How Vectrus helps military bases scout for new tech

Like many federal systems integrators, Vectrus also finds itself on a continuous tech scouting mission but one that is tied almost exclusively to its core of supporting military bases and IT networks worldwide.

Vectrus’ pair of acquisitions within the past two years have had a common thread of finding companies that provide specialized technology to help secure and manage facilities, all in the name of helping clients move toward a more converged infrastructure.

Deals are not the only tool Vectrus has at its disposal to bring emerging innovations to its government customers that want to use those digital tools as a lever for running their physical assets.

As Vectrus Chief Growth Officer Sue Deagle described to me recently, the company is also on a similar kind of continuous tech scouting mission that many federal systems integrators have embraced. But Vectrus is focused on its core business: supporting the military’s bases, supply chains and IT networks often in overseas and austere locations.

“There are people out there who are inventing cool things: new water purification methods, new solar methods, and so we actually have a component of our business that is out shopping for solutions that resonate with our bases,” Deagle said.

“We bring those partners to the table and they either do a pilot or they talk about the customer about what they have to offer, and then we can fold them into our contracts through different contracting mechanisms going forward.”

Through that setup, Vectrus essentially wants to be a channel through which creators can get their latest tools to the government customer. But as Deagle pointed out, the kind of environments that Vectrus typically works in is a factor to consider regarding when a base eyes integrating a new technology.

“For big-ticket bases, they need to know that the technology works,” Deagle said. “We do pilots with them to show through metrics how things could improve. So they’re interested and engaged in the conversation, but they’re probably not the ones leading the way.

“But that’s our job to come to them as a vendor… and say ‘Here’s a better way to do things, here’s another way to think about it. What do you think (and) what are the risks involved?’”

A possible second component of that broader solutions-oriented push by Vectrus is in the works, whereby the company would have more formalized statuses with commercial technology providers just like the aforementioned group of federal IT systems integrators do.

“When we think out to the future, we would see on our website in the future ‘solutions that are powered by Vectrus,’” Deagle said.

The story of Vectrus’ converged infrastructure push cannot be told without mentioning that four senior leaders including Dugle are all former IBM executives.

CEO Chuck Prow is a former general manager of global government for IBM, where he spent 12 years, and joined Vectrus in December 2016. Six months on, Deagle followed after a 13-year career at Big Blue that included a sales leadership role in IBM’s federal and government industries division.

David Hathaway was hired in the fall of last year as Vectrus’ senior vice president of programs after 15 years at IBM. Corinne Minton-Package, vice president of solutions and alliances, joined around the same timeframe as Hathaway and spent 18 years at IBM.

“We learned at IBM how to operate really big programs,” Deagle said, pointing to enterprise resource planning systems that Big Blue supports for federal agencies.

“We’re able to come here with these operators who are so skilled and gifted at what they do, and apply similar principles but learn from them, and then bring the layer of technology into that,” Deagle added. “These technology brains that we brought from IBM are combined with our base operators on the ground, and that creates this converged platform that we’re pushing towards in the future.”

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.