Capgemini signs 6 mn euro deal with Futuro

MUMBAI, INDIA: Capgemini Netherlands B.V., a subsidiary of Capgemini Group, today announced that it has signed a €6 million deal with Futuro B.V. in two lots: "building and implementing" and "hosting and technical maintenance" for a customer care and billing system based on SAP-ISU.

The deal strengthens Capgemini's position in the Dutch Utilities market. Under the contract, Capgemini would start with 3 out of the 5 Futuro companies and would build, implement, and host the Capgemini Water Template, said a press release.

The deal would involve implementation, technical maintenance, and hosting of the new Customer Care and Billing (CCB) system for Futuro B. V.

Capgemini would first start building and implementing the Water Template for water company Dunea.

The go-live date for Dunea is scheduled for January 2011. Waterbedrijf Groningen and Waterleiding Maatschappij Drenthe would go live on April 2011.

Peter Stemerdink, account executive, Capemini Netherlands B.V. said, "Our knowledge of SAP and deep expertise in the drinking water market helped us to close the deal. It has allowed us to consolidate our position in the Dutch water market in a significant way."

The deal will leverage Capgemini's Rightshore delivery model with a major part of the work - close to 40 per cent - taking place in Mumbai, India, and comprising configuration management, and installing the SAP Solution Manager.

Futuro B.V. would benefit from a standardized SAP-based landscape that would enable flexibility of the architecture and facilitates the integration of new functionalities in the future.

He further added, this is flexible, future proof and easy to operate billing and CRM system.

Piet Jonker, CEO of Dunea and director ad interim of Futuro B.V. said, "In Customer Care and Billing there are economies of scale. For that reason, the five water utilities have joined their efforts with Futuro.”

He added that they have found a partner which can help us to reach their goal of delivering high quality service at low costs to their 1.6 million customers.

Salil Parekh, executive chairman, Capgemini India, "The India development team has developed CUBES - a best practice based pre-configured template on SAP ISU/CCS and CRM for the Water and Waste Water Industries to strengthen project delivery, increase efficiency and reduce implementation effort and time. We are seeing Water Supply Boards in India, too, express interest in this".