Outsourcing Alert http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/ en 2008-05-07T19:21:49-06:00 Top Stories http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/05/top_stories_141.html ZURICH FINANCIAL EXTENDS CSC CONTRACT...Computer Sciences Corporation has signed an information technology (IT) desktop services outsourcing contract expanding the scope of services CSC provides to Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich), a world-leading, insurance-based financial services provider. The new agreement has a six-year base period at an estimated value of $399 million with a two-year extension option. Under the contract, CSC will assume responsibility for the provision of Zurich’s electronic Workplace (eWP) desktop services to its businesses in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Spain.

ACCENTURE ACQUIRES FREIGHT-MANAGEMENT COMPANY...Accenture will acquire the business of AddVal Technology Inc. (AddVal), a privately owned provider of end-to-end shipment-management products and services to global freight-management and airline-cargo companies. Based in Cupertino, Calif., AddVal has a software development center in Chennai, India. The acquisition would provide Accenture with AddVal’s industry-leading technology platform for freight order management and strengthen Accenture’s Freight and Logistics practice, which provides a wide variety of services to the global freight-management industry.

DARWINSUZSOFT REBRANDS AS DEXTRYS...Dextrys, a US-based China outsourcing firm delivering Product Engineering and Application Services, formally unveiled its new corporate identity. The rebranding evolution from DarwinSuzsoft to Dextrys is a reflection of the company's new ownership, new management, and refined business strategy.

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jbowles 2008-05-07T19:21:49-06:00
New Business http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/05/new_business_138.html Computer Sciences Corporation has signed an amendment to extend its information technology (IT) outsourcing agreement with Nortel by two years. The amendment extends the contract through November 2011. CSC will continue to provide applications support and IT call center services to Nortel’s global user community. These services leverage CSC’s World Sourcing delivery centers from around the globe to provide Nortel with a high-quality, low-cost solution.

Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. announced a renewed contract with Weld County, Colo., to provide information technology (IT) services. The contract has a length of up to 15 years and a total value of $60 million if all options are exercised. The contract provides technology services including application support, help desk, personal computers, Geographic Information Systems, web development and network support. This contract renewal was reflected in ACS' third quarter fiscal year 2008 results.

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jbowles 2008-05-07T19:21:16-06:00
International News http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/05/international_n_32.html C. Hoare & Co, England's oldest privately owned bank, has signed a five -year outsourcing deal with Capgemini to host its IT infrastructure. The deal will begin in June following a short transition, where the bank's main IT hardware will be moved from its headquarters in Fleet Street to a UK-based Capgemini data centre.

Unisys Corporation announced that its Hong Kong subsidiary has signed an IT outsourcing services contract with Hong Kong Judiciary, the institution responsible for the administration of justice in Hong Kong. Unisys was awarded the five-year contract, with an additional two-year option. The new contract, signed during end of 2007, replaces an earlier contract between Unisys and the Judiciary, which had been in place since 2001. Under this new contract, Unisys will deliver IT outsourcing services, including ongoing application support and maintenance, network infrastructure, office automation and other IT services.

WNS and Advanced Contact Solutions, (ACS) Inc. have formed a joint venture company - WNS Philippines, Inc. offering contact center services to global clients across industries. The Philippines is the third largest English-speaking nation in the world and produces 350,000 college graduates each year, thereby providing a highly-educated talent pool for the delivery of BPO services. The country's business-friendly environment and its time zone advantages make the Philippines a natural choice for providing 24x7 service to global companies, particularly those based in United States. The WNS delivery center is located in the capital city of Manila and intends to initially scale to 200 seats.

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jbowles 2008-05-07T19:20:51-06:00
Advertising Information http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/05/advertising_inf_138.html Outsourcing Alert reaches 50,000 key decision-makers a week. For advertising information and rates, contact Peter Bowes. Tel: (508)668-6908 or send an email.

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jbowles 2008-05-07T19:19:51-06:00
Top Stories http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/top_stories_140.html ACS WINS 5-YEAR-EXTENSION FROM NIKE...Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. has been awarded a five-year contract extension to provide comprehensive information technology outsourcing services to NIKE, Inc., the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories. Under the terms of the deal, ACS will supply end-to-end infrastructure services, including global datacenter, network, security, mainframe, midrange and messaging from strategically located ACS delivery centers in the United States, Asia and the Americas, including ACS' Northwest Regional Datacenter located in Hillsboro, Oregon. Additionally, ACS will provide services from NIKE datacenters located in Andover, Mass., Memphis, Tenn., and Hilversum, the Netherlands.

CONVERGYS REPORTS FIRST QUARTER...Convergys Corporation reported revenues of $716.4 million in the first quarter of 2008 compared with $719.9 million in the same period last year. EPS were $0.28. Operating income in the first quarter was $38.9 million compared to $65.2 million in the same period a year ago. The company confirmed its 2008 guidance of revenues of $2.85 to $3.0 billion and GAAP earnings of $1.31 to $1.36, per diluted share.

UNISYS REPORTS FIRST QUARTER LOSS...Unisys Corporation reported a loss of $23.4 million, or 7 cents per share, compared with a profit of $3.6 million, or a penny per share, in the year-ago period. The company's revenue dropped to $1.3 billion from $1.35 billion. Foreign currency exchange rates had an approximately 5 percentage-point positive impact on revenue in the quarter.

HEWITT ASSOCIATES ACQUIRES LCG...Hewitt Associates is expanding its suite of HR outsourcing solutions through the acquisition of LCG and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Disability Management Alternatives, LLC, an expert in employee absence management. Under the terms of the agreement, Hewitt will acquire LCG, which provides an array of integrated disability, leave and absence management solutions for mid- to large-sized employers.

CAPGEMINI NAMES NEW CMO... Christopher K. Williams has been appointed vice president and North America chief marketing officer (CMO) of Capgemini. Williams is responsible for leading the strategic positioning of the company, driving marketing and communication strategy and leveraging the company’s strong focus on innovation across the company’s consulting, technology and outsourcing services in North America.

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jbowles 2008-04-30T18:16:49-06:00
New Business http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/new_business_137.html Symcor Inc., a North American leader in payment financial transaction processing and SunTrust Banks, Inc., one of the largest financial institutions in the United States, today announced they have signed an agreement under which a significant portion of SunTrust's back-office banking operations will be outsourced to Symcor. Under the terms of the 10-year agreement, Symcor will handle SunTrust’s check clearing, lockbox processing and statement production.

EDS has been awarded a seven-year, $391 million contract by the state of Georgia to design, develop and implement a new-generation Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS). The new system will provide fiscal agent and enrollment broker services and establish electronic health records (EHRs) for Medicaid recipients. The contract was awarded in the first quarter of 2008.

The Hertz Corporation has signed a five-year contract with ICG Commerce, a leading procurement services provider, for procurement outsourcing services to support Hertz’s broader efficiency improvement and reengineering efforts. Under the contract, ICG Commerce will provide comprehensive procurement outsourcing services for Hertz’s North American and European operations. These services will help Hertz drive greater control over expenditures in buying categories including professional services, equipment and automotive, facilities, transportation, IT, benefits and marketing.

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jbowles 2008-04-30T18:16:30-06:00
International News http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/international_n_31.html Accenture has completed its acquisition of SOPIA Corporation, a privately held, Tokyo-based consulting and Information Technology solutions company specializing in Oracle systems integration. SOPIA is now part of Accenture in Japan.

Country Energy, manager of Australia’s largest power network, and IBM will work together to develop an intelligent utility network in Australia. Based on open standards, this digital system provides near real-time data and information that a utility can use to manage its grid, minimize outages, improve customer service, and source and deliver power more efficiently. It also allows customers to exert greater control over their power use.

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jbowles 2008-04-30T18:16:08-06:00
Advertising Information http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/advertising_inf_137.html Outsourcing Alert reaches 50,000 key decision-makers a week. For advertising information and rates, contact Peter Bowes. Tel: (508)668-6908 or send an email.

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jbowles 2008-04-30T18:15:21-06:00
Top Stories http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/top_stories_139.html CSC ANNOUNCES $915 MILLION IN NEW CONTRACTS...Computer Sciences Corporation announced that since Jan. 1, its North American Public Sector (NPS) business unit has signed 71 previously unannounced contracts and subcontracts during its fiscal 2008 fourth quarter, which ended March 28. These contracts have a total estimated value of approximately $915 million if all contract options are exercised. The performance periods for the contracts range from one month to ten years. Civil agencies accounted for 31 awards with a total value of approximately $416 million. The Defense Department and its agencies accounted for 40 awards with a total value of approximately $499 million.

CSC LAUNCHES NEW HEALTHCARE SECTOR...Computer Sciences Corporation announced the launch of the company's new Healthcare Sector, a dedicated vertical business unit serving healthcare providers, health plans, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers and allied industries globally. Healthcare Sector offers clients onshore and offshore expertise with the major clinical information systems, claims processing systems and enterprise content management systems used by the healthcare industry. In addition, application management services and business process outsourcing
(BPO) offerings are supported from CSC's healthcare centers in Bangalore and Chennai, India.

TRINET ACQUIRES LMC RESOURCES...TriNet, a nationwide provider of human resources outsourcing services for small and medium-sized companies, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the customer and other assets from LMC Resources, Inc., a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) based in Denver, Colorado. With this transaction, TriNet continues its strategy to augment the substantial organic growth it has experienced with acquisitions that strategically expand its customer base.

SAAS.COM ENTERS HRO SPACE...WebApps, Inc. a.k.a. SaaS.com, a leading provider of Software as a Service (SaaS) with a major push in Workforce Management Solutions, exhibited at the 2008 HRO World Conference, a human resources outsourcing (HRO) industry event. As a new member of the Human Resources Outsourcing Association (HROA), the primary association linked to the event, HRO World acted as SaaS.com’s debut into the HRO space.

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jbowles 2008-04-23T19:24:37-06:00
New Business http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/new_business_136.html Sara Lee Corporation has renewed its infrastructure outsourcing services contract with HP for additional seven years and has extended management of operations in 10 countries to more than 35. As part of the new agreement, HP will supply Sara Lee with infrastructure outsourcing services, including central and local end-user support services. HP also will provide Sara Lee with data center and network services in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Convergys Corporation has signed contract renewals and expansions with two leading financial services companies. Under terms of these renewed and expanded contracts, Convergys will provide additional live-agent support for on-going customer service, retention programs, and back office solutions, including multi-language customer care for client customers speaking Spanish, Cantonese, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, and English. Cumulatively, the contracts are valued at more than $85 million over the next three years.

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jbowles 2008-04-23T19:23:09-06:00
International News http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/international_n_30.html IBM Japan has signed an extension to its outsourcing contract with Mazda Motor Corporation to support the automaker's global operations. The agreement extends the previous contract for the December 1999 to May 2010 period by five years, and runs through 2015. The modified strategic outsourcing contract period will take effect in April 2008 for seven years through 2015. The new agreement differs from the original in that it covers not only the development, maintenance and operation of information systems, but also prioritizes human resources development to enhance Mazda's business and systems know-how. It will also strengthen the strategic relationship between the two companies.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has signed a multi-year licensing, support, and maintenance contract for Convergys’ Infinys rating and billing solution. BSNL will replace its legacy billing systems with the Convergys solution to reduce IT costs and to facilitate the introduction and deployment of new convergent services. BSNL is India’s largest and the world’s seventh largest telecommunications company providing a comprehensive range of telecom services.

Luxoft, a global provider of high-end software application and product development services to clients such as Deutsche Bank, Boeing, IBM, UBS and others, today announced it has opened a new delivery center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The opening marks the first time an Eastern European software service provider has established a presence in Vietnam. It also makes Luxoft the first outsourcing provider in its region to offer a truly global delivery model.

Croydon Council has signed an extension to its IT outsourcing deal with Capgemini, worth an estimated £83m over five years. The new deal runs until 2013 and covers all the council's IT and telecoms infrastructure and networks, 4,000 desktop PCs and key business applications, including finance, procurement and customer service.

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jbowles 2008-04-23T19:22:28-06:00
Offshore Management of IT Infrastructure Hot, Traditional Outsourcing Still Dominates Market, According to Everest Annual Report http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/alliances_135.html Remote Infrastructure Management Outsourcing (RIMO) continues to be the darling model of the sluggish Infrastructure Outsourcing (IO) market, according to the Everest Research Institute’s IT Infrastructure Outsourcing (ITO) Annual Report. Despite the overall IO market’s slow growth, predicted to crawl at a 4 percent (CAGR) growth pace over the next five years, RIMO adoption is growing at approximately 60 percent annually and is predicted to reach US $8.6 billion by 2010. Although RIMO’s adoption rate is soaring, RIMO only comprises one percent of the overall IO market with the slow-growing traditional solutions making up 75 percent of all infrastructure outsourcing arrangements.

To read more about the findings of the IT Infrastructure Outsourcing (ITO) Annual Report, an extract of the report is available at www.everestresearchinstitute.com. To purchase the report or receive more information about other research services, please e-mail info@everestresearchinstitute.com or call +1-214-451-3110.

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jbowles 2008-04-23T19:21:37-06:00
Advertising Information http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/advertising_inf_136.html Outsourcing Alert reaches 50,000 key decision-makers a week. For advertising information and rates, contact Peter Bowes. Tel: (508)668-6908 or send an email.

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jbowles 2008-04-23T19:20:59-06:00
Top Stories http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/top_stories_138.html COMPUCOM ACHIEVES ISO 20000...CompuCom Systems has achieved International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 20000 certification, the international standard for IT Service Management (ITSM). Based on the adoption of Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) best practices, the ISO 20000 certification is one of many standards and framework components CompuCom follows and benchmarks the company’s industry-leading delivery of IT services. Currently, CompuCom is one of a select few companies registered in North America.

PROCUREMENT OUTSOURCING ON A 'SEE-SAW," EVEREST STUDY FINDS...Outsourcing of procurement functions is on a “see-saw” growth path fueled by an enhanced value proposition and strong movement towards global sourcing and offshoring, according to an Everest Research Institute study of the procurement outsourcing (PO) market. Companies signed fewer procurement outsourcing deals in 2007, a number slightly below the landmark 2006 figures; however, market growth was evident as managed, non-core PO spend crossed $50 billion (US) last year, according to the Institute’s study, Procurement Outsourcing (PO) Annual Report.

SCRIPPS TAPS ADP FOR HR SERVICES...The E. W. Scripps Company (Scripps) has selected ADP to provide comprehensive HR, payroll, benefits, pre-employment and related services to support its more than 9,000 employees. Scripps is a diverse media corporation with interests in national lifestyle cable networks, newspaper publishing, broadcast television stations, electronic commerce, interactive media, and licensing and syndication.

WNS ACQUIRES UK AUTO-INSURANCE PROCESSING FIRM... WNS(Holdings) Limited has acquired Call 24/7 Ltd., an auto insurance-claims-processing services provider in the United Kingdom. WNS will integrate Call 24/7 into WNS Assistance, a division of WNS Global Services Ltd. UK, and a subsidiary of WNS. The deal will enable WNS to extend its market leadership position in accident claims management in the UK.

TRIZETTO GROUP ACQUIRED; WILL GO PRIVATE...The TriZetto Group, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired and taken private by funds advised by Apax Partners, a growth-focused, global private equity firm with $35 billion in funds under advice and significant expertise in healthcare and technology. Under the terms of the agreement and plan of merger, TriZetto shareholders will receive $22.00 per share in cash, representing a 29% premium over the 30 calendar-day average closing price of the company’s stock. The transaction is valued at approximately $1.4 billion, including consideration for stock options and shares related to TriZetto's outstanding convertible notes. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and The Regence Group, both customers of TriZetto, are providing a portion of the funding for the transaction and will be equity investors in the newly private company.

EQUIFAX BUYS RUSSIAN FOOTPRINT...Equifax Inc. has agreed to acquire a 28 percent equity stake in Global Payments Credit Services LLC (GPCS), a leading credit information company in Russia, from Global Payments Europe, s.r.o., a subsidiary of Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN),and Home Credit and Finance Bank of Russia (Home Credit).

SATYAM WINS GLOBAL AWARDS...Satyam BPO, the business process outsourcing arm of Satyam's global business and IT services company, has won two prestigious Shared Services Excellence awards from the International Quality and Productivity Council. The company was honored in Orlando, Fla, during Shared Services Week, a conference organized by IQPC. Satyam BPO was a winner in the 'Best Business Process Outsource Provider' and the first runner-up in the 'Best Customer Service Delivery Framework' categories.

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jbowles 2008-04-16T20:23:36-06:00
New Business http://www.outsourcing-alert.com/2008/04/new_business_135.html The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded Unisys a contract to provide professional and technical services supporting the DOJ’s Asset Forfeiture Program (AFP), a nationwide law enforcement program that manages assets forfeited in the prosecution of criminals and criminal enterprises. Unisys is one of four companies to be awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract.

Xerox Corporation has won a five-year blanket purchase agreement on an estimated $400 million U.S. Air Force contract for the placement of Xerox multifunction printers, network copiers and supplies. Xerox will provide technology and services to help the Air Force reduce expenses, consolidate equipment and achieve global standards in its document management operations.

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jbowles 2008-04-16T20:23:19-06:00