Booz Allen Hamilton looks to get ‘citizen focused’ in acquistion of Laurel-based Aquilent

Maryland acquisition news came in the government contracting space this week, as Booz Allen Hamilton announced a deal to buy Laurel-based Aquilent.

Big news! We’re excited @Aquilent is joining the @BoozAllen team! Here’s to building new #digital services together https://t.co/MOMOOoJ3dY

— Aquilent (@Aquilent) November 29, 2016

The $250 million deal adds another Maryland location for Booz Allen, creating a Laurel “hub” of 350 employees. An announcement said Booz Allen Hamilton was particularly interested in Aquilent’s “emphasis on citizen-focused digital services.”
Aquilent, which is formally called eGov Holdings, already has contracts to develop digital tools for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. General Services Administration. The firm has developed more than 100 government websites and services.
It looks like work with a couple of those departments will expand. As part of a move toward offering more tech services for the “management consulting” firm, Booz Allen Hamilton was recently awarded a $25 million contract to build tools for GSA’s 18F, which builds digital tools for various government agencies. Another existing seven-year contract is to create mobile tools for the Postal Service.
“Joining a firm like Booz Allen, which aligns so closely with our expertise, offers the chance to expand into new areas of digital work, expands capabilities for our clients through the breadth of their relationships, and is a great opportunity for the people of Aquilent,” Aquilent CEO David Fout said in a statement.
The deal, which is expected to close at the end of the calendar year, will make Aquilent a wholly-owned subsidiary of Booz Allen.