TASC, Inc.
| File:TASC, Inc logo.png | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defense contracting |
| Founded | 1966 (originally incorporated as The Analytic Sciences Corporation) |
| Founder | Arthur Gelb Harry B. Silverman |
| Headquarters | , |
Number of locations | 20 offices across the country (as of October 2011[update]) |
Key people | John Hynes (President and CEO) |
| Services | Systems engineering Systems integration Decision support |
Number of employees | approximately 5,000 |
| Parent | Engility |
| Website | tasc.com |
TASC, Inc., originally known as The Analytic Sciences Corporation, is a privately held American defense contractor with its headquarters located in Chantilly, Virginia. Between 2001 and 2009, it operated as a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman before being divested to adhere to governmental conflict of interest policies.
In February 2015, Engility Holdings finalized the acquisition of TASC through an all-stock transaction valued near $1.3 billion, which included the assumption of net debt.
Background
Established in 1966 by founders Arthur Gelb and Harry B. Silverman in Winchester, Massachusetts, TASC initially delivered modeling, simulation, and analytical support to the U.S. government for navigation and guidance systems on projects such as the Ohio-class submarine, Minuteman Missile, and the Space Shuttle program.
During the 1970s, the company broadened its expertise to encompass information management, decision support technologies, nuclear waste disposal analysis, and embedded software engineering. It also initiated an economics and management sciences division in Rosslyn, Virginia aimed at assisting government procurement analysis efforts. The acquisition of an engineering group based in Reston in 1978 further strengthened TASC’s capabilities in areas including reconnaissance, communications, intelligence gathering, image processing, artificial intelligence, and microelectronics.
In the 1980s, TASC expanded by acquiring WSI Corporation, a provider specializing in real-time weather data for industries such as broadcasting and aviation. Subsequently, it also purchased ESD Corporation to enhance WSI’s service portfolio.
The 1990s marked a period of ownership changes when Primark Corporation (now part of Thomson Financial) acquired TASC, which then extended its responsibilities to system architecture development for Primark’s subsidiaries. Later in 1998, Litton Industries took ownership of TASC from Primark.
By the year 2000, TASC divested three commercial entities—Adesso Software, WSI Corporation, and Emerge—to concentrate more fully on government contracts and related industrial sectors. Following Northrop Grumman’s acquisition of Litton Industries in 2001, TASC was integrated into Northrop Grumman’s Information Technology division. After subsequent acquisitions by Northrop Grumman—TRW Inc. in 2002 and 3001 International in 2008 (a firm focused on geospatial data)—TASC became central to systems engineering and advisory services when Northrop Grumman reorganized its business units in 2009.
Formation
The 2009 enactment of the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act (WSARA) aimed to eliminate conflicts of interest by preventing federal contractors from simultaneously acting as both consultants and developers within defense procurement initiatives. This legislation directly impacted Northrop Grumman, which had been providing dual roles in development and advisory capacities to the federal government.
As a result, in November 2009, Northrop Grumman divested its consulting division, TASC, selling it to a group of investors led by General Atlantic and KKR for $1.65 billion.
Recent history
In September 2011, TASC played a pivotal role in the successful deployment of the Minotaur IV launch vehicle from Kodiak, Alaska, which placed the U.S. Navy's TacSat-4 satellite into a highly elliptical orbit for experimental applications.
TASC expanded its defense portfolio further when it was acquired by Engility Corporation in 2015, broadening the range of defense-related products and services offered.
Earlier, in June 2011, TASC purchased TexelTek, a company specializing in secure cloud technologies for government clients. However, after TexelTek lost its primary contract in 2013, the firm ceased operations and most of its workforce was not absorbed by TASC.
National Defense Authorization Act
The 2011 National Defense Authorization Act granted defense agencies unrestricted rights to technical data arising from federally funded research. TASC's Chief Technology Officer, Richard Rosenthal, expressed concerns regarding potential consequences on intellectual property protections. He noted that this change might disproportionately benefit large corporations capable of self-financing research and development, while smaller firms could face challenges balancing talent retention with innovation efforts—ultimately influencing their strategic positioning and competitive edge.
Recent contracts
TASC secured numerous significant contracts that bolstered its market presence and financial outcomes:
- October 2010: Awarded an FAA contract with a ceiling value of $827.8 million to support the Next Generation Air Transportation System.
- March 2011: Received a $97 million contract from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency for nuclear deterrence support services.
- April 2011: Granted a five-year IDIQ contract valued up to $600 million for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Research and Development Enterprise.
- February 2012: Contracted by the U.S. Air Force to provide support services for Air Force Medical Service operations throughout the continental United States and territories.
- May 2012: Secured a $54 million Department of Homeland Security contract to deliver systems engineering and integration services for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office.
- September 2012: Awarded a five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity Test & Evaluation Mission Support Service agreement from the Defense Information Systems Agency.
These agreements underscore TASC’s strategic expertise in forging government partnerships across defense, aviation, and homeland security sectors, strengthening its operational model and international footprint.