Memphis signs deal to outsource IT
- By Dibya Sarkar
- Dec 21, 2000
Memphis, Tenn. has finalized a 7 1/2-year, $50 million deal with SCT to
outsource the city's entire information technology department and services.
Under the contract signed Dec. 18, SCT will plan, manage, staff, operate
and support the city's data processing and telecommunication services, application
software development, help desk and system security, among other services.
SCT also will manage the delivery of IT services by several city subcontractors.
The city plans to offer 24-hour e-government services to residents, visitors
and businesses.
"With the rapid changing pace of technology, it's probably more cost-effective
to outsource the services," said Gale Jones Carson, a city spokeswoman.
She said costs, such as overhead and training, are hard for a city such
as Memphis to keep up with.
Carson said the deal has not drawn any negative reaction from the public.
"When you start talking about upgrading systems and providing e-government
services, it's a win-win for everyone," she said.
Most of Memphis' 40 IT employees would become SCT employees. Carson said
negotiations with SCT included jobs for the former city employees. "No one
was left out of a job," she said, adding that several former employees have
gotten jobs elsewhere.
SCT was awarded the contract over Electronic Data Systems Corp. and Affiliated
Computer Services Inc. after a 10-month search.
Malvern, Pa.-based SCT has similar outsourcing deals with Indianapolis;
Anaheim, Calif.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Greenville, S.C.; and Lee County, Fla.