CDM Smith

What CDM Smith does

CDM Smith is a privately held, 100% employee-owned engineering and construction firm founded in 1947 and headquartered at 75 State Street in Boston, Massachusetts. The firm employs approximately 7,000 professionals across 120+ offices in more than 150 countries and has delivered over 150,000 projects to more than 20,000 clients since inception. It operates as a full-service design-build delivery organization spanning water, environment, transportation, energy, and facilities, with primary customer segments including municipal water utilities, local and federal government, data centers, airports, international development agencies (notably USAID), and industrial clients in chemicals, mining, oil and gas, and manufacturing.

The firm's revenue is generated through four primary streams: engineering and consulting services, integrated design-build construction services, ongoing operations and maintenance, and digital/SaaS solutions delivered through Trinnex, its wholly owned digital subsidiary. Pricing is predominantly quote-based and project-based, driven by competitive bidding for public-sector work and direct negotiation for private-sector engagements, with no publicly disclosed pricing. The digital product portfolio centers on Trinnex (AI-powered SaaS for infrastructure digital transformation), Sky Wave (a drone-based geospatial intelligence platform combining ML analytics with patent-pending digital field capture and multispectral/LiDAR sensors), and leadCAST Predict (a machine learning GIS tool combining physical inspections with predictive modeling for lead service line inventory management). Recent strategic moves include Trinnex's February 2026 expansion into real-time asset and geospatial intelligence, dedicated entry into the data center vertical, the Tampa Bay Water $181 million progressive design-build joint venture with Veolia, and program management of DC Water's $2 billion Lead-Free DC initiative via the CDM Smith-Ramboll Joint Venture. The firm has been recognized as a dominant player in the global PFAS treatment market and won seven 2026 LSLR Collaborative Awards, reflecting category leadership in regulated water-infrastructure compliance.

Name

CDM Smith

Legal name

CDM Smith Inc.

Website

https://cdmsmith.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

CDM Smith is a 100% employee-owned engineering and construction firm founded in 1947 with 7,000 staff across 120+ offices, delivering design-build water, environment, transportation, energy, and facilities projects to government and industrial clients globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering and Construction Services

NAICS

Totalizing Fluid Meter and Counting Device Manufacturing (334514)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Meter Data Management & Analytics (MDM, validation/estimation/editing, usage insights) (EUANAIAB)

Keywords

• Engineering and construction services
• Water infrastructure design-build
• Environmental remediation consulting
• Transportation infrastructure engineering
• Infrastructure digital transformation SaaS

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Engineering and Consulting Services: Providing consulting, engineering design, and technical expertise across water, environment, transportation, energy, and facilities throughout the project lifecycle
2. Construction Services: Integrated design-build construction services delivered as a single entity from project inception through design, preconstruction, construction, and commissioning
3. Operations Services: Ongoing operations and maintenance support for infrastructure assets
4. Digital/SaaS Solutions (Trinnex): Software-as-a-service solutions through wholly owned subsidiary Trinnex, including data analytics, AI tools, and consulting for infrastructure digital transformation

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CDM Smith is a full-service engineering and construction firm providing consulting, design, and integrated design-build delivery across water, environment, transportation, energy, and facilities for federal, municipal, and industrial clients. The firm complements its core engineering services with operations and maintenance support, and increasingly layers in proprietary digital offerings through its wholly owned SaaS subsidiary Trinnex, the Sky Wave drone-based geospatial intelligence platform, and the leadCAST Predict machine learning tool for water utility compliance.

Product overview

CDM Smith's digital product portfolio centers on Trinnex, a wholly owned SaaS subsidiary that provides AI-powered tools for infrastructure digital transformation. The portfolio includes leadCAST Predict (machine learning GIS tool for lead service line inventory management), Sky Wave (drone-based geospatial intelligence platform with machine-learning analytics), and various digital engineering services. These products integrate CDM Smith's deep infrastructure expertise with AI, data analytics, and remote sensing capabilities to help clients make faster, more transparent data-driven decisions across the asset lifecycle. The core offering is a platform-plus-services model where Trinnex serves as the digital innovation arm, delivering end-to-end solutions from real-time asset intelligence to predictive analytics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Trinnex: A wholly owned subsidiary providing digital transformation services including AI-powered software tools, consulting, data analytics, GIS, and asset management for infrastructure clients.
• Sky Wave
• leadCAST Predict

Products and services

• Engineering and Consulting Services Provides consulting, engineering design, and technical expertise across water, environment, transportation, energy, and facilities throughout the project lifecycle for federal, municipal, and industrial clients.
• Construction Services (Integrated Design-Build) Integrated design-build construction services delivered as a single entity from project inception through design, preconstruction, construction, and commissioning for large infrastructure projects.
• Operations and Maintenance Services

Quantifiable outcome

• DC Water Lead-Free DC program: $2 billion citywide replacement of 42,000 lead service lines
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trinnex (leadCAST Predict)coreTechnology or Integration · 13 May 2026Trinnex's leadCAST Predict machine learning GIS tool is supporting SWBNO's $1 billion lead line replacement program by combining physical inspections with predictive modeling for inventory management.
• Veolia Water North AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Public-private partnership for Tampa Bay Water's $181 million Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant expansion. CDM Smith and Veolia are delivering the expansion through a progressive design-build approach, expected to be operational by 2028, increasing capacity by 12.5 million gallons per day.
• Carollo EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation partnership for Broward County, Florida PFAS treatment upgrades. Carollo Engineers, working in association with CDM Smith, is designing advanced nanofiltration treatment systems at the county's water treatment plants and constructing transmission mains.
• Tampa Bay WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic-private partnership for $181 million expansion of Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant. Project financed through revenue bonds and state and federal grants, scheduled for completion in 2028.
• RambollcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDM Smith-Ramboll Joint Venture serving as program manager for DC Water's $2 billion Lead-Free DC program, the largest lead service line replacement initiative in the nation.
• Water Environment Federation (WEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDM Smith joined WEF's Water-AI Nexus Center of Excellence Advisory Council alongside founding leaders Amazon, Leading Utilities of the World, and The Water Center at Penn to advance 'Water for AI' and 'AI for Water' initiatives.
• AmazonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding leader of Water-AI Nexus Center of Excellence Advisory Council, collaborating with CDM Smith and other organizations on water and AI initiatives.
• TrinnexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly owned subsidiary of CDM Smith focused on digital innovation. Trinnex provides AI-powered SaaS tools, data analytics, and consulting for infrastructure digital transformation. Expanded in 2026 to integrate CDM Smith's GIS and asset management team.
• USAIDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSAID Energy Infrastructure Monitoring Services (EIMS) project in Pakistan where CDM Smith provides third-party monitoring for hydroelectric and renewable energy facilities. Across Pakistan, USAID-funded initiatives supported by CDM Smith are delivering over 485 MW of renewable energy.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Arcadis: Global design and consultancy with water, environment, and infrastructure practices. Competes on similar municipal utility, transportation, and environmental remediation projects, with comparable integrated service offerings.
• Tetra Tech: Engineering and consulting firm with particularly strong water and environment practices. Direct competitor in PFAS treatment, lead service line programs, and municipal water infrastructure consulting where CDM Smith is dominant.
• WSP Global: Global professional services firm with comparable water, environment, transportation, and property/infrastructure practices. Competes on large federal and municipal programs with similar integrated consulting approach.
• AECOM: Premier global infrastructure consulting firm with overlapping water, environment, transportation, and energy practices. Direct competitor on federal contracts (FHWA, USAID) and large municipal programs like CDM Smith's DC Water and Tampa Bay Water engagements.
• Stantec: Engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm with strong water and community development practices. Direct competitor in North American municipal water infrastructure and lead service line replacement programs.
• Black & Veatch: Infrastructure-focused engineering and construction firm, particularly strong in water and energy. Direct competitor on large water treatment plant design-build projects like Tampa Bay Water and similar municipal utility engagements.
• Carollo Engineers: Water-focused engineering firm that is actually a partner of CDM Smith on Broward County PFAS work, indicating direct competitive overlap in water treatment design. Specialized competitor in municipal water treatment plant design.
• HDR Inc. Employee-owned (like CDM Smith) engineering, architecture, and consulting firm with strong water and transportation practices. Competes on federal highway, water infrastructure, and environmental programs.
• Burns & McDonnell: 100% employee-owned engineering, architecture, and construction firm. Competes across water, environmental, and infrastructure sectors with similar integrated delivery model targeting utility and government clients.
• Jacobs Solutions: Global engineering, design, and consulting firm with similar water, environment, transportation, and energy infrastructure practices. Both compete for federal/municipal mega-programs and offer integrated design-build capabilities at comparable scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cdmsmith
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• Facebookfacebook.com/CDMSmith

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CDM Smith