AITC Named 2023 8(a) Graduate of the Year for the North Florida District, State of Florida, and the Southeastern United States (Region IV)

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SBW Awards 2023

On April 11, 2023, Advanced IT Concepts (AITC) Inc. was named the 2023 Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) Graduate of the Year for the North Florida District, State of Florida, and Region IV, representing the Southeastern United States. The award recognizes AITC’s exceptional growth, performance, and commitment to excellence as an outstanding program graduate.

Designed to assist small, disadvantaged businesses to compete in the marketplace, the SBA 8(a) program is a business development program.  It provides training, counseling, and assistance in obtaining government contracts. Graduates of the program are recognized for their exceptional performance and contribution to the community.

AITC is a leading systems integration firm providing information technology (IT), training, simulation and professional services/solutions to defense and federal agencies with offices in Florida, Arizona and internationally.  It has participated in the SBA 8(a) program since 2012 and successfully graduated in May 2022.  Since graduating, AITC has continued to grow, offering specialized services to customers in the U.S. and around the world, with new opportunities for continued expansion and growth.

“We are honored to receive the SBA 8(a) Graduate of the Year Award for North Florida District, State of Florida, and Region IV,” said AITC’s President/Founder, Gabriel Ruiz. “Our success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, and the support we have received from the SBA 8(a) program. We are committed to continue providing exceptional services to our customers as we support their mission and strategic goals, but also expanding to make a positive impact in the communities in which we serve on a global basis.”

The SBA 8(a) award is a recognition of AITC’s commitment to excellence and the outstanding services it provides to its customers.  AITC is proud to be a graduate of the SBA 8(a) program and to have contributed to the program’s outstanding success.

Florida’s SBA winners will be recognized at two ceremony events planned in May in conjunction with National Small Business Week (April 30 – May 5).  

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of North Florida and the SBA North Florida will co-host the 31st annual Small Business Week Celebration on May 5, 2023, recognizing the 2023 Small Business Week Award Winners and lenders in Jacksonville.  Central Florida winners will be recognized at a private event hosted by the SBDC at the University of Central Florida on May 18 in Orlando.  During National Small Business Week, the SBA highlights the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories annually.

For more information about local winners or programs available through the Small Business Administration, please visit the agency website at www.sba.gov/northflorida or call (904) 443-1900. 

AITC has been recognized for its fast growth, recently earning a spot on the 2022 Washington Technology Fast 50 list of the fastest growing government contractors nationwide, Inc. 5000 list (ranking No. 2054) and on the Inc. Regionals Southeast list (ranking at No. 66).  It has received numerous local awards and industry recognition from various business publications and media outlets over the years, citing its commitment to excellence and industry growth.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

AITC Open House/Ribbon Cutting Celebration

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Leading IT Systems Integrator Opens Southwest Regional Headquarters to Better Serve Clients

AITC opened its new Southwest Regional Headquarters in August. The company, whose main office is in Winter Springs, Florida, makes this expansion on the heels of securing a major United States Army contract: Total Engineering and Integration Services (TEIS IV) and more in development.

AITC made the $3.5M investment to expand additional office space located just outside of Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, AZ.

“We are very deliberate about our growth strategy, keeping the needs of our clients on the forefront of every decision,” says David E. Gardner, AITC’s CEO. “Expanding our reach to Arizona and specifically the Sierra Vista area allows us to better support our Fort Huachuca contracts while serving existing and future clients throughout the region.”

Previously, the Department of Army, Army Materiel Command (AMC), Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), and U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command (USAISEC), awarded AITC a contract for information systems engineering and information technology support services. The Total Engineering and Integration Services (TEIS IV) contract is an $800M five-year duration IDIQ contract.

“Our new Southwest Regional Headquarters is a win-win for Government customers current and future and provides AITC with the flexibility to better serve our customer requirements worldwide,” says Larry Singer, AITC’s Chief of Business Development.

“In addition to providing expanded and modern office space for our Sierra Vista employees and several team members, our new facilities will also serve as a technology hub to showcase the latest technology and solutions AITC offers its customers,” says Gabriel Ruiz, AITC’s President.

Local officials Matt McLachlan, AICP, Community Development Director, City of Sierra Vista and Mignonne Hollis, Executive Director, Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation worked with AITC to make this expansion possible.

AITC has been recognized for its fast growth, recently it earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 list (ranking No. 2054) and also on the Inc. Regionals Southeast list (ranking at No. 66). The company also graduated from the SBA’s 8(a) program in May as it continues its growth trajectory.

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Photo Credit: Wild Honey Photo Company

AITC Exits 8(a) SBA Program

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Program Has Helped Propel Company into Next Phase of Growth

Building upon successful years of rapid growth, AITC has officially “graduated” from the United States Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) program at the end of May 2022.

The 8(a) program is geared to help entrepreneurs launch, grow, and graduate their companies into a successful small business firm. The program provides the tools and knowledge needed to compete for contracts in the open market.

Since its inception in 2006, AITC has evolved from its humble beginnings. The company was founded by former military veteran, Gabriel Ruiz, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army. He and his wife Sandra Ruiz have spearheaded AITC to grow from a small family-owned business to a well-respected, major international enterprise. The 8(a) graduation is a celebration of Gabriel Ruiz and Sandra Ruiz’ hard work and commitment to establish, maintain, and grow AITC as an exemplary small business.

In the past 24 months, AITC has been awarded approximately $2B in DoD contracts. The company has expanded its success by moving into international markets including South Korea, Belgium, Germany, Uruguay, and Fiji. AITC also supports the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) 2030 Transformation program in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“Being part of the SBA’s 8(a) program has assisted AITC with growing and succeeding as a small business. As we transitioned through the years of working outside of the federal government, it prepared our company for the next sphere of success and helped to solidify our core strengths to attract large-scale contracts that have a global reach and impact,” says Gabe Ruiz, AITC President.

Company Milestones:

In 2012 AITC was accepted into the 8(a) Program. Since then, these were some of the successful 8(a) efforts achieved during the 10-year program period:

1. AITC received its first 8(a) contract to support the U.S. Army and VA Medical Simulation Logistics efforts operating a 33,000-sf facility to support more than 100 VA Medical Clinics

2. The U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command (ISEC) awarded AITC an 8(a) Top Secret contract to provide Audio Visual Engineering support in South Korea.

3. The U.S. Navy awarded AITC a Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) contract for worldwide logistics and technology support.

4. AITC received a Defense Health Agency (DHA) contract to provide Medical Simulation engineering and support to the NATO Allied Centre for Medical Education (ACME), Belgium.

5. FT Buchanan, P.R. awarded AITC an Engineering Support contract to support the Department of Public Work (DPW).

6. FT Jackson, S.C. awarded AITC a contract to provide Information Technology Engineering and Cyber Security support.

7. PEO STRI awarded AITC a Medical Simulation contract for IT, Cyber Security and engineering support at Joint Base San Antonio’s Medical School’ Transport Medical Training Lab.

8. U.S. Forest Services awarded AITC three contracts over three years to provide close to $8M in IT equipment.

9. The U.S. Department of State awarded AITC a contract for the procurement and delivery of IT equipment to Honduras.

10. AITC received a contract from the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence (ICoE) at FT Huachuca, AZ, to provide Military Intelligence personnel for critical mission support.

“These are just a few of the countless efforts AITC received during the program. We leveraged the opportunities afforded under the SBA’s 8(a) program by pursuing and receiving countless contracts. These contracts provided critical lessons learned, past performance, and the financial platform for the implementation of systems, processes, and personnel to allow AITC to effectively compete and succeed outside of the 8(a) program. AITC is forever grateful to the countless advisors, mentors, customers, partners, and employees who made this journey a success. Words of advice, if we could do it, others can too!” says Ruiz.

The successful program graduation also signifies AITC’s effective implementation of processes and systems, the development of critical skills, capabilities and past performance, as well as the hiring of committed and focused employees to take the company to the next level in a competitive environment.

AITC Expands Operations

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Leading IT Systems Integrator Adds Southwest Regional Headquarters to Better Serve Clients

AITC has expanded with the addition of its new Southwest Regional Headquarters. This expansion comes on the heels of securing a major United States Army contract: Total Engineering and Integration Services (TEIS IV).

AITC made the $3.5M investment to purchase additional office space located just outside of Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, AZ.

“We are very deliberate about our growth strategy, keeping the needs of our clients on the forefront of every decision,” says David E. Gardner, AITC’s CEO. “Expanding our reach to Arizona and specifically the Sierra Vista area allows us to better support our Fort Huachuca contracts while serving existing and future clients throughout the region.”

Previously, the Department of Army, Army Materiel Command (AMC), Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), and U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command (USAISEC), awarded AITC a contract for information systems engineering and information technology support services. The Total Engineering and Integration Services (TEIS IV) contract is an $800M five-year duration IDIQ contract.

“Our new Southwest Regional Headquarters is a win-win for Government customers current and future and provides AITC with the flexibility to better serve our customer requirements worldwide,” says Larry Singer, AITC’s Chief of Business Development.

“In addition to providing expanded and modern office space for our Sierra Vista employees and several team members, our new facilities will also serve as a technology hub to showcase the latest technology and solutions AITC offers its customers,” says Gabriel Ruiz, AITC’s President.

Local officials Matt McLachlan, AICP, Community Development Director, City of Sierra Vista and Mignonne Hollis, Executive Director, Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation worked with AITC to make this expansion possible.

ACG Orlando Honors Regional Companies at the 14th Annual SMART Awards

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ACG Orlando Honors Regional Companies at the 14th Annual SMART Awards

The vibe was electric as hundreds of corporate executives and professional advisors gathered to celebrate 18 of the highest performing companies in Central Florida at the 14th Annual Association of Corporate Growth (ACG) SMART Awards on May 17 at the Alfond Inn in Winter Park, FL.

AITC was proud to be among the finalists selected this year for its accomplishments that set the standard for operating excellence among middle market, second-stage growth companies.

Winners were selected by an independent panel of judges, drawn from the ranks of experienced financial industry professionals, business owners and executives, academics, journalists, consultants, and professional service providers.

Selection criteria included quantitative factors such as demonstrated growth in revenue, profitability and employees, and subjective factors such as quality of business innovation, corporate culture, entrepreneurial achievements, product development milestones and demonstrated community involvement.

ACG Orlando saluted the 18 honorees, praising their innovations that drive economic growth.  According to their spokesperson, these companies are excelling in every discipline, ranging from product and service design to fiscal management and corporate culture. Their stories inspire and show others what’s possible when smart strategy is combined with outstanding execution.

For more information about the awards and to see the list of 2022 Finalists, visit https://bit.ly/3GpTH2K.

AITC was Recently Awarded a Contract with Kirtland Air Force Base

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AITC was recently awarded a contract with the Kirtland Airforce Base, New Mexico to provide and install an audio-visual upgrade. The 377th Air Base Wing is the host organization at Kirtland Air Force Base, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The wing reports to Air Force Global Strike Command.  

Kirtland AFB is a center for research, development and testing of non-conventional weapons, space and missile technology, laser warfare and much more. Some of the organizations involved in this area include the Department of Energy, Sandia National Laboratories, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, the Space and Missile Systems Center, the Air Force Inspection Agency and the Air Force Safety Center. 

 This project will modernize legacy equipment to bring enhanced AV/VTC and unified capabilities into cybersecurity compliance to operate within the Air Force’s enterprise environment.  Team AITC will plan, design, install, configure, test and train with our partner AVI-SPL, the nation’s industry leader in professional services that unifies voice, data, and video into a single collaborative communications platform.  

AITC’s team is comprised of highly trained professionals who deliver innovative communication technologies to Federal, State, Coalition and Civil markets, providing easy to use and secure unified capability solutions.

“We are excited to support Kirtland Air Force Base in their effort to upgrade their AV/VTC capabilities. Projects such as these underscore our ability to provide the latest technology innovations that support the mission readiness of our military,” says David E. Gardner, AITC’s CEO.

Congrats to our team member Lydia Perez for this win!

For more information about Kirtland AFB visit https://lnkd.in/e9873mbt

AITC Passes Second Annual ISO Quality Surveillance Audit with Flying Colors

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Demonstrates Consistent Adherence to ISO 9001 Standards

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 is the world’s most popular quality management system (QMS). According to recent data, more than a million organizations worldwide are certified, spanning all sizes across a broad range of industries. The benefits are numerous and have a profound impact on both company culture and the quality of products and services delivered.

AITC just passed this year’s Surveillance Audit for ISO 9001:2015 with no corrective actions or identified areas for improvement, a true achievement!  Certified in 2019 in ISO 9001:2015, AITC Inc. has now completed its 24-month surveillance audit, which is part of the three-year verification cycle, demonstrating that AITC’s QMS is able to achieve expected outcomes and address any matters that require attention.

“The positive result of the surveillance audit demonstrates AITC’s consistent adherence to the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard. As stressed in its QMS, AITC is dedicated to a process of continual improvement, satisfying applicable requirements of the standard, addressing risks, and maximizing opportunities,” says David E. Gardner, CEO of AITC.

Implementing ISO processes and completing the ISO 9001 certification is important for AITC and its customers because it results in improved customer satisfaction and loyalty, happier and more competent employees, better quality products and services, increased efficiency, fewer mistakes, and less wasted time, reduced overall risks, and increased sales and market share.

In the government contracting industry, achieving ISO 9001 certification is highly coveted. AITC is proud to display it on the website and company documents as it underscores the commitment to quality products and services, customer, and employee satisfaction, as well as the overall efficiency of AITC’s operations.

About ISO 9000
The ISO 9001:2015 standard is based on several quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the support, motivation and focus of senior management to implement a process approach and continual improvement. Using ISO 9001:2015 helps ensure that customers get consistent quality products and services. ISO 9001:2015 sets the criteria for a quality management system.  Visit the website for more information at https://www.iso.org.

Mission Success

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Team AITC delivered a successful mission to the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), which works in close coordination with the Department of State regional bureaus, as well as the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, Regional Combatant Commands, and other DoD organizations to develop regional program plans and execute training and equipping activities.

As part of our award for Uruguay from the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, International Programs we provided procurement of equipment, installation and implementation in supports of its IT Technology refresh of the National Peacekeeping Center (ENOPU) at Montevideo, Uruguay.

Congrats to all for making this a success!  AITC Makes it Happen!

AITC Named to Fast 50 2020 List by Washington Technology

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List Represents the Most Successful Small Businesses in the Government Market

AITC was named by Washington Technology as a Fast 50 Award winner for 2020.  The outlet lists 50 of the nation’s fastest growing small businesses representing a full spectrum of capabilities, technologies and customers that make up the government contracting (GovCon) market. 

AITC has shown sustained growth and is ranked at number 34 based on its four-year compound growth rate of 36.5 percent which, is reflective of its substantial revenue increase over the last three years. 

“Through the collaboration, innovation, focus and dedication of our employees, our team has worked hard to serve our government customers and deliver impactful results which, is demonstrated by our proven performance and growth. We are honored to be recognized by Washington Technology as one of this year’s fast 50 companies,” says David E. Gardner, CEO of AITC.

To be eligible for the list, a company must be considered a fast-growing small business in the government market with at least $50,000 in government revenue in 2015.   It ranks small businesses according to their compound annual growth rate over the last five years.  Government revenue includes prime contract subcontract work in the federal, state and local markets.

Washington Technology, a web-based specialty publication, is considered the foremost authoritative source of competitive intelligence for executives of small businesses in the federal contracting market.

For more information, view the entire list here.

AITC Announces Key Employee Promotions

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Expands Leadership Team for Performance Based Growth

AITC, a leading SDVOSB and SBA 8(a) certified systems integration firm providing IT and professional services and solutions to the Department of Defense, federal government and public sector agencies announced three recent promotions.

Dave Balleweg, a 30+ year professional with executive level leadership and independent consulting experience, has a successful track record across the full program lifecycle. Balleweg has expertly developed and executed capture plans, teaming strategy and marketing campaigns, established winning Capture, Business and Proposal Development organizations and implemented effective PMO and back office structures.  He consistently exceeds performance goals and identifies value added resources to meet administrative objectives through efficient execution and utilization of personnel.  Balleweg was promoted to Chief Growth Officer, which encompasses all AITC’s infrastructure that impacts operational growth and new business development activity.

COL (Ret.) Wells Barlow is a career Army officer with nearly 30 years of communications, command and control, IT and training systems experience and more than ten years in industry as a senior executive and business development manager with a variety of high tech companies such as SAIC, Carley Corporation, PAE and IDSI.  He has nearly two decades of Department of Defense acquisition and program management experience involving complex IT programs.  Barlow is results-oriented providing solutions on time and within budget.  He is successful in working with any organizational level at any size with divergent interests; coordinating complex issues; setting requirements; establishing goals; achieving desired outcomes and determining customer priorities.  As Chief Programs Officer, Barlow will continue to oversee AITC’s programs especially with the U.S. Army.

Humberto Ravelo, is a veteran with more than 30 years experience in the government and civilian sectors.  Ravelo has diverse leadership skills, including extensive operations expertise, program management, and has worked as a design/systems engineer.  He has more than 15 years of experience in Army-specific mission support, with an emphasis in training and simulation.  Ravelo was promoted to Chief of Corporate Development.

“These promotions reflect our company’s commitment to excellence,” said David E. Gardner, CEO, AITC. “We have built a high performing team that requires we recruit, retain and recognize individuals for their leadership and contributions.  Dave, Wells and Bert exemplify our company’s highest standards of integrity and success. They’re passionate team players that consistently develop new strategies that exceed clients’ expectations while advancing our business.  As we continue to evolve to a performance-based business model, they are aligned to propel the company forward to achieve its next phase of growth.”