Managed Services contract signed with Centrica

19 April 2011

SQS Software Quality Systems AG

("SQS" or the "Company")

SQS signs £8 million Managed Services contract with Centrica

SQS Software Quality Systems AG (AIM: SQS.L), the world's largest pure play supplier of independent software testing and quality management services, announces that it has signed a Managed Services contract worth £8 million with Centrica plc ("Centrica"), the UK's leading integrated energy company.

Centrica has selected SQS to provide on and offshore testing, with a focus on raising quality and reducing risk within their business critical systems such as the Smart Metering programme, which is designed to be installed in over two million homes. The contract, which commences immediately, is worth £8 million over 12 months and will involve SQS providing end-to-end testing, from performance through to automated regression test suites, in an on and offshore model.

This contract represents a continuation of existing business volumes with Centrica. However, in signing a Managed Services contract for 12 months, Centrica has made a significantly longer commitment than the previous project-based contracts, resulting in improved revenue visibility for SQS.

David Cotterell, SQS Board Director, commented: "We are delighted that Centrica has extended its commitment to SQS, demonstrating the high value it places on partnering with a pure play, independent testing provider with a proven on and offshore presence. As well as providing greater revenue visibility this contract demonstrates the success of the ongoing strategic investment into our Managed Services business." 

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About SQS

SQS is the world's largest pure play supplier of independent software testing and quality management services. SQS consultants design and oversee quality management processes during the software and IT systems life cycle and test the resulting products for errors and omissions.

Headquartered in Cologne, Germany, SQS has approximately 2,000 employees across Europe, Asia, North America and Africa. The Group has a presence in Germany (Cologne, Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Goerlitz and Hamburg), the UK (London, Woking, Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast), Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Finland, India, Egypt, the United States and South Africa. SQS also has a minor stake in an operation in Portugal and a partnership operation in Spain.

With more than 5,000 completed projects, SQS has a strong customer base including 20% of the FTSE-100 companies, more than half of the DAX 30 and a third of the STOXX-50. It supports clients in a wide range of industries, including major corporations such as Allianz, Beazley, BP, Centrica, Daimler, Deutsche Post, Generali, JP Morgan, Meteor, Reuters, SEB, Siemens and Volkswagen.