Accenture and U.S. Department of Education Launch Free Application for Federal Aid on Upgraded Web Site

Popular Student Aid Application Tool Modernized to Offer Better Service at Lower Cost

WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 21, 2002 – Accenture and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance have launched a modernized, more robust Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) web site, making the student aid process quicker, more efficient and more accessible.

The new FAFSA web site increases the capacity of the system and is expected to process approximately six million aid applications this academic year, more than half of the 10 million FAFSA applications submitted annually.

“The redesign of the FAFSA site benefits students, parents, schools and taxpayers alike,” said Steve Shane, an Accenture partner. “The upgraded web site is more accessible with less downtime, and the forms are easier and quicker to fill out than before. By accommodating the increased volume of online applications, the site will save taxpayer dollars by reducing paper submissions and manual processing costs.”

The modernized FAFSA web site includes:

Accenture’s ongoing modernization project with SFA is enabling the Office to operate more like the commercial sector while complying with the Government Performance Results Act of 1993. Throughout SFA’s business units, industry-leading practices from the private and public sectors are being applied to develop business processes, technology alternatives, and training and competency assessments that reflect the agency’s new performance-based vision and objectives.

For additional information on student aid, visit the FAFSA web site at fafsa.ed.gov or the Department of Education’s web site at www.ed.gov/offices/osfap.

About Accenture
Accenture is the world’s leading management and technology services organization. Through its network of businesses approach -- in which the company enhances its consulting and outsourcing expertise through alliances, affiliated companies and other capabilities -- Accenture delivers innovations that help clients across all industries quickly realize their visions. With more than 75,000 people in 47 countries, the company generated net revenues of $11.44 billion for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2001. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

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Barbara Hohbach

+1 (703) 947 1838

barbara.d.hohbach@accenture.com

Jaleh Allameh

+1 (703) 947-3450

c.jaleh.allameh@accenture.com