Digital Design SME

Everforth ECS selects Peraton's Sam Yousef as Global Defense head. * Everforth ECS has chosen Sam Yousef as the new head of its global defense business unit * Yousef has nearly 20 years of experience under its belt, serving in Peraton as well as the Department of War * Yousef will be responsible for strategizing the growth of programs that cater to the DOW and NATO Everforth ECS announced Wednesday that Sam Yousef, former sector vice president and chief technology officer of Peraton, will be the new business unit head of Everforth ECS Global Defense. In his new role, Yousef will oversee strategy, growth, and delivery for programs concerning the U.S. Department of War and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. What experience does Sam Yousef bring to the role? Yousef brings nearly 20 years of experience in government service and government contracting. He worked at Peraton for almost two years, driving growth in the company's estimated $1 billion defense and health business. From 2012 to 2023, Yousef served various roles in the Department of War. He served as director of policy support for Defense Human Resources Activity and later became deputy director of the Defense Manpower Data Center, one of the agency's data and identity ecosystems. Yousef's earlier career experience includes one year as a privacy officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and three years as a senior consultant at Deloitte. What contracts did Everforth ECS secure before Yousef's appointment? Yousef's appointment comes as Everforth ECS carries out its new contracts with the U.S. Army and the Defense Health Agency. Just this week, the Defense Health Agency awarded the company a four-year, $30 million contract to deliver analytics and modernization support to the Defense Health Agency. The contract is expected to benefit the Information Technology Program Support and Analytics Services program. On July 29, the company announced that it was awarded a three-year, $115 million contract to provide artificial intelligence services for the Nautilus for AI Research and Development program of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory.

Former Peraton executive Zeshan Khan named Unissant VP of Enterprise Solutions. * As Unissant VP of Enterprise Solutions, Zeshan Khan will support growth efforts tied to homeland security, defense and intelligence missions * He will help shape enterprise architecture and technical strategies for key pursuits * Khan previously held leadership roles at Peraton, Perspecta, OG Systems, IBM and Accenture What will Khan do at Unissant? Khan's responsibilities include driving growth for missions supporting defense, homeland security and the intelligence community, while leading enterprise architecture work and technical strategy development for the National Security Business Unit's pursuits. Alka Bhave, chief operating officer and general manager of national security at Unissant, said Khan's background in developing new capabilities and leading capture efforts positions him to help advance the company's growth goals and address customer mission needs. "He knows how to architect enterprise solutions to solve our customers' hardest challenges while remaining grounded by the customer's mission needs," said Bhave. Khan's appointment follows other efforts to expand Unissant's national security business. In March, the company named Shaun Swartz vice president of defense to oversee growth strategy for defense customers, while it launched MissionWORKS in July, a framework designed to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies across federal agencies. What experience does Khan bring? Khan has spent more than 25 years turning federal agency requirements into technical strategies for large, complex procurements, work that has helped agencies win federal opportunities, including multibillion-dollar contracts, by bringing cross-functional teams together under a mission-focused approach. He joins Unissant after serving senior-level roles in technical strategy and business growth, including director of strategy and technical services at Peraton and senior adviser on digital strategies and transformation at Perspecta, which Veritas Capital acquired in May 2021 and later integrated with Peraton. Khan also held leadership positions at OG Systems and IBM, and earlier served as a systems engineering consultant at Accenture.

CGI's $161M State dept passport contract expires soon. By Harvey Bennett Published: July 16, 2026 The $161M passport processing powerhouse. While most federal contractors are scanning for cloud migrations or cybersecurity RFPs, a massive operational opportunity is quietly ticking down at the Department of State. CGI Federal Inc. currently holds the reins on contract 19AQMM24C0062, valued at a staggering $161,150,000. This isn't a typical IT implementation gig. This is the backbone of American international travel. The scope involves comprehensive onsite management, administration, and processing support at three Passport Centers and twenty-four Passport Agencies nationwide. From initial applications to renewals for both books and cards, CGI is handling the high-volume, high-stakes transactional workflow that keeps the Bureau of Consular Affairs running. Why this expiration matters. The contract was awarded on May 9, 2025. In the federal contracting world, a base period of one year with options is common for service contracts of this nature, but the sheer scale here suggests a long-term operational dependency. If XAZA Health is looking at the tail end of the initial period or early option years, the impending expiration or potential recompete represents one of the largest single-point-of-failure risks for the State Department's consular operations. For the market, this signals a few critical things: * Operational Continuity is King: The State Department cannot afford downtime in passport issuance. Any successor or competitor must demonstrate robust disaster recovery, secure data handling (PII/PIV), and seamless transition plans. * Hybrid Workforce Models: The scope requires "onsite" support. This isn't a remote-only IT job. Contractors need a proven ability to recruit, train, and retain staff in geographically dispersed, secure facilities. * Integration Complexity: Passport processing involves legacy systems, modern databases, and strict security protocols. The winning bid will likely hinge on how well a contractor can integrate with existing State Department IT infrastructure without disrupting the customer experience. Who else is in the running? While CGI Federal has entrenched itself as the incumbent, the federal services market is competitive. Look for players with strong backgrounds in government operations, customer service outsourcing, and secure facilities management. Companies like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Peraton often compete in high-security, high-volume operational support roles. Additionally, specialized firms with experience in identity management and secure document processing could pose a threat. Recent activity from CGI, such as the $6,900 incremental funding (19AQMM24F7347) and the BPA call modification for financial support (191NLE26F7059), indicates they are actively managing and expanding their footprint within the State Department ecosystem. This makes them a formidable incumbent to displace. Actionable intelligence for contractors. If you're considering bidding on a recompete or competing for future task orders related to this space, focus on these three areas: * Security Clearance & Vetting: Ensure your workforce has the necessary clearances and background checks for working in secure passport facilities. * Scalability: Demonstrate how you can scale staff up or down during peak travel seasons (summer, holidays) without sacrificing service quality. * Technology Enablement: While the core service is operational, the most compelling bids will show how technology (automation, AI-assisted verification, digital customer portals) can improve efficiency and reduce errors. Keep a close eye on the State Department's acquisition pipeline. A contract of this magnitude doesn't disappear overnight; it either gets extended, re-competed, or broken into smaller, more manageable lots. The next move from the State Department's Acquisition Management Office (AQM Momentum) will be critical. Stay updated on government IT opportunities. No spam, ever. Unsubscribe with one click. Source data. * Contract Award - 191NLE26F7059 STATE, DEPARTMENT OF - Source: FPDS.gov * Contract Award - 19AQMM24A0275 STATE, DEPARTMENT OF - Source: FPDS.gov * Contract Award - 19AQMM24C0062 STATE, DEPARTMENT OF - Source: FPDS.gov * Contract Award - 19AQMM24F0773 STATE, DEPARTMENT OF - Source: FPDS.gov * Contract Award - 19AQMM24F1684 STATE, DEPARTMENT OF - Source: FPDS.gov * Contract Award - 19AQMM24F7347 STATE, DEPARTMENT OF - Source: FPDS.gov