Fonterra Releases It Outsourcing Rfp

Fonterra Releases It Outsourcing Rfp

Fonterra Co-operative Group will release on Monday a Request for Proposal for outsourcing its global IT infrastructure.

The company has already short listed EDS, Hewlett-Packard and Unisys to receive the RFP, following indications from the three companies that they were willing and able to meet Fonterra's requirements.

In scope for the RFP are all of the company's IT processes, desktop and LAN, midrange servers and networks (voice and data). This includes desktops and laptops, servers, networks, helpdesk services and utility software such as Microsoft Office and email systems such as GroupWise and Lotus Notes. The global outsourcing exercise covers over 1,000 utility and application services in 30 countries and 327 locations where desktops are located across 34 countries.

Fonterra's Chief Information Officer, Marcel van den Assum, said today the decision to release the RFP took into account a number of key factors including the availability of suppliers who were financially and technically able to provide a viable response.

"Fonterra operates in 34 countries and our vision is to establish and manage our IT infrastructure as an effective, integrated, global services utility. Our view is that outsourcing could be the best way to achieve this. The responses from suppliers, which we expect by May 23, will take us further along in the process to determine whether this view is correct."

Mr van den Assum said supplier responses would be evaluated and by July 2 Fonterra expected to identify two suppliers for due diligence. At that point, Fonterra would be making a further decision on whether or not to proceed with outsourcing. If the decision was yes, a preferred supplier would be selected in September.

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