ACS to acquire Excel Alternatives

Affiliated Computer Services Inc. has acquired Excel Alternatives Inc. to boost ACS' work-force service offerings, the company announced. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Excel of Sanford, Fla., is an alternative education provider founded in 1994 that services youth enrolled in Workforce Investment Act programs. The company has 253 employees and annual sales of about $12 million.

The Excel management team will be integrated into ACS' State and Local Solutions group under the company's Welfare and Workforce Services line of business. All Excel employees have been offered jobs with ACS, and Timothy Giannoni, founder of Excel, will join ACS as a subject matter expert to lead the company's youth and alternative education efforts.

In the alternative education market, Excel works with youth who are at risk of not finishing their primary education. The company's services include curriculum development, teacher training and hiring, interviewing students and parents, classroom operations, feedback, follow-up and quality assurance.

In the welfare and work-force arena, ACS manages and operates 114 contracts through 250 offices in 19 states and the District of Columbia. ACS provides assessment, training, job preparation, case management and retention services to welfare recipients, dislocated workers, disadvantaged youth, disabled and other individuals.

ACS has about 40,000 employees and had annual sales of $3.2 billion in 2002.