And the mergers aren't just domestic. IBM Corp., Electronic Data Systems Corp. and Accenture Ltd. have acquired, partnered with or made moves to buy Indian outsourcers. And India-based companies like Wipro Ltd., Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and Mastek Ltd. have bought service firms in other parts of the world.

"The race is on, and the goal is more efficient global delivery," said Paul Roehrig, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc. in Cambridge, Mass.

Here's what you can do now and later to minimize the pain that can occur when your outsourcer is acquired.

Play Detective

As soon as you hear rumblings that your provider is on the block, it's important to dig up as much information as you can about potential buyers.