PARIS, Dec 11 (AFP) – The French computer consulting group Cap Gemini Ernst and Young said Thursday it had won a EUR 4.5 billion contract with the British tax administration, Inland Revenue, which it described as the largest information technology deal of the year.
“This is the largest contract in the information technology industry this year and the biggest ever signed by our group,” marvelled Cap Gemini chief executive Paul Hermelin said in a telephone conference.
Cap Gemini said it would sub-contract one third of the contract, which has a total value of more than GBP 3 billion (USD 5.2 billion), to its Japanese partner Fujitsu Services.
“The deal is for an initial ten years with an option to extend for up to a further eight years and will start on the 1st of July 2004, after a six-month transition period from January 2004,” Cap Gemini said in a statement.
Cap Gemini and Fujitsu beat out an offer from US group Electronic Data Systems and consulting firm Accenture, which had held the contract for the last 10 years.
Under the terms of the agreement, about 2,250 employees were to join Cap Gemini from EDS and Accenture while Fujitsu would take on another 900.
© AFP
Subject: France news