New Book Provides Revenue Agencies with Road Map to High Performance

Business Wire, June 7, 2005

WASHINGTON -- A new book published by Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Montgomery Research provides government revenue agencies with a road map to increasing operational efficiency and enhancing the value they provide to their citizens.

The book, "Revenue Matters: A Guide to Achieving High Performance Under Taxing Circumstances," is a collection of articles by revenue agency executives and revenue industry advisors that illustrate the shift from concentrating on internal process improvements to bolstering their relationships with citizens, clients and other stakeholders.

"Revenue agencies touch the lives of nearly every member of the community and every business in a country, and expectations for them to deliver real value to the people they serve is extremely high," said C. Ann Rettie, managing partner of Accenture's global Revenue and Customs practice. "Our goal with this book is to provide practical, road-tested ideas that agencies around the world can use as they continue to seek high performance."

White papers, success stories and in-depth case studies included in the 181-page book were developed from the experiences of revenue executives and industry leaders from Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Iceland, Ireland, France, Germany, Singapore, South Africa, Spain and the United States. The 60 articles are organized into eight topical chapters, including:

--High Performance - defining "value" for revenue agencies and measuring performance over time

--Maximizing Revenue - assessing and collecting tax due -- equitably, fairly and cost-effectively

--Maximizing Compliance - bringing together integrated strategies to maximize taxpayer compliance with tax obligations

--Minimizing Taxpayer Burden - minimizing the time and effort required for taxpayers to meet their obligations

--Maximizing Responsiveness to Stakeholders - serving the different requirements of taxpayers, service providers and the government promptly and accurately

--Cost-Effectiveness - becoming more cost-effective by improving performance

--Bringing it All Together - integrating strategies and approaches for revenue agency transformation

--Reform in Developing Countries - addressing the unique challenges faced by revenue agencies in developing countries

Like other governmental departments and agencies, revenue agencies at the federal and state/provincial levels face increasing pressure to provide better value to their stakeholders with limited and sometimes vastly decreased resources. "Revenue Matters" is a timely guidebook that illustrates how successful revenue agencies continue to meet citizen, government and stakeholder demands by maximizing incoming revenue, managing internal costs and processes, and, ultimately, reducing taxpayer burden.

"Revenue agencies around the world are facing increasing pressure from governments and citizens alike to become more efficient, cost-effective and citizen-centered," said Dr. Kevin Hassett, director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute and a former senior economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. "This book should launch a new conversation about best practices in revenue management and help agency executives meet the challenges ahead by providing the support, experiences and ideas of those who have tackled them before."

For more information on "Revenue Matters: A Guide to Achieving High Performance Under Taxing Circumstances," including how to order a copy, visit www.revenueproject.com.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Committed to delivering innovation, Accenture collaborates with its clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With deep industry and business process expertise, broad global resources and a proven track record, Accenture can mobilize the right people, skills and technologies to help clients improve their performance. With more than 110,000 people in 48 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$13.67 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2004. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

About Montgomery Research

Montgomery Research, Inc. publishes thought-leadership that focuses on the convergence of business and technology. Montgomery Research works in partnership with e-business visionaries and experts to define industry trends. Find out more about Montgomery Research at www.MRIResearch.com.