Consulting giant KPMG LLP has acquired IT-Net Group Inc., a consulting firm with standing offer agreements with the federal government.
“One of the capabilities that the acquisition does provide is cyber security services,” said Yvon Audette, national leader of KPMG’s IT advisory services.
IT-Net Group has about 70 employees and offices in both Ottawa and Toronto. Its client list includes the Department of National Defence, Industry Canada, Correction Services Canada, the Toronto Transit Commission and several B.C. provincial agencies. Its private sector clients include Bank of Nova Scotia and Shoppers Drug Mart.
Although network security was not the main reason for the acquisition, Audette said KPMG could provide consulting services, including threat assessments and penetration testing. KPMG did not previously have a standing offer, said Ken Cochrane, senior leader of KPMG’s IT advisory services.
KPMG would not reveal the price of the IT-Net acquisition.
Audette said the acquisition will help KPMG provide other IT services focused on software such as enterprise resource planning (ERP).
IT-Net was founded in 1991 but traces its roots to Information Systems Group (ISG) Consultants Inc., founded in 1983 by Alex Beraskow.
DMR Consulting Group Inc. acquired ISG and Beraskow later left DMR to form IT-Net.DMR was later acquired by Amdahl Corp., itself acquired by Fujitsu Ltd. Fujitsu dropped the DMR name in 2002.
IT-Net has standing offers, supply arrangements and master agreements with government agencies at various levels.