SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced plans to acquire Fieldglass, the leading technology provider for procuring and managing contingent labor and services.

Contingent labor and statement-of-work services is a US$3.3 trillion, high-growth market according to industry analyst estimates. Companies are rapidly moving to more variable operating models that enable them to quickly dial up and down infrastructure, talent and expertise to accommodate changes in market dynamics, business needs and special projects. Contingent workforces are expected to grow by nearly 30 percent over the next three years, according to research by Ardent Partners.

The combination of Fieldglass’ market-leading VMS solution with SAP promises to transform workforce management by enabling a flexible and comprehensive approach to managing the entire workforce and life cycle, going beyond the traditional focus on the employee record that characterizes many systems today. Together, SAP and Fieldglass will provide companies with the software, collaboration tools and networks needed to engage permanent and temporary staff out of the gate – and on the fly – in new and innovative ways to ensure they have the right people in the right roles at the right times.

‘The acquisition of Fieldglass creates a compelling advantage for SAP customers as they access, attract and manage talent via the networked economy,’ said Bill McDermott and Jim Hagemann Snabe, co-CEOs and members of the Executive Board of SAP AG. ‘This move reaffirms SAP as the undisputed leader of integrated human resources and procurement in the cloud for businesses of all sizes and industries. Combining Fieldglass with SAP is a significant milestone in our strategy to help businesses simplify everything.’ ‘With the acquisition of Fieldglass we are taking an incredible step forward to further expand SAP’s leadership in a public cloud offering for the enterprise,’ said Dr. Vishal Sikka, member of the Executive Board of SAP AG, Products & Innovation. ‘With the power of SAP HANA, SAP Fiori and the Ariba Business Network combined, we can quickly extend the value to our joint customers.’ Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with approximately 350 employees, Fieldglass’ cloud-based solution is used in more than 100 countries and 16 languages. According to Staffing Industry Analysts, Fieldglass is the current VMS market leader in total spend and global footprint. Fieldglass was also recognized by Forrester Research, Inc. in The Forrester Wave: VMS, Q1 2014 as the highest-scoring VMS provider in Contingent Workforce Management/Vendor Management System (CWM/VMS) functionality and market presence. In 2013, Fieldglass marked its eighth consecutive year of profitability, adding 2 million new users in markets worldwide. The company’s majority investor is Madison Dearborn Partners, a private equity investment firm based in Chicago.

‘Joining with SAP will allow us to dramatically accelerate our global growth plans and pace of innovation at the unique intersection of the human capital and procurement sectors,’ said Jai Shekhawat, CEO and co-founder, Fieldglass. ‘SAP’s innovations in cloud, in-memory and mobile technology are transforming workforce management. We look forward to extending our leadership position, increasing our sales and delivery capacity and introducing our winning strategy to new markets.’ The transaction is subject to regulatory and other closing conditions. SAP expects to complete the transaction in the second quarter of 2014.

About Fieldglass Fieldglass’ cloud-based Vendor Management System (VMS) allows organizations to better procure and manage their flexible workforces, including contingent labor and services managed through Statements of Work, such as project-based spend, offshore engagements and independent contractors. Fieldglass is the current VMS market leader in total spend and global footprint, according to Staffing Industry Analysts. The world’s leading companies, including GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Monsanto, and Rio Tinto, rely on Fieldglass to gain visibility into complex services spend, improve worker quality, enforce corporate and external compliance and realize greater contingent workforce program efficiencies. For more information, visit www.fieldglass.com.

About SAP As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 253,500 customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

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