As recordkeepers continue to consolidate, looking for economiesof scale, entrees into new niche markets, and additional servicesto add to their quivers, Mercer has announced that it has entered astrategic alliance with Transamerica.

According to Mercer, Transamerica will acquire Mercer’s U.S.defined contribution (DC) administration book of business, and itwill also become Mercer’s preferred DC recordkeeping provider.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2015.

Global consultant Mercer, a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh& McLennan Companies, has more than 20,000 employees based in43 countries.

The firm operates in over 140 countries. Aligning its U.S.business with Transamerica offers the opportunity to add additionalretirement planning and reporting capabilities, mobile accountmanagement and retirement counseling services to the services itoffers, while providing Transamerica the chance to expand itsmarket presence.

Mercer’s U.S. DC retirement administration business has morethan $71 billion in plan assets, 148 clients and more than 917,000participants.

In August, retirement plan advisory firm CAPTRUST announced that it had merged withMFP Strategies, after acquiring a stake in Pensionmark backin March. And in June, OneAmerica agreed to acquire BMORetirement Services from BMO Global Asset Management, after havingacquired City National Bank’s retirement services division theprevious year.