EMPTORIS ANNOUNCES ALLIANCE WITH CAP GEMINI ERNST & YOUNG TO OFFER COLLABORATIVE SOURCING SOLUTIONS FOR HIGH GROWTH CLIENTS

CGE&Y's High Growth Practice to Combine its Service Offerings with ePASS Collaborative Sourcing Software to Enable End-to-End Strategic Sourcing

Burlington, Mass., May 21, 2001 - Emptoris, Inc., the leader in Web-based collaborative strategic sourcing solutions for Global 5000 companies and net markets, today announced that it has formed a strategic alliance to support the High Growth Practice of Cap Gemini Ernst & Young U.S., LLC (CGE&Y), one of the world's largest management and IT consulting firms, to deliver end-to-end strategic sourcing solutions, combining both services and software.

Under the terms of the agreement, CGE&Y's High Growth Practice and Emptoris will offer a combined service/software solution with comprehensive strategic sourcing capabilities, including spend analysis, supplier qualification, demand aggregation, collaborative workflow and optimization-based sourcing decision support. CGE&Y will offer ePASS, Emptoris' Web-based collaborative sourcing solution, as a preferred solution for CGE&Y's high growth client base and will assign dedicated consultants to provide clients with systems integration, implementation, project management and training for ePASS.

"ePASS stands out as a sophisticated technology that goes beyond traditional strategic sourcing solutions by providing a highly collaborative platform that forges tighter buyer and supplier networks," said Michael Helft, Vice President in Cap Gemini Ernst & Young's High Growth Practice. "Through automated collaborative workflow, demand aggregation, optimization-based sourcing decision support and other advanced capabilities, ePASS enables enterprises to make better online sourcing decisions, particularly in the sourcing of direct materials and capital projects. Our engagements with Emptoris can provide clients with an end-to-end strategic sourcing solution that will yield a clear competitive advantage."

By implementing ePASS, multiple purchasing organizations across an enterprise can efficiently aggregate and disseminate their sourcing needs to their primary suppliers. In turn, these suppliers can collaborate with other suppliers to quickly respond to the buyers' overall demand. As a result, enterprises are able to streamline the strategic sourcing process, determine the optimal supply base allocation, and forge tighter buyer/supplier networks. In addition, buyers can lower the total cost of ownership while allowing suppliers to protect profit margins and increase revenue potential. The combination of ePASS and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young's leading strategic sourcing services will provide enterprises with a comprehensive, one-stop strategic sourcing solution.

"Combining Cap Gemini Ernst & Young's proven expertise in providing strategic sourcing services with ePASS' industry leading technology will enable organizations to streamline complex online procurement decisions into a user-friendly process with strategic business value," said Avner Schneur, President and CEO of Emptoris. "Emptoris is excited to work with Cap Gemini Ernst & Young to deliver the most comprehensive strategic sourcing solution on the market today."

About Cap Gemini Ernst & Young
Cap Gemini Ernst & Young is one of the largest management and IT consulting firms in the world. The company offers management and IT consulting services, systems integration, and technology development, design and outsourcing capabilities on a global scale to help traditional businesses and "dot companies" continue to implement growth strategies and leverage technology in the new economy. Cap Gemini Ernst & Young employs more than 55,000 people worldwide and reports global revenues of 7.7 billion euros (1999 pro forma). More information about individual service lines, offices and research is available at http://www.usa.capgemini.com/.

About Emptoris, Inc.
Emptoris is a leading provider of collaborative strategic sourcing solutions that support the end-to-end sourcing activities of multi-tier buyer/supplier networks. By implementing ePASS™ (Electronic Procurement Application for Strategic Sourcing), enterprises can streamline the strategic sourcing process, determine the optimal allocation of business among suppliers, and forge tighter buyer/supplier networks. Through a functionally rich sourcing and communications platform, ePASS facilitates efficient buyer/buyer, buyer/supplier, and supplier/supplier collaboration. Key benefits include lower costs, shorter sourcing cycles, and improved sourcing productivity. Emptoris, a privately held company, is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts.

###

back to press releases