Accenture to Design, Implement and Support Ohio’s New Statewide ERP System

COLUMBUS, Ohio; May 4, 2005 – Accenture has been awarded a three-and-a-half year contract to lead the design and implementation of a new information technology system to modernize the way the State of Ohio manages financial, human resource and payroll operations.

As part of the OAKS project, for Ohio Administrative Knowledge System, Accenture will implement an enterprise resource planning solution, which will integrate the state’s financial, procurement, asset management, capital improvement, human resource and payroll operations into a single automated system to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the state’s administrative processes. Current state systems handling these functions are 15-40 years old, operate as separate systems with little or no integration, and are expensive to operate.

Accenture, which was awarded the contract following a competitive bid process, will lead a project team that includes IBM, Advizex, American Express, AnswerThink, CGI-AMS, Columbus State Community College, Hewlett Packard, Information Control Corporation, PeopleSoft Global Services and Sogeti, in addition to local minority businesses Blackwell Consulting Services and Diversified Systems Inc. The collective team employs more than 3,500 Ohioans.

“The OAKS project will help Ohio state government consolidate a number of critical business functions into one integrated solution,” said John Hrusovsky, managing partner of Accenture’s state government practice in Ohio. “By modernizing its business processes and financial management capabilities, the state can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its financial operations while reducing costs.”

The state will contract with Accenture’s U.S. business, Accenture LLP, which employs more than 27,000 people in the U.S and more than 800 people in Ohio.

About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Committed to delivering innovation, Accenture collaborates with its clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With deep industry and business process expertise, broad global resources and a proven track record, Accenture can mobilize the right people, skills and technologies to help clients improve their performance. With more than 110,000 people in 48 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$13.67 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2004. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

###