With this agreement, the two companies will focus on supporting Bayer’s IT strategy based on the comprehensive, long-term deployment of standardized SAP solutions across Bayer’s worldwide operations. Global enterprise agreements such as this five-year GEA with Bayer are targeted toward large enterprises that choose SAP as their preferred software provider.

Under this agreement, SAP will support close collaboration in the globally standardized implementation of SAP business applications at Bayer. A fully unified, global IT strategy is of central importance to Bayer in order to increase market share and profitability in an environment of global supply chains and a high degree of international competitive pressure. Moreover, Bayer wants to profit in the future from reduced operational costs by means of a scalable and efficient software landscape within the company.

The GEA encompasses software, maintenance and strategic consulting services as well as customer-tailored, on-site support through the SAP? MaxAttention? support option. As part of the agreement, Bayer can call upon SAP solutions, technologies and services as needed at any time, thereby accelerating the global implementation of integrated business applications by means of simplified acquisition procedures.

Under the GEA, Bayer will primarily rely on SAP software for IT processes, which underscores the great strategic significance of SAP for the company’s IT. The close partnership between these two companies has existed since 1984. As part of a developer partnership agreement in 2000, SAP became Bayer's most important strategic software partner.

About SAP
SAP is the world’s leading provider of business software(*), offering applications and services that enable companies of all sizes and in more than 25 industries to become best-run businesses. With more than 102,500 customers in over 120 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE, under the symbol “SAP.” For more information, visit www.sap.com.