Canadian Information Productivity Awards: 2003 Call for Entries

	For More Information: Contact: norm.kirkpatrick@C.I.P.A..com (905) 695-6590

Toronto, Canada: April 1, 2003: Canadian Information Productivity Awards (C.I.P.A.), Canada's leading national IT and innovation awards program, invites entries for its11th annual competition. C.I.P.A., in collaboration with national IT associations, honours Canadian organizations that have benefited from IT and innovation implementation excellence, coast to coast.

"IT is the cornerstone of the Canadian business landscape, and as the field of information technology continues to evolve, so should awards programs that recognize the innovation in its end uses," said Norm Kirkpatrick, President of C.I.P.A.. "C.I.P.A. strives to recognize visionary organizations that have developed bold, enterprising IT solutions that have resulted in significant operational improvements."

The mission of C.I.P.A., now managed by Capgemini Canada Inc., is to recognize visionary organizations that have developed innovative results-based technology solutions in the areas of supplier solutions, operations and efficiency, customer care and organization transformation. Past winners include financial institutions, government agencies, telecom companies, emerging companies and national not-for-profit organizations that faced various challenges such as:

• Eliminating cumbersome manual methods of tracking and managing client records and provide investment advisers with easier access to this information
• Making education in the classroom more relevant to the needs of the information age
• Providing online customers with the same combination of value, selection and service delivered through retail outlets
• Creating less-expensive and readily available commercial off-the-shelf software acceptable for use in government departments where it would otherwise pose a security risk
• Reducing operating costs, eliminate manual processes and improve accuracy throughout the supply chain

In a continuing effort to evolve with technology and its applications, C.I.P.A. has developed new entry categories and re-launched its website. End user organizations are welcome to enter submissions for any two of the following four categories: supplier solutions, efficiency and operational improvements, customer care, and organization transformation.

"Coveted by business and not-for-profit companies alike, a C.I.P.A. award identifies an organization as not only having achieved leadership in productivity through IT transformation, but also the C.I.P.A. program strives to show what led to a winner's success," said Larry Simon, Chief Technology Officer, Capgemini Canada Inc.. The 2003 call for entries is now open to Canadian companies in public sector (including institutions), emerging companies, business and not-for-profit agencies. To enter, or for more information, visit www.C.I.P.A..com