E-Newsletter

Fairfax County E-Bird for March 17, 2020

Be prepared: The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce is continuing its free webinar series focused on business continuity planning to provide the business community with the most up-to-date best practices and insights on managing your business through unexpected events. Two more sessions remain:

  • How HR and Business Leaders Can Prepare for the Coronavirus; March 19, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET. Register here.
  • Growing Through Challenges When Remote;  March 26, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET. Register here.

Next steps: The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is meeting today at 10:00 a.m. to discuss the county’s response to the coronavirus (covid-19). Tune in to Channel 16 or watch live online.  You can also call 703-324-7700 to listen in.

Business impacts of covid-19: The Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity is asking small-business owners to participate in a short survey as Gov. Ralph Northam seeks to make Virginia eligible for federal disaster relief because of the covid-19 virus. Input and response from small businesses throughout the Commonwealth on the impact to business operations and revenue is critical to have enough data to meet federal requirements to allow access to federal disaster-loan funds. Click here to get to the survey.

Staying on top of this thing: Fairfax County residents are encouraged to sign up for coronavirus-related text message alerts from the Fairfax County Health Department in order to stay current with important updates. To receive these alerts, text FFXCOVID to 888-777. In addition, residents can send specific questions or concerns related to the coronavirus to ffxcovid@fairfaxcounty.gov. This email account will be staffed Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. to respond to community questions.

Chalking up virtual instruction: Reston-based Blackboard launched an online self-service portal to enable higher education institutions, school districts and organizations to implement the company’s virtual classroom solution within hours to respond to the need for quick transitioning to digital teaching, InsideNoVa reported. In another development, Blackboard is selling its Open LMS business to U.K.-based Learning Technologies Group  for $31.7 million, with the deal expected to close early in the second quarter. Potomac Tech Wire carried the release.

Look ma, no hands!: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved testing of an autonomous shuttle that will operate from the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro Station to the Mosaic District in Merrifield. Testing of the shuttle could begin this spring, according to WTOP.

Starting off right: Tysons-based Ridgeline International, Herndon-based Expel, McLean-based Crypsis, Fairfax-based Margin Edge, Herndon-based DocASAP and Vienna-based Take2 Consulting landed on Forbes magazine’s inaugural list ofAmerica’s Best Startup Employers.

Innovation accolade: Centreville-based Parsons was named to the CIO 100 list of the world’s most innovative companies in efficient and effective information technology practices. The company is being recognized for its infrastructure management solutions offering that is currently being used in the Middle East region, citybizlist reported.

Aero-acquisition: MAG Aerospace, a Fairfax-based developer of aerial sensing systems plans to acquire New Jersey-based AASKI Technology, which provides technology consulting services to government and commercial clients. Financial terms of the deal, expected to close by midyear, were not disclosed. AASKI provides a range of communications, logistics and lifecycle management services, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Game score: Reston-based digital audience measurement firm Comscore forged a partnership with video game live-streaming service Twitch. Under the deal, Comscore will produce reports on the digital consumption behaviors of Twitch’s audience, providing the Silicon Valley company with new opportunities for advertisers and sponsors, reported citybizlist.

Tech sale: Tysons-based DXC Technology is selling its state and local health business to private equity firm Veritas Capital for $5 billion. The company still is seeking buyers for its business-process services division and its mobile-workspace business. DXC said it is retaining its remaining health care assets, including those that work with payers, providers and life sciences firms, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Done deal: Science Applications International Corp. completed its acquisition of Unisys Federal for $1.2 billion in cash. The Reston-based company said the deal will help it will push IT modernization efforts, according to the Washington Business Journal. In other news, SAIC announced a partnership with the University of Massachusetts Lowell Research Institute to establish an innovation campus close to Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Mass. in an effort to drive defense technology projects and help military services address key challenges with technology, ExecutiveBiz reported.

Check, mate: Israeli cybersecurity company Checkmarx, which has an office in Reston, is set to be acquired by equity firm Hellman & Friedman in a deal valued at $1.15 billion, reportedly the largest ever acquisition of an application-security company. Founded in 2006, Checkmarx works with over 40 Fortune 100 businesses to mitigate risks, secure code and embed security in their software development, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Mission modernization: Tysons-based Appian and Deloitte Consulting formed a strategic alliance to help modernize mission systems for its clients within commercial, federal civilian, defense, state and local government agencies. Working together, these organizations are providing clients with the ability to modernize their systems through low-code development and intelligent automation, which ranges across several technologies including artificial intelligence, robotic process automation and robotic workforce management, according to a release picked up by citybizlist.

Charting a course: Bluestone Investment Partners, a Tysons-based private equity firm, said it has invested an unspecified amount in Wisconsin-based Continental Mapping Consultants, a provider of geospatial data analytics and mapping tools to defense, intelligence and government clients. Potomac Tech Wire picked up the release.

Cyber awardee: Herndon-based Ntrepid LLC won the “Advanced Persistent Threat Protection Silver” award at the 2020 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards, a yearly competition celebrating individuals and companies demonstrating excellence, innovation, and leadership in information security, citybizlist reported.

Pillar of the community: Fairfax-headquartered software development company 3Pillar Global launched a strategic partnership with CIP Capital, a New York-based private equity firm, along with an investment from CIP Capital for an undisclosed amount. Founded in 2006, 3Pillar Global builds software and apps for clients such as CARFAX, Fortune and PBS. The new partnership will help 3Pillar Global enter a new growth phase, according to Technical.ly DC.

Just the facts, ma’am: USA Today, the national newspaper published by Tysons-based Gannett, said it will join Facebook’s Third-Party Fact-Checking Program. Under the program, certified fact-checking partners will independently review, rate and verify news content on Facebook and Instagram to help prevent the spread of false information. Potomac Tech Wire picked up the release.

Notable contract wins by firms in Fairfax County

General Dynamics Information Technology won a $14.5 million contract to support the Air Force Air Defense Communication Services (ADCS). The place of performance is throughout the continental U.S., as well as Alaska, Hawaii and Guam. Homeland Security Today.

Featured business events

March 23 — Keeping Your Workforce and Business Healthy During (and After) the Coronavirus Outbreak: A Whole Community Approach. In the fourth webinar in its Business Continuity Series, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce partners with the Fairfax County Health Department, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority and the Community Business Partnership to discuss how business leaders can partner with government and community to combat the Coronavirus. Click here.

March 25 — Innovate 2020: Tech Talent Pipeline. The Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce presents a conference on developing the workforce needed for Northern Virginia’s growing technology sectors. Click here. Postponed

March 25 — How to Market that Makes Selling (Almost) Unnecessary. The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce presents a Business Education Series webinar on marketing for small or home-based businesses featuring James Lawson and Angela Inzerillo, co-founders of Impact Business Solutions. Click here.

March 30 — Metro Monday. The Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce hosts a monthly informative event centered around the Metro Silver Line. This month’s session will be held as a webinar on innovation districts along the Silver Line featuring Victor Hoskins, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority; Colleen Kardasz, Loudoun County Economic Development Authority; and Bob Geolas, HR&A Advisors. Click here.

March 31 — The Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance. NAIOP Northern Virginia presents a forum for the introduction of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance (NOVA EDA). The purpose of this new organization is to market the region as a whole and to attract investment to the area. Click here. Postponed

April 7 — Entrepreneurship 101: Starting a Business in Fairfax County. The FCEDA presents monthly workshops with our partners: the Fairfax County Government, Fairfax County-based Community Business Partnership, the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Click here.

June 16 — Impact AI: National Impact, Local Innovation. The Northern Virginia Technology Council presents a conference on developments in artificial intelligence and the strength of the regional AI ecosystem. Click here