So CGI is out and Accenture takes over the Obamacare enrollment website

[legcramp]

While everyone was crossing a bridge in New Jersey this little noticed news was dumped Friday night.

No doubt CGI had to go, a scapegoat was needed, but just who is Accenture.

Well for one thing they're what's left of Arthur Anderson after the Enron scandal blew up and took them with. Everybody is entitled to one mistake though, right?

Oh and that thing about corporate headquarters being in Bermuda....

In October 2002, the Congressional General Accounting Office (GAO) identified Accenture as one of four publicly traded federal contractors that were incorporated in a tax haven country. The other three, unlike Accenture, were incorporated in the United States before they re-incorporated in a tax haven country, thereby lowering their U.S. taxes. Critics, most notably former CNN journalist Lou Dobbs, have reported Accenture's decision to incorporate in Bermuda as a U.S. tax avoidance ploy, because they viewed Accenture as having been a U.S.-based company. The GAO itself did not characterize Accenture as having been a U.S.-based company; it stated that "prior to incorporating in Bermuda, Accenture was operating as a series of related partnerships and corporations under the control of its partners through the mechanism of contracts with a Swiss coordinating entity."

Well Sir, that's all been taken care of now....

Accenture announced on May 26, 2009 that its Board of Directors unanimously approved changing the company’s place of incorporation to Ireland from Bermuda and would become Accenture plc.

The company cited several reasons for the change:

Ireland's sophisticated, well-developed corporate, legal and regulatory environment
Ireland's long history of international investment and long-established commercial relationships, trade agreements and tax treaties with European Union member states, the United States and other countries where Accenture does business
Ireland's stable political and economic environment with the financial and legal infrastructure to meet Accenture's needs
The change became effective on September 1, 2009, the beginning of the company's 2010 fiscal year.

While Ireland is the company's headquarters for tax and legal purposes, much of the operational administration occurs in the United States, mainly New York City and Chicago.

See? All better now.

Enron, Bermuda, Dublin. It just doesn't get any better than that now does it.

I'm so comforted that the current administration has our backs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accenture

[Ilsa]

2. The business philosophy that made the US

a powerhouse has been ruined and corrupted. I see no reason for this change to Accenture, and it makes me less likely to use it in the future.

[OKNancy]

4. They did the California ACA site. n/t

[legcramp]

6. Well that makes sense. Probably a reward for the bang up job they did with Enron.

And I'm sure the good people of Dublin appreciate the revenue generated, they need the jobs and bridges and roads too.

Let's face it. I'm sure there isn't a company based in California that could have handled a hi-tech job like this.

[TBA]

5. I work for Accenture

It is a fantastic company. Very committed to diversity (including older workers). From a technical standpoint, I think this was a smart move. We are very good at what we do.



My .02.

[ProgressSaves]

8. Thanks for your input.

I have confidence that the company chosen to replace CGI will want to exceed expectations of the company they are succeeding.

[Scuba]

7. Unbelievable.

[SoCalDem]

9. Accenture (Arthur Anderson) also played a role in the pre-election voter purge

in Florida in '00.IIRC