XLA Awarded ‘Innovative Government Contractor’ by RecongizeDC

On October 4^th, 2018 XLA was awarded by the RecognizeDC GovCon Summit for Innovation and Insights Driving Government Contracting.  This exclusive list acknowledges XLA for its consistency in delivering innovative strategies to government clients and remaining agile to new market trends. The award also honors XLA’s commitment to high-quality, responsive, and cost-effective solutions, as proven by consistent growth and repeat customers.   The organization tailors services in response to their clients’ multi-faceted challenges.  XLA’s service areas include Law Enforcement Mission Support and Business Capabilities, Cyber Security and Information Assurance, Call Center Services & Analytics, Acquisition Strategy, and International & Humanitarian Deployment.

“XLA is honored to be nominated and delighted to be a recipient of the Innovative Government Contractor award from the 2018 GovCon Summit,” said Senior Vice President of Business Operations, Cynthia Andrews.  “We pride ourselves on being able to continually break the mold in such a competitive market space through XLA’s exceptional client relationship management, talent acquisition strategies, company culture & morale.” 

XLA is headquartered in Vienna, VA and has multiple prime contract vehicles including, DHS EAGLE II, GSA IT70 and Blanket Purchase Agreements with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Company continues to strive for excellence and will continue to work tirelessly to provide innovative solutions to their government clients.

Gary Slack, CEO and President of XLA was recently selected by Washington Exec as a Top 25 GovCon Exec to Watch in 2018 which includes Top Execs from companies like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton and Accenture Federal Services. Under Gary’s guidance, XLA continues to grow core competencies and leverage deep customer understanding to support the federal government. Washington Exec acknowledges, “[Gary] improved business operations by aligning processes for business development, to recruiting, to pricing, to human capital delivery. He’s strengthened [XLA’s] financial position by delivering above-average bottom line results and re-building a viable pipeline of business opportunities.” In addition, Gary has been able to streamline operations all while adding capabilities in the areas of data analytics and cybersecurity.

Gary noted, “It’s an honor to be recognized as a Top 25 GovCon Exec to watch…my success is a direct result of your success…I view this as a testament to the hard-working men and women in our company who go to work every day in support of our clients, both inside and outside our business.”

Since Gary’s arrival in January of 2016, XLA’s culture has received numerous acknowledgments as well. In December of 2017, XLA was named by Comparably as a Top 50 Company in the following categories:

• Best Company for Teams
• Best Company Leadership
• Best Company for Diversity
• Best Company for Women

XLA is an award-winning government services provider with 250+ employees both domestically and internationally. We provide leading professional services and technical solutions to Federal Civilian & Homeland Security along with multiple other Federal Government agencies. Our theme to “Engage, Embrace and Drive” means engaging with stakeholders, embracing company objectives and driving company performance to the highest level.

XLA Featured Employee: Ugo Oguejiofor

Ugowa Oguejiofor, Ugo for short, is not only a top performer on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Global Health (GH) contract, but also a passionate Acquisition and Assistance Specialist who takes tremendous ownership in the direct impact she has on people’s lives. She is currently supporting USAID’s mission in Tanzania and enjoying her time working internationally. In our interview with Ugo, she discusses the opportunities she has working abroad and what a typical day is like in Tanzania.

Ugo starts her day early, “I wake up at 6:00 am, say my morning prayers and head out to work by 7:10 am. There is never a dull moment at work.  From the time I step into the office to the time I leave, it’s all busy, busy, busy, as there are e-mails to respond to, meetings to attend, guidance to give, implementation issues to address, documents to review, and recommendations to give.” Once the typical work day has ended, Ugo arrives back home around 5:30 pm and makes dinner. “[I] spend time playing games and puzzles with my 6-year old son, then when he goes to bed around 9 pm I will respond to emails, listen to the news, check social media, and retire to bed by 11 pm.” Ugo’s day sounds pretty typical to us all, but her experiences tell a different story.

Ugo tells us, “Life in Tanzania is calm and peaceful.  There are lots of tourist attractions and relaxation sites including beaches, wildlife, and historical sites.  Varieties of organic vegetables and fruits are also available, so I can fix any type of yummy and healthy meal I want.”  Rice is one of the most popular foods in Tanzania, and it just so happens to be Ugo’s favorite food.

Ugo’s experiences working internationally have provided her with the unique opportunity to learn first-hand different cultures and expand her view of the world. “I am learning new skills and other/better ways of handling job-related issues and processes, thereby deepening, expanding, broadening and strengthening my professional capabilities towards achieving my career goal,” she said. “Further, the care and attention that I get from XLA makes the whole experience more interesting and worthwhile.” Ugo’s office is in close proximity to the location the Foreign Assistance aid is distributed, which lets her observe the actual physical help that is being provided to the citizens of Tanzania. She says, “I feel a sense of accomplishment when I see lives being transformed as a result of the work I am involved in. XLA’s support has been phenomenal in ensuring I am comfortable and promptly provided with all that I need to succeed on my job.  XLA is indeed an EXCELLENT organization and I am very happy and fulfilled to be a part of this great and effective organization.”

XLA is very humbled to have an employee like Ugo on board; she is incredibly selfless and works diligently towards the mission of USAID. A big thank you goes out to Ugo and the entire USAID team.