Interesting Reuters article on ZDNet about Walt Disney’s plans to outsource a sizable set of technical services to IBM and ACS. IBM’s contract is worth $730 million over seven years. ACS’s seven year agreement is worth $610 million.
The article said “sources” assert that Disney expects to transfer a third of its computer services staff — about 1,000 people — to the outside contractors. (I did the math. That means it’ll spend about $185,000 per transferred person per year through the contracts.)
The transition is expected to take two months.
IBM will manage Disney’s mainframe and midrange computers, the SAP system, and other software applications. Much of this will be done by people on-site and working from a technical service center in Tulsa, OK.
ACS will handle network, desktop and help desk support, computer security and procurement.
