KAZ steals IBM GSA thunder

ASX-listed outsourcing company KAZ Computer Services has snatched a 4-year IT outsourcing deal from under the nose of competitor IBM GSA.

The tender, formally held by IBM GSA, will see KAZ servicing the IT requirements of satellite communications company Station 12 (S12).

S12 marketing and communications manager Kathy Mildred said that KAZ had won the contract on the basis of superior 24 x 7 service provision.

"We felt KAZ had the right balance of expertise and skills, they were the right size to fit the Station 12 profile, and they show themselves to be an active partner, which was important for our service requirements," Mildred said.

Mildred confirmed the original IBM GSA-held tender had been carried over from a time when S12 had a closer relationship with Telstra.

"Bit by bit we have been relinquishing our relationship with Telstra and finding partners more in keeping with our current requirements," Mildred said.

Apart from critical customer service applications, KAZ will manage the S12 platforms in charge of maritime billing and accounting systems. The tender also requires KAZ to project-manage a complete overhaul of the S12 WAN, LAN, desktop and laptop requirements.

KAZ managing director Peter Kazacos told ARN that most of the infrastructure needed to fulfil the tender was already in place, however, today's ASX announcement would see the appointment of some extra UNIX operators.

"We will be expanding our Unix expertise slightly in order to fulfil the tender," he said. "We already had the infrastructure in place at our Meadowbank site. In winning this tender we have shown we can absorb larger contracts, within our staffing we have the capacity to scale to corporate requirements."

According to Kazacos, the deal will see the company run four S12 HP UNIX boxes.

"The deal with S12 represents an opportunity to demonstrate our strength in the Unix arena, we are already recognised in the AS/400 arena, but we are definitely taking a generic approach that appears to be paying off," he said.

While Kazacos confirmed that the tender fulfilment will be focused in Australia, he also said it would help to raise KAZ's profile in the region.

"S12 runs satellite communications throughout the Asia-Pacific, so while the fulfilment will be limited to Australia, it will help to increase our presence in the region," Kazacos said.

Story courtesy of Australian Reseller News: http://www.arnnet.com.au

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