Polaris Alpha
Congratulations to Polaris Alpha which was recently named Government Contractor of the Year at the MTC Industry Awards Celebration! To give members deeper insight into the company, we spoke with CEO Peter Cannito about this newly formed company.
Tell us about Polaris Alpha and the types of clients with whom you work.
The company was formed last year when three well-established companies came together: EOIR Technologies, Intelligent Software Solutions, and Proteus Technologies. All three companies were small businesses, and we wanted to form a new, agile, mid-sized company. We focus on highly technical mission critical systems development for national security clients, including intelligence, three-letter agencies, and the Department of Defense. In Maryland, we support Ft. Meade and various tenants at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Specifically, we build intelligence management systems, cybersecurity systems, smart sensors, and electronic warfare applications.
Polaris Alpha employs 1,200 people and has 20 offices. Our hubs are in Annapolis Junction, Maryland, and Colorado Springs, Colorado.
How is Polaris Alpha different from other government contracting firms?
There are very few mid-sized government contracting firms that are doing what we do, so we are, in essence, defining that space. Our strategy maintains that the market is interested in a mid-size player like Polaris Alpha that is focused on high-end technical capabilities like electronic warfare, cyber, advanced analytics, and cloud computing. We stay at the high-end so that we can be more agile in terms of how we can support the customer, and we are disruptive in developing innovative ways to develop those technologies. As independent small businesses, all three companies shared a common culture in that they were interested in mission critical areas, and now that we are one company, we’re forming a strategy to lead this mid-tier agile space.
What are the most important factors you attribute to your company’s success?
There are two, organic growth and continuing momentum. This year, we acquired Intelesys in Columbia, Maryland. With that acquisition, we plan on winning a number of different contracts as a team instead of as individual companies. We also want to continue our success in using OTAs.
What were some of the obstacles you and your colleagues are facing in bringing together the three companies?
We are trying to successfully navigate the obstacles that come with growing a new company while working on blending corporate cultures into one that is unique. We are currently focusing on merging systems across the organization so that we can grow at a healthy rate and implement a cohesive set of processes. The real challenge comes with working on all of this while supporting intense mission-critical programs.
What are the most pressing challenges you anticipate facing over the next 12 – 24 months?
Within the industry, it’s the ability to come up with new and innovative ways to work with the government so that it keeps pace with technology. Government contracting can be slow and technology changes quickly. With IT, it can be difficult to connect the dots across large agencies, but if you’re as focused on this rapidly growing space as we are, it’s easier to communicate to agencies how they can leverage systems across the government. We’ve developed a lot of intellectual property that can be used across different agencies.
Tell us about the culture at Polaris.
Our mission is the mission. There are a lot of companies in this area where people who are coming out of college and into the high-tech space can work. We differentiate ourselves by offering these individuals the opportunity to have a real impact on mission critical areas and gain hands-on experience supporting highly technical programs. We are building a culture where we have intelligent and motivated people of all experience levels collaborating to solve highly technical problems. They feel good about having a career in which they are doing real work and making a real difference.
Where did the name come from?
Polaris, or the North Star, is actually a triple star system, so we felt that it was representative of the original three companies. Alpha is the brightest of the three stars.
Who can MTC members contact if they have any questions?
They can contact Brittany Trocher, Strategic Communications & Outreach Manager at brittany.trocher@polarisalpha.com or at 410.306.8721 or 443.417.6873.
