The government faces a range of challenges these days. Budgets are lean, the acquisition workforce is stretched thin and the pool of cleared personnel available to support security-related agencies is too small… just to name a few.
At Xcelerate Solutions, “we’re trying to help the government solve those problems,” particularly in security-related mission sets — areas such as airport security, personnel security and IT security, said Chief Operating Officer David Kapusta.
Xcelerate takes an unconventional approach to helping agencies improve their processes; the company focuses intensely on results.
“We deliver high-quality mission outcomes to our clients. We prioritize security and quality standards, which establishes a high level of trust with our clients. Our clients are confident they can count on us, which allows us to be creative about how we staff projects and approach problems,” Kapusta said.
Kapusta points to several recent examples where Xcelerate has brought this to life.
To help drive efficiency in often manual and drawn-out processes, the company has worked with multiple National Security clients to improve their program delivery. “We’re identifying the major steps in the process and then applying different execution models,” he said.
“We’re growing the workforce by investing in people. We train, mentor, shadow, and guide our team of professionals so they become very capable,” he said. “We incentivize our experienced team to accomplish more at the same cost.”
To help agencies cope with the acquisitions workforce shortage, “we will collaborate with our government colleagues and, in some ways, disrupt the established systems by providing alternatives to traditional approaches,” Kapusta said.
“We engage with the acquisition community to explore different business models to bring about mission success,” he said. “In some cases, we may suggest a pilot program by initiating a small project, demonstrating the model meets the mission requirements and proves more effective. Over time, you create a lot of efficiencies, and everybody’s happy, from the operator on the ground to the contractor supporting on the backend.”
In addition to that kind of process work, the company also brings to the table systems engineering, software development, and traditional IT security. But the end goal is always the same, he said: “In every case, we’re trying to change how we collectively approach solving the problem with a strong mission focus.”
From a business perspective, sometimes this creates a unique challenge for Xcelerate. “We are not always looking to entrench ourselves or become the agency’s static, long-term vendor. We are an intellectually honest contractor with our clients; we advise the best, most cost-effective solutions, and sometimes we work our way out of a job,” Kapusta said. “We’re focused on cost savings and efficiencies: We’re not necessarily trying to solidify our role at the client’s long-term expense.”
That impacts how Xcelerate approaches the market. In this environment, “you have to evolve with the client as their model and mission changes,” he said.
New needs will always arise, “and if you deliver great results for them, they’re going to continue to rely on a trusted partner with a track record for honesty and delivering mission efficiency,” he said. “You may continue to support a client or clients, but what you provide for them can evolve as both the world and their mission change.”
As he eyes future growth opportunities, Kapusta said he’s taking a two-pronged approach. First, Xcelerate is looking for organic growth and pursuing new opportunities where its security-focused expertise can help elevate agency outcomes.
At the same time, the company is looking for acquisition opportunities. For example, Xcelerate acquired VMD Corp, a cybersecurity, agile engineering, and critical infrastructure protection firm in February. “As a result of that acquisition and a few smaller contract acquisitions this year, we have nearly tripled in revenue, offerings, and employees,” Kapusta said.
In scoping out potential acquisitions, Xcelerate looks for firms focused on security, especially those with complementary offerings. “We don’t necessarily want to acquire a company that is a complete reflection of ourselves,” he said. Instead, he looks for new capabilities, especially those “complementary and consistent with our strategic themes around security.”
Before entering the GovCon world, Kapusta spent six years as an Air Force officer specializing in acquisition. He’s remained focused on acquisition partly because “it’s the area where I can add the most value,” he said. “When I’m talking to a mission customer, I understand how their acquisition process works and can help guide them through that process.”
At the same time, he gets special satisfaction from doing work that keeps him connected to the ex-military community.
“I’ve gotten to work with thousands of veterans, and I find them very energizing,” he said. “They tend to be a combination of hardworking, humble, and enthusiastic. Some of my colleagues have seen the worst of humanity, yet they are some of the most optimistic people in the world. It’s what energizes me.”