START Overview
START, Napa Group's system for Short Term Adjustable Rate Trading, is a browser-based application developed specifically for the unique needs of auction rate, variable rate, and other short-term securities.
Hover over the diagram for more information.
START sends data via SAPI to STARTex, Napa Group's public website for buy-side investors, issuers, trustees, and obligors.
SAPI (START Application Programming Interface) is a series of tightly-knit components that allow data to flow in and out of START.
NapaHub is a free service that securely routes data from START. Using NapaHub saves your IT department from having to configure separate connections with each endpoint.
Auction Rate Securities are very unique in the bond market and historically involve too much manual processing. START automates the order capture and delivery, position management, and all calculations. It also seamlessly integrates with the auction agents and other dealers on the street.
Variable Rate Securities are gaining in popularity and require a proper system to handle the remarketing responsibilities. START handles position tracking, trade entry and allocation, and all issuer billing functionality. START also seamlessly integrates with Bloomberg and
STARTex to show out your inventory offerings and accept trades.
Commercial Paper has been a mainstay of the short term municipal market and now dealers can use START to handle all of their CP remarketing needs. Dealers can manage investor rolls and right of first refusal, creation of scales and tranches, primary and secondary trading, CUSIP generation and management, redemptions and electronic issuer billing.
START captures all Tender Options Bond trades and tracks your inventory and customer's positions. The system also stores a full security master for all your TOB deals.
START sends orders electronically to Napa Group's eGavel and other auction agent systems. Those same systems send min/max rates, auction results, settlement transfers, and reconciliation files back to START.
START uses SAPI to electronically send inventory offerings, orders, auction results, settlement instructions, min/max rates, price talk, and much more to other dealers using START.
Even dealers not using START can electronically "tap in" to NapaHub to send information to other dealers.
Using SAPI, BondDesk can send orders to START. BondDesk can also request a list of securities and their rate reset information as well as get the new set of rates that were set today.
Using SAPI, START can send executed trades in real-time to Bloomberg's TOMS system.
Using SAPI, START can show out your inventory to Bloomberg's BOOM system. SAPI also pushes rates in real-time as they are released. BOOM users can enter inventory trades and have them flow down into START. They can even allocate those same trades to multiple investor accounts afterwards.