Groundswell

What Groundswell does

Groundswell is a McLean, Virginia-headquartered federal IT systems integrator founded in 2003 (originally as CollabraLink Technologies) and majority-owned since December 2021 by private equity firm Washington Harbour Partners. The company delivers digital transformation, enterprise resource planning modernization, low-code application development, intelligent automation, and AI-enabled solutions to U.S. federal agencies across the Defense, Civilian, Health, and Public Safety sectors. Its customer base includes the Department of Defense (Army, Navy, Air Force, DIA, JAIC), Department of Transportation (PHMSA, FTA), Department of Veterans Affairs, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other federal civilian agencies. As of 2024, Groundswell operates with 400+ U.S.-based employees, including a 75+ prime contract and task order portfolio, and was formed through the 2022 integration of CollabraLink Technologies, subsidiary Telesto Group, and Groundswell Consulting Group.

The company's core technology stack centers on Appian low-code (where it claims the largest pool of advanced federal Appian developers and holds Gold-Level Acquisition Accreditation, one of only two globally), SAP and Workday ERP platforms (with an SAP Innovation Lab and an elite Workday federal implementation practice), UiPath intelligent automation, and C3 AI. Productized IP includes the proprietary Agentic Auditor AI platform (an autonomous agent solution for DoD financial audit preparation, contracted at nearly $49 million through June 2031), the Position Description Management (PDM) solution for federal HR, SecureChat AI on the Workday Marketplace, the Appian Mission Support Suite, the Groundswell Integrated Budget Suite (GIBS), and the Defense Transportation Management Solution.

Groundswell's business model combines professional services delivery under multi-year contract vehicles with an emerging subscription-like revenue stream from its Agentic Auditor AI platform. The company distributes through major government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) including CIO-SP3 ($20B ceiling), ITES-3S ($12.1B), CMS SPARC ($25B), GSA MAS, GSA COMET, DOT SWES, and the DoD Enterprise Services Initiative, with Carahsoft serving as a key reseller partner. Pricing is task-order-based under FFP, T&M, and cost-type structures, and go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting federal agency decision-makers. The company maintains comprehensive federal-grade compliance certifications (CMMI ML3 for both Development and Services, ISO 27001:2022, ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018, NIST 800-171).

Name

Groundswell

Legal name

Groundswell

Website

https://gswell.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Groundswell is a McLean, VA-based federal IT systems integrator delivering digital transformation, ERP modernization (SAP, Workday), low-code (Appian), intelligent automation, and proprietary AI platforms to U.S. Defense, Civilian, Health, and Public Safety agencies under multiple GWAC vehicles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mclean

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Systems Integration and Professional Services: Core revenue stream from delivering digital transformation services, IT consulting, application development, and implementation services to federal agencies. Services include full-stack development, digital experience, and data & AI capabilities.
2. Contract-based Federal IT Services: Revenue generated through multiple government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) and blanket purchase agreements including GSA MAS, CIO-SP3, ITES-3S, and others. Services span cybersecurity, enterprise architecture, IT operations, and software development.
3. AI Platform Licensing (Agentic Auditor): Near $49 million Pentagon contract for Agentic Auditor AI platform deployed across Army, Navy, Air Force and other Defense Department agencies through June 2031.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Groundswell is a mid-tier federal systems integrator delivering digital transformation, IT modernization, and AI-driven solutions to U.S. federal agencies across Defense, Civilian, Health, and Public Safety sectors. The company delivers professional services and productized solutions built on Appian low-code, SAP and Workday ERP, UiPath RPA, and C3 AI, including its proprietary Agentic Auditor AI platform for federal financial audits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Agentic Auditor: AI-powered audit preparation and data collection platform designed to help federal agencies streamline financial audits, including the Pentagon's congressionally mandated clean audit by 2028.

Products and services

• Agentic Auditor AI Platform AI-powered platform that automates data collection and audit preparation for federal financial audits, deployed across Defense Department organizations to support congressionally mandated clean audit goals.
• Appian Mission Support Suite

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced federal IT modernization costs through commercial-first approach and agile implementation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• CrossVuecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2023Strategic partnership to lead one of Workday's earliest federal implementations. Groundswell and CrossVue partner to deliver Workday HCM solutions to federal agencies, combining CrossVue's Workday expertise with Groundswell's federal domain knowledge. Together they are among the eight approved Workday implementation partners for the federal sector.
• Washington Harbour PartnerscoreOthers · 30 December 2021Washington Harbour Partners (WHP), a Washington DC area investment firm focused on technology, government services, and business services, made a majority investment in CollabraLink (now Groundswell). WHP employs a fundamentals-driven strategy with emphasis on small- and mid-cap investments in technology, government services, and business services sectors.
• Carahsoft Technology Corp.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCarahsoft serves as The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State, Local Government and Education/Healthcare. As Master Government Aggregator, Carahsoft delivers Groundswell solutions through hundreds of contract vehicles.
• AppiancoreTechnology or IntegrationGold-Level accredited Appian partner with elite status among only two companies globally. Groundswell delivers Government Acquisition Management solutions using Appian's low-code platform. Privileged access to Appian's Acquisition Solution Engineering team.
• WorkdaycoreTechnology or IntegrationElite Workday partner driving federal HR transformation. One of only eight approved Workday implementation partners for federal sector. Deploys Workday Government Cloud for federal agencies requiring secure, compliant, and extendable HCM solutions.
• SAPcoreTechnology or IntegrationLeads largest federal SAP transformations with agile delivery and 'true-to-core' ERP modernization approach. SAP Innovation Lab develops next-generation SAP solutions for federal agencies combining SAP capabilities with Human-Centered Design and data science.
• UiPathkeyTechnology or IntegrationUiPath Automation Factory rapidly modernizes federal processes with AI, discovery, and cleared implementation experts. Provides access to UiPath solutions through DoD Enterprise Services Initiative.
• C3 AIkeyTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership providing AI solutions for federal agencies as part of Groundswell's comprehensive technology stack for digital transformation.
• Telesto GroupcoreOthersTelesto Group is a subsidiary of Groundswell (formerly CollabraLink) providing expertise in business process, supply chain, acquisition, and HR modernization. Headquartered in McLean VA with offices in West Palm Beach, FL, Telesto has been delivering innovative solutions to the Federal Government for over a decade.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CGI Federal: CGI Federal is the U.S. federal arm of CGI Inc., providing IT and business process services to civilian, defense, and intelligence agencies. Closely comparable to Groundswell in federal systems integration, ERP/cloud modernization, and digital services delivery model.
• Maximus: Maximus is a federal IT and citizen-services firm with strong health and civilian agency business (CMS, VA, HHS). Comparable to Groundswell in federal health/civilian focus, systems modernization, and digital service delivery at similar scale.
• Credence Management Solutions: Credence is a mid-tier federal IT and management consulting firm focused on defense, civilian, and intelligence agencies. Closely comparable to Groundswell in scale, mid-tier federal positioning, and digital/acquisition/financial management modernization offerings.
• Unison Technologies: Unison Technologies is a mid-tier federal IT and engineering services firm serving DoD and intelligence community customers. Comparable to Groundswell in federal systems integration, cleared workforce, and mid-tier pursuit profile across defense and intelligence agencies.
• ICF International: ICF is a mid-to-large federal digital services and management consulting firm with deep federal civilian and defense IT modernization work. Comparable to Groundswell in target customers (federal civilian, defense, health), service mix (digital transformation, analytics, mission software), and mid-tier positioning.
• Octo Consulting (now part of ICF): Octo was a mid-tier federal digital services firm focused on defense, civilian, and intelligence agencies until its acquisition by ICF. Directly comparable to Groundswell in mid-tier federal digital transformation, Appian low-code, and DevSecOps delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Accenture Federal Services: Accenture Federal Services is the largest federal IT integrator, with broad digital transformation, ERP, and AI capabilities for federal clients. Strongly comparable to Groundswell in Workday, SAP, and digital modernization work, and a frequent competitor/incumbent on the same pursuits.
• Booz Allen Hamilton: Booz Allen Hamilton is a large federal consulting and IT services firm serving defense, civilian, and intelligence clients. Overlaps with Groundswell in federal digital transformation, AI/analytics, and HR modernization but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Leidos: Leidos is a large federal systems integrator with deep defense, intelligence, health, and civilian IT modernization work. Comparable to Groundswell in mission IT and digital services, but operates at materially larger scale and broader portfolio.
• ManTech International: ManTech (now part of ManTech/IntelliBridge under ClearLake-backed ownership) is a mid-large federal IT integrator serving defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies. Overlaps with Groundswell on DoD mission IT, intelligence community systems, and federal modernization but at larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groundswelldc
• Xx.com/groundswelldc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Groundswell