Lawson Signs Multi-Million Dollar Software and Services Contract with

    Business Editors/High-Tech Editors

    ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 24, 2005--

    CHA Partners with Lawson and Blackwell Consulting to Adopt Best
    Practices, Increase Worker Productivity and Optimize Efficiency

    Lawson Software (Nasdaq:LWSN) said today that the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) has awarded the company a multi-million dollar contract to provide software and services to help the CHA reduce operating costs while improving service to employees and constituents. CHA licensed Lawson Financials, Human Resources and Procurement suites. The contract was signed in Lawson's third quarter of fiscal year 2005, which ended Feb. 28, 2005.
    With its "Plan for Transformation," the CHA is working to rebuild and modernize the nation's third-largest public housing system. Thanks to a firm commitment from Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the city's public housing is undergoing a comprehensive renewal by redeveloping or rehabilitating 25,000 apartments for families and senior citizens. The CHA is also instituting major management reforms that will make its administration leaner and more fiscally disciplined. Replacing its legacy business systems with Lawson applications will help the organization improve data access and analysis as well as compliance with Federal reporting requirements.
    Many of the CHA's current business systems, such as purchasing, financials and project accounting, operate as disparate systems, making it difficult for the organization to view enterprise-wide data. The Lawson application suites will provide one centralized system with a single user interface. The new system will automate core administrative tasks, such as purchasing, tracking spending and personnel change approvals with the goal of reducing duplicate data entry. The CHA expects the Lawson applications will help reduce the time staff spends on tasks such as payroll and purchasing, allowing the organization to redirect limited resources toward better serving the residents of Chicago.
    "Faced with a growing demand for efficiency, accountability and measurable results, our current systems are not flexible enough to give us the kind of financial, HR and procurement capabilities our business demands," said Barbara Banks, chief information officer of the CHA. "Lawson's public sector expertise will allow the CHA to dramatically increase its efficiency and effectiveness, leading to enhanced service."
    Lawson professional services and Blackwell Consulting will assist the CHA in its application of best practices to business processes and to implement in a manner that will enable the Lawson technology to impact the CHA's business by reducing the time currently necessary to complete administrative tasks and by providing the organization greater visibility into its operations. Lawson consultants also will train users on the efficient use of the functionality included in the new system.
    "Standardization of business applications and processes allows for better organization-wide decision making, helping the CHA maximize its financial resources," said Frank Dunn, vice president, Government & Education, Lawson Software. "Lawson is committed to helping government entities like the CHA streamline administration so they have more time to focus on serving their constituents and communities."
    Lawson serves more than 140 government and education clients, including four of the 25 largest school districts in the United States. Lawson's software is in use at more than 2,700 schools with combined enrollments exceeding 1.6 million students. School districts, cities, counties, state governments, publicly owned utilities, municipal districts and membership organizations rely on Lawson's solutions to help meet the needs of a variety of stakeholders - students, constituents, members, employees, vendors and the community - while maximizing limited budgets.

    About Lawson Software

    Lawson Software provides business application software and consulting services that put time on the side of services organizations in the healthcare, retail, government and education, banking and insurance and other markets. Lawson's software suites include enterprise performance management, distribution, financials, human resources, procurement, retail operations and service process optimization. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., Lawson has offices and affiliates serving North and South America, Europe, and Africa.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements that contain risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements contain statements of intent, belief or current expectations of Lawson Software, Inc., and its management. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the potential results discussed in the forward-looking statements. The company is not obligated to update forward-looking statements based on circumstances or events that occur in the future. Risks and uncertainties that may cause such differences include but are not limited to: uncertainties in the software industry; global military conflicts; terrorist attacks in the United States, and any future events in response to these developments; changes in conditions in the company's targeted service industries; increased competition and other risk factors listed in the company's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and as included in other documents the company files from time to time with the Commission.

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CONTACT: Lawson Software, St. Paul Terry Blake, 651-767-4766 terry.blake@lawson.com or Weber Shandwick Jenny Myers, 217-649-2965 jmyers@webershandwick.com

KEYWORD: MINNESOTA ILLINOIS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: GOVERNMENT HARDWARE SOFTWARE NETWORKING MARKETING AGREEMENTS SOURCE: Lawson Software

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