Vangent’s roots can be traced back to 1953 and the founding of the Measurement Research Center (MRC) at The University of Iowa. This private, non-profit test scoring center developed the first electronic test scoring machine in 1955 and by 1968 was the world’s largest processor of student tests, scoring more than 26 million documents per year.

The large-scale document management, electronic data capture, complex database management and security required for successful test processing had wider uses. In 1973, the Iowa City-based organization, then part of Westinghouse Learning Corporation, began its longstanding relationship with the U.S. Department of Education, processing student financial aid applications and determining program eligibility as a subcontractor to ACT.

In 1983, we were awarded our first major prime contractor role with the federal government, a $29 million, 3-year data processing contract for the Department of Education’s Pell Grant Application Processing System (PGAPS)—at that time, the largest single contract ever awarded by the Department of Education.

That same year, the Iowa City-based organization was purchased by National Computer Systems (NCS) of Minneapolis, Minnesota. NCS had developed the first Optical Mark Read (OMR)—or “bubble-mark”—scanner in the early 1960’s, and was by then the world’s largest manufacturer of these scanners. A large portion of NCS’ business remained test scoring and other large-volume data capture using electronic scanners, along with a growing business in educational software and personnel assessment instruments.

The 1980s saw continued growth in our government business and the formation of a separate division—the Information Technology Division, later renamed the Government Services Division—to focus on providing information management and outsourcing services to government agencies. In 1987 we opened an office in Arlington, Virginia, to facilitate our expanding federal client relationships.

In 1984, we began our relationship with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that continues to this day. Each year, under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Annuitant Open Season program, we assist almost 2 million retired federal employees in making informed choices about their healthcare plans.

In 1985, we conducted a successful pilot project to transmit student financial aid data to colleges and universities electronically. This began the transformation of the federal student aid delivery system from a paper-based, labor-intensive process to a largely electronic, automated process that improved timeliness and accuracy while reducing costs.

In 1989, the PGAPS evolved into the Central Processing System (CPS), the data processing hub of the federal student aid delivery system. Each year, we process more than 13 million financial aid applications and calculate eligibility for more than $70 billion in student financial aid.

During the 1990s the Government Services Division, still part of NCS, greatly expanded both the range of services it offered and the list of clients it provided these services to. By the end of the decade, we had become one of the leading providers of contact center services for the federal government and one of the true pioneers of E-Government.

In 1994, our unrivaled knowledge of the federal student aid system led to our being awarded the Public Inquiry Contract (PIC) by the Department of Education, and almost overnight we were a major provider of large-volume, multi-channel contact center services. Under the PIC alone, we answered more than 9 million telephone and 200,000 written inquiries annually, including highly controlled congressional and White House correspondence. Our rapid growth led to the opening of a new contact center and program delivery facility in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1994.

In 1997, we designed, developed and implemented the first large-scale federal Web site to securely collect Privacy Act-protected financial and demographic information: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the Web. FAFSA on the Web allows students to apply for financial aid via the Internet, 24x7, greatly improving the convenience, timeliness and accuracy of the application process while greatly decreasing costs for the Department of Education. FAFSA on the Web has received numerous industry awards, including multiple E-Gov awards, and has served as a model for user-friendly Web sites across the government.

In 1998, our proven ability to develop and operate large-scale document management and data capture systems—a core competency going back to our origins as the MRC—led to the award of a major contract by the U.S. Department of Labor: the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) Filing Acceptance System, or EFAST. Each year, we collect data on more than 1.2 million employee pension and benefit plans and make this data available to the four federal agencies responsible for protecting these plans on behalf of 200 million plan participants and beneficiaries.

In 1999, NCS’ Government Services Division moved its headquarters to Arlington, Virginia, and Mac Curtis became the division’s Vice President and General Manager. The end of the 20th century saw the division poised to begin an exciting period of growth and change.

The opening years of the 21st century have been the most exciting period of growth and change for the company now known as Vangent. Over a seven-year period, the organization that began with a single government contract in the early 1980s was acquired by a multi-billion-dollar international media and publishing company, became one of the fastest-growing and most profitable parts of that company, and then went on to become a thriving, stand-alone company for the first time in its history.

In 2000, NCS was acquired by Pearson plc, a $6 billion international media and publishing company based in London. Pearson’s industry-leading businesses include the Financial Times and Penguin Books. The government division became known as NCS Pearson, and was led by President and CEO Mac Curtis.

We operated one of three outsourced Data Capture Centers (DCCs) for the 2000 U.S. Census, building out an operations facility in Phoenix, hiring and training 3,500 personnel in 3 months and successfully processing 46 million census forms in 120 days. Our DCC was the highest rated of the three contractor-operated facilities, and our quality control processes became the standard for all the DCCs.

In 2001, we acquired Kajax Engineering, Inc. (KEI), an Arlington-based Department of Defense contractor with particular expertise in providing training services to the military and intelligence communities, and document declassification services. With KEI we were awarded the Department of the Navy’s Navy College Program for Afloat College Education (NCPACE), becoming leaders in e-learning. Under this program we delivered e-learning to more than 85,000 Sailors via a centralized educational portal, and offered instructor-led and distance learning courses aboard every Navy ship and submarine, and to every aviation squadron, worldwide.

In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, we played a vital role in ensuring the security of the nation’s 429 commercial airports. For the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), as part of the largest peacetime mobilization in U.S. history we successfully recruited, assessed, and supported the hiring of more than 65,000 airport screeners in a 13-month period to meet a congressionally mandated deadline in 2002.

In the fall of 2002, we were awarded two major federal contact center contracts: the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 1-800-MEDICARE Helpline and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) National Customer Service Center. These two contracts further solidified our position as a leader in multi-channel customer contact center services for the federal government. With one in four Americans receiving healthcare coverage through Medicare, Medicaid, or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, 1-800-MEDICARE is a large-scale operation, handling more than 1 million inbound calls per month and employing more than 4,000 customer service representatives (CSRs).

In 2003, several businesses were renamed to strengthen the Pearson brand. NCS Pearson became Pearson Government Solutions and KEI became Pearson Analytic Solutions. Pearson Performance Solutions, a leading provider of performance-based workforce recruitment, development and advancement solutions became part of Government Solutions. Also that year, new program delivery facilities opened in Corbin, KY, Coralville, IA, and Phoenix, AZ.

2004 saw continued growth in our federal contact center business, with the award of multiple contracts including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) National Contact Center pilot program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1-800-CDC-INFO program. We jumped from #60 on Washington Technology’s list of Top 100 Federal Government Prime Contractors in 2003 to #44 in 2004.

Continuing our longstanding relationship with the U.S. Department of Education, in 2005 we were awarded the Front End Business Integration (FEBI) contract, consolidating the work we had previously performed under the Central Processing System and Public Inquiry Contract programs under one umbrella contract. By integrating the entire front end of the Federal Student Aid delivery system, the FEBI program is providing better service to the American public and more efficient, streamlined operations for the Department of Education— the latest chapter in a successful business transformation we began over 20 years earlier.

In 2006, we strengthened our technology leadership through the acquisition of Blueprint Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise architecture (EA) and enterprise modernization solutions for government and commercial clients. Known as Pearson Blueprint Solutions, they specialize in enterprise modernization, translating business requirements into architecture-based solutions. Using its industry-leading Enterprise Modernization Methodology (EMM), Pearson Blueprint Solutions helps organizations achieve their goals through mission planning, architecture planning, program management and development.

On February 15, 2007, Pearson Government Solutions was purchased by Veritas Capital, a New York-based private equity firm, and became known as Vangent, Inc. The new name signifies the leadership position (or “vanguard”) we occupy in providing intelligent solutions for our customers’ toughest business challenges. Vangent combines the strengths, expertise and resources of the former Pearson Government Solutions, Pearson Analytic Solutions, Pearson Blueprint Technologies and Pearson Performance Solutions.

Together, the new Vangent, Inc. is a leading global provider of information management and business process outsourcing solutions serving government, commercial, education and healthcare organizations, able to provide better, more comprehensive, and more integrated solutions to our customers.