AITC Exits 8(a) SBA Program

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Program Has Helped Propel Company into Next Phase of Growth

Building upon successful years of rapid growth, Advanced IT has officially “graduated” from the United States Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) program at the end of May 2022.

The 8(a) program is geared to help entrepreneurs launch, grow, and graduate their companies into a successful small business firm. The program provides the tools and knowledge needed to compete for contracts in the open market.

Since its inception in 2006, Advanced IT has evolved from its humble beginnings. The company was founded by former military veteran, Gabriel Ruiz, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army. He and his wife Sandra Ruiz have spearheaded Advanced IT to grow from a small family-owned business to a well-respected, major international enterprise. The 8(a) graduation is a celebration of Gabriel Ruiz and Sandra Ruiz’ hard work and commitment to establish, maintain, and grow Advanced IT as an exemplary small business.

In the past 24 months, Advanced IT has been awarded approximately $2B in DoD contracts. The company has expanded its success by moving into international markets including South Korea, Belgium, Germany, Uruguay, and Fiji. Advanced IT also supports the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) 2030 Transformation program in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“Being part of the SBA’s 8(a) program has assisted Advanced IT with growing and succeeding as a small business. As we transitioned through the years of working outside of the federal government, it prepared our company for the next sphere of success and helped to solidify our core strengths to attract large-scale contracts that have a global reach and impact,” says Gabe Ruiz, Advanced IT President.

Company Milestones:

In 2012 Advanced IT was accepted into the 8(a) Program. Since then, these were some of the successful 8(a) efforts achieved during the 10-year program period:

1. Advanced IT received its first 8(a) contract to support the U.S. Army and VA Medical Simulation Logistics efforts operating a 33,000-sf facility to support more than 100 VA Medical Clinics

2. The U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command (ISEC) awarded Advanced IT an 8(a) Top Secret contract to provide Audio Visual Engineering support in South Korea.

3. The U.S. Navy awarded Advanced IT a Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) contract for worldwide logistics and technology support.

4. Advanced IT received a Defense Health Agency (DHA) contract to provide Medical Simulation engineering and support to the NATO Allied Centre for Medical Education (ACME), Belgium.

5. FT Buchanan, P.R. awarded Advanced IT an Engineering Support contract to support the Department of Public Work (DPW).

6. FT Jackson, S.C. awarded Advanced IT a contract to provide Information Technology Engineering and Cyber Security support.

7. PEO STRI awarded Advanced IT a Medical Simulation contract for IT, Cyber Security and engineering support at Joint Base San Antonio’s Medical School’ Transport Medical Training Lab.

8. U.S. Forest Services awarded Advanced IT three contracts over three years to provide close to $8M in IT equipment.

9. The U.S. Department of State awarded Advanced IT a contract for the procurement and delivery of IT equipment to Honduras.

10. Advanced IT received a contract from the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence (ICoE) at FT Huachuca, AZ, to provide Military Intelligence personnel for critical mission support.

“These are just a few of the countless efforts Advanced IT received during the program. We leveraged the opportunities afforded under the SBA’s 8(a) program by pursuing and receiving countless contracts. These contracts provided critical lessons learned, past performance, and the financial platform for the implementation of systems, processes, and personnel to allow Advanced IT to effectively compete and succeed outside of the 8(a) program. Advanced IT is forever grateful to the countless advisors, mentors, customers, partners, and employees who made this journey a success. Words of advice, if we could do it, others can too!” says Ruiz.

The successful program graduation also signifies Advanced IT’s effective implementation of processes and systems, the development of critical skills, capabilities and past performance, as well as the hiring of committed and focused employees to take the company to the next level in a competitive environment.

AITC Expands Operations

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Leading IT Systems Integrator Adds Southwest Regional Headquarters to Better Serve Clients

Advanced IT has expanded with the addition of its new Southwest Regional Headquarters. This expansion comes on the heels of securing a major United States Army contract: Total Engineering and Integration Services (TEIS IV).

Advanced IT made the $3.5M investment to purchase additional office space located just outside of Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, AZ.

“We are very deliberate about our growth strategy, keeping the needs of our clients on the forefront of every decision,” says David E. Gardner, Advanced IT’s CEO. “Expanding our reach to Arizona and specifically the Sierra Vista area allows us to better support our Fort Huachuca contracts while serving existing and future clients throughout the region.”

Previously, the Department of Army, Army Materiel Command (AMC), Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), and U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command (USAISEC), awarded Advanced IT a contract for information systems engineering and information technology support services. The Total Engineering and Integration Services (TEIS IV) contract is an $800M five-year duration IDIQ contract.

“Our new Southwest Regional Headquarters is a win-win for Government customers current and future and provides Advanced IT with the flexibility to better serve our customer requirements worldwide,” says Larry Singer, Advanced IT’s Chief of Business Development.

“In addition to providing expanded and modern office space for our Sierra Vista employees and several team members, our new facilities will also serve as a technology hub to showcase the latest technology and solutions Advanced IT offers its customers,” says Gabriel Ruiz, Advanced IT’s President.

Local officials Matt McLachlan, AICP, Community Development Director, City of Sierra Vista and Mignonne Hollis, Executive Director, Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation worked with Advanced IT to make this expansion possible.

ACG Orlando Honors Regional Companies at the 14th Annual SMART Awards

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The vibe was electric as hundreds of corporate executives and professional advisors gathered to celebrate 18 of the highest performing companies in Central Florida at the 14th Annual Association of Corporate Growth (ACG) SMART Awards on May 17 at the Alfond Inn in Winter Park, FL.

Advanced IT was proud to be among the finalists selected this year for its accomplishments that set the standard for operating excellence among middle market, second-stage growth companies.

Winners were selected by an independent panel of judges, drawn from the ranks of experienced financial industry professionals, business owners and executives, academics, journalists, consultants, and professional service providers.

Selection criteria included quantitative factors such as demonstrated growth in revenue, profitability and employees, and subjective factors such as quality of business innovation, corporate culture, entrepreneurial achievements, product development milestones and demonstrated community involvement.

ACG Orlando saluted the 18 honorees, praising their innovations that drive economic growth.  According to their spokesperson, these companies are excelling in every discipline, ranging from product and service design to fiscal management and corporate culture. Their stories inspire and show others what’s possible when smart strategy is combined with outstanding execution.

For more information about the awards and to see the list of 2022 Finalists, visit https://bit.ly/3GpTH2K.

AITC was Recently Awarded a Contract with Kirtland Air Force Base

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Advanced IT was recently awarded a contract with the Kirtland Airforce Base, New Mexico to provide and install an audio-visual upgrade. The 377th Air Base Wing is the host organization at Kirtland Air Force Base, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The wing reports to Air Force Global Strike Command.  

Kirtland AFB is a center for research, development and testing of non-conventional weapons, space and missile technology, laser warfare and much more. Some of the organizations involved in this area include the Department of Energy, Sandia National Laboratories, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, the Space and Missile Systems Center, the Air Force Inspection Agency and the Air Force Safety Center. 

 This project will modernize legacy equipment to bring enhanced AV/VTC and unified capabilities into cybersecurity compliance to operate within the Air Force’s enterprise environment.  Team Advanced IT will plan, design, install, configure, test and train with our partner AVI-SPL, the nation’s industry leader in professional services that unifies voice, data, and video into a single collaborative communications platform.  

Advanced IT’s team is comprised of highly trained professionals who deliver innovative communication technologies to Federal, State, Coalition and Civil markets, providing easy to use and secure unified capability solutions.

“We are excited to support Kirtland Air Force Base in their effort to upgrade their AV/VTC capabilities. Projects such as these underscore our ability to provide the latest technology innovations that support the mission readiness of our military,” says David E. Gardner, Advanced IT’s CEO.

Congrats to our team member Lydia Perez for this win!

For more information about Kirtland AFB visit https://lnkd.in/e9873mbt

AITC Passes Second Annual ISO Quality Surveillance Audit with Flying Colors

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Demonstrates Consistent Adherence to ISO 9001 Standards

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 is the world’s most popular quality management system (QMS). According to recent data, more than a million organizations worldwide are certified, spanning all sizes across a broad range of industries. The benefits are numerous and have a profound impact on both company culture and the quality of products and services delivered.

Advanced IT just passed this year’s Surveillance Audit for ISO 9001:2015 with no corrective actions or identified areas for improvement, a true achievement!  Certified in 2019 in ISO 9001:2015, Advanced IT Inc. has now completed its 24-month surveillance audit, which is part of the three-year verification cycle, demonstrating that Advanced IT’s QMS is able to achieve expected outcomes and address any matters that require attention.

“The positive result of the surveillance audit demonstrates Advanced IT’s consistent adherence to the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard. As stressed in its QMS, Advanced IT is dedicated to a process of continual improvement, satisfying applicable requirements of the standard, addressing risks, and maximizing opportunities,” says David E. Gardner, CEO of Advanced IT.

Implementing ISO processes and completing the ISO 9001 certification is important for Advanced IT and its customers because it results in improved customer satisfaction and loyalty, happier and more competent employees, better quality products and services, increased efficiency, fewer mistakes, and less wasted time, reduced overall risks, and increased sales and market share.

In the government contracting industry, achieving ISO 9001 certification is highly coveted. Advanced IT is proud to display it on the website and company documents as it underscores the commitment to quality products and services, customer, and employee satisfaction, as well as the overall efficiency of Advanced IT’s operations.

About ISO 9000
The ISO 9001:2015 standard is based on several quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the support, motivation and focus of senior management to implement a process approach and continual improvement. Using ISO 9001:2015 helps ensure that customers get consistent quality products and services. ISO 9001:2015 sets the criteria for a quality management system.  Visit the website for more information at https://www.iso.org.

Mission Success

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Team Advanced IT delivered a successful mission to the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), which works in close coordination with the Department of State regional bureaus, as well as the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, Regional Combatant Commands, and other DoD organizations to develop regional program plans and execute training and equipping activities.

As part of our award for Uruguay from the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, International Programs we provided procurement of equipment, installation and implementation in supports of its IT Technology refresh of the National Peacekeeping Center (ENOPU) at Montevideo, Uruguay.

Congrats to all for making this a success!  Advanced IT Makes it Happen!

AITC Named to Fast 50 2020 List by Washington Technology

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List Represents the Most Successful Small Businesses in the Government Market

Advanced IT was named by Washington Technology as a Fast 50 Award winner for 2020.  The outlet lists 50 of the nation’s fastest growing small businesses representing a full spectrum of capabilities, technologies and customers that make up the government contracting (GovCon) market. 

Advanced IT has shown sustained growth and is ranked at number 34 based on its four-year compound growth rate of 36.5 percent which, is reflective of its substantial revenue increase over the last three years. 

“Through the collaboration, innovation, focus and dedication of our employees, our team has worked hard to serve our government customers and deliver impactful results which, is demonstrated by our proven performance and growth. We are honored to be recognized by Washington Technology as one of this year’s fast 50 companies,” says David E. Gardner, CEO of Advanced IT.

To be eligible for the list, a company must be considered a fast-growing small business in the government market with at least $50,000 in government revenue in 2015.   It ranks small businesses according to their compound annual growth rate over the last five years.  Government revenue includes prime contract subcontract work in the federal, state and local markets.

Washington Technology, a web-based specialty publication, is considered the foremost authoritative source of competitive intelligence for executives of small businesses in the federal contracting market.

For more information, view the entire list here.

AITC Announces Key Employee Promotions

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Expands Leadership Team for Performance Based Growth

Advanced IT, a leading SDVOSB and SBA 8(a) certified systems integration firm providing IT and professional services and solutions to the Department of Defense, federal government and public sector agencies announced three recent promotions.

Dave Balleweg, a 30+ year professional with executive level leadership and independent consulting experience, has a successful track record across the full program lifecycle. Balleweg has expertly developed and executed capture plans, teaming strategy and marketing campaigns, established winning Capture, Business and Proposal Development organizations and implemented effective PMO and back office structures.  He consistently exceeds performance goals and identifies value added resources to meet administrative objectives through efficient execution and utilization of personnel.  Balleweg was promoted to Chief Growth Officer, which encompasses all Advanced IT’s infrastructure that impacts operational growth and new business development activity.

COL (Ret.) Wells Barlow is a career Army officer with nearly 30 years of communications, command and control, IT and training systems experience and more than ten years in industry as a senior executive and business development manager with a variety of high tech companies such as SAIC, Carley Corporation, PAE and IDSI.  He has nearly two decades of Department of Defense acquisition and program management experience involving complex IT programs.  Barlow is results-oriented providing solutions on time and within budget.  He is successful in working with any organizational level at any size with divergent interests; coordinating complex issues; setting requirements; establishing goals; achieving desired outcomes and determining customer priorities.  As Chief Programs Officer, Barlow will continue to oversee Advanced IT’s programs especially with the U.S. Army.

Humberto Ravelo, is a veteran with more than 30 years experience in the government and civilian sectors.  Ravelo has diverse leadership skills, including extensive operations expertise, program management, and has worked as a design/systems engineer.  He has more than 15 years of experience in Army-specific mission support, with an emphasis in training and simulation.  Ravelo was promoted to Chief of Corporate Development.

“These promotions reflect our company’s commitment to excellence,” said David E. Gardner, CEO, Advanced IT. “We have built a high performing team that requires we recruit, retain and recognize individuals for their leadership and contributions.  Dave, Wells and Bert exemplify our company’s highest standards of integrity and success. They’re passionate team players that consistently develop new strategies that exceed clients’ expectations while advancing our business.  As we continue to evolve to a performance-based business model, they are aligned to propel the company forward to achieve its next phase of growth.”

How to Negotiate Contract Performance and Deliverables During COVID

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Advanced IT’s president Gabe Ruiz shares his thoughts on “How to Negotiate Contract Performance and Deliverables During COVID.”  In this candid interview with Jenny Clark, host of #FreedomFriday, he answers the questions that most want to know and provides insightful advice to help others navigating this new reality.

#FreedomFriday is a virtual place for connection on LinkedIn for small businesses and government contractors to meet mentors, peers, subject matter experts and advocates.  Each week, there is a featured speaker that addresses the interests and concerns of the government contracting community.

To learn more and become part of the community, contact Jenny Clark at https://www.linkedin.com/in/solvabilityjwc/ 

USAISEC expertise powers cutting-edge 2nd Infantry Division cyber operations center

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Reposted from US Army 

Jacob Kriss, March 25, 2020

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — For many Americans, the Korean War may seem like distant history, as the armistice that ended hostilities was signed in 1953. However, for the Soldiers of the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division, or 2ID, the potential for large-scale conflict on the Korean peninsula is far from a schoolroom memory — it’s a reality they live and breathe every day.

The 2ID, based in South Korea, is tasked to defend our allies, deter North Korean aggression and, if necessary, be ready to “fight tonight.” To accomplish its mission, 2ID relies on the U.S. Army Information System Engineering Command, which designed and managed the command, control, communications, computers, cyber and intelligence, or C5I, fielding within the state-of-the-art secure operations center where those capabilities come together.

End-to-end management

Part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, USAISEC has extensive experience providing engineering support to enable mission command of the Army and joint warfighters. However, the operations center was the first time the command created a project management office from the ground up, overseeing the C5I design, implementation, integration and sustainment process from beginning to end, according to Project Manager Rob Wellborn.

“You’re taking a bunch of infantrymen and telling them, ‘Here’s what you have to do for project management oversight,’” he said. “To ensure project success, the USAISEC team worked hand in hand with the 2ID transition cell and deputy chief of staff to involve them throughout the entire project.”

Camp Humphreys rises

The project’s origins date to 2004, when the United States agreed to relocate the bulk of its forces in South Korea from the Yongsan Garrison in Seoul to Camp Humphreys, 40 miles south. Over the next decade, Camp Humphreys expanded to more than 34,000 personnel and added 680 buildings, including a new 2ID headquarters, Freeman Hall, in which the operations center is located.

In 2014, the U.S.-Republic of Korea C5I Joint Working Group asked USAISEC to deliver the C5I infrastructure needed for 1,425 U.S. and Korean intelligence, operations and cyber warfighters. The total project called for five secure compartmented information facilities, or SCIFs, on Camp Humphreys. Two have been completed, including the Freeman Hall operations center, while the remaining three are scheduled for completion in 2021-2022.

DevOps design

Inside the operations center, 175 2ID Soldiers operate complex, multi-level audio-visual systems that transport data around the facility and provide a common operating picture of 2ID and enemy activities. For the design process, USAISEC borrowed a concept from software development known as DevOps, which focuses on close collaboration with actual users.

“We were involved with the users from the beginning, interviewing them on how they needed to use visual information systems to accomplish their wartime mission,” Wellborn said. “It was an iterative process to ensure the center was exactly what they were looking for, and it hit the mark right in the bullseye.”

Complex coordination

The project required intense cooperation among numerous parties. For example, the Army Corps of Engineers coordinated construction by both Korean and U.S. contractors. After construction, bringing the facility online in 2018 required input from the Camp Humphreys Network Enterprise Center, the Defense Information Systems Agency, various civilian and military intelligence agencies, and more.

Despite these challenges, the project came in on time and budget at $9.6 million thanks to careful management, said Deputy Project Manager Ricardo Alonzo. “As the project evolved we got greater cost fidelity on efforts and materials,” he said. “That enabled us to refine the cost and reinvest the savings into the project.”

Today, USAISEC continues to provide on-site technical sustainment for the center, one of 18 mission command center modernization projects USAISEC is supporting worldwide. The center has become the central hub for 2ID cyber and intelligence operations and a showcase tour stop for visits from dignitaries and VIPs. In the future, the USAISEC team will continue to capitalize on its successes with 2ID to ensure the cyber warriors in the remaining SCIFs are equally satisfied with their C5I capabilities.

Visit the USAISEC home page

Visit the CECOM home page

Article Source: https://www.army.mil/article/233977

Photo: U.S. Army