What NCI does

Empower AI, formerly NCI and founded in 1993, is a privately held U.S. federal government IT services contractor headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with roughly 1,000 employees and regional offices in Richmond, Virginia and Sierra Vista, Arizona. The company serves the Department of Defense and its components (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, DISA), federal civilian healthcare agencies (notably CMS and NIH), and a broad set of civilian agencies including GSA, DHS, DOJ, FCC, the Executive Office of the President, and the U.S. Capitol Police, executing work through prime positions on GWAC/IDIQ vehicles such as GSA Alliant 2/3, CIO-SP3, ITES-3S, SeaPort NxG, RS3, TEIS IV, NOAA Protech, GSA OASIS PLUS, and the GSA Multiple Award Schedule. Following a February 2023 leadership transition and rebrand from NCI to Empower AI, the company has repositioned an AI-enabled technology stack around six integrated solution areas: Artificial Intelligence (machine learning, natural language processing, and hyperautomation), Software Solutions, Engineering & Integration, IT Service Management, Infrastructure Modernization, and Mission Support. Underlying delivery is anchored by a zero-trust development methodology, "ready-on-day-one" implementation philosophy, and an enterprise AI capability that the company says helps federal agencies automate routine work and accelerate mission decision-making.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through long-term, contract-vehicle-based federal procurement, including task orders, IDIQ awards, and multi-year service contracts. The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales into federal agency leadership, supported by thought-leadership content, LinkedIn presence, industry events (NVTC Tech100, Wash100, WashingtonExec Chief Officer Awards), and a curated small business partner network that extends delivery capacity. The company reports multiple recent material contract awards, including a $255M DISA J6 Service Delivery contract to support Pentagon enterprise IT, a contract exceeding $200M to modernize infrastructure across more than 80 U.S. Army installations, a $20M+ CMS Hearings and Applications award, and a TEIS IV task order supporting the U.S. Military Academy's Lincoln Hall modernization. Empower AI holds ISO 20000-1, ISO 27001, CMMI Development and Services certifications, and maintains Section 508 compliance posture, collectively forming the compliance backbone required to compete for federal mission work at scale.

Name

NCI

Legal name

Empower AI

Website

https://empower.ai

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Empower AI (formerly NCI) is a privately held Reston, Virginia-based federal IT services contractor that applies AI, engineering, software, and mission support solutions to U.S. Department of Defense and federal civilian agency customers via prime GWAC/IDIQ contract vehicles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Federal IT Services & Solutions

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

Responsible AI, AI Governance & Compliance Services (BPAEAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs) (HDAEANAJ), AI Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms (HDAAAMAA)

Keywords

• Federal IT services
• Government IT contracting
• AI-enabled solutions
• Infrastructure modernization
• Defense technology services

Headquarters

HQ city

Reston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 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 IT Services and Solutions: Long-term government contracts providing mission-critical IT solutions, software development, engineering and integration, infrastructure modernization, and IT service management to federal agencies. Revenue derived from multiple-award IDIQ contract vehicles and direct task orders.
2. Professional Services: Expertise-based professional services including mission support, systems engineering, and technical consulting supporting federal agency objectives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Empower AI (formerly NCI) is a federal government contractor that provides AI-enabled information technology, engineering, and professional services to U.S. federal agencies. Its core offering centers on a proprietary AI platform powered by machine learning, automation, and natural language processing, supported by five solution areas: Software Solutions, Engineering & Integration, IT Service Management, Infrastructure Modernization, and Mission Support. The company delivers these services primarily through multi-year IDIQ and GWAC contract vehicles to defense, civilian, and healthcare agencies.

Product overview

Empower AI (formerly NCI) is a federal government contractor providing a unified platform of AI-enabled technology services with six integrated solution areas. The core offering centers on Artificial Intelligence powered by machine learning, automation tools, and natural language processing. This AI platform is complemented by five supporting service areas: Software Solutions for mission-critical application development, Engineering & Integration for customized agency solutions, IT Service Management for omni-channel support, Infrastructure Modernization for facility and IT modernization, and Mission Support for comprehensive information systems engineering. Together, these solutions enable federal agencies to achieve digital transformation, elevate workforce productivity, and make mission-critical decisions faster and more accurately.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artificial Intelligence

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 (per GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard)

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Small Business Partner NetworksupportingOthersEmpower AI has developed partnerships with a team of large and small businesses, each selected for their unique capabilities to support their extensive contract portfolio. These partners bring award-winning expertise, unique capabilities, and exceptional subject matter expertise. Vendors can complete an information questionnaire to join the partner network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• General Dynamics IT (GDIT): Top-tier federal IT prime competing on Army, DISA, and civilian agency work. Empower AI's CEO previously held executive positions at GDIT, indicating substantial operational and customer overlap.
• Booz Allen Hamilton: Leading federal AI/analytics and digital transformation contractor. Directly comparable on AI for federal missions, federal digital transformation, and CMS engagements where Empower AI also operates.
• Accenture Federal Services: Federal services arm of Accenture specializing in AI, data, and digital transformation for DoD and civilian agencies. Empower AI's CTO previously led Data & AI at Accenture Federal Services, indicating direct technology and customer overlap.
• Peraton: Large federal IT and mission services prime, where Empower AI CEO Jeff Bohling previously led the Defense Solutions Sector. Overlaps directly with Empower AI on DoD/DISA enterprise IT and AI-enabled mission support contracts.
• Leidos: Top-three federal IT/services prime competing for Army installation modernization, DISA, and CMS work. Overlaps on the same contract vehicles and customer set as Empower AI, with greater scale and past-performance citations.

Direct peers

• CACI International: Federal IT and signals/intelligence services prime competing on DoD engineering & integration, mission support, and IT service management. Overlaps directly with Empower AI's Army, Navy, and intelligence community work.
• Maximus: Federal services prime specializing in CMS, health IT, and citizen-services digital modernization. Directly comparable to Empower AI on the CMS CERT/Hearings/Applications work and broader federal civilian healthcare digital transformation.
• SAIC: Major federal IT services prime with deep DoD, intelligence, and civilian agency footprint. Competes head-to-head on GWAC task orders (CIO-SP3, OASIS, SeaPort) and on AI for federal missions — Empower AI CGO Juan Toves previously led BD at SAIC.
• ManTech (KBR): Federal IT/mission services prime now part of KBR, focused on DoD and intelligence customers. Overlaps with Empower AI on DISA, Army IT modernization, and intelligence-support programs.

Regional players

• ICF International: Public-sector digital transformation and AI/analytics firm with strong civilian agency footprint (FCC, HHS, NIH). Comparable to Empower AI on FCC ADSS work and civilian AI/digital transformation engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empowerai
• Xx.com/nciinc_
• Facebookfacebook.com/nciinc

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A2 records

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about NCI