The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), part of the US Department of the Interior, and CGI Group Inc. (CGI) (TSX: GIB.A; NYSE: GIB;), a leading provider of information technology and business process services, today announced the signing of a five-year information technology (IT) outsourcing contract valued at US$19.5 million for support services for the Bureau's 55.7 million acres of land assets across the United States.
The relationship between BIA and CGI began in 1998 with the initial software Trust Asset & Accounting Management System (TAAMS) contract. The renewal of this contract will allow the BIA to extend the regional deployment of the software nationwide to all BIA Land Titles and Records Offices. BIA will be able to retire its legacy land records information systems thus saving the cost of operating multiple systems.
CGI is responsible for the development, deployment and conversion of the data as well as providing support services for the Bureau. Data will be housed in CGI's Dallas-based data center. As part of the contract, CGI will use its training facility to train Bureau professionals on the TAAMS system. Nationwide deployment, including data conversion and training, will be completed in 15 months.
Over the past five years, the TAAMS software has evolved to offer an integrated trust system, which effectively accommodates efficient, standard business processes across the BIA. TAAMS provides shared access to title trust data among title & realty agencies, departments, and organizations, enabling the BIA to coordinate and streamline processing of their trust responsibilities. The TAAMS software protects trust data integrity and provides secure data clean-up features to correct discrepancies and anomalies found in the legacy trust data.
Joseph Saliba, president, USA and India added: "We are very pleased as we see this new and improved system will provide huge benefits to the government in their efforts to supply expanded services to all users. We feel confident that our team of professionals, several of whom possess over 20 years of land management experience, will surpass our clients' expectations."
About the Bureau of Indian Affairs
The BIA responsibility is the administration and management of 55.7 million acres of land held in trust by the United States for American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives. Each tribe, depending on its history, treaties, and applicable congressional laws and legal decisions, maintains a separate and unique relationship with the United States. Developing lands, leasing assets on these lands, directing agricultural programs, protecting water and land rights, developing and maintaining infrastructure and economic development are all part of the agency's responsibility. In addition, the Bureau of Indian Affairs provides education services to approximately 48,000 Indian students.
About CGI
Founded in 1976, CGI is the fifth largest independent information technology services firm in North America, based on its headcount. CGI and its affiliated companies employ 20,000 professionals. CGI's annualised revenue run-rate is currently CDN$2.8 billion (US$1.9 billion) and at September 30, 2003, CGI's order backlog was CDN$12.3 billion (US$9.1 billion). CGI provides end-to-end IT and business process services clients worldwide from offices in Canada, United States and Europe. CGI's shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB) and are included in the TSX 100 Composite Index as well as the S&P/TSX Canadian Information Technology and Canadian MidCap Indices. Website: www.cgi.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this press release that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements represent CGI Group Inc.'s intentions, plans, expectations, and beliefs, and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, of which many are beyond the control of the Company. These factors could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements.
These factors include and are not restricted to the timing and size of contracts, acquisitions and other corporate developments; the ability to attract and retain qualified employees; market competition in the rapidly-evolving information technology industry; general economic and business conditions, foreign exchange and other risks identified in the Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) in CGI Group Inc.'s Annual Report or Form 40-F filed with the SEC, the Company's Annual Information Form filed with the Canadian securities authorities, as well as assumptions regarding the foregoing. The words "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "foresee", "plan", and similar expressions and variations thereof, identify certain of such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. In particular, statements relating to future revenue from outsourcing contracts are forward-looking statements. CGI disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
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