EDS is already running Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America's nationwide network as part of a 10-year, US$4.5 billion deal that began in February 2003.

EDS, based in Plano, Texas, provides outsourced IT services to seven of the 10 largest global financial services firms. Its clients include ABN Amro, Abbey National PLC, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Societe Generale and others. EDS has 15,000 employees servicing banks in a number of areas.

Tom Warsop, EDS's vice president for financial services in the U.S. market, said there is strong interest from banks in outsourcing even seemingly core parts of their IT infrastructures because "in many cases, they have come to the conclusion that someone else can do it better."

EDS is working with Cisco Systems Inc. on the MBNA-Bank of America project.