CSC inks $1.35 billion deal

Computer Sciences Corp. has signed a 10-year information technology services deal with Ascension Health worth up to $1.35 billion, the companies announced Monday.

Starting Jan. 1, technology consultant CSC will manage help desk, network, security and telecommunications services at Ascension's 32 health ministries and 80 facilities. CSC also will handle Ascension's server, mainframe and desktop computing. Ascension's IT professionals will join CSC, the two companies said.

The contract builds on an earlier deal CSC signed with the nonprofit health organization last year. That $200 million deal involved maintaining operations of Ascension's system office and the Carondelet Health Network in Tucson, Ariz.

The health care industry has emerged as a key sector for IT outsourcing. Service giants like Hewlett-Packard and IBM have signed deals to manage different functions of IT infrastructure and data management for hospital services and organizations conducting clinical trials.