SAIC Will Add R.W. Beck To Engineering Acquisitions

Russ Stepp, R.W. Beck

Federal megacontractor Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) has taken another step into the infrastructure, energy and emergency-response marketplace with its plan to acquire Seattle engineer R.W. Beck Group Inc. The transaction, announced on July 6, is to close in August. Its value was not disclosed. SAIC, based in San Diego and McLean, Va., is the seventh-largest federal prime contractor, according to Washington Technology, a trade publication. It has 45,000 employees and reported $10.1 billion in revenue for its latest fiscal year ending in January. R.W. Beck has 550 employees and ranks 113th on ENR’s list of the Top 500 Design Firms, with close to $110 million in 2008 revenue. Revenue from its emergency response unit raises the 2008 total to $226 million, says CEO Russ Stepp, who is to continue running Beck as a wholly owned subsidiary. He says the deal will allow Beck to “evolve into a broader organization.” SAIC acquired engineer The Benham Cos. LLC, Oklahoma City, in 2007.