Shadow Government: Who Deals with Agencies at Booz Allen?

At Booz Allen Hamilton’s headquarters in McLean, Virginia, the firm’s vice presidents specializing in intelligence oversee two types of contract: offer two types of services: training executives and supplying critical systems to the agencies. Virtually all of the latter call on its services: NSA, DIA, CIA, FBI, NRO, and NGA (see graph). Even IARPA, the newly- established R&D unit of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), relies of the firm’s technology assessments.

The training of senior intelligence officials brings in steady revenue for Booz Allen. For nearly 10 years the group has been grooming executives of NRO in the framework of the Future Focus program. At the Joint Military Intelligence Center the firm has found itself briefing 1,500 analysts from DIA on sharing of intelligence.

In 2005, the FBI retained Booz Allen to provide fast-track training for 1,000 new analysts (the ACES Program). In its work with ODNI, it has not only developed modules for inter-agency training but also does considerable work on managing human resources.

As for equipping the agencies, the firm has positioned itself on the most sensitive contracts: designing new encryption tools (NSA’s Cryptographic Modernization Program); modernization of computer infrastructure (NSA’s Ground Breaker and DISA’s Encore II); and implementation of the DIA’s intelligence sharing system (Diescon 3).