Concept Plus acquires boutique firm Dougherty & Associates

Concept Plus, an Oracle partner and government health and technology services provider, has acquired Virginia-based boutique management consultancy firm Dougherty & Associates (DAI Solutions). DAI Solutions will continue to operate under its own name, as a Concept Plus subsidiary.  

Concept Plus was founded in 2008, and leverages cloud and mobile technologies. It provides program and technology management, software and solution development, and systems integration services. DAI Solutions was founded in 2000, and is an expert in organizational development and change management communications. The firm has worked with several government agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs.  

The acquisition is expected to strengthen Concept Plus’s services by enhancing its insight, software solutions, expert implementation, and training to help it deliver tailored solutions to clients, the company said. 

“Our clients are investing in transformation initiatives that leverage technology to solve difficult business challenges and prepare stakeholders to use technology to meet their goals. The integration of Concept Plus LLC and DAI Solutions allows us to meet their needs rapidly,” Ahmad Abuzaakouk, CEO and president of Concept Plus, said in a statement.

Concept Plus is one of several consulting firms looking to dip a toe into governmental waters. In October 2018, Booz Allen Hamilton launched District Defend, a security system assisting with mobile computing in government. The system, which combines RFID with “military-grade security” technology, allows enabled devices to access sensitive networks in a secure physical area. Devices are automatically disconnected when they physically leave the secure location. The US has been (and still is) awash in scandal resulting from unauthorized use of technology in a governmental setting, most notably the Hillary Clinton email scandal, much of which took place during – and quite possibly swayed - the 2018 presidential election. 

In November of the same year, Big Four firm Deloitte partnered with ID management firm Attest to assist government clients in implementing digital identity solutions. It will deliver blockchain-powered technology such as decentralized identifiers and verifiable credentials to government clients, which in turn will be able to after these services to citizens, potentially doing away with plastic identification cards.