Grupo Nacional Provincial Selects IBM

Grupo Nacional Provincial (GNP), a Mexico City-based insurer that is part of the Grupo Bal conglomerate, has signed a five-year contract with Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM for infrastructure and application outsourcing services. According to a press release, GNP selected IBM over an incumbent outsourcer, citing services methodology, delivery capabilities and the ability to manage different critical processes among the key deciding factors.

Under the December 2008 agreement, IBM will work to simplify and consolidate GNP's IT infrastructure and will implement new processes and tools with an eye towards improving production by reducing errors in the carrier's application development group. IBM will use its Trivoli software for server monitoring and administration and its Rational software for application management, development and maintenance.

According to the press release, GNP is hoping to save on IT operating costs, transform and modernize its current environment and comply with service level objectives as a result of the IBM contract.