IRVINE, Calif.; Feb. 1, 2005 – Accenture and NWP Services Corp. (NWP), the largest utility management and resident billing services provider to the multifamily housing industry, have signed a 10-year outsourcing contract under which Accenture will provide NWP with information technology, applications management and development services. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Under the agreement, which is designed to help NWP reduce its IT costs, Accenture will provide software development and software maintenance related to NWP’s customer care and billing information functions.
“By focusing on its core business, NWP will be best positioned to grow and adapt rapidly to the changes in its core multi-housing market,” said Greg Dennis, a partner in Accenture’s Utilities industry group.
As part of the terms of the deal, Accenture has agreed to purchase the Open-cIS billing and customer care software system developed by NWP’s Open-c Solutions, Inc. subsidiary for use by utility companies. NWP uses the Open-cIS customer-care and billing system to bill apartment residents for utilities, enabling multi-housing property owners to recover their utility costs.
Accenture will take over ongoing Open-c software maintenance, new development and technology support responsibilities for the Open-cIS system and for NWP’s existing Open-cIS customers, which include Washington Gas, Washington Gas Energy Services and Wisconsin Public Service.
NWP developed the Open-cIS system with an advanced software architecture to ease the complexity and reduce the cost of building and maintaining billing and customer information systems. The system was designed specifically for use by utility companies facing complex customer billing requirements, especially those found in electric, water and gas consumer billing.
“This agreement will enable NWP’s customers to benefit from the service and product advances that will result from our relationship with one of the world’s leading management consulting and technology services companies,” said Randy Lintecum, chairman and CEO of NWP. “By gaining access to Accenture’s IT expertise we will reduce our software maintenance expenses and further extend our existing product leadership in the multi-housing industry.”
About National Water & Power
Headquartered in Irvine, California, NWP Services Corporation and is the largest and most experienced provider of utility and resident billing services to the multifamily housing industry. NWP is the only company offering a fully integrated, multifaceted and comprehensive utility cost management solution for apartment owners and managers. NWP helps multifamily owners and managers recover expense through resident billing services, as well as benefit from professional outsourced utility bill paying and auditing. NWP programs also help customers drive down utility costs through rate & tariff analysis, identify waste through vacant unit cost management and implement energy and operational efficiencies at apartment communities. Find more information about NWP Services Corporation at www.nwpco.com.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Committed to delivering innovation, Accenture collaborates with its clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With deep industry and business process expertise, broad global resources and a proven track record, Accenture can mobilize the right people, skills and technologies to help clients improve their performance. With more than 100,000 people in 48 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$13.67 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2004. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
