Sears Roebuck is in final negotiations with Computer
Sciences to outsource part of its IT operations in a deal
potentially worth $2bn over 10 years.
The deal is valued at about $200m a year and would provide
services for up to 10 years. It is expected to be signed sometime
in the second quarter of the year.
Among the IT responsibilities to be outsourced are servers,
systems support for Sears-related websites, client devices
(including laptops, procurement and support for desktops PCs),
helpdesk staffing, asset management, IT risk management and voice
and data telephone networks.
There are approximately 260 employees in Sears' technical
infrastructure support services department. Sears expected CSC
would hire most of them.
Another 900 IT workers responsible for the company's mainframe
systems and retail systems will not be affected by the deal, nor
will the separate IT operations of Lands' End, which Sears
acquired in 2002.
IBM Global Services, Hewlett-Packard, Electronic Data Systems
and Affiliated Computer Services pitched for the deal.
Under the deal, Sears will retain responsibility for overall
technology standards, architecture and service policies inside the
company.
Todd R Weiss writes for Computerworld