Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been selected by Amprion Ltd., Germany’s largest transmission system operator, to help optimize its procurement function and improve its competitive positioning in a rapidly changing market. Terms of the 5-year outsourcing agreement were not disclosed.

Accenture will be responsible for managing the purchase of all goods and services for Amprion, from negotiations with suppliers to the review and settlement of invoices, in order to improve processes and lower total costs. Accenture will also provide a procurement help desk capability.

Under the European Union's third common energy market directive and the German energy act, Amprion and RWE are required to completely unbundle their procurement processes, which until now were shared by the two companies. RWE holds a 25.1% share in Amprion.

"Accenture looks forward to working with Amprion to further optimize its procurement processes," said Andreas Wisser, a senior executive in Accenture’s Utilities industry group. “This agreement should enable Amprion to focus more on its core business: the upgrading and operation of its high voltage network.”

Accenture will run and maintain the procurement function from Dortmund and its Delivery Centers in Prague and Bratislava.

About Amprion Ltd.

Amprion Ltd. runs a network of transmission systems of 380,000 and 220,000 volt. The core task of the 900 members of staff is to ensure a secure transmission of electricity at all times and in line with the market price. With a length of 11,000 kilometers and 160 relay stations between Lower Saxony and the borders to Switzerland and Austria, Amprion owns the longest high voltage network in Germany. Due to its central position in Europe, Amprion’s network is an important hub for electricity trading in Europe. Its home page is www.amprion.net.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with 257,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2012. Its home page is www.accenture.com.