What Tactile Design Group does

The Tactile Group (legal entity The Tactile Group, founded 2004 as Tactile Design Group) is a Philadelphia-headquartered digital product development and technical assistance firm serving federal, state, and local government agencies, alongside select enterprise and non-profit clients. The company designs, builds, and maintains custom web applications, data-collection and visualization platforms, and content-managed websites, with a portfolio anchored by long-tenured U.S. Department of Education engagements (21APR data collection application since 2014, IRIS reporting portal since 2020, 21st CCLC monitoring and technical assistance, You4Youth professional development portal, and OFO webmaster services). Its technology stack centers on LAMP (Laravel/PHP) and Node.js, deployed on FedRAMP-compliant AWS and Microsoft Azure infrastructure, with Drupal, WordPress, and Craft CMS for content-driven sites, and AWS QuickSight, Tableau, and D3.js for data visualization.

The firm's go-to-market is enterprise field sales driven by proposal and RFP response activity through pre-competed contracting vehicles — GSA Schedule 70 (GS35F072BA), two U.S. Department of Education BPAs, and DBE/MBE certifications across Pennsylvania, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, and the City of Philadelphia. Federal-grade security and process credentials (FISMA, NIST 800-53, Section 508, CMMI Level 3 appraisal) underpin contracting eligibility, while NMSDC and NGLCC minority and LGBT-owned certifications provide set-aside procurement access. Revenue is generated primarily through fixed-price and time-and-materials professional services contracts on multi-year bases. The company is founder-led by Marc Coleman (Founding President/CEO since inception) and reports approximately 30 team members as of 2026, operating from Philadelphia headquarters and an Austin, Texas regional office.

Name

Tactile Design Group

Legal name

The Tactile Group

Website

https://thetactilegroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Tactile Group is a Philadelphia-headquartered digital product development firm that designs, builds, and maintains custom web applications and data-collection platforms for U.S. federal agencies (notably the Department of Education), state and municipal governments, and select non-profits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

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. Application Development and Maintenance: Custom web application development, maintenance, and support services for government clients. Includes legacy system modernization from ColdFusion to secure LAMP stack environments.
2. Technical Assistance Services: Targeted technical assistance including compliance monitoring, virtual and in-person trainings, professional development, online learning, and continuous quality improvement for government programs.
3. Data Collection and Visualization: Legacy data analysis, database design, reporting dashboards, and custom reports using tools like AWS QuickSight, Tableau, and D3.js. Supports federal program performance reporting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Tactile Group is a Philadelphia-based digital product development agency that partners with government, enterprise, and non-profit organizations to design, build, and maintain custom web applications, data collection and reporting systems, and content-driven digital experiences. Core work spans custom application development (e.g., 21APR, IRIS, IARPC), website redesigns (PHL Airport, Rain Check, Stormwater Plan Review), data visualization (AWS QuickSight, Tableau, D3.js), and ongoing technical assistance and help-desk support for federally funded programs.

Product overview

The Tactile Group is a digital product development company offering a portfolio of web-based applications and technical services. Their core offerings include data collection and visualization applications (21APR, IRIS, HEPIS), content management and website development (PHL Airport, Rain Check, Stormwater Plan Review), and technical assistance services (21st CCLC Monitoring, OFO Webmaster). The company serves government agencies (U.S. Department of Education, City of Philadelphia, City of Boston, NASA), enterprise clients, and non-profit organizations. Their technical capabilities span DevSecOps, data visualization tools (AWS QuickSight, Tableau, D3.js), content management systems (Drupal, Craft, WordPress), and cloud infrastructure (AWS FedRAMP-compliant, Azure). They operate using a hybrid agile methodology and provide both development and ongoing maintenance services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 21APR Data Collection Application A FedRAMP-compliant, responsive cloud-based web application that allows educators across 54 states and territories to collect and report outcome data for the U.S. Department of Education's $1.2 billion 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. Includes help-desk support for over 2,400 users.
• Nita Lowey 21st CCLC Monitoring and Technical Assistance Ongoing monitoring, compliance support, and technical assistance services for the U.S. Department of Education's 21st CCLC program, including biannual check-ins with State Education Agencies, full monitoring reviews, national training sessions, and annual Monitoring Trends Reports.
• International Resource Information System (IRIS) Annual performance reporting portal for the Office of Postsecondary Education's IFLE grant programs. Centralizes reporting across 14 institutional and fellowship grant programs that strengthen American education in foreign languages and international studies.
• PHL International Airport Website Mobile-first informational website for Philadelphia International Airport built on Drupal with Microsoft Azure cloud hosting, integrating live flight, parking, and TSA information via external APIs.
• Stormwater Plan Review (Philadelphia Water Department) Interactive online manual and application system for Philadelphia Water Department's regulatory stormwater management program, including the PWD Reg Finder interactive tool. Recognized as the first responsive site for any major U.S. city's regulatory stormwater program.
• Rain Check (Philadelphia Water Department) Interactive website for Philadelphia Water Department's residential stormwater management program, featuring a 'Pick Your Project' questionnaire, workshop registration, and contractor scheduling for more than 5,000 program participants.
• City of Boston Hub Intranet Employee intranet for the City of Boston serving nearly 20,000 employees, with employee profiles, payroll access, and benefits management. Built on Drupal with Acquia.
• Philadelphia Delivers (Amazon HQ2 Pitch) Informational website for Philadelphia's pitch to Amazon for HQ2, featuring videos, interactive maps, testimonials, and details of proposed sites, built in three weeks in partnership with Azavea, Leveler Media, and Skai Blue Media.
• Ready. Set. Philly! Informational website built on Craft CMS for The Philadelphia Foundation's COVID-19 return-to-city initiative, providing resources for safe return to Philadelphia for work and play, updated multiple times weekly.
• PHL Marketplace Displaced Worker Program Application Custom application connecting displaced airport workers with new merchants at Philadelphia International Airport, featuring responsive profiles, resume uploads, interview scheduling, and compliance reporting for Marketplace administrators.
• National Center for Education Statistics Tableau Support Tableau software training and ongoing support services for the National Center for Education Statistics, including license upgrade facilitation, installation oversight, and maintenance.
• OFO Webmaster Services Web content management services across the U.S. Department of Education's connectED employee intranet, public-facing ED.gov website, and SurveyMonkey environments, including Section 508 accessibility compliance remediation.
• You4Youth (Y4Y) Professional Development Portal Professional development portal supporting 21st Century Community Learning Centers program quality, migrated from .NET/ColdFusion to a LAMP stack with mobile-first redesign, achieving a 300% increase in registered users and 575% increase in mobile usage.
• IARPC Collaborations Website Portal website bringing together scientists from federal, state, academic, NGO, industry, Indigenous, and international organizations to share work on Arctic research, including the five-year Arctic Research Plan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% reduction in required data points from previous system
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Athena Global AdvisorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Design partner for Ready.Set.Philly! project. Provided designs for the pandemic recovery campaign website.
• Jacobson StrategiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Content partner for Ready.Set.Philly! project. Developed content for the pandemic recovery campaign website.
• ChatterblastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Video production partner for Ready.Set.Philly! project. Created videos for the pandemic recovery campaign.
• AzaveacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2017Created interactive maps for Philadelphia's Amazon HQ2 pitch website. Azavea developed maps showcasing proposed sites including Schuylkill Yards, uCity Square, and the Navy Yard.
• Leveler MediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2017Video production partner for Philadelphia Delivers website. Produced series of videos featuring interviews with local entrepreneurs, educators, corporate CEOs, restaurateurs, and Philadelphia citizens.
• Skai Blue MediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2017Creative direction partner for Philadelphia Delivers website. Provided creative direction for Amazon HQ2 pitch content.
• AcquiacoreTechnology or Integration · 21 March 2016Co-consultant and Drupal platform partner for City of Boston intranet project. Worked alongside Tactile to design and build the Hub employee intranet on Drupal platform.
• Juniper Education ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner on US Department of Education 21APR project. Dr. Debora Ortloff, Senior Researcher at Juniper Education Consulting, provided expertise on government projects and dispersed teams.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CGI Federal: U.S. federal arm of CGI Group, a major systems integrator delivering IT modernization, cloud, and digital services to civilian and defense agencies — overlaps Tactile's federal application-development footprint at much greater scale.
• ICF: Large publicly traded consulting and digital services firm with a substantial federal practice that overlaps Tactile's energy, education, and public-sector analytics work, though much broader in scale.
• Slalom: National consulting firm with a public-sector practice delivering digital transformation, data, and cloud services to state and federal clients — comparable on digital delivery but broader in geography and capability mix.
• Publicis Sapient: Global digital transformation firm (Publicis arm) with public-sector clients; comparable on digital strategy, web/app delivery, and design-led transformation but operating at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Softrams: Small/mid federal IT modernization firm specializing in legacy application migration, cloud, and accessibility for agencies like HHS — directly comparable in size, federal focus, and legacy-modernization posture to Tactile.
• REI Systems: Mid-size government digital services firm that designs and develops custom web applications and data-collection systems for federal agencies, with comparable FedRAMP/cloud focus and similar size to Tactile.
• Applied Information Sciences (AIS): Microsoft-focused federal IT services and custom application development firm serving civilian and defense agencies, comparable in scale and DevSecOps/cloud-native delivery to Tactile.
• The Ambit Group: Small federal IT and management consulting firm delivering custom applications, data analytics, and program support to agencies including DoE and HHS — a closely matched peer in size and mission.
• Brillient Corporation: Small/mid federal IT and digital transformation firm providing custom application development, data analytics, and program management support to agencies including HHS, DoD, and civilian federal clients.
• The Informatics Applications Group (tiag): Mid-size IT services firm delivering custom software, cybersecurity, and data management to federal and Department of Defense clients, with overlapping CMMI/process maturity positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheTactileGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-tactile-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/thetactilegroup
• Xx.com/TactileDesign

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Tactile Design Group