I hope those of you in the UK enjoyed your bank holiday weekend? I know I certainly did. And more good news has ruptured in the UK this week as reports show that the estimated number of Britons who will die this winter from swine flu has fallen dramatically. Apparently health experts have admitted the virus is less lethal than they feared. Yes, that old chestnut again. Perhaps this might finally dampen the media-inspired hysteria and stop people worrying so much. Hopefully a flu and media-respite will take some pressure off those embattled NHS Direct call centres too.

With the weekly bout of media-bashing out of the way that such stories frequently inspire, we can happily proceed towards more closely sourcing-related happenings.

First up, international consumer goods company, Henkel, has signed an outsourcing contract with Accenture. Accenture will provide services in Europe and North America under a seven-year application outsourcing contract.

Amongst the usual cost reductions the program is designed to provide Henkel with a more proactive information technology function (what ever that means!). And of course, Accenture will provide the services through one of its Global Delivery Network centres in the ever mighty Bangalore, India.

Steria has done well this week with netting a contract for the estimated worth of 14 million Euros with the Norwegian National Rail Administration (Jernbaneverket).

Steria will provide local services to Jernbaneverket offices in Norway. This is a big contract and as a state-owned authority, Jernbaneverket reports to the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications. Looks like Europe is climbing its way out of the ever engulfing economic dilapidation.

Finally Optimation, a top ICT services specialist in New Zealand has signed a partnership agreement with HCL Technologies Limited (HCL). The new partnership will combine HCL’s global scale with Optimation’s local New Zealand expertise.

Another company to work with a government body, HCL will work with Optimation to offer IT solutions to New Zealand Government and enterprise customers.

Again another exciting week with contracts being signed in North America, New Zealand and Norway. And in almost totally unrelated news, swine flu ‘ain’t that bad’! It is all good from where I am sitting. Let’s hope I can say the same for next week. I bid you adieu.