CGI today announced the signing of a 10-year agreement with Interac Association, in which CGI will provide the Association with a new network and supporting infrastructure, as well as a 7 day a week, 24 hour a day support service. This newly built mission critical network is of strategic importance in the support of Interac Association's entire Inter-Member Network across Canada, routing over 2 billion ABM and Interac Direct Payment transactions on an annual basis, through more than 450,000 PINpad devices operated by Interac Association Members. The network is designed, with Bell Nexxia, to be fully redundant providing the highest level of availability to the Interac Association Members.
As part of this agreement, CGI will provide the managed support services through the command centre located at CGI's Mississauga, Ontario data centre. The transition from the existing network and the development and implementation of the new network will continue until June 2001 and CGI will operate the new network for the Association until October 2010.
"CGI is a good fit for Interac Association as a business partner because of their knowledge of the financial services sector as well as their experience with Interac Association's Inter-Member Network operations," said Judith Wolfson, president and CEO, Interac Association.
Randy Reynolds, president of Bell Nexxia said: "As the leading communications provider to the Canadian financial industry, Bell Nexxia recognizes the mission critical operations of Interac's electronic payments system. Bell Nexxia's coast-to-coast network infrastructure with more than 100 points of presence in Canada and the US offers the highest security, scalability and reliability - the ideal backbone to support the billions of transactions that Interac will process this year."
Michael Roach, executive vice-president and general manager, Canada of CGI added: "We are thrilled about expanding our relationship with the Interac Association. This new agreement increases CGI's role with Interac Association, with whom we have been working for several years. We view this opportunity with Interac Association as a strong vote of confidence for CGI's expertise in network technology and our understanding of the financial services sector. We look forward to supporting Interac Association and its Members in this very strategic opportunity."
About Interac Association
The Interac Association, founded in 1984, is a Canadian organization linking organizations with proprietary networks to communicate with each other for the purposes of exchanging electronic financial transactions. Since 1984, the Interac Association has played an increasingly prominent role in the evolution of electronic financial services in Canada. Its two shared services - Shared Cash Dispensing and Interac Direct Payment - have dramatically altered the way Canadians pay for goods and services and how they access their money. The Association consists of 90 Members which include: banks, trust companies, credit unions, caisses populaires, technology and payment related companies.
About Bell Nexxia
Bell Nexxia, a unit of Bell Canada, is a leader in providing innovative communications solutions to large enterprise customers across Canada and the United States. Bell Nexxia offers a coast-to-coast and international IP network with a variety of business services including Bell Nexxia's IPConnect Access, IP Virtual Private Networks (VPN), Extranet and IP hosting services. Leveraging the strength and expertise of the BCE (NYSE/TSE: BCE) group of companies and strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Nortel Networks (NYSE/TSE: NT) and Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), Bell Nexxia provides its customers with cost-effective next-generation services they need to compete in the global marketplace.
About CGI
Founded in 1976, CGI is the largest independent Canadian information technology consulting firm and the fifth largest in North America, based on its headcount of close to 10,000 professionals. CGI's order backlog totals approximately CDN$7.0 billion and its revenue stands at CDN$1.4 billion. CGI provides end-to-end IT services and business solutions to 2,500 clients in Canada, United States and more than 20 countries around the world. CGI's shares are listed on the New York Exchange (GIB), as well as on the Toronto Stock Exchange (GIB.A). They are included in the Toronto Stock Exchange's TSE 100 index as well as the S&P/TSE Canadian Information Technology index.
All statements in this press release that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 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, and other risks identified in Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) in CGI Group Inc.'s annual report or Form 40F filed with the US Securities & Exchange Commission and the Company's Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities commissions. All of the risk factors included in these filed documents are included here by reference. CGI disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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For more information:
Ronald White
CGI
Director, investor relations
(514) 841-3230
Eileen Murphy
CGI
Director, media relations
(514) 841-3430
Cathy-Anne O'Brien
Bell Canada
Media relations
(416) 581-3311
1 888-482-0809
