Gov. Bobby Jindal joins CGI for IT center groundbreaking in Lafayette, Louisiana

Facility will create up to 400 jobs, new facility to open in late 2015

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LAFAYETTE, LA, Jan. 27, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Dr. James Peake, Lt. Gen. (Ret.), President, CGI Federal (NYSE : GIB) (TSX : GIB.A) were joined by a host of state and local leaders at a ground-breaking ceremony for the company's new $13.1 million onshore information technology (IT) services delivery center in Lafayette, Louisiana. The 50,000-square-foot facility will house CGI's fourth U.S. onshore delivery center and create as many as 400 new, high-quality IT jobs in southwest Louisiana.

"This ground-breaking is the culmination of a unified vision shared by CGI and the education, community and policy leaders of Louisiana that a strong economy depends on a highly-trained, skilled technology workforce," said Dr. James Peake, Lt. Gen. (Ret.), President, CGI Federal, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CGI, serving clients in the civilian, defense and intelligence sectors of the U.S. government. "As part of the Center, and through our unique partnership with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and other local institutes, CGI is establishing a research and technology innovation lab here to advance cutting-edge technologies such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, big data and data visualization."

CGI's onshore delivery model creates high-quality IT jobs in America. It is a core element of the company's business strategy to offer cost-effective IT services options to government and commercial clients. The company continually looks for locations offering access to a quality workforce, strong economics and partnerships with state and local government, academia and industry. With its continued growth and technology-savvy workforce, Lafayette was identified as a perfect partner for CGI, which selected Lafayette after a nearly two-year, nationwide site-selection process. CGI also operates U.S. onshore delivery centers in Lebanon, VA, Troy, AL and Belton, TX.

"Louisiana's state and local leaders understand what it takes to bring a project like this from concept to reality," said Dave Henderson, Senior Vice-President, CGI, U.S. Central – South business unit. "Lafayette's outstanding communications infrastructure, growing workforce and unparalleled standing as an educational, economic and cultural crossroads in the state make it the ideal location for CGI's investment. This event underscores CGI's ongoing commitment to provide world-class service to our clients, including quality U.S. onshore delivery options as part of our global delivery network."

As an anchor tenant of the 143-acre Research Park of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, CGI's new state-of-the-art facility is expected to have an annual economic impact of $90 million over the next five years. The project also includes a state-funded, 10-year, $4.5 million higher education initiative led by University of Louisiana at Lafayette that will result in a tripling of the number of undergraduate degrees awarded annually by the University's School of Computing and Informatics. That growth is anticipated to place the university's computer science program among the top 25 in the U.S. for number of bachelor's degrees awarded in computer science each year.

Construction on the new facility is scheduled for completion by year-end 2015, with occupancy planned for early 2016. CGI began hiring for the center in 2014 and is currently operating at a temporary location. Interested candidates may learn more at www.cgi.com/lafayette.

About CGI
Founded in 1976, CGI Group Inc. is the fifth largest independent information technology and business process services firm in the world. Approximately 68,000 professionals serve thousands of global clients from offices and delivery centers across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, leveraging a comprehensive portfolio of services including high-end business and IT consulting, systems integration, application development and maintenance, infrastructure management as well as a wide range of proprietary solutions. With annual revenue in excess of C$10 billion and an order backlog exceeding C$18 billion, CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Website: www.cgi.com.

SOURCE CGI Group Inc.

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