A UNIQUE agreement has been signed by Avis Fleet Services and leisure company Whitbread which could revolutionise the shape of leasing and fleet management contracts. The 'partnership sourcing' deal covers Whitbread's 2,851-vehicle multi-marque fleet and is based on a management charter which enshrines a radical new long-term relationship.

The open-ended rolling contract is the first partnership sourcing contract in the fleet industry and supports a concept backed by the Confederation of British Industry and the Department of Trade and Industry. It rejects the traditional adversarial relationships where the supplier is chosen on price considerations and told what to supply.

Chris Scott, Whitbread's director of facilities management, said: 'Rather than waste internal management time by going out to tender year after year, we are able to concentrate on positive measures to add quality, value and mutual benefit.' Avis Fleet Services' performance will be measured against up to five other leasing companies on a six-monthly basis as well as published data relating to residual value and maintenance performance.