Search Inc.

What Search Inc. does

SEARCH, Inc. is a privately held cultural resource management (CRM) firm founded in 1993 and headquartered in Orlando, Florida (Delaware-incorporated). The company delivers end-to-end archaeological, maritime archaeological, and cultural heritage services for federal, state, and commercial clients. Its core service portfolio spans archaeology, maritime archaeology (via the SEARCH2O sub-brand), geophysical and geospatial surveying, exhibits and interpretation, collections and archives, forensic archaeology, submerged pre-contact archaeology, and architectural history. Technically, SEARCH integrates ground-penetrating radar, magnetometry, terrestrial and drone-based LiDAR, thermography, multispectral imaging, marine geophysical survey (side-scan sonar, sub-bottom profiling), scientific diving, ROV/AUV operations, and submersible deployments, all unified through ESRI ArcGIS Online, Mobile, and Desktop with sub-meter GNSS positioning.

The firm's revenue model is built primarily on federal contracting. SEARCH holds 86 IDIQ contracts totaling $2.3B in ceiling value ($310M as Prime, $2.04B as Team member) across 26 USACE Districts, 11 NAVFAC commands, BOEM, NPS, FEMA, and other agencies, supplemented by GSA Schedule access. Commercial revenue derives from project-based engagements with oil and gas operators (Energy Transfer Partners, NextEra, Williams, Duke Energy, Summit Midstream) across 15+ US states, A/E firm subcontracting (100+ partners, $25M+ prime and $780M+ team member capacity in transportation), and ocean-exploration partnerships (Ocean Infinity, NOAA, Ocean Exploration Trust). Pricing takes the form of subscription-style IDIQ vehicles, fixed-price, time-and-materials, and cost-plus contracts.

The company serves eight primary customer segments: Defense/Federal Government, Federal Civilian Agencies, State Government (48 states, 6 territories), Transportation, Oil & Gas, Deep Water/Ocean Exploration, Museums, and Municipal Government. SEARCH has executed more than 5,500 projects across 44 countries, 7 continents, and 4 oceans, including high-profile discoveries of Shackleton's Endurance (Weddell Sea, 9,869 feet), the Clotilda, and USS Nevada (15,400+ feet), and maintains a USACE-approved diving program with AAUS membership. Leadership is anchored by CEO Anne V. Stokes (Founder and Principal) and President James Pochurek, with Dr. James P. Delgado as Senior Vice President. The company is independently owned with no disclosed PE/VC backing, no parent company, and no M&A history.

Name

Search Inc.

Legal name

SEARCH, Inc.

Website

https://searchinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

SEARCH, Inc. is a privately held Orlando-based cultural resource management firm founded in 1993, delivering archaeology, maritime archaeology, and heritage services to federal agencies, state DOTs, oil and gas operators, and ocean exploration clients across 48 US states and 44 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Resource Management Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Mining (213)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAKAKAA

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Metals & Mining/Mining Services & Contracting (Exploration, Drilling, Blasting, Mine Operations)

Keywords

• Cultural resource management
• Archaeological services
• Maritime archaeology
• Heritage preservation
• Geophysical surveys

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal Government IDIQ Contracts: Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts with federal agencies including US Army Corps of Engineers, NAVFAC, and Defense agencies. Awards include 86 IDIQ contracts (24 as Prime worth $310M, 62 as Team member worth $2.04B).
2. Commercial Project Work: Project-based fees from commercial clients in oil & gas, development, telecommunications, and other sectors. Work includes archaeological surveys, cultural resource management, and compliance services.
3. State and Municipal Government Contracts: Contracts with state agencies, departments of transportation, and municipal governments for cultural resource services including Section 106 consultation and environmental permitting.
4. A/E Firm Subcontracting: Team member on architectural/engineering firm projects, serving as cultural resource specialist subcontractor on major infrastructure projects across transportation, energy, and development sectors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SEARCH, Inc. is a cultural resource management firm providing archaeological surveys, excavation, maritime archaeology, deep-water exploration, geophysical and geospatial analysis, forensic archaeology, collections management, and exhibits and interpretation services. It serves federal and state agencies, military commands, oil and gas operators, transportation departments, and museums through IDIQ contracts, direct awards, and subcontracting relationships.

Product overview

SEARCH, Inc. is a global cultural resource management firm offering comprehensive archaeology and maritime archaeology services rather than a unified software product. The company operates through specialized service lines organized by research sector (Archaeology, Maritime Archaeology, Geophysical & Geospatial, Exhibits & Interpretation, etc.) and market sectors (Defense, Oil & Gas, Deep Water, etc.). The SEARCH2O sub-brand represents their maritime-focused capabilities. Services include fieldwork, laboratory analysis, geophysical surveys, remote sensing, photogrammetry, museum support, and public interpretation. The company conducts projects for government and commercial clients across 48 US states, 6 territories, and 44 countries spanning 7 continents and 4 oceans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SEARCH2O: The company's maritime archaeology division specializing in historic shipwreck and submerged precontact archaeology, paleolandscape reconstruction, deep-water archaeology, maritime exploration, storytelling, and stakeholder engagement. SEARCH2O is described as a world leader in maritime archaeology.

Products and services

• Archaeology Services Multidisciplinary teams of professional archaeologists providing reconnaissance surveys, intensive archaeological surveys, excavation, site eligibility evaluations, data recovery, and mitigation services for government and commercial clients.
• Maritime Archaeology Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Discovered Shackleton's Endurance shipwreck at 9,869 feet depth in the Weddell Sea, four miles from last recorded position
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RS&HcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 2 February 2026RS&H is the prime contractor leading a spaceport feasibility study for the Concho Valley Council of Governments in Texas. SEARCH is a subcontractor providing cultural heritage services as part of the RS&H team. The study is fully funded by a grant from the Texas Space Commission.
• Centurion Planning & DesignminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 2 February 2026Subcontractor on the RS&H-led spaceport feasibility study team for the Concho Valley region of Texas, funded by the Texas Space Commission.
• Aerospace CorporationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 2 February 2026Subcontractor on the RS&H-led spaceport feasibility study team for the Concho Valley region of Texas, funded by the Texas Space Commission.
• Blue Ridge Research and ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 2 February 2026Subcontractor on the RS&H-led spaceport feasibility study team for the Concho Valley region of Texas, funded by the Texas Space Commission.
• GAI ConsultantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAI Consultants contracted SEARCH to excavate 10 archaeological sites in the Permian Basin as part of a comprehensive cultural resources project in New Mexico and Texas.
• Ground MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Ground Media to develop the Permian Basin History website for public outreach and research sharing. Ground Media led web development in collaboration with SEARCH's archaeological findings.
• TRC Companies, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchaeologists with SEARCH and TRC Companies were contracted by GAI Consultants for Permian Basin archaeological excavations across New Mexico and Texas.
• Ocean InfinitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEARCH and Ocean Infinity jointly discovered the wreck of USS Nevada 65 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor at over 15,400 feet depth. Mission was coordinated between SEARCH's operations center and Ocean Infinity's research vessel.
• Falklands Maritime Heritage TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEARCH participated in the Endurance22 Expedition organized by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust, which located Shackleton's Endurance at 9,869 feet depth in the Weddell Sea. The wreck is designated as a monument under the Antarctic Treaty.
• National GeographiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Geographic partnered on media coverage of the Endurance22 Expedition, including documentary content for the Explorer series. SEARCH's project coverage also appears in National Geographic magazine and specials.
• Alabama Historical CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking for the Alabama Historical Commission in consultation with the descendant community of Africatown, SEARCH conducted three field seasons of excavation and documentation of the Clotilda wreck.
• Terra Mare ConservationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Terra Mare Conservation on the CSS Jackson archaeological investigation to systematically disassemble and document the fantail of the Civil War gunboat.
• NOAA Ocean ExplorationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEARCH maritime archaeologists led ROV dive operations via telepresence with NOAA's Okeanos Explorer to discover and document the SS Bloody Marsh wreck. NOAA provided the ROV and ship assets.
• National Civil War Naval MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestigated the fire-ravaged armor-clad fantail of CSS Jackson, currently housed at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WSP USA: Global engineering consultancy with strong US environmental and cultural resources practice (including former Golder Associates). Competes for transportation, energy infrastructure, and federal CRM contracts where SEARCH serves as subcontractor.
• HDR Inc. Employee-owned engineering firm with significant transportation, federal, and environmental practices. Frequently serves as prime on infrastructure projects where SEARCH provides cultural resource subcontracting.
• AECOM: Global engineering and environmental services firm with a large cultural resources and environmental compliance practice. Competes for the same federal IDIQ contracts (USACE, NAVFAC) and serves overlapping oil & gas, transportation, and infrastructure clients.
• Tetra Tech: Leading environmental and engineering consulting firm with deep federal contracting presence and water/environmental practices. Competes for NEPA, Section 106, and cultural resource management task orders across federal civilian and DoD agencies.
• Stantec: International design and engineering firm with environmental services practice serving federal, state, and transportation clients. Competes in cultural resource management, NEPA compliance, and pipeline/infrastructure surveys.
• ICF International: Public consulting firm with significant federal environmental and infrastructure practice. Competes for cultural resource, environmental impact, and Section 106 work tied to federal infrastructure spending.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): Global environmental consultancy serving oil & gas, infrastructure, and federal clients. Competes for cultural resource, NEPA, and environmental permitting on energy and infrastructure projects.

Direct peers

• RS&H: Engineering and architecture firm serving as prime contractor on federal, transportation, and aviation projects where SEARCH provides cultural resource subcontracting — currently partnered on a Texas spaceport feasibility study.
• TRC Companies: Environmental and engineering consulting firm with cultural resources practice; directly partnered with SEARCH on Permian Basin archaeological excavations. Direct competitor on pipeline, transportation, and federal CRM contracts.
• GAI Consultants: Engineering and environmental consulting firm that contracted SEARCH as a sub on Permian Basin work and competes for similar cultural resource and pipeline surveys across the eastern US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/search_inc
• Facebookfacebook.com/searcharchaeology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Search Inc.