Parsons makes another intell-focused deal
By
Ross Wilkers
Parsons Corp. makes its third acquisition in 14 months, this time for geospatial intelligence outfit OGSystems.
Parsons has acquired defense technology company OGSystems, which specializes in geospatial intelligence, big data analytics and threat mitigation work.
Terms of the deal announced Monday were undisclosed but Parsons said its footprint grows with defense and intelligence agencies like the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office and Special Operations Command.
For Pasadena-based Parsons, this is the global engineering giant’s third acquisition in the past 14 months including deals for another defense technology outfit in Polaris Alpha and energy control systems company Williams Electric.
The $3 billion-annual revenue Parsons’ federal customers include the Defense Department, Energy Department, NASA intelligence agencies and critical infrastructure entities.
Parsons also combined its federal and infrastructure segments in November into a single unit led by Carey Smith, now the company’s chief operating officer and formerly head of federal. That move and the acquisitions are all parts of Parsons’ strategy to position in high-end markets with technological convergence across the physical and digital domains.
“OGSystems will expand our position in critical markets, including space operations, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and beyond,” Smith said in a release. “Parsons’ existing artificial intelligence and cloud computing expertise will augment OGSystems’ support for customers demanding more efficiency in analyzing overwhelming volumes of geographic imagery and data.”
Founded in 2004, OGSystems’ workforce includes specialists in imaging and radar technology systems that include full-motion video, infrared imagery and the company’s flagship PeARL family of sensors.
OGSystems spun out data analytics startup GeoSpark Analytics in late 2017. That move saw OGSystems co-founder and then-CEO Omar Balkissoon transition to the chief executive post at the new company.
Fellow OGSystems co-founder Garrett Pagon became CEO.
Baird’s government services investment banking team led by Jean Stack and John Song were OGSystems’ financial advisers, while Ropes & Gray and Miles & Stockbridge P.C. were legal advisers.
Parsons had Goldman Sachs as financial adviser with Latham & Watkins as legal adviser.