Kaz, Australia's largest IT company, already supplies technology that supports AMP's superannuation administration services. The revised contract will provide 24x7 technical redundancy solutions, Kaz Computer Services general manager Bruce Smith, told ZDNet Australia.
Also included in the new contract is the delivery of more sophisticated applications, including financial applications for AMP's financial planners, and the provision of LAN, WAN and desktops.
The original contract was signed in January 2001, however, -along the way we acquired Australian Administration Services (ASS)--a division of AMP--and also AMP's needs changed," Smith said.
"We went back and re-evaluated what they needed going forward," he added. -It's an extension of the original contract, fine-tuned for current requirements."
Kaz's market reputation hit the skids in May this year, when it reduced its forecast by AU$35 million to AU$211 million. AU$150 million was wiped from the company's value within 24 hours. The company's head honcho, Peter Kazacos, implicated a slump in Sydney hardware sales in the need for the revised forecast, and recognised also Kaz's acquisition of high-end integration company Aspect Computing Aspect in March as being a contributing factor.
Kazacos, the company's founder and CEO, said at the time the company was still on track to achieve the expected revenue of AU$409 million in 2003.
Kaz now has nine data centres, six in Australia and three in the Asia Pacific region - Bangkok, Singapore and a Hong Kong facility that is due to open in late Q3, 2002.
"We feel very good about opportunities in Asia," Smith said, -As to what's next I can't comment."
Smith describes the company as currently -dabbling" in the US market. -We're not going to make a very huge splash," he said.
Having won the exclusive US rights to the hardware behind its cheque processing works in Thailand, Kaz is now doing market investigation into its suitability for the US marketplace.
