Bob Genter, president of the defense and civilian sector at Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC), told the Washington Business Journal in an interview published Monday that combining defense and civilian businesses into one business segment provides SAIC an opportunity to bring information technology to the defense side and engineering services to the civilian sector.
SAIC announced in September that it would reorganize its business structure into two segments – defense and civilian division and national security and space business – to accelerate growth priorities in various areas.
“So, as we looked at the portfolios, we thought that there was not only growth to continue on the path that we both had, but also growth by expanding into the other side of those customers,” he said. “Bringing IT to the DOD and bringing engineering services to the civilian organization cross-selling SAIC’s capabilities, if you will."
Genter said the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the demand for IT modernization, managed services and other capabilities.
“Managed services, which is one of the major reasons we bought Unisys Federal, it’s here. The federal government was beginning to buy that way over the last five to seven years. It has started to pick up steam,” he said. “It’s possible there is going to be a back and forth as to the pace in which they move to this, but there is no question that they are looking for companies that know how to do this."
He also shared his views on virtual acquisitions and IT modernization within the federal government amid budget challenges.
