Apptis

About Apptis

In 1983, a company named Apptis was founded, setting out on a journey to become a key player in federal government IT. For two decades, it quietly built its expertise, focusing on providing technology solutions to some of the nation's most critical government agencies. The story shifted gears in 2003 when the company's owner-managers partnered with private equity firm New Mountain Capital. This move injected new resources and initiated an accelerated growth strategy, sharpening the company's focus on high-demand sectors like network engineering, cyber defense, and enterprise management for the Department of Defense and other federal bodies. Apptis distinguished itself as an early adopter in the emerging field of cloud computing, developing solutions that helped federal agencies modernize their infrastructure and reduce costs. This foresight positioned the company as a valuable asset in the government contracting space. The playbook was working, and Apptis grew into a formidable operation with roughly 1,000 employees and annual revenues approaching $300 million. A significant move during this period was streamlining operations into a services unit and a products unit called Iron Bow. The culminating event in the Apptis story arrived in 2011. Engineering and construction giant URS Corporation, seeking a strong entry into the lucrative federal IT market, acquired Apptis' services division for approximately $260 million. The acquisition strategically excluded the Iron Bow products unit, which was spun out to operate as an independent company. For URS, the deal unlocked a new $40 billion market; for Apptis, it was the successful conclusion of a multi-year strategy, cementing its legacy as a significant federal IT service provider.