Lockheed buys Management Systems Designers

Once known as the king of dealmakers by landing large acquisitions to build its IT business, Lockheed Martin Corp. has transitioned to smaller, more niche deals in 2006.

Lockheed Martin is ranked on Washington Technology's 2006 list of the largest federal IT contractors.

Once known as the king of dealmakers by landing large acquisitions to build its IT business, Lockheed Martin Corp. has transitioned to smaller, more niche deals in 2006.

After making just one IT-related acquisition in 2004 and two in 2005, Lockheed Martin announced its fifth deal of 2006 last week with the pending deal for Management Systems Designers Inc. of Fairfax, Va.

The value of that deal, like the value of the other deals Lockheed completed in 2006, was not disclosed.

MSD brings Lockheed Martin capabilities to support life science, national security, and other civil agency missions. Capabilities include systems design, development, and integration; systems engineering; application support; professional services; management consulting; and health and bioinformatics services, Lockheed said.

Customers of the 600-person, employee-owned company include the National Institutes of Health, Internal Revenue Service, Defense and Homeland Security departments, and intelligence agencies. The investment bank Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. was MSD's advisor in the deal.

MSD will become part of Lockheed Martin's Integrated Systems and Solutions business.

"The proposed acquisition of MSD will strengthen our ongoing initiatives in the growing health care information market," said Bob Stevens, Lockheed Martin's chairman, president and CEO.

The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2007.

Lockheed Martin's other acquisitions in 2006 include:


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