Avendra and BirchStreet Announce Strategic Partnership

New Agreement Couples the Complementary Offerings of Two Leading Companies in the Hospitality Market

BirchStreet Systems, the hospitality industry’s leading e-procurement and purchasing system provider, announced a new agreement with Avendra, the largest supply chain and procurement services company in the hospitality segment. Under the agreement, BirchStreet is named Avendra’s preferred provider of e-procurement technology, making the BirchStreet platform available to all of Avendra’s current 5,000 hospitality customers and all new Avendra customers. Avendra is also named as BirchStreet’s preferred procurement service provider in the hotel industry, ensuring unique advantages to Avendra customers who choose to utilize BirchStreet’s e-procurement platform.

Since 2001, Avendra has been providing comprehensive procurement services to the hospitality industry in the form of reduced costs, supply chain assurance, customer support and innovative solutions.  BirchStreet Systems provides the technology that helps customers take their cost savings to additional levels by automating manual purchasing tasks, providing in-depth visibility into purchasing activities across the organization, facilitating streamlined commerce with suppliers, and enabling integration with other processes and systems related to purchasing functions.

"We are excited about the synergy that comes from aligning our strategic supply chain management capabilities with BirchStreet’s web-based e-procurement platform.  In tandem, we can craft an end-to-end solution for clients who are interested in supporting their operations with best-in-class procurement practices covering sourcing responsibilities all the way through the point-of-order entry," said Avendra Chief Financial Officer Robert Heaton "As a further advantage, ramp-up time will be minimal, since more than 75 percent of our contracted suppliers already participate in the BirchStreet system - making it even easier for our customers to quickly adopt their e-procurement solution," Heaton said.

BirchStreet Systems Chief Executive Officer John F. Davis III said, "Since many of our customers already use Avendra as their procurement and sourcing solution, we’ve worked together for many years and we recognize Avendra’s expertise and leadership in the hospitality segment.  This new contract deepens that relationship, and together we can deliver a solution that increases the benefits and cost savings that BirchStreet can bring."

"Traditionally, BirchStreet’s customers have been larger hotel companies that already have their own purchasing departments," Davis continued. "This new alliance enables BirchStreet to approach more mid-tier or smaller hotel companies and offer Avendra's supply chain and procurement support services along with our e-procurement platform."

About Avendra
Avendra is North America’s leading procurement services company serving hospitality-related industries. Avendra customers gain access to contracts leveraging $3 billion of annual purchases, expert advisory services and in-depth purchasing data and analysis Through Avendra, customers obtain substantial savings on their purchases and other value added services to improve their operations and bottom line results Formed in 2001, the company is headquartered in Rockville, MD and has regional offices throughout the United States and Canada. For more information, please call toll free, (866) AVENDRA, visit www.avendra.com, or email inquiries to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

About BirchStreet Systems, Inc.

As the recognized leader in the hospitality market, BirchStreet provides its web-based e-procurement platform to restaurants, country clubs and some of the world’s largest hotel companies including Hilton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott International, Inc., Omni Hotels and Interstate Hotels and Resorts. BirchStreet’s applications are delivered over the Internet, using the "Software-as-a-Service" (SaaS) model, which reduces the total cost of ownership compared with the traditional method of buying and maintaining enterprise software. Currently, more than 36,000 registered users at over 3,000 properties in 35 countries utilize BirchStreet to access and manage more than 160,000 suppliers. Formed in 2002, BirchStreet is privately held and has offices in Newport Beach, California, New Delhi, India and Dallas, Texas. For more information on BirchStreet Systems, please visit www.BirchStreet.net or follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/BirchStreetSys.

Note to Editors:  Executive photos or hotel customer photos available upon request

MEDIA CONTACT

Stephanie Olsen
Lages & Associates
T 949.453.8080
F 949 453 8242
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Kerry Fedro
Lages & Associates
T 949.453.8080
F 949 453 8242
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Lindsay Hargett
Avendra
301-825-0500
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