A Virginia Information Technologies Agency contract with Science Applications International Corporation will create approximately 40 information technology service desk jobs in Clintwood, Dickenson County, by this fall.
“I am pleased that this partnership will create forty new jobs and have a significant economic impact in the region,” said Governor Northam. “In addition to delivering services critical to the daily operation of state government, these jobs will be key to helping the Commonwealth modernize its technology infrastructure and support the changing IT needs of our citizens, businesses and visitors.”
“These positions are vital to state government,” Virginia Secretary of Administration Keyanna Conner said. “Staff in these jobs will support over 55,000 state employees who have questions or need assistance with IT as they serve citizens of the Commonwealth. Opening this service center also helps advance Governor Ralph Northam’s number one priority—strengthening Virginia’s economy and bringing quality jobs to the Commonwealth.”
“This project is an exciting win for Dickenson County and Southwest Virginia, which continues to grow its technology workforce and boasts ever-expanding high-speed broadband and 4G wireless access,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “SAIC will be a valuable employer in Virginia’s e-Region and advance the region’s position as a leader in this critical 21st-century industry.”
“Virginia is our home, so ensuring that we offer the highest quality service and innovation to the Commonwealth gives us a great sense of pride,” said Nazzic Keene, Chief Operating Officer of SAIC. “The local officials and economic development leadership in Dickenson County were a huge reason we decided to locate our service desk in Clintwood. They have been welcoming and responsive to the needs of SAIC and VITA from the very beginning of our search process.”
Nelson Moe, Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth, who serves as agency head at VITA, said, “VITA is moving away from a long-term contract with one large supplier to shorter term contracts with multiple infrastructure suppliers. This new environment will be more agile, permit us to take advantage of market rates and offer the opportunity to enhance services to state executive branch agencies. This new service center is just one part of our new infrastructure, but it’s a very important part.”
CIO Moe said the service center will provide IT help via telephone and email to the VITA Customer Care Center (VCCC), a familiar name and process for state employees.
Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) Executive Director and General Counsel Jonathan S. Belcher said, “VCEDA was very pleased to be able to assist Dickenson County and SAIC on this project. We are excited about SAIC locating in Clintwood and the new jobs that will be created with this operation.”
“This announcement of the location of a new employer in Dickenson County is welcome news,” said Talbert Bolling, Chairman of the Dickenson County Industrial Development Authority (IDA). “We are delighted that we will be utilizing and providing modern office space for the technology employees who will operate the new help desk in the Dickenson County Technology Park.”
SAIC was selected to serve as VITA’s multisourced services integrator (MSI), which means the company will coordinate efforts of several suppliers providing IT infrastructure services. Those include messaging, mainframe, security, end-user, server/storage and voice/video/network services. VITA will continue to provide governance and oversight of the MSI as it coordinates, monitors and reports on IT infrastructure services.
SAIC is a premier technology integrator in the technical, engineering, intelligence and enterprise IT markets headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with approximately 15,000 employees nationwide. SAIC currently has more than 3,000 employees in Virginia focused on major projects in Stafford County, Dahlgren and Hampton Roads with the U.S. Navy and the Department of Defense. Among its other high-profile customers are NASA, the State Department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
VCEDA is providing a loan to Dickenson County IDA to secure and build out space for SAIC in an existing building. No state incentives are involved. VCEDA is a regional economic development organization created by General Assembly to enhance and diversify the economic base of the seven-county area of southwest Virginia.
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