We’ve been wanting to catch up with Global Alliant Inc. fresh off their impressive wins and GovCon awards: (1) $20M+ HHS ONC Health IT Expertise Services multiple-award BPA; (2) $5.2M CMS Performance Metrics Database and Analytics (PMDA) System support contract; (3) $47M DHS USCIS Enhanced Yield Assistance and Support (EYAS) DevSecOps support task; (4) $55M NLRB Case Management Support and Modernization Task (5) IRS $3.7M Enterprise Case Selection and Enterprise Anomaly Detection (ECS/EAD) (6) Five consecutive appearances on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America (2021-Present) and (7) Elev8 GovCon Honoree (2023-Present).
OS AI sat down with Dr. Rajan Natarajan, Founder & CEO of Global Alliant, recently named Maryland’s Most Admired CEO by The Daily Record and also the GovCon CEO of the year by the Maryland Tech Council, and Scott Johnson – Director of Strategy, to learn more about the team’s growth plans, its focus on team morale and culture, and advice for other 8(a)s who may want to follow a few lessons learned. They also shared what they look for in potential partners.
Strategic Growth
Already known for a commitment to giving back and empowering its team, Global Alliant reflected on 2024 as a strong year for sustaining its culture of forward growth, including further diversification of its client base and adding Defense and National Security agencies.
Collecting feedback from across the leadership team, the plan includes growing into a strong, large company within the next five years. As an award-winning 8(a) firm, Global Alliant continues to build a vision for the future of the program.
“Our strategy includes a commitment to more efficient, faster automation, better results, continual process improvement, maintaining our high team morale culture, readying our people for change, and ensuring our foundations are solid and ready for growth.”
Global Alliant provides a unique “Open to Hear” work environment where every staff member practices complete transparency, mutual respect, and shared trust, all of which lead to sustained high team morale (and always with some wholesome humor too!). Everyone can be themselves, voice concerns, express ideas, and share issues needing attention and correction (with fixes provided by management and the team at large) to achieve shared goals. Dr. Natarajan adds, “Revenue contributes partially to Business success. We focus more on customer success, keeping people employed, and ensuring families have a sense of job security.”
Growing Customer Success by Growing Innovators
Global Alliant has a four-pillared foundation for success: (1) Innovation; (2) Collaboration, (3) Dedication, and (4) Inspiration.
“One of our unique internal Think Tank programs is called the GAIN-Global Alliant Innovators Network. We built this program to empower interns to become innovators, entrepreneurs, and business leaders. We don’t want to hold them back or keep them here forever. This accelerator program allows them to bring ideas forward, take them to concept, and then, when they are ready, create their own companies and really take their innovation to market.” Global Alliant provides mentorship and guidance to begin and gain their entrepreneurial journey through the GAIN program.
Another program within the company identifies and nurtures associates with leadership potential, helping them evolve into next-level roles. The company also runs an IdeaClub, which gives everyone across the company a platform to share ideas and turn them into actionable initiatives. “We will invest resources and capital to help associates take these ideas to the next level, to proof-of-concept, reality, and potentially to market down the road.”
Our Mantra: Listen-Learn-Lead
Beyond inspiring associates and interns to grow and succeed, Global Alliant is focused on building successful leaders. A mantra of “Listen-Learn-Lead” builds on the concept that you can only lead people when you first listen to and learn from them.
“We have a strong and experienced leadership team, and we are always looking for that next level of talented middle and senior managers who can help us grow while also embracing our culture.”
”This mantra also benefits Global Alliant’s customers and has helped the company develop a diverse portfolio of experiences across national security, health, and federal services. Moving forward, we will look to extend our reach within these markets but also to grow into other areas, including Defense and National Security Agencies.”
Suggestions to Other 8(a)s
While some see 8(a) as a magnet for success, Global Alliant was not built this way. Dr. Rajan offers this advice to other leaders: “You need to build your team, develop a record of past performance and success, and know who you are as a company before you even apply for 8(a) certification. The time you serve as an 8(a) will go by quickly, so build success first, then apply and leverage the program.”
Partnering
Part of Global Alliant’s success in GovCon has been understanding what it takes to be a good partner, on both sides of the prime-sub table. “Bringing something of value to the table means having trusted relationships with clients, and being able to deliver on whatever percentage of the work is negotiated.”
As to the kinds of partners this team seeks, complementary cultures and mindsets are key. “Looking ahead, we are seeking partnerships with small businesses as well as major integrators and growing mid-tiers interested in fair workshare and customer success.”
With a bold game plan for future growth in place, Global Alliant is moving forward-learning from the past, applying lessons learned, and focusing on continuing its goals of ensuring customer happiness, the personal success of its team, and its commitment to its mission motto: #doingittherightway – “Deliver iT Right!”
