering program oversight, reporting, and account management.
  • Subscription Fee: A fixed monthly or annual fee based on traveler count. Predictable costs regardless of booking volume.
  • Commission Rebate: A TMC pricing model where the TMC returns a portion of supplier commissions to the client.
  • Bundled Pricing: Multiple services (bookings, OBT license, reporting) packaged at a single price.
  • Cost-Plus: TMC costs passed through to client with an agreed markup percentage.
  • Performance-Based Pricing: Fees tied to measurable outcomes such as savings delivered, adoption rates, or SLA compliance.
  • Profiling System: Software that stores traveler preferences, frequent flyer numbers, passport details, and policy rules.
  • API Integration: A technical connection between two systems allowing automated data exchange.
  • PNR: Passenger Name Record — the booking record in a GDS containing traveler and itinerary details.
  • Expense Integration: Connecting the TMC's booking data with the company's expense management system (e.g., SAP Concur Expense).
  • SSO: Single Sign-On — allows employees to access the booking tool using their company login credentials.
  • Win Probability: Gazzebo's AI-calculated estimate of how likely a supplier is to win an RFx, based on evaluation criteria and historical data.
  • GIA: Gazzebo Intelligent Assistant — the platform's AI that helps with searches, recommendations, and document analysis.
  • Coverage Explorer: A tool for visualizing which countries and regions a TMC serves directly vs. through partners.
  • Smart Discovery: AI-powered supplier matching that finds TMCs aligned with your program requirements.
  • Template Learning: An AI system that learns from successful RFx documents to suggest better templates over time.
  • Verified Buyer: A buyer whose email has been verified by the platform, adding credibility to their reviews.
  • Enhanced Profiler: A detailed supplier profile with structured data on capabilities, coverage, technology, and pricing.