Systems Planning & Analysis announced Thursday it will expand its Alexandria headquarters and create 1,200 new jobs over the next five years as part of a $46.9 million investment across Northern Virginia.
The defense contractor, which has operated from Alexandria since its founding in 1972, purchased its 239,000-square-foot office building at 2001 N. Beauregard Street and plans extensive renovations to create what CEO Rich Sawchak described as “a modern, collaborative workspace.”
The announcement came during a ceremony at SPA’s global headquarters attended by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay.
“We congratulate Systems Planning & Analysis on this exciting next chapter of growth at their headquarters and across the region,” Gaskins said. “The purchase of their office headquarters is a signal of their commitment to and investment in Alexandria, where they will grow their workforce and community partnerships.”
SPA currently employs nearly 3,000 people globally, with approximately 1,500 in the greater Washington area. The expansion represents nearly doubling the company’s local workforce, with 494 new jobs planned for Alexandria and 714 for Fairfax County.
Gaskins emphasized the partnership aspects of the expansion, highlighting SPA’s commitment to community investment beyond job creation.
“When you build a business in Alexandria, you are gaining a partner that wants to invest in you, that wants to work with you and wants to grow with you into the future,” she said.
As part of the expansion agreement, SPA commits to several community partnerships. The company will expand its existing relationship with John Adams Elementary School to work with additional Alexandria City Public Schools, Virginia Tech, and Northern Virginia Community College.
“We are going to be working with more Alexandria City Public Schools,” Gaskins said. “They’re going to be working with Virginia Tech as well as the Northern Virginia Community College to make sure that we are investing in the next generation of national security professionals.”
SPA also pledged to prioritize Alexandria businesses for events and services, working with local small businesses on food and meeting spaces. The company will partner with the City of Alexandria Workforce Development Center to give interview priority to qualified job applicants from the center and will prioritize Alexandria-based vendors for procurement needs.
Youngkin praised the announcement as a demonstration of confidence in Virginia’s future.
“1,200 jobs,” he said. “I firmly believe the most powerful words in the English language are I love you, but right now, behind them are, you are hired.”
The governor noted that Virginia has seen nearly 270,000 people find employment during his administration, with more than 200,000 open positions currently available statewide.
SPA will receive a $9.2 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Development Opportunity Fund and the Virginia Economic Development Incentive Grant, according to the governor’s office. Alexandria will provide matching grants from the Alexandria Investment Fund for jobs created. The city also plans infrastructure investments, including bus stops, walkways, and curb extensions near the headquarters.
According to the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, this marks the first time the city has proposed using AIF funds to incentivize job creation.
“This was a competitive expansion and retention project, and we are thrilled SPA has decided to continue their 50-year track record of success in Alexandria,” said Alexandria Economic Development Partnership President & CEO Stephanie Landrum.
The expansion includes significant facility improvements. Sawchak noted that attendees at Thursday’s announcement were sitting in the company’s War Gaming and Innovation Center, with an Advanced Analytics Lab also housed in the building.
“We have a number of other locations, everything from employee lounges to a gym down the hallway, things that make it a good place for our employees to gather,” Sawchak said.
SPA specializes in analytical and technical innovation supporting national security programs and defense priorities. The company works with the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Energy, among other government clients.
Sawchak emphasized the company’s growth trajectory, noting that while the 1,200-job commitment over five years “may seem daunting,” the company has tripled in size over the past three years.
“We as a company have tripled over the last three, and we would expect to do no less as we continue to go forward,” he said.
The ceremony took place on the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, with speakers acknowledging the significance of the date for a national security-focused company.
“There couldn’t be a more appropriate date to be standing here to be talking about what we’re going to do over the next five years through this partnership,” Sawchak said.
The project requires City Council approval, scheduled for Sept. 30.
Also attending Thursday’s announcement were Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley and City Council members Jacinta Greene, Abdel Elnoubi, Canek Aguirre and John Chapman, along with City Manager James Parajon and Virginia State Sen. Adam Ebbin.
