Accenture to Help Transform European Space Agency’s Financial Management Model and Information Systems

PARIS. – The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded Accenture (NYSE: ACN) a four-and-a-half year technology services and application outsourcing contract to support the agency’s Financial Management Reform (FINREF) program by implementing a new agency wide financial management model and related information systems. The new contract supersedes an interim agreement between ESA and Accenture.

Under the terms of the contract, Accenture has program management and implementation responsibilities for implementing the new financial management model under ESA overall management and monitoring. The scope of the agreement includes the design, build and implementation of a new business, applications and technical architecture and operating model for the European Space Agency. Accenture’s scope of work includes replacing and consolidating ESA’s current information systems and architecture with a single integrated SAP solution through a series of reform releases, and application development and maintenance services. The first and most significant reform release is due to be delivered in January 2010.

Accenture will leverage its global delivery network to deliver and maintain the new SAP system and remaining legacy applications. Once completed, the new system will support the operations of ESA’s 18 member states, €3 billion budget, 2,000-person workforce plus an additional 2,000 contractors.

“We chose Accenture as a reform partner in this challenging endeavor because of their commitment to delivering the high profile business outcomes we require on schedule, in particular the first release in January 2010,” said Jonathan Doyle, European Space Agency project implementation manager. “This is a challenging and high visibility project with a demanding timeframe for completion. ESA is dependent on Accenture’s commitment to mobilize its best resources to ensure ESA can achieve its twin strategic goals of allowing ESA to better and more transparently manage the financial resources at its disposal and thereby build greater trust and confidence with its current and future stakeholders.”

“The new financial management model is designed to provide ESA with an enhanced technical architecture and improved financial management capabilities that will assist in better resource planning, improved communications, and faster access to critical information,” said Kevin Laudano, global managing director of Accenture’s Defense group and Accenture’s ESA project manager. “The new financial model provides a solution to help reinforce the trust and credibility with ESA member states by affording the agency the tools to deliver greater transparency and enhanced governance capabilities.”

The Financial Management Reform (FINREF) program was initiated in 2006 to provide accuracy and control of financial resources and spending on programs, and allow greater visibility to its member states and stakeholders. FINREF will also enable ESA to comply with best practice international public sector accounting standards and allow the agency to better respond to needs of the new funding sources and partners.