SEC Company Response from SIFY TECHNOLOGIES LTD (SIFY) (CIK 0001094324) (SIFY) — Mar 6, 2006
SIFY TECHNOLOGIES LTD (SIFY) (CIK 0001094324)
Date: March 6, 2006 · CIK: 0001094324 · Accession: 0000950134-06-004294
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
Referenced dates: February 15, 2006, February 7, 2003, January 19, 2003
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CORRESP
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135 Commonwealth Drive
Menlo Park, California 94025
Tel: (650) 328-4600 Fax: (650) 463-2600
www.lw.com
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Washington, D.C.
March 3, 2006
VIA FACSIMILE AND EDGAR
CONFIDENTIAL
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Attn :
Brad Skinner, Accounting Branch Chief
Mark Kronforst, Senior Staff Accountant
Re :
Sify Limited
Form 20-F for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2005
Filed July 1, 2005
File No. 0-27663
Ladies and Gentlemen:
On behalf of our client, Sify Limited (the “Company”), we confirm receipt of the letter dated
February 15, 2006 (the “Comment Letter”) from the Staff (the “Staff”) of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) relating to the Company’s Form 20-F for its fiscal year
ended March 31, 2005 (the “20-F”).
This letter sets forth the Company’s responses to the Staff’s comments. For your convenience, the
Staff’s comments contained in the Comment Letter have been restated below in their entirety, with
the responses to each comment set forth immediately under the comment.
Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects
Critical Accounting Policies
Revenue recognition, Page No. 42
1.
We note that you recognize revenue related to fixed-price service arrangements using the
percentage of completion method. Please explain to us why you believe this method of
recognizing revenue is appropriate for these arrangements. As part of your response, explain
how you considered footnote 1 to SOP 81-1.
The Company supplementally advises that Staff that the Company provides e-learning software
development services to facilitate web-based learning. These customized services vary in size from
March 3, 2006
Page 2
customer to customer and relate to computer-based training and web-based training in accordance
with the customer’s specification. These services include information presentation, structured
content delivery, content digitization and simulation-based training.
In connection with these services, the Company’s deliverables include CDs and manuals. The Company
believes that the delivery of this content is the intended principal activity envisaged by the
contracts and are not incidental to the contracts. The arrangements to develop and deliver these
customized solutions involve aspects of software development, including designing, prototyping,
developing and installation. These services are provided either on a fixed-price, fixed-time frame
basis or on a time-and-materials basis. The Company recognizes revenue based on the percentage of
completion method from fixed-price contracts only in the case of e-learning software development
services.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, the Company’s revenues from e-learning software
development services aggregated Rs. 82.1 million, representing 2.6% of the Company’s total revenues
of Rs. 3,163.5 million. Revenues from e-learning software development services provided on a
fixed-price, fixed-time frame basis and on time-and-materials basis aggregated Rs. 32.84 million
(representing 40% of the Company’s total e-learning revenues) and Rs. 49.26 million (representing
60% of the Company’s total e-learning revenue), respectively. Accordingly, only approximately 1%
of the Company’s total revenues for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005 was recognized under the
percentage of completion method.
The Company believes that its fixed price arrangements for e-learning software development services
are covered under the activities of development and production of computer software mentioned in
paragraph 1 of SOP 81-1. The Company respectfully notes that this guidance has been reiterated by
the AcSEC in paragraphs 95 and 138 of Statement of Position No. 97-2, Software Revenue Recognition.
Accordingly, the Company recognizes revenue from fixed-price contracts for these services in
conformity with ARB 45, Long-Term Construction-Type Contracts, using guidance in SOP 81-1. The
Company advises the Staff that the Company has considered Footnote 1 of SOP 81-1, which excludes
service transactions as defined in the 1978 FASB Invitation to Comment from the scope of SOP 81-1.
However, Footnote 1 also states that the scope exclusion does not apply to “separate contracts to
provide service essential to the construction or production of tangible property, such as design
engineering, procurement and construction management.”
The Company believes that the deliverables provided by the Company to its customers in connection
with e-learning software development services are of the same nature as the services provided in an
arrangement to deliver software that entail significant production, modification or customization
of software. The Company’s fixed-price contracts to provide these services are also similar to
“contracts for services performed by architects, engineers or architectural engineering design
firms,” as stated in paragraph 13 of SOP 81-1. As a result, the Company respectfully submits that
the percentage of completion method is the appropriate method of recognizing revenues for
fixed-price contracts relating to e-learning software development services.
Item 18. Financial Statements
Consolidated Statements of Operations, page 68,
2.
We note that your “Products and Services” disclosures on page 91 appear to indicate that your
product revenues represent more than 10% of your consolidated revenues. Please explain to us
how your presentation complies with Rule 5-03 (1) and (2) of Regulation S-X.
March 3, 2006
Page 3
The Company undertakes to ensure that income statements included in future filings with the
Commission will comply with the requirements set forth in with Rule 5-03(1) and (2) of Regulation
S-X. The Company respectfully notes that in its letter dated February 7, 2003 (submitted in
response to a comment letter from the Staff dated January 19, 2003), the Company in its response to
Comment No. 60 indicated that it would disclose all hardware sales as product revenues separately
in the notes to the financial statements, commencing with the Company’s December 31, 2002 Form 6-K.
The Company respectfully submits that it would not be helpful to investors for the Company to file
an amended annual report to revise the income statement included in the 20-F because, as noted in
the Comment Letter, the breakdown of product revenues and service revenues is set forth in the
“Products and Services” footnote disclosure on page 91 of the 20-F.
The Company hereby acknowledges the following:
•
the Company is responsible for the adequacy and
accuracy of the disclosure in its filings with the
Commission;
•
Staff comments or changes to disclosure in response
to Staff comments do not foreclose the Commission
from taking any action with respect to the filing;
and
•
the Company may not assert Staff comments as a
defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission
or any person under the federal securities laws of
the United States.
The Company appreciates the Staff’s efforts in assisting the Company in its compliance with
applicable disclosure requirements. Should the Staff have any questions regarding these responses
or require further information, please contact the undersigned at (650) 463-2643 or William
Davisson of this firm at (650) 463-2660.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Anthony J. Richmond
Anthony J. Richmond
of LATHAM & WATKINS LLP
cc :
Mr. R. Ramaraj, Sify Limited
KPMG LLP