PLAN4DEMAND SOLUTIONS NAMED
PRE-QUALIFIED VENDOR OF IT SERVICES
BY COMMONWEALTH OF PA

State recognition, new international projects mark second anniversary and steady growth of consulting firm founded by CEO Lisa Kustra

PITTSBURGH, PA, June 20, 2002 —Plan4Demand Solutions, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based business- and software-consulting firm, today announced its official recognition by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a pre-qualified vendor of information technology (IT) services.

The recognition marks an important milestone for Plan4Demand, since it pre-qualifies the company to directly accept or bid on proposals to provide IT services for any of the state's operating agencies.

sThis announcement follows the review and approval of a comprehensive proposal, including 24 client references, submitted by Plan4Demand seeking pre-approved vendor status in eight of 28 IT service categories identified under Invitation-To-Qualify (ITQ) program guidelines administered by the Governor's Office of Administration.

The eight categories for which Plan4Demand received pre-qualified vendor status include: Computer Programming Services, Computer Systems Analysis Support Services, Consulting Services—Financial, Consulting Services—Organizational, Consulting Services—Planning, IT Training—Assessment, IT Training—Classroom, and IT Training-Other Training Services. More information about the Commonwealth's ITQ program is available on the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword: "ITQ." "

Recognition such as this means so much to a growing company like ours," said Plan4Demand CEO and founder Lisa Kustra. "It not only validates our capabilities across a very broad, complex spectrum of IT services, it's also a direct reflection of our clients' satisfaction with Plan4Demand's performance—our commitment to rapidly delivering value-added solutions based on strategic business improvements, not just technology."

Plan4Demand executives submitted their proposal to seek pre-qualified vendor status on May 30, 2002, just one week after the firm's second anniversary—a requisite milestone per state guidelines for any company seeking to participate in the Commonwealth's ITQ program.

Other highlights from the company's second year of operation include the successful roll out of new customized training services, ranging from executive-level business-process optimization to technology-focused courses in supply chain management, customer relationship management, and other enterprise technologies. The year also saw the firm's first business engagements outside the U.S., with project starts in Canada and Mexico. One new initiative for a U.S.-based medical-device manufacturer will take Plan4Demand consultants to Belgium, Brazil, Singapore, and Japan over the next several months.

"Our customized training offering has been very successful, particularly in light of the current economy and the heightened attention to ensuring return on investment," said Ms. Kustra. "By offering training that specifically targets our clients' businesses—their vertical industries, their day-to-day processes, and even their actual data—we're adding the kind of substantive value that business leaders so desperately seek these days."

This latest news marks the third time Plan4Demand and its CEO have been recognized at the state level. In 2001, Ms. Kustra was named one of Pennsylvania's Best 50 Women in Business. Earlier this year, Plan4Demand received official certification from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a Woman Business Enterprise.

Learn more about Plan4Demand global supply chain planning specialists.