Dell has signed a contract with EDS to supply 41,700 customised PCs and notebooks to Barclays under one of the largest managed desktop outsourcing services agreements in the UK retail banking sector.
The order follows a seven-year, $350 million contract agreed last year between the UK financial services group and EDS for the provision of managed desktop outsourcing services.
The first desktop 'refresh' phase, due to commence later this year and complete in 2005, will see Dell deliver 41,700 OptiPlexTM GX270 computers and LatitudeTM D400 and D600 notebooks to the various businesses that make up the Barclays Group. A second rollout of Dell products is planned in the next four years.
Dell will provide a full range of support services to Barclays through EDS, including Custom Factory Installation, a pre-installation service that configures the machines to user needs in advance of delivery.
Bill Rodrigues, vice president & general manager UK and global EMEA, Dell, says he expects the implementation to set a precedent for future similar deals.