DRC History

Our History

Modest But Optimistic Beginnings

DRC was founded in 1955 by five engineers from the MIT Instrumentation Lab (now called the Charles Stark Draper Lab) and their friend, attorney Joseph Weingarten. They each chipped in $100 and incorporated the company on paper. The first DRC office was in founder Jack Anderegg's apartment in Bedford, Massachusetts.

The engineers continued to work at the Instrumentation Lab until DRC got its first contract for $50,000 in 1956 – providing design assistance for a combination Doppler radar-inertial navigation system. By the late 1950's times were tight; defense contracts had come to a standstill. The USSR's launch of Sputnik I on Oct. 4, 1957 changed everything. The race for space was on and inertial guidance played a key role. In 1958 the company got two more contracts for inertial navigation work: $50,000 from General Electric's military arm to work on a Doppler inertial system for aircraft and a $50,000 contract from the US Navy's Special Projects Office to analyze the inertial navigation system for the new Polaris ballistic missile submarine). This began DRC's relationship with the Navy that continues 49 years later.

Also in 1958, DRC licensed the rights to make and sell the Optisyn^® encoder, a device that converted shaft rotation into computer-readable digital information. By 1968, the encoder earned half of the company's $1.44 million net worth.

The Space Race

As a key inertial navigation component, encoders led DRC's growth through the 1960s. We manufactured encoders and components for critical defense systems such as: the Titan II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, Polaris Submarine, Minuteman ICBM, Saturn Rocket and the Visual Airborne Target Location System. DRC was also involved in evaluation and data systems support for NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center. In 1963 DRC acquired Metrigraphics. The company manufactured gold-plated disks, a key component of DRC's encoder product line. Today the Metrigraphics Division of DRC is a leading worldwide supplier of ultra-high, precision, custom components for Original Equipment Manufacturers.

DRC went public in 1965, on the cutting edge of inertial navigation.

Cold War Defense

The US Navy's Fleet Ballistic Missile Program continued to be DRC's biggest customer in the 1970s. DRC enhanced the navigation system by introducing the breakthrough idea of matching a sub's location to an external reference. The company became involved with a new, longer-range navigation system for the Navy's Trident I. When the Brooklyn Navy Yard shut down in 1973, the Navy transferred its gyro lab to DRC. In 1974, the Navy suggested that DRC acquire LORAD, a 15-man company that had been building gyro test equipment for missile guidance systems for 14 years. This became the Test Equipment Division (now Engineering and Test Operations Group), located in West Newton, Massachusetts.

As the Cold War intensified, defense client needs evolved. DRC responded with new lines of business and expertise, including software development, logistics, and precision manufacturing.

In 1979 DRC got the job of securing information from the base where the F-16 fighters were stationed, to provide a daily flight status briefing for the General at Wright-Patterson AFB. The base would send a computer tape detailing how many aircraft had flown that day, what broke, and whether they were still mission-capable afterwards. From the tapes, DRC's computer generated color slides for the briefings.

DRC's Metrigraphics division thrived despite economic times characterized by stagflation, a combination of business stagnation and monetary inflation. It was no longer a boutique job shop, but a full-blown manufacturing operation. Reticles for the eyepieces of optical instruments accounted for fully half its sales volume at the beginning of the decade, and the high-resolution electroformed mesh for cathode ray tubes and other image display units was expanded into a full product line.

The Information Age

DRC entered the 1980s in a strong position. Sales were over $27 million by 1980. By the end of the decade, DRC had broadened its customer base from DoD into other government agencies. The need for usable information grew as computers became more available. Core engineering and logistics services were expanded to include systems engineering and technical assistance to complex programs, information technology, and training.

The company's Air Force work continued to grow based on our reputation for high-quality solutions. DRC's design of a system for managing F-16 test equipment led to our assignment to the Top Secret Stealth Fighter program in 1985 and to our creation of worldwide databases for both the F-16 and F-15 by 1988.

The Internet

The 1990s introduced the Internet boom, bringing immediate information access to individuals and organizations across the nation. DRC branched out again – bringing the power of the Internet to automate child welfare and family services for state governments.

DRC continues to provide automated case management services in New Hampshire, Colorado and Ohio, helping improve the delivery of human services to families, children, and communities. DRC used this same IT expertise to develop award-winning Web applications that provide veterans worldwide with access to the benefits they've earned and deserve.

During this decade DRC continued to expand its software development capabilities with the achievement of a Level 2 rating based on the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model by applying defined project management principles.

A New Century

With a new century come new challenges. As we move forward past the 50-year mark, DRC stands ready to support key national priorities: National Defense, Citizen Security, and Citizen Services. The company has gained new capabilities through the added attainments of an SEI Capability Maturity Model Software Level 3 rating in 2003 and SEI Capability Maturity Model Integration Level 2 rating in 2004.

The company has also grown through acquisition. In 2002 DRC purchased HJFord, which remains a wholly owned subsidiary, offering the company a more dominant role in the Wright Patterson AFB market and more leverage at NAVAIR. Acquisition of Andrulis in 2002 strengthened the company's presence in DoD and civilian Federal agencies. In 2004 DRC acquired Impact Innovations Group, Government Systems Division. IIG strengthened the C4ISR and logistics capabilities and brought DRC into new markets in national intelligence — particularly with the NSA and in civilian Federal agencies.

THE COMPANY TODAY

Today, DRC, as a company, is focused on a set of six business solutions to meet our national priorities. We are committed to investing, developing and continuing to advance our ability to provide these solutions to meet our customers' mission-critical requirements today and into the future.

The Government Contracting Market

The government contracting industry is dynamic – always changing based on the needs of our nation and the technology available to meet these needs. In this industry, where having current best practices and state-of the-art capability are requirements, DRC continues into its sixth decade based on its ability to meet the needs and demands of its times and to make significant contributions to the safety of our nation and the well-being of our citizens. Since our founding, DRC has been shaped by its times – from the launch of Sputnik to the Internet explosion, to the increased need for security in the aftermath of terrorism. DRC, in turn, has helped to shape our nation's history of progress through our involvement in innovative, critical government programs.

DRC's Growth Strategy

The company's business growth strategy is focused on three national priority markets: national defense and intelligence, public safety and legislated citizen services. Within these markets the company focuses its efforts on are six strategic business areas: C4ISR (Command, control, communications, computing, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), logistics, readiness, military space, public security and citizen services. Because these markets address the mission-critical functions of government, we expect that they will be funded regardless of economic cycle. The strategy leverages six solution sets where DRC has strong competencies and a record of meeting its customers' most difficult challenges. These repeatable, proven, cost-effective solutions are acquisition management services, training and performance support, business transformation, business intelligence, IT infrastructure services and automated case management.

DRC has an organic and acquisition growth strategy, supplementing organic growth with the acquisition of businesses with additional or complementary capabilities, providing access to new customers. Consistent with this strategy, the company has completed three business acquisitions since 2002.

Over the last five years, we have made great strides in improving the company's overall operational performance, its infrastructure and support systems, business processes and management effectiveness. We have grown organically, as well as through acquisition by more than 50 percent. We have greatly expanded our market presence and diversified our customer base with a number of new contracts supporting national priority markets in areas of defense, citizen security and citizen services. Much has been accomplished.

We have successfully implemented an Enterprise Business System, integrating all of DRC's essential business and human resource management processes, available online to serve and support all employees on a real-time basis. We have adopted a streamlined organizational structure to facilitate execution of DRC's Business Growth Strategy, as well as better address the mission critical needs of our customers. We are drawing on DRC's established people, process and technology strengths to focus on the delivery of well defined business solutions to selected national priority markets. And, we have enhanced our business development effectiveness through investment and reprioritization, which is resulting in a fast growing pipeline of qualified new business opportunities and a significantly improved new business win rate.

Recognition

DRC has been recognized by industry leaders, customers, and business analysts for its solid performance and achievements over the years. That recognition includes the following:

DRC's software engineering, software project management, and support processes have been validated as fully CMMI Level 3 compliant via the execution of a formal SCAMPI A appraisal which was led by an external (non-DRC) SEI-authorized Lead Appraiser.
Inclusion in the Washington Business Journal's Top Systems Integrator List of 25 companies (2005, 2006)
Military Training Technology's Top 100 List (2004, 2005, 2006)
Washington Technology's Top 100 Federal Prime Contractors (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)
Inclusion in the The Globe 100, the Boston Globe's Best of Massachusetts Businesses (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006)

In addition, the company has received awards for performance on specific contracts. A small sampling includes:

Department of Defense Top Five Software Programs (WarSIM in 2005 and OneSAF in 2004)
InfoWorld 100 award for most creative use of cutting edge technology to enhance business goals on the Ohio SACWIS project (2006)
Webby Award Winner, People's Choice Award (Government category) for the National Science Foundation web design (2006)

LOOKING AHEAD

DRC's future is bright. We have a clear vision of that future and a well-defined strategy for DRC to achieve its full potential. We are committed to sustaining the momentum for growth and operational improvement that has been established over the past five years. Applying the principles of continuous process improvement in a strong cultural framework of teamwork, integrity, and commitment we will build on our past achievements, maintain our focus, and provide the highest quality services to our customers. In this way we will continue to create value for all of our stakeholders: our employees, our customers and our shareholders.